 |
| The 6 letter wrod 'Asthma' is a Greek word which means "to breathe hard", "to fight for each single breath." BREATH IS LIFE AND LIFE IS BREATH. Breathing is such an accepted reality of life that we do not give much significance to it until we are deprived of it. Ask an asthma patient the agony and distress of waking up in the middle of the night, with a feeling of suffocation, short ineffectual cough, labored breathing and wheezing. |
Asthma is a chronic lung disease characterized by inflammation and spasm of the bronchial tubes (airways). It is characterized functionally by the presense of airflow obstruction which is variable over short periods of time.
The bronchial tubes of an asthmatic patient are hypersensitive and react excessively to things that are minor irritants to people without asthma.
It can happen at any age, but most often develops in childhood. The condition seems to be increasing in our population. It affects 1 in 10 adults and 1 in 7 children.
Asthma is multifactorial in origin, arising from the interaction of both genetic and environmental factors. Actual cause of asthma is not known but is genearally due to hypersensitivity of the lungs and airways to certain things.
Asthma is broadly said to be of 2 types :
Non allergic asthma.
Allergic asthma.
Non allergic asthma : There is hypersensitivity of the bronchial system and can be caused by any one of the following reasons. Genetic predisposition is a must for its occurance. The acute attacks could be triggered by factors such as pollen, dust mites, pets, foods like fish, eggs, peanuts, cow's milk, shellfish, respiratory infections like colds, bronchitis and sinusitis, certain drug sensivities, tobacco, cigarrettes smoke, weather change, diesel funes, paint, deodorants, gases and perfumes, excercise, emotional stress, disturbed family relationships, hormonal factors like PMS.
Due to hypersensitivity of the individual above triggers lead to release of histamine from the inner bronchial wall which leads to constriction of the bronchioles and thereby an attack of asthma.
Allergic asthma : Asthma which begins in childhood generally occurs in Atopic individuals who produce significant amounts of immuno globulins on exposure to small amounts of common antigens. These kind of people have a high prevalence of asthma, allergic rhinitis, urticaria and eczema |
 |
|
| Asthma Causes |
Asthma has no single cause. It is caused my multiple factors, which can be divided in two groups:
1. External
2. Internal.
Asthma is caused and maintained by more than one of the following causes:
1. Genetic or hereditary cause
2. Environmental factors (pollution, pollen, etc) - Systemic diseases
3. Mental stress
4. Allergens
Asthma has a tendency to recur and get chronic. It is often observed to be a life long disease like diabetes or high blood pressure.
One or more of the above factors lead to altered immunity which eventually leads to chronic asthma. It may be noted that the genetic tendency for asthma forms soil, leading to susceptibility to be affected by other external or internal trigger factors. |
 |
Allergens:
• Pollens
• Air pollutants
• Smoking and second hand smoking
• Respiratory infections
• Common cold, Sinusitis
• Exercise, physical exertion
• Cold air
• Medications: Aspirin, NSAID, Beta blockers etc.
• GERD (Gastro esophageal Reflux Disease)
The list can be exhaustive though each person may have a different individual or a combination of triggering factors.
Risk Factors:
The following factors increase your chances of developing Asthma.
• Urban / Industrial areas where the exposure to environmental pollutants is more.
• Work Environment - Exposure to chemicals, dust, industrial waste.
• Heredity - Have a history of either parents or family members suffering from Asthma.
• Childhood - History of recurrent respiratory tract infections, low birth weight.
• GERD |
| How to Prevent Asthma Attacks? |
Avoid
allergens / allergic foods which can cause an episode, as much as possible.
working in areas of noxious funes or polluted air.
cold things and cold winds.
pelts and pollens.
drugs which can cause allergy.
smokes and smoking.
congestive places where oxygen quotient is very less.
strain or strenous exercise while having lung infection or shortness of breath.
Do's
Take complete course of homeopathic remedies as directed by physician.
Taper the homeopathic medicines with the advice of your physician.
Keep your living area clean.
Care for good ventilation.
Improve lung function with regular breathing / aerobic exercises.
Have nutrious foods to lead healthy life.
While cleaning house wear mask for protection.
Clean
air filters (of ACs/windows) often.
damp places to reduce molds and dust mites.
bedspreads, pillows, blankets, mattress, rugs every week.
houses with vacuum cleaner rather than sweeping or dusting.
carpets frequently with vacuum cleaner.
Lab Investigations in Asthma
Actually, symptomatology is enough to diagnose bronchial asthma.
In patients with asthma the pulmonary function tests show decreased capacity of the lungs.
Chest x-ray would rule out bronchitis or any other infection.
Eosinophil count is found to be raised |
| Homeopathic Treatment of Asthma |
Allopathic treatment and its ill effects
Allopathic medical treatment focuses on the symptoms rather than potential causes of asthma patients.
Drugs are commonly prescribed and there has been a trend in recent years to rely on inhaled agents. Common inhalers include salbutamol and metaproterenol (direct bronchial dilators), cromolyn (blocks allergy-related chemicals from being released in the lung), and beclomethasone but there are serious side effects associated with these drugs which include tachycardia, hypertension and headaches.
Oral drugs incude theophylline, which dilates bronchial passages but side effects from this drug are common and include nause, gastrointestinal disturbances, insomnia, tachycardia and even convulsions.
Cortisone and prednisone are steroid drugs which are very effective in asthma but they too can produce side effects which are very serious and include decreased resistence to infections, dependence on the drug, stomach problems, osteoporosis, cataract and so on.
Safe homeopathic treatment
Homeopathy is a system of medicine that supports the body's own healing mechanism. People suffering from asthma often have allergic tendencies; a genetic predisposition is common.
Constitutional homeopathic care (with the guidance of an experienced well-trained homeopath) can help to improve a person's general health on deeper levels and possibly reduce the tendency towards asthma. However, it involves careful study of every episode to evaluate the cause that might have precipitated the attack, the exact symptoms, and the factors that make the attack worse or better.
No two people have exactly the same asthma symptoms or outcomes. It is a very individualized disease. Every patient suffering from asthma experiences it in a different way: with exertion, when apprehensive, when outdoors, in summer, in winter, on waking, after eating and so on.
Homeopathic medicines treat asthma from the origin rather than suppressing its symptoms. Thus, you can rely on homeopathy for healthy breathing and a healthy life with an enhanced resistance power.
What is experienced by a patient on homeopathic treatment
INTENSITY AND PERIODICITY of asthma attack decreases as homeopathic remedies start their effect.
The patient feels better as there is marked reduction in breathlessness and cough.
The altered immune response leading to repeated attacks of asthma can be corrected by homeopathic medicines.
Homeopathic treatment can help in desensitizing the allergens.
As the homeopathic treatment progresses we would see that acute attacks become less severe and less frequent before they stop completely.
The known allergens when exposed to produce no symptoms shows that homeopathic medication is going in the right direction.
Can homeopathy cure asthma permanently
If effectively prescribed, homeopathic treatment can completely root out asthma, though it may take time before desirable results are achieved. The treatment is aimed at both acute and chronic stages.
There are homeopathic medicines that can effectively control the acute phase and later when there is a period of remission, constitutional treatment is given to optimize the immune system.
Children take 12 to 20 months to get cure from symptoms, adults require 16 to 22 months and if asthma alternates with skin disease then it will take longer time to get completely cured.
There are many homoeopathy medicines which give great relief in asthma. However, the correct choice and the resulting relief is a matter of experience and right judgment on the part of the homeopathic doctor. The treatment is decided after thorough case taking of the patient. Thus homeopathic remedies of asthma are tailor made unlike allopathy in which all patients receive the same drugs including steroids although trade name may be different |
|
Facebook
Twitter
