Auricular Acupressure as an Adjuvant Treatment for Wheezing in Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Summary

This protocol describes an effective therapy using auricular acupressure to relieve wheezing symptoms in stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Abstract

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major public health problem. Due to the restriction of expiratory airflow, it is characterized by emphysematous destruction of the lungs. Shortness of breath is one of the main clinical symptoms. Auricular acupressure is a clinical therapy characteristic of Chinese medicine that treats the disease by compressing ear points. Usually, the seeds of Vaccaria segetalis are used to stimulate ear points, which has the effect of regulating qi and alleviating wheezing. In this paper, we propose this characteristic therapy of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for the clinical symptoms of wheezing of lung and kidney qi deficiency type in stable COPD patients. Ear points are selected as the treatment protocol for Lung (CO14), Spleen (CO13), Kidney (CO10), Shen Men (TF4), and Ping Chuan (AT1.2.4i) points. The protocol describes a case study using auricular acupressure for a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to relieve wheezing symptoms.

Introduction

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common, preventable, and treatable chronic respiratory disease. The disease is characterized by persistent respiratory symptoms and airflow limitation, usually associated with airway and/or alveolar abnormalities caused by significant exposure to harmful particles or gases¹. In 2016, more than 3 million people died from COPD, accounting for 6% of all deaths worldwide². Healthcare costs for COPD are an increasing burden on the world³. COPD is now a major public health problem with high rates of death, morbidity, disability, and....

Protocol

The protocol is carried out in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. It is approved by the Approval Committee of the Department of Respiratory Medicine, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The number is KY2022009. Informed consent was obtained.

1. Patient candidacy screening

1. Inclusion criteria
   1. Ensure age is between 50-65 years. Ensure that the patients meet the diagnosis of stable COPD and lung and kidney qi deficiency.......

Discussion

Modern medicine treats COPD patients mainly with long-acting β2 agonists (LABAs), long-acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMAs), and ICS²³. Chinese medicine classifies COPD as wheezing based on the clinical characteristics of cough, sputum, shortness of breath, and dyspnea²⁴. At the same time, Chinese medicine believes that the 12 meridians are connected to the ear. Auricular points are interconnected with meridians, tissues, and organs. It is closely related to the body&.......

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Auricular acupressure patch template	Hengshui Runhuang Trading Co., Ltd
Cotton balls with 75% ethanol	Qingdao Hainuo Biological Engineering Co., Ltd	20172640783
Medical blades	Suzhou Kaiyuan Medical Equipment Co., Ltd	20192020831
Medical tape	Zhende Medical Supplies Co., Ltd	20170090
Sterile forceps	Yangzhou Zhixiang Medical Technology Co., Ltd	20210081
The seeds of Vaccaria segetalis	Anhui Kang Yunuo Biotechnology Co., Ltd	SC10334161107893