RESPIRATORY CONDITIONS
Bronchial Asthma
Bronchial asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterised by an increased responsiveness of the tracheobronchial tree to a variety of stimuli. It is manifested as paroxysms of dyspnoea, cough and wheezing, resulting from narrowing of the airways by combination of muscle spams, mucosal oedema and viscid bronchial secretion. The airflow limitation is generally reversible spontaneouslly or with treatment.
Symptoms
Clinical features are conveniently discussed under three headings:
Episodic asthma
Severe acute asthma (status asthmaticus)
Chronic asthma
In general, atopic individuals develop episodic asthma and non-atopic individuals develop chronic asthma.
Episodic asthma
Occurs as episodes with asymptomatic intervening periods.
Characterized by paroxysms of wheeze and dyspnoea with relatively sudden onset.
Episodes may be spontaneous in onset or triggered by allergens, exercise or viral infections.
Attacks may be mild or severe and may last for hours, days or even weeks.
Severe acute asthma (status asthmaticus)
It is a condition in which severe airway obstruction and asthmatic symptoms persist despite the initial administration of standard acute asthma therapy.
Severe dyspnoea and unproductive cough.
Patient adopt an upright position fixing the shoulder girdle to assist the accessory muscles of respiration.
Physical signs include sweating, central cyanosis, tachycardia and pulsus paradoxus.
Chronic asthma
Symptoms are usually chronic unless controlled by appropriate therapy.
Symptoms like chest tightness, wheeze and breathlessness occur on exertion.
Episodes of spontaneous cough and wheeze occur during the night.
Repeated attacks of "sever acute asthma" are common.
Chronic cough with mucoid sputum, punctuated by recurrent attacks of purulent expectoration from frand infection, is a common feature of chronic asthma. At times, it become difficult to distinguish it from chronic bronchitis.
Treatments
Avoidance of allergens if it is indentified by patient like dust, strong odour etc.
Medical treatment: Homeopathy works great in both acute as well as chronic cases of asthma. In acute cases or acute exacerbation of asthma, acute remedy works well and helps patient settle his episode and symptoms. In chronic case detailed history taking including symptoms of physical as well as mental picture, past medical history, allergies all are taken into account and constitutional medicine is prescribed which works well in such cases.
Homeopathy helps boost immunity against allergens and helps body increase its respiratiory system immunity as well. Cases like bronchial asthma as fully recovered with homeopathy.
Few homeopathic medicine which help in such cases are pulsatilla, arsenic album, ipecac, antimonium tartaricum etc.
