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Does Chronic Neck Pain Matter? Auditory Function in Individuals With Forward Head Posture: An Exploratory
Kaan Tuğberk Özdemir1, Emre Söylemez2
1Department of Neurosurgery, Medicana International Izmir Hospital, Izmir, Türkiye.
Background:
Evidence suggests that neck pain and cervical pathologies may contribute to auditory disorders; however, auditory functions in individuals with forward head posture (FHP) have been insufficiently studied. This study aimed to explore hearing thresholds, self-reported auditory difficulties, central auditory processing measures, and the presence of tinnitus and hyperacusis in individuals with FHP with and without chronic neck pain compared with controls.
Methods:
Fifty individuals with FHP were included and classified into two groups according to the presence of nonspecific chronic neck pain: FHP with neck pain and FHP-only. Fifty individuals without FHP or neck pain constituted the control group. Tinnitus presence was recorded in all participants. Hearing levels were assessed using pure-tone audiometry, and subjective hearing difficulties were evaluated with the Turkish version of the Amsterdam Inventory for Auditory Disability and Handicap (T-AIADH). Central auditory processing was examined using the Modulation Detection Test (MDT) and the Temporal Fine Structure-Adaptive Frequency (TFS-AF) test. Sound tolerance was assessed using the Khalfa Hyperacusis Questionnaire.
Results:
No significant differences were observed among the groups in pure-tone hearing thresholds, MDT, TFS-AF, or hyperacusis scores (p > 0.05). However, T-AIADH scores were significantly higher in the FHP with neck pain group than in the other groups (raw p = 0.022; Holm-adjusted p = 0.044). Tinnitus prevalence was also significantly higher in this group (p = 0.003).
Conclusion:
This study did not detect significant differences in objective auditory measures among individuals with FHP-only and controls. However, individuals with FHP and neck pain reported greater subjective hearing difficulties and a higher prevalence of tinnitus, highlighting the importance of considering neck pain in FHP evaluation.