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.  

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