Chiropractic Treatment and Asthma

Asthma affects a significant proportion of the population and can be an inconvenient condition for many who suffer it. The illness itself is a lung disease that causes the airways to become narrower so effective breathing is restricted. The condition can limit what activities the sufferer can undertake, which can be extremely frustrating whether the sufferer be an adult or a child. The most common method of asthma management is the use of inhalers; this is followed by other medical interventions such as prescribed drugs and steroids. Alternatively, there has been a great deal of indication that chiropractic treatments can relief symptoms of asthma.

Causes of asthma

Many people are born with the actual asthma condition; however, the symptoms of it are often not displayed unless triggered. An onset of asthma symptoms may be induced by the environment, infections or exercise.


Environmental factors that may lead to an asthma “attack” include temperature extremes (very hot or cold), a high level of humidity (amount of moisture in the air). The factors may also include allergies such as hay fever brought on by exposure to freshly cut grass or pollen.

Alternatively, viral infections such as cold or flu can also lead to asthma symptoms being exhibited. However, a more common inducer of asthma signs is too much or too strenuous exercise. This can lead to the asthma sufferer breathing heavily and leading to an asthma attack, as the restricted lungs cannot cope with the air intake. This greatly limits to exercise and sports than can be performed by an asthma sufferer, which can also affect their general day-to-day life.

Another very common cause of asthma sufferers showing symptoms is the presence of fumes and dust in confined spaces, such as their own home. This means that asthma sufferers must ensure that they are living in a home that is a clean and dust-free as possible as well as removing irritants from it. This can be an inconvenience and time consuming task.

Options for the treatment of asthma symptoms

At present, the most common form of treatment administered to sufferers of asthma is an inhaler. This inhaler can be used when they feel that they are about to suffer from an asthma attack and it works by fighting off breathing issues that may occur. In conjunction with the inhaler, the asthma sufferer may be required to take prescribed medication; however, this depends on how frequent and severe their asthma attacks are.

An alternative treatment for asthma is somewhat less conventional. This is chiropractic care carried out by a professional and trained chiropractor. Many people experience relief from the symptoms of asthma after undergoing an appropriate number of chiropractic sessions.

The theory behind the effectiveness of chiropractic treatment in asthma cases is that the respiratory system can be affected significantly by the nervous system. Chiropractors carry out procedures to optimise the functioning of the nervous system, which in term can improve the functioning of the respiratory system (required for breathing). In the long-term, chiropractic treatment may really reduce the number of asthma attack suffered by patients as well as possibly improving their overall health without additional medicines. However, not all asthma sufferers may reap the benefits of chiropractic treatment. It is rather dependent on the individual and some asthma patients may still require medical intervention such as additional drugs.

Chiropractic treatment effects for asthma sufferers

Apparently, the most effective procedures performed by chiropractors to relieve asthma symptoms are cervical adjustments and careful spinal thrusts. The effects of chiropractic care for asthma patients are rather variable and dependent on the individual. Some patients may experience immediate relief from their symptoms, whereas other may undergo a more gradual gain of the desired results. The times taken for symptom relief to be shown may take a number of months. Also, to truly, medically observe the effect chiropractic treatment is having on the patient, it may be recommended that a doctor is observing their chiropractic treatment course to analyse its effectiveness and decide whether more medication should be prescribed.

Although in general chiropractic treatment is usually used to try and relieve neck and back pain, numerous professionals working in the medical field honestly believe that it can be beneficial in relieving some disease and disorder symptoms. This is often due to the practice involving the improvement of the nervous system. This can lead to an overall increase in the health of the patient, including better, more efficient breathing in asthma sufferers. However, to get the best results, it is recommended that an asthma patient undergo chiropractic treatment on a regular basis, possibly once a week. This can be expensive unless covered by the NHS or health insurance.

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