Non-drug treatments
There are many non-drug treatments, a lot of which are subject to ongoing research, therefore only those where there is evidence of beneficial effect are listed here.
| Prevention of Asthma | |
|---|---|
| Avoidance of tobacco smoke | Parents should be advised of the many adverse effects smoking has on their children including increased wheezing in infancy and persistent asthma in later childhood. |
| Dietary manipulation | |
| Weight reduction | Weight reduction is recommended in obese patients with asthma to promote general health and improve asthma control. |
| Secondary prevention of Asthma | |
| House dust mites | In committed families, multiple measures to reduce house dust mite may help. |
| Smoking | Parents should be advised about the dangers to their children of smoking and offered appropriate support to stop smoking. |
| Smoking | Children who smoke should be advised about the dangers of smoking and offered appropriate support to stop smoking. |
| Immunotherapy | May be beneficial where a significant allergen cannot be avoided. |
| Complementary and alternative medicine | |
| Buteyko technique | A breathing technique that can be learned and may help some people control symptoms of asthma. |
| Family therapy | In difficult childhood asthma, there may be a role for family therapy in addition to drug treatment. |
