Asthma is very common nowadays, especially among children diagnosis. I was speaking to a few moms at my own childrens martial arts class and realized that a lot of moms were talking about their own kids dealing with asthma and trying to find an alternative for the meds that the children were prescribed or at least try a natural option.
In all fairness, the bronchodilators that are prescribed are very helpful in a situation like an asthma attack. And in no way am I saying that one should just throw them away and just rely on herbs.
But there are herbs, if used safely, can provide great support for asthma.
In this article I wanted to dive deeper into understanding asthma, and specifically focus on an herb known as Lobelia (lobelia inflata) which needs to be used at a low dose to help open up the airways. My hope is that as you gain more understanding about asthma and knowledge about herbs that are helpful in low doses that you gain the confidence in supporting you and your families needs.
What is Asthma?
Asthma attacks range from mild attacks to life threatening which do need emergency care. It is something that I hear of often on a regular basis that is why knowing how it effects the body along with some common treatments is necessary.
In a nutshell, asthma is a condition which makes breathing difficult because of the narrowing of the airways.
A lot of times it is because of an allergic reaction but there are some triggers that cause an overreaction in the body that has consequences like narrowing of an airway.
The first thing that happens is the contraction of the smooth muscles causing the bronchi to constrict. Next, there is inflammation and immune cells coming causing more swelling. Then there is large amounts of mucus that is produced causing more narrowing of the airways. A great visual for this can be found in this video about asthma to give you a better understanding.
Genetics and your environment can contribute to having asthma but as of now, it is not known why some develop asthma while other do not. Children are more prone to having asthma because they have smaller airways.
Symptoms include:
- difficulty breathing
- shortness of breath
- chest pain
- wheezing
- coughing
- sleeping problems
Triggers
There are many different triggers for asthma and each individual is different when it comes to having a certain triggers. Triggers are usually in a category of allergens, irritants as well as emotions.
Allergen triggers include:
- pollen
- animals
- mold
- dust
- certain foods
Irritants include:
- smoke
- fires
- pollution
- cold dry air
- high humidity
- completing certain exercise
Emotions:
- anger
- stress
- anxiety
- laughing too hard
Certain viral infection can also trigger an asthma attack as it produces more mucus, causing airway constriction and also some medications like aspirin and NSAIDs like ibuprofen that can cause an asthma attack. (1)
Common Treatments
If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with asthma, generally, the medications that they are given is broken down into two categories. Quick relief meds like inhalers such as albuterol and long term control medications which are commonly inhaled corticosteroids like Pulmicort.
Albuterol acts like a bronchodilator which relaxes the muscles in the airways and corticosteroids suppress inflammation in the lungs which is one of the main reasons why people have an asthma attack. (2)(3)
There are also medications that are commonly prescribed like Xolair for immune function which is usually given by an injection and leukotriene modifiers like Singulair which blocks leukotriene that is an immune cell that is part of an asthma attack.
Many of these conventional drugs have many side effects so it is important to talk to your doctor or the pharmacist to know the side effects before choosing the right medicine for you if you need it.
Helping someone with asthma
If you have dealt with an asthma attack yourself or have had a child deal with an asthma attack then you might now the importance of trying to keep the person calm. Anxiety constricts the airways further causing more difficulty breathing so trying to stay calm yourself and knowing certain breathing techniques to slow breathing down are useful.
Avoiding any triggers is the best sort of strategy in case of asthma. While this can be hard to spot at times once the trigger is removed the attacks should lessen greatly.
Asthma attacks
If you have a child or see anyone with breathing problems like wheezing and they are showing signs of not getting enough oxygen like bluish lips and nail beds or pale color you must seek immediate medical attention.
While waiting for medical attention follow any instructions that the doctor may have for that individual since asthma can be fatal. Make sure that you also administer any medications that was prescribed by the doctor.
Another thing that can help is to sit up the individual straight in a chair and then ask them to lean forward and rest their forearms on a table pointing the elbows away from the body to help open the lungs.
Offering a beverage that is hot like tea or any soup can help the congestion and dilate the airways. (This is when lobelia would be used as a tea with proper doses or tincture with proper doses see below)
Applying a cold compress to the chest in some cases helps stop the attack as it lessens the inflammation and for more mild attacks like general congestion or mild wheezing, spices like ginger can increase circulation to the lungs with the individual chewing on a piece of ginger candy or applying a soaked towel soaked in ginger tea on the persons back or chest.
Using Lobelia
Why a low dose, you might be wondering? Herbs are complex and a low dose herb is one that has certain constitutes within the plant itself that has not very favorable reactions if used at a high dose…and lobelia falls into this category.
It is a great plant that offers great effects with a smaller intake.
First things first, know where you are getting your plants from and make sure they are from a reputable source. Many companies nowadays do not have good practices from harvesting and storing herbs all for the sake of profit. Some companies that are ethical and good in quality are: Mountain Rose Herbs, Starwest Botanicals and Pacific Botanicals.
When it comes to dosing, the general guidelines to dosing as I discussed in this article DO NOT apply. The general rule for safety in all herbs is always start LOW and work up if needed.
Drop dosing is usually used with low dose herbs meaning that the measure is applied with drops instead of ML and 1-3 drops of tincture is often a dosage.
With making lobelia tea a smaller amount like 1/4 teaspoon per 8 ounces (230 ml) of water can be helpful in stimulating the respiratory system and help lung spasms.
With a tincture one drop mixed with 1 cup of water is a good start to see if there is any reactions. I’ve known herbalists that have used up to 5 drops per 1 cup with adult clients and have not had the side effects but again at a higher dose, nausea and vomiting is possible.
Safety
Because lobelia is a 2b class herb, it should not be used during pregnancy or lactation. If you are looking at a natural way to support your respiratory system during this time homeopathic remedies such as Spongia tosta, Ipecac and Arsenicum are worth looking into. Of course homeopathy is a whole different subject, one that is too complex to go into in this article.
Within drug interaction lobelia is a class A herb meaning that no contraindications are expected but because of the chemicals contained within lobelia it is advised to be used with caution with psychiatric medications.(4)
Final Thoughts
Asthma attacks can be scary and fatal and medical attention and advice should be followed if you are dealing with an asthma attack. Lobelia is an herb if used safely with a low dose can be helpful for people that are looking to incorporate a natural way to support their respiratory system.
My own opinion is to always start low with one drop of lobelia and then assess the effects. If you stay below the nausea level then you can see if another drop would help.
Most people will notice the effects between 1-3 drops which include less labored breathing, gentle coughing with mucus coming up and muscle relaxation.
Watch out for any possible food allergens or triggers that may trigger the asthma and focus on strengthening the respiratory system by keeping the air passageways clean and avoid smoke, dust and inhaled chemicals.
I hope you found this helpful on your journey and gained some confidence with using this herb safely.
If you need further assistance with supporting your respiratory system to keep airways clear do not hesitate to reach our for a free consultation to see if we are a right fit to work together.
Take care,
Krystina
