Asthma can be one of the most severely debilitating illnesses. It is characterized by the symptoms of shortness of breath, coughing, bronchial and lung congestion and wheezing. The traditional Western medical treatments include theophyline, chromylin, Proventil Inhaler and in severe cases, steroid treatment. While these medications may relieve the symptoms, they do not get rid of the root cause of the illness and many times deplete the immune system (especially in the case of steroid medications) so that the patient becomes to weak to combat the root cause of the illness.
Chinese and Wholistic Medicine treats both the symptoms and the root cause of the patient’s asthma. By taking the 12 pulses of the 12 energy channels, the practitioner can determine whether the asthma is caused by a lung, liver, spleen or kidney “meridian” or energy channel imbalance. One asthma patient may have an entirely different pulse than another. Therefore, the treatment made of acupuncture points is very different and individually selected and herbal combinations for the patient. It is precisely for this reason that Chinese and Wholistic Medicine can be quite successful and effective in getting rid of the patient’s asthma.
The type of therapy involved may use acupuncture points and herbs which open up the bronchioles in lungs, decongest the liver meridian and get rid of the excess dampness of the lung and spleen meridian. Some asthma patients may need to have the kidney meridian strengthened while decongesting the lung. There are hundreds of formulas of herbs that have been constructed for different asthma patients with different pulse patterns. The important point to remember is that the combinations of points and herbs are uniquely tailored individually to the patient’s imbalance, and that the points and herbs support each other to work synergistically.
Most asthma patients frequently have food and environmental allergies. When they are allergy tested they gain useful information about how that can alter their diet and use foods to strengthen their immune system instead of eating food that suppress it. Thus, the diet is extremely important in helping asthma patients improve their condition.
Recently, studies were done on children with excercise-induced asthma and normal asthma. It was found that there was a significant improvement in their breathing capacity after acupuncture in each study.
Summary, Chinese medicine provides a very successful healing modality for treatment of childhood and adult asthma. As the patient gets stronger and the symptoms start to clear up, they may gradually reduce their prescription medications with the advice and help of their physician.