Tinnitus

"Tinnitus" Issue / Symptom Connections

Below you will find various relationships to, and potential clinical treatment approaches for tinnitus.

Content Related to Tinnitus

It is critical to appreciate that in Chinese Medicine, treatment for "tinnitus" is rarely focused on the symptoms exclusively. Alternatively, a practitioner is looking at the factors that led to the development of "tinnitus" - i.e. the "cause(s)".

For non-practitioners, we recommend reading treating the "cause" and not the "symptoms" for more on the overall approach and the importance of the TCM diagnostic system in formulating treatment approaches.

Within TCM, "tinnitus" is potentially related to one or more of the following diagnostic patterns: kidney yin deficiency, liver fire, liver yin deficiency, lung qi deficiency, phlegm stagnation, spleen qi deficiency, and/or spleen qi sinking.

The above patterns are common examples. In clinical situations, however, there are any number of other possibilities. Many times there will be a layered combination of patterns in an interwoven blend with their symptoms - some being the cause of an issue and the result of another issue. While initially complex, this is illustrative of the the web of relationships that Chinese Medicine is designed to approach.

Related Acupuncture Protocols

When developing an acupuncture protocol a practitioner is very often focusing on the causal diagnoses in Chinese Medicine terms, not on the condition itself. To illustrate and guide developing an acupuncture treatment for someone experiencing tinnitus, this issue is referenced in the following acupuncture protocol section:

• View KD 1 (Gushing Spring)
  
      On sole, in depression with foot in plantar flexion, at the junction of the anterior 1/3 and posterior 2/3 of line conn…
  
      Descends excess from above, useful for LV Yang Rising or LV Fire - headaches, tinnitus, hypertension, epilepsy. Cooling KD empty heat - chronic sore throat, dry mouth, low back pain. Tonify KD/HT Yin - insomnia, palpitations, anxiety, po…
• View KD 3 (Great Ravine)
  
      In depression midway between the tip of the medial malleolus and the attachment of the achilles tendon.
  
      Tonify KD Qi, Yin or Yang Deficiencies from any etiology. Asthma from KD Deficiency - difficulty inhaling. Tonifies Yin of KD (chronic sore throat, empty heat), LV (dizziness, tinnitus, headache) a/or HT (anxiety, insomnia, excessive dre…
• View LI 6 (Veering Passageway)
  
      3 cun above the crease of the wrist on the LI 5 to LI 11 line.
  
      Luo Connecting Point, influences the descending and dispersing function of the Lungs - useful for upperbody edema a/or facial puffiness. The Luo channel travels upward to the face effecting the jaw, teeth and ears, tinnitus, deafness, too…
• View SI 1 (Lesser Marsh)
  
      .1 cun posterior to the corner of the nail on the ulnar side of the little finger.
  
      Breast disorders of any etiology, insufficient lactation, mastitis, breast abscess, cysts. Jing Well Point, clear heat from the opposite end of the channel, for eye redness, earache, tinnitus, sore throat, stiff tongue. Headache, dizzine…
• View SI 2 (Front Valley)
  
      When a loose fist is made, at the ulnar end of the crease, distal to the 5th metacarpophalangeal joint at the junction …
  
      Local point for pain, swelling, numbness of the fingers.  As the water point it will remove heat - febrile disease, hot palms, darker urine. Clear heat from the opposite end of the channel, tinnitus, headache, sore throat, neck, ear and/o…
• View SI 3 (Back Ravine)
  
      When a loose fist is made, at the ulnar end of the distal palmar crease proximal to the 5th metacarpal phalangeal joint…
  
      Master Point of the GV, effects entire pathway. Pain in the scapula, arm a/or hand combine with local points. Stiff neck, cervical strain/sprain, pain of the back or neck. Occipital headaches, combine with local points. Night sweats, c…
• View SI 6 (Nursing the Aged)
  
      Dorsal to the head of the ulna in the body cleft on the radial side of the styloid process, found with the palm facing …
  
      Acute and Severe Pain, in the neck, shoulder a/or arms. Useful point for treating elderly patients, deafness, tinnitus, failing vision, upper body/limb stiffness. Overwork a/or overstrain, fatigue in the extremities.  
• View SI 9 (True Shoulder)
  
      1 cun above the posterior end of the axillary fold, posterior and inferior to the shoulder joint, found with the arm ad…
  
      Local point for shoulder and arm pain and/or movement/control issues.  Motor control issues of the hand. Wind-heat invasion - chills and fever from the common cold. Tinnitus, deafness.  
• View SI 16 (Celestial Windows)
  
      On the lateral side of the neck, posterior to the SCM and LI 18, level with the Adam's apple.
  
      Both SI 16 & SI 17 are Window of the Sky Points and are useful for throat distention, swelling, goiters, lumps in neck a/or throat, voice issues. Ear issues - tinnitus, deafness, pain. Local point for neck and/or shoulder problems. …
• View SI 19 (Auditory Palace)
  
      Anterior to the tragus and posterior to the condyloid process of the mandible, in a depression formed when the mouth is…
  
      Ear problems of any etiology, inflammation, deafness, tinnitus, hearing loss. TMJ, toothache. Calms the spirit - manic behavior, epilepsy, sensation of pressure below the heart.  
• View ST 7 (Below the Joint)
  
      On the face, anterior to the ear, in a depression between the zygomatic arch and the mandibular notch, with mouth close…
  
      TMJ, facial pain, lower jaw toothache. Hearing issues, deafness, tinnitus, ear pain, ear discharge/infections.
• View UB 8 (Declining Connection)
  
      1.5 cun posterior to UB 7 or 5.5 cun above the AHL and 1.5 cun lateral to the AML.
  
      Resolve phlegm and clear wind - nasal congestion, blurry vision, dizziness, tinnitus. Calms the shen - a range of psychological conditions including depression, mania, withdrawal from lack of ability of the shen to rise. Useful for remov…