This week (5-11 February in 2018) is Tinnitus Awareness Week
in UK. Do you have tinnitus? It is the
sensation of hearing noises in your ear or head when there is no external cause. Tinnitus
is very common and is reported in all age groups. About 30% of people will
experience tinnitus at some point in their lives, but approximately 10% of
people who live with persistent tinnitus. The common reasons of Tinnitus might
due to loud noise, stress and anxiety, ear infection, Ménière's diseas and some other chronic
diseases. Western medicine only can release some kinds of tinnitus by treat their
primary diseases, but for the most of functional tinnitus no effective
treatment.
Chinese medicine believes ears are closely related with
kidney. Ear is the out opening of kidney. Most of tinnitus is due to kidney
deficiency. This theory was proved by some research reports which I have
mentioned in my previous paper. Some high
pitched tinnitus is due to liver and gallbladder fire. Tonified kidney or clean
the liver and gallbladder fire can reduce or cure tinnitus. We usually use
acupuncture and/or herbs to treat tinnitus.
Laureano[1] using
ethyl cysteinate dimer single-photon emission computed tomography ((99m)Tc-ECD
SPECT) to investigate the effect of acupuncture in patients
with tinnitus. The results showed a significant improvement in Tinnitus Handicap
Inventory (THI) scores was observed at the end of true acupuncture treatment
for all domains; Doi
MY[2] reported Chinese scalp acupuncture associated
with bilateral electroacupuncture demonstrated, in the short term, a
statistically significant improvement by reducing the level of tinnitus intensity,
as well as improving the quality of life of individuals with tinnitus; A randomized controlled trial (2018)
reported [3],
acupuncture is effective in reducing the loudness and severity of tinnitus and
can be a useful treatment for nonpulsatile chronic tinnitus.
GuShen Pian is a patent herbal
tablets of kidney tonified. Zhai S use this
tablets treated 120 cases of sensorineural deafness, the total effective rate of tinnitus was
89.2% and total relieved rate of tinnitus was
59.5%. The result suggests Gushen Pian had beneficial effect on deafness
and tinnitus and could effectively
alleviate aural fullness and insomnia [4]. Chinese herb decoction
usually select a modified the formula according to individual case, it more accurate,
more individualized, so it often showed a better effect than patent herbal
remedies.
From this week, we
should be aware of tinnitus and take care of our ears. Reference :
- Laureano MR. The effectiveness of acupuncture as a treatment for tinnitus: a randomized controlled trial using (99m)Tc-ECD SPECT. Eur Radiol. 2016 ; 26(9):3234-42.
- Doi MY. Effectiveness of acupuncture therapy as treatment for tinnitus: a randomized controlled trial. Braz J Otorhinolaryngol. 2016; 82(4):458-65
- Naderinabi B. Acupuncture for chronic nonpulsatile tinnitus: A randomized clinical trial. Caspian J Intern Med. 2018; 9(1):38-45.
- Zhai S1Clinical investigation on the beneficial effects of the Chinese medicinal herb Gushen Pian on sensorineural deafness and tinnitus. Cell Biochem Biophys. 2013; 67(2):785-93.
