Nerves & senses
Acupuncture for Tinnitus
A ringing, hiss or hum that nobody else hears, but that you take with you everywhere. Especially in silence, when falling asleep or when you are tired, tinnitus can come to the foreground. Acupuncture and laser acupuncture can be used to support the body, with attention to the sound itself and to the restlessness, fatigue and poor sleep that often go with it.
What is tinnitus?
Tinnitus is hearing sound without an external source. It can sound like ringing, whistling, hissing, rushing or humming, in one or both ears or somewhere in the head. The sound may be constant or come and go, and is often most noticeable in a quiet environment.
Tinnitus is common. Known causes include hearing damage from loud noise, age-related hearing loss, an ear infection or blocked ears, and Ménière’s disease. Stress, fatigue, tension in the neck and jaw and certain medications can also play a role. Often no clear cause is found.
How bothersome tinnitus is does not depend only on how loud the sound is. It can affect concentration, sleep and mood, and conversely, stress and poor sleep often make the sound stronger. In Ménière’s disease, tinnitus comes with attacks of spinning dizziness, hearing loss and a full feeling in the ear.
Traditional Chinese Medicine
Tinnitus from a TCM perspective
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the ear is connected with the Kidneys, and the meridians of the Liver and Gallbladder, among others, run around the ear. The character of the sound gives clues: a sudden, high and loud sound more often points to an excess, a gradual, soft and low sound more often to a deficiency. What makes the sound worse, such as stress, fatigue or pressure on the ear, is also taken into account.
Rising Liver-Yang or Liver-Fire
Gan Yang / Gan Huo Shang YanWhen the sound started suddenly, is high and loud and worsens with stress, anger or tension, TCM describes Yang rising to the head. This is associated with headaches, a red face, irritability and restless sleep.
Kidney-Essence deficiency
Shen Jing Bu ZuWhen the sound developed gradually, is soft and low, worsens with fatigue and often comes with declining hearing, TCM describes a deficiency of Kidney-Essence. This is more common later in life.
Phlegm-Heat
Tan HuoWhen the sound is humming or rushing and comes with a blocked or full feeling in the ear, a heavy head and sometimes dizziness, TCM describes Phlegm obstructing the flow to the head.
How can acupuncture and laser acupuncture help with tinnitus?
Treatment starts with a conversation about the sound itself, how and when it started, and what makes it stronger or weaker. Sleep, tension and energy are also considered, as they are often closely linked to tinnitus.
- 01Acupuncture around the ear and at a distance: points around the ear are combined with points on the hands, arms, legs and feet connected to the affected meridians.
- 02Ear acupuncture with the laser: points on the ear itself can be used to calm the nervous system. At Bai Kang this is always done with the laser, never with needles.
- 03Needle-free alternative: all points can also be treated with therapeutic laser light, for those who prefer not to have needles.
- 04Rest and sleep: because restlessness and poor sleep often amplify the sound, part of the treatment focuses on relaxation and better sleep. Tension in the neck, shoulders and jaw is also addressed.
Prefer no needles?
Every treatment can also be carried out completely needle-free with laser acupuncture, in which the same points are treated with therapeutic laser light. Ear acupuncture is always carried out with the laser. Acupressure, which also uses no needles, can be used as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can acupuncture help with tinnitus?
Acupuncture can be used as support for tinnitus. Some people notice that the sound becomes softer or less prominent, others mainly that they cope with it better, feel calmer and sleep better. The degree of change people experience varies per person.
Has acupuncture for tinnitus been researched?
Yes, some research has been done. Some studies describe a reduction in the loudness or burden of the sound, but results are mixed and the quality of the studies varies. It therefore remains an individual consideration.
Why are points on the ear treated?
In ear acupuncture, the ear is seen as an area with points connected to the whole body and the nervous system. At Bai Kang, these points are always treated with the laser, without needles.
Can acupuncture also help with Ménière’s disease?
In Ménière’s disease, tinnitus, attacks of spinning dizziness, hearing loss and a full feeling in the ear occur together. Acupuncture can then be used as support for both the dizziness and the tinnitus, alongside care from your GP or ENT specialist.
Does stress play a role in tinnitus?
Often, yes. Stress, fatigue and poor sleep can make the sound stronger, and the sound in turn can cause restlessness and insomnia. That is why treatment also pays attention to relaxation and sleep.
How many treatments are needed?
This varies per person and depends on the cause and how long the tinnitus has existed. After the first treatments, we review together how you respond and what a suitable follow-up would be.
Personal Treatment Plan
Suffering from ringing or buzzing in your ears?
During a first appointment, we look at the character of your tinnitus and what plays a role in your body, and which form of acupuncture suits you.