l therapies, herbal remedies, yoga and breathing methods, acupuncture, aromatherapy, allopathic medicines, and massage. Dupler states that various massage therapies (e.g., rolfing) help asthma patients to open up and increase circulation in the chest areas.
Miller (2001) reports that regular massage therapy can be very helpful to asthma patients. In particular, Miller states that massage relaxes the musculature and also helps to reduce anxiety. It is further noted that a study using samples of children in which massage was received once daily for 30 days demonstrated increased peak airflow and FEV1.
In his discussion of alternative therapies for asthma, Ernst (2001) points out that while massage therapy has been associated with some positive outcomes as a treatment for asthma, the studies suffer from some methodological problems. Specifically, Ernst states that when the studies are reviewed as a whole, many of them simply do not have the level, volume, and quality of the evidence so as to make the findings compe
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