Bronchial Asthma - How Can Ayurveda Help?

The medical term bronchial asthma is also referred to as chronic respiratory illness that causes swelling of the air passageways. The main symptoms of the chronic respiratory illness includes shortness of breath, chest tightening, wheezing and coughing. More than 22 million people in the US suffer from this health condition. The main factor that causes asthma is air pollution and it occurs due to allergic reactions of airborne substances.

Important information on bronchial asthma

• About 5-10% of individuals suffer from this global health problem and it is mainly diagnosed based on a physical examination, clinical history and pulmonary functioning tests. 
• The treatment is provided by professional doctors mainly to control the symptoms of asthma.
• There are chances that acute shortness of breath occurs recurrently and it occurs either early in the morning or at night. 
• The four main conditions that are the cause of obstruction of the airway include edema of the airway walls, contraction of bronchial smooth muscle and irreversible changes in the lungs.
• About 5 % of adults and 10% of children are affected by bronchial asthma.

How to prevent bronchial asthma
It is very important that individuals who are affected by bronchial asthma stay away from asthma triggers. The conditions that can trigger asthma include smoking of tobacco, air toxins and pollutions, food and airborne allergens, extreme weather conditions, dust mites, stress, food preservatives, anxiety and additives. To some extent it also happens due to singing, crying and laughing. Asthma attacks can also be triggered by respiratory infections such as cough and cold. It is very important to be healthy and have a strong immunity to be able to fight against infections.

How to diagnose bronchial asthma
The symptoms of bronchial asthma should be described properly to the doctor for treatment. The things that you do day to day and where you experienced unexpected flare-up must also be mentioned to the doctor. This way the doctor can identify the cause of inflammation of the bronchial passageways and shortness of breath. There are certain laboratory tests that can be performed to diagnose the health condition and these include chest X-ray, and spirometry.

Ayurvedic Bronchial Asthma Treatment
Ayurvedic treatment for Bronchial Asthma is initially focused on improving the digestive system. Herbal medicines are administered to clear the blockage from the channels by eliminating toxins (ama) from the body. They will then liquefy the Kapha present in the channels, allowing proper movement of Vata and fostering proper and easy respiration. Additionally, immune-booster herbal combinations are given to the patient in order to provide both physical and psychological strength, as the patient becomes weak due to repeated attacks of Asthma.