Meniere's disease is also known as hydrops of membranous
labyrinth. Its clinical characteristics are paroxysmal dizziness, fluctuating
deafness, tinnitus and a feeling of fullness in the ear. It belongs to the category
of "xuan yun" (dizziness) in TCM.
Main Points of Diagnosis
1. It occurs most often in middle-aged males, as a result of fatigue, change
in mood and lack of sleep.
2. The patient suffers from paroxysmal vertigo
and a sensation of rotating around or floating-and sinking, accompanied with spontaneous
nystagmus, nausea, vomiting, pallor and cold sweating. The dizziness may last
for several minutes or even several hours, but the patient is conscious.
3.
Constant tinnitus occurs, which is aggravated before or after the attack of the
disease.
4. The patient has sensorineural deafness. it fluctuates prior to
and after the attack of the disease. Hyper-sensitive sign to high-pitch sound
may occur.
5. The patient has a feeling of fullness in the ear and head.
6.
Examination shows the drum membrane is normal. There is horizontal or slightly
rotatory nystagmus during the attack. Hearing test indicates a sensorineural hypoacusis
and recruitment may be present. The vestibular function test shows that its function
is reduced during the period of the attack.
7. Glycerin test shows positive.
Differentiation and Treatment of Common Syndromes
1. The Type of the Hyperactivity
of the Live-yang.
Main Symptoms and Signs: Vertigo occurs mostly after a change
in mood. Tinnitus like chattering sound of machine is present, accompanied with
restlessness, irritability, headache and a feeling of fullness in the ear as well
as a flushing face, red eyes, a bitter taste in the mouth and dryness in the throat.
The tongue is red and its fur yellow. The pulse is taut and rapid.
Therapeutic
Principle: Calming the liver to stop endogenous wind and nourishing yin to suppress
yang.
Recipe: Decoction of Gastrodia and Uncaria
gastrodia tuber
scutellaria
root
achyranthes root
eucommia bark
hooked uncaria (decocted later)
capejasmine
fruit
motherwort
loranthus mullberry mistletoe
fleece-flower stem
poria
with hostwood
raw abalone shell (decocted first)
All the above herbs are
to be decocted in water for oral administration.
2) The Type of the Turbid
Phlegm Obstructing in the Middle-Warmer.
Main Symptoms and Signs: There are
such symptoms as dizziness in the head as if it were tightly wrapped up, a feeling
of fullness in the chest and poor appetite. The fur of the tongue is white and
greasy and the pulse taut and slippery.
Recipe: Decoction of Pinellia, White
Atractylodes and Gastrodia
prepared pinellia
parched white atractylodes
rhizome
gastrodia tuber
tangerine peel
poria with hostwood
licorice
root
fresh ginger
Chinese date
All the above herbs are to be decocted
in water for oral administration.
3) The Type of the Deficiency of Both the
Spleen and the Kidneys.
Main Symptoms and Signs: There are repeated occurrences
of vertigo and tinnitus which is like singing of cicadas, accompanied with short
breath, fatigue, soreness and weakness of the waist and knees, amnesia, excessive
dreaming during sleep, clear urine and long-time urination at night, a light-red
tongue with white fur, and thready and feeble pulse.
Therapeutic Principle:
Replenishing qi, warming the kidney and removing water retention to relieve dizziness.
Recipe: Decoction for Reinforcing Middle-Warmer and Replenishing Qi, compounded
with Diuretic Decoction by Strengthening Yang of the Spleen and Kidneys.
astragalus
root
ginseng
white atractylodes rhizome
tangerine peel
cimicifuga
rhizome
bupleurum root
prepared aconite root
fresh ginger
Chinese
angelica root
poria with hostwood
white peony root
licorice root
All
the above herbs are to be decocted in water for oral administration.
For those
who have excessive liver-fire, add 9 grams of gentian root and 9 grams of moutan
bark. For those who have severe tinnitus, add 9 grams of magnetite and 9 grams
of grassleaved sweetlflag rhizome. For those suffering from insomnia and dysphoria,
add 15 grams of fleece-flower stem, 15 grams of raw dragon's bone and 15 grams
of raw oyster shell. For those with serious nausea and vomiting, add 15 grams
of red ochre, 9 grams of inula flower (wrapped in a piece of cloth before it is
decocted) and 6 grams of bamboo shavings.
Dr. Ming's TCM Medical Center,
Hua
Xi Xiao Yuan, Hutian Developing Area,
Huaihua city, Hunan province
China