Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition that needs to be managed proactively. The main symptoms of asthma, including wheezing, coughing and chest congestion, can be treated as they arise with medications like bronchodilators and corticosteroids. However, alternative therapies for asthma can complement this treatment with herbs that have no side-effects, as well as lifestyle choices that undercut the frequency of asthma attacks.
Mind-Body Practices
Asthma may be a respiratory disease, but symptoms and outbreaks are connected to emotional and mental causes. In fact, individuals with asthma are twice as likely to also be at risk for anxiety and mood disorders, according to a 2009 study published in the journal “Neuroimage.” This study also reports that psychological stress exacerbates the onset of asthma symptoms. Learn the emotional triggers to asthma attacks. While avoiding life-stress is impossible, improving how stress is handled can make a powerful difference in the intensity and frequency of asthma attacks. Explore a mind-body practice like yoga or meditation to lower daily stress levels.
Herbal Treatments
Herbs for asthma are controversial because their popularity often far outstrips the actual research on their effectiveness. Others are dangerous. For example, the FDA banned ephedrine for its addictive qualities and misuse. The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends boswellia, Coleus forskohlii and pycnogenol as herbs that have some proven healing qualities, although more research is needed. After all, alternative therapies in general are folk treatments that lead research through their popular success, so always communicate with your medical provider about any self-experimentation.
Other herbal remedies have been disproved. For example, the effects of ginkgo, ginger and Picrorhiza kurroa have not shown any effects on improving asthma symptoms, as reported in a 2007 study published in the journal “BMC Pulmonary Medicine.” These herbs are cases of folk remedies that appear to be only effective as placebos.
Aromatherapy
The use of herbs as aromatherapy is less controversial, particularly the psychological relaxation effects of herbal oils, according to the Asthma Center’s review of aromatherapy. Aromatherapy helps harness the power of the mind to relax and lessen the severity of asthma symptoms. Add a few drops of peppermint or eucalyptus oil to a hot water basin and place a towel over your head. Breathe deeply for 10 or 15 minutes.
Chinese herbs
Chinese herbs also continue to swell in popularity as an alternative asthma therapy to corticosteroids. Not all Chinese herbs are necessarily effective, but a 2005 study published in the “Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology” tested a combination they named ASHMI, which contained Ling-Zhi (Ganoderma lucidum), Ku-Shen (Radix Sophora flavescentis) and Gan-Cao (Radix Glycyrrhiza uralensis) alongside traditional corticosteroids. The study found that when the herbs are taken together, ASHMI is effective and well-tolerated in nonsteroid-dependent patients with moderate to severe persistent asthma.
About this Author
Ryan Hurd is a writer and consciousness studies researcher living in California. His dream expertise has been featured in the Huffington Post and Psychology Today. Hurd has a MA in Consciousness Studies, and is the author of “Enhance your dream life.”
