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 don’t think about lung health until there is a problem and then improving it becomes priority number one.
Lung cancer isn’t just the biggest concern — there are a host of other respiratory diseases that can cause problems. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or COPD has jumped up 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.
Some respiratory ailments can be prevented, but others might be due to poor lifestyle choices (like smoking) or due to genetics. Many of the drugs used to ease the symptoms of these issues come with dangerous side effects. Acupuncture is an effective and natural way to boost your lung health.
Acupuncture approaches each patient individually so treatment protocols for the same issue will almost certainly vary even if the same issue is being treated. Nutritional changes and supplements are also suggested to help ease and correct respiratory conditions.
When our energy 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.
Here are three main acupuncture points often 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 full breathing and to reduce coughing.
☛ Lung 5 can be found at the 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. This point opens the chest, loosens congestion, stops coughing, and encourages full breathing.
Research backs up these claim. 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 showed significantly better scores rating their ability to breath.
Our entire bodies function more optimally when we nourish it properly. We all know certain foods can help with certain things (i.e., the anti-inflammatory diet, the heart healthy diet, the low cholesterol diet, etc.) like building immunity, lowering inflammation, and contributing to a healthy heart.
When our lungs aren’t balanced and we don’t get the oxygen we need, it can lead to many other health issues. If you suffer from a respiratory illness like COPD, emphysema, a chronic cough, or just want to make sure your lungs are functioning as best as possible, talk to me about your treatment options. I will do a full health history and discuss your concerns and health goals to boost your lung health and get your whole body back in balance.
