Health Network News

Recent asthma statistics show that the disease now affects 17 million people in the United States alone. Asthma is the number one cause of chronic illness in kids, affecting more than 5.5 million in children. Since Asthma is a chronic disease; meaning recurring and long lasting, no cure has been developed yet. Still, there is reason to be hopeful if you are one of the millions of individuals who have this condition because although the number of asthma cases continue to climb, researchers are determined to develop more effective treatments, plus, there are a number of home remedies that you can try to alleviate your symptoms.

Alternative medicine is named as such because they are not science or fact-based. Because of this, they are generally not accepted by the medical community. There are treatments proposed that do not hold much scientific explanation behind it but have proven effective.

So what are the alternative asthma treatments that one might consider? Here are a few of them:

Acupuncture: Acupuncture involves stimulating specific points of the body with long needles in order to improve health and well being. Studies using acupuncture to treat asthma have been mixed, some showing benefits and others not.

Herbalism: Herbalism, as the name implies, makes use of various plants for treating illnesses. It is believed that herb components can help relieve the inflammation responsible for the shortness of breath during asthma attacks. Note that there are herbs that work and those that may reject your prescribed medication. There are also herbs that work but have undesirable side-effects.

Breathing Exercises: Breathing techniques such as the Buteyko Method and the Pranayama helps alleviate asthma symptoms by power of breathing alone. The Buteyko Method was recently accepted as an effective asthma-relieving practice.

Homeopathy: Homeopathy is an alternative approach to medicine. It is believed that any natural substance can benefit the health if they are prepared in special ways and used in small amounts.

More alternative treatments are out there for your disposal. So far, the ones mentioned above are those most commonly-used for asthma treatment. If youd like to try alternative medicine, consulting your doctor first is a must. Understand that alternative treatments are added supplements to your existing prescriptions. They should never replace your current medication.