Editing Asthma (section)

===Alternative medicine===
Many people with asthma, like those with other chronic disorders, use [[Alternative medicine|alternative treatments]]; surveys show that roughly 50% use some form of unconventional therapy.<ref name="blanc">{{cite journal | vauthors = Blanc PD, Trupin L, Earnest G, Katz PP, Yelin EH, Eisner MD | title = Alternative therapies among adults with a reported diagnosis of asthma or rhinosinusitis : data from a population-based survey | journal = Chest | volume = 120 | issue = 5 | pages = 1461–7 | date = November 2001 | pmid = 11713120 | doi = 10.1378/chest.120.5.1461 }}</ref><ref name=shenfield>{{cite journal | vauthors = Shenfield G, Lim E, Allen H | title = Survey of the use of complementary medicines and therapies in children with asthma | journal = Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health | volume = 38 | issue = 3 | pages = 252–7 | date = June 2002 | pmid = 12047692 | doi = 10.1046/j.1440-1754.2002.00770.x | s2cid = 22129160 }}</ref> There is little data to support the effectiveness of most of these therapies.

Evidence is insufficient to support the usage of [[vitamin C]] or [[vitamin E]] for controlling asthma.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Milan SJ, Hart A, Wilkinson M | title = Vitamin C for asthma and exercise-induced bronchoconstriction | journal = The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews | issue = 10 | pages = CD010391 | date = October 2013 | volume = 2013 | pmid = 24154977 | pmc = 6513466 | doi = 10.1002/14651858.CD010391.pub2 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Wilkinson M, Hart A, Milan SJ, Sugumar K | title = Vitamins C and E for asthma and exercise-induced bronchoconstriction | journal = The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews | issue = 6 | pages = CD010749 | date = June 2014 | volume = 2014 | pmid = 24936673 | pmc = 6513032 | doi = 10.1002/14651858.CD010749.pub2 }}</ref> There is tentative support for use of vitamin C in exercise induced bronchospasm.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Hemilä H | title = Vitamin C may alleviate exercise-induced bronchoconstriction: a meta-analysis | journal = BMJ Open | volume = 3 | issue = 6 | pages = e002416 | date = June 2013 | pmid = 23794586 | pmc = 3686214 | doi = 10.1136/bmjopen-2012-002416 }} {{open access}}</ref> [[Fish oil]] dietary supplements (marine n-3 fatty acids)<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Woods RK, Thien FC, Abramson MJ | title = Dietary marine fatty acids (fish oil) for asthma in adults and children | journal = The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews | volume = 2019 | issue = 3 | pages = CD001283 |year = 2002 | pmid = 12137622 | pmc = 6436486 | doi = 10.1002/14651858.CD001283 }}</ref> and reducing dietary sodium<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Pogson Z, McKeever T | title = Dietary sodium manipulation and asthma | journal = The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews | issue = 3 | pages = CD000436 | date = March 2011 | volume = 2011 | pmid = 21412865 | doi = 10.1002/14651858.CD000436.pub3 | pmc = 7032646 }}</ref> do not appear to help improve asthma control. In people with mild to moderate asthma, treatment with [[vitamin D]] supplementation or its hydroxylated metabolites does not reduce acute exacerbations or improve control.<ref name="Williamson_2023">{{cite journal | vauthors = Williamson A, Martineau AR, Sheikh A, Jolliffe D, Griffiths CJ | title = Vitamin D for the management of asthma | journal = The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews | volume = 2023 | issue = 2 | pages = CD011511 | date = February 2023 | pmid = 36744416 | pmc = 9899558 | doi = 10.1002/14651858.CD011511.pub3 }}</ref> There is no strong evidence to suggest that vitamin D supplements improve day-to-day asthma symptoms or a person's lung function.<ref name="Williamson_2023" /> There is no strong evidence to suggest that adults with asthma should avoid foods that contain [[monosodium glutamate]] (MSG).<ref name="Zhou_2012">{{cite journal | vauthors = Zhou Y, Yang M, Dong BR | title = Monosodium glutamate avoidance for chronic asthma in adults and children | journal = The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews | issue = 6 | pages = CD004357 | date = June 2012 | volume = 2014 | pmid = 22696342 | doi = 10.1002/14651858.CD004357.pub4 | pmc = 8823518 }}</ref> There have not been enough high-quality studies performed to determine if children with asthma should avoid eating food that contains MSG.<ref name="Zhou_2012" />

[[Acupuncture]] is not recommended for the treatment as there is insufficient evidence to support its use.<ref name="NHLBI07p240" /><ref name="mccartney">{{cite journal | vauthors = McCarney RW, Brinkhaus B, Lasserson TJ, Linde K | title = Acupuncture for chronic asthma | journal = The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews | issue = 1 | pages = CD000008 |year=2004 | volume = 2009 | pmid = 14973944 | doi = 10.1002/14651858.CD000008.pub2 | veditors = McCarney RW | pmc = 7061358 }}</ref> [[Air ionizer]]s show no evidence that they improve asthma symptoms or benefit lung function; this applied equally to positive and negative ion generators.<ref name="pmid22972060">{{cite journal | vauthors = Blackhall K, Appleton S, Cates CJ | title = Ionisers for chronic asthma | journal = The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews | volume = 2017 | issue = 9 | pages = CD002986 | date = September 2012 | pmid = 22972060 | pmc = 6483773 | doi = 10.1002/14651858.CD002986.pub2 | veditors = Blackhall K }}</ref> Manual therapies, including [[osteopathy|osteopathic]], [[chiropractic]], [[physical therapy|physiotherapeutic]] and [[respiratory therapy|respiratory therapeutic]] manoeuvres, have insufficient evidence to support their use in treating asthma.<ref name="hondras">{{cite journal | vauthors = Hondras MA, Linde K, Jones AP | title = Manual therapy for asthma | journal = The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews | issue = 2 | pages = CD001002 | date = April 2005 | pmid = 15846609 | doi = 10.1002/14651858.CD001002.pub2 | veditors = Hondras MA }}</ref>  Pulmonary rehabilitation, however, may improve quality of life and functional exercise capacity when compared to usual care for adults with asthma.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Osadnik CR, Gleeson C, McDonald VM, Holland AE | title = Pulmonary rehabilitation versus usual care for adults with asthma | journal = The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews | volume = 2022 | issue = 8 | pages = CD013485 | date = August 2022 | pmid = 35993916 | pmc = 9394585 | doi = 10.1002/14651858.CD013485.pub2 | collaboration = Cochrane Airways Group }}</ref> The [[Buteyko breathing technique]] for controlling hyperventilation may result in a reduction in medication use; however, the technique does not have any effect on lung function.<ref name="BGMA08" />  Thus an expert panel felt that evidence was insufficient to support its use.<ref name="NHLBI07p240">{{harvnb|NHLBI Guideline|2007|p=240}}</ref> There is no clear evidence that breathing exercises are effective for treating children with asthma.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Macêdo TM, Freitas DA, Chaves GS, Holloway EA, Mendonça KM | title = Breathing exercises for children with asthma | journal = The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews | volume = 2016 | pages = CD011017 | date = April 2016 | issue = 4 | pmid = 27070225 | doi = 10.1002/14651858.CD011017.pub2 | pmc = 7104663 }}</ref>