Asthma - Terrifying condition can be brought under control. Additional progress July 2016

Asthma is the difficulty in breathing caused by muscle spasm in the bronchi. Mucus can build up which may result in bronchitis when or if infection occurs. The trigger for an asthma attack can range from exposure to allergens through to stress and anxiety. A severe Asthma attack can be both frightening and life threatening and medical guidance should be sought in the early stages.

Use the following for immediate relief from an attack. Inhale either directly from the bottle or add a few drops to a tissue/handkerchief.

Bergamot, Roman Camomile, Clary Sage, Lavender, Neroli, Rose Otto

For on-going treatment make up an oil blend and rub a small amount onto chest, back and neck or onto the soles of the feet.

Frankincense, Bergamot, Roman Camomile, Lavender,

Suitable carrier oils would be 90% Grapeseed, 5% Wheatgerm and 5% Borage

Interestingly environmental pollution seems to play little part in the incidence of asthma. Research compared the unpolluted areas of the Scottish islands with an oilfield town of Aberdeen and found that the islands gave a figure of 17% compared with 11% for Aberdeen and other main towns.

Anaphylaxis is the extreme allergic reaction to an allergen. Research seems to indicate that this kind of reaction is triggered more by food and is on the increase. I recount an incident in Barcelona where they found certain days of the week caused an epidemic of asthma. Investigation revealed that these days coincided with shipments of soybeans being unloaded at the docks. Special filters were attached to the silos and lo and behold the epidemic days stopped.

Vitamin C - Clinical trials of 1000 mg per day reduced attacks by 25% in children. Increasing to 2000 mg and 4000-7000 mg during an attack, in adults had a similar effect, although caused diarrhoea as a side effect.

Vitamin B12 - Administered by intramuscular injection it reduces asthmatic symptoms dramatically. A clinical trial of 85 patients showed that they all benefited from a 1000 mcghh dose at weekly intervals. Children reacted even better with 83% of under 10s showing marked improvement.

Poumon Histamine - A homeopathic remedy found to reduce severe asthma attacks. A French study of 182 children between 2 and 8 showed a significant reduction in severe attacks. Incidentally using homeopathic immunotherapy there has been excellent responses in animal treatment as well as children and the bonus is that it's completely safe.

Cordyceps (dong chong xia cao) has been used for over 1000 years in the far east. It is a potent antioxidant and will boost stamina and help the immune system, protect the lungs and increase the oxygen levels.

Magnesium - Trials have shown a strong relationship between this and bronchial reactivity. Dosage is 250 mg per day.

Lactobacillus Acidophilus and L-glutamine - As food intolerance play such an important part, supporting the digestive system will help.

Onions - They stimulate the production of IgA (an antibody that coats potential allergens to prevent their adsorption). so increase their consumption.

Kumarahou - This is a New Zealand herb which is boiled and made into a tea for the treatment of asthma. It is very difficult to obtain a reliable supply of Kumarahou so you can substitute Kawakawa available from NutriCentre www.NutriCentre.com

Quercetin - Works to reduce inflammatory response to allergens and other irritants.

Nettle - A weed but effective against hay fever and other allergic reactions. Rich in vitamin C and K and immune boosting proteins. Also contains an anti-inflammatory agent named scopoletin that will counter the bodies histamine discharge. Look at "Sinufix" from Natural Care on www.enaturalcare.com

If you are familiar with it, pressure for a few seconds on Shiatsu pressure point Lung No.1 will help during massage. A session or two with a Shiatsu practitioner will show these helpful points.

In addition a series of sessions with an accredited Reiki healer can produce the most astonishing relief. It can bring about a beautiful inner calmness which can help immensely in dealing with a future attack and reduce the muscle spasm and inflammation which causes the restriction.

Asthma is a serious problem and it is essential to ensure you carry with you at all times your conventional inhaler or medication. Natural remedies are extremely useful to complement your medication but remember this can be a life threatening condition.

In July 2016 an experimental pill that could help adults with severe asthma was announced in the Lancet Respiratory Medicine journal.

The trial was quite small and patients who were given the drug, known as Fevipiprant, found they had less inflammation in their airways and some patients with uncontrolled asthma felt their symptoms improved.

Charity Asthma UK said the research showed "massive promise and should be greeted with cautious optimism". Flare-ups can be life-threatening and according to Asthma UK, 1,216 people died from asthma in 2014.

In this study, scientists at the University of Leicester looked at 60 patients who had severe asthma despite using steroid inhalers and being seen regularly by specialists.

Half the group were given the Fevipiprant pill for three months on top of their usual medications and the other half continued to take their normal medication as well as a placebo pill. Researchers found that the patients that took Fevipiprant had fewer inflammatory blood cells in their phlegm and airways - which can be key signs of asthma.

Gaye Stokes, who has had severe asthma for 16 years, said: "I knew straight away that I had been given the drug. I felt like a completely different person. I had more get up and go, I was less wheezy and for the first time in years, I felt really, really well." The 54-year-old added that once she stopped taking the drug her asthma deteriorated again.

But researchers say this is still an early proof-of-concept study and larger, long-term trials will be needed to see if the pill can help patients in everyday life.

Meanwhile, Dr Samantha Walker at Asthma UK said: "This research shows massive promise and should be greeted with cautious optimism. The possibility of taking a pill instead of using an inhaler will be a very welcome one, particularly as this study focused on people who develop the condition in later life, some of whom we know can struggle with the dexterity required to use an inhaler. More research is needed and we're a long way off seeing a pill for asthma being made available over the pharmacy counter, but it's an exciting development."

Prof Stephen Durham, a lung specialist at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London, said: "Prof Chris Brightling's group in Leicester provide compelling evidence that the novel tablet treatment has the ability to reduce asthmatic inflammation, increase lung function and improve asthma control in this severe group. The data strongly support further studies to see whether Fevipiprant may also reduce the frequency of asthma attacks, avoid steroid tablet side effects and reduce NHS costs in the management of these severely ill patients."