Asthma

The name asthma is given to abnormal spasm of the airways, often precipitated by environmental agents.

It varies in severity from individual to individual. It may be mild – indeed the only symptom may be a prolonged cough after a respiratory infection. Severe attacks occur in some patients, which can be life-threatening.

Studies have shown that asthma is increasing in prevalence. There has been a fourfold increase amongst young UK children in the last 10 years.

In Finland there has been a 20-fold increase of occurrences of asthma in otherwise fit young men entering military service. These dramatic increases have been attributed to increasing levels of pollution.

As there is sometimes a hereditary component of the asthmatic tendency, the causes can be divided into genetic and environmental.

Attacks may be provoked by a variety of stimuli, the commonest cause being inhaled substances, such as pollens and dust. They may also be provoked by food and chemical substances, by infection, by strong emotion or exercise.

The acute asthma attack may be severe and distressing. The cardinal features are:

• shortness of breath
• wheeze
• cough

The only symptom of a chronic asthma attack may be a dry cough, though it is common to experience wheeze and recurrent chest infections. Often the wheeze is more noticeable after exertion.

How Breakspear Hospital can help asthmatics

Modern medicine often uses many different drugs in treating asthma and although they may be life-saving in an acute attack, most will only succeed in suppressing symptoms in the long term and do not address the underlying allergic cause. Breakspear's medical team aims to address the underlying problems.

It is important to identify precipitant factors such as inhalants (e.g. house dust), foods (e.g. wheat), and chemicals (e.g. chlorine). Breakspear offers skin testing to a wide variety of substances and provides neutralising treatment to reduce sensitivities. This method is called low-dose immunotherapy (it is also referred to as provocation/neutralisation). See How do anitgen vaccines work? for more information.

This allergy/sensitivity treatment technique can be used to identify specific substances to which patients react and to provide antigen vaccines, which neutralise the effects of these specific sensitivities. We have laboratory facilities to check allergies, the immune system and nutritional status, and we have expert staff to advise on treatment.

Addressing common allergies such as dust mites, dog and cat dander, food allergy and chemical sensitivities, yeast/fungi and pollens may also be beneficial.

Breakspear can provide environmental counselling to help control asthma by minimising exposure to causative agents. We can also provide advice about specialised equipment where necessary (e.g. air and water filters).

Reducing exposure to a variety of factors including indoor and outdoor pollution, heavy metals (particularly lead and mercury), aspirin, food dyes and salicylates may be beneficial.

If you or your child are suffering from asthma, make an appointment for a consultation with a Breakspear physician and find out which changes in diet, supplementation and allergy/sensitivity treatment programme may be best for you.