The present study showed that (I) as an immediate effect an application of a cold chest pack increases the PEFR and (ii) this effect is more following 21 days of various naturopathy treatments. The symptom scores reduced after 21 days of different naturopathy treatments.
Twenty one days of different naturopathy treatments caused an increase in the baseline PEFR and reduced the symptom scores. Also, the increase in PEFR following the application of a cold chest pack was more after the 21 days of treatment. The immediate effect of a cold chest pack application has been related to different factors, viz. (I) circulatory effects, since the application is believed to cause vasoconstriction of blood vessels in the skin over the chest and (ii) the cold stimulation may also increase overall sympathetic tone, hence bringing about bronchodilation. This is especially important as it is generally understood that there is sympathetic beta receptor hyposensitivity in bronchial asthma, along with a adrenoreceptor hypersensitivity and parasympathetic to relieve symptoms bronchoconstriction both as an immediate effect and over a period of three weeks.
Since chest pack is used as a treatment of choice for bronchial asthma along with other naturopathic treatments at various naturopathy hospitals, it is important to carry on further investigations to understand the underlying mechanisms better. Also, since the present study had no non-intervention control group, it is not possible to ascribe the improved PEFR to the chest pack alone (either as an immediate effect or the result of a 21 day longitudinal follow up) or even to the effect of different naturopathy treatment modalities. Further studies with randomized control trials are required to substantiate these preliminary results.