We regularly get patients coming to our acupuncture clinic complaining of eye twitching. Most of the time, their doctor cannot help, making acupuncture an attractive option, especially since it often can resolve the spasms. This eye twitch case study is an excellent example of how acupuncture treats this annoying condition and will give you a sense of what to anticipate if you are thinking of seeking treatment for yourself.
What Causes Eye Twitching?
According to mayoclinic.org, eye twitching can be brought on by:
- Stress
- Wind
- Alcohol consumption
- Bright light
- Too much caffeine
- Fatigue
- Eyelid irritation
- Smoking
- Poor air quality
The official name for eye twitching is “benign essential blepharospasm,” “a movement disorder (dystonia) of the muscles around the eye.” The cause of this condition is unknown to modern medicine, although researchers speculate that facial nerves around the eye may play a role.
Chinese Medicine Understanding
Chinese medicine has been effectively treating eye twitching for the past 2500 years. Liver Wind causes the condition. But, of course, we all are familiar with the wind outside in the world. Internal wind is a health condition that develops primarily from disharmony with the liver and causes many symptoms, including twitching, spasms, numbness, and tingling sensations. Liver wind can cause stroke, Bell’s Palsy, and paralysis in severe cases.
The key to successfully treating eye twitching is to expel the wind, nourish the liver, and restore normal function to the eye. As you will see in this eye twitch case study, acupuncturists utilized specific acupuncture points to accomplish this task.
Eye Twitch Case Study
Our patient was a 63-year-old woman in excellent shape. She had no major health problems beyond a slight thyroid imbalance and some minor digestive issues. Her sleep was good, she had low stress, and she did not smoke or drink alcohol. In fact, she did not have any of the typical Western medical triggers for eye twitching.
However, from a Chinese medical perspective, several clues explain her condition. First, and most importantly, her pulse was wiry. This pulse quality reflects liver qi stagnation. While she did not feel stuck emotionally, her qi was not flowing correctly. In addition, her tongue had scalloped edges, and she felt occasional dizziness. These symptoms reflect spleen qi and blood deficiency. Third, she had night sweats even though she had gone through menopause ten years earlier. This symptom indicates kidney yin deficiency.
Understanding Pattern Imbalances
These three imbalances together paint a picture explaining her eye twitching. Kidney yin deficiency coupled with liver qi stagnation can cause a pattern called liver yang rising, which can generate internal wind. Blood deficiency can also trigger internal wind. The key to resolving her eye spasms was to smooth her liver qi, strengthen spleen qi and blood, and nourish kidney yin.
Our patient’s treatment plan includes acupuncture points SP6 and ST36 to build qi and blood, KD6 to nourish kidney yin, and LV3 and LI4 to circulate qi. Restoring balance in this way naturally resolves internal wind, which eases eye twitches. So, as you can see, Chinese medicine’s approach to healing is systematic and organized. And this approach was successful for our patient in this eye twitch case study.
Acupuncture Eye Twitch Relief
Within four treatments, our patient’s eye twitching resolved. At the same time, her night sweats ceased, and her dizziness improved. She felt better overall – as if she had gotten a full-body tune-up, which in a sense, she had. Six months later, she was still twitch-free.
Next Steps
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Acupuncture treatment helped my chronic dry eyes. Whereas I had to use drops on a daily basis before my treatment, afterwards I didn’t need the drops any longer. The scratchy feeling in my eyes was gone, and my eyes were not nearly as red. I’ve sent two co-workers to Raleigh Acupuncture since being treated, both for eye conditions, and they also got relief. I recommend this practice to anyone struggling with dry eyes.