Most people associate tinnitus with excessive noise exposure, such as the ringing that can follow a rock concert. However, tinnitus can also develop following a whiplash event, such as the rapid acceleration and deceleration of the head and neck that occurs during a motor vehicle collision. While a crash may involve loud noises that can temporarily affect hearing, the persistent nature of tinnitus associated with whiplash-associated disorders (WAD) suggests a different underlying mechanism.
Research in this area is ongoing, but the leading explanation involves a process known as somatosensory modulation. The nervous system has sensory receptors throughout the body that relay information to the brain, where it is interpreted as somatosensory input—including touch, body position, temperature, and pain. Importantly, the somatosensory system shares neural connections with other sensory systems, including the auditory system.
When somatosensory input is altered—due to injury, irritation, or persistent pain signals from tissues of the head and neck—it can interfere with how the brain processes information from other systems, such as sound. In this way, whiplash does not necessarily cause direct injury to the auditory system. Instead, injury to cervical muscles, joints, or related nerves may disrupt normal sensory signaling, leading the brain to misinterpret auditory information and produce the perception of ringing in the ears.
In June 2025, researchers studied 80 patients experiencing WAD-associated tinnitus and assigned them to either an intervention group or a control group. The intervention group received a combination of manual therapy, stretching exercises, and relaxation techniques aimed at reducing muscle tension and addressing myofascial trigger points in the head and neck region, while the control group was placed on a waitlist and received no treatment. As expected, patients in the intervention group demonstrated improvements in pain and cervical range of motion. Notably, they also reported a reduction in tinnitus symptoms, suggesting that addressing dysfunction in the head and neck may help normalize somatosensory modulation contributing to tinnitus.
Doctors of chiropractic commonly incorporate these types of therapies as part of a multimodal approach to managing patients with whiplash-associated disorders. Restoring normal motion and function to the cervical spine may help alleviate not only neck pain but also associated symptoms, such as tinnitus. In cases where symptoms do not improve, referral to an appropriate medical specialist may be warranted.