What is Asthma?
Asthma is a condition of the lungs in which your airways, or bronchial tubes, become inflamed and narrow and may produce mucus. Because of the airways becoming so narrow it makes breathing far more difficult. This leads to coughing, wheezing, a whistling sound when you breathe or shortness of breath. Asthma can be a minor nuisance but it can also be debilitating to some with more severe cases. It often interferes in daily activities and can be life threatening when attacks come on. Currently 1 in 13 Americans have asthma. It the most common chronic condition among children, currently affecting 5.1 million kids under the age of 18. There is no cure for asthma but the good new is that it can be managed! Breathing treatments and medications are the most common forms of treatment for asthma symptoms. While these methods are effective in resolving an asthma attack, they can sometimes come with side effects. Chiropractic care, however, is a natural and safe method for managing asthma at its primary source. It is so effective that some individuals with asthma have even reported a decrease in the necessity of inhalers or breathing treatments after beginning chiropractic care.
How Do I Know If I Have Asthma?
Asthma Symptoms in Adults
Not everyone with asthma will experience the same symptoms but the most common symptom of asthma is wheezing or a squealing/whistling sound made when you breathe. Other symptoms include:
- coughing at night, when laughing, or during exercise
- tightness in the chest/chest pain
- shortness of breath
- fatigue
- sleeping problems
Asthma Symptoms in Infants and Toddlers
Because the airways in the bodies of infants are toddlers are much smaller, asthma can become serious very quickly. Even minor inflammation can cause breathing difficulty. Symptoms can include:
- fast breathing
- working harder to breathe
- nostrils flaring
- skin sucking in around and between ribs or above the sternum
- exaggerated belly movement
- persistent cough
- becoming overly tired during normal activities
- cyanosis
- tissue color changes on the lips, around the eyes, nail beds, and fingertips. This color can appear grayish or whitish on darker skin tones or bluish on lighter skin tones
Is There a Cure?
There is no cure for asthma but you can manage it! Taking an active role in managing your or your child’s asthma will help you maintain better long-term asthma control. You want to be proactive not reactive. Being reactive means treating symptoms when they come on but not taking advantage of any preventative care. If you are proactive you will experience less asthma attacks and avoid long-term problems.
Chiropractic Care and Asthma
Chiropractors don’t just treat symptoms but adjust the cause of those symptoms. We look at the the entire body holistically to see where the problem is stemming from. Contrary to popular believe, chiropractors aren’t bone doctors but nervous system doctors! The nervous system is made up of the brain, spinal cord, and all the nerves running throughout your body. It controls everything in your body. When the nervous system isn’t functioning properly, the brain cannot properly communicate with the body, causing all sorts of problems in many areas like you lungs. So what causes the nervous system to be out of wack? Often the cause of the issue is spinal misalignments! When areas of your spine are misaligned, they pitch on nerves running from the spinal cord throughout your body which hinders the way the brain can communicate. If their is interference between your brain and your lungs, the respiratory system cannot function properly. We restore that communication by taking away the interference with chiropractic adjustments. When the nervous system can once again function optimally, you will see improvement in the body’s ability to perform normal functions, like breathing.
The Science Behind It
Many studies have been done on the benefits of chiropractic care for treating asthma. In one study, they found that regular chiropractic care can reduce asthma symptoms by almost 40%! The children in this study rated their quality of life substantially higher and their asthma severity substantially lower with the help of regular chiropractic care. If you are willing to try a medication or inhaler that comes with possible negative side effects, why not try a natural way to treat the root cause of your asthma? Find a local chiropractor and schedule a consultation!
Are you or your child experiencing trouble breathing, coughing or wheezing, or frequent respiratory infections? Click below to schedule a consultation with Dr. Brandon Van Anne.
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