TCM Approach

Asthma and TCM

Recent research has shown that Chinese Herbal medicine is as effective in the treatment of asthma as modern medicine and does not exhibit any side effects. However, asthma has been discussed in Traditional Chinese Medicine for two millennium under the disease categories of chuan zheng, panting condition, chuan ke, coughing and panting, chuan cu, hasty breathing, xiao zheng, wheezing, condition, and xiao chuan, wheezing and panting. The modern approach to the treatment of asthma (based on whether the disease was in the acute or remission stage) was first discussed in great detail by a famous TCM doctor named Zhu Dan-xi (approximately 600 years ago). Since then the treatment of this disease has been refined and improved upon by many generations of Chinese doctors. Unlike other forms of complimentary medicine TCM has a long history of specialization including dermatology, pediatrics, gynecology and oncology. The majority of individuals seeking treatment for their asthma would see a TCM pediatrician or respiratory specialist. Practitioners who work at our Breathe Easy Naturally - Asthma clinic have completed post-graduate studies in the specialized area of TCM pediatrics and/or respiratory health problems. The main treatment used to treat asthma is Chinese Herbal Medicine although acupunture can also be beneficial in severe cases or during the acute stage. Most cases of asthma can be resolved quite effectively with the use of Chinese medicine. The course of for asthma is usually 3-6 months and depends on the severity of the condition and the individual’s current reliance on modern medicine.

Cause

The cause of asthma can be rather complex due to the multitude of factors that can aggravate or predispose an individual to this disease. In TCM, the five causes of all illnesses (including asthma) are improper diet, emotions, lifestyle, external environment and constitution (i.e. genetics). Any or all of these factors may aggravate or cause asthma. Similar to adult asthma, pediatric asthma is characterized by two stages: acute and remission. Triggers for acute attacks include allergens (i.e. external environment), environmental exposures to exercise (i.e. lifestyle) and infections and strong emotions (not as common a factor in children). Studies have shown that individuals with a family history of asthma are more likely to develop asthma. In addition, most people with asthma (up to 80 percent) also suffer from significant allergies including having much higher incidences of other atopic diseases i.e. allergic rhinitis, urticaria, eczema etc.. A child with a weaker constitution such as a child whose mother smoked while they were pregnant or a child who was born with a lower birth weight are also more likely to suffer from asthma.

TCM recognizes that children have unique physiological characteristics and cannot be considered as just ‘miniature’ adults. When treating asthma, one of the main differences of pediatric physiology to be considered is that a child’s digestion (i.e. spleen and stomach) is immature, especially before the age of 6 years old when most asthma begins. This immaturity and weakness of the digestion predisposes a child to experience an incomplete breakdown of food and the accumulation of phlegm. This is the TCM explaination of why this condition is more common in children, however, in modern society most patients also present clinically with a weak digestion, due to poor diet, lack of or excessive physical exercise, worry and stress, aging process etc.. It is said in TCM, that ‘the spleen is the source of phlegm production’ and the ‘the lungs are the place where phlegm is stored’. Asthma is a good example of what happens when phlegm is produced (by a weak digestion) and this pathological matter accumulates in the lungs. Clinically, ‘phlegm in the lungs’ obstructs the circulation of qi in the lungs and can manifest as a stuffy and/or runny nose, sneezing, coughing and/or asthmatic wheezing. Phlegm is clearly a key component of all types and stages of asthma. Therefore, older TCM doctors when teaching younger doctors, often will repeat the statement that ‘there is no asthma without phlegm’.

Unfortunately, in society today individuals often consume a diet that has a large amount of fatty and cold foods, which can cause phlegm. Moreover, foods such as dairy products and peanuts also increase phlegm and should be restricted. It is important to avoid any known food allergies the patient may have as well as foods and medications that will damage the spleen and stomach such as excessive cold, raw foods, sugar and antibiotics.

Spleen qi vacuity (i.e. weak digestion) also can result in defensive qi not securing (i.e. weak immunity) allowing easy entry of external evils which hinder and obstruct the lungs functions of diffusing and downbearing. When these evils combine with the phlegm in the lungs discussed above the lung qi’s diffusing and downbearing is more severely affected causing the main symptoms of asthma – wheezing, coughing and shortness or breath. If phlegm or dampness endures over a period of time this may lead to transformation of heat and when combined they result in phlegm heat. Blood stasis may also be a factor and is encountered clinically in older patients when asthma persists for more than two years.