@Gardiner 2170 wrote:

I’ve seen virtually nothing on the Boards here about asthma. Asthma is extremely prevalent and being a sufferer for about 30 years, it is discouraging how little progress has been made on a “cure” for this disease. Although treatment focuses on decreasing inflammation in the lungs with steroids and using epinephrine like compounds for rescue purposes, it seems that very few people are “cured” and I’m a case in point. My asthma is controlled which is a euphemism for being able to tolerate the reduced symptoms. Having said that, I don’t feel as if I’ve taken a completely unconstricted breath in 30 years.:(

However, I’ve always suspected that something else is going on ‘behind’ the inflammation in the lungs, that there is too much or too little of some neurotransmitter or hormone present that is causing the inflammation and that a real “cure” should focus on that instead of just controlling the inflammation.

As it seems many of you have been through all sorts of treatments for hormone deficiencies and neurotransmitter issues have any of you noticed that your asthma gets better or worse before or after treatment for non-asthma related complaints?

I will say that it does seem to me that my asthma is better controlled since I started taking Vitamin D supplements a couple of years ago, but it is only a minor improvement.

In the larger picture, one can look at asthma as a condition where the immune system is overactive. In asthma, the immune system which is over-reacting to substances in the air. It is then attempting to protect the body by the production of mucus and an inflammatory response in the lungs.

Often, when one has asthma, one has also other inflammatory conditions. These are again clues to an immune system that is overactive.

Signals in the body which affect the immune system can be divided into anti-inflammatory signals and pro-inflammatory signals.

Treatments for asthma (aside from the stimulants which dilate the airway passages) attempt to promote anti-inflammatory signals and reduce pro-inflammatory signals. Cortisol (and other corticosteroids) is an example of an anti-inflammatory signal. It is a hormone signal. Mast cell stabilizers, Leukotriene modifiers, antihistamines are medications which attempt to reduce the pro-inflammatory signals to the immune system.

When asthma is not well-controlled, there may be numerous other anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory signals which are in excess or deficit, and are thus contributing to the development of asthma.

The signals of the nervous system, endocrine system, and immune system have to be assessed for their contribution to the development of asthma. Metabolism and nutrition also have to be assessed for their contributory affects on asthma.

For example, if thyroid hormone is suboptimal, then the nervous system may compensate by increasing sympathetic nervous system activity (with an increase in norepinephrine production) to improve energy production. This increase, however, also activates every immune system cell through direct innervation to every lymph node. This then leads to an increase in inflammatory signaling, which may then increase the risk for asthma attacks. Treatment with thyroid hormone may then reduce the risk for asthma attacks. But thyroid hormone treatment can be complicated in the presence of an already activated immune system. For example, Armour Thyroid, by containing active T3, may actually overactivate immune system cells in some people. One has to monitor for this reaction. Levothyroxine is safer but in a few people may overactivate the immune system. If this occurs, other deficits in anti-inflammatory signaling and excesses in pro-inflammatory signaling have to be considered and addressed to allow optimization of thyroid signaling.

Diet has a significant contribution to anti- and pro-inflammatory signaling. For example, gluten, a protein from grain-based foods (wheat, rye, barley), is a pro-inflammatory signal which can overactivate the immune system, and thus contribute to the development of asthma. As another example, the lack of sufficient omega-3 fatty acids to balance the omega-6 fatty acids may lead to an excess in pro-inflammatory signals to the immune system. Vitamin D has anti-oxidant and may contribute to anti-inflammatory signaling (e.g. by reducing insulin resistance, by promoting serotonin and dopamine signaling, etc.). Vitamin D, in concentrated form, however, can also overstimulate the immune system. As another example, the lack of sufficient animal fats in the diet may, in some people, promote pro-inflammatory signaling.

The above are only a few of the considerations when assessing asthma from a more definitive point of view.

@wapf fan 2235 wrote:

Would arthritis be similarly caused?

The extent of involvement depends on the type of arthritis.

There are over 100 different types of arthritis, each with different mechanisms of action.

Osteoarthritis is the most common. But it has several subtypes, including wear-and-tear on the joints that are used repetitively.

However, the inflammatory response in each indicates immune system involvement. And things that stimulate a pro-inflammatory response can worsen the inflammatory response and pain.

Cold weather, for example, can stimulate a pro-inflammatory response, worsening ones aches and pains.

Exercise that can reduce stress such as yoga may help reduce the inflammation that causes asthma. Another important thing to help control the mind and stress is meditation.

As we all know with the increase in the pollution the disease of asthma is also increasing day by day, Asthma is a predisposition to chronic inflammation of the lungs where the airways are reversible reduced. asthma is also cause due to smoking,working in the polluted environment and many more.so, it is necessary to take care of the health.

As we all know that asthma is dangerous for the health, if a person suffer from asthma they he or she will have to take care of there health, asthma attack can be any time and anywhere, that is why a asthma patient have to keep the pump for the asthma and try to avoid dust and pollution.

Some info on asthma as it relates to thyroid: http://tiredthyroid.com/asthma.html

Asthma is a kind of disease which is can’t be completely finished by many of the treatments. But some treatments can control to this disease. The environment you live with containing dirt and more pollution can causes asthma attacks.