How To Avoid Or Overcome An Asthma Attack

Copyright (c) 2009 Stephen Lau

An asthma attack can be a frightening experience when you are sweating, you cannot breathe, and your pulse is racing. These are just some of asthma symptoms.

An asthma attack is due to the swelling of the membranes lining the airways of your lungs, and thus resulting in constriction and inflammation of the bronchioles. In addition, the increased production of phlegm further aggravates the obstruction of airflow.

An asthma attack is often triggered by the following:

1. vigorous physical activities in cold, dry air condition

2. house-dust mites, mold, pollen, and tobacco smoke

3. particles of fur from animals

4. environmental pollutants

5. deficiency of vitamins, such as vitamin C and B6 vitamin, magnesium, and essential fatty acids

6. food allergies, such as dairy products, seafood, wheat, nuts, and food additives

7. psychological stress, such as anxiety

8. repressed emotions

Conventional asthma treatment includes using bronchodilators, such as an asthma inhaler of steroids, to open constricted airways. However, they are chemicals and may have long-term side effects on your health. There are alternative treatments of asthma attacks.

Asthma is all about breathing. First and foremost, to overcome an asthma attack, you must breathe right. Rapid, short breaths are not conducive to healthy breathing. To breathe right to overcome an asthma attack, practice abdominal or diaphragmatic breathing. That is to say, use your abdomen or diaphragm to breathe in and out in order to increase your lung capacity for optimal breathing.

Regular exercise not only strengthens your heart but also your lung muscles, thereby instrumental in enhancing your breathing. Oriental exercises, such as Yoga, Tai Chi, and Qi Gong, are excellent for avoiding or overcoming an asthma attack, because these ancient exercises focus on techniques of breathing and stretching with slow movements to promote better circulation and greater flexibility. In addition, these exercises remove stress, which may trigger an asthma attack.

Given that stress may trigger an asthma attack, meditation is another strategy to avoid or overcome an asthma attack. Meditation relaxes not only your mind but also your body, especially your musculoskeletal system. Remember, pain creates muscle tension, which in turn aggravates your pain, and thus creating a vicious cycle.

Hypnotherapy is another natural way of relaxing and coping with the unpleasant sensations experienced during an asthma attack. Instilling positive suggestions into your subconscious mind may help you relieve asthma symptoms and reduce the need for additional asthma medication.

Diet may play a critical role in preventing an asthma attack in terms of nutritional deficiencies and food sensitivities. Always eat natural foods, instead of their processed counterparts, to get the best nutrients as well as to avoid the overload of toxins, which may cause inflammation of airways in the lungs. Exclusion diets are the most effective way of detecting a food sensitivity.

Acupuncture is another natural therapy for asthma treatment by using needles to unblock arteries and life channels to maintain a steady flow of nutrients, oxygen, and life energy throughout your body, in particular in your respiratory system.

Asthma can be cured naturally without relying on asthma medication.