Asthma is a
chronic (long-term) lung disease that inflames and narrows the airways. People
with asthma experience wheezing, shortness of breath, coughing, and chest
tightness in response to a number of possible triggers. The coughing often
occurs at night or early in the morning.
A
number of things can bring about or worsen asthma symptoms. Triggers may
include:
Allergens
found in dust, animal fur, cockroaches, mold, and pollens from trees,
grasses, and flowers
Irritants
such as cigarette smoke, air pollution, chemicals or dust in the
workplace, compounds in home décor products, and sprays
Certain
medicines such as aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
and nonselective beta-blockers
Sulfites
in foods and drinks
Viral
upper respiratory infections such as colds
Exercise
(physical activity)
Asthma
affects people of all ages, but it most often starts in childhood. More than 20 million
Americans, or 1 in 15 people, suffer from asthma. Symptoms of an asthma
attack are usually controlled by a steroid inhaler. Many people also take other
medications to reduce the frequency of episodes. While often effective, Western
medications for asthma have a number of short-term side effects as well as
possible long-term health consequences. Many people are interested in non-drug
approaches.
Acupuncture
and Chinese herbs can be very helpful both in alleviating acute symptoms and
preventing future asthma attacks. Acupuncture can ease breathing during an
asthma attack, but more importantly, ongoing treatment addresses the causes of
asthma and works to decrease the sensitivity of the airways and reduce the
number of asthma attacks. Chinese
herbal formulas serve as a useful adjunct to acupuncture in relieving asthma.
If you would like to pursue acupuncture and
Chinese herbal treatment or information, please contact Xiaoyan.
Asthma
