Complementary therapies for asthma, COPD, and other lung conditions

Complementary therapies should be used alongside conventional treatments, not instead of them. It’s important to carry on taking your usual medicines too.

We know many people with lung conditions are interested in complementary therapies to help manage their symptoms or improve their wellbeing. People with lung conditions tell us that some complementary therapies have helped them:

• breathe more easily and deal with breathlessness
• clear their nose and airways
• lower their stress and anxiety 
• feel better when fighting infections like colds
• cope better with their lung condition
• improve their quality of everyday life. 
   

There’s not as much research into complementary therapies as there is into conventional treatments. This makes it difficult to say how well some complementary therapies work. The evidence for some treatments is stronger than for others. 

Some therapies may work for some people, even though they don’t have much evidence to recommend them. It could be that they work as a placebo. A placebo is when a treatment or therapy works because you expect it to work.  

For example, there’s no scientific evidence that homeopathic remedies work, so any benefits are probably the placebo effect. 
 

Breathing techniques, mindfulness, and yoga are some examples of complementary therapies that could help improve your symptoms and sense of wellbeing.  

Breathing techniques and exercises

Breathing exercises like pursed lip breathing, diaphragmatic breathing and yoga breathing can work well alongside your usual medicines to help manage your lung condition. They do this by helping you change breathing habits and patterns. They can also strengthen the muscles that support your breathing.

There’s good evidence that breathing techniques help people with lung conditions like COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, and asthma manage their breathlessness and improve quality of life. 

There are other types of breathing techniques to help you clear mucus from your airways. These are called active cycle of breathing techniques (ACBT). A respiratory physiotherapist or healthcare professional can teach you these techniques to make sure you’re doing it correctly.

Find out more about the different techniques to help you manage your breathlessness. You can also sign up for one of our four-week courses to learn about body breathing to help breathlessness.

Pulmonary rehabilitation

Pulmonary rehabilitation is an exercise treatment programme which includes techniques to manage breathlessness. 

There’s a lot of good evidence to recommend it for people with lung conditions like COPD, asthma and pulmonary fibrosis. 

Your GP, nurse or specialist may be able to refer you to a class in your area.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness encourages you to bring awareness to the present moment, your breathing, your thoughts, and your surroundings. It encourages a sense of calm and wellbeing. 

Studies show that regularly using mindfulness can help people with lung conditions like asthma, COPD and interstitial lung disease with their symptoms and wellbeing. 

It’s easy to get started with mindfulness: 

• join our 5-week taster course in mindfulness for lung health
• the Mental Health Foundation has a free online guide to mindfulness. 
• the charity Mind also has mindfulness exercises and tips.

Yoga 

Yoga is a mind-body therapy. It involves moving your body into certain positions and focusing on your breathing. 

There’s good evidence that yoga breathing techniques can help with stress, breathlessness, and improve quality of life for people with asthma and COPD. 

You can do yoga in an online or in-person class, or by following a video at home. There may be a class in your local sports centre or health centre.

Qigong and Tai chi 

Qigong and Tai chi are mind-body therapies using gentle movement, breathing, and mindfulness. They are part of traditional Chinese medicine.

Studies show that Qigong could help with mental wellbeing, ability to exercise, and quality of life. 

Tai Chi may help people with low fitness and activity levels. It could improve heart and lung fitness in people with COPD.  

Singing for lung health 

Singing can improve your mood and help you manage everyday activities more easily. 

Recent studies show that regularly attending an online singing for lung health group can help people manage symptoms like breathlessness. It can also improve your wellbeing and quality of life if you have anxiety or depression. 

Join our Singing for Lung Health online support group.

People with lung conditions tell us that alongside their usual medicines, these sessions helped them cope better with their lung condition, kept them motivated, and helped them to manage their breathlessness. Debbie Bridger, Community Network Co-ordinator, Asthma + Lung UK.

Find out more about all our support groups, including body breathing, mindfulness, singing, harmonica, and Zumba, and how to get started. Or you can email supportgroups@asthmaandlung.org.uk.

Talking therapies 

The NHS recommends talking therapies for people with stress, anxiety or depression. 

Talking therapies can help people cope with long-term conditions, including long-term lung conditions. Living with a lung condition can be stressful, and people living with a lung condition are more likely to have poor mental health.

If you’re struggling with stress and mental wellbeing, getting support could also benefit your lung condition. This is because stress and anxiety can make the symptoms of asthma and other lung conditions worse. They can also increase your risk of asthma attacks and flare ups. 

There are lots of ways you can try to reduce your stress levels. Find out more about managing your mental wellbeing.

A complementary therapy that helps one person may not be suitable for someone else. In some cases, it could even be harmful. Always speak to your GP, nurse or pharmacist before trying a complementary therapy to make sure it’s safe for you.’ Dr Matt Swallow, GP and Asthma + Lung UK’s clinical lead.

Some complementary therapies may be harmful to people with lung conditions. This may be because they could make the symptoms of your lung condition worse, trigger asthma attacks or flare ups, or cause allergic reactions. 

Essential oils and aromatherapy 

Essential oils are concentrated oils from plants. Using essential oils to improve health and wellbeing is known as aromatherapy. 

Pure essential oils, and lots of different products containing essential oils, are easy to buy over the counter at health food shops and pharmacies. They may be natural products, but it’s important to know how to use them safely and only use them diluted as instructed. 

Some people say aromatherapy helps them relax or helps clear their airways. But other people say essential oils trigger their symptoms. Essential oils contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which can trigger symptoms for some people with asthma and other lung conditions. 

You should probably avoid aromatherapy products if you know that your symptoms are triggered by strong scents. 

Aromatherapy massage

Massage practitioners may use essential oils mixed into a base oil. They should always ask about your health and any allergies before the treatment. Always choose a therapist who is on a professional register. 

Salt therapies and salt pipes 

Salt therapy is when you breathe in tiny salt particles, either through salt pipes or in salt caves. Salt therapies sometimes take place in natural underground caves that contain salt, but more often in artificially created salt chambers. 

Salt therapy has been shown to help some people with lung conditions clear mucus more easily. But the evidence is mixed and not everyone will benefit.

Inhaling salt can irritate your airways, which can cause coughing and trigger asthma attacks or flare ups. Some people say salt therapy makes them cough. And the increase in mucus can make symptoms worse in the short term.

If you're thinking about trying salt therapy, speak to your healthcare professional first to make sure it's safe for you to try.

Steam inhalation 

Inhaling steam is a common home remedy for a blocked stuffy nose. But for some people, steam can trigger asthma symptoms.

Steam inhalation is also not recommended because of the risk of scalding and burns.

Instead, try safer ways to clear your nose and airways, for example with a nasal spray.

Herbal remedies 

Herbal remedies are medicines or treatments made from plants.

More research is needed before herbal remedies can be recommended to people with lung conditions. 

There are also some risks. The NHS warns that not all herbal medicines are regulated, especially if they are manufactured outside the UK. They’re not recommended at all for children, because we do not know enough about their safety.

Herbal medicines do not always work well with other medicines you may be taking, including medicines for high blood pressure, high cholesterol and depression.

Always talk to your doctor, pharmacist or other healthcare professional before trying any herbal medicines alongside other medicines you’re prescribed.

The NHS says you should not take herbal medicines if you:

• are pregnant or breastfeeding
• have kidney or liver problems
• are taking certain medicines.

St John’s Wort supplements

St John’s Wort is a herbal supplement. You can buy it over the counter without a prescription in health food shops and pharmacies. Some people try it for mild depression. 

But St John’s Wort interacts with a lot of different medicines, including the asthma medicine theophylline, as well as some antidepressants. If you’ve been taking St John’s Wort and want to stop taking it, make sure you stop gradually. Ask your doctor or pharmacist how to stop safely.

Butterbur 

Butterbur is a herbal treatment from the roots of the butterbur bush. 

The Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) says people should not take any herbal products containing butterbur to treat asthma, hay fever or cough. 

Butterbur that has not been processed properly can cause serious side effects, including liver toxicity and organ failure.

If you’ve been taking herbal products containing butterbur, stop using them and seek urgent advice from your GP or pharmacist. 

Find out more about evidence based, safe, and effective treatments for hay fever symptoms.

Cannabis-based medicinal products 

The NHS only prescribes cannabis-based medicinal products to a small number of long-term conditions, not for lung conditions. Find out more about medical cannabis from the NHS.

Smoking cannabis can cause symptoms like chronic cough, phlegm, wheeze and acute bronchitis. 

Homeopathy

Homeopathy uses very diluted substances which practitioners claim can help the body heal itself. Although homeopathic remedies are generally safe, they may contain substances that are not safe, or that react with other medicines. It is not safe to replace conventional medicines for your lung condition with homeopathic remedies.

There’s no scientific evidence that homeopathic remedies work. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence does not recommend homeopathy for the treatment of any lung condition.

Honeybee products 

Bee products like propolis and royal jelly can be harmful, especially to anyone with allergies. They can trigger an allergic reaction, including anaphylaxis. 

Avoid using bee products like propolis and royal jelly if you have asthma or allergies.

• Propolis is a natural substance made from the materials that honeybees collect from trees and plants. 
• Royal jelly is a substance bees secrete to feed their larvae and queen bee. 

Even though propolis is a non-toxic natural product, it can trigger an allergic response in some people, especially beekeepers. 

Some studies suggest it could benefit people with allergic asthma, aspergillosis, atopic dermatitis and rhinitis. Studies also show it may lower the risk of asthma symptoms like cough, breathlessness and wheezing, and improve asthma control. 

But not enough research has been done yet, and there need to be more clinical trials before propolis supplements can be safely recommended to people with asthma and other lung conditions.

Speak to your healthcare professional before using any honeybee products. 

People with asthma, eczema or allergic rhinitis (hay fever) are most at risk from a severe allergic reaction from taking honeybee products.

If you have asthma there’s a higher risk of bee products triggering an asthma attack or a severe allergic reaction.

Some complementary therapies need more research before they can be recommended for people with lung conditions.

CBD oils 

CBD oils are a product of the cannabis plant. They're available to buy as food supplements in health food shops and pharmacies. 

Some research studies suggest that CBD products could help with inflammation in the airways. But more research is needed before we can be sure about the health benefits of CBD oils, and whether they could make a difference to people with lung conditions.

Some CBD products may contain more than the permitted levels of controlled cannabinoids, like THC, that make you feel high. Products sold online may not meet regulatory standards, could be illegal, and may be harmful. 

You should not use CBD oils if you are:

• pregnant
• breastfeeding
• taking other medicines.

Acupuncture 

Acupuncture is a treatment where very fine needles are used on specific points of the body.

Studies show that acupuncture may help people with COPD to improve how much they can exercise. It can also reduce breathlessness and improve quality of life. Acupuncture may also help people with asthma and conditions like allergic rhinitis and rhinosinusitis. 

Although studies look promising, more research is needed before it can be recommended as a treatment for people with lung conditions.

The NHS only offers acupuncture to people with long-term pain, migraine or hiccups. 

Turmeric supplements

Turmeric is a spice used in cooking. It contains a substance called curcumin which has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. You can buy turmeric supplements from health food shops and some pharmacists.

Some small early studies suggest turmeric could also be helpful for people with bronchitis or asthma. But these were small studies and more research is needed before turmeric can be recommended.

Research shows that cucurmin may reduce inflammation in the airways and slow down cancer development in patients with high-risk COPD. 

But more research is needed before turmeric supplements can be recommended as a complementary treatment to people with lung conditions. There have also been reports of toxic effects on the liver. 

Quercetin supplements

Quercetin is found in foods like blueberries, red onions and kale. It has antihistamine, antioxidant and antiviral properties. You can also buy quercetin supplements from health food shops and some pharmacists.

Early studies suggest it could help people with allergic asthma and allergic rhinitis, and that it could help improve lung function in people with COPD. However, more research is needed before quercetin supplements can be recommended.

Conch shell practice for sleep apnoea 

A recent study looked at the benefits of blowing into a conch shell for people with sleep apnoea. It showed improved symptoms, and researchers will do more studies to confirm these first promising results. 

Complementary therapies and treatments are not regulated in the same way as usual medicines and treatments. This means anyone can offer the therapy even if they do not have much experience and training. 

Check on a professional register

The Professional Standards Authority (PSA) looks after different registers including the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council. You can find someone near you and check the training they’ve completed.

Sometimes there’s no legal requirement for people giving complementary therapies to register with a professional association, but many do. 

They need to provide proof of qualifications to register, so this is a good place to find a trusted practitioner. 

Find trusted information

There are lots of ways to get information about complementary therapies, whether that’s from friends, social media, online influencers or artificial intelligence (AI). It can be difficult to know what sources to trust. 

A lot of what you read online promises fake miracle cures but it’s important not to waste your money or put yourself at risk. 

Find out more about how to find trusted health information from the Patient Information Forum (PIF).