Homeopathy & the Common Cold
A cold is essentially a viral infection that attacks the body when resistance is low due to fatigue, stress, or nutritional deficiencies. Typical cold symptoms include stuffy/runny nose, coughing, sneezing, sore throat fever, "achiness", and a feeling of general, all-around lethargy.
Homeopathic remedies have been shown to be effective in relieving the symptoms of the common cold and aiding the body in its healing response. Just a few of the homeopathic treatments that have been shown to provide relief to people suffering from the common cold include the following:
Aconite napellus, made from a violet-colored flower also known as "wolfs-bane" is at its most effective in the early stages of a cold, especially if the symptoms are intense and appear without warning. Exposure to cold or wind, or a stressful/traumatic event may have triggered the onset of the illness. Symptoms include a dry stuffy nose, a feeling of tightness in the chest, a scratchy throat, and choking cough.
Allium cepa (red onion). This particular remedy tends to be effective when the individual has watery eyes that sting, a lot of sneezing and/or coughing, as well as a runny nose with a clear discharge that tends to worsen when the individual is indoors.
Arsenicum album (white arsenic) is recommended for those who get colds frequently, accompanied by sore throats and chest problems. The person's head may feel very hot while the rest of their body is cold and the problem tends to worsen late at night.
Belladonna (aka "deadly nightshade"; a poisonous plant found in Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia) is used when a cold comes on suddenly accompanied by high fever, hot dry feeling in the nose, and pain in the throat, head, and ears.
Dulcamara, a species of vine belonging to the potato family, also known as bitter nightshade, poisonberry, scarlet berry & snakeberry (among other things) is recommended when someone comes down with a cold after getting extremely wet or chilled. Also used when a cold is brought on by sudden weather changes and/or if the person has allergies.
Euphrasia is often used on symptoms that include extremely red, watery eyes, constant sneezing and mild, clear nasal discharge.
Ferrum phosphoricum (or, iron phosphate) has been known to stop a cold from developing if taken right away at the onset of the cold symptoms. It can also be taken when the cold has become more advanced if there is fever, sneezing, short, hard cough and the feeling of being tired and run-down.
Mercurius solubilis can be used if the cold sufferer is extremely sensitive to changes in temperatures, as well as suffers from night sweats, swollen lymph nodes, and ear and/or tonsil infections.
Nux vomica also known as poison nut is prepared from the seeds of an evergreen tree which is native to Australia, India, Thailand and China. The seeds have a bitter, unpleasant taste that contains strychnine. Cold symptoms that include a stuffy head at night and a runny nose during the day, throat irritation, coughing and feeling chilly have been eased by treatment with this particular remedy.
Phosphorus can be an effective remedy for those whose colds tend to go straight into their chests. One nostril may be blocked while another is runny, and the person may also suffer from voice hoarseness and even laryngitis, as well as nosebleeds.
Related topics about homeopathy
Homeopathy and regulations
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates homeopathic remedies in the United States. Since the 1930s, the FDA has treated homeopathic remedies in a manner similar to non-prescription, over-the-counter drugs; meaning that people can purchase them at local drugstores and a prescription is not required.
History of homeopathy
Homeopathy is a form of alternative medicine, meaning that it is used by people as a substitute or as an addition to conventional Western medicine. Samuel Hahnemann is the founding father of this alternative practice that first began to emerge in the late 1700s. While Hahnemann, who was a German physician, did not use the term "homeopathy" until the early 1800s, he began speaking of a "law of similars" as early as 1796.
What Is Homeopathy?
Homeopathy is a very effective and safe system of natural healing that has been tested and verified experimentally and clinically. It has been introduced into the lives of millions of people worldwide for over 200 years. It's based on the principle of 'fight fire, with fire', or 'like cures the like'.
Medical effectiveness of homeopathy
Homeopathy, or homeopathic medicine, is a type of alternative medicine that is deemed "holistic" because it focuses on the patient as an individual and takes into consideration many aspects, including mental and emotional well-being. Visits with practitioners in the field, who are known as "homeopaths" and develop and administer "homeopathic remedies," tend to be lengthy as they require in-depth assessments of the patient's overall lifestyle and frame of mind.
Homeopathy & Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy, in its general sense, refers to the treatment of disease by chemicals that kill cells, specifically those of micro-organisms or cancer. Chemotherapy acts by killing cells that divide rapidly (one of the chief properties of cancer cells, hence its use as part of cancer treatments). This means that it also harms cells that divide rapidly under normal circumstances: cells in the bone marrow, digestive tract and hair follicles; these results in the most common side-effects of chemotherapy–myelosuppression (decreased production of blood cells), mucositis (inflammation of the lining of the digestive tract)and hair loss.
Homeopathy for Bladder Infections
Urinary tract infections are often painful, and embarrassing. The most common cure known to man, is the use of antibiotics to kill the infection.
Homeopathic Treatments for Bronchitis
Bronchitis is a condition that occurs when the mucous membranes that line the upper breathing tubes become inflamed. It is often the result of a viral illness such as cold or flu an can last for several weeks. Other factors contributing to the developement of bronchitis include heavy smoking, allergies, and prolonged exposure to polluted air.