 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

You must not let the cold and dry air worsen your asthma symptoms. The air that blows during winter time greatly affects people with sinus and respiratory troubles, and all these factors contribute to worsening asthma attacks. But thankfully, there are a few tips that can be followed to curb down asthma and enjoy a lovely winter.

Washing your hands: Doing this frequently with soap and water is one of the easiest and most effective ways of avoiding the spread of cold and other diseases. You must also inculcate this habit among your children, and when you are outside, you should practice using a hand sanitiser and sanitising wipes.
Getting a flu shot: The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises that all people over the age of 6 months should get their dose of the annual flu shot for protecting themselves against the flu virus. This will help keep your asthma in check.
Avoid sitting by the fireplace: Though it sounds cosy, you should refrain from sitting by the fireside if you have asthma. Burning wood is quite similar to burning tobacco and it can irritate your lungs to a great extent.
Keeping your mouth closed: Though most people are taught this since they were children, they tend to forget it or ignore it. Keeping the mouth opened is more than a social disgrace, and it even affects your lungs adversely. You can wear a scarf for covering up the nose and mouth as it would help in making the air you breathe warm.
Replacing filters: The heating system of your home may be blowing out dust and debris throughout the house, particularly when you operate it after a long time in winter. Therefore, it is imperative to clean and check the condition of the filters and replace them if necessary.
Exercising indoors: The days when it is bitterly cold outside, it is recommended to exercise indoors in a fitness club or a gym instead of doing it in the open air.
Warming up before exercising: People who are affected with asthma are able to recover faster and have a greater lung function after working out when they are warmed up. Therefore, you should try to warm up for at least 15 minutes before exercising.
Preventing asthma flares: Before you head outside, take a dose of your asthma medication and your inhaler as these will help in opening the airways and give you the necessary protection.
Having an asthma action plan: Regardless of whether it is summer or winter, you should be aware of what you should be doing in times when the symptoms flare-up.
Taking your medications: Finally, you should work with your doctor towards understanding the cause and symptoms of your asthma conditions and follow his recommendations closely to avoid recurrence of such problems.
With all these tips, you can expect to spend a happy winter. But if anything goes wrong, seek medical assistance immediately.

Asthma - 10 Ways You Can Control It!

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! 

Symptoms of Acute Bronchitis

Most of India’s urban populace is highly prone to respiratory infections and problems due to the dangerously high air pollution levels in all major cities across the country. Air we breathe in travels through the bronchial tube to reach our lungs. Problem begins when these tubes get inflamed and mucus builds up. It leads to coughing and shortness of breath which is known as bronchitis. It is very important to identify the symptoms in the beginning and get yourself treated by a doctor immediately. 

Look out for these symptoms of acute bronchitis.

1. Prolonged Cough - If your coughing goes beyond ten days, it could be bronchitis. If you have been coughing so long, check if the mucus is coloured too.

2. Shortness Of Breath - If you are facing shortness of breath despite not being asthmatic, you should see a doctor.

3. Chest Pain - Chest pain and chest tightness could be a symptom of acute bronchitis as breathing troubles might cause problems in such areas.

4. Sore Throat - Sore throat with persistent coughing is also a symptom for acute bronchitis.

5. Flu Like Symptoms - Most children show very different symptoms of bronchitis. They might show flu like signs of runny nose, sore throat, back or muscle pain and chills.

6. Weight Loss - You might also experience unexplained weight loss.

7. Barking Cough - Deep, barking cough is a sure shot symptom of something serious and you need a consult a specialist immediately.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'Consult'.

From Lybrate: If you found this tip useful, please thank the doctor by clicking on the heart icon below. Also, spread good health by sharing this tip with your loved ones over WhatsApp, Facebook and other media.

Did You Know: Every 7th Urban Indian Is Prone To  Bronchitis

If you are experiencing a whizzing sound while you breathe or having difficulty in breathing, you are suffering from asthma. It is a medical condition characterized by paroxysmal wheezing respiration dyspnoea. There is no definite way to prevent asthma, but by following a step-by-step daily plan, you can prevent asthma attacks or keep them in check. Here are some important measures to follow to prevent asthma:

You need to strictly follow your asthma action plan. The plan should be laid down after a detailed discussion with your doctor or healthcare team. All the medicines you require to prevent the asthma attacks will be written down for you.
You should get vaccinated for pneumonia and influenza. This will prevent these conditions from triggering asthma attacks or flare-ups.
You need to identify the asthma triggers and stay away from them. Several outdoors irritants and allergens from pollen to cold air can trigger asthma attacks.
You have to monitor your breathing. By recognising the warning signs of an attack like wheezing, slight coughing or shortness of breath, you can prevent an asthma attack. You need to measure and record your peak airflow regularly using a home peak flow meter.
By acting quickly, you can identify a fatal attack and prevent it from occurring. When the peak flow measurement decreases, you need to take your medicines immediately and abstain from any activity which may have triggered the attack.
You need to keep taking your prescribed medicines, even if your asthma symptoms have improved. You should not change your medication schedule without consulting a doctor. It is recommended that you to bring along the medicines you take at your doctor s appointment as he will be able to tell whether you are taking them right.
If you use your quick relief inhaler a lot, the asthma is not under control. You need to visit your doctor as soon as possible and he/she will make some modifications to your treatment.
For prevention of asthma, you should use allergy proof pillow covers and mattresses. You must wash your bedding every week in hot water to eliminate dust mites. You may use a dehumidifier for reducing excess moisture to prevent mold.
Do not allow your pets in the bedroom and on the furniture. Pet dander is a common trigger of asthma and it cannot be avoided by people who own pets.
You can also fit an air filtration system in your home. It will help in the elimination of asthma triggers such as pollen, dust mites and other allergens.
Many doctors suggest immunotherapy for asthma prevention in the form of allergy shots. Immunotherapy aims at altering a person s immune response by making it less sensitive to asthma triggers.

Asthma - 10 Ways to Keep it Under Control

The festival of Diwali is greeted with great pomp and splendour and along with the regular festivities, the pollution levels in the air also rise due to the ritual of bursting fire crackers. In an analysis, the rise of harmful pollutants such as sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide seemed to reveal a disturbing outcome.

The rise in pollution during Diwali affects you in the following ways:

The PM (particulate matter which is smaller than 2.5mm) enters your lungs and bloodstream and has several health impacts including chronic respiratory symptoms such as painful breathing and shortness of breath which might cause premature death.
High sulphur dioxide levels in the air during Diwali also lead to inflammation of air passages and causes complications in respiration.
A compound called  strontium  found in the atmosphere multiplies by 120 times during the festival and causes bone damage and blood clotting ailments.
Firecrackers contain heavy metals which are toxic to the human body and the amount of magnesium in the air goes up by 22x, which poses a significant threat to all forms of life.
The noise pollution also rises during the festival and in extreme cases, can permanently damage one s hearing.
However, there are a few measures you can undertake to steer clear of the excessive pollutants present in the air:

Limit the amount of time you spend outdoors even while exercising. This is because the air remains contaminated, days after all the festivities get over and the pollutants take a very long time to dissipate.
Even on the road, drive with the windows of your car rolled up to avoid intake of adulterated air and use a face mask if you are a two-wheeler rider.
Plant a lot of green plants inside your house as they purify the air you are breathing and ensure a supply of fresh oxygen.
Install an air purifier in the room to make sure you breathe in fresh, uncontaminated oxygen when you sleep. The air purifier will also help in lessening your respiratory complications.
Also, in case you notice any respiratory or breathing problem, it is advisable that you consult a pulmonologist, to rule out serious health issues. 

Diwali - How the Rise in Pollution Level Affects Your Health?

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