Health concerns such as respiratory illnesses can make taking a simple breath laborious for a lot of people in the United States. Diseases such as bronchitis, asthma, and COPD can have a very huge impact on a person’s quality of life making it very hard to exercise, sleep or work ruining an otherwise enjoyable daily experience. For several people, drugs such as antibiotics and inhalers are part of their everyday routine but the over dependence on these drugs can have some harmful effects on their health if they are not used properly or if they are stopped all of a sudden. Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture give them another way to resolve the symptoms of their conditions holistically and naturally.
According to Chinese medicine, respiratory problems are issues associated with the lungs, as one might expect. The lungs control the intake of air and combine it with the food in the stomach to furnish your body with the energy and nutrients it requires to function. Besides this, the lungs have other important functions: it also strengthens the immune system and distributes fluids in the body. Several people suffering from respiratory problems usually find that they have accumulated fluid in the lungs or edema (chronic fluid) in the body. Playing a vital role in keeping these fluids circulating, the lungs are particularly vulnerable organs because of the fact that they are, in a manner of speaking, exposed to the external world. This means that they are prone to a viral or bacterial invasion that may lead to pneumonia or bronchitis. A lung that is healthy and functioning optimally is strong enough to repel the pathogens that cause the flu or colds even while people around them are getting sick.
In Chinese medicine, the kidneys are also very important organs when it comes to respiration and breathing. According to Chinese medicine theory, the kidneys help hold the air that is inhaled and bring into the body. This can be evidenced in asthma sufferers who find it very hard to take a deep breath in compared to when exhaling that same breath. A poorly functioning and weak kidney means that the amount of air and oxygen reaching the lungs will not be sufficient enough and this can affect the overall health of the body. Apart from beefing up the lungs, your acupuncturist may also include herbal formulas and certain acupoints that can help strengthen the kidneys.
Obviously, illnesses such as bronchitis and asthma are the two most common respiratory problems that can be treated with herbal medicine and acupuncture in Linwood; however even very dangerous diseases like lung cancer can be addressed using these two tools of traditional Chinese medicine. While diseases such as lung cancer as a result of asbestos exposure in older buildings (mesothelioma), cannot be treated with acupuncture, the pain and debilitating symptoms can be alleviated with regular acupuncture therapies. Through careful observation and correct diagnosis, and monitoring, Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture treatment can help reduce coughing spells, lessen pain, boost appetite, and alleviate nausea caused by chemotherapy or radiation treatment. It’s crucial to point out that while these alternative adjunctive treatments can be very powerful, they ought to be used in combination with Western medicine.
Go talk to a licensed Chinese herbalist or acupuncturist when you find it too difficult to breathe normally each day or you just can’t take another season of catching cold after cold, after cold. Your Chinese medicine practitioner may have the treatment you need to liberate you from the shackles of those extremely annoying respiratory conditions.