What is asthma?

Asthma is derived from the Greek word for "panting." Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways. It is also called bronchial asthma or reactive airway disease. The symptoms reoccur and vary. They include wheezing, coughing, tightness of the chest, and shortness of breath. Technically these symptoms are described as reversible airflow obstruction and bronchospasm. It is associated with inflammation of the bronchial tubes and an increased production of sticky secretions inside them. The number of people contracting this disease is increasing. Over 8% of the U.S. population suffers from asthma. And asthma attacks can be fatal.

What causes asthma?

The exact cause is unknown. The triggers for this chronic inflammatory disease of the airways vary from person to person. But when airways come into contact with this trigger, they become inflamed, narrow, and fill with mucus.

There is some evidence for genetic influences and environmental factors. For some people, allergies play a role. See our page about essential oils and allergies for more details on this related condition.

Some other common triggers include dust mites, molds, pollen, pets, cockroaches, household irritants and secondhand tobacco smoke. For some people, exercise can induce an asthma attack.

What are conventional medical treatments for asthma?

Treatment is geared toward preventing asthma attacks and also dealing with the attacks when they happen. They are generally steroids and anti-inflammatory drugs.

The drugs in the first category are called "controller medications." They aim to reduce the inflammation of the airways so they are less likely to react to triggers. The drugs in the second category are called "quick-relief or rescue medications." They aim to relax the muscles around the airway. These medications can be taken via inhalation, via a dry powder or a nebulizer (which changes it from a liquid to a mist), in a pill or liquid form. In attack situations, they can also be given by injection. Of course, as with all medications, there are side effects.

What are alternative treatments for asthma?

There have been research studies on using acupuncture for asthma. But only some showed a reduction in medication use and improvements in symptoms and quality of life. Some research found a trend toward improvement in symptoms with breathing techniques.

There are Ayurvedic herbs and approaches to asthma. As with most diseases, Ayurveda considers asthma as being initially caused by poor digestion and poor elimination which leads to a buildup of toxins and impurities in lung and airway tissues. It also considers that stress worsens the condition.

Of course, essential oils traditionally have also been used for asthma. For more information, see the Useful Essential Oils tab.