HOW WE TREAT ASTHMA
At Breakspear Medical, we start with identifying and addressing the underlying allergic or sensitivity causes of asthma. Common causes can be house dust, pets, and foods, particularly wheat and gluten, as well as detergents, cleaning chemicals and air fresheners.
For over 40 years, we have used a testing and treatment method called low-dose immunotherapy (LDI). LDI provides a customised neutralising treatment to help reduce allergies and sensitivities. This treatment method can be beneficial for reducing reactions to foods and inhalants, including yeast/fungi, mould spores and pollens.
Along with treating allergies and sensitivities, we offer pathology test to check the status of your immune system and nutritional status. If there are any irregularities or deficiencies, our expert staff can advise on the treatments best for you.
“Breakspear Medical offers a holistic approach in treating chronic mould conditions that could be a precipitating factor in asthma, allergies, eczema, fungal infections, chronic chest conditions, fatigue and brain dysfunction that make us feel really unwell. Uniquely in the UK, we also offer IRATHERM® treatment to provide hyperthermia with near infra-red light to help kill off moulds, viruses and bacteria.”
We recommend that you learn about the load phenomenon to learn how to give the body time to heal by avoiding chronic and acute reactions.
In order to help the body thrive, it is important to reduce the load on the body’s immune system. If you are reacting to many unknown allergens, which could be provoking your asthma, there are a number of things you can do to reduce the load on your body’s immune system. For example, special air purifiers and good quality water filters may make your home or place of work less of a burden on your immune system. This could lead to your asthma attacks happening less frequently or less intensely.
Reducing exposure to a variety of factors including indoor and outdoor pollution, heavy metals (particularly lead and mercury), aspirin, food dyes and salicylates in foods may help.
As with other allergic conditions, certain nutritional deficits may occur, and correcting these will aid in the treatment of asthma. In particular, there may be vitamin and mineral deficiencies and appropriate supplementation may be necessary, together with expert dietary counselling. We recommend a predominantly organic diet and filtered water, which reduces the amount of chemical burden on your body.
Various other treatments we may recommend:
- oxygen therapy – many people benefit from using an oxygen concentrator, which helps increase the oxygen levels in the blood.
- detoxification – lifestyle changes may be recommended to help eliminate toxins in the body, including drugs.
- rectification of your energy cycle – the Krebs cycle is the citric acid cycle which is the main source of energy for living things. There are 10 steps in the Krebs cycle and if any of the steps are not performing as they should, there is a knockdown effect, which can cause extreme fatigue and pain.
- clearing airways – sometimes guaifenesin can help to excrete phosphates and make breathing easier.
- redox restorative substances
SUPPLEMENTS FOR ASTHMA
For those with asthma, there are many supplements that may be recommended by our doctors, environmental naturopath and nutritional therapy practitioner. Often supplements are used in prescribed doses, which may vary considerably from the standard, recommended doses. A wide range of herbal remedies can also help as part of the first step to working towards feeling better.
SYMPTOMS OF ASTHMA
Asthma is the name given to abnormal spasms of the airways, often caused by environmental agents. Asthma can be divided into genetic and environmental factors. There may be a family history of asthma, or other allergies, or it may be provoked by pollens, dust, food, chemical sensitivities, infection, strong emotion, or exercise.
There are two types of asthma:
- Acute asthma attacks may be severe and distressing. The fundamental features are shortness of breath, wheezing and coughing.
- Chronic asthma may only present with a dry cough. However, it is common to experience wheeze and recurrent chest infection as well. The wheeze is often more noticeable after exertion.
The characteristic features of asthma are hyper-reactivity of the trachea (windpipe) and bronchi (tubes that carry air to your lungs) with narrowing of the airways, which is variable and reversible. The effort of breathing with this restriction produces a wheeze.
Asthma varies in severity between individuals. It may be very mild, which may be when the only symptom may be a prolonged cough after a respiratory infection. However, severe attacks occur in some patients and may be life-threatening.
Get in touch and let Breakspear Medical help you with your asthma.
ARTICLES ON ASTHMA
We have shared information about asthma in our newsletter over the years including:
FAQS
What do you offer at Breakspear Medical for asthma which is different to other clinics?
Breakspear Medical is committed to investigating potential triggers of asthmatic attacks. Through skin tests using low-dose immunotherapy (LDI), we strive to identify any allergies or sensitivities that could be the cause. We then use LDI treatments to reduce the impact these allergens have on your health. In addition, vitamin deficiencies are evaluated and addressed as needed through dietary advice. We offer advice on how environmental pollutants can also be removed, using such things as air and/or water filters. One of our main focuses is providing targeted LDI which helps lower IgE antibody levels in those who have an atopic disease – a common trait among many asthma sufferers.
Infusions can provide the vital nutrition your body needs and are regularly recommended by our Clinical Team. Recent research is illustrating that pollutants in our environment, such as volatile organic chemicals or pesticides, cause asthma-like symptoms. We can measure pollutant status and use detoxification regimes, including special treatments like IRATHERM hyperthermia, to remove them from people’s bodies. Additionally, looking for chronic infections, such as Epstein-Barr virus or Lyme borreliosis, enables us to help individuals suffering from underlying conditions to improve their health outcomes, too.
What kinds of tests will I need to monitor my asthma?
We can evaluate your asthma status through lung function tests and nutritional and pollutant status can be investigated with accredited laboratory tests. Through skin tests using low-dose immunotherapy (LDI), we strive to identify any allergies or sensitivities that could be the cause. We then use LDI treatments to reduce the impact these allergens have on your health.
Does nutritional supplementation help with the symptoms of asthma?
Nutritional supplementation can help, in particular, by using a detox programme and calming overreactivity.
Are there things I can change in my environment to reduce my asthma symptoms?
Yes there are things in your environment that you can change to reduce asthma symptoms.
Asthma is a condition that can be managed and reversed with the right steps. By reducing exposure to inhaled allergens, pollutants like cigarette smoke or chemical-based toiletries/cleaning agents, you are taking proactive measures against your asthma symptoms, which in turn may help to prevent recurrence of these respiratory difficulties. Taking control of what affects our bodies helps us to maintain an optimal state for health and wellbeing.
How long will it take to treat my asthma?
Sadly, there is no easy answer to this question. At Breakspear Medical, we look at each patient individually and therefore your customised treatment programmes will be different from other patients and, depending on a variety of factors, it may take a few weeks to many months to start feeling better.
