TAMAK SHWASA (BRONCHIAL ASTHMA): A CRITICAL REVIEW STUDY

Dr. Akhilesh Kumar Verma*

ABSTRACT

Respiratory disorders are significant public health burden worldwide. Bronchial asthma is one of the commonest respiratory disorders. The WHO estimates that 300 million people currently are suffering from bronchial asthma. In India prevalence of asthma has been found to be 15-20 million people. Prevalence of asthma is more in urban areas than rural areas due to smoke, pollution and environmental factors. Management of Bronchial asthma as per contemporary treatment modalities include use of bronchodilators, corticosteroid, anticholinergics and several other drugs having long term side effects and dose dependency. Tamaka Shwasa which is described in Ayurveda as a disease entity through its sign & symptoms, pathogenesis, prognosis and treatment can be correlated with Bronchial asthma in modern parlance. So, the present conceptual study helps to understand the disease of the modern era by the Ayurvedic perspective and contributes in the integrative approach in the management of Tamaka Shwasa or bronchial asthma.

Keywords: Tamaka Shwasa, Bronchial Asthma, Ayurveda, Nidana.