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Introduction to Asthma Introduction to Asthma and Homeopathic and Homeopathic

Remedies for Asthma Remedies for Asthma PatientsPatients

Dr. M. AhmedDr. M. Ahmed

DirectorDirector( Research& Dev., & International ( Research& Dev., & International

Relations) Relations) Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies in Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies in

Homeopathy (BCASH)Homeopathy (BCASH)&&

Country RepresentativeCountry RepresentativeWorld Homeopathic Awareness Organization World Homeopathic Awareness Organization

( WHAO)( WHAO)11 March 200811 March 2008

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What Do We Mean By What Do We Mean By Asthma?Asthma?

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways. This Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways. This inflammation often causes recurrent episodes of wheezing, inflammation often causes recurrent episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing, mostly at night breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing, mostly at night or in early morning. or in early morning.

This is often linked to allergies, heredity and various This is often linked to allergies, heredity and various environmental factors causing increased airway inflammation environmental factors causing increased airway inflammation and resulting in recurring attacks of wheezing, coughing, chest and resulting in recurring attacks of wheezing, coughing, chest constriction & labored breathing. constriction & labored breathing.

Asthma symptoms varies from patient to patient, but most Asthma symptoms varies from patient to patient, but most typical symptoms are coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath typical symptoms are coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and tightness in chestand tightness in chest

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Diagnosis of AsthmaDiagnosis of Asthma

Major diagnostic criteria of asthma:Major diagnostic criteria of asthma:

1.Cardinal Features of Asthma 1.Cardinal Features of Asthma 

1.1 Recurrent cough  1.1 Recurrent cough  1.2 Paroxysmal respiratory distress 1.2 Paroxysmal respiratory distress 1.3 Wheeze 1.3 Wheeze 1.4 Chest tightness1.4 Chest tightness

2. Recurrent Attack 2. Recurrent Attack

3. Features of Eosinophilic inflammation : Sputum Eosinophlia3. Features of Eosinophilic inflammation : Sputum Eosinophlia

4. Obstructive defects, sometimes partially reversible by drug 4. Obstructive defects, sometimes partially reversible by drug 

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Major Diagnostic Symptoms of Major Diagnostic Symptoms of Asthma.Asthma.

Recurrent wheeze ( Respiratory distress)Recurrent wheeze ( Respiratory distress)

• • wheeze following playing or physical activities ( Respiratory distress)wheeze following playing or physical activities ( Respiratory distress)

• • Chronic night or early morning cough( causes awaking the child)Chronic night or early morning cough( causes awaking the child)

• • Chronic unproductive cough without apparent cause Chronic unproductive cough without apparent cause

• • wheeze or cough when exposed to dust ( Respiratory distress)wheeze or cough when exposed to dust ( Respiratory distress)

• • Associated atopic problems of allergic rhinitis, allergic Associated atopic problems of allergic rhinitis, allergic

conjunctivitis and atopic dermatitis conjunctivitis and atopic dermatitis

• • Family history of asthma is positive Family history of asthma is positive

• • Serum IgE level is elevatedSerum IgE level is elevated

• • Air flow obstructionAir flow obstruction

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Classification of AsthmaClassification of AsthmaSOURCE : (National Asthma Education & Prevention Program,USA)SOURCE : (National Asthma Education & Prevention Program,USA)

1. Intermittent Asthma: 1. Intermittent Asthma: Between the Between the attacks, patient is symptom free and attacks, patient is symptom free and pulmonary function (PF) is normal.pulmonary function (PF) is normal.

2. Persistent Asthma 2. Persistent Asthma --:Frequent attack :Frequent attack (coughing, wheezing, or shortness of breath at night (coughing, wheezing, or shortness of breath at night or early morning at least more than two occasion in a or early morning at least more than two occasion in a month) .In between the attack patient may or may not month) .In between the attack patient may or may not be symptom free and PF is mostly abnormal (except be symptom free and PF is mostly abnormal (except in mild persistent). Sub divided in to:in mild persistent). Sub divided in to:

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Classification of asthma Classification of asthma contd.contd.

2.1 Mild Persistent Asthma2.1 Mild Persistent Asthma: Usually : Usually patients have nocturnal attack of more patients have nocturnal attack of more than 2 times per month than 2 times per month

2.2. Moderate Persistant Asthma:2.2. Moderate Persistant Asthma: Usually patients have almost daily attack Usually patients have almost daily attack

2.3. Severe Persistant Asthma:2.3. Severe Persistant Asthma: Usually patients have dyspnoea to some Usually patients have dyspnoea to some extent continuously for 6 months or more extent continuously for 6 months or more

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Classification of Asthma Classification of Asthma Contd.Contd.

3.3. Acute exacerbationAcute exacerbation : Loss of control of : Loss of control of any class or variant any class or variant

( mild to life threatening attack) ( mild to life threatening attack)

3.1 Mild3.1 Mild:: it is dyspnoeic (can talk in sentences it is dyspnoeic (can talk in sentences ))

3.2 Moderate:3.2 Moderate: It is more dyspnoeic(can not It is more dyspnoeic(can not complete a sentences in one breath )complete a sentences in one breath )

3.3 Severe:3.3 Severe: severely dyspnoeic(talks in words severely dyspnoeic(talks in words and may be restless, even unconscious)and may be restless, even unconscious)

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CLASSIFICATION OF ASTHMA CLASSIFICATION OF ASTHMA CONTDCONTD

4. Special Variants :4. Special Variants :

4.1 Seasonal Asthma:4.1 Seasonal Asthma: Relation to certain pollens and molds Relation to certain pollens and molds appearing in the environment during specific season.appearing in the environment during specific season.

4.2 Exercise Induced Asthma:4.2 Exercise Induced Asthma: Exercise Induced Asthma or Exercise Induced Asthma or Exercise-induced bronchospasm is experienced on exertion Exercise-induced bronchospasm is experienced on exertion particularly during attack..particularly during attack..

4.3 Drug Induced Asthma:4.3 Drug Induced Asthma: Some drugs, e.g. Aspirin may cause Some drugs, e.g. Aspirin may cause asthma symptoms to appear (almost1 in 30 cases). asthma symptoms to appear (almost1 in 30 cases).

4.4 Cough Variant Asthma:4.4 Cough Variant Asthma: Presents with chronic cough and Presents with chronic cough and sputum eosinophilia, but without the abnormalities of sputum eosinophilia, but without the abnormalities of

airway function seen in asthma. airway function seen in asthma.

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Classification of Asthma Contd.Classification of Asthma Contd.

OCCUPATIONAL ASTHMA:OCCUPATIONAL ASTHMA:

Occupational asthma may be defined as Occupational asthma may be defined as asthma induced at work by exposure to asthma induced at work by exposure to occupation related agents, which are mainly occupation related agents, which are mainly inhaled at the workplace. inhaled at the workplace.

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Brief Overview Of Asthma in Brief Overview Of Asthma in BangladeshBangladesh

0.7 million peoples are suffering from asthma of which 0.4 0.7 million peoples are suffering from asthma of which 0.4 million are children (National Asthma Survey of Bangladesh million are children (National Asthma Survey of Bangladesh ,1999) ,1999)

Usually big cities like Dhaka and Chittagong are exposed to Usually big cities like Dhaka and Chittagong are exposed to asthma because of massive air pollution and industrial and asthma because of massive air pollution and industrial and automobile exhaust.automobile exhaust.

Recently coastal areas have showed sharp rise of asthma Recently coastal areas have showed sharp rise of asthma cases due to lung infections, allergy and pneumonia, the cases due to lung infections, allergy and pneumonia, the physicians said quoting a study.physicians said quoting a study.

The average number of asthma cases in Dhaka and The average number of asthma cases in Dhaka and Chittagong cities remain around 4.1 percent, while number Chittagong cities remain around 4.1 percent, while number of such casesof such cases crossed over nine percent in coastal areas.crossed over nine percent in coastal areas.

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Brief Overview Of Asthma in Brief Overview Of Asthma in Bangladesh ContdBangladesh Contd..

Indoor pollution is very high in the coastal belt while the Indoor pollution is very high in the coastal belt while the outdoor pollution was minimal (Institute of Diseases of outdoor pollution was minimal (Institute of Diseases of Chest and Hospital (IDCH) Chest and Hospital (IDCH)

Inhalation of smoke from cooking burners and fluctuation Inhalation of smoke from cooking burners and fluctuation of temperatures owing to cyclone and storms have been of temperatures owing to cyclone and storms have been contributing significantly for spreading child asthma in the contributing significantly for spreading child asthma in the areas( Asthma Association) areas( Asthma Association)

It is said that pneumonia and bronchiolitis in childhood are It is said that pneumonia and bronchiolitis in childhood are the main reasons for causing asthma. the main reasons for causing asthma.

People having allergy are four times more susceptible to People having allergy are four times more susceptible to asthma than that of those who are free from allergy. asthma than that of those who are free from allergy.

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SOME MAJOR HOMEOPATHIC SOME MAJOR HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES 0F ASTHMAREMEDIES 0F ASTHMA

Ipecac.Ipecac. Ars. alb. Ars. alb. Ars iod.Ars iod. Blata orient.Blata orient. Aralia racemosaAralia racemosa Nat. sulph Nat. sulph Antim tart. Antim tart. Kali bich.Kali bich. Apis mel. Apis mel. Iberis.Iberis. Conval. Conval. LachesisLachesis Naja etc Naja etc

- depending on the symptoms- depending on the symptoms..

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Some Specific Nature of Attack and Their Some Specific Nature of Attack and Their Homeopathic RemediesHomeopathic Remedies

Nature of AttackNature of Attack Homeopathic RemediesHomeopathic Remedies

Asthma attack in winterAsthma attack in winter Ipecac., Carbo veg.Ipecac., Carbo veg.

Nettle rash like Skin out-Nettle rash like Skin out-breaks alternating with asthmabreaks alternating with asthma

Caladium seg.Caladium seg.

Constriction of Chest & tensionConstriction of Chest & tension Ledum pal.Ledum pal.

When walking against windWhen walking against wind Cuprum met.Cuprum met.

Asthma on lying down at night Asthma on lying down at night with spasmodic cough and with spasmodic cough and feels as if a foreign were in feels as if a foreign were in throatthroat

Aralia racimosaAralia racimosa

From icy food and drinksFrom icy food and drinks Ars alb.Ars alb.

After VaccinationAfter Vaccination Thuja oc.Thuja oc.

Spasmodic AsthmaSpasmodic Asthma Lobelia inf.Lobelia inf.

Periodic attack of asthmaPeriodic attack of asthma Ars. alb.Ars. alb.

Asthma attack with Asthma attack with intermittent feverintermittent fever

MezeriumMezerium

From fatty degeneration of From fatty degeneration of heartheart

Arnica mont.Arnica mont.

Asthma attack after sexual Asthma attack after sexual intercourseintercourse

Kali bich.Kali bich.

Asthma attack when heated Asthma attack when heated suddenly from cold suddenly from cold

SiliciaSilicia

From Catching coldFrom Catching cold Spongia tostaSpongia tosta

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BibliographyBibliography

Boericke , William , 1927. Boericke , William , 1927. Homoeopathic Materia Medica Homoeopathic Materia Medica

Nash, E.B. 1981. 'Leaders in Nash, E.B. 1981. 'Leaders in Homeopathic Theraupatics' Homeopathic Theraupatics'

National Asthma Education & National Asthma Education & Prevention Program, USAPrevention Program, USA