SINGAPORE: Those with asthma who continue to suffer from symptoms like difficulty in breathing despite medication can find relief in a new non-drug treatment, now available at the National University Hospital (NUH).
The NUH is the first hospital in the Asia-Pacific to offer the treatment, known as bronchial thermoplasty.
It involves applying heat to a patient's airways to reduce the smooth muscle mass. This allows the airways to stay open, helping the patient to breathe better. It can also complement existing asthma medication.
The procedure is recommended for those aged 18 and above with severe asthma who experience symptoms that affect daily living.
With the treatment, patients will no longer need oral steroids, which are associated with side effects such as high blood pressure, diabetes, increased risk of infection and osteoporosis from prolonged consumption. They will also rely less on their salbutamol inhalers.
For Madam Tan Hua Song, 57, whose condition once left her coughing continuously for 100 days, the treatment has brought about a marked improvement. "Now I have strength (to do things) and don't feel as exhausted as before," she said.
The procedure is performed over three visits, each lasting approximately 30 minutes, targeting a different lobe of the lungs. Patients remain on medication during the treatment until it is completed, when they can start being weaned off it.
The total cost of the treatment is about S$4,400 and is Medisave-claimable for subsidised patients.
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