What is Cough?
Cough is a symptom and not a disease. It is a reaction of the body to any kind of irritation in the air passages. It is a reflex characterised by forceful expulsion of air from the lungs to clear the air passages of any mucous or foreign body.
Causes of Cough
Among the various causes of cough, the major ones are respiratory tract infections, bronchitis, asthma, allergies, pneumonia and post nasal discharge. Cough can be dry, productive, rattling and spasmodic in nature, varying from case to case.
Homeopathic Treatment for Cough
Homeopathy holds great promise in cough cases. Homeopathic medicines effectively treat both acute and chronic cough. In fact, Homeopathic medicines can completely remove one’s tendency towards recurrent episodes of cough. These medicines are natural and safe for use among infants and the elderly as well. Homeopathic medicines for cough are selected after a complete and detailed study of the patient’s case history and symptoms presentation. Factors that aggravate the condition and those that provide relief are isolated before a prescription is made.
Homeopathic Medicines for Cough
Bryonia and Spongia – Excellent Homeopathic medicines for dry cough
In my clinical practice, I have found Bryonia and Spongia to be the most effective Homeopathic medicines for cough that is dry. Bryonia is very useful for dry, hacking cough. Irritation may persist in the throat together with dry cough. The chest hurts while coughing. This pain is mainly of stitching nature in cases where Bryonia is prescribed. Few persons in need of Homeopathic medicine Bryonia may have rust coloured sputa. An excessive thirst for water with dry throat may also be present.
In case of dry cough of barking, ringing nature, Spongia is one of the best Homeopathic medicines for cough to prescribe. Here the cough is attended with extreme dryness of air passages. No mucus expectoration appears and the cough is intensely dry. Spongia is also well indicated for dry cough that worsens by consuming cold drinks and gets better with warm drinks. Wheezing on inspiration may also be complained of in cases where Spongia will be the most suitable choice among Homeopathic medicines for cough.
Antimonium Tart and Ipecac – Best Homeopathic medicines for rattling cough
For rattling cough, I would recommend Homeopathic medicines Antimonium Tart and Ipecac. Antimonium Tart is one of the best Homeopathic medicines for cough in case of great rattling of mucus in the chest while coughing. Bronchial tubes seem to be overloaded with mucus. There is very little or no expectoration on coughing. This may be attended with shortness of breath and difficulty in breathing. Antimonium Tart is also one of the most effective Homeopathic medicines for cough arising from damp exposure. On the other hand, prominent symptoms indicating use of Ipecac in cough are – fullness of chest with phlegm, violent rattling cough, bubbling rales in chest. This may be attended with excessive suffocation and feeling of constriction in the chest. A person who needs Ipecac may also experience episodes of vomiting with rattling cough.
Drosera, Corallium Rubrum and Cuprum Met – Top grade Homeopathic medicines for spasmodic cough
Spasmodic cough refers to brief coughing spells occurring at variable time periods. These are not continuous in nature. In my clinical practice, Homeopathic medicines Drosera, Corallium Rubrum and Cuprum Met show the most promising results in such cases of spasmodic cough. For selecting Drosera, the guiding symptoms to look out for are dry, spasmodic, irritating cough together with difficulty in breathing and a choking throat. The spasmodic cough worsens on lying down at night in some cases where Drosera will work as the most effective among Homeopathic medicines for cough.
Corallium Rubrum is one of the most remarkable Homeopathic medicines for cough where it is spasmodic, rapid, short, dry and barking in nature. In cases where episodes of spasmodic cough closely follow one after the other too, Corallium Rubrum is the ideal prescription. Cases of cough with mucus dropping in the throat are also best treated with Corallium Rubrum. Exhaustion from cough may also appear in such cases. The characteristic indications for using Cuprum Met are spasmodic cough with vomiting episodes. This may be accompanied by constriction in the chest. In case the spasmodic cough gets better by taking cold drinks, it is a sure sign that Cuprum Met is the Homeopathic medicine to prescribe.
Arsenic Album and Sambucus – Top rated Homeopathic medicines for night cough
Arsenic Album and Sambucus are extremely effective Homeopathic medicines for cough triggered during the night. Arsenic Album shows the most favorable results in cases where the cough worsens after midnight. Cough is triggered on lying down at night and during sleep in such cases. Patients complain of breathing difficulty and suffocation. Sambucus, on the other hand, is one of the most suitable Homeopathic medicines for cough that is suffocative, spasmodic, loose or choking and worsens during the night time. Persons who need prescribing Sambucus sit up at night from coughing spells. Nasal blockage may also arise with the coughing episodes, another unique symptom for the selection of Homeopathic medicine Sambucus.
Aconite, Hepar Sulph and Belladonna – Remarkable Homeopathic medicines for cough from exposure to cold air
Homeopathic medicines that I would rate top grade for cough from exposure to cold air are Aconite, Hepar Sulph and Belladonna. Among these, Aconite is indicated for dry, hacking, loud cough following cold air exposure. Hepar Sulph is one of the most effective Homeopathic medicines for cough that is of loose, rattling, croaking type, acquired from exposure to cold air. Homeopathic medicine Belladonna is selected for short, tickling, dry, barking cough that arises from exposure to cold air. Belladonna is also well indicated for cough with tonsil inflammation from cold air exposure. High fever with cough, sore throat and tonsillitis may accompany.
Spongia and Ipecac – Effective Homeopathic medicines for cough with breathing problems
In my clinical practice, Homeopathic medicines Spongia and Ipecac have shown the most amazing recoveries in cases of cough with breathing difficulties. The indicating features for Spongia are dry, barking cough with breathing difficulty. Wheezing also attends. Respiration is short and panting results. The symptoms guiding use of Ipecac are shortness of breath, wheezing and chest constriction. This is accompanied by extreme suffocation and a stiff, blue face. Ipecac is one of the best Homeopathic medicines for cough with rattling of mucus in the chest. Vomiting of mucus while coughing is also observed in cases where Ipecac will prove one of the ideal Homeopathic medicines for cough.