Is it okay to take Chinese medicine for bronchial asthma?

Written by Wang Xiang Yu
Pulmonology
Updated on September 16, 2024
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Bronchial asthma can be treated with traditional Chinese medicine, but it is definitely not feasible to treat bronchial asthma only with Chinese medicine without Western medicine. Modern medicine still primarily uses Western medicine, which is the mainstream. Traditional Chinese medicine serves as an auxiliary treatment. Bronchial asthma is a recurrent disease that needs standardized treatment to be controlled. Currently, many unscrupulous businesses are exploiting the banner of traditional Chinese medicine or some ancestral secret formulas to provide non-standard treatments to patients with bronchial asthma, which may contain corticosteroids. Long-term oral intake of their herbal medicines might control bronchial asthma in the short term, but such long-term treatments are definitely non-standard and will lead to future difficulties in controlling the asthma. Therefore, patients with bronchial asthma must receive standardized Western medical treatment and can use traditional Chinese medicine as an auxiliary treatment, but it must be provided by a formal hospital.

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Written by Xia Bao Jun
Pulmonology
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Consequences of worsening bronchial asthma

The consequences of exacerbated bronchial asthma can cause the patient to feel short of breath even at rest, exhibit orthopnea, and be able to speak only in single words or syllables. The patient may experience anxiety or irritability, sometimes accompanied by profuse sweating, and an increased respiratory rate which, if severe, can exceed 30 breaths per minute. There may also be activity of the respiratory muscles and signs of tracheal tugging, an increased heart rate exceeding 100 beats per minute, which in severe cases can surpass 120 beats. Additionally, there is a decrease in blood oxygen saturation, which can drop below 60%.

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Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
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Can people with bronchial asthma eat beef?

Bronchial asthma is a very common disease in the respiratory system, caused by a multitude of triggering factors. It usually occurs in infants and young children due to their lower immune function, combined with some being of an allergic constitution. Additionally, such patients might also be affected due to exposure to harmful gases in the external environment, which can trigger an asthma attack at any time. Clinically, it is generally advised that patients with bronchial asthma avoid consuming spicy and stimulating foods, though beef can generally be consumed. Beef has high nutritional value, containing a significant amount of amino acids, high-quality proteins, as well as nutrients like calcium and iron, which are essential for the body. Therefore, it is suitable for patients with bronchial asthma to consume some beef appropriately.

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Written by Wang Xiang Yu
Pulmonology
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Is bronchial asthma contagious?

Is bronchial asthma contagious? Bronchial asthma is not contagious; it is not an infectious disease. The exact causes of bronchial asthma are not very clear, primarily thought to be related to genetic and environmental factors. Bronchial asthma has a close relationship with genetics, meaning that if parents have asthma, their children and grandchildren might also develop bronchial asthma. The closer the familial relationship, the higher the chances of developing bronchial asthma compared to the general population. This genetic pattern can create the illusion to the general public that bronchial asthma is contagious, but it may be more closely related to genetics.

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Written by Yuan Qing
Pulmonology
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How to check for bronchial asthma?

Bronchial asthma is a chronic inflammatory airway disease. Patients primarily exhibit symptoms of episodic wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing, which usually can be relieved with or without medication. Typically, during an attack, there is wheezing and audible stridor. A diagnosis can usually be made based on symptoms and medical history, as well as physical examination. However, for atypical patients, further tests may be necessary. Generally, the main tests for asthma patients are pulmonary function tests, which include provocation tests and relaxation tests, as well as the 24-hour peak expiratory flow variability. These tests are helpful for the definitive diagnosis of bronchial asthma.

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Written by Zeng Xiang Bo
Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
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Which antibody will increase in bronchial asthma?

Bronchial asthma is a type of chronic allergic inflammation of the airway, commonly referred to as allergic inflammation. Therefore, in laboratory tests, there will be an increase in some antibodies, among which the two main types are the first category being IgE antibodies, which usually exceed 200 IU/ml. The elevation of IgE antibodies indicates that the body is in an allergic state; the other type of antibody is specific antibodies, for example, if I am allergic to fungi, then my fungal antibody levels will be elevated, and if I am allergic to peanuts, then testing for specific peanut antibodies will show an increase. Thus, it is a type of specific antibody that indicates an allergy to certain substances.