Asthma and COVID-19

Suffering from Asthma and worried about catching COVID-19 ?

Here are some tips that should be followed to manage your condition.

Asthma is a disease associated with the respiratory system while coronavirus infection also damages the respiratory system. If an asthmatic patient becomes infected with a coronavirus, it can cause a serious condition for such patients. Therefore, such people need to be very vigilant during this period.

How to protect yourself if you are already suffering from any kind of respiratory disease?

• Those who already have respiratory problems, their immunity becomes weak. Patients need to take great care of hygiene in this period along with maintaining physical distancing.
• If you are an asthma patient, then you need to pay special attention to your diet. Take a balanced and healthy diet. You should consume more fruits and vegetables containing vitamin-C. Citrus fruits like lemon, orange, kiwi are rich in vitamin C and help build immunity.
• keep yourself hydrated.
• Get your asthma under control and maintain that control. Continue with your medications that you already have been taking.
• Vitamin D – it is found that peoples suffering with chronic bronchial asthma have low level of Vit-D. So take the foods that are rich with vitamin D like fish, milk, eggs. Daily exposure to sun will help a lot to increase your Vit-D level in your body.
• Eat more fresh vegetables and fruits- The green leafy vegetables and fruits are rich with anti oxidant and micronutrients. So regular taking of natural fruits and vegetables will help you for your asthma.
• Honey and basil leaves – one spoon basil leaves mixing with ½ tea spoon honey if gives daily it eliminate the allergic and asthma symptoms. 
• Ginger – ginger juice has many health beneficiary effects. The anti inflammatory effect of ginger is one of them. In allergy and asthma it has very good effect.

How homoeopathy can help ?

Homeopathy treatment can well manage the acute symptoms of asthmatic condition like difficulties in breathing, cough, fever, etc most effectively and more safely.

Some important homeopathy medicines for bronchial asthma:

• Arsenic alb –Asthma with wheezing sounds. Tightness of chest, difficulties in breathing is associated with asthma. The person feels more of chest tightness and breathlessness on lying posture. 
• Ars iod – Allergic asthma. The asthma result from allergic origin like exposure to dust, pollens, pet dander etc. there is runny nose with watery nasal discharge. Burning of nose and eyes with water discharge occur before the asthma start
• Baccilinum – This is generally prescribed as constitutional remedy for asthma.
• Blatta orientalis – This is generally given in mother tincture form or in lower potency to control the acute attack of asthma.
• Sambucus – There is blockage of nose especially in children and the child wakes of with feeling of suffocation.
• calcarea carb – It is the constitutional remedy generally given to asthmatic patient. 

Patient should not self medicate themselves, as homoeopathic medicines are given after detailed case analysis about personal susceptibilities, triggerinng factors, seasonal variations in severity of disease, any positional aggravations, diurnal aggravation of symptoms.

Self medication is injurious, as the chosen medicine, its potency or repetition can be wrong.

Homoeopathic medicines treat the disease from their root cause, rather then suppressing the symptoms it helps boost immunity and stimulates self healing power of the body.

Yoga and pranayam (breathing exercise) for asthma

The asthma patient breaths faster than a normal person. Besides that all the asthma patients mostly are mouth breathers. This also causes expose their lungs to cooler and drier air. It is being proved in many clinical trials that along with any types of treatment if breathing exercise is added the cure rate is more.

1. Lie down or sit straightly. Concentrate on your breath; take a deep breath slowly through your nose. When you inhale your abdomen should be go out not chest. Then hold the air for 5 seconds and exhale slowly. Practice it for 8 to 10 times regularly.

2. Sit on a chair straight without crossing your legs and relax all your muscles specially shoulder and abdominal muscles. Close your eyes concentrate on your breathing while in relax position. Keep focus on breathing with shoulder rotation forward curl. Similarly focus on breathing with arm raises.

3. Savasana – it is one asana of yoga that helps improving your respiratory capacity- lie on your back with your arm on both sides. Close your eyes and relax your jaws and whole body and concentrate on your breathing. Takes a deep shallow breath slowly and exhale it out slowly. Practice it for 6 to 8 times regularly. Always do the yoga in early morning in a clean and open place.

4. Bending pose of yoga – Stand straight with little wide apart of your legs, bend your body forward, and put a little bend in the knees to relieve any strain in the lower back, touch the floor by your both hand , and let your body hang as you take five deep breaths with your eyes closed.

These are some tips of managing asthma when there is no acute exacerbation of symptoms. In case you feel any alarming symptoms like chest pain, shortness of breath, hemoptysis or high fever immediately connsult your physician.

Last but not the least, do not panic. Every problem has a solution. Be vigilant and take action on time.

Stay Healthy and Take care