Asthma Medications and Natural Remedies

Medications*

Your doctor will prescribe specific medications for you according to the severity of your asthma. In general, there are two types of medications: quick-relief medications and long-term medications. Most treatment plans use at least one medicine of each type to relieve and control asthma symptoms.

Quick-relief

Quick-relief medicines are taken at the first signs of asthma for immediate relief of symptoms. You should feel the effects of these medicines within minutes.

Everyone with asthma needs a quick-relief medicine to stop asthma symptoms before they get worse. Short-acting inhaled beta-agonists are the preferred quick-relief medicine. These medicines are bronchodilators. They act quickly to relax tightened muscles around your airways so that the airways can open up and allow more air to flow through.

You should take your quick-relief medicine when you first begin to feel asthma symptoms, such as coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, or shortness of breath. You should carry your quick-relief inhaler with you at all times in case of an asthma attack.

Your doctor may recommend that you take your quick-relief medicines at other times as well, such as before you exercise.

Long-term Control

Long-term control medicines are taken every day to prevent symptoms and asthma episodes or attacks. You will feel the full effects of these medicines after taking them for a few weeks. People with persistent asthma need long-term control medicines.

The most effective, long-term control medicine for asthma is an inhaled corticosteroid because this medicine reduces the airway swelling that makes asthma attacks more likely.

Inhaled corticosteroids (AKA steroids) are the preferred medicine for controlling mild, moderate and severe persistent asthma. They are generally safe when taken as directed by your doctor.

In some cases, steroid tablets or liquid are used for short periods of time to bring asthma under control. The tablet or liquid form may also be used to control severe asthma.

If you stop taking long-term control medicines, your asthma will likely worsen again.

Most asthma medicines are inhaled. They go directly into your lungs where they are needed. There are many kinds of inhalers, and many require different techniques. It is important to know how to use your inhaler correctly.

Natural Remedies**

There is currently no cure for asthma, natural or otherwise, but there are natural ways to treat asthma symptoms. However, because there have been few or no research studies on most types of alternative medicine for asthma, the effectiveness and safety of many are unknown.

Here are some examples of natural asthma remedies:

• Herbs and natural dietary supplements. Many different herbs, plants and supplements have been used with asthma, including Tylophora (Indian ipecac), butterbur, ephedra (ma huang), katuka, grapeseed, boswellia and dried ivy. Since none have been definitively shown to help asthma symptoms, they are generally not recommended. Ma huang (ephedra), a very common herb used in dietary supplements, has been used for years as a bronchodilator. Ephedra was recently banned by the FDA. Several studies have looked at using vitamin C supplements and omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) for asthma symptoms. There is currently not enough evidence to recommend these natural therapies.
• Yoga. Oftentimes, stress triggers asthma symptoms. But breathing exercises used in yoga have been found to help some people with asthma control breathing and relieve stress, a common asthma trigger.
• Asthma diet. Restricting dairy products and sugar has reportedly helped some children with childhood asthma.
• Acupuncture. This Chinese medicine technique uses needles on pressure points to relieve symptoms. While some people with asthma have found that acupuncture can significantly reduce asthma attacks and improve lung function, studies are not conclusive.
• Biofeedback. Learning to increase the amount of air inhaled has reduced fear and anxiety during an asthma attack for some people with asthma.

Most people think of herbs as being natural and therefore safe to take. It is important to remember that many herbs have not been thoroughly tested and the FDA does not regulate them.

It is also very important that you always inform your doctor if you are taking any herbs, dietary supplements, or other natural remedies. Some herbs may worsen your asthma or other medical condition, or they may interfere with prescribed asthma medicines you are taking.

How to Know which Natural Asthma Remedies Are Safe

Because most natural asthma remedies are not regulated, it is difficult to know what you are getting. Here are some tips to follow when considering using a natural asthma remedy:

• Talk to your doctor about any natural asthma remedy you are considering before trying it. Alternative medicine for asthma should never replace your asthma inhaler or inhaled steroids for asthma.
• If you experience side effects such as nausea, vomiting, rapid heartbeat, anxiety, insomnia, diarrhea or skin rashes, stop taking the herbal product and notify your doctor.
• Avoid preparations made with more than one herb.
• Beware of commercial claims of what herbal products can do. Look for scientific-based sources of information.
• Select brands carefully. Only purchase brands that list the herb’s common and scientific name, the name and address of the manufacturer, a batch and lot number, expiration date, dosage guidelines and potential side effects.
• Always talk to your asthma doctor before taking any medication or natural dietary supplement.

*copied from National Heart Lung and Blood Institute
**copied from WebMD