Ayurvedic Treatment of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

About Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is a type of lung disease which can be characterized by long term of poor airflow. It is the appearance of pathological changes in the lungs. COPD keeps on progressing with the passage of time and gets worse with time. Damage to the lungs become permanent and it cannot be undone. We can only take measure to prevent the further damage to the lungs.

COPD is a mixture of two diseases:-

1. Chronic bronchitis: In chronic bronchitis, the airways of the lungs get inflamed/swollen and make a lot of mucus. This causes cough. Chronic bronchitis damage the tissues of the airways of the lungs. Due to which the passage become narrow or sometimes get blocked and it becomes difficult to breathe.
2. Emphysema: Our air sacs are very tiny and resemble balloons. As we breathe the air in and out, the air sacs inflate and contract just like balloon. In case of emphysema, these balloon like sac get damage and due to this less air is inhaled and exhaled, which leads to shortness of breath.

Symptoms of COPD

The main symptoms are:

• A long-term constant cough.
• Presence of mucus in the cough.
• Shortness of breath while exercising or any physical exertion.
• Feeling of tightness in the chest, but it is not very common symptom and it can occur due to some other problem.
• Advanced case of COPD can lead to high pressure on the arteries which are present in the lungs, which can damage the right ventricle of the heart. This condition is known as core pulmonale, and directs to swelling in the leg and bulging neck veins.

Sometimes the symptoms may unexpectedly become worse and this situation is called COPD exacerbation. It leads to shortness of breath, increased cough and sputum, a change in the color of the sputum (it can become yellow or green in color). An exacerbation can become life-threatening.

Causes of COPD

• Smoking: The main reason behind COPD is smoking. People who have a history of smoking have more chances of getting COPD. But not all who smoke gets COPD.
• Air pollution: Air pollution is also one of the reason of getting COPD, poorly ventilated cooking areas in which use of charcoal and biomass fuel is used leads to air pollution. People who are living in the cities have more chance to get COPD than who are living in smaller towns due to pollution of vehicles and industrial pollution.
• Occupation: Prolonged exposure to chemicals, dust in the work place can leads to COPD both in smokers and non smokers.
• Genetics: Ore genes can also be responsible for the development of COPD. The inherited risk factor is alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency (AAT). This risk becomes high if someone who is deficient in alpha 1-antitrypsin also smokes.

Preterm birth can also lead to lung damage (neonatal chronic lung disease).

Diagnosis of COPD

Giving correct and exact information to the health provider can help in diagnose of the problem. Below are the test which the health provider is suggest based on the information:-

• Pulmonary function tests (PFTs): Pulmonary function tests can detect the problem even before the appearance of the symptoms. These tests include a spirometry test and lung volume test.
• Chest X-ray: A chest X-ray may be suggested to check the damage in the lungs and to rule out other problems.
• Pulse oximetry: The amount of oxygen in the blood is measured with the help of a small device that is attached to the fingertip.
• Sputum examination: A sample of sputum is taken to check the disease. If the bacteria is found in the sputum than COPD is confirmed. If blood is found in the sputum, it indicates that the lungs are damaged.
• Blood tests: Arterial blood gases (ABGs) check how efficiently the lungs are transferring the oxygen to the bloodstream and how well they can remove carbon dioxide from the bloodstream. It also check the presence of alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAt) gene in the individual.
• Computerized tomography (CT) scan is also suggested.

Herbal Remedies for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) by Rajamruth Vaidyashala

As per Ayurvedic point of view COPD is due to imbalance of three energies (Kapha, Vata & Pitta). Kapha dosha is mainly involved in it. Rajamruth Vaidyashala provides best combination of effective herbal remedies such as COPD Care Pack for ayurvedic treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). These herbal remedies are prepared from using best quality herbs and strictly follow the principles of Ayurveda. All these herbal remedies of Rajamruth Vaidyashala are 100 percent pure, natural and vegetarian. These are free from chemicals, additives and preservatives. These are safe to use as these are free from side effects.