Asthma

The cause for asthma is not known. You are more likely to have asthma if other members of your family have it and/or you have allergies. Asthma is not caused by emotional problems, though emotions can trigger an attack. People with asthma have sensitive airways and need to be aware of asthma attack triggers Asthma is too complex to treat with over-the-counter products. A health care provider should diagnose asthma and keep track of how you are doing. It is important to note that many of these strong meds that often are prescribed long term can be toxic and have serious contraindications. These meds are also directed to dealing with symptoms only and not working on increasing the strength and functioning capacity of the lungs and airways.

Acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine can effectively treat this condition while building the general immunity and resistance to seasonal colds and flu that can adversely affect people who suffer from this disease. The article below explains how acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine can help with the lung function and reduce the necessity for harmful drugs.

Elyse Josephs

Asthma

[Effects of acupuncture on clinical symptoms and pulmonary function in the patient of bronchial asthma]

[Article in Chinese]

Zhang WP.

China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China. 168zhwp@sina.com

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical therapeutic effect of acupuncture on bronchial asthma. Methods One hundred and four cases of asthma at persistent period and remission stage were divided into a treatment group and a control group with stratified random method of illness degrees. The treatment group were treated with antiasthma agents plus acupuncture at Quchi (LI 11), Lieque (LU 7), Yuji (LU 10), Neiguan (PC 6), Zusanli (ST 36), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Taixi (KI 3), once each day, 10 sessions constituting one course, and the control group with anti-asthma agents at the same dose. Changes of clinical symptoms and pulmonary function after treatment were investigated. Results Clinical symptoms significantly improved, the score for asthma symptoms decreased and the wheeze in the lung reduced, severity and grading of the disease significantly improved in the treatment group with significant differences as compared with those in the control group (all P< 0.05). And the first second forced expiratory volume (FEV1), peak of forced expiratory flow rate (PEF), FEF(25%-75%) (% PRED), FEF(75%-85%) (% PRED), FEF50% (%PRED), FEF75% (% PRED) more significantly improved in the treatment group than in the control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01 or P < 0.001). Six months later, the incidence rate of asthma acute attack in the treatment group was lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05), and the dose of anti-asthma agents in the 50% of patients in the treatment group was reduced by 1/3-1/4. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture can improve clinical symptoms and pulmonary function and reduce the dose of anti-asthma agents, and has a certain long-term therapeutic effect.

PMID: 17165494 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]