Asthma affects thousands of people every year. This issue has become extremely widespread in both children and adults. While there are many proposed causes for this increase in asthma cases, no one is exactly sure why the issue is increasing in prevalence.

In this article, we’ll take a look at how chiropractic care can benefit these individuals so that they can live normal, healthy lives.

All About Asthma

The classic symptom of asthma is an inability to catch one’s breath, accompanied by serious wheezing. Because of this, asthma attacks are often scary for both the patient and those who witness the attack.

In general, asthma occurs due to a spasm in the airway. When the airway closes enough, air is unable to move through it in either direction. Because of this, one of the common treatments for asthma is an inhaled steroid, which opens up the airway quickly. However, long-term use of steroids can lead to other, body-wide problems. 

Another rudimentary treatment for asthma, which is sometimes still used today, is breathing into a paper bag. The patient can focus on the bag filling and emptying, in a rhythmic pattern. This will hopefully calm the patient down enough to allow their system to recover, leading to a slow return to normal breathing. However, new research suggests that this is probably not the best idea for asthma sufferers, and it may actually make the attack worse.

Asthma may occur after activity. This is often known as exercise-induced asthma, and this type of asthma makes up many of the cases seen in patients today. Other types of asthma are due to certain triggers, which will be discussed further in this article. For instance, if one has an allergy to a certain scent, it may trigger an asthma attack.

Benefits of Chiropractic Care for Asthma Sufferers

Now, let’s take a look at the top five ways chiropractic care can help asthma sufferers and others with breathing disorders. 

Benefit #1: Improved Respiratory Function

Some asthma sufferers report improved lung capacity and breathing capability after regular chiropractic visits. This is likely because the spine has such an intimate connection with the pulmonary system, and having a stronger connection between these two systems helps to improve breathing health.

Benefit #2: Better Mobility

Breathing requires a surprisingly large range of motion throughout the trunk. When one breathes in, extending the spine backward allows for more space for the lungs to expand. This enables air to flow into the body more easily, which may help asthma sufferers.

Similarly, flexing the spine forward forces air out of the body, which helps a person exhale. When a person has a restricted spine, they are less able to utilize these movements to improve their breathing. Therefore, chiropractic manipulations make breathing much easier for asthma sufferers. 

Benefit #3: Improved Mood

Often, asthma sufferers have severe anxiety regarding the possibility of having an attack. For this reason, they tend to have depressed moods and will many times be unhappy in various situations.

Chiropractic care tends to improve mood, due to the improved connection between the brain and the rest of the body via a better-aligned spine. This is something that can benefit anyone, regardless of if they have asthma or not.

Benefit #4: Increased Endurance

Some asthma sufferers will have poor endurance, both due to the fear of exerting themselves and the condition itself. Fortunately, chiropractic care can help increase endurance in some individuals. 

By reestablishing connections between the spine and the rest of the body, chiropractors help patients of all types, with all different conditions, improve their endurance.

Benefit #5: Decreased Reactivity to Stimuli

Certain types of asthma involve triggers, which stimulate an attack. Chiropractic care can reduce the reactivity these patients have to triggers, enabling them to live more normal lives without having to fear the possibility of an attack during everyday situations. 

If you have asthma, never fear! Your local Lithia chiropractor at At Last Chiropractic can help you today. Schedule your appointment now!