Asthma is a chronic lung condition wherein the air passage gets blocked or constricted due to the production of extra mucus. It is an age old condition which has been creating problems for people since a long time. Despite the seriousness of the condition, there are various myths people tend to believe about asthma.

Here are a few myths about asthma and the usage of inhalers:

Regular Usage of Inhalers is Addictive: This is a total myth. Using inhalers is not at all addictive, it is a necessity. Just because you use your inhaler regularly does not mean you are addicted to it.  Just like brushing your teeth every day isn't an addiction, taking your daily medicine from an inhaler isn't an addiction as well. Using an inhaler will just help you with your asthma condition.
Oral Medicine Gets Better Results than Inhalers: Absolutely not. In fact, it is proven that inhalers give better results than oral medications. Oral medication takes longer to act during a sudden asthma attack while inhalers deliver the drug directly to the lungs.
Inhalers Are Meant For Severe Asthma Cases: Well, this again is not true. Inhalers are used for treating asthma. Period. Asthma is a condition where your lungs inflame which is best cured with steroids, and the easiest way to have steroids administered to you is through the inhalation method. When you use the inhalers, the steroids are delivered directly to your lungs. They also have a minimum number of side effects when administered through inhalers.
Asthma is Curable: You might tend to think that asthma can be cured with the help of proper medications. You might think that asthma is not a constant condition. But it is not what you think. The symptoms of asthma might not be present all the time but that doesn't mean you do not have asthma. Asthma is a long-term condition where the airways swell up causing you to suffer from breathlessness. If you suddenly stop taking your daily medicines because the symptoms have not surfaced, then it will take you a long time before you will be able to totally recover from the next attack you suffer from.
If you have asthma, remember to take your medicines daily and timely. 

Debunking Asthma Myths

Asthma is something which affects quite a large number of people. As a matter of fact, up to 20 percent of the population is affected by it. Isn t it surprising that the ways to treat it are not so well known, taking into account how many people it affects? So, wouldn t it be a great idea to learn more about it and learn to treat it in a pretty unique way?

When a person has asthma, the airways of the respiratory system become narrower than they usually are and this, in turn, leads to a shortage of breath. While many people would normally go to a conventional doctor in order to treat asthma, it may come as a rude shock to know that asthma is often triggered by reactions to conventional medicines such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which are also known as NSAIDs. Things are not that straightforward, are they?

Ayurveda is a body of medicine which looks not at just patching up and fixing medical problems, but rather to maintain a high level of overall health. Considering this, it should not be much of a surprise to come to know that when it comes to the treatment of asthma, Ayurveda is not superficial like a lot of other methods of treatment. As a matter of fact, it not only looks at the respiratory system but also at the gastrointestinal system in order to provide a comprehensive solution for a patient who is affected by asthma.

According to Ayurveda, the body is divided into three doshas and in the case of asthma, it is the kappa dosha which is culpable. If the asthma is detected before too long, a fully effective treatment can be undertaken and the patient can be restored to his or her pre-asthma level. However, if there is a significant delay between the time that asthma sets in and its detection, only management is possible.

Foods which trigger asthma are to be avoided like the plague! Examples of these foods happen to be animal products and dairy products such as curd. In addition to this, bananas and sugary foods or sweets, including sugar, in itself, are to be avoided.

A paste of rock salt, mustard oil or clarified butter can help if it is rubbed on the chest. Medicines such as Sitopalaadi choorna are to be taken, with this specific medicine ingested with honey. Kapha kartari addresses the issues with the Kapha and with it, asthma should be on its way to becoming a minor problem pretty soon!

Asthma - Know How Ayurveda Can Help You!

 Asthma  is a serious expiratory disorder, whereby, the patient faces difficulty in breathing or dyspnoea due to various factors such as allergies, bronchial infection, anxiety or stress and occupational hazards. In all the cases, it leads to excessive bronchial spasm and mucus accumulation, plugging the bronchial which leads to paroxysms and the patient starts panting heavily. But it is completely chronic without any complications. 

Although allopathic measures such as inhalers and steroids can temporarily help to control the situation, yet, homeopathy has proved even more useful for asthma as the treatment is completely natural and does not carry the uncertainty of side effects like the steroids. It not only helps to reduce the intensity of spasms, but also, tries to cure the actual cause of asthma itself. Consequently, after a complete and proper treatment of asthma with homeopathy for a couple of months, it has been found, that the patients are living a happy life without any sign of the disease. Given below are the various homeopathic medicines used for curing asthma:

Arsenic Album   This medicine comes into rescue when the patient is extremely restless, unable to sit or stand comfortably, feels extremely thirsty but is unable to drink too much water, feels suffocated with pain in upper-right chest. Arsenic Album is said to have provided great relief to such patients.

Ipecac   When a patient suffers from vomiting and nausea during these asthmatic attacks, this medicine can prove very useful, especially in children and adults who are a little fat.

Antim Tart   One of the effective medicines for asthma accompanied by rattling cough caused due to eating making the patient feel very weak and sleepy. This medicine is generally suitable for old people and children.

Nux Vomica   This medicine helps patients who suffer from gastric problems due to asthma causing headache and epigastric pain in the stomach region.

Carbo Veg   This medicine helps in cases where asthmatic attacks make the patient s face blue and also cause coldness of hands and feet.

Although above medicines are very effective, yet, they should always be taken strictly under doctor s guidance.

Homeopathy Treatment For Asthma

The inflammations of the lining in the bronchial tubes, which are responsible for carrying air from and to your lungs are known as bronchitis. It is a respiratory disease and more than a million cases are reported each year. Bronchitis requires medical diagnosis by your healthcare provider and can be chronic or acute. Cold or other respiratory infections can cause acute bronchitis whereas smoking leads to chronic bronchitis. Acute bronchitis usually lasts for few days but with persistent cough. Whereas, chronic bronchitis can be responsible for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Symptoms of bronchitis:
The symptoms common to both acute and chronic bronchitis are given below:
1. Cough which may form mucus
2. Body aches and breathlessness
3. Headaches, blocked nose and sinuses
4. Fever with chills
5. Wheezing

The diagnosis of bronchitis is done by your doctor who will ask you about your cough. Some other questions may include your medical history, about smoking or whether you have had cases of flu or cold recently.

Treatment for bronchitis:
Your doctor will mainly recommend pain relievers and cough syrup along with warm air to breathe mainly at indoors. However your doctor may prescribe the following medications in cases of severe bronchitis:

1. Cough medicine: These medicines will help to remove mucus and irritants from your lungs. Medicines may not be able to suppress the symptoms completely but will give you relief from pain.
2. Bronchodilators: Which clears out the mucus by opening your bronchial tubes.
3. Mucolytics: These helps loosen mucus in the airways and help to cough up sputum.
4. Oxygen therapy: It will help to improve the oxygen intake when you face difficulty in breathing.
5. Therapy: Pulmonary program will include a therapist who would work to improve your breathing.
6. Medicines: Using anti inflammatory medicines to reduce damage to your lungs tissue and to also avoid chronic inflammation.

Prevention of bronchitis:

Acute and chronic bronchitis can be reduced by the following measures; however, they cannot be completely prevented:
1. Avoiding dust, smoke, and air pollution. You can always wear a mask when you are on the road or in traffic.
2. Washing your hands often to avoid germs and infections.
3. Avoiding smoking as it can cause harmful damage to your lungs.

All About Bronchitis

The lungs are made of pipes - starting from the nostrils all the way to the fine tubules in the lungs, through which the air we breathe passes through. The inhaled air also contains a lot of other particles - dust, pollen, virus, cigarette smoke, etc. Very often, the body is allergic to one or more of these particles, and the bronchi are constantly irritated and inflamed due to their sustained exposure. This causes allergic bronchitis which is identified by symptoms like chronic coughing, difficulty breathing, hoarseness, nasal congestion.

Ayurveda believes that the human body has 3 doshas or bio elements - vata, pitta, and kapha. Any disease is believed to be due to one of these being affected. Allergic bronchitis is believed to be an issue with vata.
1. The most effective treatment for bronchitis is believed to be a glass of milk mixed with 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder in it. This mixture is believed to be most effective when taken on an empty stomach and can be had 2 to 3 times a day.
2. Equal portions of powders of dry ginger, long pepper, and black pepper can be mixed with honey to make a smooth paste. This can be had 2 to 3 times a day to see wonderful results.
3. One-half teaspoon of licorice powder mixed in 1 cup of water can be boiled, cooled, and stored to be consumed through the day.
4. A creeping plant known as somlata (ephedra vulgaris) is found to be highly efficacious in relieving asthma. This grows in western himalayas in abundance and is sent in hundreds of tonnes to western countries where ephedrine is prepared from it. The powder made from the whole plant, after drying in the shade and is given in the dosage of 100 to 250 milligrams, mixed with honey or water at the intervals of 8 to 4 hours.

Other formulations

Kapha katari - literally translates as phlegm cutter, this works immediately. The powder needs to be wrapped in betel leaf and chewed slowly. Continue with another 4 doses over the next 24 hours.

Kanakasava - the extract of datura is very effective in halting bronchitis but needs to be taken under medical supervision only. This is habit-forming and therefore, needs to be used cautiously.

In addition, follow these general considerations too:
1. Avoid or minimize exposure to known allergens, cigarette smoke and pollution
2. Drink about 8 to 10 glasses of water to help form a thin mucous
3. Avoid dust in the bedroom, avoid feather pillows
4. Regularly vacuum clean the house
5. Do yoga, especially the breathing asanas which are very beneficial for bronchitis patients
Allergic bronchitis is a chronic condition, and acute attacks can be avoided by following some of the pointers mentioned above.

Ayurvedic Treatment Options for Allergic Bronchitis

Asthma is a disease that can be only controlled and not completely cured. This chronic disease can make one feel breathless and experience chest tightening. Modern medicine has an answer to the stressful symptoms of asthma. A wide range of tools and medicines help a great deal in controlling this disease. Find what tools and medicines can help in bringing down the symptoms of asthma and help one breathe with ease.

Pink flow meter: This small tool helps in measuring the movement of air in the lungs. You need to blow into it and read the number. The result helps in finding out the frequency of doctor visits and the dosage of the medicines. Forthcoming asthma attack too is indicated by this device, and you can see it declining with constant use. In fact, you would slowly stop experiencing any other symptoms. Using the pink flow meter forewarns you about a forthcoming asthma attack.

Checkups: You need to visit your doctor regularly. The frequency can vary. You will be seeing your doctor after every two to six weeks, based on the severity of the disease. If you strictly stick to the instructions of your doctor, you can improve the lung function. You can stay active and sleep well if you follow the medicines. This way, there will be no fear of emergency treatment as the peak flow is almost always above 80 percent in case of complete compliance to medicine. Even if you know your condition cannot be cured, you can keep it in check to lead a healthy life.

Medications: Asthma has to be controlled with two types of medicines. You will need to take fast-reacting medicines and the long-term medications. Providing immediate relief is what the quick-relief medicines do, and reducing inflammation of the airways is what the long-term medicines aim at. While there are pills available, the inhalers play a vital role in keeping asthma patients healthy. Through an inhaler, the medication is administered straight into the airways. This makes it easy to give larger and continuous dose of medicines. In fact, this is the most effective way to prevent and treat the asthma symptoms. Corticosteroids are inhaled with an inhaler and it results in long-term relief. Even if taken daily, patients do not get addicted to corticosteroids. Physicians may also prescribe pills that reduce inflammation of the airways. Short-acting b2 agonists are often prescribed as quick-relief medicines. Asthma-affected individuals must carry the inhaler and the quick-relief medicines with themselves, wherever they go.

Treatment for different age groups: In children, only the quick-relief medicines are prescribed. If required, the long-term medications are used after six years of age. If desired results are obtained, the treatment is stopped after six weeks. Children can also be administered corticosteroids. This may result in slowed growth in a few children but the effect does not last long. In elders, long-term inhaling of corticosteroids can increase the risk of osteoporosis. It is essential to take vitamin D supplements along with it. Also, do not take pain suppressants and anti-inflammatory drugs. Speak with your doctor about taking pills for other diseases. When a pregnant mother is asthmatic, the chances of the child getting asthma are higher. They also suffer the risk of premature birth and low birth weight. Check with your doctor about taking medicines for asthma when you are pregnant. You need to consider the risk and stick to safe medication practices.

Asthma - Know About Its Treatment In Modern Medicine! 

Don't wait any longer, manage your Asthma online with a Lybrate doctor today

Consult for Asthma - Online and Easy!

FilterClear All

COMMON SPECIALITIES

COMMON ISSUES