"Practical Tips" Series: Bronchial Asthma

by M. Al-Haj, MD, Germany
©Copyright by Semmelweis-Verlag, Germany
(Explore Issue: Volume 8, Number 6)

Definition / Etiology

Bronchial asthma is a disease of the lungs in which an obstructive ventilation disturbance of the respiratory passages evokes a feeling of shortness of breath. The cause is a sharply elevated resistance to airflow in the airways. Despite its most strenuous efforts, the respiratory musculature is unable to provide sufficient gas exchange. The result is a characteristic asthma attack, with spasms of the bronchial musculature, edematous swelling of the bronchial wall and increased mucus secretion. In the initial stage, the patient can be totally symptom-free for long periods of time in the intervals between the attacks. As the disease progresses, increased mucus is secreted between attacks as well, which in part builds up in the airways and can then lead to secondary bacterial infections.

There are two forms of bronchial asthma from a genesis point of view:

• Non-allergic asthma (intrinsic asthma)
• Allergic asthma (extrinsic asthma)

Common to them both is a hypersensitivity of the bronchial system. However, in most cases, the two forms of asthma are coupled with each other.

A prerequisite for non-allergic bronchial asthma is a genetic predisposition. Nonspecific stimuli such as cigarette smoke, air pollution, medications, emotional factors such as shock, career or family problems, disturbed parent-child relationships but also viral, bacterial or fungal infections can trigger asthma attacks. The attack can last from a few minutes to several hours; in the life-threatening Status asthmaticus, it can persist for days. In these cases, immediate hospitalization is essential.

The pathogenesis of non-allergic asthma proceeds via the reflex secretion of acetylcholine. This causes the release histamine from the mast cells of the bronchial wall. This results in immediate contraction of the smooth bronchial musculature along with overproduction of mucus. Here, the atopically inclined person reacts to environmental allergens with immediate production of antibodies.

10­20% of all people suffer from exogenous/allergic asthma. They react, for example, to pollen or dust mites with severe overproduction of immunoglobulins (IgE reaction). Simplifying somewhat, the following reaction pattern unfolds: the allergen induces a massive production of IgE antibodies. These bind to the surface of the mast cells in the bronchial mucous membrane and thereby effect the release of histamine, which then results in an immediate contraction of the bronchial musculature.

Besides this immediate histamine-induced reaction, other mediators are involved in the so-called inflammatory delayed reaction, which are ultimately responsible for the progressive hyperreactivity of the bronchial system. In the disease's advanced stage, the victim reacts not only to the specific original allergen: nonspecific stimuli or infections suffice to provoke asthmatic symptoms.

If not adequately treated, pulmonary emphysema not infrequently develops from bronchial asthma, characterized by pneumoectasis with irreparable structural changes in the smallest broncheoles. Because to the perpetual hyperdistention of the lungs and the extra work involved in breathing, these victims are recognizable by their rigid barrel-shaped thorax and pronounced hunchback.

Symptoms

Typical of bronchial asthma is acute shortness of breath, coughing, viscous and phlegmy sputum and difficulty exhaling. Harbingers of an attack can include sweating, sneezing, tickling in the throat and agitation. In the case of allergic asthma, there is also frequently itching around the eyes, headaches and a sensation of constriction.

Therapy for Bronchial Asthma

A. Injections in the following Pleo^TM acupuncture points with 1 sip Pleo^TM Muc 5X + 1 sip Pleo^TM Nig + 1.0 ml Procaine 1%.

ABBR.	NAME	LOCATION
NI 27	Shu Fu, Workshop of Agreement	On lower edge of the clavicle, 2 cun lateral of the medians
Di 4	He Gu, Meeting of the Valleys	Dorsal between 1st & 2nd metacarpal bones, in the middle of the 2nd metacarpal
Lu 7	Lie Que, Bottleneck	At the radial styloid process, 1.5 cun above the wrist crease
B 12	Feng Men, Gate of the Wind	1.5 cun lateral from lower edge of the thoracic spinal process
B 13	Fei Shu, Transport Point to Lung	Beneath the 3rd thoracic spinal process, 1.5 cun lateral
KG 17	Tan Zhong, Center of the Diaphragm	In the middle between the nipples, at the level of the 4th intercostal space
KG 21	Xuan Ji, Jade Pearl	In the middle, level of the base of the 1st rib
M 13	Qi Hu, Breath's Door	At the cranial edge of the clavicle on the mamillary line
KS 6	Nei Guan, Inner Boundary	2 cun proximal of midpoint of the carpal transverse fold between the two tendons of the M. exor carpi radialis and M. Longus

Therapy suggestion twice weekly per point: slowly inject 0.2 to 0.5 ml IC. Injections can be performed either at a selection or at all of the recommended points. However, the main points (Ni 27, DI 4, Lu 7, B 13) should always be seen to.

B. Autologous Blood Treatment

Day 1:
0.3 ml autologous blood IC or SC.

Day 6:
0.5 ml autologous blood SC.

Day 11:
0.6 ml autologous blood SC.

Day 16:
0.7 ml autologous blood SC.

Day 21:
1.0 ml autologous blood IM.

Day 31:
1.0 ml autologous blood + 0.3 ml Pleo^TM Rub 5X sip IM.

Day 36:
1.0 ml autologous blood + 0.4 ml Pleo^TM Rub 5X sip IM.

Day 41:
1.0 ml autologous blood + 0.5 ml Pleo^TM Rub 5X sip IM.

Day 46:
1.0 ml autologous blood + 0.6 ml Pleo^TM Rub 5X sip IM.

After that, every 14 days (2-3 times): 1.0 ml autologous blood + 1.0 ml Pleo^{TM TM} Rub 5X sip IM.

Then every three weeks as above: 1.0 ml autologous blood + 1.5 ml Pleo^TM Rub 5X sip IM.

Then every four weeks as above: 1.0 ml autologous blood + 2.0 ml Pleo^TM Rub 5X sip IM.

If, at the beginning of autologous blood treatment, the patient retrogresses -- i.e. if his condition temporarily deteriorates -- this shows that he is reacting positively to the treatment. If additional side-effects appear, then the rate of increase of the amount of autologous blood must be matched to the patient's condition.

C. Medicinal Adjuvant Therapy

Intestinal cleansing with Pleo^TM Fort 5X: 1 tablet daily; later every other day.

Every 3^rd day in alternation: Pleo^TM Ut 6X and Pleo^TM Lat 6X, 1 capsule. After 5 weeks switch to 4X; later Pleo^TM UT "S" 4X.

Pleo^TM Nig 5X drops: sniff up 10 drops daily into the nose.

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