Holistic Holistic Health Associates :: Meditation, Frederick, MD

Well known for its use in the reduction of pain whether chronic or acute, acupuncture as a viable form of pediatric healthcare is less commonly considered.

Today, we explore acupuncture’s use in pediatric healthcare, as it specifically relates to asthma. To do this we must begin with an explanation of what acupuncture is, and how it works from a physiological standpoint. Acupuncture is administered through the insertion of ultra fine needles into “points” on the body associated with the alleviation of a given discomfort.

The average insertion depth of the needles is .3 - .8 of an inch deep and they are retained for 15 - 20 minutes per session.

So how does acupuncture exactly work? From a scientific perspective, acupuncture works with the sympathetic nervous system and the circulatory system along with many other physiological systems to regulate the body in given situations (see acupuncture NIH Consensus Statement, 1997 for more detailed scientific information). Common acupuncture points lie on one of 14 main vessels and points on the same vessel are related through a system of electromagnetic waves known in Chinese as “Qi” (pronounced Chee).

Chinese medicine refers to asthma as “xiao chuan” which translates to English as wheezing and dyspnea. These two presentations are considered separate illnesses and are treated as such. Often patients with wheezing will have shortness of breath, though the opposite is not necessarily true. The main difference between the two is that wheezing is characterized by a “whistling” sound during breathing.

The etiology and pathogenesis of childhood asthma is based on 3 main factors from a Chinese medicine standpoint. The first factor is the invasion of external pathogens. These pathogens may be cold, heat, pollen, cigarette smoke and any other allergens. The first step in the treatment of external pathogenic factors is an allergy test. If specific allergens are discovered, it is important to rid the household of any items which may contain the allergens in question. From an acupuncture perspective, cold type asthma is represented by wheezing, rapid breathing and cough with clear sputum amongst other signs and symptoms, while heat type asthma is represented by a full cough with yellow and sticky sputum amongst other signs and symptoms. The second factor in childhood asthma is diet. The likelihood of an asthma attack increases with diets that have high amounts of raw foods, greasy or fried foods and in some cases shellfish and other seafood. Recognizing the foods which aggravate childhood asthma in your child and eliminating those foods from their diet can be extremely helpful in reducing the number of attacks.

The third factor, from an acupuncture perspective, is underlying deficiency. These deficiencies stem from a congenital issue or chronic illnesses which lead to weakness. Internal weakness leads to accumulation of phlegm, as the body’s water metabolism is compromised. In this case the phlegm production and storage is located in the lungs, which become the main organ involved in recurrent asthma attacks.

There are many acupuncture points and herbal formulas which are useful in the treatment of childhood asthma. Depending on the age and health of the child, acupressure or Chinese pediatric massage may be substituted for acupuncture. Be sure to take your child to a licensed acupuncturist for treatment, and join the many families who have benefited from this ancient and powerful therapy.

Acupuncture for Asthma in Children