Physiotherapy evidence for neck pain with dizziness or tinnitus remains limited
A review found a short-term signal for improved neck movement with Mulligan mobilization, while evidence for broader symptom relief remained uncertain.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
The review suggests that Mulligan mobilization may improve neck movement over the short term compared with placebo. It did not establish a clear balance advantage, and findings for pain and dizziness-related disability conflicted. The evidence therefore does not support a broad claim that physiotherapy reliably relieves this combination of symptoms.
This abstract-based account is constrained by the review's study-quality concerns: 10 studies were at high risk of bias. Evidence for intermediate and longer-term effects, tinnitus and psychological outcomes remained insufficient for firm conclusions.
What researchers found
Neck range of motion
Mulligan mobilization versus placebo over less than 3 months; the review rated the evidence moderate but reported no numerical effect size.
Who the findings concern
The review focused on people whose neck pain occurred alongside dizziness linked to the neck, tinnitus or both. Researchers considered pain, symptom-related difficulties, psychological measures and physical function as distinct outcomes.
Movement and symptoms differ
The clearest signal concerned how much the neck could move. Improvement on that measure does not establish relief from pain or tinnitus, and a nonsignificant balance comparison does not demonstrate equal effects.
The original publication
The effects of physiotherapy on neck pain with associated symptoms, ıncludıng cervicogenic dizziness and tinnitus: a systematic review.
Canlı K, De Greef I, Van Looveren E et al.
BMC Musculoskelet Disord · 2026
- PubMed ID
- 41796312
- Record checked
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