Asthma has become a serious challenge to clinical medicine today, with an increase in incidence, morbidity, and mortality over the past two decades. Asthma continues to be a problem despite increased knowledge of the pathophysiology of asthma coupled with the development of a variety of new and innovative medications that can be used to treat asthma. Five areas involving asthma management are reviewed and involve a failure to do the following: (1) identify disease instability and progression; (2) adopt an optimal pharmacologic treatment plan; (3) identify and help the patient avoid environmental triggers; (4) evaluate and treat certain disruptive psychodynamic issues; and (5) use essential non-pharmacologic modes of therapy such as osteopathic manipulation, nutritional considerations, physical training, and controlled breathing techniques that may help to favorably modify the asthma disease process.

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				P. A. Guiney, R. Chou, A. Vianna, and J. Lovenheim Effects of Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment on Pediatric Patients With Asthma: A Randomized Controlled Trial J Am Osteopath Assoc, January 1, 2005; 105(1): 7 - 12. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]