Ménière’s disease
Most Ménière’s disease (MD) patients experience some level of hearing loss, tinnitus, ear fullness, or balance disturbance, limiting their participation in work and leisure activities. The good news is that neuropuncture may help all of the following:
- Prevent or reduce vertigo severity and frequency
- Relieve or prevent hearing loss, tinnitus
- Fullness within the ear
- Improve overall quality of life
Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) has been shown to relieve symptoms and improve the quality of life for patients with MD. In my clinic, I apply mild electricity to a needle placed in the cymba concha of the ear. In a clinical trial, participants with Meniere Diseases (92 people) were divided into 2 groups who received Betahistine with either true taVNS or sham taVNS for 12 weeks. They concluded that ‘Betahistine with true taVNS relieved symptoms and improved the quality of life for patients with true taVNS, and can be considered an adjunctive therapy in the treatment of Meniere Disease’. Dizziness, Hearing and equilibrium, fullness in the ear. (1)
Improving kidney function by stimulating the lumbar splanchnic nerve may help fluid regulation in the inner ear. The part of the inner ear that forms the endolymph contains cells that have the same structure and function as the distal tubule cells of the kidney. (2), (3).
Dizziness, vertigo, and associated nausea can quickly be addressed with wrist and leg acupuncture points. (4)