Proprietary Chinese medicines (pCms) are registered herbal products that are composed solely of Chinese herb as the active ingredient, formulated in a finished dose form and known or claimed to be used for the diagnosis, treatment, prevention or alleviation of any disease, regulation of the functional states of the body. To be approved for registration, a proprietary Chinese medicine must meet the registration requirements for safety, quality and efficacy set by your location. In many countries, these plant-based products are sold as herbal supplements, which are considered as foods, not medicines. The herbal products are widely accepted among the Chinese families, they are common stock along with other OTC medicines such as pain killers, cold and flu, upset stomach, or ointments for cuts and burns. Some herbal products are an option ear ringing after regular treatment, TCM physicians will suggest to their patients aiming to consolidate the treatment efficacy.  

Since ear ringing (tinnitus) is likely to be a lingering problem and has by so many triggering factors, such as noise, fatigue, stress, improper diet and medications, daily management is thus critical for reducing the attacks of ear ringing. Taking Chinese herbal products can help the body to counteract the risk factors and reduce the episodes of ear ringing. 

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) claims that the ears are closely connected with internal organs, and a good hearing relies on constant support and nourishment by internal organs. People with ear ringing are associated with various internal disharmonies, it is better to identify your own disharmony pattern before taking the Chinese herbal supplements.

1. External pathogenic attacking

Heat-Clearing and Calming Oral Liquid (qing kai ning Oral Liquid) 

Caution: pregnancy and diarrhea.  

  

2. Liver fire flaring up

Indicated features: sudden ear ringing, loud noises like tides or wind or thunder, aggravated by emotional swing or depression. Individuals may also experience pain or pressure in the ears, headache, dizziness, bloodshot eyes, red faces, bitter taste in mouth, throat dryness, insomnia, irritability, rib side discomfort, constipation, and yellowish urine.     

Suggested herbal products:
Chrysanthemum and Mulberry Leaf Tea (xia sang ju)

Bezoar Upper-Clearing Pill (niu huang shang qing wan) 

Caution: pregnancy, weak digestion, and sensitive to low temperatures. 

 

3. Phlegm-fire accumulation

Indicated features: persistent ear ringing, sound like cicadas or wind blowing, sometimes the ear channels may be blocked that affects hearing. Other accompanied signs are heaviness in the head, chest oppression, gastric fullness, low appetite, cough with excess throat secretion, a bitter or bland taste in the mouth, hot urine and irregular bowel habits.

Suggested herbal products:
Mica Phlegm Removing Pill (meng shi gun tan wan)
Compound Snack Bile & Fritillary Bulb Oral Solution (she dan chuan bei ye) 

Caution: pregnancy and weak digestion.   

 

4. Kidney essence depletion 

Indicated features: persistent ear ringing that sound like cicadas, worse at night. Other accompanied signs are irritability, declined hearing, blurred vision, dizziness, lumber soreness, knee weakness, poor sleep and sexual dysfunction. 

Nourish Yin Tonify Kidney Pill (zi yin bus hen wan)

Nourish Kidney Calm Spirit Pill (zi shen ling shen wan)

Whole Deer Pill (quan lu wan)

Five-seed Evolve Fertility Pill (wu zi yan zong wan)

Gastrodia tuber & Fleeceflower Root Tablet (tian ma shou wu pian)

Caution: pregnancy and weak digestion. 

 

5. Spleen and stomach weakness

Indicated features: ear ringing along with a declined hearing that are aggravated by fatigue or standing up, the inner ears may feel empty suddenly or cold. Other accompanying signs include fatigue, general weakenss, low appetite, bloating after meals, loose bowels and sallow face.   

Therapeutic targets: reinforce spleen and replenish qi (vital energy).  

Dragon Phoenix Treasure Capsule (long feng bao jiao nang)        

Caution: cold & flu, poor digestion, and hypertension. 

 

6. Qi stagnation and blood stasis 

Indicated features: long-term ear ringing with or without a declined hearing that are increasingly worse. Accompanying signs include chest oppression, dizziness, irritability, paleness, a darkened tongue with or without purplish spots on it. Individuals may have had a traumatic history or been exposed to sudden loud noise before.