Asthma Health Article

Diagnosis

Apart from listening to the patient's chest, the examiner should look for maximum chest expansion while taking in air. Hunched shoulders and contracting neck muscles are other signs of narrowed airways. Nasal polyps or increased amounts of nasal secretions are often noted in asthmatic patients. Skin changes, like dermatitis or eczema, are a clue that the patient has allergic problems. Inquiring about a family history of asthma or allergies can be a valuable indicator of asthma. A test called spirometry measures how rapidly air is exhaled and how much is retained in the lungs. Repeating the test after the patient inhales a drug that widens the air passages (a bronchodilator) will show whether the narrowing of the airway is reversible, which is a very typical finding in asthma. Often patients use a related instrument, called a peak flow meter, to keep track of asthma severity when at home.

Frequently, it is difficult to determine what is triggering asthma attacks. Allergy skin testing may be used, although an allergic skin response does not always mean that the allergen being tested is causing the asthma. Also, the body's immune system produces an antibody to fight off the allergen, and the amount of antibody can be measured by a blood test. The blood test will show how sensitive the patient is to a particular allergen. If the diagnosis is still in doubt, the patient can inhale a suspect allergen while using a spirometer to detect airway narrowing. Spirometry also can be repeated after a bout of exercise if exercise-induced asthma is a possibility. A chest x-ray will help rule out other disorders.

Treatment

There are many alternative treatments available for asthma that have shown promising results. One strong argument for these treatments is that they try to avoid the drugs that allopathic treatment (combating disease with remedies to produce effects different from those produced by the disease) relies upon, which can be toxic and addictive. Mainstream journals have reported on the toxicity of asthma pharmaceuticals. A 1995 New Zealand study showed that before 1940, death from asthma was very low, but that the death rate promptly increased with the introduction of bronchodilators. The New England Journal of Medicine in 1992 reported that albuterol and other asthma drugs cause the lungs to deteriorate when used regularly. A 1989 study in the Annals of Internal Medicine showed that respiratory therapists, who are exposed to bronchodilator sprays, develop asthma five times more often than other healthcare professionals, which could imply that the drugs themselves may induce asthma. Theophylline, another popular drug, has been reported to cause personality changes in users. Steroids can also have negative effects on many systems in the body, particularly the hormonal system. Thus, natural and non-toxic methods for treating asthma are the preferred first choice of alternative practitioners, while drugs are used to manage extreme cases and emergencies.

Alternative medicine tends to view asthma as the body's protective reaction to environmental agents and pollutants. As such, the treatment goal is often to restore balance to and strengthen the entire body and provide specific support to the lungs, immune and hormonal systems. Asthma sufferers can help by keeping a diary of asthma attacks in order to determine environmental and emotional factors that may be contributing to their condition.

Alternative treatments have minimal side effects, are generally inexpensive, and are convenient forms of selftreatment. They also can be used alongside allopathic treatments to improve their effectiveness and lessen their negative side effects.

Dietary and nutritional therapies

Some alternative practitioners recommend cutting down on or eliminating dairy products from the diet, as

these increase mucus secretion in the lungs and are sources of food allergies. Other recommendations include avoiding processed foods, refined starches and sugars, and foods with artificial additives and sulfites. Diets should be high in fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and low in salt. Asthma sufferers should experiment with their diets to determine if food allergies are playing a role in their asthma. Some studies have shown that a sustained vegan (zero animal foods) diet can be effective for asthma, as it does not contain the animal products that frequently cause food allergies and contain chemical additives. A vegan diet also eliminates a fatty acid called arachidonic acid, which is found in animal products and is believed to contribute to allergic reactions. A 1985 Swedish study showed that 92% of patients with asthma improved significantly after one year on a vegan diet. On the other hand, some people feel weaker on a vegan diet. In addition, many people are allergic to vegetables rather than to meat.

Plenty of water should also be drunk by asthma sufferers, as water helps to keep the passages of the lungs moist. Onions and garlic contain quercetin, a flavonoid (a chemical compound/biological response modifier) that inhibits the release of histamine, and should be a part of an asthmatic's diet. Quercetin also is available as a supplement, and should be taken with the digestive enzyme bromelain to increase its absorption.

As nutritional therapy, vitamins A, C and E have been touted as important. Also, the B complex vitamins, particularly B₆ and B₁₂, may be helpful for asthma, as well as magnesium, selenium, and an omega-3 fatty acid supplement such as flaxseed oil. A good multivitamin supplement also is recommended. In 2004, a study of supplements at Cornell University showed that high levels of beta-carotene and vitamin C along with selenium lowered risk of asthma. However, the same study found that vitamin E had no effect.