Vestibular-cochlear outlet syndrome

Chief Complaint: tinnitus

Western diagnosis: vestibular-cochlear outlet syndrome

Medical History: 27-year male c/o tinnitus in Left ear for years. Born
with Right-sided deafness. Seen by MD's (inc. Mayo clinic), Chiropractors
with no resolution or result of any kind. Patient is otherwise healthy
with no other complaints and is otherwise unremarkable.

Questioning exam: Tinnitus had a gradual onset that was not high-pitched.
It only occurred in L side and progressed over a period of 6-8 years from
an occasional nuisance to causing dizziness 1-2 times/week. There was no
discharge. Patient had no preferences for warm or cold and did not exhibit
any specific deficiency signs. No complaints of low back pain or nocturnal
urination. No dry eyes, floaters, conjunctival injection. Dreams sleep
was unremarkable. Patient lives with his fiance and has a healthy but not
excessive sex life. No GI complaints. Eats well without any cravings. No
constipation or diarrhea. No history of EPI prior to onset. Pt presented
as otherwise unremarkable.

Pulse exam: I first saw this patient in November in MN

Right: pulses tended to be wiry, full generally "bing mai" . Stronger on
the R than the L Lung: bing mai deep
Spleen: wiry-slippery, full
Kidney/Pc: deep, wiry

Left:
Heart: deep, wiry
Liver: forceful, bing mai
Kidney: deep

Tongue exam: narrow, red with little coat, multiple horizontal cracks
-tongue never changed over the course of Tx

OM Diagnosis: The Ears are the sensory expression of the Kidneys. They
are also fed by the San Jiao and GB channels. Given the nature of his
tinnitus, it fit more with a Deficiency rather than an Excess-type
pattern. However, there was a lack of evidence pointing to other
pathological causes such as blood deficiancy or Ki-yin/yang deficiancy.
Given the total picture, the pattern defined itself as a local channel
obstruction vs. Ki xue deficiency

Treatment Principle: 1. clear channels
2. tonify kidneys

Point Prescription: K-3, Ki-6, SJ-5, SJ-17, SJ-21, SI-19, GB-2

Later Ht-1 (in & out) was added for 2 treatments with a profound effect.

Herbal Formula: none used

Lifestyle prescription: 1. reduce sex to 3-4 times/week
2. no other recommendations were warrented as patient was already eating &
exercising appropriately

Results: Within two treatments there was a dramatic stabilization of
symptoms and a reduction of the volume of tinnitus. Over the course of
treatments (12) the tinnitus never fully resolved, but the patient was
grateful that the symptoms responded positively for the first time. The
stabilization has remained with an occasional (tune-up) every 4-5 weeks.

Synopsis: Tinnitus is a notoriously difficult symptom to resolve,
especially the Deficient type. This patient was unique in that the
tinnitus was virtually his only complaint and apart from what may be seen
as a slight Jing-deficiency (in the form of R-side deafness from birth)
the patient was otherwise healthy. Treatment has appeared to optimize his
condition.