Asthma is often thought of as just one of those childhood diseases that kids grow out of, however, it can be a severe and even life threatening condition. Its frequency is on the rise in the US.
Western medicine looks for presence of episodic wheezing and a history of allergies in the patient or family as keys to its diagnosis. There may also be a tight, non-productive cough, dyspnea (painful breathing), tachypnea (rapid breathing) and a tight sensation in the chest. Asthma often begins in childhood or youth. If asthma begins in adulthood, then further diagnostic tests such as x-rays, allergy and blood cell tests are used to verify the diagnosis. Drugs are usually prescribed to control and prevent the episodes, but success may be limited due to drug side effects.
There are 11 differential diagnoses based on the underlying patterns of external and internal factors, which allows for an individually tailored treatment program. The organ systems (somewhat different than western organs) usually involved are the Lung, Spleen and Kidney systems which all may be secondarily affected by the Liver. The primary internal pathologies are various combinations of the obstructed movement of Qi, deficiencies of Qi and Yin, the presence of internal Heat and the production of Phlegm. The external pathologies are Heat, Cold and Wind.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, asthma treatment has two phases using both acupuncture and herbs. The first phase focuses on relieving the symptoms of acute episodes and the second phase treats the background conditions to help prevent recurrence. Acupuncture reorganizes and restores proper flow of Qi in and out of the Lungs and stimulates the metabolism and transformation of fluids. The use of herbal formulas is integral to successful treatment of asthma. They are formulated to address the specific symptoms manifested by the individual's predominate pathology and to maintain consistent modification of pathologies between needling sessions.
No comments:
Post a Comment