I recently read a column in 'The Bombay Times' titled 'The truth about', wherein a "Naturotherapist" answers people's queries about their health problems. One reader had asked her what to do for asthama, for which she advised consultation of a "Hypnotherapist" as asthama is related to"past life". Reading this I felt ashamed of our country and the ignorance of people. Inspite of the recent advances in the field of medicine, we still have such people who have absolutely no knowledge and yet without any hesitation advice people about 'treatment', that too through a leading newspaper! Following is the copy of the feedback that I have sent to the Bombay Times. I guess this is the reason why we are still a developing country!!

I am a MBBS and have post graduated with an MD in Anaesthesiology from Grant Medical college and Sir.J.J.Group of Hospitals in Mumbai. I am writing this in response to the column ‘The truth about’ in Bombay times dated 2^nd jan 2012. An asthamatic has been advised by tha naturotherapist to consult a “hypnotherapist” for the treatment of asthama. Reading this article in your dignified paper, and myself being a well qualified health care practitioner in this field since 12 years, I felt the need to write this, not just as a feed back, but because being under the Hippocratus oath, it is my duty to remove such myths and false facts from minds of unaware people.

Asthama is basically a disease of airways in which the airways are ‘hyper reactive’. As a result there is a chronic inflammation of the muscles of airways, known as the bronchial muscles. This chronic inflammation is associated with airway hyperresponsiveness that leads to recurrent episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness and coughing particularly at night or in the early morning. Bronchial tubes that are chronically inflamed may become overly sensitive to allergens (specific triggers) or irritants (nonspecific triggers). The airways may become "twitchy" and remain in a state of heightened sensitivity. This is called "bronchial hyperreactivity" (BHR). It is likely that there is a spectrum of bronchial hyperreactivity in all individuals. However, it is clear that asthmatics and allergic individuals (without apparent asthma) have a greater degree of bronchial hyperreactivity than nonasthmatic and nonallergic people. In sensitive individuals, the bronchial tubes are more likely to swell and constrict when exposed to triggers such as allergens, tobacco smoke, or exercise. Amongst asthmatics, some may have mild BHR and no symptoms while others may have severe BHR and chronic symptoms. Asthma affects people differently. Each individual is unique in their degree of reactivity to environmental triggers. This naturally influences the type and dose of medication prescribed, which may vary from one individual to another.

Asthma symptoms may be activated or aggravated by many agents. Not all asthmatics react to the same triggers. Additionally, the effect that each trigger has on the lungs varies from one individual to another. In general, the severity of your asthma depends on how many agents activate your symptoms and how sensitive your lungs are to them. Most of these triggers can also worsen nasal or eye symptoms. Triggers fall into two categories:

·        allergens ("specific");

·        nonallergens -- mostly irritants (nonspecific).

Once your bronchial tubes (nose and eyes) become inflamed from an allergic exposure, a re-exposure to the offending allergens will often activate symptoms. These "reactive" bronchial tubes might also respond to other triggers, such as exercise, infections, and other irritants. Common allergens include "seasonal" pollens, dust mites, molds, pets, and insect parts, foods, such as fish, egg, peanuts, nuts, cow's milk, and soyadditives, such as sulfites and work-related agents, such as latex, epoxides, and formaldehyde. Factors which can trigger an asthamatic attack include certain foods especially those with higher amount of saturated fats, exercise especially in cold dry weather, emotional stress, and certain conditions of hormonal changes. Thus asthama is NOT A DISEASE OF MIND, IT IS NOT A PSYCHOLOGICAL CONDITION. IT IS AN ORGANIC DISEASE WITH REAL PATHOLOGY. IT CAN BE ‘TRIGGERED BY PSYCHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS.

Like any other chronic disease, asthma is a condition you live with every day of your life. You can have an attack any time you are exposed to one of your triggers. Unlike other chronic obstructive lung diseases, asthma is reversible. Asthma cannot be cured, but it can be controlled.You have a better chance of controlling your asthma if it is diagnosed early and treatment is begun right away.With proper treatment, people with asthma can have fewer and less severe attacks.

But asthama needs to be diagnosed, treated properly from a medical practitioner  AND NOT HYPNOTHERAPIST as it is a fatal disease.