Why Go Alternative?
You may wonder why people are turning to alternatives when there are many medications, both prescription and over-the-counter, that successfully treat asthma and allergies. Like many people with chronic medical conditions, those who suffer from asthma and allergies are often particularly interested in trying new, “natural” treatments. However, natural doesn't necessarily mean without side effects, and just like medications made by pharmaceutical companies, “natural” products can be powerful and toxic.
Another driving force behind the move toward alternative remedies may be the high cost of allergy and asthma medicines, says Dr. Gailen Marshall, a professor of medicine and director of the clinical immunology, asthma and allergy division at the University of Mississippi in Jackson. For example, some patients who have both allergies and asthma may choose to only treat their asthma to cut costs. But they may run into trouble quickly, because flaring allergies can worsen asthma symptoms. When this happens, Marshall says, people are more inclined to turn to CAM therapies, which are typically less expensive than prescriptions.
Safety Concerns
Unlike drug makers, manufacturers of herbal products and other dietary supplements do not have to demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of their products to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). So little may be known about the true effects of a particular CAM product.
In a study published in a supplement devoted to CAM therapies in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, Dr. Leonard Bielory of the UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School in Newark reviewed the medical literature to uncover the possible benefits as well as consequences of popular CAM therapies for asthma, allergies and immune system conditions.
