Colds, flu, and spicy diets can easily trigger asthma attacks. How does Chinese medicine treat them?

Author: Feng Cuiling, Chief Physician, Peking University People's Hospital

Reviewer: Wang Lixiang, Chief Physician, Third Medical Center, PLA General Hospital

The 10th Director of the Science Popularization Branch of the Chinese Medical Association

The core of TCM treatment of diseases is syndrome differentiation and treatment, which is the essence of TCM. Different medicines are selected according to the syndrome characteristics of the disease at a certain stage.

When bronchial asthma (abbreviated as asthma) attacks, TCM treatment focuses on calming asthma, which is mainly to treat the symptoms; in the remission period, the root cause should be treated, mainly by regulating the lungs, spleen and kidneys or treating asthma from the perspective of the liver. Therefore, the treatment principles for asthma attacks and remission periods are completely different.

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Generally, patients with mild asthma can try to use Chinese medicine alone for conditioning treatment; patients with moderate or severe asthma must be treated with a combination of Chinese and Western medicine. After using Chinese medicine, the dosage and course of Western medicine may be shortened. The combination of Chinese and Western medicine takes the advantages of each and discards the disadvantages, so that patients can benefit the most.

Many factors can trigger asthma attacks. Below we will give examples of several common situations, hoping to be helpful to everyone.

Asthma is prone to attacks when it is cold or after catching a cold, with white sputum. How does traditional Chinese medicine treat it?

Occurs after catching a cold, coughing up thin white sputum or sticky sputum, the sputum is like jelly, and some are foamy sputum. This is a typical cold and fluid in the lungs. Overall, it is a disease caused by cold and fluid in the lungs and the exogenous pathogens.

If it is just cold fluid in the lungs, usually coughing, coughing up thin white sputum, or complaining of a particularly cold spot on the back, like an ice cube, Ling Gui Zhu Gan Tang can be used for treatment. If you are also affected by wind and cold evil qi, such as a cold, you can use prescriptions such as Xiao Qing Long Tang for treatment. If the evil fluid turns into heat, the cold sputum turns into sticky white sputum, or there are symptoms of dry mouth and thirst, Xiao Qing Long plus Shi Gao Tang can be used for treatment. Chinese patent medicines such as Xiao Qing Long Mixture and Ling Gui Ke Chuan Ning Capsules can also be used to treat such patients, and they must be used under the guidance of a doctor.

Asthma attacks when you catch a cold. How does traditional Chinese medicine treat it?

A cold can trigger asthma, which is a typical manifestation of lung qi deficiency from the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine.

When asthma attacks acutely, the first thing to do is to prescribe medication based on the characteristics of the symptoms, whether it is cold or heat, phlegm and blood stasis, or deficiency.

You are particularly prone to catching colds. During the remission period, you should pay attention to replenishing the lung qi. In addition to being prone to catching colds, there are other symptoms, such as shortness of breath, low voice, weak voice, fatigue, and sweating. These are all manifestations of lung qi deficiency, which can be treated with drugs that replenish lung qi. Common prescriptions for replenishing lung qi include Yupingfeng Powder, and there is also a Chinese patent medicine Yupingfeng Granules.

Eating irritating foods can cause asthma attacks. How does traditional Chinese medicine treat it?

Irritating foods, such as spicy foods, can increase airway sensitivity, leading to symptoms of coughing and wheezing, and triggering asthma attacks, so the first thing to do is to control your diet. Some patients may be allergic to certain spices. If they always trigger asthma attacks when eating the same food, they should consider that spices may be an allergen. Avoiding contact with allergens is the most important thing. In addition, eating irritating foods can trigger acute asthma attacks, and treatment should be carried out based on the cold, heat, deficiency and excess.

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Some patients may not be allergic to spices. For example, eating too much can also cause asthma. When a large amount of food enters the stomach, it squeezes the lungs and causes discomfort. It is also possible to use some drugs that help digestion and relieve stagnation, such as Jiawei Baohe Pills, or make some medicinal food with chicken gizzard lining and Shenqu.