lungs-breathing
Western Medicine Asthma Information
Submitted by yyh_staff on Sun, 2006-08-20 10:48.The following information is general Western Medicine information related to Asthma.
Asthma (AZ-muh) is a chronic disease that affects your airways, which are the tubes that carry air in and out of your lungs. If you have asthma, the inside walls of your airways are inflamed (swollen). The inflammation (IN-fla-MAY-shun) makes the airways very sensitive, and they tend to react strongly to things to which you are allergic or find irritating. When the airways react, they get narrower and less air flows through to your lung tissues. This causes symptoms like wheezing (a whistling sound when you breathe), coughing, chest tightness, and trouble breathing.
Acupuncture for Asthma - Treatment Protocols
Submitted by yyh_staff on Sun, 2006-08-20 10:32.Below you will find some of the more common tcm diagnoses and acupuncture treatment protocols for asthma and related respiratory issues. There are many ways to treat this condition with Eastern Medicine and our presentation is only one of many possible options.
- Etiology & Pathology:
- Excess Type:
- Invasion of Wind couple with heat or cold
- Phlegm-Damp or Phlegm-Heat
- Deficiency Type:
- Liver Patterns (Giovanni):
- LV Qi Stagnation
- LV Fire insulting the LU
- LV Yin Deficiency
- Differentiation:
- Invasion of Wind coupled with heat or cold
- Signs & Symptoms:
- Similar to Common Cold, however, the pathogen enters deeper into the LU causing an acute asthma condition.
- This condition, while an excess, usually arises from a deficiency which can be treated after the acute symptoms are resolved.
- Patient may have: Chills, fever, headache, SOB, stuffiness in chest, thin white dilute sputum.
- Tongue: Thin, white coating
- Pulse: Floating, tight
- Treatment Protocol:
- Eliminate Wind-Cold or Wind-Heat
- Restore Descending and Dispersing Function of the LU
- Soothe asthma
- Treatment Points:
- Phlegm-Damp or Phlegm-Heat
- Signs & Symptoms:
- Phlegm-Damp
- Patient may have: Chills, cold limbs, stuffy chest, thicker white expectoration, grayish complexion, lack of thirst or thirst w/no desire to drink.
- Tongue: White, greasy coating
- Pulse: Tight or slippery
- Phlegm-Heat
- Treatment Protocol:
- Resolve Phlegm
- Expel Dampness or Cool Heat
- Soothe Asthma
- Treatment Points:
- LU Deficiency
- Signs & Symptoms:
- Patient may have: Short/quick breathing, spontaneous sweating, weak low voice, weak cough, difficult expectoration, poor appetite, bright white face.
- Tongue: Pale, swollen
- Pulse: Thin, empty
- Treatment Protocol:
- Tonify LU
- Soothe Asthma
- Treatment Points:
- KD Deficiency
- Signs & Symptoms:
- Patient may have: Breathlessness/worse w/exertion, difficult inhaling, asthma impoved with lying down, frequent urination, polyuria, edema, cold limbs, loose stools.
- Tongue: Pale, swollen, wet
- Pulse: Thin, deep, weak
- Treatment Protocol:
- Tonify KD (esp. receiving function)
- Soothe Asthma
- Treatment Points:
- LV Qi Stagnation
- Signs & Symptoms:
- Patient may have: Stress induced asthma, chest oppression, hypochondriac pain.
- Tongue: Normal
- Pulse: Wiry
- Treatment Protocol:
- Resolve LV Qi Stagnation
- Treatment Points:
- LV Fire insulting the LU
- Signs & Symptoms:
- This is a further progression of LV Qi Stagnation as described above, however, patient will present with heat signs.
- Tongue: Red w/red sides, yellow coating
- Pulse: Wiry, rapid
- Treatment Protocol:
- Resolve LV Qi Stagnation
- Cool LV Heat
- Treatment Points:
- LV Yin Deficiency
- Signs & Symptoms:
- This pattern is more emotionally based than LV Qi or Fire - Sadness constraining the LV Qi.
- Women who have overworked especially post-partum are susceptible.
- Patient may have: Infrequent asthma attacks more often at night, dry throat/cough, blurred vision, dry eyes, hypogastrium/chest distention.
- Tongue: Red w/no coating
- Pulse: Floating, empty
- Treatment Protocol:
- Resolve LV Qi Stagnation
- Nourish LV Yin
- Restore Descending and Dispersing Function of the LU
- Treatment Points:
The information on our site is drawn from our own lecture notes and clinical experience. The following lecture notes were consulted within this section:
Chinese Medicine Treatment of Asthma
Submitted by yyh_staff on Sun, 2006-08-20 10:26.Our Conditions Treated with Chinese Medicine section has treatment information for a broad range of conditions. Chinese Medicine is used clinically for the treatment of asthma and related breathing issues. Our discussion of asthma first looks at the condition from a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective. We discuss the signs, symptoms and TCM diagnoses commonly found in people with respiratory issues. Acupuncture treatment protocols are offered for each condition along with Tong Ren Therapy, Herbal Medicine and Lifestyle/Self-Help considerations. Each section also includes western medicine information related to the condition along with information for further research.
Note: Much of the information within this section requires an understanding of diagnosis and treatment methods within Chinese Medicine and it should not be used for self treatment. We recommend you consult a licensed acupuncturist in your area for help. It is also worth noting that the TCM diagnoses and related treatment methods listed here are one of many ways to diagnosis and treat this condition. Acupuncture, for example, has many styles such as Japanese Acupuncture which have unique theories, diagnoses and treatment protocols that may differ from the information presented below.
If you are new to acupuncture, you may want to read our introduction to acupuncture page as well as our page which describes your first acupuncture treatment.
Our asthma treatment information is divided into the following sections:
Acupuncture for Lung and Respiratory Related Issues
Submitted by yyh_staff on Sun, 2006-08-20 08:57.The lung meridian is used clinically for a broad range of respiratory disorders. Below are some of the more common clinical indications for points along the meridian.
Chinese Medicine Treatment of Lung and Respiratory Related Disorders
Submitted by yyh_staff on Sun, 2006-08-20 08:51.Our Conditions Treated with Chinese Medicine section has treatment information for a broad range of conditions. Chinese Medicine is used clinically for the treatment of a variety of lung and respiratory disorders. This section contains a brief description of the main acupuncture points used along the lung meridian for respiratory issues. For more detailed information about specific conditions such as asthma and sinusitis see our main conditions treated section.
