Homeopathy for Common Cold and Cough

Sneezing, scratchy throat, runny nose—everyone knows the first signs of a cold, probably the most common illness known. Although the common cold is usually mild, with symptoms lasting a week or less, it is a leading cause of doctor visits and of school and job absenteeism.
The symptoms of common cold are the body’s way of responding to a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract.though nasal discharge,sneezing,coughing,and fever,the body expels and “burns out” the infecting viruses. Thus,these symptoms reveal the body’s efforts to reestablish health,and they should not be suppressed unless truly necessary. Dont cure a cold-let a cold cure you. Homeopathy for Common Cold and Cough can be very useful in these cases.

Medicines such as nasal sprays,coughsuppressants,and fever reducers may offer temporary relief from the symptoms of a cold,but they do so by hindering the body’s own defenses.Nasal sprays and cold capsules slow down mucus production and therefore inhibit healing,since mucus serves to cleanse the tissues of the virus and to protect them from further infection.Cough medicines block the body’s cough reflex,which can be problematic,since coughing helps to clear breathing passages.Fever also is an important defense the body has against infection,and aspirin or acetaminophen interferes with this protective respones.Instead of relying on these suppressive medications,support the body’s efforts by taking homeopathic medicines.

General Home care:
For ordinary cold and coughs,here are simple and old fashioned recommendations:
• Get plenty of rest.
• Drink plenty of fluids.Liquids are the best expectorant for loosening mucus and helping the body to discharge it.
• Blow your nose and cough phlegm out of your chest regularly.
• Use cool mist humidifier or vaporizer if available and if not,try a closed bathroom with a steamy shower running.Water vapour may also help liquifey sticky mucus.
• A rubber-bulb syringe may help babies too young to blow their own noses.
• Avoid over exposure to extreme cold or heat.
• Try zinc- Dissolve a 25mg zinc gluconate tablet in the mouth every 2 hours for up to a week.
• Smear extra virgin olive oil inside the nostrils with finger tip while going out.This helps to trap the pollen. When pollen comes in direct contact to the mucus membrane it causes the body to react by increasing the mucus production to try to expel it out.

Homeopathic Medicines for Colds.
Colds are usually mild illnesses and don’t require treatment with medicines of any kind.We suggest you to treat yourself or family members with homeopathic medicines only if the cold or cough is particularly severe or lingers for more than a few days.

Aconite: indicated when the cold symptoms come on suddenly,often after exposure to cold weather or cold,dry wind.aconite is indicated only in the first 24 hours.Symptoms come violently within few hours,experiencing high fever,anxiety,restlessness,sensitive to light, and thirst.

Belladonna: Indicated in early in the course of the illness.symptoms include high fever,leaping pulse,flushed dry face,redness and heat.Skin is hot.

Allium cepa: Indicated in cold with burning nasal discharge that irritates the nostrils and upper lip.Profused tearing of eyeswith redness.symptoms are worse in warm rooms,indoors and evening and feel better in open air.

Euphrasia: has non irritating cold,watery nasal disharge and copious,burning tears.Nasal discharge is worse in open air,morning and when lying down.

Arsenicum album: useful for both head colds and cough.Profused watery nasal discharge that burns the skin.Irritation and tickling in the nose and frequent voilent sneezing.In time nasal discharge becomes thick and yellow.Dull throbbing headache.

Hepar sulph: Indicated in the later stages of a cold.Symptoms may have begun several days earlier with a watery runny nose,but by now a thick,yellow and sometimes offensive smelling discharge is present.Patients may sneeze at the slightest exposure to cold.Cold air,eating cold foods,and exposure to the winds causes cold and cough.

NOTE: Any information given above is not intended to be taken as a replacement for medical advice. Therefore, it is very important that the patients should avoid self-treatment and rather consult the most able and qualified classical homeopath and take the treatment under his /her proper guidance and advice.