TREATING ASTHMA WITH CHINESE MEDICINE
Ian Rawlinson B.A. B.Ac Lic.Ac
In the last few years the number of people suffering from asthma has risen dramatically. This is especially true for children and teenagers. Western allopathic medicine offers drugs that are effective in giving temporary relief, but there is increasing concern among doctors and patients about the long-term side effects of some of these drugs. Steroid drugs in particular can have serious long-term side effects. Despite the advances in modern medicine the mortality rate of asthma patients has actually risen dramatically in the last ten years.
The World Health Organization lists asthma as among 40 illnesses they testify can be effectively treated by acupuncture. Chinese medicine aims to treat the root cause of a condition. The aim is not just to give temporary relief, but in many cases completely resolve the condition. Treatment is always adapted to the individual patient. The acupuncturist takes time to inquire in detail about specific symptoms and treats accordingly.
As one might expect from the perspective of Chinese medicine, a common pattern of disharmony with asthma involves the lungs. If the vital energy or Chi of the lungs is weak it is difficult for the lungs to perform their function of regulating the breath. In Chinese medicine this type of asthma is called Lung Chi deficiency. Apart from wheezing and restricted and labored breathing, common symptoms include shallow breathing, pale complexion and fatigue, especially in the mid-afternoon. Patients will often feel cold and have a clear runny nasal discharge. The treatment principle is to strengthen and warm the lungs. Acupuncture points on the Lung meridian that strengthen the Lung Chi are usually effective in gradually re-establishing the strength and vitality of the lungs.
From the perspective of Chinese medicine the lung is not always the primary cause of asthma. Another very common pattern stems from a deficiency of the Chi or vital energy of the Stomach and Spleen meridians. The vital energy of the stomach and spleen are responsible for processing and transforming food and fluids. When this doesn’t happen, it leads to congestion and phlegm. This pattern of disharmony is very different from Lung Chi Deficiency.
In this case the breathing will be very labored and frequently there will be possible to hear the thick mucus that accumulates in the lungs. There will also often be blocked or stuffy sinuses. A patient’s appetite will tend to be poor, especially in the mornings, and frequently there will be a feeling of the head being clogged and cloudy making it hard to think clearly.
Treatment in cases like this will be completely different from Lung Chi Deficiency. Initially in this case treatment will be aimed at removing the phlegm. Specific acupuncture points are selected that assist the patient’s body to reduce or eliminate phlegm. One point that reduces phlegm is called Abundant Splendor. It is located on the stomach meridian. Once the phlegm has been resolved, treatment is directed towards strengthening the vital Chi of the stomach and spleen.
Certain lifestyle changes like eating less dairy, sugar and fried foods can also really help support the benefits of treatment.
Acupuncture and Chinese herbs provide a safe, effective, reliable and relatively inexpensive means to treat this serious illness.
Ian Rawlinson has been practicing acupuncture and Chinese herbs in Petaluma for 23 years.
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The reason asthma deaths have increased is because the number/percentage of people developing the disorder has skyrocketed. It’s believed that genetics mixed with a number of “modern day” changes in childhood is primarily to blame for the increase. How asthma works isn’t a mystery, either; the characteristics you mentioned are logical for someone struggling to breathe and that (usually) is fighting allergies or illness.
“The World Health Organization lists asthma as among 40 illnesses they testify can be effectively treated by acupuncture.”
Actually, that’s not quite the case. According to an early panel on the National Council Against Health Fraud, “the World Health Organization has listed more than 40 [conditions] for which [acupuncture] may be indicated.”
Something possibly being indicated is TOTALLY different from stating it “is indicated”, let alone that something is firmly believed to work.
There’s a lot more than that to it, though — for the full truth with citations regarding the “WHO says…” claim and others, please read the extensive report here:
http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/acu.html
My own parents tried acupuncture on me when I was young, because of the absurd number of health problems I was born with. While my mother is fairly alt-med to this day, she herself stated that acupuncture wasn’t effective. That says a lot, believe me.
Today, modern medicine is very against *oral* steroids, yes — but the newer preventative steroid *inhalers* have few side effects yet are absolutely amazing. I’m a very severe asthmatic, and even *I* have minimal symptoms when I’m diligent about the inhalers.
I think acupuncture likely has a lot to offer people that are attempting to quit smoking, are in their first bout with depression, or similar. But touting it as a superior alternative to preventative & control treatments for a well-understood lung disease that can descend without warning and kill — that’s beyond wrong. There’s a reason that most of our deaths are preventable; it’s because it’s easy even for me to fall into hopeful optimism and not renew that inhaler or keep a good one handy. :-/
by Asthmagicat ;)
you give me more info
by rajmaniprajapati