Treating asthma naturally

[MistyB]

Does anyone have any tips, positive stories to share?

[DisappointedHorse]

A salt pipe is safe for children as far as I know. I got mine from Holland and Barrett for about £15.

It could be worth a try as a supplement?

[SerialStudent]

Asthma is scary at its best and a life taker at its worst.

Ventolin and Seredite and occasionally antihistamines here.

Ice read that vitamin d also helps. But IMO nothing sould ever replace ventolin for this scary asthma attack moments.

[LoveSewingBee]

My uncle died of asthma during the war, he was six years old.

A colleague died of asthma as he had run out of inhalers and thought he would manage the weekend without them. He had an attack on the Sunday, was rushed to hospital where he died.

Asthma kills.

If asthma has been diagnosed, don't risk your own or somebody else's life. Take the medication, have check ups.

By all means clean to within an inch of your life and do all the other things, but nothing replaces the medication.

[Havea0]

Very. You could have a point there. I suppose it can work the other way too.
My boy does have a problem with grass pollen a bit, some years. He also seems allergic to being in close proximity to cows.

[ZingWantsCake]

water water water

there's s book called "The body's many cries for water" by Dr. Batmangelidj (or something like that)

read it.

[VerySmallSqueak]

It's so strange you say that HaveaO because the one biggest thing that improved my asthma was moving to the countryside from the city.One of my major triggers was obviously pollution.
Different courses for different horses I suppose!

[SummerRain]

People have died from trying to go med free so under no circumstances try that.

Dp found the breathing techniques which teach you to breathe through your nose beneficial for a while but they take perseverance and he didn't stick with it. They might be easier to teach a child who's less ingrained in their habits though.

Knowing the triggers is important too. Dp get bad if I use fabric softener for instance. I haven't found dds trigger yet, she was only dx in spring though so we're still working on it. Luckily dust doesn't seem to be one given my lax housekeeping!

Fresh air definitely helps though, open windows and get them outside as much as possible (provided pollen isn't a trigger)

And use the preventers wisely. There's nothing wrong with giving the child a break now and again if you don't like the constant use but use them when needed and never skimp on the salbutamol.

[Havea0]

Should have said, left rural living at 18 years old.

[Havea0]

What has worked for my 24 year old? Moving from the countryside of a county that is a bit "damp", to London. He no longer needs any inhalers at all. [He was born with breathing difficulties, had "bronchilitis" regularly, up to 2 years old, and asthma quite badly thereafter].

I dont know whether his age has anything to do with it at all, but we have noticed before, that towns or cicites are better for him than rural living.
[I would ask around, and talk to gp etc, before taking this drastic step, purely on what I have just written].

[mercibucket]

vitamin d supplements

[MistyB]

I must read the Butekyo book again, I use the technique to clear noses, help with wheezing and to calm breathing down but when we tried to do the steps, I think he was too young, perhaps we should try again.

Disappointed What is a salt pipe? Is it something that can help children too?

[DisappointedHorse]

I find a salt pipe and turmeric really helps me. I use the salt pipe for 15 minutes morning and evening.

I also take a mixture of turmeric and local and manuka honey twice a day which is brilliant.

I don't ever envisage being able to stop my inhalers but it feels much more controlled taking these.

[zirca]

Asthma kills. Taking the medication as prescribed, and going to medication reviews regularly, should lead to a life that is symptom free. Removing dust and dust traps (as well as chemicals/pollution where possible) from the house helps, so:

• hard floors not carpets
• Spring mattress not foam one
• none of those air freshener things that are constantly on
• if you're choosing a house, not next to a main road and as far out of the centre of town as you can afford to be
• be careful if you do any painting in the house
• pets don't help, fish are good!
• Cherries, bizarrely, do help. They are rich in anti-inflammatory compounds, and while they cannot fix anything on their own, can help alongside medication. I eat a handful a day on my breakfast in the summer, and that keeps me on my (very strong) inhalers only, without me ending up on steroid tablets.

Always make sure you have spare ventolin in the house, and take two on holiday, in case one gets lost.

[MousyMouse]

as others say, you cannot treat asthma naturally (that is really dangerous and can lead to serious lung damage!)

but you can do a few things to improve it.

• losing weight if overweight (not for a child, though)
• cleaning/dusting often with non-invasive cleaners
• avoiding air fresheners, toilet smellly cleaners
• good ventilation
• avoid pets

[Abra1d]

Getting rid of carpets may be a rash move as they can act as a filter, trapping dust at ground level. With wooden floors, dust is more mobile.

We hve two children with asthma and mixed flooring. Getting blood tests helps, but can be hard on the NHS. I would not get rid of pets without knowing whether they were triggers.

My 16-year old has now grown out of asthma by and large, though we make sure he always has an inhaler with him, especially if running on cold days. We know it could recur.

My 15-year old was able to do scuba diving on holiday because she doesn't need much ventolin. She occasionally uses her steroid inhaler if she has a cold. We attend asthma clinics regularly. The nurses are well trained and have some good advice to give. She plays the trumpet and used to run. I think both these helped control the asthma, obviously not cure it.

Both mine do well in mediterranean climates.

[Cheryzan]

Asthma triggered by dogs, cats etc is very likely to be helped by the Buteyko method

[Sirzy]

Have you tried asking about a daily antihistamine? might help stop him reacting or decrease the impact of that reaction. DS take citrizine daily which has certainly helped him

[Faverolles]

I've found acupuncture to be really helpful.
Two times in my life my asthma has been out of control, meaning several trips to hospital, steroids etc. the only thing that has got it back under control is acupuncture. The same goes for ds.
Of course we still take our inhalers, that goes without saying, but we are both taking less since having acupuncture.

[MistyB]

DS is triggered by people who have dogs, or have been around dogs, even if the dog is not there.

[ivykaty44]

my daughter is triggered by cats hair, but it isn't really the cats hair it is the saliva that is on the cats hair that effects her.
We found that if she was in a house where there were cats she would have an attack but if the house had wooden flooring then she didn't have an attack even if cats are in the room.

The carpets in houses harbour everything that helps cause an attack so either having a very good allergy hoover or wooden floors is helpful

[Sirzy]

I am glad you have clarified that your not wanting to replace the inahlers.

Nospring DS was the same with viral wheeze, for some children it can cause more problems and whatever the cause of the wheezing it can be scary. I don't think Thea meant the type that gets that serious though. If your DS keeps on having trouble do talk to the GP about a preventer inhaler to stop it getting so bad.

[Nospringflower]

Just wondering about viral wheeze and Thea saying it is different. My son has been in hospital twice for viral wheeze and needed steroids and nebuliser plus inhalers and oxygen while he was in so not sure that it is good advice to say it resolves on its own. Maybe a mild viral wheeze does but it can still be serious. I think the advice is to take any breathing difficulties seriously.

[EsTutMirLeid]

With my experience of asthma...
What I would do if my child developed asthma would be... Say goodbye to all pets (sad but I would), rip up all carpets and replace with laminate or wood. Wash all soft furnishings regularly. Get rid of all but the most loved teddy bear. Damp dust frequently. Get allergy tested (if possible). Take a preventer as recommended and have a few ventolins in supply.

[lljkk]

yes always ways to reduce impact of triggers, but it's risk reduction not guaranteed prevention. I'm sure sensitivities can vary, but that means they can decline or get worse. You can only try.

[EsTutMirLeid]

Not IME the triggers I have have not diminished since I was 7, I'm now 36. I cannot even go into a house that has a cat (even if the cat isn't there). Within minutes the symptoms will start. My parents had a dog which they got when I went to uni, they assumed because I wasn't there for long anymore it would be okay, it wasn't and I spent every holiday suffering.