Today’s alternative health news concerns asthma. This condition has been on the rise over the past decade, with a big surge in new cases found in children. The medical community has come up with various reasons for this epidemic—from too much pollution, to a poor diet, to an increasing prevalence of obesity. Whatever the causes, asthma has become a health concern for many people.
Because the main symptoms of asthma are so uncomfortable and alarming to experience—mainly difficulty breathing—people turn to their doctors and the medical community at large for help. But often, Western medicine fails to do much to stave off attacks. That’s where alternative and complementary medicine (CAM) comes in; coming up with non-conventional ways to treat and prevent health problems such as asthma.
This is exactly what researchers found when they conducted a lengthy trial in Australia. Questionnaires were completed by women in 1996, 2000, 2003, and 2006 as part of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health. The researchers then randomly selected 14,701 young women (aged 18-22 years). They analyzed the data collected from these participants to determine CAM use, which the researchers defined as a consultation with a range of complementary practitioners in the 12 months prior to each survey.
Over the 10-year period, one quarter of the women became asthmatic. The research team found that asthmatic women were significantly more likely to use CAM than non-asthmatic women. CAM use also increased over time as asthma diagnosis increased. The study also showed that CAM users have a higher dissatisfaction with conventional healthcare services and consultations when compared to CAM non-users. The researchers say their findings suggest that women with asthma may turn to CAM after conventional care fails to adequately address their healthcare needs.
If you have asthma, and conventional care doesn’t seem to be helping you to breathe easier, CAM therapy may be the way to go. Many naturopathic doctors and herbalists have breathing rescue remedies that they prescribe to asthma sufferers to help relieve symptoms and prevent future attacks.
For one herbal cure for asthma that you can try at home, read the article Treat Asthma with Turmeric and Boswellia.
Sources for Today’s Articles:
Asthma Sufferers: There’s New Hope for You
Sibbritt D et al., “A longitudinal analysis of complementary and alternative medicine use by a representative cohort of young Australian women with asthma, 1996-2006,” J Asthma May 2011; 48(4): 380-6.