Chinese Medicine for Dizziness

Dizziness is more than just feeling lightheaded—it can point to deeper imbalances in the body. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), dizziness is linked to several patterns involving the liver, kidneys, spleen, yin, yang, energy, and blood. Each pattern has its own symptoms, guiding treatment methods, herbal formulas, and food remedies.

Liver-Fire Upsurging

Symptoms:
Acute dizziness, severe headaches on both sides of the head or near the eyes, dim or red eyes, nosebleeds, hiccups, vomiting blood, ringing in the ears, deafness, chest congestion, depression with heat sensations, yellowish-red urine, dry mouth, poor sleep or oversleeping, and a quick temper.

Remedial Principle:
Clear heat in the liver and nourish yin.

Herbal Formula:
Long-Dan-Xie-Gan-Tang

Food Remedies:
Spinach, chestnut, shepherd’s purse, rye, black fungus, vinegar, abalone, asparagus, chicken egg, white fungus, pork, royal jelly.

Yin Deficiency with Yang Excess

Symptoms:
Chronic dizziness with ringing in the ears, night sweats, hot sensations in the body, insomnia, jumpiness, “tidal” fever, red cheeks, seminal emission, excessive sex drive, underweight body type, coughing up blood.

Remedial Principle:
Tone the liver and kidneys, suppress liver yang.

Herbal Formula:
Zhen-Gan-Xi-Feng-Tang

Food Remedies:
Peppermint, green onion, banana, bamboo shoot, bitter endive, celery, bird’s nest, cheese, kidney bean, abalone, asparagus, chicken egg, cuttlefish, duck, duck egg, white fungus, oyster, pork, royal jelly.

Simultaneous Deficiency of Yin and Yang

Symptoms:
Cold limbs, fatigue, chronic dizziness with ringing in the ears, dizziness worsening with exertion, palpitations, perspiration triggered by activity, poor spirit, low energy, too tired to talk, underweight body type.

Remedial Principle:
Tone liver and kidneys, warm and assist the body’s original energy.

Herbal Formula:
Shen-Qi-Wan

Food Remedies:
Beef, cherry, bird’s nest, butterfish, chicken, coconut meat, date, tofu, mustard seed, sweet rice, goose, mutton, jackfruit, squash, sweet potato, red and black dates, rice, rock sugar, caraway seed, spearmint, mushroom, oregano, red bean, ambergris, dill seed, garlic, basil, saffron, abalone, asparagus, cuttlefish, chicken egg, duck egg, white fungus, beef liver, grape, mandarin fish, oyster, milk, blood clam, longan nut.

Spleen-Sputum

Symptoms:
Heavy head, abundant saliva, dizziness so strong it prevents movement, poor appetite, slight stomach fullness, suppressed menstruation in women, weak limbs, overweight despite small appetite.

Remedial Principle:
Dry dampness, transform sputum, strengthen spleen.

Herbal Formula:
Ban-Xia-Bai-Zhu-Tian-Ma-Tang

Food Remedies:
Bamboo shoot, crown daisy, date, fresh ginger, mustard leaves, black and white pepper, mustard seed, asparagus, pear.

Simultaneous Deficiency of Energy and Blood

Symptoms:
Chronic dizziness made worse by movement, fatigue, low energy, palpitations, insomnia, pale complexion, pale lips and nails, numb limbs, weak voice, poor appetite, faint vision disturbances, light-colored bleeding in consumptive conditions.

Remedial Principle:
Strengthen spleen, nourish heart, restore both energy and blood.

Herbal Formula:
Gui-Pi-Tang

Food Remedies:
Abalone, asparagus, cuttlefish, chicken egg, duck egg, white fungus, beef liver, grape, mandarin fish, oyster, milk, beef, cherry, blood clam, longan nut, maltose, potato, sweet rice, apple cucumber, bog bean, carp, carrot, chestnut, ham, horse bean, hyacinth bean, Job’s tears, royal jelly, string bean, whitefish, yam, red and black dates, mutton, squash, rock sugar.

In TCM, dizziness is not treated as a single symptom but as a sign of deeper imbalances. By identifying the root pattern—whether it comes from excess heat, deficiency of yin or yang, sputum blocking the head, or weak energy and blood—Chinese medicine uses a tailored approach. Herbal formulas and food remedies support balance and help reduce dizziness naturally.