I’ve Got the Sniffles! Now what?

by Susy Parker Goins

It’s been a long day. You’re ready to take a break. You sit down and realize you(or your child, or your spouse, partner……) are not feeling up to snuff

What can homeopathy do for you? A lot.

First, understand that homeopathy is not about suppressing symptoms. Homeopathic remedies are not anti-histamines which fake the body out into believing it’s all right. They nudge the body’s immune system to heal rapidly and gently. If illness is recognized early enough, homeopathy can nip it in the bud, helping you to avoid a long and severe illness altogether. (Of course, if you’re anything like me, you refuse to admit you’re ill until you are flat on your back with oogy tissues scattered all over.)

Next, take some time observe your symptoms. You are the one knows what’s “normal” for you. What is your overall demeanor? What color is the phlegm? Sneezing? Coughing? What makes it worse? What helps? One seldom manifests all the symptoms for a particular remedy so decide which symptoms are most bothersome to you and choose the remedy that fits closest to the symptom picture.

Once you have chosen the correct remedy, there will be an aggravation of symptoms and then relief. Recommended dosages for an adult would be 3 – 5 pellets of 30C potency every two hours for 6 hours or until relief of symptoms. 

At the first signs of cold or flu take:

Aconite napellus is the remedy for the first signs of a cold due to exposure to cold drafts. You are restless and thirsty, especially for cold drinks. You can alternate with Bryonia at first signs of cold. Symptoms are better from open air and being carried. (I wish someone would carry me.) Symptoms are worse from warm rooms or lying on affected sides.

Belladonna is excellent for sudden onset symptoms and fevers in children. Are you suffering from violent or congested headaches? Is there an aversion to loud noise, movement, light or water? 

Bryonia alba is better for symptoms with a slow onset. There is a thirst for great amounts of water and lots of sneezing. Your eyes are red and watery. The nasal discharge is watery. Lips and mouth dry. Symptoms are worse from any kind of movement, but are better by keeping perfectly still, feels faint on rising, irritable and wants to be left alone (Hmmm, would this have worked for Garbo?).

Ferrum phosphoricum works best for tiredness and vague symptoms of beginning of illness or cold with a slight fever, no other indication for other remedies. If not treated the cold would develop into left-sided ear ache. 

After the first 24 hours, these remedies are recommended:

Allium cepa is red onion. The symptoms reflect the effect of red onion: watery, red and burning eyes. Clear, irritating nasal discharge. Open air and cool rooms help, warm rooms and evening aggravate symptoms.

Eupatorium perfoliatum is good for bone and muscle aches. Head colds with a cough which is relieved by getting on hands and knees. Hoarseness and cough worse in cold air. Fever, morning chill aching in long bones of legs and arms. 

Euphrasia is effective for colds with eye irritation. Watery colds when the eyes and nose discharge thin, bland secretions that burn. The discharge worse at night and while lying down, cough worse by day and better when lying down.

Gelsemium helps when there is a heavy sluggish feeling in limbs and lids, fatigue and wooziness. Slow onset. Chills up and down spine. Often there is a headache in the back part of the head and seldom any thirst. There can be much sneezing with feeling of dryness in nose despite abrasive discharge.

Nux vomica works best for symptoms resulting from excess in food, drink or work or not enough sleep. There is frequent sneezing upon waking. Nose runs during the day or in a warm room. Nose stopped up at night. You are extremely chilly and can’t get warm, shudder after drinking fluids or after least movement. Symptoms are improved with being outdoors.

And then these would help for later stages of a cold:

Arsenicum album is effective for fear and anxiety. Colds with red nose and eyes. Low energy. Nose feels stopped up but still runs. Sneezing. Heat helps, elevated head or warm drinks. Cold anything, wet weather and after midnight make symptoms worse.

For Kali bichromicum to be worthwhile, you are very emotional. Nasal discharge is thick, purulent, stringy, and hard to expel. It has a tendency to invade sinuses and is usually yellow. Your nose is crusty. There may be some pressure at root of nose. Symptoms are worse at 3 - 5 am.

Pulsatilla is best if you are feeling whiny or clingy in the later stages of a cold. Nasal discharge is yellow or greenish bland or creamy. There may be peeling and chapped lips, hot cheeks and no thirst. Symptoms are worse at night and in warm rooms. Symptoms improve when outdoors.

Even more remedies are useful for winter colds:

Chamomilla is great for teething infants, but can also benefit a child who has one cheek red and hot and other cold and pale. There can be chills and thirst. The child is in a very irritable temper and feels better from bring carried.

Hepar sulfuricum works for colds brought on by exposure to cold, dry weather which affects nose, ears, throat and chest. The cold often spreads from throat to ear and the pain extends to ear on swallowing. Discharge is watery at first, then becomes thick and offensive. Symptoms are worse from least draft. Child demands to be well wrapped up.

Mercurius solubilis hahnemanni works for colds that start with a creeping chilliness. Other symptoms include violent sneezing, runny nose, pale flabby indented tongue, foul taste in mouth and bad breath. Nasal discharge is corrosive and greenish-yellow nasal discharge. There is profuse sweating that doesn't help and child is very thirsty. Symptoms are worse at night,

Natrum muriaticum handles colds that begin with much sneezing. Nose is stopped up with loss of taste and smell. If there is a cough, it may develop stitches in chest. The child is annoyed by sympathy.

Yeah, there’s a lot of remedies to choose from for all sorts of symptoms. These are among the most common remedies that you can find in your friendly neighborhood natural foods Co-op. Taking a few extra minutes to differentiate between a yellow discharge and a green or any of the other conditions will help you be more effective at “home”opathy.

                                Homeopathics for Owies

Your child’s scream rips through your meditative peeling of lunch apples. “Mom! I slammed into the wall!” “Mommy’s coming!” you holler as you go to the medicine chest and pull out a few tubes of homeopathic remedies. You are prepared for this and many other emergencies with your own handy-dandy homeopathic first aid kit. (jeesh, this sounds like a commercial!)

Life’s bumps, bruises and burns are easier to handle if you have a few remedies on hand to administer as the need arises. So tuck these and other remedies that you find especially useful in with the bandages and witch hazel. Here’s a jumping off point for some of the common needs of children:

Aconite 30C works best for the first symptoms of colds, flu, fever, restlessness, throat complaints, anxiety and fear. The early stages of croup can benefit from Aconite. This is the Sudden Onset remedy. If you miss that, then you’ll need to consider other remedies.

AGE 30C is a combination remedy using Aconite, Gelsemium and Euphrasia recommended for colds and flu. One dose every two weeks will reduce the incidence of colds and flu.

Apis mellifica 30C is excellent for insect bites and hives.

Arnica, Arnica and did I mention Arnica? I can’t tell you how much better our life has been since we’ve had Arnica montana in the house. Arnica is fabulous for bumps, bruises, crushed fingers (I know, I shiver just thinking about that), any injury that doesn’t involve broken skin. So sprains, recovering from a visit to the dentist, shock, even surgery. With Arnica in the 30C potency, you can handle a lot!

Belladonna 30C for fevers more violent than Aconite that show up as red and hot in the face and throat. Consider it for throbbing earaches.

Calendula 30C is speeds healing of skin conditions that are not infected. Calendula spurs tissue growth, so that if it used before the infection is cleared, the infection will go deeper. Administer it in pellet form or as a tincture. Skinned knees or other abrasions, nosebleeds benefit from Calendula. Aqua Calendula, the Calendula remedy dissolved in water, is an excellent bath for wounds.

Carbo Vegetabilis is great for stomach upset or indigestion. Made from charcoal, it helps with acid stomach.

Chamomilla 30C and teething are most often said in the same breath. Chamomilla is a pain remedy extraordinaire that is not only effective for teething, but earaches and colic as well. Everyone recommends the tea to calm one down; homeopathic Chamomilla helps with insomnia, restlessness. I’ve used it when my 3 year-old (or is it me?) is just too cranky.

Cocculus 30C is another good stomach remedy. Nausea, vomiting, travel or motion sickness, and other stomach upsets. And for the mother who has been up all night or is exhausted, this is the remedy for you. 

Hypericum 30C is homeopathic St. John’s Wort. If there is an injury involving nerve pain, this is the remedy you need. The ointment helps with crushed fingers and infected wounds

Hypercal tincture is a combination of Hypericum and Calendula. Apply it externally on chicken pox or shingles, burns. In a 1:4 dilution with water, use it to rinse abrasions.

Ledum 30C is a puncture wound remedy. That includes insect stings relieved by cold applications.

Nux vomica 30C works for nausea, constipation, or other conditions that are caused by excess.

If your child is whiny, clingy or out of sorts, Pulsatilla 30C can help. Loose coughs

Rhus toxicodendron 30C works well for eczema, flu, measles, sprains and strains. 

For bones injuries such as bruises and breaks, consider Ruta graveolens 30C.

Symphytum 30C is another remedy good for bone injuries. It also work wonders for black eyes.

Try Urtica Urens 30C for minor burns and prickly heat, including sunburns and scalds. Cantharis 30C is another excellent sunburn remedy. You may need to try one, wait for results, then try the other if need be. 

With my 15 month old teething and not sleeping well, I think I’ll do some practical experimentation with Cocculus.