Physiotherapy management of asthma is a concern for about 15 million people in the U.S.. There are many different medications and other treatments used successfully to manage asthma. However, some methods are not fully proven to work.
Some physiotherapy clinics claim that massage can be used to control asthma. Claim that it works to relieve symptoms of wheezing and dyspnea. They use massage in young and elderly patients. However, there is substantial evidence that massage does nothing good for asthma management to relieve stress.
One of the alternative methods of physical therapy has been used to control asthma is acupuncture. There is some evidence that this technique can actually have some benefit in relieving symptoms of asthma.
Acupuncture appears to help the immune system to fight disease. This is important to help control asthma. Diseases such as colds or flu aggravate the asthmatic condition. If acupuncture can reduce this, is a great help. However, acupuncture is still only recommended for use in conjunction with other treatments. Not to be used alone.
Some acupuncturists use other methods for the management of asthma. You can burn the herbs over acupuncture points. It could give patients a certain type of massage, or teach them breathing exercises. There are no known validity in these treatments.
Chiropractors are based on spinal manipulation for asthma control. The reviews of this theory are mixed. One study compared a sham, or false type of spinal manipulation that took place in a group of patients with asthma. The other group received the actual manipulations. There was little or no difference between the two groups. This would suggest that chiropractic adjustments are not effective for control of asthma.
However, another study was done. Eighty-one children were followed through the management of asthma in a chiropractic clinic in a period of time. In total, there were 45% fewer asthma attacks among children after treatment. 30% were able to significantly reduce their medications for asthma. Thus, the jury is still out on the effect of chiropractic medicine in the management of asthma.
There is a certification of the specialty of physical therapy for those wishing to work with the control of asthma. Physical therapists can take an exam for certification as a Certified asthma educators, and help people cope with their condition. Moreover, Medicare and Medicaid pay for their services.
There is also some evidence that the management of asthma for those who need to be admitted to the hospital should include physiotherapy. There was a study of patients with respiratory disease who were given the range of motion exercises while in the hospital. The average stay was three days less than those who did not exercise.
One of the challenges of traditional physical therapy for the treatment of asthma is that dehydration happens easily. Asthmatics become dehydrated more easily, and affects them in a way worse. It can even cause an asthma attack. Any exercise program should take this into account.
There are ways to use physical therapy for asthma control. Certainly there are other methods, and research can be these methods have value. Meanwhile, some methods are best kept alternative methods to use in addition to medication and physiotherapy treatments tested.
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