The Nation's Health

Health Tips: Common Cold - Homeopathic Treatment, Cure - Medicines

The common cold is the most frequent infection in all age groups. Children especially contract a lot of colds. Colds are caused by a viral infection that effects the respiratory system. Colds often respond well to homeopathic remedies which is a tremendous advantage over modern medicine which has no cure for the common cold. Homeopaths generally advise that a cold or two every year is not a bad thing, as it “cleans out” the system and hence, the adage: don’t cure a cold, let a cold cure you. Still others say that you never know what your 'innocent/ordinary' cold might erupt into--a flu, a pneumonia? Consequently, if you see a clear remedy picture, you might be safer giving the remedy than risking what may be down the line. Jim Henson, creator of 'Sesame Street', died from a cold gone horribly wrong. If you are finding that you are having more than two colds a year it would be advised to seek help from a professional homeopath to strengthen your immune system. Homeopathy emphasises treating the underlying imbalance in the immune system rather than simply fighting the infection--although in the moment, fighting the infection may be the priority. Note that some of the remedies below say, 'for the first stage of the cold'. So, don't wait around to see what your cold is going to do, or you might miss the opportunity to give Aconite or Belladonna or some other first-stage remedy, which may have been your only chance to prescribe with confidence for the duration of the cold.

The following remedies may offer symptomatic relief so long as the remedy you choose is well indicated for your individual symptom picture.

REMEDYKEYNOTE SYMPTOMSOTHER SYMPTOMSMAKES YOU FEEL BETTERMAKES YOU FEEL WORSE
Aconite Comes on suddenly.

Fearful, restless, cheeks hot and red.

First stage of cold. Caused by exposure to cold dry winds

Sudden dry painful cough/croup watery mucous, sweats on uncovered parts. High fever with sensitivity to light. Thirsty, watery runny nose, possible bright red nose bleed.

Fresh open air, sleep

Warm stuffy room

In the evening and at night

Lying on affected side. Irritated by music, dry,

cold winds.

Allium cepa

Profuse, bland, watery discharge from eyes. Nasal discharge is profuse and burning. Warm rooms aggravate, better in open air.

Eyes run but the discharge is usually bland

Violent sneezing.

Mucous burns/corrodes top lip. Tickle in larynx, hoarseness, hacking cough worse breathing in cold air

desires onions

Fresh air Evening.

Cold air.

Stuffy room.

Getting feet wet.

Arsenicum album

Complaints are usually right-sided. Watery, burning nasal discharge. Restlessness, weakness, anxiety, thirsty for sips at frequent intervals, chilly, desires company.

Right nostril burns/corrodes top lip watery thin discharge, but nose feels blocked. Excessive sneezing, Irritation, tickling of the nose. Cold might move to chest.

Heat, elevated head,

Warm drinks, company

Wet, windy weather.

Midnight to 2am. Sight or smell of food.

Belladona

First stage of cold, sudden onset,

high fever, red face, cold extremeties, throbbing pains, patient radiates heat.

Skin hot, dry with high temperature Throbbing headache, very thirsty or not thirsty at all

sore throat on right side

Tickly throat, light hurts eyes Eyes glassy Eyes dilated

delirious in high fever dry barking cough desires lemons or lemonade

Sitting upright or standing.

In warm room

Jarring, movement,

Noise, drafts.

From lying down.

After 12noon,

3PM

Bryonia alba

A Cold slow to develop, painful coughs--patient holds chest when he coughs; worse from slightest movement, dry mucus membranes and very thirsty, worse for company, worse for having to answer questions, very irritable, wants to be alone.

Better for being still and quiet.

cold moves into chest. A painful, dry, spasmodic cough. Left-sided headache, otherwise, right-sided complaints.

From applying firm, cool pressure to head and chest.

In cool surroundings

For movement.

Bright lights.

Eating, noise

and touch

9pm and 3pm.

Dulcamara

Worse from damp and cold/damp weather, worse from change of weather, worse from drafts.

Thick saliva and hoarse voice

Possible cold sores

Thirst for cold drinks

Post-nasal drip, lumbago or an Earache, watery diarrhea

warm, dry air.

Movement

For rest.

At night.

Cold, damp weather

Euphrasia

The opposite of Allium Cepa: Nasal discharge is bland; discharge from the eyes is burning. Cough only in the daytime.

Copious fluid from nose

Bursting sensation as sinuses fill. At night little pains all over body. Heat/fever descends the body, sweats only on front.

Later symptoms, chilliness, loose violent cough, pressing pain under sternum.

Lying down in darkened room but may feel more blocked up.

For coffee

From warm, windy weather. Being indoors.

In the evening.

Bright light.

Ferrum phos.

A cold that comes on slowly. Beginning of colds when symptoms are vague. Right-sided complaints.

Mild fever may be present

Mouth feels hot.

Throat is red and swollen.

Possible nose bleeds.

Gentle exercise.

Applying a cold compress to the forehead.

For fresh air.

In the Sun.

For jarring or touch. Lying on right side. Between

4am& 6pm

Gelsemium

Cold comes on gradually. Patient's appearance: dopey, drowsy, droopy and dull. You could also add dizzy! Inclination to sleep. Apathetic. Weakness, chills run up and down back, headache starts in back of head or neck and spreads forward, heavy head, thirstless.

Tiredness, heavy body sensation. Headache above nape of neck. Tickling in nose gets worse. Later running nose, watery and irritating

Fresh air.

movement,

After urinating.

Bending forward, sweating.

Drinking alcohol.

Before thunderstorm.

Early in the morning and last thing at night.

Humidity.

Tobacco smoke.

Hepar sulph

Over-sensitive to pain; anxiety, irritable, angry outbursts, chilly and worse from cold, intolerant of drafts, worse uncovering a hand or a foot, swollen glands, bad odor of discharges, splinter-like pains.

Cold starts with watery runny nose. Later, excessive yellow mucous with offensive-smelling discharge and sneezing. Irritability and chilliness.

For wrapping

head firmly.

Warm, moist environment.

In cold air, draughts.

Getting cold from undressing.

If touched.

Kali bichrom Second stage of cold.

Thick, yellow, ropy, stringy nasal discharge. Sinusitis.

Thick post-nasal drip.

Thick mucous may block nose.

yellow or green discharge with postnasal drip. Sinus headaches, pressure pain at root of nose.

From warmth In the morning.

Hot weather

Getting cold from undressing.

Natrum mur

Beginning stages of a cold with sneezing. 'Egg-white' nasal discharge. Runny eyes worse in open air or wind. Sun and light aggravate. Warm, worse heat. Cold sores on lips, vesicles in mouth, cracked lips, ailments from grief.

Wants to be left alone.

A dislike for sympathy.

Cold starts with fits of sneezing and a thin catarrhal discharge consistency of the white of a raw egg. Nose maybe blocked with tendency towards developing cold sores.

Applying cold compresses to the sinuses.

Fasting.

Fresh open air

In sea air or wet weather. Mental, physical exertion. Around 10am. Bright light or hot sun. Noise, talking, music.

Nux vomica

Cold, chills, worse slightest draft of air, ailments from over-work, irritable and angry, impatient; runny nose in the morning, obstructed at night; stomach pains, better warm drinks, constipation with ineffectual urging.

Runny nose during the day

blocked at night.

Overcritical of others, impulsive,

chilliness, watery eyes,

sneezing, headache,

sore throat

Sleep,

warmth.

Firm pressure,

in the evening.

Washing and

warm compresses

Windy, Cold, dry weather. In public places. After over-indulgence of spicy foods

and stimulants such as coffee.

Between

3am & 4am.

Pulsatilla

Patient is weepy and wants to be consoled. Warm and worse heat, worse sun, better walking slowly in open air, worse warm stuffy rooms, dry mouth but no thirst, worse at twilight, worse from fatty foods; bland and often greenish nasal discharge

Possible nose bleeds

runny nose during the day,

blocked nose at night

thirstless, loss of smell

Headache above eyes

Crying and Sympathy.

Exercise and

fresh open air.

Cold drinks, cold compresses.

Raising hands above the head.

Rich, fatty foods.

Heat, In the sun.

In the evening and at night.

Rhus tox. Second stage of cold

Congested nose and scratchy throat. Worse cold and cold wet weather. Better warmth and warm bathing. Stiffness and restlessness. Desires cold milk. Worse in cloudy, foggy, rainy weather; worse getting wet. Can't be still, must move.

Thick, yellow/green nasal discharge with a red scratchy throat, dry cough, tickling, hoarseness. Cough prevents sleep

From warmth, hot bathing.

>From motion.

For changing positions.

Cough worse in cold room.

Cold, wet, rainy weather.

During sleep.

Along with these remedies the most effective treatment is rest and plenty of fluids. To increase fluids, try hot water with lemon juice and a little honey is good for the extra vitamin C. Encourage a light diet of soups, fresh fruit, vegetables and plenty of fresh air. Recurrent colds in adults and children do require constitutional homeopathic treatments from your professional homeopath.

3.8/10 stars (2010-01-08