Asthma

What is Asthma?

Asthma is a chronic disease of the airways leading to your lungs.  When the lining of these airways gets inflamed and the surrounding muscles tighten, your airways can start to fill up with mucus.  This causes breathing difficulties.  In this article we will discuss the symptoms and types of asthma and how Chinese Medicine can help you treat it.

Asthma

Asthma Symptoms:

You may experience different symptoms depending on what type of asthma you have.  Common asthma symptoms include:

  • Wheezing
  • Chest pain or tightness
  • Shortness of breath
  • Coughing when exercising, laughing, or at night
  • Anxiousness or panic

You may find that your symptoms are fairly constant throughout the day, while others may find that certain activities can make their symptoms worse.  If your symptoms suddenly intensify you may be having an asthma flare-up.  Asthma flare-ups can usually be treated with remedies like inhalers, but in severe cases medical attention may be required.  In an asthma emergency you may observe symptoms like:

  • Severe breathing difficulties
  • Pale or blue lips or fingernails
  • Gasping for breath
  • Confusion
  • Dizziness

Seek urgent medical attention immediately if you witness an asthma emergency.  In New Zealand call 111 for an ambulance, or go to the nearest emergency clinic.

Types of Asthma:

To check if you have asthma, your doctor may use a stethoscope to listen to your breathing. They may also measure the speed of air as you blow into a measuring device. 

Your doctor should be able to tell what type of asthma you have.  The most common type of asthma is allergic asthma which is triggered by things like dust, mould, pet dander or pollen.  Other types of asthma include non-allergic asthma, occupational asthma, aspirin-induced asthma, and cough variant asthma.  Out of these asthma types, aspirin-induced asthma is usually more severe. This type of asthma is caused by medications like aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

How Can Chinese Medicine Help?

Asthma

If you have asthma, you may be looking for an effective but natural treatment.  Chinese Medicine is a great way to treat asthma, as it encourages your body to heal itself.  In Chinese Medicine, all the organs in your body are seen as interconnected.  This means that if one organ is weak, you may experience symptoms in other parts of your body.

For example, the lungs are responsible for maintaining your breathing processes.  If you have weak lungs, you may experience health conditions like asthma.  In order for your body to fully heal, organs such as your lungs must be strengthened.  When all the organs in your body are healthily functioning, your body can heal conditions like asthma.

To find a treatment plan that’s right for you, your Chinese Medicine practitioner will analyse the underlying cause of your condition.  This can be done by checking your symptoms and pulse.  Then your practitioner can prescribe a treatment plan based on your individual needs.  This could include treatments like acupuncture and Chinese herbs. To find out more about how Traditional Chinese Medicine works, click here.

Conclusion:

Asthma is a condition that occurs due to inflammation of the airways to your lungs.  If you have asthma you may experience symptoms like wheezing, chest pain, and difficulty breathing.  Chinese Medicine can help you treat asthma in a natural, holistic way, by healing underlying problems in your body.

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Centre of Balance: Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine (n.d.).  Would You Like to Experience More Energy, & Less Stress & Pain? https://balancetcm.co.nz/

Holland, K. & Goldman, L. (2021, October 27). Asthma: Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/asthma

Phua, S. (n.d.).  What is Traditional Chinese Medicine?  Centre of Balance Hamilton: Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine. https://balancetcm.co.nz/traditional-chinese-medicine-hamilton/

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Monica

I am originally from Hebei province in China. I hold a NZ bachelor’s degree of health and science with a major in acupuncture. I am honoured to be an acupuncturist at Centre of Balance. Helping patients to alleviate their pain brings me the greatest joy. Chinese medicine emphasises the unity of human beings and nature. During the treatment, I hope to not only relieve your pain but also help you to understand the principles behind acupuncture’s effectiveness, as well as the significant impact of diet, emotions, lifestyle habits, and living environments on disease recovery. Self-healing is an ability that our bodies are naturally endowed with.

I studied acupuncture in New Zealand and completed one and a half years of supervised clinical internship before graduating. In the early stage of my training, I mainly worked with patients experiencing neck, shoulder, and lower back pain. Under the guidance of senior clinical tutors, I gradually developed hands-on experience and confidence in treating musculoskeletal pain conditions.
As my clinical exposure expanded, I began treating a wider range of internal conditions. Alongside traditional acupuncture, I was introduced to Umbilical Acupuncture and Tungs-acupuncture Points. What interested me most about these approaches is that they often do not require needling directly at the painful area, yet can still achieve very effective results.
I was especially inspired by observing my supervisor use Umbilical Acupuncture to treat common conditions such as insomnia, menstrual irregularities, and even rheumatoid arthritis, with very positive outcomes. Another supervisor was highly skilled in Tungs-acupuncture Points and achieved excellent results in treating pain, infertility, menstrual disorders, and a variety of women’s health conditions. After completing my studies and entering clinical practice, once I observed Dr. Szenan Phua using Tungs-acupuncture points to help cancer patients relieve pain, which further strengthened my trust in this treatment method.
I later completed training in Dr. Tan Balance Acupuncture, which had a strong influence on the way I approach treatment. One of the most noticeable features of this method is how quickly patients often feel improvement, especially with pain conditions. Dr. Szenan Phua’s New Balance Acupuncture combines meridian regulation with structural adjustment and internal organ balancing, including techniques such as pulse balancing and spinal adjustment.
From my clinical experience, pain is rarely just a local issue. It often involves underlying organ weakness or structural imbalance. When these aspects are addressed together, treatment can be more thorough and longer-lasting. I also apply this approach to internal conditions, particularly in fertility and women’s health. This includes supporting natural conception, IVF preparation and embryo transfer, pregnancy support, early-pregnancy nausea, and late-pregnancy labour induction. I combine these treatments with concepts learned from a few additional fertility training, which has given me a broader and more flexible clinical perspective. This has reinforced my belief that acupuncture should be adapted to each individual rather than applied through fixed formulas.
Two other areas of study that have been very helpful in my clinical work are Tongue Diagnosis and Dr. Zhu’s Scalp Acupuncture. Although tongue diagnosis is taught in my standard Chinese medicine training, further study allowed me to deepen and refine my diagnostic skills.
My first formal training was in Li’s Tongue Diagnosis, which looks not only at organ patterns, but also at how different areas of the tongue reflect the body’s structure. This system also explores personality traits and changes during pregnancy, making it both clinically useful and engaging. I later attended online lectures on Yin’s Tongue Diagnosis and studied the related materials independently. this learning has helped me make clearer and more accurate pattern differentiation, allowing my acupuncture treatments to be more targeted. It covers a wide range of conditions, including skin disorders, oncology-related presentations, mental health patterns, and joint or limb problems. In practice, tongue observation often provides valuable insight even before a patient begins describing their symptoms.
In addition to the methods above, I regularly use local bloodletting techniques, which can be very effective for improving circulation, reducing swelling, and relieving pain. I also incorporate auricular (ear) acupressure and stimulation, which I commonly use for allergies, insomnia, headaches, stress management, and various internal conditions.
In my clinical work, I value taking the time to listen carefully to each patient and to understand their overall health, lifestyle, and concerns. Based on each individual’s condition, I also provide personalised dietary guidance and lifestyle or wellness advice to support overall health and long-term wellbeing. I commonly support patients with musculoskeletal pain, such as neck, shoulder, knee, and back pain, as well as stress-related conditions, sleep issues, migraines, digestive concerns, and women’s health and fertility-related conditions.