Home Remedies for Asthma Symptom Relief
If you have ever lost your breath, then you know what it’s like to have asthma. Having asthmatic symptoms can be scary, but with a little knowledge, you can breeze (or breathe) through it. Let’s start with looking at the symptoms you may be experiencing.
Understanding the Symptoms of Asthma
If you don’t already know that you have asthma, the following symptoms can be very similar to a heart attack. Or if you have any concerns at all that this could be the case, be sure to get emergency treatment immediately.
With that said, asthmatic symptoms can be brought on by a simple cold, overexertion, upper respiratory infections, heart disease, a panic attack, COPD, or allergies. In a simple sentence, asthma happens when the airflow to and from the lungs is blocked.
Some symptoms of asthma you may experience are:
- Wheezing will sound like a whistling or even a squeaking noise. Many babies will sound like this when they get a cold because they only breathe through their nose.
- Shortness of breath. This may cause you to feel like your panting or just not able to get enough oxygen in.
- Chest tightening. With your lungs constricting, your chest may also start to feel really tight. This is the symptom most like a heart attack so be sure to pay close attention.
- You are feeling panicky. A panic feeling is tricky because it works both ways. If you feel panic, it could help cause an asthma attack. In reverse, during an asthma attack caused by something else, you may also feel a sense of panic.
- The color of your lips changes to blue. Blue lips are a serious symptom that you are not getting enough oxygen. If this happens, it might be time to get additional help.
The Importance of Prevention Before Using Home Remedies for Asthma
One of the main things with asthma is to try and prevent symptoms from exacerbating in the first place. Above, we talked about the various causes of asthma.
By trying to stay healthy and away from those with respiratory infections, colds and the flu, you will have a good start.
It’s also important to stay on top of healthy hygiene habits like hand washing and cleaning main germ zones (like your phone and door handles) frequently.
If you do have a chronic condition like allergies, COPD or heart disease, staying on your treatment plans and keeping in contact with your doctor will go a long way to preventing trouble.
Home Remedies for Asthma Flare-Ups
When you have asthma, you should already have an emergency treatment plan in place with your doctor. Usually, an asthmatic can know their trigger symptoms and try to work to keep them from exacerbating their asthma.
Once you are feeling that respiratory distress coming on, here are some home remedies for asthma to try:
- Steam Inhalation. Inhaling warm steam can be helpful with opening the sinuses and airways. If you don’t have an actual room humidifier, you can do a hot water bowl and breathe it in. You can also close the bathroom door and steam up the bathroom. Any steam inhalation can also be helped with adding essential oils to the mix. Peppermint is known to be useful here.
- Hot drinks and soups are also helpful in opening airwaves and relieving congestion. If using tea, try adding honey, peppermint or having a menthol tea.
- Various essential oils may help with congestion. Clearing the congestion can help prevent an asthma flare. Some to try include peppermint, eucalyptus, oregano oil, kalonji oil, tea tree, and lavender.
- Air filters in your home can help prevent difficulties but if you find yourself having troubles, try changing them once a month instead of every three months like the package suggests. Also, look for special allergy filters to keep as many irritants out of your air as possible.
Remember, if in any doubt, contact medical help immediately.
Ongoing Home Remedies for Asthma Management
- Ginger is a bit of a continuous helper. Ginger is known to help reduce inflammation, in turn, assisting airways to stay more relaxed. Having some form of ginger daily can be helpful.
- Breathing exercises are also an ongoing assistant. Training yourself with yoga or other lung exercises can help with both asthma and general stress. Ask your doctor for suggestions.
- Foods like onions, garlic, turmeric, honey, and ginger are all known to help keep airways clear. Be sure to incorporate them into your diet.
- Getting your daily amount of vitamins is important but make sure you add in some vitamin D3. D3 is known for its anti-inflammatory agents.
- Allergy immunotherapy is a way to help prevent allergic asthma. If allergies mostly trigger your asthma, then you might be a good candidate for treatment. Usually, in the form of shots, you are giving small doses of the allergens at a time to help retrain your immune system to not react to the irritants.
While having symptoms of asthma can be scary, as you can see there are many ways to prevent getting to the “attack” phase in the first place.
