Discover the Benefits of Acupuncture for Asthma

Acupuncture is an ancient form of treatment for a variety of ailments. The philosophy behind it is that energy flows through a person in opposing forces. Diseases are said to be caused by an imbalance of these “negative” and “positive” forces and the energy is said to flow along pathways, or meridians.

Acupuncture is the process by which extremely thin, long needles are inserted into the skin along certain points on these meridians. The energies are adjusted by turning these needles and leaving them in place for up to 20 minutes.

Acupuncture for asthma symptoms has shown some benefit. Research in the past 15 years has proven the validity and effectiveness of this treatment for several illnesses. There are several reasons why you should consider acupuncture for asthma.

Acupuncture Can Treat Symptoms

In 1979, the World Health Organization listed 40 diseases that acupuncture is effective in treating. Acupuncture for asthma and bronchitis was on that list. The University Hospital of Vienna did a study that showed that 70% of patients with asthma reported significant improvement in their symptoms after 10 weeks of acupuncture treatments. Scientists at a Chinese hospital conducted a study that reported an immediate effective rate of 98.9% after patients received acupuncture for asthma symptoms. The rate of remission also dropped significantly and there was improvement in 76.5% of patients.

Acupuncture Can Reduce Dependency on Drugs

As studies have shown, acupuncture for asthma patients has shown benefits. Also, these patients were able to reduce their dosage of asthma medication. It is not advisable to quit any medication cold turkey, and your doctor should be consulted if you want to make any changes to your medication. However, some asthma medications have undesirable short- and long-term effects. Finding a safe alternative to high dosage medications can be beneficial to your health and wallet.

Acupuncture is Regulated

In 1996, the Federal Drug Administration determined through several studies that acupuncture needles were no longer “investigational medical devices” and were approved for use by “qualified practitioners.” Each state has its own set of laws to regulate acupuncture and set up standards for qualified practitioners.

In California, acupuncturists must graduate from an approved school, complete four years of academic education in the field, and pass a licensing examine. If you are seeking a qualified practitioner to perform acupuncture for asthma symptoms, be sure to do your homework and find out if the person is licensed by a state agency.

Although it might sound sort of mystical, acupuncture for asthma symptoms has been shown to be effective and safe if done by a licensed practitioner. In fact, many health care plans will cover acupuncture. This treatment can be good way to treat asthma if you're not finding relief through more traditional methods.