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 Many asthma sufferers have sought help for their condition
with acupuncture and alternative therapies.
Evidence:
There have been a few recent studies from China, however,
which show improvement in lung function using acupuncture.
More quality studies would help to clarify the
effectiveness of acupuncture in patients with asthma. The
fact of the matter is that there have not been enough
quality studies to prove that acupuncture can help with
asthma.(1)
Science:
The two studies cited here suggest some physiological
reasons why acupuncture might help in cases of asthma. The
first study (2) looked at pulmonary function in two
groups. Both of the groups were receiving anti-asthma
medications. There was significant improvement in the
acupuncture group versus the control group after
acupuncture treatment. Interestingly, in this study they
also looked at Heart rate variability, the focus of my own
research (3). They confirmed my findings that acupuncture
increased the "vegetative" or restorative
(parasympathetic) arm of the autonomic nervous system.
They conclude that the improvement in lung function may,
indeed, be from this effect.
The second article (4) postulates that the mechanism for
acupuncture effectiveness in asthma is due to the fact
that there are neurotrophic factors in the dorsal root
ganglia situated at C5-T5 vertebral levels. Traditionally,
many of the points used for asthma are near these
intervertebral levels, so it is conceivable that the
mechanism for bronchodilation is through the neurotrophic
factors. (Substance P has been shown to cause a series of
reactions such as contraction of the airway smooth muscle,
secretion of mucous, seepage of capillary vessels, and
release of mediators of inflammation, and aggravation of
airway hyperreactivity.) Neurotrophic factors could
modulate substance P release.
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1. *J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2006 May;117(5):1054-62.);
ARIA update: I--Systematic review of complementary and
alternative medicine for rhinitis and asthma
2. Effects of acupuncture for dispersing fei, invigorating
pi and reinforcing shen on heart rate variability and
pulmonary function in bronchial asthma patients. 'Zhongguo
Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi.');> 2006
Sep;26(9):799-802 China Academy of Chinese Medical
Sciences, Beijing. 168zhwp@sina.com
3.
Analysis of Heart Rate Variability in Acupuncture Practice:
Can it improve outcomes?
4. Dorsal root ganglion: the target of acupuncture in the
treatment of asthma .Feng JT Adv Ther.
2007May-Jun;24(3):598-602
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