Asthma is a respiratory disease characterized by difficult breathing which causes coughing, wheezing when you exhale, and shortness of breath. In this condition, there is narrowing and swelling of airways which may produce extra mucus. Asthma can occur at any age, it frequently appears in childhood or early adulthood.
Homeopathic Treatment
Homeopathy is a safe science that offers a permanent cure for asthma and helps remove asthma from the roots. These medicines set off the body’s restorative processes, mainly strengthening its natural healing system to make it strong enough to fight the condition. In case asthma is allergic in origin, these medicines start by treating the allergies causing asthma to completely uproot the disease. They are natural, safe, and free from any adverse side effects. They can be prescribed to people of all age groups.
What Are The Causes Of Asthma?
Allergies: Allergens such as pollen, animal dander, and dust mites can raise the risk of developing asthma.
Environmental factors: Exposure to substances like allergens, toxins, and fumes can irritate the airways making the person prone to develop asthma.
Genetics: If there is a family history of asthma or allergic disease, the risk of developing asthma is higher.
Previous infections: People may be more prone to acquiring this ailment if they have had a history of severe viral infections in infancy, such as respiratory syncytial viral infection (RSV)
Hygiene hypothesis: According to this notion, babies whose immune systems aren’t exposed to enough microorganisms during their early months and years won’t have the capacity to fend off asthma and other allergy disorders.
What Triggers Asthma Attacks?
It refers to the substances that irritate the airway and can bring on an asthma attack. Common triggers include:
1. Airborne allergens, such as pollen, dust mites, pet dander, or particles of cockroach waste
2. Respiratory infections, such as common cold
3. Physical activity, exercise
4. Cold air
5. Air pollutants and irritants, such as smoke
6. Certain medications like aspirin and beta blockers.
7. Anxiety and stress
8. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a condition in which stomach acids rise into your throat
9. Cold and humid weather
What Are The Symptoms Of Asthma?
The symptoms of asthma vary from person to person. The person can have symptoms at certain times called infrequent asthma attacks or have symptoms all the time. The most common symptom of asthma is wheezing. This is a squealing or whistling sound that occurs when you breathe. Other symptoms may include:
1. Coughing, especially at night; while laughing, or during exercise
2. Tightness in the chest
3. Shortness of breath
4. Difficulty in talking
5. Anxiety or panic
6. Fatigue
7. Chest pain
8. Rapid breathing
9. Frequent infections
10. Trouble sleeping
Signs of an asthma flare-up may include:
coughing
wheezing
throat clearing
difficulty in sleeping
chest pain or tightness
fatigue
What Are The Various Types Of Asthma?
Based on the severity of symptoms, the types of asthma are of the following types:
Intermittent: In this type, asthma comes and goes, one feels normal between the asthma flares.
Persistent: Asthma symptoms are present most of the time. The symptoms in this type can be mild, moderate, or severe.
Based on causes, asthma can be of the following types:
Allergic: Allergic asthma refers to asthma attacks triggered by allergens like pollen, pet dander, etc.
Non-allergic: Exercise, stress, weather, and illness may cause an asthma flare.
Other types include:
Occupational asthma is asthma that arises from exposure to some substance at the workplace. Some examples of occupation-induced asthma are seen in chemical workers, welders, cotton factory workers, and coal miners.
Cough variant asthma refers to asthma where the only symptom is a persistent dry cough without any mucus expectoration. Wheezing and shortness of breath are absent in such cases. This type of asthma is common in children.
Exercise-induced asthma is commonly seen in athletes, cyclists, and swimmers.
Medication-induced asthma can be triggered by medicines such as ibuprofen, aspirin, and beta blockers.
Nocturnal asthma is asthma that gets worse at night.
Pathophysiology Of Asthma
In asthma, there is chronic inflammation of the airways (bronchi and bronchioles). Airways are the tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs. In asthmatic persons, these airways are highly sensitive and respond strongly to inhaled substances such as allergens. This leads to bronchospasms (constriction of muscles around the airways), resulting in the narrowing of airways. As a result of the inflammation and bronchospasms, the airways get obstructed, leading to reduced airflow to the lungs.
Mucus production: During the attack, your body produces more mucus. This thick mucus clogs the airways.
Top Homeopathic Medicines For Asthma
1. Arsenic Album – Top-grade Medicine for Asthma
The symptoms indicative of the use of Arsenic Album in asthma is shortness of breath that gets worse after coughing. Other symptoms are wheezing and suffocative cough with frothy mucus. Asthma that gets worse around 12 am-1 am is also treated well with this medicine. Another important guiding feature for using Arsenic Album is asthma which alternates with skin rash or eczema.
When and How to Use Arsenic Album?
Great difficulty while breathing, with whistling and cough getting worse at midnight calls for the use of an Arsenic Album. If the symptoms match, it can be administered in 30C potency, which can be repeated 2 times a day. If there is no improvement at all with low potency, then it is advisable to consult a good homeopath before taking 200C or 1M potency.
2. Spongia Tosta – For Short, Panting Breathing With Dry Cough
Spongia Tosta works well for asthma with short and tough respiration, and panting. Along with difficult respiration, whistling from the chest on inhalation is noted. The cough is attended with extreme dryness of all the air passages. The cough, in this case, is deep, dry, barking, hacking type. In most cases, warm drinks bring relief from cough.
When and How to Use Spongia Tosta?
Breathing is troublesome and difficult, and panting along with a suffocative (dry) cough are the explanatory indications for this remedy. It is best to start in 30C potency and can be taken once or twice a day. It can also be taken in high (200C) potency. However one should observe the symptoms before taking in high potency.
3. Antimonium Tartaricum – For Asthma With Shortness Of Breath And Rattling Cough
Antimonium Tartaricum is an excellent remedy for asthma with rapid, short, and difficult breathing as if gasping for air. The suffocation worsens on lying down, with a need to sit up. The cough is loose, there is excessive rattling and the lungs feel full of mucus. The mucus from the lungs comes out with much difficulty. Sometimes there is dizziness present along with a cough. It gets better by lying on the right side and worse from cold and damp weather.
When and How to Antimonium Tart?
Its therapeutic use is for symptoms such as shortness of breath, suffocated, and suppressed breathing with excessive rattling of mucus. It is used in 30C potency and can be used once a day. Normally higher potencies, 200C and 1M are not recommended. It is best to consult a homeopathic physician if there are no desired results after taking the medicine.
4. Natrum Sulphuricum – For Asthma In Damp Weather
Natrum Sulphuricum is the most helpful medicine for difficult breathing in damp weather. The cough with thick, ropy, green phlegm is present. Natrum Sulphuricum also works well in humid conditions and when asthma worsens around 4 am and 5 am. Natrum Sulphuricum is also among the top-grade remedies for treating asthma in children.
When and How to Use Natrum Sulphuricum?
It is helpful in cases with shortness of breath, and tickling in the throat with greenish expectoration. It is commonly used in biochemic form in ‘6X potency’ and is taken in tablet form. The frequency and number of tablets depend on the severity of symptoms.
Unless recommended, it can be taken 3-4 times a day. It is advisable to contact your homeopathic doctor if there is no noticeable improvement after taking the medicine. It is also well indicated that there is a strong family history of asthma cases.
5. Blatta Orientalis – For Asthma Triggered by Dust Exposure
Blatta Orientalis remedy is for asthma triggered by dust. Blatta Orientalis is prescribed for shortness of breath, suffocative cough with difficult respiration, and yellow, pus-like mucus. It can also be given for asthma triggered in rainy weather.
When and How to Take Blatta Orientalis?
It is the perfect remedy for those whose asthma is accompanied by labored breathing with obstructive cough. Mother tincture is best to start with, which can be repeated 1-2 times a day. But can be taken in 30C and 200C if there are not many changes. Usually, 1M potency is not recommended, until prescribed by an experienced physician.
6. Hepar Sulphur – For Asthma In Cold Air
Hepar sulphur acts wonderfully in asthma attacks, difficult respiration, whistling, wheezing, and preventing sleep at night with copious mucus expectoration. Yellow or whitish dirty mucus can also be present. Ailments get worse by cold air or slight draught of air and get better from covering up and heat/warmth.
When and How to take Hepar sulphur?
The main characteristic symptoms are difficulty in breathing with deep, wheezing along with choking cough. Potency and dosage depend on age, causative factors, and symptoms of the patient. In the majority of cases, it can be administered in 30C potency 3-4 times a day. 200C can be taken once or twice a day. 1M is used in very rare conditions. We strongly recommend consulting a homeopathic doctor for that.
7. Ipecac – For Difficult Breathing And Cough Ending In Vomiting
Ipecac is used to treat repeated attacks of asthma with difficult shortness of breath and gasping for air. There is a wheezing cough with mucus which is not easy to expel, though the chest seems to be full with an inclination to vomit.
When and How to take Ipecac?
It can be assisted in cases where the wheezing type of cough is present. This remedy is particularly helpful in a gagging cough tough to bring up and is expelled only by vomiting. Chiefly, it works well in low potency i.e. 30C; normally repetition of dosage is limited to once to twice a day. Higher potencies are not recommended until discussed with a physician.
