Homeopathy treats childhood asthma safely and effectively

DEV (12) visited our clinic with asthma-like symptoms. His mother told us that her son had had the distressing problem since age six. He was using steroid puffers to manage his disorder. She was not sure of any precipitating factor or trigger. All she said was Dev would often 'catch' colds that seemed to go deep into his chest. Dev also had a history of pneumonia and lung infection. There was no family history of allergies, though. His presenting symptoms were cough with thick mucous and wheezing. His wheezing, his mother told us, seemed to be worse during cold weather. His symptoms, she reported, tended to also typically intensify at 3 am, arousing him from sleep, making him sit up and bend forwards to get more air. We prescribed him the homoeopathic remedy Kali Carbonicum. A few weeks following treatment, Dev felt better. 10 months later, he was free from such episodes — the improvement has stayed on, except for an occasional common cold. Dev, who is now 17, says that he does not remember his asthma misery anymore.

Asthma is a chronic condition. It affects millions of people. Furthermore, statistics reveal that asthma affects approximately one in 15 children, making it the most common chronic childhood illness till date. Longstanding asthma can be an alarming condition. It requires watchful medical management to prevent and minimise episodes of acute attacks.

During an asthma attack, the lung’s airways become inflamed; they contract and become lined with excessive amounts of mucous. This leads to restricted airflow and difficulty in breathing. Asthma attacks are often triggered by pollution, cigarette smoke, house dust mite, animal dander, chemical cleaning agents and toxins. Other common triggers are changes in temperature or humidity, emotional stress, allergies and physical exertion.

Homoeopathic remedies, such as Magnesium Phosphoricum and Natrum Sulphuricum, for instance, are evidenced to relieve chest and throat discomfort, while soothing the mucous membranes and sputum, provided they match the symptom-picture of the individual. It is, however, imperative for one to seek the guidance of a professional homoeopath to treat asthma — to help improve respiratory health, reduce the incidence and severity of asthma attacks, while strengthening one’s immune defence.

Article by Dr Mukesh Batra
L.C.E.H., F.H.M.A. (U.K.), F.R.S.H. (Med) P.(Lon), M.D.H. (U.S.A.), F.B.I.H.(U.K.)
Published in Times of India on 24 May 2011