"When I first went for Acupuncture back in 1995 I had Allergic Asthma and a whole host of other medical problems. These days I keep an inhaler in my handbag and one in my bedside draw as per the advice on this page.  "

I would describe my asthma as under control. Jo Rochford

"I use them so infrequently my last inhaler was 2 years out of date and the doctor wanted to know why I wanted an inhaler and then why I had not been back sooner!   I would describe my Asthma as under control, if I get stressed at work my chest feels tight sometimes that is about it.  When I went to train as an acupuncturist people asked me why, well I just had to find out how a few acupuncture treatments could have helped my problems and left me feeling so healthy.  "

Asthma affects approximately 5.1 million Britons today. It's a pulmonary disorder characterized by wheezing and dyspnoea due to obstruction and inflammation of the airways. Asthma may be triggered by allergy, exertion, irritant particles, weather, psychological stress, etc.

There are many causes of asthma. Allergens such as pollens, smoke, alcohol, house dust and animal hair may trigger an asthma attack. Asthma may also be induced by non-allergy related factors such as exertion, cold air, stress, anxiety, crying, hearty laughing, and viral infection. Common problems linked with asthma include sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, gastroesophageal reflux, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and hyperthyroidism.

In an asthma attack, there will be a combination of spasm of the bronchi, inflammation of the airways, and increased mucous secretion. In mild to moderate cases, the patients will experience shortness of breath, wheezing, hyperpnoea, and use of accessory muscles (such as neck and chest muscles) to facilitate breathing. Anxiety and sweating are commonly seen in asthmatics as they struggle for air. In severe cases, the patients will experience marked respiratory distress, cyanosis, use of accessory muscles, wheezes, lethargy and possibly confusion. Patients with severe asthma may not have any wheezing as there is very little air moving in and out of the lungs. So the blood vessels of the alveoli are unable to remove enough carbon dioxide from the blood and bring in enough oxygen into the blood. 

Asthma is diagnosed based on the characteristic episodes of wheezing, coughing, dyspnoea or chest tightness interspersed with asymptomatic intervals. Objective confirmation is made with repeated Peak Flow tests performed over symptomatic and asymptomatic periods.

If the asthma is allergy-induced, identification of the allergen is very important. Skin test for allergen, blood test for antibodies, and Inhalation Bronchial Challenge Test may assist in identifying the correct culprit. Allergic skin test helps to identify the allergen, but an allergen that causes an allergic reaction on the skin may not necessarily induce an asthma attack.


Blood test for antibodies helps to determine the degree of sensitivity to that specific allergen. Additionally, an Inhalation Bronchial Challenge Test can be done to confirm the direct correlation between an allergen and an initiation of asthma attack. Since the patient will have to inhale a diluted solution of the allergen in the challenge test, there is a slight risk of a severe asthma attack.

Drug treatments of asthma include management of an acute attack and maintenance on a daily basis. Five groups of drugs are commonly used for treating asthma.

Beta-adrenergic drugs are bronchodilators that relax smooth muscle and widen the airways. They are commonly used for relieving sudden attacks of asthma and preventing exercise-induced asthma. The most common example of Beta-adrenergic drugs is Ventolin. Common side-effects of Beta-adrenergic drugs include increased Heart rate, nervousness, restlessness, headache and muscle tremors.

In Chinese medicine, asthma is called "xiao chuan", which means wheezing and dyspnoea, respectively. Chinese medicine classifies xiao and chuan as two separate illnesses with different treatments. Xiao (wheezing) is characterized by a whistling sound during breathing, increased respiration rate, dyspnoea and inability to rest in a horizontal position. Chuan (shortness of breath) is characterized by dyspnoea, constant opening of mouth to grasp air, raised shoulder, flared nostrils and inability to rest in a horizontal position. Patients with xiao (wheezing) generally will have chuan (shortness of breath), while patients with chuan (shortness of breath) may or may not have xiao (wheezing). In Western medicine, wheezing and shortness of breath are both considered as symptoms which may be present in many different types of pulmonary syndromes such as asthma, acute bronchitis, chronic bronchitis and emphysema.

In Oriental Medicine, there are many factors that may trigger an asthma attack. Examples include the invasion of the external pathogenic factors, diet, emotional disturbances, congenital weakness and chronic illnesses.

External pathogenic factors, such as cold or heat, commonly induce asthma attacks. Lung dominates the Qi and manifests on the skin. As the environment affects the skin, the change is reflected in the Lung. As the Lung is attacked, its function to regulate water passage becomes impaired, water begins to stagnate and phlegm starts to form. Asthma attacks due to the invasion of external pathogenic factors is most likely to occur when the temperature is cold or if there is a rapid change in weather. External pathogenic factors may also include pollen, cigarette smoke, and any other allergens.

Diet can also trigger an asthma attack. Raw and cold food may injure the Spleen and tend to contribute to the stagnation of fluid circulation and the increase in the production of phlegm. Heavy, sweet, and greasy food tend to create phlegm and heat in the body. Fish, crabs, shellfish and other seafood have also been noted to increase the likelihood of asthma attacks as well.

Congenital weakness and chronic illness are also common causes of asthma. Children with asthma generally have congenital Kidney Qi deficiency. On the other hand, chronic illness, such as patients with chronic cough and recurrent cold/flu, are likely to have Lung deficiency.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been treating asthma for thousands of years. In 1979, the World Health Organization listed forty diseases that can benefit from acupuncture. Respiratory tract diseases, including asthma and bronchitis, were included on that list. There are many studies relating to the success of acupuncture for the treatment of asthma in last twenty years. For example, in 1993, the Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care at the University Hospital of Vienna, Austria, reported a study that concluded that after ten weeks of acupuncture treatment, over 70% of long-standing asthma patients achieved significant improvement.

Acupuncture can help:

• improve and balance the immune system
• reduce allergic reaction
• reduce bronchial inflammation
• adjust the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system thus expanding the airways
• reduce and withdraw mucus and phlegm
• increase the capacity of the lungs
  

In most of the cases, acupuncture is very effective. After a series of treatments, asthmatic symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and shortness of breath are reduced. The frequency of an asthmatic episode can also be minimized. In fact, many people can usually resume an active lifestyle.

The symptoms of asthma can vary. Some people may have only slight chest tightness or coughing and wheezing, while some may have even more serious symptoms such as, shortness of breath and other breathing difficulties.

Asthma can be life threatening during a serious attack! The airways can become so constricted that not enough oxygen can get to your vital organs. Therefore, you should always keep a quick-relief inhaler with you at all times, even if your symptoms are under control.

Please remember that asthma is about long-term management. Get check ups and treatments regularly. Contact your acupuncturist about an asthma treatment plan.

Try to keep your environment under control. Prevent asthmatic triggers, such as household dust mites, pets, smoke, mould, pollens and high humidity. Prevent and treat common colds and respiratory viral infections in their early stages. Also, watch your diet and try to avoid dairy and sugar. It is also wise to manage your stress levels. Take action now. You could control your asthma. Do not let asthma control you.

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