What is asthma?
Asthma is an inflammatory disorder of the airways, characterized by periodic attacks of wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing.
Asthma is a disease in which inflammation of the airways causes airflow into and out of the lungs to be restricted. When an asthma attack occurs, the muscles of the bronchial tree become tight and the lining of the air passages swells, reducing airflow and producing the characteristic wheezing sound. Mucus production is increased.
|
Most people with asthma have periodic wheezing attacks separated by symptom-free periods. Some asthmatics have chronic shortness of breath with episodes of increased shortness of breath. Other asthmatics may have cough as their predominant symptom. Asthma attacks can last minutes to days, and can become dangerous if the airflow becomes severely restricted.
|
In sensitive individuals, asthma symptoms can be triggered by inhaled allergens (allergy triggers), such as pet dander, dust mites, cockroach allergens, molds, or pollens. Asthma symptoms can also be triggered by respiratory infections, exercise, cold air, tobacco smoke and other pollutants, stress, food, or drug allergies. Aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDS) provoke asthma in some patients.
|
Asthma is found in 3-5% of adults and 7-10% of children. Half of the people with asthma develop it before age 10, and most develop it before age 30. Asthma symptoms can decrease over time, especially in children.
|
Many people with asthma have an individual and/or family history of allergies, such as hay fever (allergic rhinitis) or eczema. Others have no history of allergies or evidence of allergic problems.
|
Asthma is sometimes classified in various ways. Often, these “types of asthma” describe the triggers that may cause an asthma episode (or asthma attack) or the things that make asthma worse in certain individuals. Types of asthma include:
|
-
Exercise-Induced Asthma – Exercise can make asthma symptoms worse. With treatment and monitoring, people with exercise-induced asthma can participate in physical activities.
-
Nocturnal Asthma – Worsening of asthma at night is very common. Treatment of underlying causes is important in managing nocturnal asthma.
-
Occupational Asthma – Workplace exposure to certain chemicals or dusts can induce asthma. Quick recognition and control of workplace exposures is important.
-
Steroid-Resistant Asthma (Severe Asthma) – While the majority of patients respond to regular inhaled glucocorticoid (steroid) therapy, some are steroid resistant.
|
SYNONYMS |
|
SYMPTOMS
|
-
Wheezing
- usually begins suddenly
- is episodic
- may be worse at night or in early morning
- aggravated by exposure to cold air
- aggravated by exercise
- aggravated by heartburn (reflux)
- resolves spontaneously
- relieved by bronchodilators (drugs that open the airways)
-
Cough with or without sputum (phlegm) production
-
Shortness of breath that is aggravated by exercise
-
Breathing that requires increased work
-
Intercostal retractions (pulling of the skin between the ribs when breathing)
|
Emergency symptoms: |
-
Extreme difficulty breathing
-
Bluish color to the lips and face
-
Severe anxiety
-
Rapid pulse
-
Sweating
-
Decreased level of consciousness (severe drowsiness or confusion) during an asthma attack
|
Additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease:
|
|
Home Remedies for Asthma
Remedy 1:Calamus:Give small doses of 10 grains of this herb. Repeated every two or three hours till relief is obtained.
Remedy 2:Coltsfoot:A syrup, prepared from the leaves, has proved its worth in lung disorders and bronchitis.
In an earthenware pot put alternate layers of leaves and raw sugar, let it settle and keep adding until the pot is full. Cover well with 2 to 3 layers of strong parchment paper. Now put the pot in a hole in the ground in a sheltered spot in the garden.
Place a board over it and cover with soil. The even temperature produces fermentation. After 8 weeks dig out the pot, boil up the syrup thus obtained, once or twice. Pour into small wide necked bottles.
This syrup is our best protection against winter and influenza.
Take it in teaspoonful doses. For asthma, damage caused by smoking and bronchitis, 2 to 3 teaspoons of freshly pressed juice of the leaves taken in a cup of broth or warm milk, are beneficial.
Remedy 3:Plantain
Remedy 4:Thyme
Remedy 5:Sage,Pipe.
Smoke 1 handful of sage with pipe.
Remedy 6:Melissa,Honey.
Mix melissa and honey and eat.
Remedy 7:French Lavender.
Infuse 1 tea spoon of French Lavender with 1 glass of hot water and drink.
Remedy 8:Trumpet Flower,Pipe.
Smoke 1 handful of trumpet flower with a pipe.
Remedy 9:French Lavender,Pipe.
Smoke 1 handful French Lavender with a pipe.
Remedy 10:Foalfoot,Pipe.
Smoke 1 handful foalfoot with a pipe.
Remedy 11:Peppermint,Water.
Add 1 tea spoon of peppermint to 1 glass of water and boil.Drink 1 glass to empty stomach in the mornings.Don’t add sugar.
Remedy 12:Sage,Anise,Mullein,Water.
Add 2 table spoon of sage,1 table spoon of anise and 2 table spoon of mullein to 4 glasses of water.Drink half a tea glass before meals.
Remedy 13:Garlic,Lavender,Poppy,Ground Ivy,Parsley,Thyme,Water.
Add 10 cloves garlic,1 handful lavender flowers,1 handful poppy flowers,1 handful ground ivy,1 handful parsley and 1 handful thyme to 6 glasses of water.Boil for 15 minutes and strain.Drink 1 tea glass everyday.
Remedy 14:Cabbage.
Put to patient’s chest 4 layer of cabbage.
Remedy 15:Cabbage,Honey,Water.
Add 10 cabbage leaves to 5 glasses of water.Boil for 15 minutes.Add 6 table spoon of honey.Drink 1 tea glass everyday.
Remedy 16:Red or Black Radish,Honey.
Drink 1 radish juice and eat 2 tea spoon of honey.
Remedy 17:Carrot,Honey.
Drink juice of 2 carrots.Then 2 tea spoon of honey.
Remedy 18:Onion,Honey.
Mix juice of 1 onion and 6 table spoon of honey.Drink 1 tea spoon at every six hours.
Remedy 19:Lettuce.
Eat 1 lettuce every day.
Remedy 20:Sorrel.
Eat sorrel every day.
Remedy 21:Carrot,Milk.
Mix 1 glass of carrot juice and half a glass of boiled milk.Prepare and drink 3 times a day.
Remedy 22:Cabbage Stems,Almond,Water,Honey.
Add 5 table spoon of well chopped cabbage stems and 5 table spoon of pounded almonds to 4 glasses of water.Cook this mixture then add 5 table spoon of honey to this mixture.Drink 1 dessert spoon three times a day.
Remedy 23:Liquorice Root,Honey.
Add 1 pinch liquorice root to 4 glasses of water.Boil and strain.Add 2 soup spoon of honey.Drink 1 glass in the mornings,noons and evenings.
Remedy 24:Mallow Flowers,Lavender Flowers,Foalfoot Leaves,Yarrow,Water.
Add 2 soup spoon of mallow flowers,2 soup spoon of lavender flowers,2 spoon of foalfoot leaves and 2 soup spoon of yarrow are mixed and powdered.Drink 1 soap spoon of this mixture with 1 glass of water at every 4 hours.
Remedy 25:Celery Leaves,Milk.
Add some celery leaves to 250 grams of milk and boil.When it is lukewarm drink at once.Continue every day.
Remedy 26:Anise,Water.
Add 1 tea spoon of anise to 1 glass of boiling water infuse for 5 minutes then strain and drink.
Remedy 27:Mullein,Water.
Add 1 tea spoon of mullein to glasses of water.Boil for 15 minutes then strain.Drink half a tea glass before meals.
Remedy 28:Garlic,Sage,Lemon,Water.
Add 5 cloves of garlic,1 pinch of sage and 1 tea spoon of lemon juice to 4 glasses of water.Boil for 15 minutes and strain.Drink half a tea glass.This remedy is efficient especially for allergic asthma.
Remedy 29:Lemon,Honey.
Add 1 tea spoon of honey to 1 tea glass of fresh lemon juice and drink.This remedy is efficient especially for bronchial asthma.
Remedy 30:Myrtle Fruits,Water.
Add 1 soup spoon of powdered dried myrtle fruits to 4 glasses of water boil for 10 minutes then keep it for 20 minutes and strain.Drink 1 tea glass at every 2 hours.
Remedy 31:Pine Cones and Leaves,Water.
Add 7 pine cones and 2 handful of pine leaves to 20 glasses of water.Boil and inhale the vapor for 5 minutes.
Remedy.32:Potatoes,Water.
Chope 5 potatoes with barks to 8 glassses of water,boil and inhale the vapor for 5 minutes.
Remedy 33:Galingale,Ginger,Flax Seeds,Mastic Gum,Honey.
Mix and pound 100 grams of galingale,100 grams of ginger,100 grams of flax seeds and 10 grams of mastic gum.Mix this with 1 kilograms of honey and make a paste.Eat 1 dessert spoon in the mornings and evenings.This remedy is efficient especially for bronchial asthma.
You can find more home remedies and information about medicinal herbs at
www.herbsandhomeremedies.com
Source:Herbs From A to Z-Ayhan Yalcin
www.mariatrebenherbs.com