Lungs, allergies and immunity

Complaints of the airways can range from a blocked nose or recurring colds to a long-standing cough, allergic complaints or shortness of breath. Some complaints are seasonal, such as hay fever, while others can be present all year round or return regularly.

The airways and the immune system are closely connected. Infections, allergies, asthma and prolonged irritation of the airways each have a different cause, but can produce similar complaints. After a respiratory infection, complaints such as coughing, mucus or fatigue can also persist for some time.

Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can be used for various respiratory, allergy and immunity problems. Which treatment is appropriate depends on the specific complaint, the possible cause and your personal situation. You can read more about this on the individual complaint pages.

Common complaints

This group covers various complaints of the nose, throat and airways as well as problems related to allergies or regularly recurring infections. Common complaints are:

Complaints can be temporary, occur only in certain seasons or be chronic or recurring. On the individual complaint pages you can read more about the possible causes and treatment of specific respiratory and allergy complaints.

Western conditions

Complaints of the airways can occur with various conditions. Sometimes it concerns an acute infection, while in other people an allergy or chronic condition plays a role. Examples are:

The same complaint can have different causes. Coughing can, for example, occur during a cold, but also with asthma, allergies or a respiratory infection, or persist for some time after an infection has passed.

Which conditions are relevant, and when medical investigation is needed, differs per complaint. The individual complaint pages go into this in more detail.

Possible causes

Respiratory and allergy complaints can have various causes. Viruses play an important role in colds and flu, while allergic complaints arise through a reaction of the immune system to substances such as pollen, house dust mites or animals.

With asthma the airways are chronically inflamed and extra sensitive to irritants. Smoke, air pollution, cold air, exertion and other irritating substances can also cause or worsen respiratory complaints.

In addition, some people continue to experience coughing, mucus or reduced capacity for a longer time after an infection. Which factors play a role differs per complaint and is therefore described in more detail on the individual complaint pages.

What can acupuncture do?

The acupuncture treatment is tailored to the specific complaint and your personal situation. An acute cold, for example, calls for a different approach than hay fever, asthma or a cough that has been present for a long time.

Depending on the complaint, a treatment can focus on:

Chinese medicine also looks at the underlying TCM pattern. Which treatment principles are relevant differs greatly per complaint. On the individual pages on, for example, hay fever, asthma, sinus complaints and coughing you can read in more detail how acupuncture can be applied.

What can Chinese herbal medicine do?

Chinese herbal medicine is regularly used for respiratory, allergy and immunity problems, sometimes in combination with acupuncture. The herbs are tailored to the complaint, the stage it is in and the underlying TCM pattern.

Depending on the pattern, a herbal treatment can focus on:

Because herbs are taken daily, they can also support the body in between treatments. With acute complaints, moreover, different treatment principles can be used than with chronic or recurring complaints.

On the individual complaint pages you can read in more detail what role Chinese herbal medicine can play with specific respiratory and allergy complaints.

How does Chinese medicine view these complaints?

Western medicine distinguishes conditions such as allergic rhinitis, asthma, sinusitis and respiratory infections. Chinese medicine also looks at how the complaints present, what influences them and which other symptoms are present at the same time.

With complaints of the nose, throat and airways the Lung system plays a central role. A TCM organ system is not the same as the anatomical organ from Western medicine, but describes a collection of bodily functions. In Chinese medicine the Lungs are associated among other things with breathing, the nose and the protection of the body against external influences.

The Spleen can be important as well. This system plays a role in the processing and distribution of food and fluids. When this function is weakened, according to Chinese medicine fluid and mucus can arise more easily. With long-standing breathing complaints the Kidneys may also be involved.

With an acute cold or flu, Wind is often mentioned. With this term Chinese medicine describes a pattern in which complaints arise relatively suddenly, for example with sneezing, a sore throat, headache, chills or fever. Concepts such as Cold and Heat then help to distinguish between different presentations.

Phlegm is also important with respiratory complaints. This refers to an accumulation that can present, for example, as mucus in the nose, throat or airways.

A recognisable combination of these features and other symptoms is called a TCM pattern. As a result, two people with, for example, asthma or hay fever can nevertheless be treated differently within Chinese medicine.

Only a few common patterns are described below. Other patterns are possible and several patterns can occur at the same time. Not everyone with the same pattern has all of the symptoms mentioned. Which pattern is present is established on the basis of the overall picture of complaints. On the individual complaint pages you can read in more detail which patterns occur with specific respiratory, allergy and immunity problems.

Common TCM patterns

Wind

In Chinese medicine Wind is used for complaints that arise relatively suddenly and mainly affect the nose, throat and airways. This pattern plays a role particularly with acute cold and flu complaints. Depending on the symptoms, there may be Wind-Cold or Wind-Heat, for example.

Common symptoms:

Examples of Western conditions: a common cold, flu and other acute respiratory infections.

Lung Qi deficiency

When the function of the Lung system is weakened, according to Chinese medicine both breathing and the protection against external influences can be less powerful. Complaints can therefore return more easily and recovery can take longer.

Common symptoms:

Examples of Western conditions: recurring respiratory infections, long-standing complaints after a respiratory infection and some chronic respiratory complaints.

Phlegm in the Lungs

When fluid is insufficiently processed according to Chinese medicine, Phlegm can arise and accumulate in the airways. The Spleen often plays a role here, because this system is involved in the processing of food and fluids.

Common symptoms:

The colour, quantity and thickness of the mucus help Chinese medicine to distinguish further between different forms of Phlegm.

Examples of Western conditions: bronchitis, chronic cough and some forms of asthma.

Lung Heat

With Lung Heat, warmth and inflammatory features of the airways are prominent. This can arise during an acute respiratory infection, but can also occur together with other patterns.

Common symptoms:

Examples of Western conditions: some respiratory infections, bronchitis and a cough with inflammatory features.

Weakened defences

In Chinese medicine the protection of the body's surface is described with Wei Qi. When this protective function is less strong, someone can be more susceptible to external influences. The Lung system plays an important role here.

Common symptoms:

Examples of Western conditions: recurring colds and respiratory infections and some recurring allergic complaints.

These patterns give a general picture of how Chinese medicine views respiratory, allergy and immunity problems. With hay fever, for example, different patterns may be central than with asthma, an acute cold or a chronic cough. This is described in more detail on the individual complaint pages.

Prognosis

How a course of treatment develops depends on the specific complaint, the cause, the severity, how long the complaints have been present and your personal situation. Acute respiratory complaints follow a different course than chronic or regularly recurring complaints.

With severe or acute complaints, a temporarily higher treatment frequency may be appropriate. Long-standing complaints or complaints that return regularly generally require more time and are reassessed during the course of treatment.

Because the course differs greatly between, for example, hay fever, asthma, sinus complaints and chronic cough, the individual complaint pages describe in more detail what you can expect for that specific complaint.

Contact

Do you suffer from respiratory complaints, allergies or reduced immunity and would you like to know whether acupuncture or Chinese herbal medicine can mean something for you? During a first consultation we discuss your complaints, medical history and any underlying factors in detail. On that basis a treatment plan is drawn up that suits your personal situation. You can book an appointment online right away or get in touch for more information.

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