Chinese Folk Remedies to Help Managing Ear Ringing
Living with ear ringing is highly individualized, the way it comes, nature and intensity of the noises, and the accompanying symptoms vary greatly. Some people feel the ringing in the ears very disturbed, while some people find it quite endurable. It is not uncommon for people to stop noticing the phantom noise even though they still occur, as the body tends to get used to it gradually.
Common causes for ear ringing include exposure to loud noise, aging, Meniere disease, migraines, and certain medications, however there are many people who develop it for no apparent reason. Ear ringing in both ears is likely not serious, but the symptom can rarely be stopped totally, it is beneficial to learn some techniques for daily management.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has rich experiences in managing ear ringing, and has created many effective therapies to protect the hearing and reduce health risk of the ear organs. TCM regards the ears as special windows on the body surface, a good hearing relies on constant support and nourishment of internal organs. Ear ringing is a sign or early warning of internal disharmonies, either originating from internal or external sources. Through holistic approaches, physicians aim to shift the internal environment into a new balance and restore ear functioning. Besides the routine treatments such as acupuncture and oral herbs, physicians like to prescribe some folk remedies for their patients, to better managing their symptoms.
1. Acupoint Injection
1. Acupoint Injection
Acupoint injection is commonly applied for ear ringing cases. It is a technique that combines traditional acupuncture with the injection of various medicinal substances into acupoints. This provides both medicinal and physical effects and can make the stimulation last for longer time. TCM claims that this therapy can well regulate the meridians, nourish the nerves, and promote blood circulation of the diseased region.
The usual selected acupoints are er men (Sj21), ting gong (Si19), ting hui (Gb2), yi feng (Sj17), shen shu (Bl23) and wan gu (Gb12); the liquid agents may be vitamins, red sage root, angelica root, Chinese safflower and astragalus root.
Each time, select one to two of the acupoints, inject 0.5 ml of the liquid into each point. Perform the procedure on one side of the ear each day, alternating sides; each course consists of 10 sessions, take a 3-day break before starting a new one, maximum can undergo up to 3 courses. For severe tinnitus, try stimulating both sides simultaneously.
Since individuals react to the ear ringing treatments differently, it is likely for them to go through a trial-and-error process when searching for an effective treatment. Patience is essential, also a lifelong commitment to lifestyle changes, cooperative medical care, and a positive and optimistic attitude as well.
