Column July 14, 2025
Bronchial Asthma — Reducing Attack Frequency with Adjunctive Korean Medicine
Hyo-seop Kim
Chief Director
Table of Contents
Shortness of breath and a wheezing sound
Bronchial asthma is a condition in which chronic airway inflammation makes the bronchi hypersensitive, leading to recurrent wheezing, shortness of breath, cough, and chest tightness. Allergens, exercise, cold air, and infection are the main triggers.
How Korean medicine sees asthma: Phlegm-fluid retention (痰飮)
- Cold phlegm (寒痰): Clear, foamy sputum that worsens with cold air → Socheongnyong-tang (小靑龍湯, Xiao Qing Long Tang)
- Hot phlegm (熱痰): Yellow, sticky sputum with thirst → Jeongcheon-tang (定喘湯, Ding Chuan Tang)
- Kidney deficiency (腎虛): Inspiratory dyspnea — difficulty drawing air in → Geumgwe-singihwan (金匱腎氣丸) modified
Relationship with conventional inhalers
Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and bronchodilators are the cornerstone of asthma treatment. Korean medicine is not a replacement for them — it serves as an adjunctive role that reduces the frequency of attacks, improves overall constitution, and gradually allows the inhaler dose to be tapered.
Acupuncture and moxibustion
- Tiantu (CV22) and Dingchuan (EX-B1): key points that relieve bronchial spasm
- Moxibustion on Feishu (BL13): tonifies lung yang and strengthens resistance to cold air
- Consistent treatment between attacks (the remission phase) is essential — treating only during an attack offers limited benefit