Originally published November 10 2008
Natural Therapies for Asthma
by Dr Tamer Shaban
(NaturalNews) Asthma is a serious, sometimes life-threatening respiratory disease that affects the
quality of life for millions of Americans. Asthma causes swelling and irritation in your
airways, making it hard for you to breathe. Asthma costs in Eastern Missouri total more
than $75 million in lost school time, lost work time, and medicine and emergency room
visits. Asthma can be controlled by taking medicine and avoiding the triggers that can
cause an attack. Asthma attacks can be triggered by things like mold growing on your
shower curtain or tiny dust mites that live in blankets, pillow, or your child's stuffed
animals. There are many studies that have looked at a variety of ways to reduce the
development of asthma, some successful and some not. Although there is no
cure for asthma yet, asthma can be controlled through medical treatment and
management of environmental triggers.
Symptoms:
Symptoms vary widely from person to person and from situation to situation. Many
people can have symptoms for years without being diagnosed, while others are mistakenly
diagnosed with asthma. There are certain symptoms of asthma, including: tightness in
the chest, wheezing sound, shortness of breath, persistent cough, and increased pulse or
heart rate.
Treatment:
Even though asthma is a lifelong disease, treatment can control it and allow you to live an
active life. Most asthma treatments include the use of short and long-term medications
as well as some environmental monitoring and modifications. As with all types of medical
treatments, not all patients will respond in the same way to each type of environment or
possible problem. There are several alternative medicines for asthma and for some
asthmatics the treatments are much more effective than the use of steroids. A variety of
complementary and alternative medical therapies are now being used in the treatment and
prevention of asthma. Alternative asthma therapies include diet, yoga, and breathing
exercises.
Breathing exercises:
Asthma patients tend to have abnormal breathing patterns. Several breathing exercises
are presented, all focusing on breathing patterns and on imagining that healing is
occurring with breathing. Do any of the breathing exercises only as long as you're
comfortable. Breathing deeply helps eliminate poisons from the cells, and also enhances
immunity, since the lymphatic system is actually part of the immune system. These are
best learned via practical demonstration from an instructor; attempting to perform more
advanced yoga breathing exercise methods without adequate instruction can result in
injury.
Acupuncture:
Acupuncture is a safe, painless alternative for treating:�Arthritis, fibromyalgia, back pain
and carpal tunnel, allergies, asthma and other respiratory problems, anxiety, insomnia and
stress. A 2001 placebo-controlled study of acupuncture for 192 people with bronchial asthma found that acupuncture improves bronchial permeability. Another study suggests improvement in the quality of life for patients with clinically stable, chronic obstructive asthma when conventional care is combined with acupuncture. By improving your health, acupuncture can help reduce the frequency and severity of asthma attacks. Another acupuncture treatment, cupping also aids in the relief of asthma symptoms. Always check with your doctor before starting any asthma treatment or managment program.
About the author
Dr Tamer Shaban
Vice Chairman of International Cupping Society (UK), M.B.B.CH, D.H.P., D.C.M.T, S.N.H.S Dip. (Nutrition), S.N.H.S Dip. (Herbalism), Member of the Royle Institute of Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy, Member of the Complete Mind therapists Association. cupping and natural health Articles
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