Asthma is a potentially life-threatening condition if it is not well managed. Sometimes asthma symptoms are mild, and you can treat yourself at home, but a full-blown attack might mean a trip to the emergency room. Early detection of an asthma flareup is the key to stopping an asthma attack. Asthma medication can stop an attack, but magnesium chloride may be as effective.
Acute Asthma Attack
Magnesium chloride is beneficial for people with pathologies such as acute asthma attack, tetanus and shock, according to an article by Raul Vergini, M.D. Asthma attacks are sometimes minor, but they can be fatal in severe circumstances. During an attack, your airways become inflamed and the muscles around them contract. This makes it difficult for you to breathe, as there is less space in your bronchial tubes for air to travel through. Coughing and wheezing are common during an asthma attack as well.
Inflammation
Inflammation is the main cause of asthma attacks, and it is inflammation that magnesium chloride addresses. Inflammation is an immune system response to either irritation, infection or injury. When inflammation occurs in the airways, that is asthma. Inflammation is also the cause of sinusitis, rhinitis and arthritis, which affect the sinuses, nose and joints, respectively. Chronic inflammatory buildup is a symptom of a magnesium deficiency. Magnesium chloride supplements are used to correct a magnesium deficiency, which may therefore reduce inflammation.
Oral Magnesium Chloride
Oral magnesium chloride can help prevent and treat asthma. According to an article in "Medical Hypotheses" in 2006, throat lozenges containing 100 milligrams of magnesium chloride provide rescue benefits equal to that of pharmaceutical asthma drugs. This means that magnesium chloride lozenges can not only prevent asthma attacks but actually stop attacks after they start. Throat lozenges also have the added benefit of producing relaxation, which lessens asthma symptoms.
Side Effects
Magnesium chloride may help asthmatics, but there are possible side effects. Mild side effects include diarrhea, nausea and abdominal pain. It is also possible to have an allergic reaction to magnesium chloride that could serious. Symptoms of an allergic reaction include trouble breathing, extreme dizziness, hives and swelling in the face, lips, tongue and throat. Speak with your doctor before taking magnesium supplements. Seek immediate medical attention if you think you are having an allergic reaction.
References
- "Medical Hypotheses"; Rescue Treatment and Prevention of Asthma Using Magnesium Throat Lozenges: Hypothesis for a Mouth-Lung Biologically Closed Electric Circuit; Eby GA.; 2006
- Drugs.com: Magnesium Chloride
- "Nexus"; Magnesium Chloride for Health and Rejunvenation; Barbara Bourke and Walter Last; October-November 2008 (pdf)
- Daniel Reid: Inflammation & Systemic Stress: Treatment with Magnesium Chloride; Mark Sircus Ac., OMD
- Second Opinions: Magnesium Chloride in Acute and Chronic Diseases; Raul Vergini, M.D.
- Mayo Clinic: Asthma Attack; January 2011
