“Asthma is a very common complaint. It is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the respiratory passage. This allergic lung disorder characterized by periodic attacks of wheezing alternating with periods of relatively normal breathing. Asthma is a very common ailment and affects invariably all age groups. All varieties of wheeze are not asthma as it needs differential diagnosis from other inflammatory disorders of the lung and heart”.

             People with asthma have inflamed breathing system, which are supersensitive to certain substances, which do not bother other people. These substances are called " Allergic triggers." Like Allergic Rhinitis, asthma triggers varies from person to person.

Most commonly, Asthma attacks are triggered by the Airborne allergens. Rainy weather, sudden change of climate, exposure to spores and dust often predisposes the attack. Early morning attacks are very common as the pollens and dust have a special effect with humidity.       

Other than the normal allergens such as dust mites, pollens, molds, pet dander and cockroach, the irritants in the air including smoke from cigarettes, wood fires or charcoal grills, cement dust, metal dust shall also provoke an attack. Strong fumes or odours like household sprays, paint, gasoline, perfume and scented soaps do the same provocation. With respiratory infections such as colds, flu, sore throats, and sinusitis, the children could develop breathlessness, which mostly resembles Asthma. Exercise and other activities that makes you breathe harder

             The basic cause is familial predisposition for most of the victims.
The genetic disposition may be in the form of any allergic skin disease and respiratory disorder. Allergic diathesis tends to appear in multifaceted ailments such as Urticaria, Eczema, Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma. This peculiar disease producing power lives as brothers and sisters on the affected victims     

What are the causes ?

Normally, the patient starts with shortbreath, tightness of the chest following few bouts of coughing. Wheezing usually begins suddenly composed of a sequence of attacks, may be worse at night or early morning. Wheezing, a high-pitched whistling sound when breathing out, rales starts and spits mucous phlegm. The symptoms aggravated by exposure to cold air and exercise. After sometime resolves inhalation. Sometimes the victim may feel extreme difficulty in breathing, sweating and palpitation. Face looks anxious and pale. People can observe the abnormal breathing pattern; exhalation takes more than twice as long as inhalation.

What happens?

             During normal breathing, the passage to the lungs are fully open, allowing air to move in and out freely. But people with asthma have inflamed, hypersensitive airways. Their triggers cause the following airpassage to contract, which in turn cause asthma symptoms

The lining truncus membrane of the airpassages swell and become more inflamed. Many cells and cellular elements play a role, in particular mast cells, eosinophils, T- lymphocytes, macrophages, neutrophils and epithelial cells. The cells swell and mucus clogs the airways, and the muscles around the airpassage tighten and produces bronchospasm. These changes narrow the airpassage and thus breathing becomes difficult and stressful, like trying to breathe through a straw stuffed with cotton.

Asthma can be diagnosed with clear episodic attacks and clinical history. However, X-ray is needed to differentiate the other lung disorders. General blood study may reveal the eosinophil count, Immunoglobulins is also studied for Research interest.

How to arrest?

Allergic Triggers
Prevention is very difficult. However, we can identify and minimise contact with Allergic triggers as we do for an allergic rhinitis patient. Diet and Nutrition is essential for asthma patients since the allergens shall invade in the form of food.

    Allergic Foods
Avoid the Allergic foods. Normally the eggs, fish, pulse like nuts and peanuts give immediate sensitive reactions. Delayed sensitivity reactions are caused by milk, chocolate, wheat, citrus and food colourings, infact any and all foods can cause or add to the allergic burden. Patients are very particular in knowing about the diet in detailed manner and prepare for skin sensitivity tests. It is very difficult to find the allergens because it varies from person to person. Egg which produces an allergic reaction to an asthma patient may have no effect on another patient..

    Diet Elimination
Go for a food allergy test, to see what foods you may be intolerant to. No skin sensitivity tests are needed! This can also be done by doing an "elimination diet" where you will avoid foods that you feel you may be allergic to, you crave constantly or eat repeatedly. Start with some common reactive ones! Any food you eat more than three times a week, eliminate them completely for two weeks. Don't compromise!
This could be difficult. If you eat the food you are testing and find that you get your stomach bloated, tired, headaches, depressed, sweats, joint pains or itching then you are probably allergic to that food. If nothing happens try another large helping! If you have no immediate reactions that day stop eating that food for four days and then go on with the second food. Now you may actually feel better from a food as you are going through withdrawals and find that it makes you feel better!

    Avoid Stress and Emotions
As stress is part of your life, find simple ways to diffuse it. Take a walk free in natural atmosphere, meditate, help someone with their problems, work in garden or just take some deep breaths. You must explore and find what works for you. The idea is to turn down the inner tension that we all hangover, take a step back and enjoy the life
. If you are in a situation that seems unsolvable, then you might want to get counselling. Very often we stay in relationships, jobs, homes or any number of scenarios that are toxic to us. It's easier to say than to do, to change things but start with small steps.

    Exercise
Life is movement. Think about it. Anything in nature that does not move is usually inanimate. If we are to keep our life force vital we must keep active. This does not mean that we have to work-out 14 hours a day, it means we have to have a regimen of exercises that will keep us flexible with good stamina. For most of us that means 20-30 minutes of some kind of aerobic exercise a day. Depending on the current health status, your ability to adapt anything can vary greatly. You are the best judge of what you are capable of doing. If you are unable to get out of the house or even out of bed, find ways to stretch, low impact exercises, yoga or even a weekly massage can help.

 Presently,

“ Is there any cure for asthma?
I have tried with all sorts of medicines and consulted
the most popular physicians, No relief!
I am living with steroids and bronchodilators!
The latest inhaler gives me temporary relief!” .

              Exhausted suffering of an asthma patient

Patients should understand about their illness thoroughly. The causative factors lie within or may be an inborn or hereditary factor. These are the tendencies which makes allergic to the allergens. We cannot be very careful to each and every allergen! We cannot treat with timely medications all the time, which treat the symptoms, not the disease. If anybody says that "I had beome alright from asthma," he would have applied similar principles of homoeopathy.
              This is the reason why modern medical practitioners are trying to desensitise their patients with same Allergens in the name of anti-allergic therapy to find a permanent solution
              Homoeopathy treats the allergic diathesis and eradicates the tendency from the body! Is it so? How it is done? This is possible only by studying the individuality of the patient as the Allergic triggers are also not similar to every patient. When a suitable medicine is administered it gradually removes the disease force in layers
             "I had attacks every day! Now I have weekly once, that too with reduced intensity! Now I am able to manage without medicines! I am perfectly alright!".

              "This common statement from the patients denotes that the disease is being removed in layers, which makes the patient free towards the permanent restoration of health.