According to the CDC, 1 in 13 people are affected by asthma. That is about 26 million Americans!

• It affects about 8.3% of adults and 8.3% of children.
• Boys are affected more often than girls.
• Women are affected more than men.
• Possibly genetic.
• Asthma accounts for 14.2 million doctors visits a year.
• And costs $81.9 BILLION a year!

Asthma is a common long-term inflammatory disease of the airways of the lungs. It is characterized by wheezing, shortness of breath, coughing and chest tightness. Asthma causes inflammation in the airways which makes them swell and it produces mucus which further narrows the airways.

Risk Factors

• Having a blood relative with asthma
• Being overweight
• Being a smoker
• Being around second-hand smoke
• Being around chemicals used in farming, hair color and manufacturing
• Air pollutants such as pollen, dust mites, mold and pet dander
• Certain medications: Beta blockers, aspirin, Aleve, and ibuprofen
• (Consuming foods or drinks with yellow dye #5 will worsen asthma)

Medications

There are a couple of categories of asthma medications. First, there are Controller medications. These help prevent asthma attacks. Second, there are rescue inhalers, which are used during an attack to help open up the airways.

There are a few ways to take asthma medications. Some are inhaled, using a metered dose inhaler, dry powder inhaler, or a nebulizer (which changes medication from a liquid to a mist). Others are taken by mouth, either in pill or liquid form. They can also be given by injection.

All medications have side effects, so it’s important to pay attention to other symptoms.

Chiropractic Care

The chiropractic adjustment is focused on the upper and middle back (thoracic spine). The objective is to increase the mobility of the spine and rib cage. Which helps the rib cage to be able to expand. It also helps enhance blood supply and lymphatic return, and to affect nervous system activity, which helps reduce symptomatology of the patient.

As you can see from the picture above T1-T4 spinal nerves innervate the lungs. Adjusting in this area can dramatically help the function of the lungs. In my office, we use adjustments along with diathermy for asthma control. Diet changes can also help with mucus production and inflammation. Dairy products along with sugar are inflammatory and can complicate any pain or illness.

If you have any questions, contact us or a chiropractor near you! Chiropractic care can be very beneficial in conjunction with medications for the treatment of asthma.

~Dr. Lacey~
Carder Chiropractic Clinic, INC.
El Reno, OK 73036