Traditional Chinese Medicine Approach to Tinnitus

Quieting the Ears by Restoring Inner Balance

Tinnitus is the perception of sound—such as ringing, buzzing, or hissing—in the ears without an external source. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), tinnitus is referred to as “Er Ming” (耳鸣), meaning “ear ringing,” and is closely related to the health and harmony of the Kidneys, Liver, Heart, and Spleen.TCM does not treat tinnitus as a single disease, but rather as a symptom of internal imbalance, either from deficiency or excess. Treatment focuses on identifying the underlying pattern and restoring harmony to organ systems and meridians.

🔹 TCM Understanding of Tinnitus

TCM classifies tinnitus into two main types:

Excess Type (Acute or Sudden Onset): Often loud, high-pitched, and aggravated by stress or anger.Deficiency Type (Chronic or Gradual Onset): Often soft, low-pitched, and worse with fatigue or at night.

🔹 Common TCM Patterns and Treatment Strategies

✅ Liver Fire or Liver Yang Rising

Symptoms: Sudden onset, loud or high-pitched ringing, irritability, red face, dry mouth, headache

Treatment Principle: Clear Liver Fire, calm Liver Yang, and subdue uprising

✅ Kidney Essence Deficiency

Symptoms: Gradual or persistent tinnitus, worse at night or with fatigue, dizziness, sore back, weak knees

Treatment Principle: Tonify Kidney Yin or Essence, nourish marrow

✅ Heart Blood Deficiency

Symptoms: Intermittent tinnitus, poor memory, insomnia, palpitations, pale complexion

Treatment Principle: Nourish Heart Blood, calm the Shen

✅ Phlegm-Fire Obstructing the Orifices

Symptoms: Ear ringing with a blocked sensation, heaviness in the head, thick tongue coating, irritability

Treatment Principle: Clear Heat, transform Phlegm, open sensory orifices

✅ Qi and Blood Stagnation

Symptoms: Tinnitus after trauma, emotional shock, or blood circulation problems; fixed or worsening with pressure

Treatment Principle: Invigorate Blood, move Qi, relieve obstruction

🔹 Other TCM Therapies for Tinnitus

✅ Acupuncture

Regulates organ systems and opens blocked meridians.

✅ Moxibustion

Applied to points like BL23 and KI3 in deficiency-type tinnitus, especially in cold or elderly patients.

🔹 Diet and Lifestyle Guidance

Avoid stimulants such as caffeine, alcohol, and spicy foods

Manage emotions, especially anger and frustration (which affect the Liver)

Get regular sleep and avoid overworking (to protect Kidney Essence)

Eat Kidney- and Liver-nourishing foods: black sesame seeds, walnuts, goji berries, dark leafy greens

💬 Summary

In TCM, tinnitus is more than just an ear problem—it reflects an imbalance in internal organ systems, particularly the Liver, Kidneys, and Heart. Treatment aims to restore harmony, nourish deficiencies, or clear excess, depending on the individual pattern.With herbal formulas, acupuncture, and lifestyle guidance, Chinese medicine offers a personalized, gentle, and long-term strategy for managing and even reversing tinnitus naturally.