Asthma – Allergy

09.14.2009 | Respiratory Disorders | Dr S Senthil Kumar

Our body’s respiratory system sustains life. Process of oxidation burns molecules in food to produce energy; for this a body needs oxygen. The respiratory system enables oxygen to enter the body and carbon – di – oxide to exit from the body. Upper respiratory tract consists of Nasal passage, pharynx, larynx and sinus. Lower respiratory tract consists of Trachea, Bronchi, lungs. Common diseases of respiratory tract are, cold, Nose bleed, Influenza, cough, whooping cough, Tuberculosis, Bronchites, Bronchial Asthma, Tonsilites, Hoarseness, Hiccups, Pneumonia etc. Smoking is one of primary causes of several respiratory ailments. In Ayurveda, respiratory disorders are considered to be derangement of Pranavahastrotas. The imbalance of five kinds of forces – Prana vayu, vyan vayu, Udan vayu, saman value and apana vayu – cause the diseases. In Ayurveda, however, the diseases of this region of the body are treated under the general head ” Kasa Roga”. Ayurvedic has superlative medicines to manage all kinds of respiratory problems, ably and efficiently.
COLD (Pratishyaya)
Cold is caused by virus infection. The virus is “Rhino virus”. It attacks nose and throat and causes, sneezing, running nose, cough, Head ache, Body ache etc. It is quite an infectious disease. The joke about cold is, if treated with medicines, if is cured in a week; otherwise it takes 7 days!
Home – relief measures
•    Inhaling smoke from burning turmeric.
•    Drink a glass of milk in which sugar-candy, Turmeric powder, pepper powder and ‘Thippili’ powder are mixed. This will reduce cold.
•    If sneezing is present, Juice of betel leaves with honey will give relief.
•    Steam inhalation using pudina (mint) or Eucalyptus oil may be used
•    Dosages of Vitamin ‘C’ is considered to be a preventive measure
•    Avoid cold bath particularly head bath
Ayurveda has excellent medicines for cold.
Sinusitis
Sinus means an air cavity within a bone. There are sets of sinuses around the nose combinedly called paranasal synuses. These are air filled spaces, lined with mucous membrane within some of the bones in the skull. They open into nasal cavity via the meatuses and are named according to the bone in which they are situated. They comprise the frontal sinuses and the maxillary sinuses (one pair of each), the ethmoid sinuses (consisting of spaces inside the ethmoid bone) and the two sphenoid sinuses.
Sinusitis is the inflammation of one or more of the mucous – lined airspaces in the facial bones that communicate with the nose.
Causes: Sinusitis is often caused by infection spreading from the nose, mostly due to viral or bacterial infection. Allergy also can cause sinusitis.
Symptoms: – Head ache and tenderness over the affected sinus which may become filled with purulent material that is discharged through the nose. Other symptoms are feeling of heavy headedness, nasal stuffiness, fever, bad breath, facial pain, sore throat and swelling around the eyes, more in the morning .
There may be difficulty in breathing!
There could be a link between sinusites and Asthma
COUGH
Cough is a sudden explosive movement of air. It is a reflex mechanism throwing out sticky sputum and other irritants from the air ways. It is only a symptom signaling the onset of respiratory disorder. Cough and cold go hand in hand.
Causes
Respiratory tract infections, Tuberculosis, Bronchitis, Asthma, lung cancer, Allergy etc.In Ayurveda cough is treated under the general head ‘kasaroga’.
Home remedies
•    For dry coughs without phlegm, Ayurved a recommends lubrication of the throat by consuming milk and ghee.
•    For expectorant coughs (with phlegm) a decoction of liquor ice root should be given with sugar or honey
•    Black pepper in doses of 250 to 750 mg given with ghee, sugar and honey is another good remedy
•    Fresh juice prepared out of onion mixed with Jaggery mitigates cough. So also juice of karpura valli (coleus Aromaticus)
Whooping cough (Dushta kasa)
This is infectious bacterial disease. Bacterium Borde tella pertussis causes this. Children are most affected. Whooping cough is dangerous in children below 2 years age. It starts with catarrh of the nose, sneezing, watering of the eyes, throat irritation, fever and cough. Later cough becomes persistent and becomes continuous. Paroxysms of coughing, consisting of a series of violent and rapid expiratory cough, succeeded by a bout of high pitched deeply indrawn breath that is the ‘whoop’, occur. Hence the name “whooping cough”
According to Ayurveda, whooping cough is the result of disturbance of the vata dosha in the body. The cough produces large amounts of thick mucus usually swallowed by infants. In children vomiting often follows a prolonged fit of coughing. Vaccination for whooping cough is now available and has almost cleared this disease from occurring.
Home remedy: Juice of ginger (14 ml) with equal quantity of honey, taken twice a day is helpful
Bronchitis
Bronchitis is inflammation of bronchial tubes which carry air to lungs. It is caused by infection and by exposure to irritants. In Bronchitis, the areas of the bronchial wall became inflamed and swollen and mucus increases. As a result the air ways are narrowed. Bacteria and viruses are usually present. If the sputum is clear or white, it suggests viral infection. If the sputum is green or yellow it suggests bacterial infection. In severe bronchitis, fever may be as high as 101degree to 102 degree and may last for 3 days even with Anti – biotic treatment. The cough is the last symptom to subside. Viscid phlegm sticks to the bronchi and causes difficulty in breathing. Bronchitis patients are thin & emaciated.
Home remedies
•    Administration of one tsp of turmeric powder with a glass of milk, twice or thrice daily is a simple remedy
•    Fried ginger, black pepper, can be given in powder form mixed with honey
•    Two tsp of honey daily is also useful
Asthma
Asthma is a condition in which the body’s air – ways narrow in response to certain stimuli. Asthma patients gasp for breath, during ‘attacks’. It is an allergic condition and is the most troublesome respiratory disease. It may be caused by allergy brought on by weather conditions, food, drugs, dust, smoke, perfumes, Mosquito repellents and other irritants. Heredity, Psychological factors, stress, anxiety etc; may also cause Asthma. In an asthma attack the smooth muscles of bronchi narrow and the tissue lining the airways swell from inflammation and secrete mucus in the airways. This causes the breathing difficulty. An asthma attack may begin suddenly with wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath. There may be tightness in the chest. Shortness of breath may be severe, causing anxiety. Coughing throughout the night, fatigue, indicate Asthma. Itching on the chest or neck may be an early symptom, especially in children. The attack may last a few minutes or it may last for hours or even days. Sweating is the common reaction to the effort and anxiety. Asthma can attack persons of any age. Even children may be afflicted
Precautions for Asthma patients
Avoid indoor allergens, house dust, mites, cockroaches etc,. Keep yourself warm. Avoid cold, moist weather conditions. Relative humidity in the air is to be kept low, if possible. Avoid keeping Pets. Cut down outdoor exposure / activity in cold weather. While modern medicines like inhalers, nebulisers bring quick relief, long lasting cure can be obtained from very good Ayurvedic medicines available for asthma.
Diet regimen: Asthma patients must avoid curd, buttermilk, bananas, guavas ladies finger and fried foods. Sour foods should be avoided. Take only light foods at night. Smoking and drinking should be avoided.
Tuberculosis (T.B.)
Tuberculosis is a contagious infection caused by an airborne bacterium “MYCOBACTERIUM TUBERULOSIS”. The germ enters the body through nose, mouth and the wind pipe – and settles down in the lungs. It usually affects lungs but can attack any organ of the body. It multiplies by millions and produces small spots called tubercles. The tubercles, like parasites, consume the body. Once a serious disease, it declined with the advent of anti tuberculosis antibiotics in the 1940’s. Now it has reared its ugly head again and continues to be a serious disease. World wide, there are 8 million new cases and 3 million deaths. Tuberculosis is a disease of filth and poverty. Clean atmosphere, surroundings, well ventilated and clean houses, clean habits are the first imperatives. Rich, nutritious foods prevent T.B and are must during treatment. As T.B. is highly contagious, the patient is to be segregated and is located, preferably in a sanatorium. Otherwise the patient must be kept in an airy, well ventilated room in the house, where there is plenty of sunlight.
Home remedies: These consist of Vasa (Adhotoda vasica) juices with honey
Garlic boiled in milk and water can be administered
An exclusive milk diet is considered valuable in treating T.B. The idea is that calcium has the therapeutic ability to treat T.B.
Oranges, Banana, Pine apple, custard apple, Amla, Drumstick, Mint are some of the foods recommended to be taken.
Management of respiratory diseases
Relevance of allopathic anti – biotic drugs
Antibiotics – some basics
Antibiotics are strong medicines that can stop some infections and save lives. But antibiotics can cause more harm that good when they aren’t used the right way.
Do antibiotics work against all infections?
No. Antibiotics only work against infections caused by bacteria. They don’t work against any infections caused by viruses. Viruses cause colds and most coughs and sore throats.
What is “bacterial resistance”?
Usually antibiotics kill bacteria or stop them from growing. However, some bacteria have become resistant to specific antibiotics so the antibiotics don’t work against them. Resistant bacteria develop faster when antibiotics are used too often or are not used correctly.
When to  reach out for antibiotics?
The answer depends on what is causing the infection.
Here are some basic guidelines:
Colds and flu. Viruses causes these illnesses. They can’t be cured with antibiotics.
Cough or bronchitis. Viruses almost always cause these. However, ifyou have a problem with your lungs or an illness that lasts a long time, bacteria may actually be the cause. Your doctor may decide to try using an antibiotic.
Sinus infections. Antibiotics are often used to treat sinus infections. A runny nose and yellow or green mucus do not necessarily mean you need an antibiotic.
Relevance of  Ayurvedic treatment
Ayurveda diagnosis of respiratory diseases is not according to infections caused by micro – organisms but rather in terms of the nature of the systemic imbalance that is affected due to respiratory diseases. Ayurveda considers that the respiratory system is influenced by state of mind, the quality of metabolism and excretory functions. Thus mental tensions may cause respiratory diseases like Asthma because “Pranavayu” gets disturbed.
Another important factor in Ayurvedic treatment is – it not only cures the disease and also it has the potential to enhance and fortify the body’s immune system. In the long run, this healthy immune system of the body effectively fights diseases.
Though a lot of market preparations are available, it is preferable to take the advice of a qualified Ayurvedic physician.

OUR TREATMENT METHODS

Our treatment methods are the most comprehensive, they not only alleviate the sufferings but also check repeated occurrence. We give “state of the art” Ayurvedic Medicines in the form of Tablets, Capsules and Oil, which are manufactured using Herbal extraction processes, only. We do not give Shasstrik preparations, hence There is no food restriction There will be no side effects The results are guaranteed. The medicines can be taken from your home, no inpatient treatment is required. The treatment should be continued for at least three months depending on the severity, to avoid repeated attacks