 I was beginning to think the flu season may have just skimmed over the world this year, but here it is… a little later than usual, but, just like always, it is no fun. And, just like always, a little prevention can go a long way. (See also: Calming the Cold; Flu Remedies to Consider; Ho Ho Ho, (not Oooooh No!); Ahh-choo; On the 4th Day of Cell Salts… Ferr Phos.) Let’s jump ahead to the unfortunate situation we see in the picture above where those early signals were missed (or, ignored) and, here we are, unable to get out of bed… feeling just awful and the kids are hungry. (Oh, man, I remember those days. So painful!) So, where would one start in this scenario? Below are seven MAIN COMPLAINTs, followed by 4 or 5 commonly found remedies with 4 or 5 symptoms each which may help to choose a remedy to get back on your feet quickly. Remember! We are not looking for perfection. We are looking for improvement. We are looking to move the worst symptom out of the way for a minute so you can do what you need to do and then, when that’s done, get back into bed to rest properly. This is far from a complete flu repertory. The intent here is to put as many remedies as possible in a quick list. All of these remedies could (pretty much) be listed under all of the headings. In other words, they are (for the most part) wide-reaching flu remedies. Choose the worst MAIN COMPLAINT (found in BOLD CAPS) you are experiencing at the moment and then choose the remedy that best fits your current symptoms. Notes:
 ACHING BODY: Arnica
 COUGH: Antimonium tart
 FEVER*: Aconite
 GASTRO: Arsenicum album
 HEADACHE: Belladonna
 NOSE: Arsenicum album
 SORE THROAT: Causticum
It’s important to remember that there are many, many homeopathic remedies for each of these main symptoms. This is just a brief list which may help to get dinner on the table or that important email answered. Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits * Be sure to seek treatment if the fever is very high, continues to climb or is accompanied by seizure or fainting or severe headache or stiff neck (to name but a few concerning symptoms). For more information:
If you have already been through the worst of the flu, check out “Get Well Soon” to find a few helpful tips on recuperating.
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 “Homeopathic treatment is always worthwhile, even in individuals who are seriously ill and in need of care where there is no hope of complete recovery of health” (Teut and Doppler 2019). Coughs are considered chronic when they last for 8 weeks or longer (4 weeks in children). Nuisance? Yup. Annoying? Yup. (For the cougher and those around you.) Dangerous? Sometimes — be sure to seek the opinion of a medical professional if you are suffering from a chronic cough. Additionally, severe coughs can cause vomiting, dizziness, incontinence and even rib fractures. What causes a chronic cough? Allergies. Postnasal drip. Asthma. Smoking. Acid reflux. Infections (colds and flus). Pneumonia (if you suspect this, please go to the doctor). Fungal infections of the lung. COPD. Some drugs can be the cause of chronic cough. The list goes on, but I dare say you get the picture. Plenty of underlying reasons for a chronic cough. The beautiful part of homeopathy… well, there are many beautiful parts to homeopathy, actually. I digress. Back to today’s beautiful part of homeopathy. The underlying cause doesn’t matter. If we know the reason, it can sometimes be helpful, but it’s not a necessary component to find relief. According to pulmonologist Jonathan Parson from Ohio’s Weiner Medical Center, it’s important to remember that coughing is considered to be a “protective mechanism.” A few descriptions of coughs:
Some coughs come in the middle of the night, waking the poor soul (and their spouse). Some people cough first thing in the morning. Some people cough all day long sometimes escalating to the point of vomiting. With so many different kinds of cough, it’s no surprise there are a lot of homeopathic remedies which may help. Today, I’m going to do a brief repertory (listing the specific type of cough and the associated remedies) followed by a short Materia Medica (a write-up of the remedies) for a couple of my favorite cough remedies. Note: this is an incomplete repertory. (Frederik Schroyens lists over 4,000 rubrics for cough!) I concentrated only on the most highly indicated and easily available remedies. IMPORTANT NOTE: There are many possible underlying reasons for cough, some of which can be very serious. I have highlighted only a couple of these symptoms. If you are suffering from a chronic cough, have it evaluated by a medical professional. Bursting head pain during cough: Bryonia, Natrum muriatium, Nux vomica, Coughing worse by eating: Antimonium tart, Bryonia, Nux vomica Cough with obstructed breathing: *BE SURE TO SEEK MEDICAL CARE IMMEDIATELY. While waiting for help to arrive, try one of the following: Antimonium tart, Arsenicum album, Cuprum metallic, Drosera, Ipecac, Nux vomica Cough with rattling in the chest: Antimonium tart, Ipecac, Nux vomica Cough with vomiting: Antimonium tart, Bryonia, Drosera, Nux vomica Evening cough: Bryonia, Nux vomica Eyes watering during cough: Bryonia, Natrum muriaticum, Fear of coughing: Antimonium tart, Apis, Drosera Involuntary urination with Cough: Apis, Arsenicum album, Bryonia, Causticum, Natrum muriaticum Nux vomica Painful cough: Bryonia, Causticum, Nux vomica Suffocating, choking cough: Antimonium tart, Cuprum, Drosera, Ipecac, Tickling cough: Drosera, Ipecac, Nux vomica Vertigo/dizziness with coughing: Antimonium tart, Arsenicum album, Nux vomica On to the materia medica! Antimonium tartaricum:
Bryonia:
Cuprum metallicum:
Drosera:
Dulcamera:
Ipecac:
Nux vomica:
I could literally keep writing for days about various coughs and their homeopathic remedies. Just know that if you are suffering from a chronic cough, there’s a good chance homeopathy may help. What have you got to lose?! Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits Reference list
Judah, 2020. Types of Coughs in Seniors: ‘Pardon me, I have a cough!’ [online]. Laurel Bay Health and Rehabilitation Center. Available from: / [Accessed 18 Jun 2023]. Murphy, R., n.d. Homeopathic Remedy Guide. accessed through Radar Opus. Murphy, R., n.d. Repertory, version 3. Accessed through Radar Opus software. Schroyens, F., n.d. Synthesis Adonis. (accessed through Radar Opus software). Song, W.-J., Morice, A. H., Kim, M.-H., Lee, S.-E., Jo, E.-J., Lee, S.-M., Han, J.-W., Kim, T. H., Kim, S.-H., Jang, H.-C., Kim, K. W., Cho, S.-H., Min, K.-U. and Chang, Y.-S., 2013. Cough in the Elderly Population: Relationships with Multiple Comorbidity. PLoS ONE [online], 8 (10), e78081. Teramoto, S., 2005. Significance of chronic cough as a defence mechanism or a symptom in elderly patients with aspiration and aspiration pneumonia. European Respiratory Journal [online], 25 (1), 210–211.   Whether a river, an ocean or a pool -- nothing is as inviting as a body of water on a hot, summer’s day. It’s cool and refreshing, but, after a shallow dive into the subject … I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it can be dangerous! Let’s start with a dip in the pool, which is most likely chlorinated. Some people are particularly sensitive to the chlorine and can develop what is known as SWIMMER'S EYE or, chlorine conjunctivitis. It is essentially eye irritation but it stings and it can be pretty miserable. Goggles can help, but that's not a sure thing to keep it at bay. Homeopathic Euphrasia or “Eyebright” for burning eyes and watery eyes. Pain as if something were in the eye. Puffy eyes. Red eyes. When “eye” is in the name of the remedy, you know it’s a good place to start. Arsenicum album for profuse, watery, burning discharge. There is often a level of restlessness. Or, Similisan’s Redness & Itchy Eye Relief* would be a good thing to keep in the cupboard if you or your child is prone to this. --------------------------------------------- Moving from the pool to a natural body of water can bring it’s own set of problems, namely, SWIMMER'S ITCH or Cercarial Dermatitis. Caused by a parasite that gets under the skin (Kolářová et al. 2012) and triggers an allergic reaction, swimmer’s itch is as the name suggests, an itchy rash. If the rash is blistery and oozy, look to Graphites. If the rash burns, stings and itches, try Sulphur. If the rash stings and is raised and fluid filled, try Apis. ------------------------------------------- SWIMMER’S EAR Regardless of what kind of water you’re swimming in, swimmer’s ear is basically an outer ear infection caused by trapped water in your ear that can lead to the growth of bacteria (Mayo Clinic). For sharp ear pain with a sudden onset, Belladonna. There may be redness and throbbing pain. An aching ear pain that feels like the ear is stopped up, Chamomilla. If there is discharge and itching, try Hepar sulph. Or, Similason has a new formula: Swimmer's Ear Relief*. ------------------------------------------- If you are lucky enough to be near the ocean, beware of JELLYFISH! Potentially harmful jellyfish are found in most oceans and can cause both dermatological problems as well as systemic issues (Mebs 2014). The venom of the 51 species of box jellyfish can kill a human in less than 2 minutes (Baldwin 2022). The Wilderness Medical Society has published “Jellyfish Stings: A Practical Approach” (Lakkis et al. 2015). If you left your stinger suit hanging in the closet and manage to get stung, conventional medicine doesn’t have a lot to offer. “The literature published on the treatment of jellyfish stings is limited, conflicting, and lacks consensus.” In short, help the person out of the water, keep them from rubbing the stung area and reassure them. Some say to apply cold, others heat. If it’s a life-threatening species, call an ambulance immediately. (Be careful when helping someone with a jellyfish sting as stinging cells may be spread on contact.) Once again, this is a situation where homeopathy can come in very handy. Homeopathy doesn’t care if the sting is a result of a jellyfish or a bee. If the symptoms match the remedy, there is a good chance relief will follow. First Aid with Homeopathy (Mateu 2020) says applying vinegar can decrease the effect of the toxins. For all these homeopathic jellyfish remedy recommendations, repeat every five minutes until significantly better and then begin to lengthen the time between doses. For most “run of the mill” jellyfish stings, try Apis mellifica. For intense burning and stinging followed by redness and swelling. The person needing Apis will generally be worse from warm applications. If the affected area feels cold and also feels better from cold, try Ledum. Urtica urens can be applied topically as well as ingesting the homeopathic remedy. The person needing Urtica will be experiencing great itchiness and burning, similar to experiencing stinging nettles (from which the remedy is made). If the pains are more neuralgic in nature and radiating out, try Hypericum. ------------------------------------------- HYPOTHERMIA It’s a warm, beautiful day with a little breeze and you think, “what could possibly go wrong?” Well, Hypothermia is one thing that can ruin your day. “That only happens in the cold, right?” Um. Nope. The only requirement for hypothermia to set in is anything that causes a severe drop in body temperature. It can happen in perfect conditions (Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission 2022) and, actually, swimming doesn’t even need to be involved. It can happen from being in the water or from being caught in a rainstorm. When I was a kid, my brother went sailing on a too cold day and he returned way too cold. I remember being instructed to lie down on the kitchen floor next to him under a blanket to try and warm him up. I now know that is termed “external passive rewarming” and is the method of choice for mild hypothermia. A slow and gentle warming is what you’re after. For hypothermia to set in, the water doesn’t have to be cold, just cooler than your body temperature. Children, the elderly, injured or intoxicated people are more susceptible (Paal et al. 2022). Shivering, confusion, breathing issues, and muscle dysfunction are some of the symptoms which may be experienced with a significantly lowered body temperature. The Natural First Aid Handbook (Mars 2017) recommends hot water bottles to the groin and sides of the torso and warns against rubbing or massaging an individual with hypothermia. First Aid with Homeopathy (Ratera 2016) recommends hot liquids and moderate warmth to the abdomen via a hot water bottle and also talks about breath as a treatment for hypothermia. “The helper places his mouth against the spine, between the shoulder blades, and breathes out in long breaths, blowing directly against the clothing. Almost immediately, local heat is felt, and gradually this heat spreads through the body if the exercise is continued. This technique helps to warm, and also to calm the patient. It can therefore also be used in crises of asthma or panic, to calm the patient and restore natural breathing.” Fascinating! Other than warming the person, what can be done? Homeopathy, of course! If the person is conscious, give a dose of Aconite to help with the shock. Bellis perennis is useful in thermal shock (Ratera 2016). Thermal shock can happen from any sudden exposure to cold when the body is hot — even drinking cold drinks when the body is hot. Carbo vegetabilis can be useful for persons who are chilly, with cold perspiration and cold breath. Other symptoms may include coldness, numbness and weakness. Veratrum album is for internal coldness, as if ice-water is in the veins. Weakness and collapse with coldness. If the person is icy cold but wants to be uncovered, consider some homeopathic Camphor. Cramps, convulsions or shock may be present. ----------------------------------------- DROWNING Regardless of the size of the body of water, drowning is always something to watch out for and contrary to what we have seen in the movies, drowning is often completely silent (Redcross. CA 2013). See sidebar for "signs a swimmer is in trouble." According to Stop Drowning Now (2018), in the US, 10 people die every day from drowning. “Drowning is fast and silent and can happen in as little as 20-60 seconds.” When my son was little, I turned my back to get his floaties and the other mother with me (who I thought was watching all the kids!) said, “I didn’t know he could swim.” I turned around and I saw him standing on the bottom of the pool, completely underwater, eyes open, looking up at me. He couldn’t swim! He definitely did not belong there! That could have been a disaster. It was absolutely instantaneous — shockingly fast! Thankfully, he was completely fine. I will never be able to get that vision out of my mind. It was terrible. CPR or the Heimlich maneuver, followed by mouth-to-mouth is the standard recommendation. Venema (et al. 2010) claim that 30% of rescued drowning victims require CPR. Get medical help immediately. If the person is unconscious, administer homeopathic Carbo vegetabilis while waiting for help to arrive. Carbo veg is known as “the corpse reviver” and should be administered frequently. To avoid inhaling the remedy, place the pellet between the lips and the teeth and let it dissolve there. If the person is better when sitting up but is experiencing a rattling in the chest, try Antimonium tart. Lachesis is indicated when the person is suffering asphyxia and the pulse is very weak. If there is a “near miss” like I described with my son, it may not be over and done with when you have them out of the water and breathing on their own again. Jama Pediatrics (Stern and Thompson 2022) notes that “symptoms of drowning such as gasping or difficulty breathing most commonly occur immediately. In rare cases, symptoms may develop after a nonfatal drowning. If a child develops worsening cough, fast breathing rate, vomiting or change in mental status after nonfatal drowning, take them to the nearest emergency department for evaluation.” It may seem like it’s better (and safer!) to just dip your toes in the water to cool off, but no! Life is too short to sit out the swim! Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits * I have no affiliation with this company, I just like their products.  REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING:
Baird, J. K. and Wear, D. J., 1987. 12 Cercarial dermatitis: The swimmer’s itch. Clinics in Dermatology, 5 (3), 88–91. Baldwin, E., 2022. Box Jellyfish: The Dangerous Jellyfish | Ocean Info [online]. oceaninfo.com. Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, 2022. Hypothermia [online]. Florida Fish And Wildlife Conservation Commission. Gordy, M. A., Cobb, T. P. and Hanington, P. C., 2018. Swimmer’s itch in Canada: a look at the past and a survey of the present to plan for the future. Environmental Health, 17 (1). Hoeffler, D. F., 1977. ‘Swimmers’ itch’ (cercarial dermatitis). Cutis [online], 19 (4), 461–465, 467. Kolářová, L., Horák, P., Skírnisson, K., Marečková, H. and Doenhoff, M., 2012. Cercarial Dermatitis, a Neglected Allergic Disease. Clinical Reviews in Allergy & Immunology [online], 45 (1), 63–74. Lakkis, N. A., Maalouf, G. J. and Mahmassani, D. M., 2015. Jellyfish Stings: A Practical Approach. Wilderness & Environmental Medicine [online], 26 (3), 422–429. Lessell, C. B., 1999. The world travellers’ manual of homoeopathy. Saffron Walden: C.W. Daniel. Mateu, M., 2020. First aid with homeopathy. Kandern, Germany Narayana Verlag. Mayo Clinic, n.d. Swimmer’s ear - Symptoms and causes [online]. Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic, n.d. Swimmer’s itch - Symptoms and causes [online]. Mayo Clinic. Mebs, D., 2014. Durch Quallen verursachte Verletzungen. Jelly Fish Sting Injuries Der Hautarzt [online], 65 (10), 873–878. Paal, P., Pasquier, M., Darocha, T., Lechner, R., Kosinski, S., Wallner, B., Zafren, K. and Brugger, H., 2022. Accidental Hypothermia: 2021 Update. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health [online], 19 (1), 501. Ratera, Dr. M. M., 2016. First Aid with Homeopathy. Kander, Germany: Narayana Verlag. Redcross. CA, 2013. Drowning: A silent killer - Canadian Red Cross [online]. Red Cross Canada. Schmukler, A. V., 2006. Homeopathy : an A to Z home handbook. Woodbury, Minn.: Llewellyn Publications. Smith, S., 2007. Medical homoeopathy. West Wickham England: Winter Press. Stern, A. M. and Thompson, L. A., 2022. What Parents Should Know About Drowning and Dry Drowning. JAMA Pediatrics [online]. Stop Drowning Now, 2018. Facts & Stats About Drowning - Stop Drowning Now [online]. www.stopdrowningnow.org. Szpilman, D., Bierens, J. J. L. M., Handley, A. J. and Orlowski, J. P., 2012. Drowning. New England Journal of Medicine [online], 366 (22), 2102–2110. Venema, A. M., Groothoff, J. W. and Bierens, J. J. L. M., 2010. The role of bystanders during rescue and resuscitation of drowning victims. Resuscitation [online], 81 (4), 434–439. |
Julia Coyte, CHomI am passionate about homeopathy and I love sharing this passion. Having a working knowledge of homeopathy shouldn't be kept a secret. If people have the ability to help themselves, their children and their friends when they have minor ailments, life just gets better for everyone. That is the purpose behind Ruminating on Remedies. Archives
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