A cough can be exhausting, especially when it stops you sleeping but on its own it’s rarely a cause for concern. Most coughs that come as part of a virus and, however unpleasant are not serious but if you have a chronic cough which you can’t get rid of you should seek medical advice.
Some Self Helps:
- Pineapple juice contains an anti-inflammatory enzymes can really soothe and assist in healing
- Avoid smoke, strong chemicals and other irritants
- Drink plenty of water, fresh fruit juices or herbal teas
- You could use a steamer, humidifier or a hot bath or shower to moisten your airways.
Homeopathy for coughs
You will need a homeopathic first aid kit to hand, or a homeopath you can get remedies from. There are a lot of homeopathic remedies we can use acutely to help coughs. Choose the remedy which best fits your symptoms – you do not need to match every symptom in a remedy to your cough, but your cough symptoms need to be included in the remedy picture. Some of the most common cough remedy pictures are below, although there are many others to consider if you do not find a remedy below to fit your symptoms. If you need further help in selecting a remedy please get in touch.
Notes for acute prescribing: Select a 30C or 200C of the remedy of your choice. Repeat your remedy after 30 minutes. If you notice no improvement at all after 2 to 3 doses, do not continue taking that remedy, it is wrong and you need to select a different remedy. If, however there is improvement, you can continue repeating the remedy as long as it is needed and it is helping. Sometimes in acute prescribing you will need to change remedies as the symptoms improve or change.
Bryonia: A dry barking cough which has gradually got worse. The slightest movement aggravates so you often feel you want to hold your chest steady. Thirsty but cough can be aggravated for drinking, eating or entering a warm room.
Pulsatilla: A great cough remedy for children. There is often thick, yellow mucous, they feel worse in hot, stuffy rooms and better in the fresh air. Their mood and symptoms can be changeable and they want sympathy and affection. Thirstless.
Drosera: A dry irritating and violent cough which comes in spasms – rounds of coughing and gasping for air. Your voice may become hoarse and you feel worse when you lay down. One of the whooping cough remedies, can also be good for bronchitis or pneumonia if the symptoms fit. Good for the elderly and very young.
Aconite: This cough comes on very suddenly, often after getting cold or wet. There can be anxiety or fear of dying, it is worse during the night time and is especially good right at the beginning of becoming ill, and at the beginning of whooping cough. It is often a constant loud dry cough which is painful and croupy.
Phosphorous: The phosphorous cough is dry and tickling and has a tendency to go to the chest. There is a desire for company and for cold water, which may be brought back up soon after drinking.
Hepar-sulph: Another whooping cough remedy – this can be dry and barking or loose but rattling. The Hepar-sulph patient is very sensitive to cold, touch and pain, can feel irritable or depressed and is very chilly. They often have splinter like pains, especially in the throat and may have yellow mucous.
Spongia-tosta: Also to be considered in whooping cough, this cough is dry, barking and croupy. There may be wheezing and rasping. The larynx becomes sensitive or even raw and painful from coughing. The voice can become hoarse and the patient is worse in a warm room or drinking warm drinks.
Antimonium-tart: A wet rattling cough which is worse after eating and lying down. Mucous is thick and difficult to move even though you might hear it on the chest. Cough worse in warmth and better in cool, fresh air. Also to be considered in whooping cough.
Croup
Try Aconite first and if that doesn’t help after 15 minutes use Spongia. If it returns later in the night go to Hepar-sulph.