Asthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. In an asthma patient it is difficult for air to move in and out of the lungs, triggering symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and/or chest tightness.

Asthma in Ayurveda mentions in “Pranavaha Sroto Vikara”  as Swasa is a common lung condition that causes regular breathing difficulties. It affects people of all ages and regularly starts in childhood, even though it can also develop for the first time in adults.

Risk factors and causes of Asthma

Asthma results from complex connections between an individual’s inherited and interactions with the environment. The factors that cause a hereditarily prone individual to become asthmatic are poorly understood. The resulting risk factors for asthma are:

  • Allergic conditions in family
  • Hay fever (allergic rhinitis)
  • Viral respiratory illness during childhood
  • More exposure to cigarette smoke
  • Obesity
  • Exposure to air pollution or burning biomass
  • Infections like cold or Flu.
  • Exercise

Types of Asthma

Typically, Asthma can be classified in to Allergic Asthma and Non-Allergic Asthma.

Allergic Asthma

Allergic Asthma is caused due to exposure to an allergen, such as dust mites, animal fur or pollen.

Non-allergic Asthma

Non-allergic Asthma occurs due to various factors such as stress, exercise, illness, extreme weather, irritants in the air and certain medicines.

  • Adult-onset Asthma

Sometimes, asthma signs cannot be seen until they are adults. This is known as Adult-onset Asthma.

  • Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB)

          While exercising, healthy people can develop asthma symptoms.

  • Occupational Asthma

Occupational asthma occurs by inhaling fumes, gases, dust or other potentially damaging substances while on the job.

  • Childhood Asthma

Childhood asthma influences millions of children and their families. In fact, most of the children at the age of five develop asthma.

Currently lot of asthma patients are  dependent on inhalers, but there are holistic treatments that can help keep the asthma indications under control so it does not have a big effect on your life.

Ayurveda Treatment for Asthma

According to Ayurveda, Asthma is caused due to imbalanced Kapha, Pitta Dosha causes with symptoms like  wheezing, coughing, fever and irritability. Asthma caused by Vata Dosha can be acknowledged by wheezing, dry mouth, thirst, dry cough, dry skin, anxiety and constipation.

Virechana and Vamana are the two most common Panchakarma procedures that for very effective treatments for Asthma in Ayurveda.

Vamana

Vamana herbs such as liquorice, sweet flag and emetic nut were consumed by the patient. These herbs induce therapeutic vomiting that removes the imbalanced Dosha over upper gastro-intestinal tract.

Virechana

Patient is made to consume herbal cleansing preparations that bring toxin elimination through the anal route make sure for well-being of the patient.

Rasayana Therapy

After the Panchakarma treatments, patients are provided with oral medicines along with diet regulation. Rasayana therapy builds immunity, avoids recurrence, re-establishes the normal functioning of the body and helps to fight disease for long time .