Asthma- Cause & Cure

It starts early in child hood – suddenly the child keeps getting fever, phlegm, cough  and a course of antibiotics + antihistamines seems to settle but keeps flaring up. Most of these are common in kids due to low immunity but some go on to developing breathing problems. Pediatric pulmonologist’s put the kid on oral steroids or little older children are given inhalers…

Many people will understand when i explain what happens in this health condition called “Asthma”.

God has given a beautiful mechanism in the body called “immunity” – yes the ability of the body to fight off things like bacteria, virus etc.

For me it started one day evening with high grade fever, doctor prescribed antibiotics, antihistamines but even after week – i couldn’t sleep due to cough … next visit brought an increased dose of higher range antibiotic – no avail.

Decided to go to a ENT specialist as the General Practitioner failed to help me. Here it was diagnosed as infection and another higher end – different course was started. By then i had completed 20 days – and lost about 5 kgs of weight.

Next visit was the Ayurvedic Doctor – the bhasmas, kashayas and the food pathya ran another week when the good doctor advised a chest X-ray as most coughs needs to subside by then.

When the technician took my X-ray – he wanted me to wait to confirm if the radiology was done properly (am talking of analog machine) and told me there is a white patch on left lung indicating some infection.

Was shocked to hear such things and asked in the hospital for a specialist and got introduced to pulmonology!

Well, i went through a course of steroids – gained weight but got off the allergic bronchitis the technical name for my condition.

After cure, was on both rescue inhalers and steroid inhalers for close to a decade. All the types of doctors declared this as “not curable” but “controllable”.

The Villains Entry

When we breathe, there are millions of things that get inhaled along with gases. These particles include minute dust, insect droppings (yes!!) , pollen from shrubs/trees  etc…  The body typically ignores these but some people who’s immune system is extremely overactive or run these in their family have problems.

The body detects the dust/pollen/small partials as foreign body and tries to solve the problem by rushing white blood cells ( our warriors) to site, inflames the breathing tubes which exchange air to blood in lungs, causes phlegm to form , initiates a cough so that the dust/pollen gets attached to that and comes out.

The net result is what we experience called an “Asthma Attack”. This is called a “auto immune disorder” and pulmonologist prescribes Antibiotics to kill bacteria around, Antihistamines to stop the phlegm formation (Histamine is a chemical produced in these cases by body) and steroids to remove the inflammation.

REVERSIBLE?

Most of the modern doctors are not taught of reversing these conditions and hence called “incurable”. The Truth is in most cases it’s completely reversible.

The first reason why your body got so agitated needs to be understood. Most of the time we don’t exercise, we don’t have proper nutritious and balanced food, sleep deprived and stress oriented.

I went on a controlled diet, started exercising, and changed my job to one with lower stress. The magic happened when i lost weight 12 kilos. Was using a apparatus called “Peak flow meter” and used to measure my lung capacity twice a day. Noticed that due to my new regimen, the strength of my lungs increased, balanced diet with proper Vitamins and minerals ensured that body has right ammunition to fight at right time.

For the first time in 10 years, i did not use my rescue inhaler, while i reduced the steroid inhalers while monitoring the lung capacity.

In 2017 summer went to Shimla at the altitude of 10500 feet and had no problem and this year went to Nathu La Pass ( 14300 feet) and not a single word about asthma.

Yes, you can do it too – its very much reversible under the guidance of an able nutritionist who can continuously monitor and help you get your breath back – its your life back in your control.