Asthma in adults can be treated with acupoint therapy

Suffering from asthma, particularly as an adult, can be very challenging. An attack can severely affect your life and prevent you from performing your daily tasks. Treatment options usually include inhalers, regular nebulizing, and the intake of medicines that help dissolve the phlegm in your system and prevent your airways from being constricted. If you refuse to be dependent on chemical medications, there are holistic methods you can follow to treat asthma. One of these is acupuncture point or acupoint therapy.

Asthma is linked to overreactions by the body’s own immune system. A recent review of past studies assessed the effectiveness of acupoint therapy as a treatment for asthma in adults. The results of the eight studies included in the review led the researchers to conclude that acupoint application could be a “valid complementary and alternative therapy” for the condition in adults.

Acupoint therapy was found to improve pulmonary function and reduce the levels of interleukin and immunoglobulin E, proteins and antibodies, respectively, involved in the immune responses that lead to asthmatic symptoms.

What is acupoint therapy?

Acupoint therapy is an offshoot of acupuncture that involves the stimulation of a variety of acupuncture points using a therapy stick instead of needles. It is more similar to acupressure and shiatsu in that it uses massage techniques, as opposed to acupuncture that uses solely needles to treat a variety of conditions and relieve pain.

Acupoint therapy originates from the premise in traditional Chinese medicine that the body has a collection of “meridians,” each with its own special function. Each meridian has its own points corresponding to a variety of areas in the body and its system of energy.

Acupoint practitioners believe that half of the meridians of the human body corresponds to “yin,” the parasympathetic nervous system that is associated with reduced blood pressure levels, a slower heartbeat, a deeper feeling of relaxation, and the release of stress from the muscles. The other half of the meridians, called “yang,” are associated with an increased activity of the sympathetic nervous system, meaning, a faster heartbeat, a higher level of blood pressure, more muscle contractions, and an overall increase in tension and stress.

Good health is believed to come from a balance of yin and yang. Achieving this balance requires bringing the two nervous systems to a point where they are in perfect harmony with one another.

Treating asthma symptoms with acupoint therapy

Central to acupoint therapy is the therapy stick, which looks like a dental implement but with a small ball measuring a few millimeters on its end. It is used to stimulate a specific meridian line by way of vasodilation, which causes the stimulation.

There are specific points you can stimulate in order to relieve asthma, such as:

• Collarbone pressure point – This point is located on the outer side of the chest, three-finger widths below the collarbone. It can be stimulated with the therapy stick to relieve asthma, preferably for three to four minutes. By doing this regularly, you may relieve chest congestion, tension, emotional distress, and difficulty breathing.
• Breastbone pressure point – This pressure point is located in the hollow under the collarbone, right beside the breastbone. Apply pressure and stimulate for five minutes using your index and middle fingers, using circular movements. This helps relieve chest congestion, asthma, breathing difficulties, coughing, and anxiety.
• Shoulder pressure point – This pressure point is one-finger width below the tip of your shoulder blade, between the scapula and spine. Stimulating and applying pressure on this point relieves sneezing, asthma, coughing, and severe muscle pains in the neck and shoulder.
• Base of the thumb – This pressure point is the fleshy area in the area between the forefinger and thumb, near the base of the thumb. This area is usually sore, and you need to stimulate and apply slight pressure for five minutes regularly to relieve coughing, sore throat, and shallow breathing.
• Wrist pressure point – Locate the small groove on the wrist below the base of your thumb, and stimulate it for three to four minutes to relieve coughing and lung problems.
• Throat pressure point – Located in the indentation your Adam’s apple, stimulating this pressure point helps you breathe more comfortably.

Find more natural remedies for asthma at Remedies.news.

Sources include:

Karger.com

NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov

Reliawire.com

ModernReflexology.com