Tinnitus

Tinnitus is certainly treatable with acupuncture. Have you read the Chinese Medicine Treatment of Tinnitus section? If not, try some of the options listed there. If so, you would need to describe the overall TCM pattern the patient is presenting with along with what you have tried, for how long, and why you feel it isn't working in order to offer more details.

Acupuncture is very often helpful for tinnitus, particularly of the acute variety like yours. Changes in pitch following treatment are not uncommon until it resolves completely. In most cases (generalizing here) a change in pitch is a good sign that you are moving towards some resolution.

Now it is possible that with too heavy needling technique (i.e. over stimulation) it could (very rare) make it worse. If you feel the techniques were a little strong overall you could find another practitioner with a more refined technique. You should continue with acupuncture, however, not least of which because it is probably your only viable treatment option. I want to make the point that just because it got a little worse in the short term may not at all mean that the practitioner is treating you incorrectly - in fact it may very well mean they are doing the right thing.

The truth is there are a lot of reasons for acute tinnitus including (very rare) neuromas, etc. that can react unpredictably to any treatment (or on their own). Now it sounds like you have had a good workup and the MRI would generally rule out the worst causes. The best is to work with someone you are comfortable with and communicate these issues with them. If you are not happy with their answers find another practitioner. I, along with most practitioners, however, often have conditions get a little irritated before they get better. Sometimes I didn&#39t expect it and other times I did and often tell people in advance what may happen so they are not surprised. Personally I always tell my tinnitus patients that the pitch will change one way or the other and may get a little worse in the short term. One of the best things about Chinese Medicine is there are a thousand ways to treat any particular condition and some people will react differently to one of those ways. All practitioners to varying degrees can treat a particular condition from a number of angles so proper feedback (especially bad) is important for them to adjust the treatment method.

As already said before, you might have had an over-stimulation of some points, that worsened the tinnitus sound. I&#39d like to suggest a treatment that would strongly consider Liver Wind & Fire issues hence - removing repressed frustrations, anger (maybe not expressed...), etc. as these issues contribute strongly to unbalance blood circulation to the head/ear area, and if, as you mention, you have a problem with your middle/inner ear construction (what sort of problem?), the overflow of blood may be the cause of the "screaming" noise. What comes to mind is also the possibility of you being "stuck" (blocked) with "dampness", resulting sometimes from an inapproporiate dairy diet (f.e.), that blocks turbid energy (stomach) in the head, that won´t flow downwards and charge heavily the blood in the head. I´ve been treating lately quite successfully a patient with tinnitus, in both ears, and in 2 sessions the right ear was totally free and the left good on the recovering process...:-) DON´T give up on Acupuncture for Tinnitus, as Allopathic Med. DOESN´T have an answer to it, Acupuncture DOES!

All the best,

Beny

I&#39m sorry to hear of your experience but as I and others have counseled you (perhaps not as directly as I&#39m going to now) you need to see another practitioner. There are a thousand ways to practice acupuncture and an infinite number of techniques - generally these types of responses are very rare except in practitioners who use very strong manipulation/needling techniques, too many points, etc.

The truth is that acupuncture is about the only thing available with at least some supporting research and years of clinical evidence for helping with tinnitus.

Believe me if there were other options I would tell them to you. I, and I&#39m sure others here as well, have nothing but your best interests in mind. I&#39m not recommending acupuncture because I know it "should" work or just so you become a "believer" - I&#39m far too conservative for that and am generally against many "alternatives". For tinnitus, however, particularly of your variety, it&#39s most often very effective in the right hands. So as clearly as I can say it - see another practitioner (ideally find someone who also practices "tuina" massage).

On your own you can read our tinnitus treatment section for ideas, I&#39ve posted our tong ren therapy treatment for tinnitus article which can be used with our system but also simply with massage particularly in the "main points" (see article), and our system of healing is also available online for free via tongrenstation.com.

It&#39s true that it can be difficult for chronic cases - partially because people often have underlying systemic imbalances than can certainly be helped with acupuncture but mixed with scar tissue and other physical/structural aspects that can be more difficult to fully resolve on.

That said by working a lot with tuina in the sky window area (sides of the neck) and the upper cervical region we do quite well overall (along with diagnostic specific points of course) - you can read our main points within the tong ren for tinnitus article. We often combine this with herbal approaches to resolve primarily either yin deficiency or dampness as appropriate.

I&#39ve had fairly good results with acute/early stage tinnitus using acupuncture at gb41and herbs which I consider mandatory for any lasting relief. I typically use bulk/whole herbs but this is one of the times I insist on it. Most often the formula is tian ma gou teng yin. As far as chronic or low pitch tinnitus i&#39ve been told the same thing, that it is very difficult to treat, and have never attempted it.

Tough. Perhaps you can see if the patient has heavy metal toxicity? Silver fillings....that can cause it too and a million other problems.

They should be changed to white fillings by a holistic dentist and then a detox should be done. I can fwd you the protocol if you need it.

I had surgery and Tai Chi helps along with focused breathing and meditation. However, the surgery has changed my alignment and causespain. Acupunture with my current practitioner helps. Sometimes for weeks, sometimes for days I have very little pain. Just a small caution, massage therapy helps if the practitoner is experienced in working with people with surgery. If someone presses on the wrong spot in my neck then I usually get a severe headache starting from that point then travels above the ear to the leftside of my eye and across the eyebrows. It can last up to 48 hrs. Best wishes in finding a comfort zone foryour pain. I find the right diet helps too. A diet for energy and inflammation.