Acupuncture

Since there was no acupuncture thread in the Research News, I created this one with this first article:

He-Ne laser acupuncture for 30 cases of unilateral nervous tinnitus

Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Weihai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Weihai 264200, Shandong Province, China

ABSTRACT
Objective
To observe the clinical effects of the unilateral nervous tinnitus treated by He-Ne laser acupuncture.

Methods
A total of 30 patients of unilateral nervous tinnitus were treated with He-Ne laser acupuncture. The disposable filiform needles of 0.40 mm × 25 mm were used. Ĕrmén (耳门 TE 21), Tīnggōng (听宫 SI 19), Tīnghuì (听会GB 2), Yìfēng (翳风 TE 17), Shuàigŭ (率谷GB 8) and Zhōngzhŭ (中渚TE 3) were adopted on the affected side. The input and output ends of the fiber-optic catheter of the laser instrument were connected at a pair of acupoints (TE 21 connect to SI 19, GB 2 connect to TE 17, GB 8 connect to TE 3). Each pair of acupoints was stimulated with He-Ne laser irradiation for 10 min, 8 to 10 mW in the output power and 6328Å in the wavelength. The needles were retained for 30 min totally. The treatment was given once a day, 5 times a week, continuously for 2 weeks.

Results
Of 30 cases, 19 cases were cured clinically, accounting for 63.3% (19/30); 7 cases effective remarkably, accounting for 23.3% (7/30) and 4 cases failed, accounting for 13.3% (4/30).

Conclusion
He-Ne laser acupuncture achieves the satisfactory effects on treating nervous tinnitus and it is easily accepted by the patients. Hence, this therapy deserves to be promoted in clinical application.

Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1003525718301247

 

I’m skeptic.

• Acupuncture has no physiological base and its efficacy has not been proven in any meta-study.
• 19 out of 30 cases were cured.
• It comes from China, specifically from a “Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine”.

 

Acupuncture doesn't work.

 

I'm about to acupuncture my eardrum and squirt some EGCG and 7,8-DHF in there.

 

Be careful with electroacupuncture; I would avoid it like the plague. It gave me three new tones, pulsatile tinnitus and hyperacusis. I felt the current run from the left (neck) to the right and conduct said damage instantly. Regular acupuncture will most likely just drain your wallet. I realize this application uses a laser, but it still concerns myself when introducing stimuli to an already over stimulated part of the brain (noise induced tinnitus).

 

Here is an article about a study done in which acupuncture helped people with tinnitus:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29387318

Anyone tried this?

 

Analysis of Factors Influencing the Efficiency of Acupuncture in Tinnitus Patients

Abstract
An effective acupuncture treatment must comprehend the influence of various factors, but studies in this aspect remain limited. This study aimed to identify relevant factors and search for the best practical method of acupuncture for patients with tinnitus. The study was a retrospective review of patients' data with a prospective design who had subjective idiopathic tinnitus and received acupuncture between May 2012 and August 2017. Patients' demographics, tinnitus characteristics, previous diseases, underlying diseases, oral habits, audiograms, acupuncture sessions, and acupoints were recorded and analyzed. A visual analog scale (VASloudness) was used for measuring the loudness of tinnitus, and the Clinical Global Impression-Improvement scale (CGI-I) was used for assessing the suffering of patients. Good treatment responses in patients were defined as the magnitude of change from the baseline VASloudness for ≥ 30% plus CGI-I ≤ 3 points. In total, 107 patients were enrolled.

Most factors were not significantly associated with the treatment effectiveness of acupuncture in tinnitus patients. Only the combination of acupoints and the number of acupuncture sessions reached statistically significant differences. Further analyzing these two factors, we confirmed that the combination of periauricular and distal acupuncture and 17 to 24 acupuncture sessions contributed to a considerably better outcome. This result would serve as a reference for clinical acupuncturists to select an appropriate acupuncture strategy in the treatment of tinnitus.

 

@Autumnly -- Thanks for posting this. A question that immediately comes to mind is whether 17-24 acupuncture sessions will be enough to ensure the positive results will last long-term, or will sessions need to be continued indefinitely to maintain any improvements. My best guess is that it's the latter, which is why I'm currently focused on learning self-acupuncture (extremely minimal cost), so I can get as much out of this effective modality without being hindered by finanacial considerations.

 

None of these studies are blinded or have control groups. They're not very compelling as far as demonstrating that acupuncture does anything for tinnitus.

If "laser acupuncture" has a 60% cure rate for tinnitus, I'll eat a hat.

 

Thermal effects of acupuncture by infrared thermography test in patients with tinnitus

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jams.2019.05.002

Abstract
Previous studies have confirmed the efficacy of acupuncture treatment for tinnitus. However, no relevant studies of the exact mechanism of acupuncture efficacy on tinnitus have been published. Enrolled participants with left-sided tinnitus received acupuncture treatment at TE3 and TE5. The acupuncture session lasted for 30 minutes. Infrared thermography test (IRT) test of each participant’s bilateral aural regions and visual analog scale (VAS) scores were taken before and after the first acupuncture treatment session. 54 participants accepted acupuncture treatment and IRT test. The temperature differentials of both sides were reduced significantly, but the maximum, minimum and average temperature of bilateral aural regions didn’t have a significant difference; before and after acupuncture session. The acupuncture’s effects for tinnitus were associated with the improvement of the cochlear blood flow via IRT test. We have planned a full-scale randomized controlled trial (RCT) to find out more about the underlying mechanisms of acupuncture for tinnitus.

 

I have tried chiropractor. I have tried Acupuncture. I have tried acupressure, and other methods and none of it has had any effect to cease it - The only time it goes into a quiet mode of a whisper is when I am about to fall asleep. I guess when my time above the green side of the grass is over, then it will go away permanently. Hopefully it will not follow me to the other side, whatever that will end up being.

 

Acupuncture is one of the few therapies I do where I usually see significant improvement (7 down to 4) lasting from 1 to 3 days afterwards .

 

Nice! Are there any specific points you ask for?

 

Acupuncture did nothing for me except make me feel relaxed and sleep okay.

Tinnitus wise... nothing.

 

I've had 3 sessions, and my tinnitus is much less intrusive than one month ago. The volume has dropped from an 8 or 9 down to a 2 or 3. Every session results in some improvement. My acupuncturist is an older Chinese doctor with 45 plus years experience who has treated many patients with tinnitus. He said some as young as middle school. The culprit being ear buds. He also places "seeds" at different points around my ear which I have to put pressure on for 30 seconds every hour. It seems to disrupt my tinnitus. So far I have had positive results. Fourth session tomorrow.

 

Are there any specific points he or you can share? I'm very interested

 

@KMc24 -- Wow, how hopeful is that??? That is absolutely incredible--Congratulations on your remarkable improvements!

 

So sorry that I forgot to ask my acupuncturist this info and now he is gone until the spring. I have noticed that my tinnitus has gotten worse since I stopped seeing him about two weeks ago. I think one point was at the very crown of the head which I believe induces relaxation. The basic theory is to strengthen kidney meridian and calm liver meridian.

 

There's a description of this point on THIS VIDEO at about the 8:00 minute mark. I do self-acupuncture regularly, and do the crown point 3-4 times a week (and many others). Self-acupuncture is super easy--and super inexpensive.

 

Does it help with the tinnitus?

 

@ChrisBoyMonkey -- Sometimes I feel like I notice a "softening" after doing some acupuncture. Then when the volume goes back up, I wonder if I was imagining things. But as the months have gone by (about 19 now), I'm becoming more certain that it is helping.

I recently got a bad spike, and went right to my acupuncture. I don't know if it caused the volume to go down, but I did go from feeling like my ears were at the mercy of a howling tornado, to feeling like they were being cradled in a protective way.

So on whether or not acupuncture helps with tinnitus, I can say with a great deal of confidence that it sometimes helps significantly with my perception of tinnitus. My spike lasted about 2-3 days, and I think the acupuncture helped in shortening the length of it. -- I hope that helps.

 

Thanks Lane, yes I believe my acupuncturist has used all 3 points shown in the video.

 

It takes years of study and I have only found 1 acupuncturist out of the 3 I’ve seen who had success. The points are going to be slightly different or even moderately different each time you go depending upon where the body is at. That being said I’m sure there are acupressure points such as the crown of the head which can easily be done on your own.

I had 2 relatively good years but was spending about 500 a week on acupuncture, craniosacral therapy, hypnosis , tai chi, and so on. Things got much better. I then slowly titrated off the 1.5 mg of Klonopin i was taking. Each time I reduced dosage t got worse and then calmed down . Alas, after totally stopping Klonopin Tinnitus got way worse about 3 months later. Can’t prove that coming off of Klonopin did it.

And I don’t have enough money to go back to the $500 a week multiple treatments that I had done for two years.

now, my acupuncturist still helps but I only get about one or two days relief from him. 7 or 8 down to 3.

 

Here some info that might help:

https://www.healthcmi.com/Acupunctu...upuncture-effective-for-treating-hearing-loss

I hope your acupuncturist knows this as well. The medicine is easy to get.

 

Acupuncture Treatment in Patients with Chronic Subjective Tinnitus: A Prospective, Randomized Study

Abstract

Objective: This study investigated the effect, onset, duration of action, and short-term outcomes of acupuncture therapy for treating patients with severe chronic subjective tinnitus.

Materials and Methods: This randomized controlled trial evaluated patients with chronic, idiopathic, and severe tinnitus. A total of 105 participants were divided into 2 groups using a randomization method: a study group who received verum acupuncture therapy (n = 53) and a sham acupuncture group (n = 52). Ten acupuncture sessions were given over 5 weeks. After treatment, each participant was monitored for up to 3 months according to changes on a visual analogue Scale (VAS), and Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), and Pure-Tone Audiometry and Speech Discrimination (Interacoustics AC-40, Denmark) scores.

Results: The VAS and THI scores were evaluated. A statistically significant difference was noted between the sham and verum acupuncture groups at post-treatment follow-up (P < 0.001). Decreases in the THI and VAS scores became significant in the second week of treatment (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively), but these scores increased again in the third month post-treatment (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively).

Conclusions: Acupuncture is an effective treatment for patients with severe chronic subjective tinnitus. Patient complaints, decreased beginning at the second treatment week; however, in the third post-treatment month, the complaints reappeared. Maintenance acupuncture therapy is necessary for patients with tinnitus; this approach should be investigated in future studies.

Source: https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/acu.2019.1367

 

My insurance covers 10 acupuncture visit per year. Might be worth a look to see if there's any good acupuncturists in my area.

 

I have seen 3 acupuncturists. None have helped. It actually made it spike more with the 1st. Same with Cranial Sacral Therapy, tried 2 therapists. These were covered under my plan. I did stay with the 3rd who I call the "Chi Master". I get a 2 hour acupuncture & cupping. I do find it relaxing.

 

I think part of the problem is that some of the really good acupuncturists don't really advertise themselves or belong to any netowrk - they get patients referrals from word of mouths in their local Asian/Chinese community, so trying to find a really effective one can be tough.

 

I live in Richmond BC Canada which has a Chinese majority. I picked the 1st at random in the 1st week because we all know how we are then. It actually made it spike. Tried several more times to no avail. The other 2 were recommended by my neighbor across the way who runs a natural medicine business. One of them had years of experience.

 

I did acupuncture for about 8 sessions, and it did not help. Most of the time it did not affect my sound. The other times when my tinnitus was more quiet or more loud were coincidence.