Fwd: Asthma That Starts in the Spleen

[Guest guest]

This is not the only Root that can manifest as asthma, but it's a fairly

good intro to asthma rooted in Spleen imbalance.

 

Note the part about inhalation being more difficult than breating out. When

breathing in is more difficult than exhalation, this points to a Deficiency

condition being a Root. (In Deficiency conditions, not enough of something

is causing a problem.)

 

There are some things that aren't exactly right in the article, or, are

misleading. For example, the Spleen is not the sole source of Qi in the

body. The Spleen is responsible for extracting the Qi from food we eat

(Grain Qi) and carrying it to the Lungs where it mixes with the Qi extracted

by the Lungs from the air we breathe (Air Qi). It also mixes with the

Original Qi. Spleen Qi Deficiency and/or Lung Qi Deficiency can produce some

major, generalized Qi Deficiency problems.

 

Dampness is not the same thing as Qi Deficiency. Dampness does result when

Spleen Qi is Deficient. The reason for this is that one of the jobs of the

Spleen is to move and transform Water in the body. It also makes sure that

each part of the body is properly moistened - not too little, not too much.

If the Spleen is too weak to move Water properly, it Stagnates, and Dampness

result. If the Dampness hangs around long enough, it starts to congeal and

produces Phlegm or mucus.

 

Actually, according to many authorities, just about any organ system can

produce Phlegm, not just the Spleen. And it can show up about any place in

the body, though the Lungs generally are a favorite target.

 

The way the case is presented here can be confusing to someone new to TCM.

Phlegm is classified as an Excess condition (too much of something causing a

problem). The Root of the Excess may be Deficiency (as in Spleen Deficiency

producing Dampness and Phlegm. Both Cold Phlegm Blocking Lungs and Hot

Phlegm Blocking Lungs is characterized by equal or greater trouble exhaling

than inhaling. The breathing tends to be heavy and rasping in Phlegm

Blocking the Lungs.

 

It's common to run into mixed indicators. In fact, most of the cases healers

see in this country do have mixed indicators. Sometimes mixed indicators can

point to finetuning treatment and what to concentrate on first. For

example, if Sophie's breathing had been heavy and rasping and exhalation was

equal to or more difficult than inhalation, the doctor may have concentrated

more on relieving Phlegm and made the Diagnosis Phlegm Blocking Lungs. But

because breathing in was so difficult and she was bruising easily, he

concentrated on Spleen Qi Deficiency.

 

BTW, the craving for sweets is very significant. Hypoglycemia can play a

role in asthma. When a person's blood sugar is low, if the person has

asthma, an asthmatic attack is more likely. Some people in Western

alternative medicine believe that all asthmatics are hypoglycemic (but not

all hypoglycemics are asthmatic). True or not, many asthmatics do tend to

be more prone to asthma attacks when they've gone without eating or are

dieting. The problem with reaching for sweets to raise the blood sugar is

yes, it can raise the blood sugar quickly, but it sets up a pattern whereby

the blood sugar falls rapidly too. If this goes on too long, the sweets will

actually worsen asthma because the blood sugar levels will start to drop

rapidly.

 

I believe hypoglycemia is rooted in Kidney imbalance, and there may also be

some Kidney imbalances in addition to the Spleen imbalance. (This does not

mean that her doctor didn't realize there are Kidney imblances and didn't

treat them if they were present, the author of the article is concentrating

just on the role of the Spleen in some cases of asthma.

 

Bananas can cause problems for some asthmatics. Magnesium deficiency can

play a role in asthma. One symptom of magnesium deficiency can be that

inhalation is harder than exhalation. In some cases of Mg deficiency the

diaphragm may feel very stiff and rigid to the person. This eases with the

administration of Mg. Too much potassium can be a problem for some

asthmatics. (Note: There can be enough Mg in the blood but not in the cells.

The urinalysis test is better for measuring Mg than the blood tests.)

 

In cases of asthma, also check to see if areas along the spine are sore.

Very often there will be one or more sore spots over the spine when a person

is having problems breathing. A chiropractor or a DO can give an adjustment

that will ease breathing. If a person can't find a DO that does the

adjustments, is afraid of spinal manipulation, or the insurance doesn't

cover it, sometimes massaging the area will help. As the soreness eases with

massage, the breathing eases. You want to be careful massaging because in a

few cases it may make the soreness and the breathing worse. You want to

start out carefully and with a light touch to see if there is a reaction.

 

>Asthma That Starts in the Spleen

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>Asthma That Starts in the Spleen

>

>Asthma—Breathe Easily Again

>

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>One of the hallmarks of asthma is an accumulation of phlegm and mucus in

>the lungs, hindering breathing. According to Chinese medicine, to find the

>cause of this mucous buildup, you must examine the health and functioning

>of the spleen, a small glandlike organ situated near the stomach (on the

>heart side).

>

>Conventional physiology teaches that the spleen is responsible for

>releasing hemoglobin from red blood cells, storing blood, producing white

>blood cells, and participating in the body’s lymph drainage system. But for

>acupuncturist Mike Berkley, L.Ac., co-director of the New York Center for

>Acupuncture and Alternative Medicine, in New York City, the spleen can be

>the key to unraveling long-term asthma.

>

>

>

>TAKING THE ASTHMA OUT OF THE SPLEEN—Acupuncturist Mike Berkley, L.Ac., of

>the New York Center for Acupuncture and Alternative Medicine, uses

>acupuncture to rebalance the energy and functioning of the spleen to help

>relieve asthma. Dr. Berkley cites the case of Sophie, 35, who, before

>beginning treatment with him, had suffered from asthma for more than ten

>years. Inhaling was always a struggle for her and she had large amounts of

>phlegm in her lungs. Sophie was constantly tired, bruised easily, and had

>cold hands and feet, a craving for sweets, and loose stools or diarrhea

>much of the time.

>

>These symptoms may seem idiosyncratic, but to Dr. Berkley they were

>valuable clues to Sophie’s fundamental imbalance. She was on various

>conventional anti-asthma drugs, and had used others in the past, but none

>brought her any relief, says Dr. Berkley. Sophie’s problem, in his

>analysis, was that her spleen was not processing fluids properly.

>

>“There is a saying in classical Chinese medicine that the spleen produces

>phlegm and the lungs store it,” Dr. Berkley explains. “It may surprise you

>to know but Chinese medicine regards the spleen as the most important organ

>for energy after one is born.” When Dr. Berkley says “energy,” he is

>referring to the concept of qi, or basic life force energy, the cornerstone

>of acupuncture. “The lung’s energy—in fact, all of the body’s

>energy—derives from the spleen.”

>

>When the spleen is not working to full capacity, its life force energy, or

>the quality of its qi, becomes deficient. Chinese medicine calls this

>quality “dampness.” Secondly, when the spleen is underactive, it cannot

>transform (metabolize) fluids derived from foods; these tend to pool and

>congeal. The result of this dysfunction is the creation of phlegm or mucus,

>says Dr. Berkley, and for someone whose spleen is underactive, this phlegm

>ends up in the lungs.

>

>“The lungs are supposed to get their energy from the spleen,” he explains.

>“But if the spleen isn’t working properly, the lungs don’t get that energy.

>Instead, they get the phlegm and since the lungs now have less energy than

>normal, they’re unable to get rid of the phlegm.”

>

>Sophie’s other symptoms—cold extremities, sweet cravings, intestinal

>problems—derived from the deficiencies in her spleen, Dr. Berkley adds.

>Further compounding these problems was the fact that Sophie consumed large

>quantities of dairy products; as these are known to produce mucus in the

>body, Dr. Berkley strongly advised Sophie to stop eating them immediately,

>which she did.

>

>He began treating Sophie once weekly. His treatment goal was to alleviate

>the acute problem and “dispel phlegm” from the lungs (get the mucus out of

>her bronchial airways) and to address the underlying cause and “tonify the

>spleen” (energize and rebalance its function).

>

>Naturally, he treated Sophie with acupuncture needles, but he also gave her

>a special five-herb Chinese formula known as Ling Gan Wu Wei Jiang Xin Tang

>used to reduce the symptoms of asthma. The function of these herbs is

>technical and wrapped in Chinese medicine jargon but, in essence, they help

>warm the lungs, prevent them from losing life force energy, disperse the

>“damp” mucus in their airways, and harmonize the activities of the spleen,

>explains Dr. Berkley.

>

>His treatment program proved to be successful over the course of the 15

>sessions he gave Sophie. “She was able to cut her medications in half,”

>says Dr. Berkley. “While she still had some asthma, the frequency of her

>attacks dropped from once or twice daily to only once weekly.” Sophie’s

>other symptoms, including her intestinal disorders and easy bruising,

>disappeared, while her sweet cravings were much diminished.

>

> Approximately 500,000 annual hospital admissions are for asthma.

>About 20% of the hospitalized asthmatics used more than 80% of the medical

>resources. Known as “high cost patients,” the average estimated annual cost

>for each patient in this category is $2,584.

>

>

>blood: is classified into 4 blood types or groups according to the presence

>of type A and type B antigens on the surface of red blood cells. These

>antigens are also called agglutinogens and pertain to the blood cells'

>ability to agglutinate, or clump together. Type O blood (containing neither

>type) is found in 47% of the Caucasian population; type A, 41%; type B, 9%;

>type AB, 3%. Another form of blood grouping is according to Rh-positive and

>Rh-negative types, based on the distribution of 6 different Rh antigens.

>qi: (pronounced CHEE) is a Chinese word variously translated to mean " vital

>energy, " " essence of life, " and " living force. " In Chinese medicine, the

>proper flow of qi along energy channels (meridians) within the body is

>crucial to a person's health and vitality. There are many types of qi,

>classified according to source, location, and function (such as activation,

>warming, defense, transformation, and containment). Within the body, qi and

>blood are closely linked, as each is considered to flow along with the

>other. The manipulation and readjustment of qi to treat disease and ensure

>maximum health benefit is the basic principle of acupuncture, although

>other remedies and therapies can be used to influence qi.

>

>-\

-

>

> Alternative

> Medicine.com [ Home | About Us | What's Hot | Search Health

>Conditions | Search Yellow Pages | Clinics ] [ Books | Magazines | Products

>| Message Boards | Education | Advertise | Opinion Poll ]

> [ Calendar | Provocative Essays | Political Issues | Free Newsletter

>| NutriClub | Contact Us ]

> [ Disclaimer ]

>

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>

 

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[Guest guest]

Victoria,

 

Thank you for posting this. I have been battling a nasty case of asthma

for about 6 weeks. I need to study this more deeply.....

 

Cindi

 

> Judy Fitzgerald wrote:

>

> This is not the only Root that can manifest as asthma, but it's a fairly

> good intro to asthma rooted in Spleen imbalance.

>

> Note the part about inhalation being more difficult than breating out. When

> breathing in is more difficult than exhalation, this points to a Deficiency

> condition being a Root. (In Deficiency conditions, not enough of something

> is causing a problem.)

>

> There are some things that aren't exactly right in the article, or, are

> misleading. For example, the Spleen is not the sole source of Qi in the

> body. The Spleen is responsible for extracting the Qi from food we eat

> (Grain Qi) and carrying it to the Lungs where it mixes with the Qi extracted

> by the Lungs from the air we breathe (Air Qi). It also mixes with the

> Original Qi. Spleen Qi Deficiency and/or Lung Qi Deficiency can produce some

> major, generalized Qi Deficiency problems.

>

> Dampness is not the same thing as Qi Deficiency. Dampness does result when

> Spleen Qi is Deficient. The reason for this is that one of the jobs of the

> Spleen is to move and transform Water in the body. It also makes sure that

> each part of the body is properly moistened - not too little, not too much.

> If the Spleen is too weak to move Water properly, it Stagnates, and Dampness

> result. If the Dampness hangs around long enough, it starts to congeal and

> produces Phlegm or mucus.

>

> Actually, according to many authorities, just about any organ system can

> produce Phlegm, not just the Spleen. And it can show up about any place in

> the body, though the Lungs generally are a favorite target.

>

> The way the case is presented here can be confusing to someone new to TCM.

> Phlegm is classified as an Excess condition (too much of something causing a

> problem). The Root of the Excess may be Deficiency (as in Spleen Deficiency

> producing Dampness and Phlegm. Both Cold Phlegm Blocking Lungs and Hot

> Phlegm Blocking Lungs is characterized by equal or greater trouble exhaling

> than inhaling. The breathing tends to be heavy and rasping in Phlegm

> Blocking the Lungs.

>

> It's common to run into mixed indicators. In fact, most of the cases healers

> see in this country do have mixed indicators. Sometimes mixed indicators can

> point to finetuning treatment and what to concentrate on first. For

> example, if Sophie's breathing had been heavy and rasping and exhalation was

> equal to or more difficult than inhalation, the doctor may have concentrated

> more on relieving Phlegm and made the Diagnosis Phlegm Blocking Lungs. But

> because breathing in was so difficult and she was bruising easily, he

> concentrated on Spleen Qi Deficiency.

>

> BTW, the craving for sweets is very significant. Hypoglycemia can play a

> role in asthma. When a person's blood sugar is low, if the person has

> asthma, an asthmatic attack is more likely. Some people in Western

> alternative medicine believe that all asthmatics are hypoglycemic (but not

> all hypoglycemics are asthmatic). True or not, many asthmatics do tend to

> be more prone to asthma attacks when they've gone without eating or are

> dieting. The problem with reaching for sweets to raise the blood sugar is

> yes, it can raise the blood sugar quickly, but it sets up a pattern whereby

> the blood sugar falls rapidly too. If this goes on too long, the sweets will

> actually worsen asthma because the blood sugar levels will start to drop

> rapidly.

>

> I believe hypoglycemia is rooted in Kidney imbalance, and there may also be

> some Kidney imbalances in addition to the Spleen imbalance. (This does not

> mean that her doctor didn't realize there are Kidney imblances and didn't

> treat them if they were present, the author of the article is concentrating

> just on the role of the Spleen in some cases of asthma.

>

> Bananas can cause problems for some asthmatics. Magnesium deficiency can

> play a role in asthma. One symptom of magnesium deficiency can be that

> inhalation is harder than exhalation. In some cases of Mg deficiency the

> diaphragm may feel very stiff and rigid to the person. This eases with the

> administration of Mg. Too much potassium can be a problem for some

> asthmatics. (Note: There can be enough Mg in the blood but not in the cells.

> The urinalysis test is better for measuring Mg than the blood tests.)

>

> In cases of asthma, also check to see if areas along the spine are sore.

> Very often there will be one or more sore spots over the spine when a person

> is having problems breathing. A chiropractor or a DO can give an adjustment

> that will ease breathing. If a person can't find a DO that does the

> adjustments, is afraid of spinal manipulation, or the insurance doesn't

> cover it, sometimes massaging the area will help. As the soreness eases with

> massage, the breathing eases. You want to be careful massaging because in a

> few cases it may make the soreness and the breathing worse. You want to

> start out carefully and with a light touch to see if there is a reaction.

>

> >Asthma That Starts in the Spleen

> > Alternative

> > Medicine.com [ Home | About Us | What's Hot | Search Health

> >Conditions | Search Yellow Pages | Clinics ] [ Books | Magazines | Products

> >| Message Boards | Education | Advertise | Opinion Poll ]

> > [ Calendar | Provocative Essays | Political Issues | Free Newsletter

> >| NutriClub | Contact Us ]

> > [ Disclaimer ]

> >

>

>-\

-

> >

> >Asthma That Starts in the Spleen

> >

> >Asthma—Breathe Easily Again

> >

>

>-\

-

> >One of the hallmarks of asthma is an accumulation of phlegm and mucus in

> >the lungs, hindering breathing. According to Chinese medicine, to find the

> >cause of this mucous buildup, you must examine the health and functioning

> >of the spleen, a small glandlike organ situated near the stomach (on the

> >heart side).

> >

> >Conventional physiology teaches that the spleen is responsible for

> >releasing hemoglobin from red blood cells, storing blood, producing white

> >blood cells, and participating in the body’s lymph drainage system. But for

> >acupuncturist Mike Berkley, L.Ac., co-director of the New York Center for

> >Acupuncture and Alternative Medicine, in New York City, the spleen can be

> >the key to unraveling long-term asthma.

> >

> >

> >

> >TAKING THE ASTHMA OUT OF THE SPLEEN—Acupuncturist Mike Berkley, L.Ac., of

> >the New York Center for Acupuncture and Alternative Medicine, uses

> >acupuncture to rebalance the energy and functioning of the spleen to help

> >relieve asthma. Dr. Berkley cites the case of Sophie, 35, who, before

> >beginning treatment with him, had suffered from asthma for more than ten

> >years. Inhaling was always a struggle for her and she had large amounts of

> >phlegm in her lungs. Sophie was constantly tired, bruised easily, and had

> >cold hands and feet, a craving for sweets, and loose stools or diarrhea

> >much of the time.

> >

> >These symptoms may seem idiosyncratic, but to Dr. Berkley they were

> >valuable clues to Sophie’s fundamental imbalance. She was on various

> >conventional anti-asthma drugs, and had used others in the past, but none

> >brought her any relief, says Dr. Berkley. Sophie’s problem, in his

> >analysis, was that her spleen was not processing fluids properly.

> >

> >“There is a saying in classical Chinese medicine that the spleen produces

> >phlegm and the lungs store it,” Dr. Berkley explains. “It may surprise you

> >to know but Chinese medicine regards the spleen as the most important organ

> >for energy after one is born.” When Dr. Berkley says “energy,” he is

> >referring to the concept of qi, or basic life force energy, the cornerstone

> >of acupuncture. “The lung’s energy—in fact, all of the body’s

> >energy—derives from the spleen.”

> >

> >When the spleen is not working to full capacity, its life force energy, or

> >the quality of its qi, becomes deficient. Chinese medicine calls this

> >quality “dampness.” Secondly, when the spleen is underactive, it cannot

> >transform (metabolize) fluids derived from foods; these tend to pool and

> >congeal. The result of this dysfunction is the creation of phlegm or mucus,

> >says Dr. Berkley, and for someone whose spleen is underactive, this phlegm

> >ends up in the lungs.

> >

> >“The lungs are supposed to get their energy from the spleen,” he explains.

> >“But if the spleen isn’t working properly, the lungs don’t get that energy.

> >Instead, they get the phlegm and since the lungs now have less energy than

> >normal, they’re unable to get rid of the phlegm.”

> >

> >Sophie’s other symptoms—cold extremities, sweet cravings, intestinal

> >problems—derived from the deficiencies in her spleen, Dr. Berkley adds.

> >Further compounding these problems was the fact that Sophie consumed large

> >quantities of dairy products; as these are known to produce mucus in the

> >body, Dr. Berkley strongly advised Sophie to stop eating them immediately,

> >which she did.

> >

> >He began treating Sophie once weekly. His treatment goal was to alleviate

> >the acute problem and “dispel phlegm” from the lungs (get the mucus out of

> >her bronchial airways) and to address the underlying cause and “tonify the

> >spleen” (energize and rebalance its function).

> >

> >Naturally, he treated Sophie with acupuncture needles, but he also gave her

> >a special five-herb Chinese formula known as Ling Gan Wu Wei Jiang Xin Tang

> >used to reduce the symptoms of asthma. The function of these herbs is

> >technical and wrapped in Chinese medicine jargon but, in essence, they help

> >warm the lungs, prevent them from losing life force energy, disperse the

> >“damp” mucus in their airways, and harmonize the activities of the spleen,

> >explains Dr. Berkley.

> >

> >His treatment program proved to be successful over the course of the 15

> >sessions he gave Sophie. “She was able to cut her medications in half,”

> >says Dr. Berkley. “While she still had some asthma, the frequency of her

> >attacks dropped from once or twice daily to only once weekly.” Sophie’s

> >other symptoms, including her intestinal disorders and easy bruising,

> >disappeared, while her sweet cravings were much diminished.

> >

> > Approximately 500,000 annual hospital admissions are for asthma.

> >About 20% of the hospitalized asthmatics used more than 80% of the medical

> >resources. Known as “high cost patients,” the average estimated annual cost

> >for each patient in this category is $2,584.

> >

> >

> >blood: is classified into 4 blood types or groups according to the presence

> >of type A and type B antigens on the surface of red blood cells. These

> >antigens are also called agglutinogens and pertain to the blood cells'

> >ability to agglutinate, or clump together. Type O blood (containing neither

> >type) is found in 47% of the Caucasian population; type A, 41%; type B, 9%;

> >type AB, 3%. Another form of blood grouping is according to Rh-positive and

> >Rh-negative types, based on the distribution of 6 different Rh antigens.

> >qi: (pronounced CHEE) is a Chinese word variously translated to mean " vital

> >energy, " " essence of life, " and " living force. " In Chinese medicine, the

> >proper flow of qi along energy channels (meridians) within the body is

> >crucial to a person's health and vitality. There are many types of qi,

> >classified according to source, location, and function (such as activation,

> >warming, defense, transformation, and containment). Within the body, qi and

> >blood are closely linked, as each is considered to flow along with the

> >other. The manipulation and readjustment of qi to treat disease and ensure

> >maximum health benefit is the basic principle of acupuncture, although

> >other remedies and therapies can be used to influence qi.

> >

>

>-\

-

> >

> > Alternative

> > Medicine.com [ Home | About Us | What's Hot | Search Health

> >Conditions | Search Yellow Pages | Clinics ] [ Books | Magazines | Products

> >| Message Boards | Education | Advertise | Opinion Poll ]

> > [ Calendar | Provocative Essays | Political Issues | Free Newsletter

> >| NutriClub | Contact Us ]

> > [ Disclaimer ]

> >

>

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> >

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