山元式新頭針療法治療耳中風之病例報告

Use of Yamamoto New Scalp Acupuncture to Treat Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss: A Case Study

耳中風，亦稱為突發性耳聾（SSHL），是耳鼻喉科急症，其症狀為急速聽力減退，而嚴重影響病患的生活。山元式新頭針療法（YNSA）於西元1967年由日本山元敏勝所研發，其治療方法是採用身體上的刺激點（somatotope），而非傳統針灸穴位治療。此外，目前對於突發性耳聾的論文多半屬於西醫的類固醇治療或中醫的傳統針灸，尚未有運用YNSA來治療突發性耳聾的研究文章，因此，本病歷報告為運用YNSA來治療耳中風之有效案例。林先生，62歲男性，2018年6月中旬右耳罹患耳中風，經過耳鼻喉科注射類固醇治療後聽力未明顯恢復，左耳以前亦曾發作過突發性耳聾，前來就診時左耳耳鳴、右耳悶塞感。治療期間運用山元式新頭針療法，約治療18次後，聽力恢復約40分貝，目前持續治療當中。結論：YNSA對於耳中風有顯著的療效，亦可改善耳鳴、耳朵悶塞感等症狀。若西醫與傳統針灸治療後無效，可採取本療法治療。

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL), also known as sudden deafness, is an acute otorhinolaryngological illness manifested as rapid hearing loss; this acute illness can have serious negative effects on patients' lives. In 1967, Japanese physician Yamamoto Toshikatsu invented Yamamoto new scalp acupuncture (YNSA), a new acupuncture system that uses somatotopes instead of acupuncture points used in traditional Chinese acupuncture. To date, studies on SSHL have generally investigated treatments made using Western steroid therapy or traditional Chinese acupuncture, and those that investigated treatments involving YNSA remain to be seen. Accordingly, this study presented the use of YNSA to treat SSHL. In this study, the patient was a 62-year-old man who experienced SSHL in his left ear and later developed right ear SSHL in June 2018. He received a steroid injection for his right ear in an otorhinolaryngology clinic, but his hearing was not satisfactorily recovered. When he visited the clinic, he experienced tinnitus in his left ear and blockage (plugged) in his right ear. He was subsequently given YNSA treatment. To date, he has received YNSA treatment 18 times, and his hearing has improved to 40 dB. He continues to receive such treatment. Conclusion: YNSA has a significant and positive effect on SSHL, tinnitus, and ear blockage. Patients whose hearing does not improve after receiving Western treatment or traditional Chinese acupuncture may consider receiving this treatment.