Homeopathic medicine, treatment and remedies for Asthma

• Arsenicum Album
  Common name: Arsenic trioxide
  Symptoms: The following symptoms can be noted in individuals needing arsenicum album for asthma:
  • Inability to lie down
  • Fear of suffocation
  • Constriction in air passages
  • Burning sensation in chest
  • Spells of violent coughing, which get worse after midnight
  • Coughing gets worse on lying on the back
  • Darting pain in the upper portion of right lung
  • Wheezing
  • Pain between shoulder blades
  • Dry cough after drinking alcohol
  • Back pain accompanied by a burning sensation
  • Restlessness at night
  • Feeling extremely fatigued after slight exertion
  • Aversion to taking medication
  • Headaches
  • Itchy scalp with excessive dandruff
  • Thin and watery discharge from nose
  • Stuffy nose
  • Sneezing without relief
  • Difficulty in breathing, especially in open air
  • Respiratory symptoms get better indoors
  • Acne on nose
  • Swelling and constriction in throat
  • Difficulty in swallowing
  • Pain in abdomen and stomach
• Bromium
  Common name: Bromine
  Symptoms: Administration of bromine can improve various allergic respiratory complaints. The following symptoms can be noted in a patient who requires bromine:
  • Soreness of nose
  • Feeling of a pressure at the root of nose
  • Whooping cough, which persists for upto 10 days or more
  • Dry cough with hoarse voice
  • Coughing while drawing breath
  • Shortness of breath
  • Airways feel filled with smoke
  • Cold sensation in the chest while inhaling
  • Suffocation
  • Jerking during sleep
  • Trembling and weakness on waking up
  • Headache while stooping
  • Sharp pain in eyes
• Carbo Vegetabilis
  Common name: Vegetable charcoal
  Symptoms: The following symptoms can be relieved with the help of vegetable charcoal:
  • Nasal bleeding after straining or blowing the nose too hard
  • Redness of the tip of the nose
  • Itching around nostrils
  • Presence of varicose veins on nose
  • Coughing in warm and moist weather
  • Inability to sneeze
  • Cough with itching in larynx
  • Vomiting mucus
  • Whooping cough
  • Hoarse voice, which is typically noted in evenings
  • Breathing difficulty, which gets worse in evenings
  • Frequent spells of coughing
  • Coughing along with a burning sensation in chest
  • Respiratory symptoms get worse in the evenings
  • Blue tinge on face
  • Cold breath
  • Feeling excessive heat, which is relieved by fanning
  • Asthma with blue skin
  • Aversion and fear related to darkness and dim lights
  • Spells of memory loss
  • Headaches
  • Hair fall
  • Swelling and pallor of face
  • Seeing black floating spots in the field of vision
  • Burning sensation in eyes
  • White or yellow brown coating on tongue
  • Contractive pain in stomach which extends up to the chest
  • Slow and weak digestion
  • Pain and strain in the abdominal area as from lifting weights
  • Limbs feel heavy and numb
  • Skin appears blue and feels cold to touch
  • Symptoms usually get better in cold environment
• Chamomilla
  Common name: German chamomile
  Symptoms: Chamomilla is best suited to individuals reporting the following symptoms:
  • Restlessness with irritability
  • Frequent mood swings
  • Throbbing headaches
  • Ringing in ears
  • Increased sensitivity to all kinds of smells
  • Aversion to warm drinks
  • Sweating after eating or drinking
  • Sleeping with eyes half open
  • Insupportable pain in hips
  • Pain in ankles, typically in the afternoons
  • Swelling and constriction in throat
  • Irritable, dry and tickling cough
  • Tightness in chest
  • Rattling of mucus in chest, especially in children
  • Symptoms may get worse due to heat and in open air
  • Respiratory symptoms get better in warm and wet environment
• Ipecacuanha
  Common name: Ipecac root
  Symptoms: Patients who respond well to ipecac root present with the following symptoms:
  • Aversion to noise
  • Impatience and slow perception of things
  • Decreased attention
  • Reduced sense of smell
  • Blockage of nostrils
  • Soreness and sensitivity in throat during swallowing
  • Contractive sensation in throat
  • Cough during night accompanied by headahce and stomach pain
  • Suffocation and shortness of breath during coughing
  • Appearance of a blue tinge on the face while coughing
  • Vomiting without nausea but usually preceded by coughing
  • Rattling noise in chest due to cough and mucus
  • Dry cough, which gets triggered on lying down on the left side
  • Whooping cough accompanied by bleeding from nose and mouth
  • Vomiting of food while coughing
  • Stiffness in body with a persistent cough
  • Suffocative cough in the evenings
  • Shortness of breath
  • Foetid breath
  • Violent coughing attacks in open air
  • Making deep sounds indicating effort while trying to draw in breath
  • Feeling a weight on chest
  • Breathlessness with the slightest movement
  • Palpitations and spasms in chest
  • Appearance of itchy spots on chest
• Natrum Sulphuricum
  Common name: Sulphate of sodium, Glauber’s salt
  Symptoms: Natrum sulphuricum is useful for relieving the following symptoms:
  • Shortness of breath while walking or doing any physical activity
  • Pain in the left side of chest while coughing
  • Dry cough triggered by dryness and roughness in chest
  • Cough gets worse at night and better by sitting up in bed or holding the chest with both hands
  • Chest pain while yawning
  • Asthma attacks get worse in the early hours of morning
  • Feeling of oppression in the chest
  • Feeling a heavy weight on chest
  • Pain in the nape of the neck at night (Read more: Neck pain causes)
  • Tearing pain in the left side of neck
  • Persistent sadness
  • Vertigo in mornings and after having dinner
  • Headache triggered by reading
  • Nosebleeds
  • Frequent sneezing
  • Nasal obstruction
  • Seeing sparks before eyes
  • Itching on face along with paleness of skin
  • Feeling very sleepy during daytime
  • Jerking of limbs during sleep
• Nux Vomica
  Common name: Poison nut
  Symptoms: The following symptoms may be remedied with the help of nux vomica:
  • Spasmodic constriction in chest
  • Asthma along with a constant feeling of fullness in stomach
  • Persistent cough with a tearing sensation in chest
  • Shallow breathing
  • Shortness of breath
  • Dry and hacking cough
  • Cough accompanied by bursting headache
  • Hoarse voice
  • Burning sensation in spine
  • Contraction of jaws
  • Dry and itchy sensation in throat
  • Tightness in throat
  • Nausea in mornings
  • Stomach pain after eating
  • Flatulence
  • Inability to sleep after 3 am
  • Numbness of legs
  • Drowsiness after meals
  • Symptoms get worse in mornings and with mental exertion but better after a restful sleep
• Pulsatilla
  Common name: Wind flower
  Symptoms: The following symptoms can be noted in an individual requiring wind flower:
  • Pain in the right temple
  • Headache aggravated by stress and workload
  • Inflammation in eyelids
  • Dry mouth without thirst
  • Yellow or white coating on tongue
  • Aversion to fatty food
  • Flatulence
  • Hoarseness of voice
  • Dry cough in the evening and at night. The person needs to sit up in bed to reduce cough
  • Loose cough in mornings
  • A feeling of pressure on chest
  • Shortness of breath
  • Palpitations and anxiety when lying on the left side
  • Feeling smothered when lying down
  • Waking up unrefreshed
  • Excessive drowsiness in afternoons
  • Back pain along with shooting pain in the nape of the neck
  • Pain between shoulder blades

Do’s

• Keep your surroundings clean and well sanitised. This will keep dust and common allergens at bay.
• Maintain personal hygiene  Take a healthy and nutritious diet including fresh vegetables and fruits.
• While using homeopathic drugs, it is recommended to maintain an active lifestyle by engaging in brisk activities and regular exercise.
• It is best to wear lose clothes which are comfortable and airy.

Don’ts

• Processed foods and ready-to-eat foods must be avoided.
• Avoid the use of strong artificial scents such as perfumes, scented cosmetics and room fresheners.
• Foods containing stimulating items like onions and garlic must be consumed in moderation.
• Avoid alcohol and coffee while using homeopathic medication. (Read more: How to quit alcohol)

Homeopathic treatment for asthma works at various levels for providing relief from symptoms and affecting an overall improvement in health. An effective regimen for asthma treatment is devised according to disease symptoms and symptoms related to individual psyche. A person’s daily routine and other health indications offer an effective roadmap for administering specific remedies.

Homoepathy works on the law of similars, which means that a substance that produces certain symptoms in healthy individuals can be used for relieving the same symptoms when they appear as symptoms in a disease condition.

According to a research done at the University of Glasgow, 80% of patients who received minute homeopathic doses of substance they were allergic to, showed significant improvement in the symptoms within the first week of treatment. 

A review of the clinical research work of the Central Council of Homeopathy, New Delhi, in the field of asthma, revealed that homeopathic medicines act as efficiently when given as adjunct in drug-dependent patients as in non-drug-dependent patients taking homeopathic treatment alone. 

In a study conducted on 28 patients with allergic asthma, it was noted that homeopathic immunotherapy provided positive results within one week of starting the treatment and its effects lasted for up to 8 weeks. 

Homeopathic remedies are derived from naturally occurring substances, which help in addressing the causal as well as peripheral symptoms associated with a disease. Since they are carefully diluted to meet individual needs, homeopathic medicicnes are very safe to use and produce minimal side effects. The chances of being allergic to a particular remedy are also rare since these remedies are only provided after sufficient enquiry about the individuals’ psyche physical symptoms and blood work, if needed. However, for effective recovery, it is best to take homeopathic medications after checking in with an experienced doctor.

Asthma is a chronic condition, wherein the bronchi (airways) get swollen and narrow due to exposure to an allergen. It is usually diagnosed at an early age and has a negative impact on one’s quality of life. A lack of control over the surrounding environment makes one more susceptible to aggravated asthmatic symptoms. The homeopathic approach helps in bringing about positive changes in health in order to improve resistance to environmental triggers to asthma to prevent asthmatic attacks.