Easing the potentially debilitating effects of asthma

Asthma is a condition marked by recurrent attacks of difficult breathing and wheezing due to spasmodic constriction of the bronchi tubes.

It as also known as bronchial asthma. Attacks vary greatly, from occasional periods of difficult breathing and wheezing to severe attacks that produce suffocation and require immediate medical attention. An acute attack that lasts for days to weeks is called “status asthmaticus.”

Asthma occurs in approximately 3% of the general population with varying degrees of severity. It occurs equally in males and females and tends to occur in children and young adults.

It is a chronic condition with an irregular pattern of exacerbations and remissions and can be classified into three types according to causative factors.

• Extrinsic asthma is due to an external allergy and represents the most common type of asthma. Usually, the offending allergens are suspended in air in the form of pollen, dust, cigarette smoke, automobile exhaust, animal dander or some other offending agent.

• Intrinsic asthma or non-allergenic asthma is due to a chronic, underlying infection of the bronchi, sinuses, tonsils or adenoids by bacteria, fungi or viruses. There is evidence that this type of asthma develops from a hypersensitivity to the offending infectious agent.

• The mixed type is the third category of asthma and is due to a combination of extrinsic and intrinsic factors. Attacks can be precipitated by infections, emotional factors such as stress and anxiety and exposure to non-specific irritants.

A typical asthmatic attack is characterized by difficulty breathing and wheezing due to restricted air flow. The affected individual assumes a classic sitting posture, leaning forward, to use all the muscles of respiration. The skin is usually pale and moist with perspiration. In severe attacks the lips and nailbeds can appear blue in colour. In the early stages of an attack, coughing may be dry but as the attack progresses, the cough becomes more productive with thick mucoid sputum.

The exact cause of asthma is not entirely known. There is an inherited tendency towards the development of extrinsic asthma. It is related to a hypersensitivity immune reaction. The affected individual often gives a family history of allergies of one kind or another and a personal history of allergic disorders. Secondary factors affecting the severity of the attack or triggering its onset include events that produce emotional stress, exercise, environmental changes in humidity and temperature and exposure to noxious fumes of other airborne allergens.

Conventional medical treatment of asthma focuses on drug therapy to prevent and treat bronchial spasms. Salbutamol or Ventolin is the most common inhaled medicine for acute asthma. It basically relaxes bronchial smooth muscle by inhibiting nerve impulses that cause bronchial constriction. Theophylline and caffeine are two other drugs that promote bronchodilation. Cortisone and its derivatives are also widely used to decrease the inflammatory response and produce bronchial relaxation. A bronchodilator drug is often prescribed together with a corticosteroid in the management of both acute and chronic asthmatic attacks.

Stress and emotional factors aggravate asthma. Stressors should be identified and reduced where possible.

Environmental sensitivities and allergens should be identified and eliminated where possible. Common environmental allergens include pollen, dust, molds, animal dander, automobile exhaust and other pollution, cigarette smoke, pesticides, herbicides, perfumes and other inhalants.

Breathing exercise that increase the use of the diaphragm and promote deep breathing should be practiced. Meditation can be used to help reduce stress and relax bronchial muscle.

Diet can play a role in the development and exacerbation of asthma. Food sensitivities and allergies can trigger asthmatic attacks. Excess sugar and refined carbohydrates, dairy products, wheat, eggs, corn, nuts, chocolate, citrus fruits are among the potential offending foods. A high consumption of dairy, wheat and other carbohydrate both directly and indirectly increases mucous production in the airways.

Benzoates, monosodium glutamate or MSG, sulfites, tartrazine, salicylates and other food additives can also potentially trigger asthmatic attacks. Calcium deficiency can promote bronchial contraction and worsen asthmatic attacks. Calcium is in intimately involved in muscle contraction and relaxation.

Magnesium deficiency can also promote bronchial contraction and worsen attacks. Magnesium is intimately involved in muscle contraction and relaxation and can be beneficial as a supplement, even if not deficient. Supplemental magnesium can relax bronchial smooth muscles and improve air flow. The downside, if there is too much magnesium, is that it may also relax your bowel muscles. Intramuscular and intravenous magnesium has been used and can also be beneficial in an acute asthmatic attack.

Omega 3 oils, rich in docosahexanoic acid and eicosapentanoic acid, can decrease the inflammatory reaction by decreasing the production of specific inflammatory chemicals. While not helpful for an acute attack, the oils can down regulate the chronic inflammatory cycle involved in chronic asthma. It works in much the same way as the prescription drug Singular, or montelukast.

Some herbal medicine may help to promote bronchial dilation and decrease asthmatic attacks. These include coltsfoot, ephedra, fenugreek, horehound, licorice, lobelia, mullein and wild cherry bark. They can be a useful adjunct if using prescription bronchodilator medicine.

The information provided in this article is not intended to constitute medical advice. All information and content are for general information purposes only.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.