HealthWise

What is Asthma

Asthma is a breathing problem caused by increased sensitivity of your airways. Your airways become narrow when they come into contact with a trigger - sometimes that sets off an attack.

Your airways narrow during an asthma attack as a result of several things that happen:

• The muscle layer in your airway contracts.
• The airway linings swell.
• Mucus builds up in your airway.

As a result this leaves a smaller space for air to move in and out, and causes wheezing, coughing, a tight feeling in your chest and shortness of breath.

There are two types of asthma; allergic and non-allergic:-

• Allergic asthma is usually the result of inhaling or consuming some kind of external substance, such as pollen, animal hair, dust mites, tobacco smoke, mould, food additives, or foods such as wheat or dairy products (but it can be almost any food, which can affect a person).
• Non-Allergic attacks can be triggered by a range of factors including fatigue, physical exertion, some medications, stress, exposure to the cold and damp or a sudden change in air temperature.

Wholistic Therapies do not replace conventional medical treatment, but work in conjunction with other health care professionals.

The management of asthma using Wholistic therapies focuses on preventative care, reducing symptoms and has a long term aim of decreasing dependence on medication.

Can offer assistance to sufferers by working on all aspects of the breathing mechanisms including ribs, spine, diaphragm and other muscles of breathing, nerve control of the chest, blood and fluid supply to the bronchi and lungs.

Osteopathy and chiropractic can also play an important preventative role in the care of someone who is suffering from asthma, by ensuring that these areas of the body remain free from restriction.

Your practitioner does however recognise the importance of drug therapy prescribed by your medical practitioner, and will work with him or her with the aim of decreasing dependence on medication.

Osteopathic and chiropractic treatment of asthma may include soft tissue stretching and massage along with articulation and mobilisation of the joints and appropriate home exercises.

Can offer assistance to asthmatics in a number of ways. Asthma can be aggravated or triggered by a number of factors including diet imbalances or allergies (both pollens and foods). A consultation with a naturopath can aim to address some of the triggering factors, therefore leading to a reduction in both frequency and severity of attacks.

Asthmatics often find their asthma may become worse when ill or stressed. By improving the functioning of both the immune and nervous systems, frequency of attacks can be reduced.

Naturopathy complements conventional medical therapy and your practitioner will work with your doctor in order to relieve and ultimately prevent asthma.

Asthma is a health condition becoming increasingly common and harder to treat with conventional therapies. In fact in recent times health authorities have issued warnings to the public about the over use of puffer inhalants. When an asthmatic suffers an attack, something close at hand has to be available to quickly normalise the breathing, but what about prevention?

Acupuncture has been used for a long time to treat asthma. It can not only stop an oncoming asthma attack, but it can also help address the underlying cause, whether the triggering factor is allergic reactions, emotional excitation or physical exertion. Obviously knowing what causes your asthma and avoiding it is the first step, but what then? When anyone has an inherent weakness in the body, illness, fatigue, physical or emotional stress, can exploit these weaknesses, even if they have been lying dormant for some time. Often there are postural traits such as hunched shoulders and a barrel chest that are indicative of asthmatic conditions.

When acupuncture is used with massage it is even more successful in the treatment of asthma.

The right type of breathing and stretching exercises will enhance results further still.

As with all health conditions, asthma will manifest slightly differently in each individual, a few acupuncture treatments will normally give long term relief to mild cases of asthma with more severe cases, longer courses of treatment will be necessary.

Acupuncture is as safe to use on children as on adults.

All acupuncture needles used in this clinic are TGA approved, sterile and single use disposable.