Cromolyn sodium is an anti-inflammatory medication used in many common asthma inhalation and allergy treatment therapies. It is sold under the brand names Intal, Intal Inhaler and Gastrocrom. The medication is designed to prevent and reduce...
Simply put, aromatherapy is the art and science of using concentrated essential oils extracted from herbs, flowers and other plants, used to sooth a host of physical and mental discomforts. Although aromatherapy is a holistic, non-invasive...
Lavender---grown in the United States, Europe and Australia---is a short shrub with small, blue-violet flowers. For years, people have been using lavender in soaps and and shampoos because of its fragrant aroma. Lavender also has a wide range of...
Acetylcysteine, a derivative of the amino acid cysteine, is available as a nutritional supplement as well as a pharmaceutical drug and has a wide variety of health and medical uses. Acetylcysteine is also, notably, the precursor to glutathione,...
Ginger has been used widely in traditional Chinese and Indian medicine. The healing section of the plant is the rhizome, or thick underground stem, which can be steeped in water to create a tea or ground and used to spice a meal. The essential oil...
Combivent is a treatment that combines albuterol (a beta agonist type of medication) and ipratropium (one of the anticholinergic class of medications) for inhalation therapy for treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It has...
Giving yourself a facial steam is good for more than your skin. As the skin's pores open, breathing in the steamy vapors may also calm your nerves and open your sinuses. In steam inhalation therapy, the chosen herbs are added to a hot bowl of...
Dried lavender is produced from the flowers of the lavender plant. The flowers are harvested from the stems of the plant and are dried using one of several drying methods. The most common is to hang the stems upside down in a cool, dark place for...
Aroma therapy, often spelled aromatherapy, offers a variety of benefits to users, especially in the relief and reduction of a variety of side effects of cancer treatments or other conditions and ailments, states the Mayo Clinic. Aroma therapy...
To some, the pungent scent of pine invokes winter and the holidays. Others associate pine with freshness and the forest air. To those who practice aromatherapy, the essential oil of pine offers health benefits and treatment for a number of...
Human parainfluenza virus is a common virus that causes a number of infections, inlcuding the common cold, in infants and children, as well as in those with compromised immune systems. The virus is transmitted from person to person by exposure to...
Physically active people are more vulnerable to strains of the intercostal muscles, located between your ribs, but twisting your body in unexpected ways can cause the injury in anyone. Your doctor prescribes the same treatment for fractured ribs...
An allergy is an inappropriate response, whereby the body's immune system wrongly identifies a substance as toxic and launches an attack on it. Some herbs can help reduce allergy frequency and severity; however, herbs can be toxic in high doses....
The term "aromatherapy" may confuse anyone unfamiliar with the healing technique. After all, the word itself implies scent-only applications. In fact, aromatherapy encompasses any healing technique that uses essential oils. Essential oils are...
Distinct from the occasional experiences of grief, sadness and dissatisfaction that are common to all human beings, depression is a medical condition associated with a chemical imbalance in the brain. Some of the symptoms of depression are...
Clogged sinuses and clogged ears often affect people at the same time. That's because sinus infections are one of the top causes of blocked ear passages and ear infections, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Sinus infections...
Children diagnosed with chronic or ongoing respiratory problems may find their ability to play and function in everyday environments limited by their condition. A number of respiratory problems afflict children, and while some are mild and don't...
If you have tested positive for allergies, you are more prone to sinusitis, a condition that causes pressure around your eyes and nose, a stuffy nose, nasal drainage and head congestion. When you bend down or lean over, the pain is worse....
Bronchial asthma is a disorder that severely reduces the amount of air your lungs obtain while you breathe. In asthmatics, the airways of the lungs, or bronchi, begin to swell and become inflamed when exposed to a specific allergen or trigger,...
The herpes simplex virus is commonly divided into the type 1 and type 2 classes, also known as HSV-1 and HSV-2. While type 1 is generally limited to mouth sores, and spreads through sharing utensils or by kissing, some people with this virus also...
Although some allergies are seasonal, and therefore, short lived, recurring allergies can cause more serious problems over time. The immune systems of people with allergies have to work harder, however, aromatherapy can help build up the immune...
Asthma is a respiratory disease which is chronic and is characterized by attacks of wheezing, a tightness in the chest and shortness of breath. When your airways become inflamed and constrict, it makes it hard to get a deep breath. Asthma is...
Essential oils are oils extracted from the organic material of plants--particularly the leaves, petals and trees. The majority of these oils contain chemicals that produce a noticeable fragrance. These oils are used in a number of ways, depending...
Chest congestion can be symptomatic of a variety of illnesses. During an asthma attack, for example, the chest can feel constricted and obstructed due to increased mucosal secretion, according to MedlinePlus. Common ailments such as the flu and...
Mucus, medically known as sputum or phlegm, is a secretion produced in the lungs during infection, irritation or inflammation. Mucus keeps the nasal passages and throat lubricated. Sometimes, pollen, foreign particles or even bacteria get trapped...
Flovent, the brand name for inhalant fluticasone propionate, is a prescription corticosteroid indicated in the treatment of bronchial asthma in patients who are at least 4 years old. The medication reduces the inflammation of the bronchial...
Asthma causes reversible airway inflammation that results in constriction of the large airways that lead to the lungs. According to “The 5-Minute Clinical Consult," a textbook edited by Frank J. Domino, MD, more than 22 million Americans...
A nebulizer is a machine that can be used at home to administer vaporized medications directly to the lungs for asthmatics and others with serious breathing problems, according to CalderMed. It can be used in addition to a hand-held metered dose...
Aromatic plants have been used for centuries as agents of healing due to their powerful effect on the immune system as well as their potential in treating more serious problems. Oils are extracted from herbs and flowers that are 75 to 100 times...
COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is an illness of the lungs often caused by smoking. Learn more about the symptoms and treatments for COPD in this health video.
If your chest starts to feel sore and you develop a cough followed by the chills or a slight fever, you just might have bronchitis. Bronchitis is a condition that occurs when the inner walls that line the main air passageways of your lungs become...
