How Larry Got Asthma By Falling Out of a Tree

from Asthma - Breathe Easily Again
by Richard Leviton
Alternative Medicine, issue 25, September 1998,
pages 60 to 67.

the reference to Dr. Allan runs from page 63 to 65.

"…In some cases, a structural misalignment can precipitate a case of childhood asthma. Norman Allan, Ph.D., D.C., a chiropractor and homeopath who practices in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, explains in the following cases how physical trauma can lead to asthma-ma and how chiropractic can relieve it. Larry, 10, was brought to Dr. Allan with symptoms of bronchial asthma and allergies that had persisted since he was six. Any had to use his inhaler many times every day; he was dependent on steroidal drugs at times of crisis; and about twice every year, he had to be rushed to the hospital emergency room for relief of an asthma attack. In asking Larry's mother about his health history, Dr. Allan learned that one week before Larry's first asthma (attack), he had fallen out of a tree. She told him that while she had mentioned this fact to the numerous doctors they had consulted previously, all had dismissed it as a potential contributing factor. But to chiropractor Allan, an in-cident such as falling from a tree could easily explain a case of asth-ma. It turned out Larry had sublux-ated (thrown out of correct vertebral alignment) his filth thoracic verte-bra, at about the level of the ster-num. From chiropractic's clinical viewpoint, this misalignment of a vertebra in the upper chest would impair the function of nerves serv-ing the lungs and thus set the con-dition for respiratory problems. Dr. Allan made the appropriate chiropractic adjustments on Larry. The next day his mother reported that he was about 80% better. Over the next three months, Dr. Allan adjusted Larry week-ly. At the end of that time, Larry's asthma was "well controlled," says Dr. Allan. He no longer needed his inhaler every day and, over the next two years, his asthma symptoms re-turned in mild form only under conditions of high stress, usually of an emo-tional nature. If Larry over-exercised, such as running five miles in one burst, some asthma symp-toms might come back. To complete Larry’s asthma cure, Dr. Allan pre-scribed several low-dose homeopathic remedies specific to Larry's condition and character. These included Natrum muriaticum (common salt) 3Oc, Kali phosphoricum (potassi-um phosphate) 6x, and a specially made homeopathic remedy prepared from house dust collected from Larry's home. This may sound strange, but homeopathy is based on the principle of like cures like: to reverse symptoms, take a minutely diluted form of the substance that causes those symptoms. In addition, Dr. Allan determined that Larry had a food allergy to aspartame, the artificial sweetener, and advised him to stay away from soft drinks and sodas, which tend to contain aspartame. "People with asthma generally have allergies," Dr. Allan notes. Reviewing Larry's case afier eight years, Dr. Allan reflects: "He is now asthma free, and became so within two years of start-ing treatment. Bear in mind, this case is some-what exceptional - asthma onset can be due to a mechanical problem. However, of the asthmatic children I’ve worked with, about one-third respond dramatically to chiropractic intervention, especially when there is a strong emotional component and some degree of a physical, structural problem. Another one-third respond on a limited basis, and the remaining third do not noticeably respond." Dr Allan cites the case of Louisa, 6, as a clear illustration of the formative role of emotions in the emergence of asthma symp-toms. Louisa had suffered from asthma for several years, and sometimes it was so se-vere she needed hospitalization, explains Dr. Allan. As with Larry, there was a primary structural problem accounting for Louisa's asthma onset, and Dr Allan's chiropractic adjustment relieved this in one session. However, one day Louisa's mother de-veloped a severe sinus headache and col-lapsed in front of Louisa. The girl thought her mother had just died and went into an asthma attack. A second round of chiropractic and some warm "contact and comforting" brought relief this second time, says Dr. Allan. The asthma did not return. Dr. Allan notes that in his experience chiropractic intervention is less successful for adult asthmatics. Here, instead, he tends to rely on acupuncture and homeopathic and herbal remedies to relieve the emo-tional and allergic underpinnings, as in the following case. Sadie, 32, had suffered with asthma for six years, enduring symptoms such as wheez-ing, coughing, and a pressing sensation in her chest. Dr. Allan gave Sadie homeopath-ic Arsenicum album, first at 9C then at 3Oc, to address her qualities of nervous restless-ness, depression about being cured, and shortness of breath and other asthmatic symp-toms. Next, he prepared a homeopathic rem-edy from the dander of Sadie's cat, to which she was allergic. Over a period of about three weeks, Sadie's asthma slowly cleared up and then disappeared, reports Dr Allan. He adds that the following herbs, pre-pared as a tea, can be effective in eliminating asthma symptoms. Dr Allan blends one teaspoon each of dried leaves of boneset, ele-campane, cleavers, and plantain. "In stubborn, resistant cases, lobelia might be added, but cautiously' says Dr. Allan. Mix a teaspoon of each herb in a total of three cups of boiling water, and steep for 15 minutes, then divide into three servings, he says. Drink one cup, three times daily on an empty stomach. Dr. Allan notes that you can use these herbs in liquid tincture form as well, mixing equal parts and taking eight drops of each, three times daily, with a small amount of water if there is a strong emotional com-ponent to the asthma, the herb motherwort can be added to the blend, he says…