Asthma is a chronic disease that affects the airways, the small tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs. The inflammation makes the airways very sensitive, and they tend to react strongly to things that you are allergic. Asthma is a long-term condition that may be very mild, or can be very severe. It can be deadly if it is not controlled.
Asthma attacks are mainly caused by allergies to inhaled substances such as dust, smoke, air pollution, pollen, and animal dander. Several other things can also cause an asthma attack such as cold weather, windy weather, sudden changes in weather, exercise, foods, lung infections, molds, animals, stress, respiratory infections such as colds, flu, sore throats, and bronchitis, and medication such as aspirin and some drugs used to treat glaucoma and hypertension.
There is no cure for asthma and proper management is necessary. When people with asthma are exposed to triggers, the airways in their lungs become inflamed and swollen. During some attacks, the muscles around the airways can also tighten and the airways can produce mucus. In a severe attack, the airways can close so much that not enough oxygen gets to vital organs. This condition is a medical emergency.
The major symptoms of asthma are coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and tightness in the chest. The person finds difficulty in breathing and a feeling of constriction and tightening around the chest. There may be the bouts of coughing along with tenacious and mucoid sputum. In chronic cases, the face turns pale and the body emaciated.
Most people suffering from asthma have warning signs before symptoms ever appear. The warning signs are not the same for everyone. By knowing about the warning signs, you can start treatment sooner. This may keep you from having a serious attack.
Some of the warning signs of asthma are abnormal breathing, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, constant coughing, fatigue, wheezing, head congestion, sore throat, head congestion, rapid heartbeat and tightness in the chest.
You can control asthma by taking medicine and avoiding the triggers that can cause an attack. Uncontrolled asthma can be a danger and life threatening. Avoid marijuana or cigarette smoke, both of which can trigger an attack. Avoid strenuous sports like basketball, football, and other such sports that would put too much pressure on you.
1. Mix half a tablespoon of cinnamon (dalchini) powder and a tablespoon of honey. Consume this mixture prior to sleeping. This is an effective home remedy for asthma.
2. Boil ten cloves of garlic (lahsun) in half a cup of milk. Drink this milk at night before going to sleep. This is a valuable home remedy for asthma for those who are in the early stages of this condition.
3. Figs (anjeer) are also beneficial as natural remedy. Soak 3-4 dry figs in a cup of water. Eat on an empty stomach along with drinking the fig-soaked water. It helps in draining the phlegm.
4. Soak one teaspoon of fenugreek (methi) seeds overnight. Add one teaspoon of ginger (adrak) juice and one teaspoon of honey to this. Consume twice a day.
5. Prepare a tea with ginger (adrak), crushed garlic (lahsun) cloves and a tsp of honey. Drink hot to get relief from its symptoms.
6. Boil a tablespoon of Carom seed (ajwain) in one liter of water. Inhale the steam to get relief from breathing problem. You can also prepare a decoction by adding half a teaspoon of carom seed in two cup of water. Boil until it becomes half. Add a teaspoonful of honey. Drink this mixture twice a day.
7. Mix one gram of dry ginger (saunth) powder with one gram of black pepper (kali mirch). Add a teaspoon of honey and take this mixture twice a day.
8. Soak dry grapes (kismis) in water at night. Now keep in cold milk for 30 minutes and chew them to treat asthma.
9. To decrease the intensity of attack, take turmeric (haldi) along with honey in the morning on empty stomach.
10. Boil 7-8 cloves of garlic (lahsun) in half cup of milk. Drink this milk at night. This is very effective home remedy for asthma for people who are in early stages of this condition.
11. Prepare a paste of the roots of bitter gourd (karela) plant. Mix a teaspoon of this paste with equal quantity of the juice of holy basil (tulsi) leaves or honey. Take this mixture every night for a month.
12. Add a handful of drumstick (sahjan) leaves to 150ml of water and boiling it for five minutes. Filter the solution and add a pinch of salt, pepper (kali mirch) powder, and lime juice. This soup taken once daily is helpful in the treatment of asthma.
13. Prepare a powder from dried and pounded ginger (saunth), black pepper (kali mirch) and long pepper (pippali). Take one teaspoon of the powder along with warm water, twice a day. This helps to relieve the bronchial spasm.
14. Betel (pan) leaves are natural antiseptic and destroy phlegm. Mix. 8-10 ml of the juice extracted from betel leaves with freshly ground mint (pudina), holy basil (tulsi) and ginger (adrak). Add five freshly pounded peppercorns (gol mirch) to this mixture. Take half teaspoon of this mixture twice a day, along with some honey.
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