Expert: Marc Rubin, RPh Asthma Educator - 1/11/2008

Question
Hi there, I have asthma which only generally requires a puff of the ventolin before sport.  When it do get asthma I've noticed that a lump under my right shoulder blade starts to burn.  If I maneuver my shoulder so I can get to it, it feels like its enflamed and it feels like pins and needles when I rub it.  I was told by a reiki practitioner quite some time ago that it was related to my asthma.. Is there a chance that if I have it massaged that it will cure my asthma? Is there anything else I can do to get rid of the lump and the asthma?

Kind regards, Scott

Answer
Without more history of your asthma: onset..childhood?, How your physician treated you. What medications you have been prescribed for control aside from Ventolin. How frequently, and at what time of day have you required treatment.Have you had night-time awakenings, contact with animals, seasonal issues? There is not enough information provided to give you a full response, so I'll give you a bit of guidance.

 First, a Reiki practitioner is NOT a medical practitioner. Reiki is a form of spiritual practice a)used as a complementary therapy, and b)for the treatment of physical, emotional, and mental diseases. Practitioners state that energy flows through their palms to bring about healing and that the method can be used for self-treatment as well as treatment of others. They do not have any formal medical training, and as such, are not in the position to make a medical judgment as yours has. As in any complementary medicine, even in pharmacy, it is a responsibility of the practitioner to refer a patient in an appropriate direction for issues outside their scope of practice.
 In regards to your lump, has it ever been examined by a physician, especially when it has been inflamed? Lumps are not associated with asthma. It may be a lymph node, a benign cyst, etc., that when the inflammation level of your lungs goes up, it too may increase in inflammation. There is absolutely no chance of cure (controlled, yes), but, the lump may be a source of inflammation which may trigger the asthma. As an example: a patient treated with controller medication for asthma, but only addressing the lungs, yet the doctor failed to address the chronic sinus allergies: it is all part of the airway system, and a flare-up in the nose will trigger an attack in the lungs. Similarly, in a patient with acid reflux, the irritation in the throat will send signals through a nerve that is connected to the lungs also, and may also trigger an attack. So while the lump may be associated with your asthma, it is neither causative, nor curative.
  Regarding your Reiki practitioner,I'd look for a new one that understands the limits to what they can and can not do. Just like a chiropractor who claims they can cure diabetes by re-aligning the spine, run, don't walk away.
  I hope this helped. If you need more info, please re-post. Also, if you decide to see a physician, I'd focus on either a pulmonologist or an allergy/immunologist to work you up properly. In addition, write down on paper the history of your asthma, therapy you've been on, what worked and what didn't, and what triggers attacks, e.g.: sports, but how about seasonal variations due to pollen, mold, temperature changes, foods or smells, family history, etc. It will help guide the physician in the right direction.
 Good Luck!

Marc