Homeopathy for Asthma

Homeopathy for Asthma 

Asthma is a chronic disease that affects the airways. The airways are the tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs. In asthma, the inside walls of the airways are inflamed (swollen). The inflammation makes the airways very sensitive, and they tend to react strongly to things that one is allergic to or find irritating. When the airways react, they get narrower, and less air flows through to the lung tissue.
Symptoms-
Common symptoms of an asthmatic episode include:

·         Coughing. Coughing from asthma is often worse at night or early in the morning, making it hard to sleep.

·         Wheezing. Wheezing is a whistling or squeaky sound when you breathe.

·         Chest tightness. This can feel like something is squeezing or sitting on your chest.

·         Shortness of breath. Some people say they can't catch their breath, or they feel breathless or out of breath. You may feel like you can't get enough air in or out of your lungs.

·         Faster breathing or noisy breathing.

Common Signs of an asthmatic episode include:

·         Wheezing,

·         Rapid breathing (tachypnea)

·         Prolonged expiration.

·         A rapid heart rate (tachycardia)

·         Rhonchous

• lung sounds (audible through a stethoscope),
• Over-inflation of the chest. 

Here are a few of the common signs and symptoms that a person suffering from asthma experiences.
1. Breathlessness is the main symptom. The patient experiences a difficulty in breathing and has to exert in order to breathe.
2. The child usually has a cough, which causes problems. This cough may be dry or with congestion in the chest and comes on very frequently.
3. A wheeze may be heard while breathing. This is because of the narrowing of the bronchial tubes.
4. Thick mucous may be present which makes respiration more difficult.
5. There might be other respiratory symptoms like cold and blocking of the nose, which makes the child breathe through the mouth.
6. Flaring of the nostrils, using the neck and other accessory muscles of respiration is not a good sign.
7. There might be a fever and the patient feels exhausted and fatigued.
8. The child may become cranky and his or her behavior might change.
9. The asthma patient normally experiences a tightness of the chest. They feel as if a load is there.
10. The appetite decreases as the breathlessness and heaviness of the chest is worse after eating.

 

The accessory of respiration (sternocleidomastoid and scalene muscles of the neck) may be used, shown as in-drawing of tissues between the ribs and above the sternum and  clavicles, and the presence of a paradoxical pulse (a pulse that is weaker during inhalation and stronger during exhalation).
During very severe attack:
An asthma sufferer can turn blue from lack of oxygen, and can experience chest pain or even loss of consciousness. Just before loss of consciousness, there is a chance that the patient will feel numbness in the limbs and palms may start to sweat. Feet may become icy cold.
Despite the severity of symptoms during an asthmatic episode, between attacks an asthmatic may show few signs of the disease.


ASTHMA PROBLEMS IN WINTER

Though in our city the winters are mild and the temperatures do not touch zero there are certain health problems that are seen more often in our clinics than others. Asthma is one of the most common health problems seen during this time of the year. This is especially true in the case of children.

WHY DOES WINTER BRING ON ASTHMA?
There are a number of reasons and factors, which make people suffering from asthma more susceptible to getting an attack during the winter months. This increases the level of pollution in the air. Also in winter the air pollution stays at a lower level in the atmosphere making it hard for asthmatics to breathe. The characteristic SMOG that we see during the winter months contains many particles, which trouble the respiratory system. This can trigger an attack in a susceptible individual.
In this weather the humidity in the air decreases to very low levels. This makes the air dry and devoid of moisture. In order to compensate for the dryness in the air the lining of the lungs produces more mucus than normal. This additional thick mucous can block the airways triggering an asthma attack.
During winter months in those places where the temperature plunges to nearly zero people tend to stay more indoors. This makes an asthmatic patient exposed to all the household allergens like dust mites, irritants like sprays, strong smells and perfumes, cockroaches, molds and several bacteria and viruses. This closed environment makes an asthmatic more prone to get infected with some respiratory tract infection which could trigger an attack.
Also winter months bring on the colds and Flu season. There are several viruses that cause these respiratory problems. Staying with someone or being in close contact with a person suffering from viral cold or flu makes you prone to getting it. This is especially true for children who are asthmatic.
Physical exertion during these winter months can also bring on an asthma attack. This is seen more at a higher altitude where the air is thin and temperatures are very low. Cold air, which is low in humidity, tends to increase the narrowing and drying effect exercise has on the airways.


WHAT PRECAUTIONS CAN BE TAKEN TO AVOID ASTHMA DURING WINTER?
There are a few ways in which you can protect yourself against getting an attack of asthma.
1. Make sure your immunity is in good shape. This can be achieved if you lead a healthy lifestyle and diet. If you are allergic to something or if you are aware of what triggers your attack you should avoid consuming it.
2. Stay away from those who are already suffering from viral infections especially colds or flu. If you are in the same house make sure your things are separate from the infected person. Wash your hands before you touch your eyes, nose or eat anything.
3. Cover your body well if you have to go out in the cold. Children should be well clad when going out in this weather. Cover their mouths and noses with a scarf, this helps warm the air before it enters the air passages.
4. Increase the child's liquid intake. By this I mean his water intake and not aerated drinks, milk, tea, coffee etc… it is best to drink plenty of pure water throughout the day. This will help in loosening the mucous, which might be blocking the airways.
5. Do not use sprays, pesticides, strong smelling perfumes and odors in the house especially during these months. Try and make your home as dust and allergen free as possible.
6. Do not allow your child to over exert. Though exercise and playing sports is good it should be done in limit.
7. Keep your asthmatic child away from the fire-cracker pollution if possible. It is a good idea to take a holiday to some place where this will be minimum.
 HOW IS AN ASTHMA ATTACK TREATED AND MANAGED?
There are a number of drugs and inhalers available for the treatment of an asthma attack. They help either by dilating the airways or by suppressing the immune reaction of the body to the allergen. Often steroids are used in the treatment of an attack and though they are very effective in the longer run they have their own set of side-effects. Please understand that these are only temporary measures, which should be given during an acute attack, but it is not the long term solution to this problem. However let me specify again that these drugs should be given in order to relieve the patient either in the form of a tablet, inhaler, syrup or nebulizer in case of acute attack. Nebulizer is one of the most effective and least harmful way of dispensing these drugs and should be especially for children.
The key to treating and managing asthma is to prevent it from occurring. For this your immune system has to be in order and under control. The trigger factors should be avoided both in the environment and in diet. This ideal situation is very hard to achieve in our daily lives in this city. Environmental changes and pollution is hard to avoid and people who are susceptible will get affected. This susceptibility is what we try to remove in our Homoeopathic system of medicine in order to treat asthma.
There are several factors, which make an individual susceptible to this problem. Genetically some people inherit this problem from their ancestors. It is also very closely connected to your mental and emotional state. If your immunity is disturbed and you become hypersensitive to external stimulants and environment then asthma sets in.
In our system of medicine we take into consideration various factors like the family history, constitution of the affected person, mental and emotional state, symptoms etc.

Complications-

Severe asthma attacks, which may not be responsive to standard treatments (status asthmaticus), are life-threatening and may lead to respiratory arrest and death.
Remedies-

There are lots of medicines in homeopathy for asthma. Some of the common medicines are: ars-alb, ipecac, lachesis, pulsatilla, spongia, sulphur, ignatia, antim-tart, hepar-sulph, nat-sulph, tuberculinum etc. The selection of medicine varies from patient to patient.

Arsenic Album [Ars alb]

Ars-alb is one of the most important remedies for asthma. Air-passages are constricted. Asthma is worse in midnight. Burning in chest. Suffocative feeling in the chest. Cough worse after midnight; worse lying on back. Expectoration is scanty, frothy. Darting pain through upper third of right lung. Wheezing sound from chest during respiration. Hæmoptysis with pain between shoulders; burning heat all over. Cough dry, as from sulphur fumes; after drinking. Unable to lie down; fears suffocation. Great exhaustion after the slightest exertion is the key note indication.

 Ipecacnuha [Ipecac]

Ipecac has dyspn?a with constriction in chest. Asthma with yearly attacks of difficult shortness of breathing. Continued sneezing; coryza and wheezing cough. Cough incessant and violent, with every breath. Chest seems full of phlegm, but does not yield to coughing. Bubbling rales. Suffocative cough; child becomes stiff, and blue in the face. Whooping-cough, with nosebleed, and from mouth. Bleeding from lungs, with nausea; feeling of constriction; rattling cough. Hæmoptysis from slightest exertion Hoarseness of voice.

 Lachesis [Lach]

There is sensation of suffocation and strangulation on lying down, particularly when anything is around throat; which compels patient to spring from bed and rush for open window. This is the key note indication of this remedy. Feels he must take a deep breath. Cough; dry, suffocative fits, tickling. Little secretion and much sensitiveness; worse, pressure on larynx, after sleep, open air. Breathing almost stops on falling asleep Sensation as of a plug which moves up and down, with a short cough. Upper part of windpipe very susceptible to touch

 Spongia tosta [Spongia]

Great dryness of all air-passages along with Cough, dry, barking, croupy; larynx sensitive to touch is the keynote indication of the remedy. Respiration is short, panting, and difficult; feeling of a plug in larynx. Cough abates after eating or drinking, especially warm drinks. The dry, chronic sympathetic cough or organic heart disease is relieved by Spongia (Naja). Irrepressible cough from a spot deep in chest, as if raw and sore. Chest weak; can scarcely talk. Bronchial catarrh, with wheezing, asthmatic cough, worse cold air, with profuse expectoration and suffocation; worse, lying with head low and in hot room. Oppression and heat of chest, with sudden weakness.
This is one of the most effective remedy used to treat asthma during winter time. The patient feels as if the air passages are dry. There is also a peculiar feeling as if a plug is present in the larynx which makes breathing difficult. The respiration is short, panting and suffocative.
Cough is another important symptom of this remedy. The cough can be barking, sawing, hollow and is worse in cold air. On examining there might be a wheezing sound heard in the chest. Though a lot of mucous is produced the Spongia patient finds it very hard to bring it up and instead tends to swallow it again.
The asthma is aggravated by lying down especially at night, worse in winter where there is dry cold air and after exerting. Spongia patient is always better by eating or drinking something warm.relieve the asthma and eradicate the cough

Antimonium Tartaricum [Ant tart]

Great rattling of mucus in the chest but very little is expectorated. Burning sensation in chest, which ascends to throat. Rapid, short, difficult breathing; seems as if he would suffocate; must sit up. Coughing and gaping consecutively. Bronchial tubes overloaded with mucus. Cough excited by eating, with pain in chest and larynx. Much palpitation, with uncomfortable hot feeling. Pulse rapid, weak, trembling. Dizziness, with cough. Dyspn?a relieved by eructation. Cough and dyspn?a better lying on right side.

 Natrum Sulphuricum [Nat sulph]

Nat sulph has dyspn?a during damp weather which is one of the most important key note indications. Patient must hold chest when coughing. Humid asthma; rattling in chest, at 4 and 5 am. Cough is with thick ropy, greenish expectoration. Constant desire to take deep, long breath. Asthma in children, as a constitutional remedy. Delayed resolution in pneumonia. Springs up in bed the cough hurts so; holds painful side. Pain through lower left chest. Every fresh cold brings on attack of asthma.

 Lobelia Inflata [Lob]

Dyspnoea from constriction of chest; worse, any exertion. Sensation of pressure or weight in chest; better by rapid walking. Feels as if heart would stop. Asthma; attacks, with weakness. Shortness of breath.

 Pulsatilla [Puls]

Dry cough in evening and at night; must sit up in bed to get relief; and loose cough in the morning, with copious mucous expectoration. Pressure upon the chest and soreness. Pain as from ulcer in middle of chest. Expectoration bland, thick, bitter, greenish. Short breath, anxiety, and palpitation when lying on left side. Smothering sensation on lying down. Asthma aggravated in evenings and better in open air.

Sulphur [Sulph]

Difficult respiration and always wants windows open. Sensation of heat throughout chest.  Loose cough; worse talking, morning, greenish, purulent, sweetish expectoration. Much rattling of mucus. Chest feels heavy; stitches, with heart feeling too large and palpitating pleuritic exudations. Asthma is worse lying on back or breathing deeply. Oppression, as of a load on chest. Dyspn?a in middle of night, relieved by sitting up. Pulse more rapid in morning than in evening.

 Ignatia Amara [Ign]

Dry, spasmodic cough in quick successive shocks. Reflex coughs. Coughing increases the desire to cough. Much sighing. Hollow spasmodic cough, worse in the evening, little expectoration, leaving pain in trachea. Asthma from slightest mental emotion or grief is the keynote symptom of the remedy.  


NUX VOMICA
This popular homoeopathic remedy is often used in cases of disorders of the digestive tract. However it is also effective in treating cases of asthma and other respiratory problems. The patient feels as if the air passages are constricted and has to forcibly try to remove the mucous. The breathing is shallow and oppressed.
There is a dry hacking cough with a feeling of tightness in the chest. The Nux Vomica patient says that during the asthma attack he feels as if his clothes are too tight and there is fullness of the stomach.
All these symptoms are worse early morning, in cold open air, from drafts of air, strong odours, noise, anger. This patient will get relief from wrapping up the head or by drinking hot drinks and in moist air.

 refrence by dr shirin wadia

I would like to state that this article is written in order to make people aware that Homoeopathy has wonderful treatment for problems of asthma during winter. However self medication is not advised and you must visit a physician. Also as I have mentioned earlier for an acute attack other medication can and should be given in order relieve the patient along with the Homoeopathic medicine. In this manner the frequency and severity of the attacks will gradually reduce and the need for other medicines, inhalers, nebulizers will decrease.

Readers are advised that the medical advice offered in this column pertains to generalised treatment of condition. Kindly consult your doctor before self-medication.