Many people think of asthma as something that starts in childhood, but it can occur for the first time at any age. Asthma is a common disease, which affects about 15% of the British population. There is a tendency for asthma to run in families but not necessarily hereditary. When we breath, air gets in and out of the lungs by a series of branching pipes, which are often called the “bronchial tubes”. In people with asthma the bronchial tubes contract, which makes it more difficult to get air in and out. As a result, asthmatics have symptoms of shortness of breath, wheezing and tight feeling in the chest. In addition, sticky phlegm is produced which may be coughed up or give a feeling of congestion in the chest.

In terms of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) asthma can be classified into three main types, namely cold, heat and deficiency types.

The cold type asthma is caused by the build up of coldness and dampness in the respiratory system and in the body as a whole. Patients of this type of asthma may feel fullness and distress in the chest, dyspnoea with a wheezing sound in the throat, coughing with sputa. More frequent attacks in cold seasons or caused by cold weather is another feature of this type asthma.

The accumulating of excessive heat and dampness in the respiratory system and the whole body causes heat type asthma. Typical symptoms include short of breath, gasping, dyspnoea with wheezing, irritable and oppressed feelings in the chest. Other features include yellowish sticky sputa, thirsty, frequent occurrence in hot seasons or onset closely associated with heat.

The deficiency type asthma is caused by the imbalance of Yin and Yang, especially the deficiency of Yin in the lung and spleen. Chronic and recurrent attacks for long periods of time, coughing sounds being low and weak, palpitations and shortness of breath are the main symptoms.

The correct type of asthma can be diagnosed with the above described features plus observing the facial appearance, the fur and shape of the tongue and the pulse. Treatment is usually using Chinese herbal medicine or combined with acupuncture.