Can Acupuncture Help Asthma?

Approximately 8.4% of children and 7.6% of U.S. adults suffer from bronchial asthma, more commonly known as asthma. Common treatments for this disruptive and concerning breathing disorder include prescription medicine—often administered through an inhaler.  However, while many of these treatments for bronchial asthma help the symptoms, they aren’t too effective at attacking and healing the root causes. Those who suffer from the disorder may thankfully get a temporarily reprieve from symptoms, but those symptoms are likely to return. When it comes to something like asthma, every attack is one too many.  

However, a potential breakthrough in treatment appears to be on the horizon: acupuncture.

The China Academy of TCM recently performed a number of studies to see how effective  acupuncture and other holistic treatments can be in treatment of bronchial asthma. One study consisted of a comprehensive acupuncture regiment on 111 patients. Needles were retained for 20 minutes on a daily basis at the outset, with treatment ramping down to every other day as symptoms subsided. Of the patients, 48 underwent a positive change, 61 saw significant improvement, and 2 saw no change—an impressive 98% effective rate.

Further studies were done using moxibustion as well. Moxibustion was administered to a specific acupuncture point, and then moxibustion paste was applied to the point every day until the initial moxibustion scar was healed. This study of 299 patients yielded a 70.6% success rate—57 experienced a positive effect, and 124 saw a significant improvement.

How might these treatments help curb symptoms of asthma and have long-lasting effects?? Acupuncture allows relaxation of the muscles, relieving spasms that can cause asthmatic attacked. This increases ventilation, allowing the patient to breathe more safely and naturally.

If you or anyone you know suffers from bronchial asthma, acupuncture and moxibustion may be the next crucial steps to take.