"Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss" (SSNHL) is a relatively common otological condition enered in otolaryngology, family medicine, and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) outpatient clinics. It is defined as a sensorineural hearing threshold shift of more than 30 decibels affecting at least three consecutive frequencies within three days. Clinical manifestations can range from mild initial symptoms such as aural fullness and tinnitus to significant hearing loss. However, the etiology remains complex and elusive, making treatment challenging. Current clinical therapies primarily include corticosteroids, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and circulation-improving agents; however, therapeutic outcomes vary among individuals. This case study presents a 62-year-old female patient with a history of sudden hearing loss 17 years ago. This time, she was diagnosed with right-sided sudden deafness in outpatient care. After receiving conventional outpatient and inpatient Western medical treatments, her symptoms worsened, prompting her to seek a TCM consultation. She underwent traditional acupuncture therapy based on syndrome differentiation, focusing on tonifying the kidney, eliminating dampness, dispelling wind and cold, and relieving stagnation to unblock orifices. Combined with integrative Western and TCM treatments, the patient experienced significant and rapid recovery of hearing and improvement in associated secondary symptoms. This report aims to summarize and analyze the clinical reasoning behind combining acupuncture therapy with standard Western treatments for sudden deafness, providing a reference for clinical practice.
【Keywords】
Sudden sensorineural hearing loss ; Traditional Chinese Medicine ; Acupuncture