Much has been written about the benefits of acupuncture: how it improves circulation, relieves stress and anxiety, and treats the whole person rather than just a symptom here or there. However, because it’s not a popular treatment for Westerners, Americans sometimes view it with a veil of suspicion or simply avoid it.
On the other hand, Western doctors have the means and motivation to prescribe drugs for most foods. Some are specialists, which means that instead of seeing, for example, a patient’s heart as part of her body in general, they simplify their scope by concentrating on the patient’s heart itself. The combination of prescribing drugs with ease and not considering the overall health of the patient leaves much to be desired.
I started going deaf in one ear in my mid-30s for a reason that would be described as the equivalent of winning the genetic lottery. The solution for this was to replace my defective ear bone with a bone prosthesis to restore my hearing.
The surgery went well, and during my follow-up appointment, my doctor congratulated me on the healing that took place inside my middle ear. Thrilled by my renewed ability to hear, I returned to work only to experience dizziness, vertigo, and extreme fatigue. A Meniere’s disease diagnosis turned out to be the second of my lottery wins, as it is not a common ailment. I received initial instructions to reduce salt in my diet, increase my potassium intake, exercise, and take medication to control symptoms. The doctor prescribed diuretics, diazapam (also known as Valium), and anti-nausea medications, and asked me to follow up in a few months.
Given the combination of strong over-the-counter diuretics and Valium, which nearly wiped out my memory banks, I struggled with the effects of these drugs at first. Also, the pain I was experiencing from the swelling inside my middle ear was not addressed; the medicine acted more as a distraction than a cure for the swelling. Therefore, with high hopes and a need for relief, I sought help from some acupuncturists who were close to my office and home. I also worked with my doctor to “come off” Valium and switched to herbal diuretics, which are milder, as soon as this option became available to me through my acupuncturists.
The acupuncturists were able to explain much more to me about managing Meniere’s disease than my doctor. Okay, so my doctor told me that the ear swelling put pressure on the amygdala, which is a part of the brain that controls feelings of anxiety and depression, but the acupuncturists were able to reduce the ear swelling and therefore minimize the pressure on the brain. . They might prick areas of my head and neck to minimize pain, improve mobility, reduce the likelihood of migraine headaches (which occurred frequently), improve circulation (which is essential for healing), and help me let go of the anxiety caused by this. health problem.
My acupuncturists also explained that the ears are connected to the kidneys and the eyes are connected to the liver, according to Chinese wisdom. Interestingly, those who experience vertigo as a result of Meniere’s disease often have excess fluid in the ear canals, as well as fluttering of the eyelids and eyes that wander or move on their own. Therefore, improving liver and kidney health, through nutritional changes, cleansing or other healthy means, also aids in recovery from Meniere’s disease.
The fatigue I was feeling correlated with my kidneys and liver, leaving me with a reduced energy level. My doctor’s orders for aerobic exercise worked against my low energy level, so fatigue and pain had to be addressed first. Week after week, whether I was able to work or not, I received acupuncture for the symptoms of Meniere’s disease. Sometimes he would face the ceiling for treatment, and other times he would face the floor when the kidneys had to be directly punctured. I always noticed an impact on my ears after the treatments. Happy kidneys equals happy ears.
The far reaching effects of acupuncture were dramatic. I took up walking and hula-hooping for exercise, and though I tired quickly, my strength increased over months of constant action. My dizziness and vertigo went from daily to weekly, monthly and once in a while. In addition to the physical improvement, my memory also began to recover. The swelling in my ear has almost disappeared; some days, I have the energy and balance I had before surgery, and with better hearing, too.
For those who suffer from Meniere’s disease, I feel that the Western approach is simply inadequate. “Change your diet, take these pills, and come back for a follow-up visit” doesn’t begin to meet the needs of someone with a headache who can be helped and cured immediately with acupuncture. Although some patients in the Western world may fear needles or argue the validity of acupuncture, I strongly encourage anyone who needs this type of help to seek all possible solutions.
Acupuncture saved me from the ill effects of Meniere’s disease. Thanks to it I can think, remember, walk in a straight line, work, drive, exercise and enjoy life. Things like vertigo have been relegated to my character-building past, while things like starting new projects, jobs, and enjoying life are back in the foreground where they belong. I encourage anyone with a debilitating problem to explore acupuncture as a possible treatment or solution.
Acupuncture did more than minimize my anxiety (as my doctor said it might); rather, it removed the reason for the anxiety itself. It has changed my life.
