Tinnitus can be such a frustrating condition to live with and is generally poorly understood and treated, leaving many looking for alternatives. Over the years I have had plenty of people asking me whether acupuncture can help tinnitus. Unfortunately the answer is not so straight forward.
There are certain types of tinnitus that may respond more favourably with acupuncture, and other kinds that will be much more difficult.
Usually there's more going on in a person's body and life than just ringing in the ears so it's important to take a holistic approach. We need to consider if there are underlying imbalances contributing to the tinnitus.
A few key areas I have found important to work on for those with tinnitus are:
Stress. Many people with tinnitus will notice that the ringing is worse during periods of stress. While we can't acupuncture away external stressors, we look to cultivate an internal environment that is less reactive to stress. This is a key feature of many modern chronic illnesses and one that acupuncture has been used extensively for.
Neck tension. If there are restrictions or misalignments in the neck, this can impact the quality of circulation to the ears and head according to Chinese medicine. Many people with tinnitus also have issues with headaches or migraines, so the neck is always a must-check area.
Sinus and/or lymphatic congestion. For those who have developed tinnitus after an infection, there may be lingering congestion that is impacting the delicate physiology of the ears. The person may also be prone to recurring infections in the form of frequent colds and flus. From a Chinese medicine perspective, this is a sign that the body has been unable to fully clear the pathogen and has become stuck in an illness pattern.
Sleep. Lack of sleep is another common aggravating factor of tinnitus with many sufferers noticing the ringing is louder when they're tired. That's why if there is any form of insomnia or issues with sleep quality, these will need to be addressed through treatment also.
So how many sessions before acupuncture will work for tinnitus?
How long is a piece of string?
These are difficult questions to answer because each case has it's unique elements.
We don't want to waste time or money on things that aren't going to work. Unfortunately, we can never know how you will respond until we try at least a few sessions.
That's why I often recommend a "rate of response" series of treatments, where we do at least 4 sessions together. Over this time you may or may not notice changes in the tinnitus, but we should have a good idea how you respond to acupuncture, what we need to be focusing on and whether it's something you feel like is valuable for your wellbeing.
From there, we can come up with a more realistic and individualised plan based on your health goals.
The nice thing about acupuncture is that it's holistic and so even if we can't get the tinnitus 100% gone, it might still be a win for you if we could reduce the intensity or how annoying it is, along with reducing your body's stress response, helping you sleep, clearing up congestion and loosening up tight muscles.
For a simple qigong exercise to try for your tinnitus, watch the video at the top of the page to learn "Heavenly Drumming". Give that a try over a few weeks, doing it 2-3 times per day consistently.
If you're still experiencing tinnitus and would like to try a more systematic, whole body approach with someone, consider Acupuncture Grove in Bondi Sydney. Servicing areas such as Bondi Junction, Bondi Beach, Coogee, Clovelly, Bronte, Waverly, Randwick, Maroubra, Double Bay, Watson's Bay, Vaucluse and surrounding Sydney suburbs. You can book online here or reach out with any questions here.
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