Asthma

Asthma involves both the lungs and the immune system and has become the most common and costly illness in the United States. An estimated 17 million Americans suffer from asthma at an annual cost of over $13 billion. Asthma accounts for more hospitalizations than any other childhood disease and more than 10 million missed school days each year. Asthma is one of the few diseases with an increasing death rate and causes close to 5,000 deaths annually in the United States alone.

Even though asthma is a common condition, if is far from simple. During an asthma attack, the airways become narrow and obstructed due to a combination of muscle spasm, inflammation, and excess mucus production. The symptoms, which vary among sufferers, can include wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness and chronic (regular) coughing.

Asthma attacks are triggered by any condition that causes inflammation in the airways. Those triggers can be very different among asthma sufferers but usually include irritants like the following: dust mites, animal dander, pollen, mold, pollution, smoke, exercise, cold air, or intense emotions.

Asthma & Allergies

Many people with asthma also have allergies, which, although related, are not the same thing. Allergens like pollen, mold, animal dander and dust mites can make asthma symptoms worse by increasing the inflammation in the airways and making them more sensitive.

Common Medical Treatments For Asthma

The most common medical treatments for asthma include anti-inflammatory drugs, inhaled corticosteroids, or long-acting bronchodilators. These may include Singulair, Albuterol, Ventolin, Atrovent and Prednisone. According to the Physican’s Desk Reference, these drugs can have dangerous side effects.

Possible Causes Of Asthma

While the exact cause of asthma is still unknown, many researchers believe that asthma is caused by a disturbance of the respiratory center within the brain stem. In fact, one study suggests this is the “common denominator” and basic underlying mechanism in all varieties of asthma. This disturbance is believed to cause the muscles of the airway to contract thus restricting the flow of air in the lungs.

Upper Cervical Care & The Brain Stem

Misalignments of the top two vertebrae (bones) in the cervical spine (neck) can cause disturbances within the brain stem and respiratory center. Multiple studies have shown that upper cervical care dramatically improves lung function. A recent published report documents that each asthma patient in the study improved between 87 and 100 percent with upper cervical care.

The Brain Stem & Breathing

The nervous system is a very complex system designed to control and coordinate all of the body’s vital functions. One of those functions is to control the respiratory system and lungs. Consider that you can go up a flight of stairs, run, swim, or ride a bike without even thinking about your breathing. That’s because the respiratory center, housed in the brain stem, is responsible for adjusting the rate of breathing to the demands of the body so that proper oxygen and carbon dioxide levels remain unchanged even during strenuous exercise.


Copyright Upper Cervical Health Centers of America


What Our Patients have to say...

  • Cinda L.
    Chronic Asthma/Bronchitis, Persistent Fatigue and Immune Suppression
    I have been under conventional chiropractic care for the past 6 months to address various spinal subluxations and health complaints the most prevalent being chronic asthma/bronchitis, persistent fatigue, and an overall suppressed immune system. Prior to being treated by Dr. Roth I felt that my health improvements have disappointingly reached a plateau under the care of my other health care providers which include a chiropractor, primary care and pulmonary physicians, and an endocrinologist.
    Read More
  • Frank T.
    Pressure in Head, Chest Pain, Asthma, Headaches, Neck and Low Back Pain
    In late November 2010 I was involved in a serious rollover car accident. I suffered a life threatening Traumatic Brain Injury & luckily I pulled through. I was in physical therapy for months, & saw a barrage of doctors on a regular basis. It came to a point in my recovery that doctors couldn’t help me anymore. I told them about symptoms & they offered no answers other than “it will take time'. I had severe headaches on a regular basis, lower back pain, pressure in my head that never went away, severe asthma, neck pain, & a pain in my chest coming from my sternum.
    Read More
  • Roberta C.
    Chronic Left Hip Pain, Chronic Low Back Pain, Chronic Neck Pain, Constipation, Asthma, Headaches...
    Before I came in to see Dr. Justin Roth, I had been seeing chiropractors for over 25 years. Most of my discomforts and complaints have not gone away; they have just been made more tolerable. Over the past 2 years my pain has become so severe that ordinary, everyday activities have become grueling to deal with. Simple things like getting out of a chair and out of bed in the morning were not only painful, but took a lot of time and care just to perform. I not only suffered from extreme neck and lower back pain but also from other ailments such as; left hip pain, constipation, asthma, headaches, sinus issues, depression, ringing in ears, anxiety, mood swings and bi-polar disorder.
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