It is once again Antibiotic Awareness Week. A time to reflect on how we use antibiotics, so that we are not over using these life saving medicines and contributing to antibiotic resistance. While we focus on appropriate antibiotic use in a medical setting, another area of concern is antibiotic use in agriculture: this is not my area of expertise, but definitely a concern. Once again this is a place where Homeopathy shines, and a shout out to Homeopathic Farm Services for being there for farmers who want an alternative.
I’m 2021 I wrote about skin infections, and in 2022 I wrote about dental abscesses, strep throat and ear infections. Today I am going to discuss other respiratory tract infections, and remedies that can be used.
Reminder- please see a Doctor for a diagnosis, and consult a Health Professional for advice and support if you have any concerns.
For any infection, high dose vitamin C is essential- whether liposomal C which has a higher absorption, or sodium ascorbate, you need to take this regularly. For sodium ascorbate or vitamin C tablets or powder, taking small amounts regularly every 1-2 hours, reducing (but not stopping) if you reach bowel tolerance.
Consider using one or more of the following:
Echinacea – this is an immune modulator and will support the immune system functioning. Regular dosing at least four times a day during acute infections is important.
Olive Leaf – this has a direct antiviral, antibacterial and anti fungal effect and can be used prophylacticly or four times daily as a treatment.
Garlic – best taken raw, this is also antiviral, antibacterial and anti fungal. Chop a clove and swallow raw four times daily.
Sinus infection
Sometimes called sinusitis, this infection causes thick, purulent mucous from the nasal passages, which may or may not be blocked, as well as facial pain and sometimes headaches.
Hepar Sulph has thick, yellow discharges that are offensive and may smell like old cheese. They are oversensitive and irritable, and particularly worse for cold winds, or even the slightest draft from an open window.
Pulsatilla is also a remedy for thick yellow discharges, but they are bland. They feel better in the open air, and can be more weepy or clingy than normal, or have mood swings.
Mercurius (Solubilis or Vivus) has a thin, green discharge which is acrid and irritates the upper lip. Mercurius is really sensitive to temperature, and worse for being too hot or too cold, and they will sweat easily.
Kali Bichromicum has a characteristic ropey or stringy discharge that can be quite tenacious. They want to blow their nose, but nothing will come out and the inside of the nose feels quite dry.
Chest infection
When an upper respiratory infection heads to the chest you may end up with bronchitis or pneumonia. The important thing here is to treat early, ask for help, and if you are concerned at any time, or you are not improving, have difficulty breathing, blueness around the mouth from lack of oxygen, or have blood in the phlegm you cough up it is time to see your Doctor. If you suspect Pneumonia please seek help. You can also use alternative methods, and consult a Homeopath but it is important to have monitoring, know the warning signs and have support if you need it.
Early cases may respond to remedies like
Aconite, for sudden onset, especially after exposure to a cold dry wind. They have a painful, hard, dry cough. They can have a tight chest with rapid breathing and a full pulse, and will be worse at night. The are restless and fearful – especially fearing death if they are having trouble breathing, and they may have a high fever.
Bryonia is useful when there is a severe cough, and they must hold their chest to support themselves while coughing, or hold their head because it causes a headache. Bryonia is worse for any movement, and the cough is worse coming into a warm room. Their mouth will be dry and they are thirsty – but only want to drink a full glass at a time.
Phosphorus is a remedy for coughs that come in paroxysms, and come with a feeling of constriction in the chest or a sore and raw sensation. They are better inside and cough more going into the cold, and talking can bring on the cough. Phosphorus people are bright and extroverted but can wear themselves out leading to physical sickness.
Antimonium Tartaricum has a rattling and wheezing sound when breathing, but despite this they cannot cough the mucous up, they just don’t have the energy. If they do cough anything up it is only a small amount of a thin white mucus. They become drowsy and exhausted.
It is important to note with both Sinus and Chest infections that treating early, when you have a cold will often prevent it getting to sinusitis or pneumonia.
There are many things that impact our susceptibility to infection, including (but not limited to) diet, lifestyle and stress. If you are getting recurring infections, of any sort, then contact me or your Homeopath to make an appointment to work on your susceptibility, and we can make a plan with a constitutional remedy, remedies for early treatment, and targeted changes of lifestyle factors.
Reminder, always consult a professional if you are in doubt, and do not persist in using a remedy if it is not helping. Remedy suggestions in this post do not constitute medical advice and for diagnosis and information about when to seek further help see your GP or medical Doctor. I try to do acute consults at short notice, as often these conditions cannot wait, you can find a NZ homeopath at https://homeopathy.co.nz/find-a-homeopath/
or you can contact a homeopath at https://homeopathy247.com which has Homeopaths available from all around the world and someone there every hour of the day and night.