[PDF]Prescription for nervous deafness

Prescription for nervous deafness

Composition: Yifeng (TE 17), Touqiaoyin (GB 11) and Tinggong (SI 19). If there is anemopyretic upward attack, Shangxing (GV 23) and Hegu (LI 4) are added; if there is invasion of the shaoyang meridian by pathogenic factors, Waiguan (TE 5) is added; if there is upward disturbance of turbid phlegm, Pianli (LI 6) is added and if there is asthenic renal qi, Shenshu (BL 23) is added.

Source: Wu Yiding, Classic Protocol of Moxibustion .

Action: Eliminating hearing impairment to restore normal hearing.

Elucidation: TCM holds that nervous deafness generally has two kinds of causative factors: one is due to pathogens invading the auricular meridians leading to retardation of hearing; the other is because of deficiency of renal qi, which prevents ascent of essence and qi to nourish the ear. Since the meridians of both hand and foot shaoyang and hand taiyang respectively have branches going into the ear, they are closely related to the ear's hearing function, so Yifeng (TE 17), Touqiaoyin (GB 11) and Tinggong (SI 19) are selected from the three meridians to activate meridian qi, promote ear and restore hearing. On the basis, if the problem is caused by anemopyretic upward attack, Shangxing (GV 23) of the governor vessel meridian is added to clear away heat and promote the ear; Hegu (LI 4) from the hand yangming meridian is combined to disperse wind and eliminate heat.  Waiguan (TE 5), the collateral point of the hand shaoyang meridian, has the function of link the interior-exterior meridians. When pathogenic factors invade the shaoyang meridian, the acupoint can be used to dredge them. If the disorder is caused by upward disturbance of phlegm and dampness, Pianli (LI 6) is chosen to release the lung to dissipate phlegm and dampness. For it is the collateral point of the hand yangming meridian and has a branch going to the lung meridian of hand taiyin. The lung is the upper source of water and functions to regulate fluid passage. So Pianli (LI 6) is able to release the lung to dissipate phlegm and remove dampness. If the deafness is due to asthenic renal qi, Shenshu (BL 23) of the foot yangming meridian is added to reinforce the kidney and replenish vital essence to nourish the ear.

Indication: Nervous deafness. In the case of upward attack by wind and heat there is sudden onset of pain, deafness, blocking sensation in the ear, accompanied by chills, headache, vomiting, thin whitish or yellowish tongue coating and floating large pulse. Symptoms in the cases of invasion of the Shaoyang meridian by pathogenic factors include sudden deafness, tinnitus, distension, fullness and pain in the ear, dry throat, bitter taste in the mouth, restlessness or chest distress and hypochondriac pain, red tongue with yellow coating and stringy pulse. In the case of upward disturbance of phlegm and dampness, there appear obstruction of the ear, unclear hearing, tinnitus, dizziness and heavy sensation, fullness in the chest and epigastric regions, red tongue with yellow greasy coating and stringy slippery pulse. In the case of asthenic renal qi, symptoms are slow onset of deafness, dizziness and restlessness, soreness and weakness in the lumbus and knees, insomnia, poor memory, red tongue with little coating and sunken small or rapid small pulse.

Performance: Yifeng (TE 17) is needled 1 - 1.5 cun perpendicularly with the rotating manipulative technique for reducing purpose for 1 minute to gain strong stimulation. For the cases of asthenic renal qi, normal reducing and nourishing techniques are applied for half a minute.

Touqiaoyin (GB 11 ) is needled 0.5 - 1 cun transversely toward the ear orifice with the rotating manipulative technique for reducing purpose for half a minute. For the cases of asthenic renal qi, normal reducing and nourishing techniques are applied for half a minute.

When Tinggong (SI 19) is needled, ask the patient to open his or her mouth. It is needled 1 - 1.5 cun perpendicularly with the rotating manipulative technique for reducing purpose until stronger acuesthesia is generated in the ear. For the cases of asthenic renal qi, normal reducing and nourishing techniques are applied.

Shangxing (GV 23) is needled 0.5 - 0.8 cun upward with the rotating manipulative technique combined with lifting and thrusting methods for reducing purpose for half a minute.

Hegu (LI 4) is needled 0.5 - 1 cun perpendicularly with the rotating manipulative technique combined with lifting and thrusting methods for reducing purpose for half a minute.

Waiguan (TE 5) is needled 0.5  1 cun perpendicularly with the rotating manipulative technique combined with lifting and thrusting methods for reducing purpose for half a minute.

Pianli (LI 6) is needled about 0.5 cun obliquely upward with the rotating manipulative technique combined with lifting and thrusting methods for reducing purpose for half a minute.

Shenshu (BL 23) is needled about 0.8 cun perpendicularly with the rotating manipulative technique for nourishment for half a minute.

The needles are retained for 30 minutes, during which time they are manipulated once every 10 minutes. The treatment is given once a day.

Clinical material: Zhou Shiheng reported on the treatment of 100 cases of deafness with acupuncture. Acupoints: Yifeng (TE 17), Tinggong (SI 19), Ermen (TE 21), Tinghui (GB 2), Chimai (TE 18) and Baihui (GV 20). Manipulation. Except Baihui (GV 20) all the other acupoints were needled 3 - 3.9 cm with draining needle method by directly inserting and withdrawing the needles and not giving rotating manipulation. The needles were retained for 30 minutes. The treatment was given 3 times a week. Therapeutic result. The hearing was measured with an electric auriometer. In 16% of the cases hearing was improved on an average of 20db using hearing both of air and bone conduction over two frequencies. In 33% of the cases hearin