Asthma and Homoeopathy

The word ‘asthma‘ is = ‘ panting’ or ‘labored breathing’.

Asthma is a condition characterized by a paroxysmal wheezing respiration dyspnoea (difficulty in breathing), mainly expiratory.

Asthma is a common long-term inflammatory disease of the airways of the lungs. It is characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm.

SYMPTOMS:

     Asthma is characterized by recurrent episodes of wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing. Sputum may be produced from the lung by coughing but is often hard to bring up.

     During recovery from an attack, it may appear pus-like due to high levels of white blood cells called eosinophils.

Symptoms are usually worse at night and in the early morning or in response to exercise or cold air.

CAUSES:

Asthma is caused by a combination of complex and incompletely understood environmental and genetic interactions. It is believed that the recent increased rates of asthma are due to changing epigenetics (heritable factors other than those related to the DNA sequence) and a changing living environment.

Onset before age 12 is more likely due to genetic influence, while onset after 12 is more likely due to environmental influence.

Allergic (extrinsic/ atopic) Asthma – This type of asthma usually starts in childhood and is often preceded by eczema. But most of the young adults (<35 yrs) developing asthma also fall in this category. Genetic factors also play a significant role i this. In this type of asthma the allergen leads to production of excessive (IgE) immunoglobulins.

Infective or Intrinsic Asthma – This is not hereditary or allergic, but may be caused by, or at least associated with upper respiratory tract or bronchial infection which is usually viral.

Emotional Asthma – Psychological factors (like anxiety, emotional stress etc) are often considered to be the sole cause of some asthmatic attacks, but it is still not certain whether it can be the sole cause or is only a precipitating factor.

Occupational asthma – This can occur in certain industries in which there is exposure to metallic dusts (esp. platinum salts), biological detergents, toluene diisocyanate, polyurethane, flour and dust from grains etc.

DIAGNOSIS:

Allergen sensitivity tests, X-ray, spirometry, sputum and blood tests etc may be of use in finding the cause and severity of the condition.

HOMOEOPATHIC TREATMENT:

     While dealing with a case of asthma, a homeopath not only records the symptoms of the disease but also studies the medical history, family history, physical and psychological characteristics of a person. 

     This helps to find the cause, the precipitating factors, and the hereditary tendency etc. Of special interest to a homeopath is the history of suppression of skin disease. 

Homeopaths believe that when there is a tendency or predisposition for a disease – it first manifests on the less vital organs, towards the periphery (like skin). 

     If this manifestation is suppressed than the disease shifts inwards, towards the more vital organs (like lungs, heart, brain etc).

     The fact that in children asthma is often preceded by eczema is observed by the allopaths also. This fact is written in all their textbooks of medicine. 

     They say that children often ‘move-out’ of eczema and ‘move-into’ asthma. But they are unable to make a correlation. 

     Homeopaths believe that the suppression of eczema with topical preparations, does not cure the disease/sensitivity of the person, it merely drives it inwards.

MEDICINES:

IPECACUANHA:

- Paleness, sickness, anxiety.

- Accumulation of mucus which loads up bronchi until there seems to be great danger of suffocation.

- Useful in first stage of asthma. When there is a feeling of constriction in the chest. Where asthma attacks end in vomiting.

- Yearly attacks.

- Continued sneezing and coryza.

- Spasmodic variety of asthma where the symptoms are great weight and anxiety about the chest.

Sudden wheezing, dyspnoea, threatening suffocation, aggravated by motion.

- Constant nausea and profuse salivation

- The cough causes gagging and vomiting. The cough is constant, the chest seems full of phlegm, yet none is expectorated, and the extremities are covered with cold perspiration.

- Person become stiff and face become blue.

ANTIMONIUM TART:

- Bronchial tubes overloaded with mucus. Great rattling of mucus but very little is expectorated.

- Velvety feeling in chest.

- Rapid, short, difficult breathing.

- Feeling as if he would suffocate, must sit up.

- Coughing and gaping consecutively

- Cough excites by eating, with pain in chest and larynx.

- Too much rales through out lungs

- The sensation that the patient cannot get air enough is characteristic of the remedy.

- Dizziness with cough.

- Dyspnoea relieved by eructation

- Cough and dyspnoea relieved by lying on right side.

ARSENICUM ALBUM:

- The patient has a great deal of anguish and restlessness.

- He cannot lie down for fear of suffocation.

- There is anxiety and general sweat, and if the patient drowses off, he is awakened with burning pain and soreness in the chest.

-It is especially the remedy if the disease be chronic and the dyspnoea habitual and dry and the patient aged.

- Asthma worse after midnight.

- Suffocative catarrh.

- Expectoration scanty and frothy.

- Darting pain through upper third of right lung.

- Especially suitable for attacks occurring as consequence of suppressed catarrh. Amel. motion.

- Good for ACUTE attacks between midnight and dawn particularly for chilly people who cannot breathe lying flat.

- Agg. cold drinks. Amel. leaning forward in bed, walking around.

NATRIUM SULPH:

- Pain through lower left chest. Every fresh cold brings on attack of asthma, agg. 4-5 a.m.  until afternoon. Agg. damp weather.

- Patient must sit up and hold the chest with the hands during the attack.

- Constant desire to take deep breath.

- Symptoms are worse on change to damp weather.

- It was one of Grauvogl’s hydrogenoid remedies.

- Its symptoms are moist asthma, with a great deal of rattling in the chest.

- The symptom of looseness of the bowels after each attack has been repeatedly verified.

- If symptoms indicating a sycotic taint be present, it will be all the more strongly indicated.

- The attacks come in the morning with cough and raising of glairy slime; expectoration greenish and copious.

- Often follows Ars. alb. or Thuja.

EUCALYPTUS GLOBULUS:

- Asthma with great dyspnoea and palpitation.

- Moist asthma

- Expectoration white thick mucus

- Bronchorrhoea

- Profuse expectoration of offensive mucopus

KALI CARBONICUM:

- Expectoration must be swallowed; cheesy taste; copious, offensive, lump.

- Agg. 4-5 a.m. 

- Agg. touch.

- Leaning forward relieves chest symptoms.

- Sensitive to atmospheric changes and draughts.

- Especially adapted to broken down aged people who are anemic.

- Amel. sitting up and leaning forwards.

- Agg. lying on affected side.

- Stitching pain in chest (right lower) (of Nat. Sul = lower LEFT chest).

- Patients are irritable and full of fears. Cough with vomiting.

SULPHUR:

- Short wheezing obstructed respiration with anxiety and fear of suffocation.

- Agg. lying down at night.

- Sensation as of dust in the lungs.

- Loose cough worse talking, morning, Rattling of mucus.

- Oppression and burning sensation in chest.

- Difficult respiration, wants windows open.

- Greenish purulent sweetish expectoration.

- Stitching pains shooting through to the back, worse lying on back or breathing deeply.

- Dyspnoea in middle of night, relieved by sitting up.

- Feeling that chest is constricted.

ARSENIC IOD:

- Occasional bouts of asthma that force the sufferer to sit up to breathe, with exhaustion and a burning in the chest.

- Worse for dry, cold weather or exertion, better for open air.

LACHESIS:

- Asthma attacks usually occur on falling asleep or when wrapped too tightly around the throat.

- Suffocation compels patient to spring from bed and rush for open window.

- Symptoms improve on coughing up phlegm.

- Feels he must take a deep breath.

- Little secretion and much sensitiveness; worse, pressure on larynx.

- Worse during and after sleep, hot drinks and during menopause and better for open air and cold drinks.

BROMINE:

- For fair-haired, delicate-skinned people.

- Spasmodic cough, with rattling of mucus in the larynx.

- Asthma with a sensation of exhaustion and weakness in the chest with difficulty getting air into the lungs.

- For sailors who develop asthma ashore. Better at sea, of seafaring men when they come on land.

- Every inspiration provokes cough.

- Cold sensation when inspiring.

- Worse at or near the seashore, warmth or drafts, better for motion or exercise.

- Bronchial tubes feel filled with smoke.

NUX VOMICA:

- Asthma often arises from gastric disturbances, the sufferer is frequently nauseous, flatulent, irritable and constipated and has a yellow-coated tongue.

- Shallow respiration. Oppressed breathing.

- Asthma, with fullness in stomach, morning or after eating.

- Symptoms are worse after midnight or early morning, and worse for cold or exertion.

- Better after belching, damp, wet weather, lying on the back, changing sides or sitting up.

To Join whatsapp group of Homoeopathy:

Message your name, city and degree on +919510404646