Vertigo is a sensation of feeling off balance. The patient might feel like he/she is spinning or that the world around him/her is spinning. Other symptoms that may accompany vertigo may include nausea, vomiting, jerky eye movement, headache and tinnitus. Symptoms can last from a few minutes to a few hours or more and may come and go. Vertigo may be associated with high blood pressure, cerebral arteriosclerosis, anemia, neurosis and Meniere disease.
In Chinese medicine, the disease can be classified into two types, which are excessive type and deficient type. The excessive type is attributed to the Chinese element of wind (related to the liver), which can manifest in the body as spasm, shaking and/or poor coordination. The deficient type is attributed to the invisible phlegm, which is caused by stomach, spleen and kidney energy deficiency. Bloating stomach, poor digestion/appetite, feeling heavy, pale skin and lack of energy often accompany the deficient type.
Acupuncture is proven very effective for vertigo. Depending on the severity and stages of the condition, it is usually recommended to come once or twice a week for five times as one course of treatment. Improvement can usually be seen in 1 to 2 treatments. The longer the treatment, the better the result. An acute condition may be improved right away. One to two courses of treatment may be needed to be symptom free with a great prognosis, which means the patient will feel normal for a long period of time, though maintenance may be needed every once in a while. There is a 95% total effective rate with a 75% symptom free rate within 10 treatments. Treatment modalities may include body acupuncture, ear acupuncture, bleeding and cupping therapy. In Duncan Wellness Center, we combine the necessary modality to achieve optimal result.
Meniere disease falls into this disease category therefore it is treated the same way with a similar effective rate.
Case 1: Female, dizzy for 1 year. Couldn't sleep on one side, nor looking up. After four treatments, the dizziness was completely gone. With the dizziness restored, the patient feels much more energetic and happy. She continues to come for knee treatment with no sign of vertigo even after 3 months.