Asthma: What if Acupuncture Could Stop an Asthma Attack? And beyond that-improve the condition?

It can. I have had many patients come in for treatment while having an attack. They stopped wheezing, their breathing relaxed, the tightness in their chest disappeared. But there is a better and more convenient way. Don’t wait till you are having an attack—be proactive. A series of acupuncture treatments over time should reduce the severity and frequency of attacks.

The key is to change the response of the body to stressors—whether environmental or emotional—over a period of a couple of months. This is done by receiving regular treatments—say, once or twice per week.

  • One study conducted by the University of Vienna showed that 70% of their asthma patients improved after 10 weeks of regular treatment.
  • Another study in Second Municipal Hospital in Henan, China involved 192 patients receiving regular treatment. It showed 75% had significant improvement with lower remission rates. The majority of patients reported immediate post-treatment relief, which has been my experience, as I mentioned above.

How does acupuncture do this?

  • Acupuncture appears to reduce the level of inflammatory chemicals in the blood, thereby reducing allergic responses.
  • Acupuncture relieves excitation of the parasympathetic nerves while raising the level of excitation of sympathetic nerves. This causes the bronchioles to expand and mucus membranes to contract, leading to improved breathing.

To summarize—Regular treatments over a period of time appear to retrain the physiology so it has a more relaxed response to stressors that would normally provoke an attack. Acupuncture coaxes the body into a higher state of health.

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