Meniere's disease, also known as inner ear vertigo, is characterized by classic symptoms such as dizziness, tinnitus, and hearing loss, with dizziness often being the most distressing and painful for patients. This dizziness can lead to severe nausea and vomiting. Acupuncture has shown good results in treating dizziness and nausea caused by inner ear issues.
The primary acupuncture approach for dizziness involves needling local reflex areas around the ear and adjacent reflex areas in the posterior neck. During treatment, a light diet with reduced salt intake is recommended.
There have been many successful reports of acupuncture treatment for Meniere's disease. Patients who have long suffered from dizziness and consequently avoid turning their heads often exhibit stiffness in the neck muscles or palpable nodules in the posterior neck muscles. The cause of dizziness can be cervical spine issues or Meniere's disease itself. Needling or massaging these stiff areas or nodules to soften them can significantly alleviate the symptoms of dizziness.
In treating Meniere's disease, acupuncture targets not only the symptoms but also the potential underlying causes, such as tension in the neck muscles, which can affect inner ear function. The successful reduction of dizziness through acupuncture points to its effectiveness in addressing the complex interplay of factors contributing to Meniere's disease.