A 34-year-old woman came to our clinic complaining of debilitating dizziness that began ten months earlier. She had been to numerous doctors, none of whom could find anything wrong with her. Lab test results were normal, and assessments for vertigo came back negative. Finally, at her wit’s end, she searched the internet for “dizziness treatments” and came upon our website. This dizziness case review describes how acupuncture resolved her lightheadedness by identifying and treating the root cause of the problem.
Root Cause of Dizziness
We frequently treat dizziness at our clinic – it’s a common disorder triggered by many different health conditions. Dizziness arises from vertigo, perimenopause, chronic fatigue, chronic Lyme disease, POTS, fibromyalgia, and anxiety. Unfortunately, the patient in this dizziness case review was not diagnosed with any of these conditions, and without a clear-cut diagnosis, there was little Western medicine could offer.
Luckily, Chinese medicine pattern diagnosis allows the acupuncturist to form a treatment plan based on the totality of bodily symptoms, not just the main complaint. A complete intake exam revealed the following signs:
- Our patient’s pulse was slippery and rapid.
- Her tongue had a thick, greasy yellow coating and red body.
- She had night sweats and always felt hot.
- Her diet consisted of too many fried foods and sweets, both of which she constantly craved.
- Her bowel movements were loose with a strong odor and urgency.
- In addition to dizziness, she had poor concentration and foggy thinking.
Dizziness from Spleen Qi Deficiency
An analysis of her symptoms pointed to a pattern imbalance called “Spleen Qi deficiency leading to damp phlegm accumulation in the head.” In Chinese medicine, it’s the Spleen’s job to manage water metabolism in the body. When the Spleen is weak, dampness accumulates – sometimes in the skin as edema, other times in the head. If heat is also present in the body, the dampness transforms into phlegm. Phlegm accumulation in the head is one of the primary causes of dizziness.
Phlegm causes all sorts of trouble in the head. When phlegm congests the sinuses, it leads to sinus infections. In cases where phlegm collects around the ears, it triggers vertigo. Finally, when phlegm lodges in the whole head, it results in dizziness and foggy brain. That’s what happened to our patient in this dizziness case review.
Dizziness Case Review
We used the following pool of acupoints for her treatment: ST36, ST40, SP9, SP4, PC6, LI11, LI4, CV12, ST21, CV6, BL18, BL20, GV14, GV20, and Yintang. These points strengthened her Spleen Qi, transformed phlegm, and cleared heat. As a result, within three treatments, her dizziness eased 30 percent.
Our patient found it hard to believe that her dizziness could improve from tiny acupuncture needles. The concept of healing at the root level is foreign to most Western medicine, which predominantly relies on symptom management. Alternatively, acupuncture prompts the body to return to a state of balance, like a reset button. And the return of homeostasis resolves the health condition from the inside out.
After six treatments, our patient was 70 percent better. She no longer had night sweats, and her bowels were regular. At this point, she was solidly on the road to restored health. It took just four additional sessions to achieve full recovery, with no discernable dizziness and a return to normal brain function.
Proof of Root Healing
One way to confirm healing at the root level is to assess other symptoms accompanying the main complaint. So when our patient in this dizziness case review reported no more dizziness, we revisited her list of signs and symptoms. Here are the results:
- Her tongue and pulse both showed marked improvement. Her tongue was now pink with a thin white coat – the ideal tongue presentation. And her pulse was no longer slippery and had a regular rate.
- Her night sweats had resolved following the sixth treatment, never to return.
- Although it was still not ideal, she had improved her diet and reported a drop in cravings for sweets and fried foods. We encouraged her to eat as clean as possible – you are what you eat! Some habits are hard to break, especially sweets and fried foods.
- Her bowels were significantly improved – no longer loose and no strong odor.
- Our patient’s brain fog was gone. She felt like her mind was working again.
Dizziness Acupuncture Solution
Try acupuncture if you or a loved one struggles with dizziness, vertigo, lightheadedness, poor concentration, or foggy brain. We will determine the root imbalances responsible for your condition and create a treatment plan to help restore homeostasis to your body and mind.
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What our Clients are Saying
I came back from a trip to the Caribbean with a terrible case of vertigo and nausea. I couldn’t sleep, couldn’t work, couldn’t walk straight. I had this throbbing headache all day long. It was driving me crazy. I tried acupuncture and in three sessions was completely cured! I was so impressed that I had them treat my back pain next. I only wish insurance covered the treatments.
I was diagnosed with dizziness and put on a medicine that made me more dizzy! My chiropractor said it was from my neck, but the adjustments didn’t help. So I tried acupuncture. Every time I bent down I would get so dizzy that I fell over. The doctor at Raleigh Acupuncture didn’t treat my neck. He said he was treating my organs to balance them and correct my water levels. I don’t care what he called it – it stopped my dizziness! I can bend over now without dizziness and can function like a normal person. They also got rid of my toe pain at the same time!
I had vertigo and dizziness for years. I run my own small business and it was starting to really affect my work. I had difficulty driving, and was starting to get nervous about getting into an accident at work. My vertigo was like the room spinning around, and the only way to make it stop was to close my eyes and lie down. I was also burning up hot, but never had a fever. My cousin went to Raleigh Acupuncture so I gave it a try. They treated me with little needles and gave me chinese herbs. I’m not kidding, this stuff really works. My vertigo stopped happening for the first time in years, and I even stopped feeling so hot. I get small bouts of vertigo now and then, but usually just a single treatment gets me better. I also understand why I get vertigo and what I can do to prevent it coming on. They were really good explaining how it worked, in a way that totally makes sense to me. Thank you Raleigh Acupuncture.
