Homeopathy and Coughs

December is a month of mixed blessings. We look forward to spending time with family and friends; there is much celebrating and excitement. The days are getting shorter, the temperature colder, and there is the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. All in all, it is a time of additional stress. For many of us this translates into coughs or flus, or other unpleasant reminders that we have overextended ourselves and are now more susceptible to disease. It is particularly important at this time of year to eat well, engage in moderate exercise and get sufficient rest in order to support our immune system.

Although coughs may seem like an acute affliction, often they are flare-ups of an underlying chronic condition. It is not uncommon for a cough to be the physical manifestation of an underlying emotional disturbance. For this reason, coughs can be challenging to treat. And for this reason as well, it is important that we avoid suppressing a cough with cough suppressants or even herbal medicines. These may reduce the symptoms of the cough, but unless the underlying cause is addressed the problem will resurface, either as another cough or in the form of some other physical ailment.

If you are prone to repeated persistent coughs, you may want to consider an in-depth consultation with a qualified homeopathic practitioner who can properly assess the underlying cause and choose the appropriate homeopathic treatment. Meanwhile, if you are truly suffering from an acute cough, there are many remedies that will help restore you to a healthy state. These include, but are not limited to Spongia, Rumex, Pulsatilla, Antimonium tart, Bryonia, Kali carb, Drosera and Hepar sulph.

Although several people in the same family may suffer from a cough, they may all need a different remedy. Homeopathy is an individualized form of medicine and one must look at how the cough manifests in each particular person to choose the appropriate remedy. With this in mind, there are several questions you may want to answer before you look up a cough remedy or call your homeopath.

Although it is helpful to determine whether we are dealing with a wet or dry cough, some of the most useful information you can gather has to do with what generally makes your cough better or worse. What time of day is the cough at it's worse (evening vs. daytime)? How is affected by eating/drinking, by being active, by going outside? Any changes in your cough when going from a cold environment to a warm one or vice versa? Has anything changed since you got this cough? For example, has there been any change in your thirst? Are you thirsty for hot drinks or cold? Is there a tendency to be restless or do you feel better lying still? Has this cough been accompanied by any changes in your mental disposition?

With the answers to the above questions, an experienced homeopath should be able to choose a remedy to help restore you to a healthy state so that you may make the most of the coming holiday season.