Conditions

Asthma

Asthma is chronic inflammation of the airways associated with excess swelling and mucus, resulting in obstructed airflow. The airways may be further blocked when an irritant, or trigger, causes bronchial spasms to occur. Asthma symptoms often worsen during sleep and may be intensified by emotion.

Signs and Symptoms:

Asthma is characterized by episodes that leave a person unable to draw adequate breath. The symptoms of an asthma attack are:

• Coughing (may be the only symptom)
• Wheezing
• Tightness in the chest
• Difficulty in breathing
• Flattened diaphragm and hyper-inflated chest

These attacks can last from a few minutes to several hours and may be brought on by allergens in the air, physical exertion, anxiety, temperature changes, humidity, fear, laughing, or other factors.

Diagnosis:

Diagnosis is made through a physical exam and various testing procedures. Most likely, your doctor will want to measure your lung capacity and then test to see if it improves after the use of a bronchodilator. Your doctor may also request x-rays of your chest and sinus cavities as well as taking various blood tests.

Treatment Options:

Treatment options for asthma generally include controlling environmental stimuli or triggers, anti-inflammatory drugs, bronchodilator drugs, antibiotics or any combination of these treatments. Severe attacks may be treated with oxygen and injected epinephrine (in emergencies).

There are also alternative therapies that seem to be beneficial in the treatment of asthma.

Traditional Treatments:

The primary treatment of asthma is the use of oral or inhaled bronchodilators like: albuterol (Proventil, Ventolin), isoetharine (Bronkometer, Bronkosol), isoproterenol (Isuprel), metaproterenol (Alupent), and terbutaline (Brethair, Brethine, Bricanyl).

Corticosteroids may be prescribed in either oral or inhaled form. Inhaler forms include ­ beclomethasone (Beclovent, Vanceril, Vancenase, Beconase), fluticasone (Flovent), and triamcinolone (Azmacort, Nasacort). Prednisone is the most common oral form.

Antimediators work to stabilize mast cells in the body. Drugs of this type include cromolyn sodium (Intal, Nasalcrom) and nedocromil sodium (Tilade). Another type of antimediator is called the leukotriene receptor antagonist (LTRA). These drugs also inhibit the action of chemicals that can initiate an asthma attack. Examples include montelukast (Singular) and zafirlukast (Accolate).

Theophylline and related drugs are not used as often today as they once were because they were found to cause serious side effects.

Nutritional Supplementation:

Nutritional supplements for asthma are intended to prevent or support recovery from an asthma attack, rather than to treat an acute episode. In the event of an acute asthma attack, seek immediate medical treatment.

• Omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids (EFAs) help to regulate the inflammatory response. Flaxseed and fish oils are good sources of omega-3 EFAs; good sources of omega-6 EFAs include black currant seed oil, borage oil, and evening primrose oil. Take 500 to 1,000 mg of any of these oils twice daily for two to three months.
• Vitamin C with bioflavonoids calms inflammation and stabilizes histamine release from mast cells. Take bioflavonoids as directed with up to 10,000 mg of vitamin C per day (divided into 3 doses with meals).
• Pantothenic acid helps to mediate allergic histamine responses and combat stress. Take 50 mg three times a day, with meals.
• Magnesium has a bronchodilating effect. Try taking 500 mg of magnesium twice daily. Caution: If you develop loose stools, reduce the dosage.
• Marine lipids (EPA and DHA) have been shown to significantly decrease shortness of breath. Take as directed. Be sure to add a vitamin E supplement. Warning: If you suffer from diabetes or high blood pressure check with your physician before taking fish oil.
• Quercetin is an antioxidant flavenoid that has properties similar to those of cromolyn sodium.
• L-Cysteine may help reduce the amount of asthmatic medication that is needed. Take as directed on an empty stomach with fruit juice.
• Vitamin B6 can help reduce symptoms in children with asthma.
  Warning: Contact your physician before giving any supplements to children.
• Oral vitamin B12 was found to be more effective than pharmaceutical drugs in blocking asthmatic reactions. Follow directions on the label or contact your doctor about vitamin B12 injections.
• Vitamin E with selenium works to scavenge free radicals from bronchiole tissue. In addition, asthmatics may be low in selenium. Take no more than 600 IU of vitamin E per day. Take selenium as directed.

Alternative Therapies:

• Astragalus is a Chinese herb that helps to increase what the Chinese call wei chi. Take 500 mg twice a day for two weeks out of every month.
• Ginkgo biloba has shown good results in many studies
• Lobelia extract is helpful during an asthma attack; it is a bronchial soothing, muscle relaxant and expectorant.
  Caution: Do not take lobelia internally on an ongoing basis.
• Mullein oil is a powerful remedy for bronchial congestion. Mullein oil stops coughs, unclogs bronchial tubes, and helps clear up asthma attacks.
• Shuan Huang Lian is a Chinese herbal combination remedy, made up of at least twenty-nine components, that relieves acute bronchial suffering. However, doctors are still looking into exactly how it works.
• Echinacea, ephedra, goldenseal, horsetail, wild cherry bark, horehound, hyssop, thyme, lungwort, juniper berries, plantain, pleurisy root, licorice root, osha root and slippery elm bark tablets, all work appear to have at least some beneficial effects on asthma.
• The homeopathic remedy, antimonium tartaricum is for individuals who wheeze and experience a tight feeling in the chest.
• There are several acupressure points that may be beneficial to asthma. They include the Conception Vessel 17, Liver 3, Lung 7, and Pericardium 6.

General Recommendations:

• Include garlic and onions in your diet.
• Do not eat ice cream or drink extremely cold liquids as cold can shock the bronchial tubes into spasms.
• Yoga, relaxation, and deep-breathing techniques are invaluable for people with asthma.
• Use an elimination diet to see if certain foods aggravate the asthmatic condition.
• If exercising induces an asthma attack, try taking 2,000 mg of vitamin C one hour before your workout. Studies show that those who took vitamin C prior to their workouts suffered no coughing, wheezing, or shortness of breath. Also, be sure to check your salt intake.
• Keep a diary of things that you believe trigger your asthmatic responses. Include in this diary: the different treatments you have tried and the symptoms you experience.
• Avoid furry animals; the food additives BHA and BHT; FD&C Yellow No. 5 food dye; tobacco and other types of smoke; and the amino acid tryptophan.
• Consider removing carpeting, at least in the bedroom, to help keep dust mites, germs, and bacteria from aggravating asthma.
• Covering mattresses in plastic casings and washing sheets in hot water at least once a week can be helpful, too.

Warnings:

• Do not go off of any asthma medication without consulting your doctor.
• Be aware that using steroid-containing asthma inhalants can increase the risk of glaucoma by as much as 44 percent.
• In the event of a severe asthma attack, seek immediate medical care.
• Theophylline and related drugs may cause restlessness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, behavioral problems, and learning disabilities.
• Avoid foods that contain sulfites. Some people have had severe attacks after consuming these foods. Avoid eating from the salad bar since many restaurants use sulfiting agents to prevent discoloration and bacterial growth.