Wheezing - World Class Holistic
Homeopathy Treatment
RESPIRATORY DISORDERS – Wheezing & Asthma
In general, no one will hear their own breathing sounds or heart beats
unless otherwise they get physically more strained. If any one happens to hear
their own breathing sounds and heart beats even under resting condition, then
that sound should be treated as Nature’s alarm to take care of the lungs or
body. Here one should act fast to take care of the situation to avoid medical
emergencies.
Normally, whenever pressurized air passes through a narrow space, it
produces continuous whistling or humming sounds. One such whistling / husky
sound heard abnormally from lungs (due to partially constricted / obstructed
airways) is medically termed as wheezing. Sometimes in extreme cases, it is
readily audible to near ones and sometimes it may need palpation or stethoscope
to realize the wheeze.
Wheezing
It is an abnormal high pitched continuous / prolonged whistling sound heard all
over the lungs especially during expiratory phase of respiration. It is
otherwise called as Rhochi. Wheezing usually refers ailing lungs. Even though
both inspiration and expiration seems to be difficult for wheezing patients,
the abnormal sound occurs more prominent during exhalation since during
inspiration, lung happens to get expand with dilatation of narrowed airway.
Wheezing is commonly heard in Asthma, Croup, Pneumonia, Bronchitis, Emphysema,
Allergic respiratory illnesses, etc.
Wheezing usually occurs due to partial obstruction of the lumen of lungs
which is caused because of swelling of the mucous membranes / spasm or
constriction of smooth muscles / loading of viscid or mucous secretions, etc.
It can also arise due to allergic reactions, untreated or maltreated cold and
exposure to irritants. It will go off immediately on clearing lung complaints
or infection or obstruction.
Other than whistling wheezing sound, many other abnormal short interrupted
sounds can also arise from chest with diseases. They are
·
Croup – Rattling chest with barking cough
(common in children)
·
Stridor – an abnormal sound most commonly
occurring with viral or bacterial infections of throat – here inflamed
epiglottis / vocal cord / laryngx gets swollen and block / narrow the airway to
cause this sound. The characteristic sound of stridor will be very short
crowing sound. Stridor can also be heard when foreign objects or food enters
the throat or airways causing obstruction. This sort of sounds will be heard
more commonly during inspiration since process of inspiration occurs as
forcible and expiratioj occur only as a passive natural recoil of lungs.
·
Rales – are named for fine, coarse and short
interrupted sounds – Crepitations / Clicking sounds / Cracking sounds /
Bubbling sounds / Rattling sounds, etc. They occur commonly due to alveolar
diseases and with fluid collections.
Auscultation of lungs with expertise knowledge of abnormal sounds and
disease can help one to differentiate the abnormal sounds from one another and
can provide clue for the diagnosis of the disease. Lacking the
differentiating ability, common people use to call all the abnormal sounds as
wheezing. Likewise, they use the term Wheezing and Asthma for one another.
Actually wheezing is a symptom whereas Asthma is a disease. Every asthmatic
patient can have wheezing but all the wheezing patients need not be asthmatic,
i.e., wheezing can occur due to various other reasons too – for example
pulmunory odema, heart failure, etc.
Asthma
It is a chronic inflammatory lung disease characterised with difficulty in
breathing and whistle breathing (wheezing) especially during exhalation. It may
be transient or persistent (seasonal or perennial). Asthma has a tendency to
wheeze due to sensitive tracheo bronchial tree. So, it is also called as
Reactive lung disorder. Commonly, children who suffer constantly with allergy,
dermatitis and eczema use to develop asthma in due course, unless otherwise
properly cared. They all seem to be closely associated and genetically related.
In these cases, the antibodies IgE are found to be elevated in the serum.
Medical advancement still cannot configure the complete picture of asthma,
since it has different types and it also seems to have interactions with genes,
foods and environmental factors.
Asthma can restrict lung functions and can also restrict one’s life style.
In asthma / wheezing, oxygen supply to the body (which is very essential for
survival of the parts / life) will get affected. Normally, breathing happens
around 14 times / minute. In case of asthma / wheezing, it can vary from 20 –
40 times / minute to compensate the oxygen need of the body through narrowed
airways. Here, breathing will be very shallow and frequent.
Incidences
The incidences of asthma / wheezing seems to be increasing throughout the
world even in developed countries. It can affect any one irrespective of age,
sex and race. Even though it is not contagious, it is often found to descend
through genes. In olden days, the incidences are more common with elderly
people, but now-a-days, children suffer more commonly and frequently than
elderly people. The cause is unknown. Any how, pollution and weakened immune
mechanisms can be blamed as the causes. Their incidences also seems to be high
in cases of maltreated or untreated recurrent cold. Roughly around 6-8% of the
total population suffers with asthma / wheezing / allergies.
To create awareness about Asthma, World Asthma Day is coming up on May 6 th
2008 with the theme of “You Can Control Your Asthma”. The goal of having Asthma
day is to help asthmatic people to stay away from asthmatic spells as much as
possible and to combat restricted life (if any) caused by asthma. As an action
plan to control and fight against asthma, Pulmunologists / Chest specialists /
Health professionals / Educators from all over the world, have come forward by
organizing awareness camps / free screening camps to make people aware of
proper management and treatment of Asthma. We, also wish to join this campaign
by publishing articles related with asthma to create good awareness among
people and sufferers to have easy breathe and comfort life in spite of having
Asthma.
With proper care, Homeopathy exhibits good healing potential for asthma.
Even though no one thinks of Homeopathy in acute spell of asthma attack,
homeopathy can provide very good relief. It doesn’t provide relief just with
dilatation of bronchi and bronchioles but also it acts with our immune system
and aims to expel the tendency of recurrent suffering permanently in smooth
manner. As ultra low doses of drugs are used as Homeopathic medicines, side
effects are usually nil. Its work out on childhood asthma and elderly asthma
will be amazing. Most of the childhood asthma can be rooted out completely with
the help of homeopathy medicines and in case of adulthood asthma it can help one
to manage bouts of wheeze spells easily and can help to maintain good health to
stay away from repeated asthmatic attacks.
Causes & TRIGGERS OF ASTHMA
Every disease comes with a cause, but no one can fix a single cause
for asthma, as it often remains as multifaceted. Even though lung remains
as an inner part of the body, it is always exposed to the chemicals and
pollutants as equal to the outer surface of the body, since no one can avoid
breathing atmospheric air. Sensitivity to allergen or suffering with allergy
usually varies widely from person to person. One can see many persons working
in polluted environment without any complaints, but at the same time, allergic
or asthmatic people often suffer violently even for a single moment exposure.
Likewise some use to have hectic cold & cough for weeks without any wheeze,
but for asthmatic, from day one, it may trigger the wheeze.
Even though research professionals can point out several factors as
triggers of asthma, avoidance, treatment or rooting out of the sufferings will
be very tough in case of asthmatic patients since it often varies from person
to person (and sometimes even in same person at different times),. Generally
asthmatic complaints manifest with exciting causes (allergens / dust exposure,
excessive stress and strain, exposure to change of temperature, infection,
etc). Commonly, triggers can be classified in the following way.
Triggers –
·
External factors
·
Internal factors
·
Psychological factors
External factors –
·
Low or inadequate supply of oxygen – for example in high
altitudes, poor ventilated rooms, in congested crowds, etc.
·
Inhaling pollutants – dust, smoke (industrial or
cigarette or of automobiles), pollens, perfumes, room sprays, furs of animals /
birds, preservatives in foods, chemical irritants / acids, etc
·
Exposure to extreme of temperatures
·
Violent exercises or strain (especially in cold
temperature)
·
Infections – bacterial / viral / fungal – causing cold
and cough
·
Bites of Insects / mites to cause allergic reactions
·
Drugs induced (due to sensitivity or allergy) –
antibiotics, anti inflammatory medicines, hypertensive or cardiac drugs, etc
·
Aspiration of small foreign bodies (parts of toys, foods
during deglutition, pins, etc) entering into upper or lower respiratory tract
to cause obstruction or cramps or irritations of lungs
Internal factors –
·
Genetic factor – trait of asthma / allergy / eczema
·
Allergic tendency or hypersensitivity or immune response
of body to cause oedema of lungs with any of the triggers / pollutants – for
example lactose intolerance
·
Nose – suffering more with allergic rhinitis, sinusitis,
post nasal drip, nose block (nasal polyps), etc can also lead one to asthmatic
spells
·
Throat – Laryngitis, Pharyngitis, etc. can also trigger
asthma
·
Lung – Acute / Chronic bronchitis, Pneumonia, Bronchiectasis,
Pleurisy, Pulmonary oedema / hypertension, etc. can any time turn to reflect as
or get settle as asthma with or without proper treatment.
·
Stomach – Acidity or GERD, indigestion, vomiting, hiatus
hernia can also flare up or induce an asthmatic attack. Here wheezing
complaints will be more after food intake, lying down, etc.
Psychological factors – Stress, tension, fear, anger, anxiety
and excessive laugh can cause or intensify one’s asthma. Moral support and
relaxation can bring back the sufferer to unruffled easy breathes.
Symptoms
Medical advancement still cannot configure the complete picture of asthma,
since often it reflect as of different types and also seems to have
interactions with multiple factors like season, environment, food, stress,
sleep, etc. It may be for transient period or in persistent manner (and may also
be seasonally or perennially). Reactions of lungs cannot be understood easily.
It usually depends on sensitivity of the lungs which varies from person to
person.
The intensity, frequency and period of the sufferings will also vary from
person to person and sometimes even in same person at different times, i.e.,
some can able to do all their routine work in spite of suffering and some may
not even speak or walk or lie down.
The common symptoms of Asthma are
·
Changes in breath in depth and frequency
·
Shortness in breath in due course (shallow and frequent
breathing / fast and irregular breathing)
·
Smothering feeling with want of more air or fanning
·
In severe cases sufferer often feels like choked
·
Restlessness (constantly changing / adjusting positions)
to get ease and comfort breathe
·
Cough / croup with deep breathe
·
Bouts of cough which use to get worse by night and with
vigorous exercise or play
·
Inability to speak or work
·
Heaviness or tightness in chest
·
Nasal flaring
·
Stooping of shoulders to ease the breathe
Also, most commonly asthma patients would have associated symptoms like
sneezing / running nose / nose block / exertional dyspnoea / nocturnal dyspnoea
/ aggravation by lying down, etc in addition to the above said symptoms.
Diagnosis and Management of Asthma
Early diagnosis and early treatment will always provide excellent results.
Asthma is no way exception. If any person happens to diagnose asthma in early
stage and treat it at the early stage itself, then the person need not fear for
recurrent sufferings or medical emergency condition like status asthmaticus.
Any how, due to multifaceted symptoms of asthma, it is often misdiagnosed and
maltreated in early stages.
Commonly, symptom presentations alone will not help to fix the
diagnosis, but in case of asthma most often, one needs to depend on them
only. Even though, there are lots of investigations to detect abnormalities in
lungs, they all help to rule out other diseases. Also assessing functional
ability of lungs helps to assess the improvement, but not the diagnosis by
itself. So, every asthmatic sufferer needs to narrate all their symptoms /
sufferings / feelings to the doctor to help him to fix the diagnosis.
Tell your health professional regarding asthma
·
How it occurs?
·
When it occurs?
·
How often it occurs?
·
What are all the alerts / warning signs?
·
How long it usually lasts?
·
Whether rest brings normalcy or not?
·
What are the triggers? cold, allergens, exposure to cold
wind, etc
·
What are all the aggravating factors? exercise, strain,
laugh, etc
·
Related with day or night when it often goes worse?
·
Is there any identified irritants / allergens?
·
Whether it restricts any activities?
·
How you get relief – with positions and management?
·
Is there any family history of asthma / allergy / eczema?
·
How about your stamina and immunity with infections?
·
What are all your associated complaints?
·
How about the betterment or response with tried out
medications?
Differential diagnosis for asthma is usually wide, i.e. from simple
bronchitis to carcinoma of lung. Heart failure, Pneumonia, Pulmonary embolism,
etc are few others. With the advice of doctor, one needs to undergo series of
tests to rule out complications, according to the symptom presentations.
Investigations
·
Auscultation of lungs to assess the whistling sound with
respect to character and its origin
·
Percussion of lungs to analyse its resonance
·
Pulmonary function test – (with spirometry / peak flow
meter) to analyse the functional ability of the lungs especially for forced
vital capacity and forced expiratory volume
·
Radiological evaluation of chest & sinus
o X-ray – Para nasal sinuses – to rule out sinusitis
o X-ray – Chest – to rule out lung infections
·
CT or MRI scan to rule out structural abnormalities of
lungs / sinuses / adenoids
·
Sputum for AFB with culture and sensitivity tests
·
Nasal smear / Throat swab depending upon necessity
·
Routine blood Tests and for serum IgE & Absolute
eosinophils count
·
Allergy Skin testing
SELF MANAGEMENT
·
Don’t be panic – be relaxed
·
Move to warm and ventilated area
·
Take some rest and opt for comfort position
·
Have some luke-warm water sip by sip
·
Breathe slowly and in relaxed manner
PREVENTION
Controlling Asthma and preventing episode most often become a simple
procedure, since most of times it can be well controlled with control over food
and environment itself.
Avoid
·
Allergens / allergic foods which can cause an episode, as
much as possible
·
Working in areas of noxious fumes or polluted air.
·
Cold things & cold winds
·
Pets & pollens
·
Drugs which can cause allergy
·
Smokes and Smoking
·
Congestive places where oxygen quotient is very less
·
Strain or strenuous exercise while having lung infection
or shortness of breath
Do’s
·
Take complete course of medicines as instructed by
physician
·
Taper the dosage of medicines with the advice of
physician
·
Keep your living area clean
·
Care for good ventilation
·
Improve lung functions with regular breathing / aerobic
exercises
·
Have nutritious foods to lead healthy life
·
While cleaning house wear mask for protection
Clean
·
Air filters (of air conditioners / windows) often
·
Damp places to reduce molds & dust mites
·
Bedspreads, pillows, blankets, mattress, rugs, every week
·
Houses with vacuum cleaner rather than sweeping or
dusting
·
Carpets frequently with vacuum cleaner
With proper understanding, management, hygienic measure and proper
medicines every one can root out or keep their asthma under control.
Living with Asthma – Cure & Control
Now-a-days, Asthma seems to be very common and affecting millions &
millions of people all over the world irrespective of age, sex and race. Also,
it is one of the most common complaints which make the children to get
hospitalized next to diarrhoea and fever. Annoying asthma needs to be cared and
treated properly or otherwise flare up can occur by any of the time. Since
asthma is one among the chronic debilitating illness, it needs to be treated
properly (for prolonged period) and also early treatment is the best treatment.
Treatment must be started properly with diagnosing the cause and its elimination
(if possible). Improper or lack of treatment not only provides foundation for
recurrent tendency to suffer again and again but can also cause persistent of
complaints always with variable intensities.
With proper understanding, care, hygienic measure and proper medicines
every one can root out or keep their asthma under control. Children can outgrow
asthma with growth (after getting widening of airways) as natural cure. But, s
ometimes disease may also grow with age i.e. asthma become persistent and most
annoying in adolescence. For some other, it may resolve in childhood and get
flare up in adolescence . Here, proper care with exercises and medicines (for
clearing lung complaints – if any) can support one to root out the complaint
once for all in its early stage itself.
GENERAL TREATMENT
Commonly Allopathy claims no cure with asthma but challenge asthma in every
way for complete comfort life. Shortness of breath usually makes the sufferer
panic and compels to go for hospitalization. Whatever may be the cause or
symptom (cough / wheeze / suffocation) they can control asthma completely with
bronchodilators and antihistamines itself. Recent medical advancement with
bronchodilators (tablets / inhaler puffs) treats asthma very easily even in
most emergency condition with simple painless procedures, sometimeseven as an
outpatient case. This way of acute management is revitalizing
thousands and thousands of status asthmatic (most severe) cases daily.
Every one needs to thank medical advancement and allopathy system for this
great achievement. But only thing is it may be needed for prolonged period or
needed then and there to combat flare-ups through out life. And also inhalers
and nebulizers become part and parcel of their life. Several thousand people
use to carry inhaler to comfort breathe and life then and there. They all learn
to live comfortably with asthma than to cure it.
Previously oral tablets and intra venous injections (bronchodilators –
salbutamol, theophylline, Prednisone, etc) were used to control asthma. They
all usually have lot of side effects, but in recent trend, medicines are
administered as vapours / mist in minute or metered dose through inhalers,
spacers or nebulisers to hit lungs directly. Sufferer will be adviced often to
use inhalers regularly for quick relief and to bring asthma under control.
After getting betterment, they will be adviced to taper the dose and keep
maintaining dose of puffs for a prolonged period as a long term control
therapy. This new mode of medicine administration through inhalers outweighs
most of the complications and side effects since inhaled minute dose of
medicines acts only on the lungs to keep them dilated to have good amount of
air. Any how, i n case of over dosage or continuous use of steroids / bronchodilators,
the side effects are very common. Asthmatic patients need to be aware about
this, so that they can reduce the dosage of medicines or get alternate
medications without treating side effects as a new symptom. The common side
effects are
·
Recurrent cold and cough due to weakened immune system or
constantly suffer with cold
·
Restlessness and tremors
·
Sleeplessness or sleepiness
·
Dizziness / poor concentration
·
Sinusitis / headache
·
Sore throat / hoarseness / vocal cord problems
·
Discomfort in chest and stomach
Further the constant use of steroidal drugs (oral and intravenous
medicines) can cause
·
Variation in Blood pressure
·
Early diabetes
·
Renal failure
·
Stunt growth
In addition, for allergy, cold and cough, Antibiotics / Anti inflammatory
drugs / Anti viral drugs / Anti histamines / Mucolytic agents / Immune therapy
are prescribed according to the condition and necessity of the sufferer. Asthma
patients need to be cautious while taking aspirin or other pain killers since
sometimes, it may also give flare-ups.
HOMOEOPATHIC APPROACH
Commonly there is a myth that Asthma cannot be cured and can only be
maintained. Actually it is not so, with appropriate management and treatment,
it can be cured completely (especially in case of childhood asthma – more than
60% of the cases can be cured – any how it also depends on the living
conditions and complications), however asthma of elderly people cannot be
claimed for complete cure. Childhood asthma usually responds extremely well to
homeopathic treatment and recurrent bouts of attack can be cured completely if
treatment is started in early stage itself. Even with the family history of
asthma, childhood asthma can be treated well. Any how, one may need regular and
long term treatments to root out the complaint. Patients and doctors need
patience in treating asthma. Here, real secret of efficacy of the treatment
lies in proper care and proper treatment.
Homeopathy treats patients (symptoms of the patients – for example, wheeze
is a symptom) and not the disease as such. Homeopathy gives importance to the
individual symptoms / patient’s feelings with respect to the disease than for
the disease symptoms itself. Symptom presentation often varies from person to
person. Remissions and flare-ups also differ from person to person. For
example, some may be comfortable in open air and some other may be comfortable
in closed room, for some sitting posture will be more comfortable and lying
posture may be worst position and for some others it may be exactly opposite.
Some people may be allergic to certain foods and particular seasons whereas for
others it is not at all a factor. Homeopathy stands here with individualization
to treat the disease / tendency at its root level by strengthening one’s vital
force.
Homoeopathy is the finger post on the cross roads of healing which directs
the way of safest and permanent cure. Homoeopathy works towards nature and has
no side effects. Homeopathy can make one breathe well, not with just dilating
the bronchi but by making lung functions in better way. By strengthening body’s
defense mechanisms / raising immunity, it can prevent recurrent relapses. With
constitutional approach and minute diluted doses of medicines, Homeopathy can
provide antigenic desensitization too to lower the allergic response for
allergens. Thus it helps patient to live better in their circumstances. With
proper care and treatment, Homeopathy can switch off the forceful rough breathe
smoothly and effectively at the earliest. Even though, its process may not be
incidental, it provides recovery in slow phase in a permanent manner.
When smothering mounts over life, Homeopathy can surely open windows widely
for better breathe without any resistance. One can discover a new relaxed
comfort life with Homeopathy to control or cure of asthma. Homeopathic
medicines commonly used in cases of asthma are Aconite, Ambra grisea, Ammon
Carb, Anti tart, Aralia Racemosa, Ars Alb, Baryta carb, Belladonna, Blatta,
Bromium, Bryonia, Caladium, Causticum, Calc carb, Grindelia, Hepar sulph,
Ignatia, Ipecac, Kali bich, Kali carb, Lachesis, Lobelia inflata, Lycopodium,
Naja, Nat mur, Nat Sulp, Nux vom, Opium, Phosphorus, Pothos, Psorinum,
Pulsatilla, Rhus tox, Rumex, Sambucus Nig, Senega, Silicea, Sticta P, Sulphur,
Thuja, Tuberculinum, etc. These Medicines should be taken under the advice and
diagnosis of a qualified Homeopath.
For new hope
Dr. S. Chidambaranathan, BHMS, MD
(Homeo)
Laxmi Homeo Clinic
24 E. New Mahalipatti Road
Madurai, TN 625 001, India
Tel: +91-984-319-1011 (Mob / Whatsapp)
Clinic : +91-452-233-8833
Web : https://drcheena.in | https://drcheena.org
Youtube : https://www.youtube.com/@DrChidambaranathanhomeopathy
E-mail: drcheena@gmail.com
(Disclaimer: The contents of this column are
for informational purpose only. The content is not intended to be a substitute
for professional healthcare advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the
advice of healthcare professional for any health problem or medical condition.)