Herbal Treatment of Chylothorax with Causes & Symptoms

Abstract

Chylothorax is a rare disease which is characterized by thoracic duct damage and leakage of chyle( A milky substance that contains lipoproteins and chylomicrons). This fluid escapes from the lymphatic system into pleural space especially on the right side. In this article we are going to discuss every aspect of Chylothorax disease.

Introduction

Chylothorax is the accumulation of chyle in the pleural cavity. Chyle is a milky fluid and it is produced in the intestine. There are two types of triglycerides, small chain and long chain triglycerides. Usually small and medium chain triglycerides are easily broken by intestinal enzymes and their further absorptions takes place.

But long chain triglycerides cannot be broken down by intestinal enzymes. They combine with cholesterol to form chylomicrons. These chylomicrons are further absorbed by the lymphatic system and they form a fluid named as chyle. If there is breach of the integrity of thoracic duct, it leads to leakage of chyle. The normal production of chyle is 2.4 litre per day.

Cause of Chylothorax

The causes of Chylothorax are categorized into three categories which are as follows:

1.Non traumatic – Non Traumatic Chylothorax is present when there is lymphatic system abnormality. These abnormalities are lymphangiectasia, lymphangiomatosis or chromosomal abnormality like Turner’s syndrome.

• Another cause of non-traumatic Chylothorax is any cancerous condition like lymphoma, leukemia, lung cancer or metastatic carcinoma.
• Infectious chylothorax can also be seen as a complication of Tuberculosis.
• In rare cases it is associated with Kaposi sarcoma, goitre, amyloidosis.

2.Traumatic – Traumatic chylothorax occurs due to injury to thoracic region. It can be seen in post surgical procedures that leads to trauma to thoracic duct like surgeries related to esophagus, mediastinum resection (Cancer of mediastinum). Trauma depends on the type of surgery done. Blunt trauma and penetrating injuries lead to damage to thoracic duct.

3.Idiopathic – Idiopathic causes are generally associated with undiagnosed malignancy.

Signs and Symptoms

The signs and symptoms are variable depending on the area involved and size of chylothorax. A small chylothorax is asymptomatic but large sized chylothorax can cause trouble in breathing. Difficulty in breathing is a major sign in the case of Chylothorax. As effusion starts growing in size it can also cause cough and chest pain.

When chylothorax appears due to trauma, symptoms start appearing after about a week of incident.

Diagnosis

There are various diagnostic criterias which are used to diagnose Chylothorax. The first one includes a complete history of the patient whether he or she went through a recent surgery or any injury to the chest. The second criteria is based on lab investigations and it includes:

• Chest x ray
• Ultrasound
• Chest CT ( Computerized tomography)
• MRI ( Magnetic Resonance Imaging)

Other procedures that are used to determine type of fluid and extent of damage to thoracic cavity.

• Lymphangiography
• Lymphoscintigraphy
• Thoracentesis

Ayurvedic Aspect of Chylothorax

All types of respiratory ailments are considered as Shavas roga in Ayurveda. Ayurveda works on three fundamental energies Vata, pitta and kapha. According to Ayurveda Respiratory diseases occur due to vitiation of vata and kapha dosha in the body. Avalambak kaph is a type of Kapha dosha that is responsible for normal functioning of lungs. Pran vayu is essential for our life. Pran vayu and avalambak cough both get imbalanced and lead to respiratory ailments.

Dietary Guidelines

Nutrition plays an important role in managing chylothorax. A good diet helps to prevent as well as minimizing the chyle production and flow. Limit your fat intake, you can eat fat free or low fat products.

• Foods allowed to take – Fresh fruits, dried fruits, fresh fruit juices, all types of green leafy vegetables, fat free breads and pasta and rice, skim milk, egg whites.
• Foods to be avoided – Canned fruits and vegetables, frozen vegetables, coconut, processed food and full fat milk products, caffeinated drinks and carbonated drinks.

Home Remedies to Prevent and Manage Chylothorax

We can manage symptoms associated with Chylothorax at home with easy herbal home remedies.

1. Take one glass of water and boil with one crushed garlic. Drink this mixture daily to get more benefit. Garlic is loaded with health benefits and it will help to manage fat metabolism.
2. Ginger is another herb which efficiently works for breathing problems. It helps in clearing the lungs. You can take it in the form of ginger tea. Grate fresh ginger and boil in one cup of water. Strain the mixture and drink to ease your breathing.
3. Breathing is the main sign of Chylothorax and it can be prevented and reduced by using mustard oil. Yes rub mustard oil on the chest, it helps to increase flow of air to the lungs.
4. Basil leaves steam will help you to get rid of cough and it also stimulates bronchioles for easy breathing. Take 5 to 6 basil leaves and boil. Once this mixture starts boiling, cover your head and start inhaling it. It is an ancient remedy  for cough and breathlessness.
5. Thyme is quite useful in respiratory ailments. We can use it at home in the firm of oil to get relief from breathlessness and cough.
6. Peppermint is able to clear breathing passway, neutralize free radicals due to its active ingredient Methanol. It has the ability to slow down respiratory disorders. Peppermint tea is the easiest way to use peppermint at home.

Ayurvedic Management

As per Ayurveda the main cause of respiratory ailments is vitiation of Kapha dosha. The first line of treatment in Ayurveda is food intake according to your body type. Ayurvedic treatment is based on recognition of dominance of doshas in the body. Once  recognition of increased dosha is done, it’s easy to treat the root cause. Second step includes nidan parivarjan means to avoid the disease causing and aggravating factors. This step is also crucial to stop further progression of disease. The last step includes effective  herbs that work for disease accordingly.

Herbal Remedies By Planet Ayurveda

Planet Ayurveda is a herbal manufacturing unit, it offers an effective set of herbal remedies for Chlyothorax. These formulations are safe to use and they do not cause any side effects. These includes:

1. Praanrakshak Churan 

Praanrakshak churan is a combination of useful herbs that helps to deal with respiratory ailments. This churna is made up of herbs like Shirish (Albizia lubbock), Kantkari (Solanum xanthocarpum), vasaka (Adhatoda vasica), Anantmool (Hemidesmus indicus) These herbs act synergistically to counteract the symptoms of chylothorax. Respiratory Ailments like breathlessness and infections can be managed by using this churan.

Dosage – 2 teaspoonful with plain water twice daily, after meals.

2. Vasaka Capsules

Vasaka capsules are prepared by using standardized extract of Vasaka (Adhatoda vasica). Vasaka has a potent antitussive action and it is very useful in treating cough and respiratory infections.

Dosage – 2 capsules twice daily with plain water after meals only

3. Curcumin Capsules

Curcumin capsules are formulated with pure extracts of Curcumin (Curcuma longa). Curcumin is rich in antioxidant properties. Due to its antioxidant property it helps neutralization of free radicals which cause inflammation and cancer in lungs. It also has antibacterial properties and prevents respiratory infections.

Dosage – 2 capsules twice daily with plain water after meals only.

4. Tulsi Capsules

Tulsi capsules have tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) as main ingredient. Due to the presence of ingredients like camphene, eugenol and cineole, it cures infections of the respiratory tract. These capsules can manage breathing problems and cough which are present in Chylothorax.

Dosage – 1 capsule twice daily with plain water after meals only.

5. Giloy Capsules

Giloy capsules are prepared from Giloy (Tinospora cordifolia). These capsules have potency to improve immunity and it is also good for the respiratory system. It is beneficial for treating respiratory problems like dyspnoea and frequent cough.

Dosage – 2 capsules twice daily with plain water after meals only.

Conclusion

In this article we discussed each aspect of Chylothorax, it is concluded that we can manage it with the help of herbal remedies. Chylothorax can cause complications if left untreated so it is best to manage it with herbal remedies as these remedies cannot cause any side effects and treat the root cause of disease.