Bad posture

One of the arguments headlights by the occlusion and posture specialists is to brandish an abnormal swallowing habit as being the possible cause of tinnitus and occlusion disorders. It is true that the bad tongue position contribute to the symptoms aggravation, but this abnormal tongue position is also a consequence of the dysfunction of a unit consisted with the jaw, certain cranial nerves and the spinal column. Thus we are victim of this bad swallowing which as a strong connection to occlusion adjustment and to correct position of to the cervical vertebrae. In fact all the spinal cord bad alignment can be responsible of the tongue bad position. But to be precise, actually, it is necessary to take into account all the body articulations. I speak about vertebrae and of articulations but it would be more exact to speak about the muscles that enable them to be driven. 
Osteopath use to say that the structure controls the functions; I think that it’s an excellent spirit view provided this one is not too narrow. I noted during my many consultations that dentists adhered rather badly to this concept and there were sometimes even savagely opposite to it. Doctors when they are confronted to unexplained disorders are often tempted to blame brain. The structural explanation seems too simple for people having often passed more than 7 years studying the body complexities. This bad tongue position is a factor worsening the whole of the disorders but I would speculate by saying that it’s seldom the cause. I speak about speculation because I already heard about children who had the bad habits to suck their tongue as they do it with their thumb.

One function of the tongue is to contribute to the opening of the Eustachian tube during swallowing. In order to act on the elevator muscles of the palate and the tensor velum muscle playing a part in this opening, the tongue must be plated against the palate. The opening and the closing of the Eustachian tube allow the maintaining of a constant pressure in this one which must be equal to that of the atmospheric pressure. When the tongue is in low position this function is not correctly done any more. One feels a blocking on the level of the Eustachian tubes which is quickly accompanied by a feeling of obstructed ear really corresponding to a fall of the hearing which will be worsening as long as the Eustachian tube will be blocked. This phenomenon is also responsible for certain tinnitus because it seems to me that they can come from several origins. The compression of the 8th cranial nerve (hearing nerve) could be involved.

One can imagine that the action of the tongue on the teeth can disturb occlusion. The constant pressure exerted on the teeth can generate their displacement. Within the framework TMJ when this pressure is constant on the mandible incisors that causes their displacement forwards. These teeth displacement forwards will cause the mandible to move backward. According to Bernard BRICOT this mandible too in withdrawal will disturb the posture; the person concerned will have the body curved forwards.

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