Homoeopathy for Asthma: Effectiveness, Risks & Outlook
Asthma is a serious medical emergency, and its treatment should be prioritised. While there are many forms of treatment, homoeopathy is a prominent approach. It is an ancient pseudoscientific system of alternative medicine. There have been debates regarding its effects on treating asthma and reducing its symptoms.
Are you wondering about the effectiveness of homoeopathy medicines for asthma? Then, keep reading this article to get a complete overview.
Is Homoeopathy Effective for Asthma?
Regarding homoeopathic remedies for asthma, most people have had several doubts and disagreements. A 2004 review observed no specific evidence related to the effectiveness of homoeopathy medicines in treating asthma. A study by NHMRC in 2019 also found inconclusive results regarding the effectiveness of homoeopathy in asthma treatment.
While these factors observe a lack of effectiveness of homoeopathic medicines, there are also some benefits of this treatment. For instance, a 2018 study was done on 140 bronchial asthma adults. It concluded that adding homoeopathic medicines to the regular treatment can elevate the procedure.
It will generate better and more effective results than regular treatment with a placebo. This means that homoeopathy medicine can enhance the quality of treatment with its components when added to regular treatment.
What Are the Risks that Asthma Patients Face When They Depend on Homoeopathy?
There can be some risks with homoeopathy medication when treating asthma. In most cases, it occurs when chronic asthma patients decide to quit their regular treatment, medicines and steroids to focus completely on homoeopathy. This can worsen their condition, as homoeopathy might not be strong enough to handle all the symptoms.
It is important to know about these in advance to avoid any side effects or lack of effectiveness of this medicine. These are as follows.
- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stated that the over-the-counter asthma products labelled as homoeopathic might not be reliable. Further, the FDA has not evaluated their safety and effectiveness.
- As per the findings of NCCIH, while a few products labelled as homoeopathic are highly diluted, the others might contain huge amounts of active ingredients. These ingredients interact with the current drugs of the patient, causing severe side effects. These medicines can therefore worsen the conditions of asthma patients.
- Homoeopathy might not be effective in dealing with asthma symptoms all by itself. However, it works when added to other treatment methods. This can be a risk if patients try to improve their conditions with this medicine without any other treatment approaches.
When to Get Emergency Medical Help While Suffering from Asthma?
Patients with asthma can experience sudden attacks and discomfort. You should visit the nearest emergency medical facility if you experience the following symptoms.
- You must get medical help when you cannot get your asthma attack under control, even after using a rescue inhaler.
- If you face extreme breathlessness during any day, you must seek medical attention immediately.
- Tightness in the chest can be a problem during an attack, and it is advisable to get emergency medical help.
- Patients might observe blue or grey fingernails and lips during an asthma attack. Therefore, it is mandatory to seek medical help in such times.
- If you feel confused or exhausted after an attack, getting emergency help will be beneficial.
What Is the Expected Outlook for Asthma Patients Taking Homoeopathic Treatment?
In most cases, asthma patients live long and healthy lives with proper medication and treatment. Homoeopathy treatment further adds to their health alongside the usual treatment and medicines, helping them live longer. They simply need to avoid certain situations and activities that can trigger an asthma attack.
Light exercising and physical activities can keep such patients healthy. If you are an asthma patient who wishes to try a homoeopath, you must consult your doctor about your condition and the feasibility of this change.
Therefore, as you can see, homoeopathy medicines for asthma can be beneficial in most cases. This article pointed out that homoeopathy can effectively treat asthma. However, it is important to treat it with a regular treatment method. It is helpful to consult the doctor before doing so to avoid any side effects.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can homoeopathy cure asthma?
Asthma is a disease that hardly has a cure. Doctors can control its symptoms and attacks with medicines. Natural remedies like homoeopathy can avoid side effects by building overall immunity. It can also improve the lung capacity and thereby control breathing troubles of the patients. However, it is ineffective without other forms of treatment.
How long does homoeopathic medicine stay in your system?
You might need to take homoeopathic medicines for 7-10 days to start seeing its actions. However, there might be an aggravation or return of old symptoms within 24 hours, which means the medicine is working.