Certain factors cause swelling and tightening of airways. The airways are filled with mucous that constrict the route for air to pass through. People experience shortness of breath and feel hard to breathe. This condition is called an Asthma attack and disease known as Asthma.
Various types of Asthma
The Childhood Asthma
9.7% of children aged between 5-14 years get Asthma at this stage. 4.4% of kids aged 0-4 years get affected by Asthma at a young age. The common triggers are stress, allergens, temperature fluctuations, respiratory infections, excitement, exposure to cold and air pollutants.
The Adult-onset Asthma
Adults are more prone to develop Asthma. The common factors are stress, obesity, smoking, hormonal factors, respiratory illness and exposure to allergens.
The Occupational Asthma
Workplace-related Asthma occurs from long-term exposure to allergens. People sensitive to dust, flour mills, bacteria, pets, farms, hospitals or zoos would develop Asthma when working closer to any of these.
The Bronchial Asthma
This type of asthma causes constant coughing and wheezing, shortness of breath, and tightness in the chest that keeps a patient awake all night.
Severe Refractory Asthma
5-10% of the population suffer from hard-to-control Asthma. Severe refractory asthma hardly responds to standard treatment.
The Seasonal Asthma
This type of Asthma occurs at a specific time of a year. Pollens, winters and cold air are the common causes of Seasonal Asthma.
The Allergic Asthma
Asthma triggered by allergens like pollen, dust, cold air, animals and special food items are called Allergic Asthma.
The Non-allergic Asthma
Factors like occupational hazards, diseases and medical history results in Asthma.
Symptoms of Asthma
Chest pain, wheezing, sleep problems, common cold, allergies, laboured breathing, constant feeling of tiredness, pale face, tightness in chest, poor appetite and feeling of anxiety or panic attacks.
Treating Asthma using Ayurveda
Kapha and Vata doshas are considered as the primary cause of Asthma. The mucus is Kapha that chokes the airway passages of the respiratory system. This causes the Vata dosha, a disturbance in the airflow. The Ayurvedic treatment of Asthma works on the root cause and strengthens the airway muscles. Ayurvedic treatment uses various organic herbs to relieve the symptoms. The commonly used medicines are:
Cloves and Honey
Take a mixture of 7-8 cloves with bananas and keep overnight to consume the next morning. An hour later, the patient can consume honey with hot water. This remedy relieves the symptoms of chronic bronchial Asthma.
The Nightshade
Consuming 7-14 ml of Nightshade plants or fruit juice twice a day, eases the Asthma symptoms.
The Herbal Tea
A blend of ginger, pepper, ajwain, and tulsi are highly beneficial for Asthma patients.
The Panchakarma
The detoxification process that uses medicated ghee, herbs, milk, oils and ayurvedic medicines gives an effective Asthma cure for patients.
Turmeric
Curcumin or Turmeric is loaded with antioxidants and pharmacological components that reduces the inflammation of the airways. This is an essential herb in the treatment of Asthma.
