Perspectives on Integrative Medicine

Case Reports

Acupuncture for Hearing Recovery in an Adolescent with Bilateral Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss: A Case Report: Narendra Lamichhane, Kamal Sharma, Ishwar Gyawali, Yuanzhen Yang, Lisa Dal Pozzo; Perspect Integr Med. 2026;5(1):52-58. Published online February 11, 2026; DOI: https://doi.org/10.56986/pim.2026.02.008

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Graphical Abstract Abstract PDF: Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is often irreversible and therefore is challenging to treat. Corticosteroids are primarily used as first line treatment within 3 days of onset. Acupuncture has been proposed as a complementary therapy that may enhance cochlear blood flow and modulate auditory pathways. A 15-year-old male suffered sudden bilateral SNHL and dizziness of unknown cause in the first week of January, 2025; he did not receive corticosteroids. Pure tone audiometry measurements were performed on January 26, 2025, and showed a baseline measurement of mild SNHL in the right ear and moderate SNHL in the left ear. He received acupuncture treatment at Tīnghuì (GB2), Tīnggōng (SI19), Ěrmén (SJ21), Yìfēng (SJ17), Jiăosŭn (SJ20), Shàngguān (GB3), and Tàiyáng (EX-HN5) acupoints for 40 minutes daily, for 15 days, then twice weekly for 6 weeks. Pure tone audiometry levels on February 9, 2025, showed improvement to bilateral mild SNHL, and by March 4, 2025, hearing had normalized in both ears. Dizziness resolved within 1 week with no recurrence. No adverse events were reported. Early, targeted acupuncture may be temporally associated with improvement in hearing in this patient. This is a single case report so causality cannot be determined. While acupuncture may have contributed to the patient’s recovery, fluctuating or spontaneous recovery remains a plausible explanation. These findings highlight the potential for an association, and support the need for further controlled studies to investigate the effects of acupuncture on SNHL.

Complete Remission of Drug-Induced Acute Dizziness Using Eight Constitution Acupuncture and the Barbecue Maneuver: A Case Report: Younkuk Choi, Juhee Cho; Perspect Integr Med. 2024;3(1):51-56. Published online February 22, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.56986/pim.2024.02.007

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Dizziness, often symptomatic of underlying conditions, presents management challenges especially when dealing with drug-induced vestibular disorders. Complementary therapies like acupuncture, specifically, Eight Constitution Acupuncture (ECA), offers a potential alternative to other management therapies. A 74-year-old female, experiencing sudden dizziness from medication for back pain, underwent a detailed examination, constitutional diagnosis, and targeted acupuncture involving 26 insertions over 4 sessions. The treatment for dizziness, which focused on constitutional differences, integrated ECA and the barbecue maneuver which resulted in significant efficacy. A 50% reduction in the Numeric Rating Scale score from 10 to 5 was observed after the 1^st session. Subsequent sessions of ECA combined with the barbecue maneuver significantly reduced symptoms of dizziness and ultimately alleviated symptoms. This case underscored the potential of ECA when combined with the application of the barbecue maneuver in treating drug-induced vestibular disorders and residual benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. The ECA's constitutional approach allows for precise targeting and symptom resolution, and integrating the principles of Traditional Asian Medicine with biological mechanisms. Notably, this is the 1^st case report of the efficacy of ECA and the barbecue maneuver in addressing drug-induced vestibular disorders. A holistic approach, considering constitutional differences, can offer insights and tailored solutions to present a promising avenue for patients experiencing such conditions. Rigorous research studies are essential to validate these findings.

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Case Report: Improvement of functional dyspepsia using eight constitution acupuncture and eight constitution diet – A report of three cases
Nahyun Cho, Younkuk Choi, Heekyung Kim, Heeyoung Moon, Younbyoung Chae, Sungha Kim, Jungtae Leem
Frontiers in Medicine.2025;[Epub] CrossRef

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