How massage therapy help me with asthma?

Massage therapy can be a helpful complementary therapy for managing asthma symptoms, but it should not be used as a substitute for medical treatment. It's essential to continue taking medications as prescribed by a doctor and to follow an asthma action plan.

I have been asthmatic most of my life, with prolonged use of inhalers and nebulisers that were helping me control my symptoms. However, I struggled to do any sports and control my stress, which worsened my symptoms. My breathing was shallow, and my ribcage and shoulders were tight. I thought that me, that my condition.

It's all about what you know!

As much as medicine helps me control my symptoms. I didn't find that GPs gave me a good education on what Asthma is and what's happening in my body, And most importantly, what I can do about it.

Thanks to my journey to become a massage therapist, I have learned what muscles control breathing and how stress affects my body and breathing. And most important, what can I do about it!

Here are some ways massage therapy helps me with asthma:

1. Reducing stress and anxiety: Stress and anxiety can trigger or worsen asthma symptoms. Learning relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or yoga can help to reduce stress and anxiety, which can help to prevent asthma symptoms.

2. Improving respiratory function: Massage therapy can help to improve respiratory function by loosening tight muscles around the chest and improving circulation. This can help to reduce the severity of asthma symptoms.

3. Boosting the immune system: Regular massage therapy sessions can help to boost the immune system, which can help to reduce the frequency and severity of asthma attacks.

4. Promoting good breathing: Learning proper breathing techniques can help to improve respiratory function by increasing lung capacity, reducing the effort required for breathing, and improving oxygen intake. This can help to reduce the severity and frequency of asthma symptoms. Wim Hoff Breathing, Box Breathing, and Diaphragm breathing, often incorporated into massage therapy, can help reduce asthma symptoms and promote relaxation.

Massage Therapy

Realising the intercostal and scalene muscles and diaphragm can help with asthma by improving respiratory function and reducing the severity of asthma symptoms.

The intercostal muscles are located between the ribs and are responsible for expanding and contracting the chest during breathing. The scalene muscles are located in the neck and lift the ribs during inhalation. The diaphragm is a large muscle located at the base of the lungs, the primary muscle for breathing.

When these muscles become tight or tense, breathing becomes more difficult, worsening asthma symptoms. However, releasing tension in these muscles through massage, stretching, or breathing exercises can help improve respiratory function and reduce the severity of asthma symptoms.

For example, deep breathing exercises, which involve inhaling deeply through the nose and exhaling slowly through the mouth, can help stretch and relax the intercostal and scalene muscles and the diaphragm. This can help to increase lung capacity and reduce the effort required for breathing, which can help to reduce the frequency and severity of asthma attacks.

Additionally, massage therapy can release tension in these muscles, Helping them move better and expand freely without the stress of over-breathing and restrictions.

I still use my inhalers and have regular asthma checks. Thanks to regular breathing practice and massage therapy, my asthma is much better controlled, and I can do more and feel more under control.

It's important to note that massage therapy should not be used as the only treatment for asthma. It's essential to continue taking medications as prescribed by a doctor and to follow an asthma action plan. Before starting massage therapy, discussing it with a healthcare provider is crucial.

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