ASTHMA & EMPHYSEMA

Many sufferers of respiratory problems have discovered an alternative to conventional medical bronchodilators, expectorants, and corticosteroids.

Those with asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, or other chronic lung conditions need to ensure their lungs and bronchi are receiving uninterrupted nerve communications from their spines. Chiropractic is the only healing art that can free people from vertebral subluxations and in many cases from a lifetime of taking drugs for their "incurable" condition.

THE SPINE AND BREATHING:
There is an intimate connection between the spinal column, the nervous system and the breathing apparatus,. The osteopathic writer Stoddard has observed: "In asthma, the mechanical factor (spinal subluxation) may be so important that until the mechanics are put to right, the symptoms will persist."

THE STANDARD MEDICAL APPROACH:
Orthodox medicine offers no cure for asthma or emphysema. Patients are told to avoid physical or emotional irritants and given temporary relief with drugs like cortisone and bronchodilator inhalers. These drugs may cause severe side effects, including addiction. Sadly, heavy use of common asthma drugs (beta-agonists and theophylline) have been linked to a greater risk of dying from the disease. Desensitization shots, similar to those give for hay fever, have varying effectiveness with asthmatics.

Many people with respiratory ailments feel condemned to a lifetime of taking drugs without ever being rid of their condition. Many others, however, are turning to the drugless healing of chiropractic.

THE CHIROPRACTIC APPROACH:
Chiropractic benefit for asthma and respiratory problems was first noticed in clinical histories. Typical of such reports is that of a 6-year-old boy who had asthma since the age of 3 and was using inhalers up to three times a day. He received chiropractic care: "Adjustments were delivered to the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar areas. Significant progress. Could run during soccer games...slept more soundly. Hardly ever had bouts with mucous clogged nasal passages...inhalant use stopped."

In another case history, a 34-month-old boy with asthma and enuresis (bed-wetting) had not responded to medical care. More than 20 emergency hospital visits had taken place for the asthma attacks during a 12-month history. Three chiropractic adjustments were administered over an 11-day period and the asthma symptoms and enuresis ceased for more than 8 weeks. The asthma and enuresis recurred following a minor fall from a step ladder but disappeared after adjustments. After a two year follow-up, the mother reported no recurrence of the asthma or the enuresis.

CORRECTION OF SUBLUXATIONS:
Please keep in mind that the chiropractor’s primary aim is to remove nerve interference or spinal stress--chiropractors care for the person who has the disease, rather than the disease in the person. A chiroprator will follow generally the same approach with each patient: correction of nervous system and spinal stress. Relieved of these subluxations, the patient will be in a better position to heal him/herself.

The fact that nearly half of all children with asthma will become symptom-free before they become adults ("they grow out of it") demonstrates that the body’s natural healing ability does affect the course of the disease.