Ayurvedic Management of Bronchial Asthma with Home Remedies

Abstract

Asthma is one of the most common respiratory disorders in recent times. It is also one of the most common chronic respiratory conditions in children. The advancement in technology and research techniques, the diagnosis of asthma is easier than in the past. Modern medicinal science manages the condition of asthma through various corticosteroids, etc. The ayurvedic approach of managing asthma is unique and uses medicinal herbs to improve the respiratory health of the individual. The condition of bronchial asthma along with its symptoms and management according to Ayurveda will be discussed in the following article.

Introduction

Asthma is a respiratory disorder that causes inflammation in the airways for a prolonged period of time and presents various symptoms. The air pathways become narrower and are observed to be filled with mucus. Bronchial asthma is a chronic, intermittent, inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by episodes of wheezing, coughing, breathlessness and chest tightness. It is usually reversible but can be severe or even fatal in some cases. This will lead to the obstruction in the normal pathway of air and will lead to the presentation of various respiratory and systemic difficulties. There can be various causes or factors that may trigger the attack of asthma which will be discussed as follows.

Causes of Bronchial Asthma

The exact cause underlying the condition of bronchial asthma is not known yet. There could be various factors that may trigger the asthma attack. Usually, environmental and genetic factors are responsible for the attack of asthma. Some of the most common trigger factors are anxiety, stress, perfumes or strong smells, extreme weather conditions (extreme hot, extreme cold, etc.), strenuous physical activity, pollutants, chemicals, etc. The exposure to these factors may lead to the asthmatic attack and lead to the presentation of various symptoms which will be described as follows.

Symptoms of Bronchial Asthma

The symptoms of bronchial asthma differ from patient to patient. The common symptoms that may be seen are cough, wheezing, breathlessness, pain in chest, tightness in chest, trouble or difficulty in sleeping due to breathlessness, whistling sound in the chest while breathing. These symptoms may worsen over time if not treated properly. The modern and ayurvedic management will be described in the following content as follows.

Treatment of Bronchial Asthma As Per The Modern Science Perspective

The management of bronchial asthma will depend on the symptoms faced by the patient as well as the state of the body. The usual line of treatment of bronchial asthma includes different types of medicines such as inhalation of steroids, administration of bronchodilators, corticosteroids, anticholinergics and oxygen therapy etc. The patient is advised to practice some precautionary measures such as avoidance of the aggravating factors, avoid strenuous activity, practice breathing exercises, drink plenty of fluids, etc.

Treatment of Bronchial Asthma As Per The Perspective of Ayurveda

In the ayurvedic perspective, the balance between the three doshas (vata, pitta, kapha) is known to establish the health of the body, and any imbalance in the levels of these doshas will result in depletion of health. In the ayurvedic literature, bronchial asthma can be correlated with tamak shwas. The tamak shwas is caused mainly due to the aggravation of kapha dosha. The aggravation of kapha dosha leads to the obstruction of the air channels and blocks the normal flow of air. This leads to spasms in the bronchial tree and gets accumulated in the respiratory tract, choking the natural flow of air resulting in asthma and wheezing. The condition of bronchial asthma is considered a vata kaphaja disease and the main aim of the management is to remove the excessive mucus and inflammation. The treatment protocol will include panchakarma procedures along with the administration of ayurvedic herbal medicines. The panchkarma will include swedana karma (sudation), vamana karma (therapeutic emesis), Virechana karma (therapeutic purgation), etc. There are a variety of herbs useful in managing the condition of bronchial asthma such as ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, licorice, pippali, etc. There are numerous home remedies that can help to manage the condition of bronchial asthma which will be described as follows.

Home Remedies For Bronchial Asthma

1. Ginger – Half a cup of ginger tea mixed with 2-3 crushed garlic cloves can be taken to reduce the inflammation and mucus accumulation in the airways. Ginger helps in managing the inflammation of the mucosal lining of the respiratory tract, hence improves the condition of bronchial asthma.
2. Cinnamon – Mix one teaspoon of cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon trikatu into a cup of boiling water and drink it twice a day. Cinnamon helps in decreasing inflammation and loosening the mucus of the bronchial tree and thus helps in managing asthma.
3. Licorice – Add half a teaspoon of licorice and half teaspoon of ginger to prepare a herbal tea which is very good for improving asthma. Licorice has anti – inflammatory and mucolytic properties that help in restoring the normal breathing in the patients suffering from bronchial asthma.
4. Pippali – Pippali powder can be consumed along with honey regularly to prevent recurrent attacks. Pipali shows effective improvement in health of the patients suffering from bronchial asthma as it contains anti inflammatory properties.
5. Turmeric – Turmeric helps to prevent asthma attacks and keeps allergies at the bay. It is a natural component that helps to boost the immune system of the body and makes it more resistant to various types of allergies. It contains natural anti-inflammatory properties It helps to reduce the inflammation caused by allergens. It is helpful in managing the condition of bronchial asthma.

Ayurvedic Formulations Useful in Bronchial Asthma

There are various ayurvedic formulations that are known to improve the health of the respiratory system of the body. The ayurvedic preparations useful in the condition of bronchial asthma (tamak shwas) are Vasavaleha, Kantakari Avaleha, Vyaghriharitaki, Kanakasava, Talisadi churna, Sitopaladi churna, Shwas kuthar ras, mahalakshmi vilas ras, etc.

Conclusion

The principles of Ayurveda emphasise on removing the disease right from the roots and not merely suppressing the symptoms. This can be done using ayurvedic preparations and following a healthy diet and lifestyle. Bronchial asthma can be managed effectively through ayurvedic remedies and formulations. For more detail of our products check out our website www.PlanetAyurveda.com and for queries you can send your queries to our email id herbalremedies123@yahoo.com.