Ayurvedic Treatment for Bronchial Asthma

Bronchial Asthma is known as Tomaka Shvasa in Ayurveda. It is an allergic condition resulting from the reaction of the body to one or more allergens and is one of the most fatal respiratory diseases. Bronchial asthma is increasing day by day with the increase in level of pollution and the stressful lifestyle followed by people.

Causes of Bronchial Asthma

Bronchial asthma is caused from the afflictions of the stomach and the gastro-intestinal tract. That is why in the preliminary stage of the disease or just before its onset, the patient complains of indigestion, constipation, or diarrhoea. The attack of asthma may come without warning because of the hypersensitivity of the patient to certain substances like pollen, dust, emanations from certain animals like dogs and cats, certain foods to which the person is allergic and, of course, certain bacteria.

Symptoms of Bronchial Asthma

Some of the main symptoms of bronchial asthma may be as follows:

• The patient may have difficulty in hearing.
• He may feel as a sense of tightness.
• There may be some constriction around the chest.
• A wheezing noise may be come as the breath is expelled.
• The small bronchial tubes which connect with the lungs are compressed due to swelling or accumulation of viscous mucus in the main bronchi, hence there may be difficulty in inspiration and expiration.

The attack of bronchial asthma mainly comes on in the early morning when the patient suddenly wakes up with a feeling of apprehension and alarm. He sits up as the breathing suddenly becomes very difficult while he is lying down. He may rush to open the window to take fresh air in, as it becomes difficult to breathe in a closed room. The attack may last for a few hours or in some cases for few days before it subsides, and, in the early stages of the disease, the patient feels normal after the attack. In case of chronic asthmma the patient acquires a typical asthmatic look - a pale face and an emaciated (very thin and malnutritioned) body.

Some Ayurvedic Medicines & Prescriptions for the Treatment of Bronchial Asthma

Well-known preparations for the treatment of bronchial asthma in Ayurveda are Chyawanaprash and Agastya Rasayana. The main ingredient of the chyawanprash is amla, the richest source of Vitamin C in nature. The peculiarity of this fruit is that its vitamin content is not lost by exposure to heat as is the case with other drugs and fruits. Agastya Rasayana is used in cases of asthma where the patient is constipated; in particularly emaciated sufferers, however, Chyawanaprash is the better remedy. Both the drugs can he taken in one teaspoonful doses thrice a day, preferably before food is ingested. They are slow-acting remedies but are surer in their effectiveness. In chronic cases, their effect is evident from the increasing gap between successive attacks.

Along with the preparations mentioned above, Sitopaladi Churna should be taken thrice or four times a day in one teaspoonful doses with honey. Since the drug is likely to cause irritation in the throat, it is better to take it with honey. Medicines containing minerals which are recommended in cases of asthma are: Swasha-Kasa-Chintamani Rasa, Suvarna-Pushpasuga Rasa, and Kanalwsava. The dosage and duration of these medicines will depend upon the acuteness of the disease.

Any of the following prescriptions can he tried after taking the advice of your physician:

Diet and Other Regimen

The patient is advised to avoid curd, butter, milk, bananas, guavas, and fried foods. Light food should be taken at night and all sour substances should be almost banned. Smoking is contraindicated and consumption of liquor should be reduced to the minimum. Excessive physical exercise and exposure to cold and damp should he avoided.