OTITIS MEDIA (LABYRINTHITIS)

Clinical Manifestations
  • A feeling of distention, fullness, and closure inside the ear
  • Diminished hearing
  • Ear pain
  • May be tinnitus
  • Slight reddening and inward sinking of the tympanic membrane
  • Acute: Fluid or a bulging of the eardrum
  • Chronic:
    The ear drum is greatly sunken
    The ear drum is dull or lusterless
    The ear drum is stuck together
    The ear drum is exhibits inhibited mobility
  • An ear conduction test with a tuning fork is positive for hearing loss
  • Purulent:
    Infection and pus formation in the middle ear
    It may be an acute or a chronic condition
  • Chronic Purulent:
    There is a longstanding and repeated history of purulent discharge from the ear.
    Patients often complain of tinnitus and hearing loss.
    Essentials of diagnosis:
    There is intermittent or continuous purulent discharge from the ear accompanied by various degrees of tinnitus and hearing loss.
    The eardrum is perforated and pus is secreted into the ear canal and middle ear.
    Edematous swelling of the mucous membranes in the middle ear which may protrude in a granulometous appearance (fresh tissue or polyps) which may also fall down into the external auditory meatus.
    Appearance of cottage cheese like material is not uncommon.
    Examination for hearing loss reveals bone conduction deafness and, in severe cases, mixed deafness.
    X-ray studies may reveal bony erosion.
    If there are symptoms such as vertigo, facial paralysis, excruciating headache and chills with high fever, the condition has deteriorated to both an intra and extra cranial infection.
Treatment Principle
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Fullness and closure at the inside of the ear accompanied by decreased hearing, tinnitus, and a slight reddening of the ear drum
  • Nasal congestion
  • Rhinorrhea
  • Fever
  • Headache
  • T: Normal
  • C: Slightly white or Slightly yellow
  • P: Floating and rapid
Treatment Principle
  • Disperse Wind
  • Scatter the pathogen
  • Dredge an opening through the cavities
Herb Formulas
Points
  • Insert a needle slightly anterior to the SI-19 and needle inward, forward, and downward to a depth of 2 inches. This strengthens the functioning and tissues of the eustachian tubes.
  • SI-19, GB-2, SJ-21, SJ-17, GB-3, GB-20, REN-6. Needle daily, selecting 2 - 3 points at a time, with even tonification and sedation. Retain the needles for 10 - 20 minutes. Seven treatments are considered a treatment course.
Clinical Manifestations
  • Itching or tickling in the throat
  • Wheezing
  • Sneezing
  • Gasping
  • Cough with expectoration of thin, watery or frothy white sputum
  • General body aches
  • No thirst
  • Dyspnea
  • Headache
  • Body aches
  • A sensation of heaviness
  • Chills with low grade fever
  • Maybe asthma
  • Intolerance of Cold
  • Anhidrosis
  • Blocked and/or runny nose with watery nasal discharge
  • Chest discomfort
  • Neck stiffness
  • Irritability
  • T: Pink
  • C: Thin, white and moist
  • P: Superficial and tight
Treatment Principle
  • Disperse Wind-Cold
  • Induce diaphoresis
  • Dispel Dampness
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Suppuration
  • Delicate constitution
  • Polyps
  • Ear pain
Treatment Principle
  • Disperse Wind
  • Resolve Dampness
Herb Formulas
Points
  • General points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Alternating chills and fever
  • Restlessness
  • Irritability
  • Anorexia
  • Sometimes fatigue
  • Nausea/vomiting (occasional)
  • Headaches (side of head)
  • Hypochondriac pain
  • Rib pain
  • Achiness
  • Ear infection
  • Hearing difficulty
  • Red eyes
  • Stiff shoulders
  • Throat pain
  • Hip pain
  • T:  Normal with bumps or dots on side
  • C:  Thin white
  • P:  Wiry.
Treatment Principle
  • Harmonize the Liver and Gall Bladder
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Alternating chills and fever (chills predominate) or
  • Chills without fever
  • Sensation of irritability in the chest
  • Sweating from the head
  • Fatigue
  • Gastrointestinal weakness
  • Heavy head
  • Neuralgia
  • Epigastric distension
  • Lower abdominal pain
  • Tension around pubic bone
  • Periumbilical pain
  • Urinary difficulty
  • T: Moist
  • C: White and slippery
  • P: Superficial and wiry
Treatment Principle
  • Disperse Clumping
  • Harmonize the Shao Yang
  • Warm the Interior
  • Dispel Cold
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Intermittent attacks of abdominal pain
  • Stifling sensation in the chest and epigastrium
  • A sensation of warmth in the chest and epigastrium
  • Irritability in the chest and epigastrium
  • Vomiting after eating
  • Extremely Cold extremities
  • Vomiting of roundworms
  • Incessant diarrhea
  • Hunger with no desire to eat
  • Vomiting immediately after eating
  • Heat in the Stomach with Cold in the Intestines
  • Bitter taste in the mouth
  • Frequent urination
  • Anxiety
  • Abdominal pain (better with warmth and pressure)
  • Pain beneath the Heart
  • Borborygmus
  • Unquenchable thirst
  • Running piglet Qi
  • Pain and Heat in the Stomach
  • Discharge of small amounts of pus
  • Irritability
  • Recurrent nausea and vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Dry throat
  • Turbid urine
  • Polydipsia
  • T: Red or geographic or pale
  • C: White
  • P: Hidden or Wiry and tight
Treatment Principle
  • Warm the Internal organs
  • Warm the Middle Jiao
  • Warms the Intestines
  • Drains Heat
  • Replenishes Qi
  • Dispels parasites
  • Calms roundworms
  • Drains the Liver
  • Calms the Stomach
  • Promotes Blood circulation
  • Relieves pain
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Unilateral tinnitus or hearing loss that is sudden and generally mild
  • Fullness, distention blockage and persistent itching of the ear
  • Inflammation of throat and/or tongue
  • May be ear pain or pain in the mastoid area sometimes radiating to the jaw
  • Maybe purulent or bloody exudate from the ear
  • Fever and chills with more fever than chills
  • Sweating or
  • Absence of sweating
  • Cough with sticky yellow sputum
  • Aversion to Wind and Heat
  • Yellow nasal discharge
  • Thirst with desire for cold drinks
  • Headache
  • General bodily soreness and malaise
  • Throat is red
  • The tonsils are swollen and engorged but without any particular pus spots
  • Red bumps around mouth and lips (herpes simplex)
  • Nasal obstruction
  • Sore, swollen throat
  • Dyspnea
  • Chest pain
  • Dry mouth
  • Rapid breathing
  • Maybe constipation
  • Maybe scanty urine
  • T: Red tip
  • C: Thin and yellow
  • P: Floating and rapid
Treatment Principle
  • Release the Exterior
  • Clear Heat
  • Open the ears
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Headache (wrapping)
  • Fever and chills, fever more pronounced or
  • Chills with afternoon fever
  • Heavy extremities
  • Heavy sensations in the body
  • Stifling sensation in the chest
  • Nausea
  • Dizziness
  • Gastric and abdominal distension
  • Sticky mouth
  • No thirst
  • T: Normal
  • C: Greasy white or yellow
  • P: Soft and rapid or soft and slow or wiry thin and soft
Treatment Principle
  • Clear Damp-Heat.
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Confused and disoriented half of head
  • Lack of strength
  • Abdominal distention
  • Poor appetite
  • T: Pale
  • C: White
  • P: Weak and relaxed
Treatment Principle
  • Raise the Yang
  • Augment Qi
  • Open the cavities
Herb Formulas
Points
  • Insert a needle slightly anterior to the SI-19 and needle inward, forward, and downward to a depth of 2 inches. This strengthens the functioning and tissues of the eustachian tubes.
  • SI-19, GB-2, SJ-21, SJ-17, GB-3, GB-20, REN-6. Needle daily, selecting 2 - 3 points at a time, with even tonification and sedation. Retain the needles for 10 - 20 minutes. Seven treatments are considered a treatment course.
Clinical Manifestations
  • Alternating chills and fever
  • Bitter taste in mouth
  • Thirst
  • Dry throat
  • Rib pain (doesn't like touch)
  • Hypochondriac pain
  • Nausea/vomiting
  • Hypogastric pain and distension
  • T:  Red
  • C:  Yellow
  • P:  Rapid and wiry
Treatment Principle
  • Relieve Gall Bladder Heat
  • Pacify The Liver and Gall Bladder
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Confused and disoriented half of head
  • Lack of strength
  • Abdominal distention
  • Poor appetite
  • T: Pale
  • C: White
  • P: Weak and relaxed
Treatment Principle
  • Raise the Yang
  • Augment Qi
  • Open the cavities
Herb Formulas
Points
  • Insert a needle slightly anterior to the SI-19 and needle inward, forward, and downward to a depth of 2 inches. This strengthens the functioning and tissues of the eustachian tubes.
  • SI-19, GB-2, SJ-21, SJ-17, GB-3, GB-20, REN-6. Needle daily, selecting 2 - 3 points at a time, with even tonification and sedation. Retain the needles for 10 - 20 minutes. Seven treatments are considered a treatment course.
Clinical Manifestations
  • Intermittent discharge of pus from the ear which is viscous and thin in consistency.
  • The ear drum is perforated
  • Hearing is diminished
  • Mental and physical fatigue
  • Poor appetite
  • Loose stools
  • T: Pale
  • C: Thin and white or Moist
  • P: Thready and weak
Treatment Principle
  • Strengthen the Spleen
  • Eliminate the Damp pathogen
  • Tonify Qi
  • Expel pus from within
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Tinnitus and/or loss of hearing which is worse with fatigue and exertion or on rising from sitting or lying
  • The sound is likened to cicadas or the sound of rushing water
  • the sound has a relatively low pitch.
  • Occasionally the ear feels cold, empty or wet
  • There may be persistent sinus or eustachean tube congestion
  • Sallow complexion
  • Pale lips
  • Fatigue
  • Weakness
  • Anorexia
  • Picky eating
  • Four limbs feel tired and heavy
  • Abdominal and epigastric distention after eating
  • Maybe acid regurgitation or vomiting
  • Loose stools
  • Shortness of breath
  • T: Pale and flabby - may have teethmarks
  • C: White
  • P: Even, forceless and deficient or Thready and weak
Treatment Principle
  • Strengthen the Spleen
  • Benefit Qi
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Purulent otorrhea
  • Bad odor
  • Headaches
  • No appetite or
  • Famished but with no desire to eat
  • Abdominal distention after meals
  • Dry stools
  • Irritability with low grade fever
  • Tinnitus
  • Maybe dry retching or
  • Hiccups
  • Children: postauricular eczema
  • T: Red
  • C: Little and dry
  • P: Thready and rapid
Treatment Principle
  • Nourish Yin
  • Nourish the Stomach
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Epigastric pain
  • Belching with acid regurgitation
  • Recurrent or chronic nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Vomiting immediately after meals
  • Sour belching
  • Acid reflux
  • Heartburn
  • Indigestion
  • All symptoms are worse when emotionally upset
  • Fullness of the chest
  • Hypochondriac pain
  • Continual belching
  • Anorexia
  • Epigastric distention
  • Distention and pain in the sides or flanks
  • Suffocating sensation in the chest
  • Tendency to sigh
  • Melancholy
  • Depression
  • Bitter taste in the mouth
  • Dry mouth
  • Irritability
  • Inappropriate anger
  • Frustration
  • Anxiety
  • Moodiness
  • Irregular menses
  • Dysmenorrhea
  • Breast distention and pain before and during menses
  • Head and nape painful or swollen
  • T: Pink or Dark with slightly red edges
  • C: Thin and white or Thin and sticky yellow
  • P: Wiry or Thready and wiry or Wiry and slippery
  • With Heat:
    Hot, foul vomit
    Aversion to Heat
    Thirst
    T: Normal
    C: Yellow
    P: Slippery and wiry
  • With Cold:
    Vomiting large amounts of clear fluid
    No thirst
    Aversion to Cold
    Prefers warmth
    T: Normal
    C: White
    P: Thready
Treatment Principle
  • Soothe the Liver
  • Harmonize the Stomach
  • Descend Stomach Qi
  • Stop nausea and vomiting
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Alternating fever and chills
  • Fullness in the chest and hypochondrium (with or without pain)
  • Bitter taste in mouth
  • Nausea
  • Continuous vomiting
  • Hard focal distension in the epigastrium
  • Fullness and pain in the epigastrium
  • Burning diarrhea or no bowel movement
  • Despondency
  • Slight fidgeting
  • Slight irritability
  • Headache
  • Constipation or discharge of fluids rectally
  • Tinnitus
  • Diminished hearing
  • Diminished vision
  • Red eyes
  • Manic behavior
  • Asthma
  • Mental instability
  • T: Normal or red
  • C: Yellow or Thick and yellow
  • P: Wiry and forceful or Wiry tight and forceful
Treatment Principle
  • Harmonizes and Disperses the Shao Yang
  • Drains Internal Heat Retention
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Severe burning pain in the ear moving to the head
  • Maybe a perforated eardrum
  • Maybe sticky, yellow pus
  • Maybe fever
  • Severe, splitting headaches with dizziness
  • Sudden tinnitus or deafness
  • Flushed face
  • Red, swollen, painful eyes
  • Irascibility with violent angry outbursts
  • Dry mouth
  • Bitter taste in mouth
  • Vomiting sour or bitter liquid
  • Insomnia
  • Restlessness
  • Maybe rib pain
  • Maybe Yang jaundice (sclera and skin bright yellow)
  • Pain and fullness in ribs on both sides
  • Maybe pain in the right hypochondrium
  • Nausea
  • Anorexia
  • Maybe alternating chills and fever
  • Concentrated, dark urine
  • Abdominal distention
  • T: Pink or Red
  • C: Yellow and greasy or sticky.
  • P: Wiry and rapid or Slippery and rapid
Treatment Principle
  • Drain Excess Fire from the Liver and Gallbladder
  • Clear Damp-Heat from the San Jiao
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Palpitations
  • Anxiety
  • Insomnia
  • Coughing and wheezing
  • Thick, viscous, yellow sputum
  • Distention of chest and epigastrium
  • Stifling sensation of chest and epigastrium
  • Dizziness
  • Vertigo
  • Tinnitus
  • Stuffy nose with turbid, foul, thick, yellow nasal discharge
  • Constipation
  • Choking sensation
  • Restlessness
  • Agitation
  • T: Red tip
  • C: Thick, yellow and greasy
  • P: Slippery, Excess and rapid or Wiry and rapid
Treatment Principle
  • Clear the Liver and Gall Bladder
  • Clear Heat
  • Resolve Phlegm
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Burning pain in the ear
  • Thinner discharge
  • Dizziness
  • Impaired vision
  • Night blindness
  • Tinnitus
  • Maybe impaired hearing
  • Irascibility
  • Throbbing headache with distended feeling
  • Flushed face
  • Blurred vision
  • Red, dry eyes with feeling of grit in eye
  • Dry mouth and throat with bitter taste in mouth
  • Palpitations
  • Headache
  • Nervousness
  • Insomnia with much dreaming
  • Dry throat
  • Thirst
  • Five sole Heat (palms, soles and center of chest)
  • Night sweats
  • Light or late menses or
  • Amenorrhea
  • T: Red and dry
  • C: Little or None or Thin and yellow
  • P: Thready and wiry or Wiry and rapid (when Yang is Rising and Excess, pulse is forceful) or Thready and rapid when Yang is not prominent
Treatment Principle
  • Nourish Yin
  • Pacify the Liver
  • Subdue Yang
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Morning sickness or
  • Vomiting during pregnancy
  • Nausea with sour regurgitation or
  • Vomiting of sour material
  • Hypochondriac discomfort
  • Belching
  • Sighing
  • Moodiness
  • Dizziness
  • Depression
  • Concentrated urine
  • A tendency toward constipation
  • T: Red edges
  • C: Yellow
  • P: Wiry and rapid
Treatment Principle
  • Clear Liver and Stomach Heat
    Descend Qi
Herb Formulas
Points
  • General points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Deafness
  • Tinnitus that worsen at night
  • Dizziness
  • Hypoacusis (elderly people)
  • Blurred vision
  • Fever
  • Insomnia
  • Irritability
  • Hard of hearing
  • Ocular pain
  • Red eyes
  • Thirst
  • Auditory depression
  • Poor hearing
  • T: Red
  • C: Yellow
  • P: Weak, thready and rapid
Treatment Principle
  • Nourish Yin and Blood of the Liver and Kidneys
  • Improve hearing
  • Clear Heat 
Herb Formulas
Points

Clinical Manifestations
  • A discharge of thick, foul smelling, sticky pus is exuded from the ear
  • Diminished hearing
  • Tinnitus
  • The ear drum is loose or perforated at the rim
  • Decreased mental clarity
  • Vexation
  • Sore, weak knees and lumbar region
  • T: Red
  • C: Thin
  • P: Thready and rapid
Treatment Principle
  • Moisten the Yin
  • Restrain the Fire
  • Detoxify poison
  • Eliminate pus
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • This is a chronic disease that is recalcitrant to healing
  • The inner ear feels full and distended
  • Tinnitus
  • Hearing loss
  • The tympanic membrane is sunken, not transparent, and turbid
  • T: Dark body or with petechiae
  • C; Normal
  • P: Moderate
Treatment Principle
  • Activate Qi flow
  • Invigorate the Blood
  • Open the cavities
Herb Formulas
Points
  • Insert a needle slightly anterior to the SI-19 and needle inward, forward, and downward to a depth of 2 inches. This strengthens the functioning and tissues of the eustachian tubes.
  • SI-19, GB-2, SJ-21, SJ-17, GB-3, GB-20, REN-6. Needle daily, selecting 2 - 3 points at a time, with even tonification and sedation. Retain the needles for 10 - 20 minutes. Seven treatments are considered a treatment course.
Clinical Manifestations
  • Fatigue
  • Loose stools
  • Poor appetite
  • Dizziness
  • Pale face
  • Weak voice
  • Reluctance to speak
  • Sweating with little or no exertion
  • Palpitations
  • Insomnia
  • Dry skin
  • Dry hair
  • Poor memory
  • Paleness
  • Scanty periods
  • T: Pale or Pale, thin and dry
  • C: Thin and white
  • P: Weak or Thin and choppy
Treatment Principle
  • Tonify Qi
  • Nourish the Blood
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Closure inside the ear
  • Hearing loss
  • Tinnitus
  • A distended ear drum
  • Half of the head and body feels heavy and swollen
  • T: Normal
  • C: White and greasy
  • P: Slippery
Treatment Principle
  • Promote urination
  • Drain Dampness
  • Strengthen the Spleen
  • Disperse water accumulation
  • Warm the Yang
  • Promote the transforming functions of Qi
Herb Formulas
Points
  • Insert a needle slightly anterior to the SI-19 and needle inward, forward, and downward to a depth of 2 inches. This strengthens the functioning and tissues of the eustachian tubes.
  • SI-19, GB-2, SJ-21, SJ-17, GB-3, GB-20, REN-6. Needle daily, selecting 2 - 3 points at a time, with even tonification and sedation. Retain the needles for 10 - 20 minutes. Seven treatments are considered a treatment course.
Clinical Manifestations
  • Discharge of yellow turbid, copious pus from the ear
  • Reduced hearing
  • Perforated eardrums
  • Red and swollen membranes
  • Bitter mouth taste
  • Dry throat
  • T: Red
  • C: Thick yellow
  • P: Rapid, wiry and slippery
Treatment Principle
  • Drain Excess Fire from the Liver and Gallbladder
  • Clear Damp-Heat from the San Jiao
Herb Formulas
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Tinnitus in both ears like the sound of cicadas
  • There may be a feeling of blockage or pressure in the ears
  • This condition often is long term with gradual loss of hearing
  • Maybe yellow, purulent discharge from one ear associated with an earache
  • Fullness and heaviness of the head
  • Foggy-headedness
  • Recurrent clearing of the throat
  • Cough with sticky, yellow, difficult to expectorate sputum
  • Rapid breathing with a harsh voice
  • Maybe restless fever
  • Sore throat
  • Fullness in the chest and epigastrium
  • Loose or sluggish stools or
  • Constipation
  • Dry stools
  • Shortness of breath
  • Anorexia
  • A poor sense of taste or
  • A bitter taste in the mouth
  • Dyspnea
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Pain in the ribs
  • T: Scarlet
  • C: Yellow or Yellow and greasy or Yellow and smooth
  • P: Rapid and smooth or Slippery and rapid or Wiry and slippery
Treatment Principle
  • Clear Heat
  • Resolve Phlegm
Herb Formulas
  • Wen Dan Tang modified
  • For severe cases or cases with vertigo, a thick, yellow tongue coat, impairment of consciousness or constipation: Gun Tan Wan
  • Following resolution of the Heat signs or between episodes: Er Chen Tang modified
  • With dizziness and a headache of foggy-headedness: Ban Xia Bai Zhu Tian Ma Tang
  • With Spleen Qi Deficiency: Liu Jun Zi Tang
  • Chinese Patent Medicines:
    Qing Qi Hua Tan Wan
    Huang Lian Jie Du Tang
    Chuan Xin Lian Kang Yan Pian
Points
Clinical Manifestations
  • Hot toxic sores
  • Pimples
  • Infection and pus formation in the middle ear
  • It may be an acute or a chronic condition
Treatment Principle
  • Dispel Wind
  • Transform Dampness
  • Clear Heat
  • Resolve toxicity
Herb Formulas
Points