The causes of asthma include genetic factors, allergens (indoor allergens, occupational allergens, drugs and food additives), triggering factors (air pollution, smoking, respiratory virus infection, perinatal fetus environment, others).

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Treatment for Asthma

Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and β2-agonists are the major medications treating asthma, and symptoms can be controlled in most patients using them. However, both systemic and local side effects of them have been reported, such as calcium and phosphate metabolism with subsequent risk of osteoporosis, bruising and skin thinning,increased heart rate, and so forth. This fact has led to increasing interest in nondrug strategies that can assist in improving symptom control and/or reducing future risk.

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Acupuncture is a component of traditional Chinese medicine. According to the literature, acupuncture can enhance the immune system function of patients and thus play a role in relieving phlegm.

According to a number of clinical practices, acupuncture therapy has a considerable effect, has a high technical content, can inhibit allergic reactions, activate its defense system function, and the patient's bronchial smooth muscle tone is reduced, and finally achieve anti-asthmatic purpose.

Acupuncture has been used to treat asthma in China and Western countries. Previous studies indicated that acupuncture could improve symptoms of asthma, lung function, and decrease medication dosages, and could be applied as an adjunct to conventional medications.

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By Ken Luo, Acupuncturist & TCM Practitioner