Asthma: a chronic respiratory disease, in which the airways unexpectedly and suddenly narrow, often in response to an allergen, cold air, exercise, or emotional stress. Symptoms include wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing.

Mr Stefan Chmelik on Asthma and chronic cough:

Asthma is more frequently diagnosed than ever before, especially in infants, and many people with a long term cough find themselves with an asthma diagnosis, if no other explanation is readily forthcoming. My main concern about this trend is that it tends to lead inevitably t o a prescription of oral steroids and bronco-dilators, frequently for life. Although these medicines are potentially life-saving in an acute severe attack, they lead to dependence and may divert people with the ability to respond to holistic or integrated approaches away from treatment that could resolve the problem.

In my opinion, a lot of ‘asthma’ is wrongly diagnosed. Merely having a cough for some time, in the absence of an obvious cause, is not sufficient basis to form an asthma diagnosis. I differentiate clearly between people with a genetic basis for their asthma (atopia) and children and adults who have developed the problem, and the treatment for each may be quite different.

With individuals who are over reacting to some form of irritant due to a genetic predisposition, the emphasis is working constitutionally to reduce sensitivity and increase resilience. Many other people have developed a reaction or weakness due to factors such as poor diet, lifestyle or bad habits, which can be rehabilitated with the correct approach.

Treatment strategies include breathing assessment, which is almost always indicated and essential for improvement and recovery (see Breathing Pattern Disorder). Other methods include acupuncture, herbal medicine, nutritional and dietary therapy and bodywork.

Dr Brian Kaplan on Asthma and chronic cough:

Orthodox Treatment: Accurate diagnosis is vital in asthma and a cough must have it’s cause diagnosed if this is at all possible.

Homeopathy: Many cases of asthma in children are managed in orthodox medicine with various forms of inhalers. Although many cases respond very well to homeopathy, I never take the children off the orthodox treatment until they are clearly much better and even then will only advise them to ask their GP to consider taking them off the inhalers. Of course most GPs are happy to do this as long as the children are not symptomatic. Asthma and coughs of unknown origin often respond very well to homeopathic treatment.

New Medicine Group: My colleague, Dr. Downing, is an expert in allergies and where there is a possibility of an allergy causing the cough or asthma, I will certainly get his advice on the case.

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