The health of our lungs isn’t necessarily talked about a lot when general health is discussed. Typically, cardiovascular health, chronic pain, cholesterol and stroke risk tend to be the more common topics. Many people don’t think about lung health until there is a problem and then improving it becomes priority number one.
And lung cancer isn’t the only concern. There are a host of other respiratory diseases that can cause problems. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or COPD has jumped up in the list of lung issues, causing airflow blockage and breathing related problems. According to the Centers for Disease Control, COPD was the fourth leading cause of death in 2018 with almost 15.7 million Americans being diagnosed.
There are some respiratory ailments that can be prevented, while others might be due to poor lifestyle choices (like smoking) or even genetics. But don’t forget that many times inherited genetic issues only manifest into full blown diseases with the help of poor lifestyle choices. Just because your parents had x, y or z, doesn’t mean that you will too. And many of the drugs used to ease the symptoms of these issues come with dangerous side effects. But acupuncture is an effective and natural way to boost your lung health without the use of pharmaceuticals.
Acupuncture approaches each patient individually, so treatment protocols for the same issue will almost certainly vary. Frequently, nutritional changes and herbs are also used to help ease and correct respiratory conditions.
Acupuncture, one facet of East Asian Medicine (EAM), utilizes a concept known as qi or energy. If you break the human body down to its cellular level, we are nothing more than energy (qi). When qi is out of balance, a whole host of health issues can occur. Acupuncture helps to regulate this flow of energy throughout the body to achieve balance.
There are three main acupuncture points that are addressed when dealing with respiratory issues. Kidney 27 is located bilaterally on the chest, just below the collarbone. This point is used to open the lungs, encourage deep, full breaths and to reduce coughing. Lung 5 can be found at the inside or medial end of the crease in the elbow, just outside of the tendon. This point opens the airways and the throat while also reducing coughing and wheezing. Ren 17 is in the middle of the chest, right between both nipples. This point opens the chest, loosens congestion, stops coughing and encourages full breathing.
Recent research also backs up these claims. A 2012 study published by the National Health Research Institute shows that acupuncture can improve breathing ability in COPD patients. According to the study, patients received daily acupuncture treatments for 12 weeks using the same acupuncture points on each patient. The study found that patients receiving regular acupuncture treatments show significantly better scores rating their ability to breathe.
Our entire bodies function more optimally when we nourish it properly. We all know certain foods can help with certain things like building immunity, lowering inflammation and contributing to a healthy heart. But believe it or not, there are also foods that can help to open the lungs and increase circulation. Garlic and onions are anti-inflammatory and help to fight off infections. Chili peppers open the nasal passages, stimulate the mucus membranes and fight off bacteria. There are also five key herbs for lung health that are used frequently in herbal formulas – astragalus, cordyceps, ophiopogon, ashwagandha, and ginseng.
If you suffer from a respiratory illness like COPD, emphysema, a chronic cough or just want to make sure your lungs are functioning their best, ask about the different treatment options. When our lungs aren’t balanced and we have poor oxygenation to the tissues, it can lead to many other health issues. Consider utilizing acupuncture to boost your lung health and get your whole body back in balance.