Disclaimer. I am not a licensed health practitioner. This is
just another post on knowledge and understanding
you might wish to acquire in advance of a disaster in case no higher
care is available. As long as our society is functioning, you should
leave anything more substantial than applying a Band-Aid to the
professionals. No medication, including those available over the
counter, should be taken without consulting a physician.
Information shared here is for educational and entertainment purposes
only. It is not medical advice nor a substitute for licensed medical
care.
Asthma is one of those conditions that would be best not to have in a time when there is no higher medical care. The physicians teaching off-grid medicine classes I have attended were not at all optimistic about the long-term survival odds for those with severe asthma once their maintenance medications run out. However, I also believe that when a person recognizes a threat to his or a loved one's existence, that person will go to great lengths to find options. Like my husband and I have researched diabetes management and insulin production for type-1 diabetics. (And it took a whole heckuva lot of research--I can't do that for every condition.) Lots of people shrug their shoulders and say the diabetics will die. History says it doesn't have to be that way (and this topic was covered in another post). I do not have any asthmatics in my immediate or extended family, so I've only spent a few hours researching this topic. If any of you have information to offer, links, suggestions, please contribute in the comments below.
Asthma is one of those conditions that would be best not to have in a time when there is no higher medical care. The physicians teaching off-grid medicine classes I have attended were not at all optimistic about the long-term survival odds for those with severe asthma once their maintenance medications run out. However, I also believe that when a person recognizes a threat to his or a loved one's existence, that person will go to great lengths to find options. Like my husband and I have researched diabetes management and insulin production for type-1 diabetics. (And it took a whole heckuva lot of research--I can't do that for every condition.) Lots of people shrug their shoulders and say the diabetics will die. History says it doesn't have to be that way (and this topic was covered in another post). I do not have any asthmatics in my immediate or extended family, so I've only spent a few hours researching this topic. If any of you have information to offer, links, suggestions, please contribute in the comments below.
Asthmatics need to stockpile their inhalers and other medications. No one else is doing this for them.
Beyond this common-sense approach, it would be wise to do everything possible to make those supplies last as long as possible, and it doesn't take that much money.
The first step is to get a peak flow meter, a device that assesses the patient's breathing to establish normal breathing flow and help determine necessary adjustments when attacks may be imminent. Another item is the pulse oximeter. They run under $20 on Amazon and are very simple to use. Just slip it on the finger, and you have the results in a matter of seconds. The pulse ox, as it is often called, can help you determine whether an asthma attack is cause for alarm--and help guide you in what measures to take to manage the problem. The pulse ox can tell you whether you've got a real problem long before the lips turn blue.
Next, asthmatics are going to need to stockpile boxes and buckets and boatloads of N95 masks, and that's just the way it is. Without an unlimited supply of maintenance medications, vanity has to go out the window. Asthmatics are going to have to wear these masks whenever they're at risk for whatever triggers an attack. The N95 masks will trap particulates before they can wreak havoc in an asthmatic's lungs. They'll reduce chances for attacks.
Now, most asthmatics are already well aware of this, but caffeine is a bronchodilator. In a TEOTWAWKI situation, caffeine is going to be an asthmatic's constant companion. As coffee won't last forever, and is a bit pricey, and takes space to store, you're going to want to stockpile a lot of caffeine pills. They're pretty inexpensive, and building up a generous supply isn't cost-prohibitive for those wishing to stockpile just in case, especially in families where asthma is a possibility. Doctors recommend giving 0.01 ml/kg for maintenance. In an attack, they recommend strong coffee as opposed to tablets. The caffeine must get into the bloodstream ASAP, and it will do so faster in a liquid such as coffee than in a tablet. (If you don't have coffee, grind up a caffeine pill really well and drink it with water.) And caffeine has several other uses as well, so even if you don't have any asthmatics in your family, the caffeine won't go to waste.[1]
Primatene Mist is something else to consider. Unfortunately, it doesn't have a great shelf life. And it will get pretty pricey trying to stock a reasonable quantity for an asthmatic. Still, it's nice to have options.
Mild asthma is the most common type. Patients usually have no symptoms but are often susceptible to chest colds. Any coughing, wheezing, or shortness of breath is generally triggered by something--upper respiratory infections, allergies, dust, vigorous exercise, even temperature changes. These people need no or only very occasional medication. The best bet is to avoid triggers and getting upper respiratory infections. Even though directions for antihistamines say the product shouldn't be used in asthmatic patients, allergic asthmatics may be helped with products like Benadryl, Claritin, Zyrtec, and Allegra. Sudafed may also help.[2]
Moderate asthma patients are between the mild patients just discussed, and the severe patients that will be considered next. Most of the time, these patients can be treated the same as the mild asthma patients. But they had better behave like the severe patients, avoiding all triggers even if they believe they aren't really affected by them.[3]
Patients with severe asthma are utterly dependent on their maintenance meds. They have got to have their inhaled steroids, controller drugs, and rescue inhalers daily as well as oral steroids for flare-ups. Some even require oxygen. These people are not in a good situation. Avoiding triggers and making what medications they have stockpiled last as long as possible is critical.
All asthma patients can take charge of their own health. Be proactive. Maintain a healthy weight. Eat well and exercise regularly. For heaven's sake, don't smoke. Avoid triggers--all triggers for asthmatics. Chronic exposure may elicit low-level responses that the patient doesn't necessarily attribute to an allergen. So that means all pets. All mammals and birds. All feather pillows, wool sweaters, and rabbit fur. [4] Wear the mask mentioned above when seasonal allergies start. Keep the environment clean and dust-free. Get rid of the carpets in the house. (When the grid goes down, you aren't going to be able to vacuum anyway. Those carpets will get filthy.)
Those who suffer from allergic asthma might consider getting tested for their allergies. Of particular interest would be the allergy-desensitization injections that may nearly cure asthma.
There are well over a dozen herbs and alternative treatments suggested for managing asthma. As asthma has many different causes, different people will benefit from various herbs and/or preparations and administration routes. If you're an asthmatic, try them out now, under a doctor's supervision, of course, before life gets sporty.
Dr. Joseph Alton reported that doctors one hundred years ago advised breathing into a jar of honey and taking one teaspoon of honey in a glass of water three times per day.
Gumweed is the herb for asthmatics. It is readily found throughout the West but needs to be collected annually. It doesn't store very well except in an alcohol tincture. Take 15-40 drops of a tincture up to five times per day. It may also be prepared as an infusion.[5]
Essential oils of oregano, thyme, and German chamomile may be dropped into a pot of boiling water and inhaled for at least five to ten minutes.
Infusions of Brigham tea, red clover, plantain, thyme, German chamomile, and plantain may provide some relief.
Yarrow dilates the airways, thus relieving some symptoms of asthma.[6]
Yarrow dilates the airways, thus relieving some symptoms of asthma.[6]
Mullein, lobelia, purslane, and peppermint are also used.
Magnesium levels are often deficient in individuals with severe asthma. Increasing your dietary intake of magnesium may help.[7]
Cautions: Asthmatics should not use Advil, aspirin, or meloxicam.
Links to related posts:
Brigham Tea
Caffeine/Coffee
Epinephrine
German Chamomile
Gloves and Masks
Gumweed
Honey
Japanese Honeysuckle
Magnesium
Oregano
OTC pain relievers
Red Clover
Peppermint
Plantain
Purslane
Thyme
Yarrow
For further reading:
[1] Armageddon Medicine, p 332; Survival and Austere Medicine, 3rd Edition, p 126.
[2] Armageddon Medicine, p 331.
[3] Armageddon Medicine, p 333.
[4] Armageddon Medicine, p 333.
[5] Maria Spitari, et al., "Compilation of a Herbal Medicine Formulary for Herbal Substances in Malta and Its Usefulness Amongst Healthcare Professionals," Journal of Young Pharmacists, 7 March 2013, 5(1), https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3758078/ (accessed 10 March 2020).
[6] Arif-Ullah Khan, et al., "Blood Pressure Lowering, Cardiovascular Inhibitory and Bronchodilatory Actions of Achillea Milleflora," Phytotherapy Research, April 2011, 25(4), https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20857434-blood-pressure-lowering-cardiovascular-inhibitory-and-bronchodilatory-actions-of-achillea-millefolium/ (accessed 10 March 2020).
[7] Aneta Kowal, et al., "The Use of Magnesium in Bronchial Asthma: A New Approach to an Old Problem," Archivum Immunlogiae et Therapiae Experimentalis, January-February 2007, 55(1), https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17277891-the-use-of-magnesium-in-bronchial-asthma-a-new-approach-to-an-old-problem/ (accessed 10 March 2020).
2 may 2023
