Researchers conclude that acupuncture combined with ginger moxibustion has a curative effect on patients with intractable tinnitus. Patients with intractable tinnitus are primarily the elderly or middle-aged people who hear ringing in the ears, especially in the evening or in a quiet environment. Medications often do not work well for this condition. Researchers from a hospital in Hubei province treated 34 cases of intractable tinnitus using acupuncture and ginger moxibustion. They achieved an overall effective rate of 91.18%.
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory, most intractable tinnitus cases are comprised of patients with excess syndromes. In biomedical terms, excess syndromes can be measured as a form of hyperactivity of the sympathetic nervous system. The TCM related excess syndromes for tinnitus are often caused by depression, stagnation of Liver qi, excessive anger or fear and may lead to a blockage of the Shaoyang Meridian.
Triple Warmer Meridian. Acupuncture points TB17 (Yifeng), GB2 and SJ21 (Ermen) were needled unilaterally on the affected side. (Wikimedia_Commons)
