A man in his late 40s presented with a long history of asthma. His asthma got worse after he moved to Arizona from the East coast. His Allergist thinks his asthma had become unregulated by being exposed to new allergens in AZ. He was using a bronchodilator and inhalant steroids daily. The patient was also getting recurrent sinus infections and was always feeling congestion and sinus pain. His sinuses were so congested that he had lost his sense of smell and was using four different over-the-counter sinus medication every day. At night he was overwhelmed with the mucus and phlegm that accumulated in his throat and lungs. It would cause choking fits while he was sleeping. He had a desk job and because he wasn’t healthy enough to workout, he was also battling obesity. He had a significant wheeze however his oxygen saturation and blood pressure were within normal limits.
He was very frustrated about the state of his health when he came to seek help from Chinese medicine. He received acupuncture, cupping therapy, started Chinese herbal medicine, and made some dietary changes that his body needed to help heal. Within the first week of treatment, the patient was no longer waking to choking fits from phlegm accumulating while sleeping. By the second week of treatment, he stopped using all the sinus medication and noticed a significant decrease in sinus pain and pressure. He continued regular treatment for 5 months.
Update:
Currently, he takes a low dosage of herbal medicine that is rich in adaptogenic herbs to help reduce his allergic response from the environment so that his sinuses and his lungs do not suffer. He was finally able to begin hiking with his wife again and had lost 45 pounds. He no longer has asthma attacks and sinus infections and is enjoying life for the first time in a long time. He stated almost every time he came to the clinic that he wished he would have come years earlier!
Every success story on this website is from a patient of Dr. Erin West. All patient testimonials were unsolicited. No one was paid for a testimonial or endorsement. Before and after photos were not retouched or altered. Results were self-reported by the customer and therefore cannot be confirmed. Results may not be typical.
Meet Dr. West, TCMD, LAc
Dr. West graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Cellular Biology from California State University Fullerton in southern CA where she was raised. She then completed a 5-year Doctorate in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) at Pacific Rim College of Integrative and Complementary Medicine in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Dr. West is Nationally Board Certified in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine by the NCCAOM and licensed with the State of Arizona.
