Acupuncture is effective for the treatment of tinnitus induced by cervical spine disorders. Researchers at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine compared the efficacy of treating tinnitus with warm needle acupuncture following the Xunjing Yuanjin Quxue principle to standard manual acupuncture procedures. Warm needle acupuncture outperformed manual acupuncture with an 86.67% total effective rate, higher than that of the control group at 76.67%. [1]
Observational parameters included a visual analogue scale (VAS) score for level of tinnitus and a standardized scoring system for severity of tinnitus. Based on these measuring parameters, efficacy rate was categorized into four types:
- Recovered: tinnitus and accompanying symptoms eliminated, no relapse within one month following treatment
- Significantly effective: severity of tinnitus decreased by over two levels
- Effective: severity of tinnitus decreased by over one level
- Ineffective: severity of tinnitus remained unchanged
In the warm needle acupuncture group, five cases were “recovered,” 16 cases were “significantly effective,” and five cases were “effective,” yielding an 86.67% efficacy rate.
From November 2018–March 2020, 60 patients with tinnitus were recruited to partake in the investigation. They were randomized into a warm needle acupuncture group and a standard manual acupuncture, with 30 cases in each group. In the warm needle acupuncture group, 17 patients were male and 13 patients were female.
The mean age of the patients was 44.73 ±9.896 years. The average course of condition was 6.40 ±2.541 months, with 22 cases affected on bilateral ears and 8 affected unilaterally. In the control group, 16 patients were male and 14 patients were female. The mean age was 43.60 ±9.612 years. The average course of condition was 7.17 ±2.561 months, with 25 cases affected on bilateral ears and 5 affected unilaterally. The manual acupuncture control group received treatment at the following points:
- C2–C6 (Jiaji)
- SI19 (Tinggong)
- GB2 (Tinghui)
- TB21 (Ermen)
- TB17 (Yifeng)
- SI4 (Wangu)
The treatment was administered with patients in a seayed or prone position. Needles used for Jiaji were 0.30 mm × 40 mm while those at the acupoints around the ear were 0.25 mm × 25 mm. A mild reinforcing and attenuating technique was applied upon obtaining deqi. Needles were manipulated every 10 minutes, and were retained for a total of 30 minutes. The treatment procedure was conducted daily, with six consecutive days and a one-day rest interval completing a treatment course. The entire treatment course consisted of two courses.
The acupoints for the warm needle acupuncture group were selected in accordance with the Xunjing Yuanjin Quxue principle. The principle specifies that the points at the affected local area as well as the distal points lining the relevant collaterals receive treatment. The added points were chosen along shaoyang collaterals. The points used were as follows:
- C2–C6 (Jiaji)
- SI19 (Tinggong)
- GB2 (Tinghui)
- TB21 (Ermen)
- TB17 (Yifeng)
- GB20 (Fengchi)
- TB5 (Waiguan)
- TB3 (Zhongzhu)
After achieving deqi, moxa (2 cm pieces) were connected to needles at Jiaji points. The needles were retained for 30 minutes. Patients underwent a complete treatment course of equal length to that of the control group.
The HealthCMi team of investigators finds both protocols consistent with jing-luo theory. This two-arm study had its strengths, including randomization of subjects. However, there were changes in too many variables between control and observation groups. A more consistent approach to research would be to isolate identical acupoints and use warm needle technique (moxibustion) on only one of the groups. Despite this issue, the data appears accurate and finds both protocols effective, with the warm needle acupuncture protocol having a higher total effective rate in the treatment of this condition.
Reference:
[1] Luo Jiamin, Lao Jinxiong, Clinical observation on treating cervical tinnitus with acupuncture at Jiaji points, Journal of Sichuan of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Vol. 40, No. 7, 2022.
