COPD is the third leading cause of death

Herbstausgabe Zeitschrift Homeopathy: COPD is the third leading cause of death in GermanyCOPD is the third leading cause of death in Germany

22/09/2011

COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) starts with a simple cough that becomes more intense and persistent over time. The day begins with an often tormenting coughing up of mucus for those affected. The expectoration becomes more and more tough and increasingly complicates the lung function. The result is a shortness of breath caused by inflamed and permanently constricted airways. According to the BOLD study (Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease) in Germany over 40-year-olds are affected by about 13 percent and over 70-year-olds even to 27 percent.

In addition to the main cause of smoking, passive smoking, living on streets with high particulate matter pollution, air pollution and dust in the workplace or frequent infections of the respiratory tract in childhood are among the causes of COPD. Usually a chronic bronchitis precedes. Without consequent elimination of the causes of the disease, the organ damage of the lung is irreversible and even with slight exertion leads to respiratory distress.

In the autumn issue of the popular journal Homeopathy of the German Central Association of Homeopathic Doctors (DZVhÄ) Dr. Ing. Ulf Riker, doctor of internal medicine, homeopathy and naturopathy from Munich, the possibilities of homeopathy in the treatment of COPD. He was u. a. Senior physician of a medical acute hospital with naturopathic and homeopathic therapy focus and has many years of experience in the treatment of COPD patients. „Once tissue structures in the lungs have been destroyed by uninterrupted damage, this is almost always irreversible. However, the creeping reduction in the gas exchange area in the alveoli and the loss of elasticity in the respiratory tract can be homeopathic if the therapy is combined with a consistent avoidance of any further pollutant intake.“ The insidious thing about the COPD is, „that in many cases it develops creepingly and the patients themselves get used to their constant coughing or simply accept their smoker's cough.“ In his experience are „a careful medical history, accurate physical examination including interception of the heart and lungs and a pulmonary function test“ the essential first diagnostic steps. „Prevention and therapy are all the more successful the sooner the diagnosis is made.“

„Prevention is always better than running after the development of a disease in the sense of the word breathless!“, explains Dr. Riker. The suspicion of COPD as well as the patients' actual risk can be made clear quickly: if the three questions about smoking, over 40 years of age and coughing or respiratory distress are all answered in the affirmative, 50% of them have COPD. A corresponding test can be found at www.welt-der-homoeopathie.de> Information for Patients> Dossiers. (Pm)

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