HOMEOPATHY FOR COUGH

NUX VOMICA

Nux vom. should be given for a dry cough, which is caused by a rough, scraping, acrid sensation, and itching in the palate; when it is lasting and weakening, with pain, as if the head were being rent asunder, or a sensation as if bruised in the upper part of the belly — after- ward pains under the ribs, particularly when the cough awakens the patient early, or only a little mucus is discharged with much trouble. Also, when a slight cough lasts the whole day, with pain in the pit of the throat — is worse in the evening, but better during the night; during the night oppression of breathing, an apparent weight upon the chest, and the patient has a heated and a parched mouth. For energetic and plethoric patients who drink much coffee and spirituous liquors also answers for a dry exhausting cough, which is worse during the night, with trifling expectoration in the morning — worse from reading, thinking and exercise.

CHAMOMILLA

Cham, should be given for a similar dry cough, which is worse at night, even during sleep,and arises from a tickhng in the pit of the throat — something rising in the throat which takes away the breath, particularly with children, and during the winter after taking cold. Also for a tickling cough which is caused by speaking, in the morning and evening, but which ceases after the patient gets warm in bed; also when in the morning some tough bitter mucus is thrown up.

HYOSCYAMUS

Hyos. answers for a dry cough, which is worse at night, and prevents sleeping; also when lying down, with tickhng in the windpipe, or when it comes in spasms, sometimes attended with pricking pains over the eyes ; a rattling noise in the throat, caused by breathing whilst there is mucus in the windpipe.

IPECAC

Ipec. frequently answers for children — even for the smallest — when on coughing the mucus almost suffocates them ; when it is spasmodic, or affects them so much that they can scarcely breathe, become purple in the face, and the limbs are quite stiff; when there is a tickling sensation in the larynx, with contraction, the cough quite dry, but trifling expectoration, or of mucus of an offensive taste — or when it causes loathing, nausea and vomiting of mucus ; when it is attended with pain in the abdomen, particularly about the navel, or a pressure upon the bladder, as if the urine could not pass — or there is a throbbing in the head and pit of the stomach, soreness of the chest ; after the cough, shortness of breath and perspiration on the forehead; walking in the cold air excites the cough afresh. This remedy may be repeated after a couple of hours, if required.

BELLADONNA

Bell, for a similar spasmodic cough, which does not allow the patient to recover his breath, which shakes the whole body, and is excited by a constant insupportable tickling in the larynx, without any phlegm on the chest; or as if caused by down in the throat, forcing the head asunder, with pressure in the neck, as if it were being broken off; or when coughing, with a trifling discharge of mucus, mixed with blood, with stitches in the chest and on the left side under the ribs; tearing pains in the chest; short, quick, agitated breathing; chapping of the lips, a red face, and pain in the head ; or when the attacks terminate with sneezing, accompanied by catarrh, or pricking pain in the hips and below in the abdomen, as if something were cutting there.

MERCURIUS VIVUS

Merc. viv. for a dry cough, which exhausts and convulses the patient much, particularly by night; or a tickling cough before falling asleep ; sometimes attended with spitting of blood, pricking pains in the chest; with children frequently attended with bleeding of the nose, inclination to vomit, pains as if the chest and head were going to burst, accompanied by hoarseness, running catarrh, or diarrhoea.

CARBO VEGETABILIS

Carb. veg. for spasmodic cough, coming on several times during the day or evening, the coughing up of blood, with burning pains in the chest; pain in the larynx, as from ulceration, shooting pains through the head.

CAPSICUM

Caps, for a dry cough, worse in the evening and du- ring the night, and sometimes exciting vomiting; pains shooting through one or the other of the extremities, also causing rending headache ; sometimes accompanied by oppressive pains in the throat and ears, or with draw- ing pains from the chest to the throat, pricking in the chest to the throat, pricking in the chest and back, or pressure on the bladder and shooting pains therein, or pricking and tearing pains from the hips to the knees and feet.

RHUS TOXICODENDRON

Rhus, sometimes for a dry, short, night-cough, commencing with a tickling in the chest, which causes agitation and asthma, particularly in the evening and before midnight, whereby the head and chest are shaken a great deal; or with tension and shooting pain in the chest, pains in the stomach, sometimes shooting pains in the thighs, particularly when the air makes it worse, when heat and exercise affect it favorably; also for coughs with a taste of blood in the mouth.

CINA

Cin. for a dry cough, sometimes only accompanied by expectoration of mucus; for children who start suddenly as if they were losing their senses; afterwards with anxious gasping for breath, moaning and paleness, or a hoarse small cough every evening, particularly with children who have worms; or at the same time running catarrh, with a burning sensation in the nose, and violent sneezing, which makes them cry.

IGNATIA

Ign. for a dry cough, during the day as well as by night, with a running catarrh ; , for persons who fret much, or when worse every day after meals, in the evening after lying down, and in the morning after get- ting up, it is frequently to be given a second time after hours have elapsed.

EUPHRASIA OFFICINALIS

Euphr. for a cough with a bad catarrh, which also affects the eyes; during the day attended with difficult expectoration, sometimes with difficulty of breathing when it ceases during the night; in the morning worse again, with considerable discharge of mucus.

PULSATILLA

Puls, when the cough was dry in the beginning for half a day, with retching; then attended with expectoration of mucus, which is discharged easily; it sometimes is streaked with blood; in the morning much yellow, salty, bitter, disgusting expectoration, sometimes accompanied by retching ; the windpipe at the same time feels rough, and the abdomen pains as from a bruise, or there are shooting pains in the arm, shoulder, and back; or the urine escapes whilst coughing,

BRYONIA

Bry. answers for a dry and for a moist cough; for a dry one, when commencing with a tickling in the throat, or when the fit comes on after eating, and is so bad as to cause vomiting; or for a cough which begins as soon as the patient gets into a warm room; or with bad stitches in the side, and afterwards a trifling spitting of blood; with a yellowish expectoration; when every fit of coughing is felt in the head, or accompanied with shooting pains in the head, throat, and chest.

CINCHONA OFFICINALIS

Chin, when there is an inclination to cough, as if caused by sulphur, without any discharge of mucus; it is, however, in the throat, and causes a whistling noise; the expectoration which follows is streaked with blood, with pressing, pricking pains in the chest and the windpipe, or a clear, tough mucus, which is difficult to loosen, with pains in the shoulders, sometimes accom- panied by vomiting of bile; and for cough after hemor- rhage from the lungs.

ARNICA

Arn. for cough with expectoration of mucus and coagulated blood, or light frothy blood, at the same time asthma; all the ribs and abdomen as if bruised and lacerated, shooting pains in the head, the chest, the belly, and the small of the back; also for moist and dry cough with children, early or when asleep, with weeping and crying.

VERATRUM ALBUM

Verat. for a deep hollow cough, as if from the abdomen, with griping, salivation, a blue face, involuntary discharge of urine, violent pains in the side, and at the same time difficulty of breathing and great weakness, sometimes accompanied by shooting pains which pass downwards through the abdomen.

ARSENICUM ALBUM

Ars. for a moist cough, but without much expectoration, which is tough, lies on the chest and causes asthma ; coughing every time after drinking; for cough during the night, with spitting of blood, and a burning heat all over the body, want of breath, extreme fatigue and weakness; or every evening dry cough, which weakens very much, with oppression of the chest when going up stairs and in the cold air, with palpitation of the heart and agitation during the night.

DULCAMARA

Dulc. for a moist cough, particularly after taking cold, with hoarseness, sometimes accompanied with spitting of light red blood during the night ; or a whooping, barking cough, excited by deep breathing; coughing from a cold, aggravated by being in a room, and by lying still; better when moving.

DROSERA

Dros. for a moist cough or for a dry one, accompanied by hoarseness, pain in the chest and under the ribs, so that the patient is obliged to hold the painful part with his hands, sometimes attended by retching and griping in the abdomen, when the expectoration is tardy; vomiting of food, after which, of phlegm and water, a discharge o£ bitter, purulent matter ; or with oppression, as if while coughing the breath remained in the chest, so that either coughing or speaking seems impossible.

STAPHYSAGRIA

Staph, for cough with expectoration of yellow mucus, resembling pus, particularly during the night, with pains as if caused by ulceration under the breast-bone, collecting of water in the mouth, occasional spitting of blood after scratching the breast, and involuntary discharge of urine.

ACIDUM PHOSPHORICUM

Phosph. acid, for coughs with expectoration, great hoarseness, coughing from a tickling in the pit of the stomach or of the throat, dry in the evening, in the morning attended by a white or yellow discharge; cough with oppressive pains in the chest and expectoration of pus ; when coughing a rending headache, inclination to vomit, and burning in the throat and chest.

SILICEA

Sil. for tedious cough with expectoration of much phlegm, transparent lumps, or yellow pus, with a pressure on the chest, so convulsive as to cause pain in the throat and abdomen; or a deep hollow cough, with spitting of blood; a dry cough, with a pain as if the chest were sore ; or a cough which threatens to suffocate the patient in the night, with asthma and emaciation.

SULPHUR

Sulph. for tedious dry cough from tickling in the throat, coughing with contraction of the chest, and retching; only during the night, preventing the patient from sleeping ; or dry during the night, by day attended by yellowish expectoration, or thick mucus, pus and blood; when coughing single stitches in the chest or under the ribs on the right side, as if the chest were to burst when coughing or sneezing; the breast tight and full, difficulty of breathing, whistling and snoring in the chest, palpitation of the heart, the patient is obliged to sit up during the night; or the cough is attended by a rending pain in the head, blackness before the eyes, heat in the head and face, but cold hands.   CALCAREA CARBONICA Calc. for tedious cough from tickling as from down in the throat, so violent in the evening and during the night that every vein throbs, or in the night during sleep; dry, with a pain in the chest, or snoring and rumbling on the chest, particularly with very fat children, where Ipec. suits, but does not suffice; or with much expectoration, particularly during the day, lumpy, purulent, yellow, greenish, brown, so offensive as to cause vomiting; when coughing, a stitch in the side and chest, burning in the latter, tearing and pricking pains in the head; beside, a pricking pain in the side when breathing deeply, when moving and bending; in the evening heat, then chills and thirst, perspiration during the night, great weakness, and much anxiety respecting the malady.

LACHESIS

Lach. for cough excited by pressing the hand upon the chest, the patient can bear nothing on the neck, coughs during the night in his sleep; or feels a tickling in the throat, the whole chest feels sore to the shoulders, with stitches in the side, and spitting of blood; or coughing as if something liquid had got into the windpipe ; or violent cough from ulcers in the throat, with retching, hawking up of phlegm, and much saUva in the mouth ; difficulty to expectorate, the cough bad after meals and after sleeping, after rising; at the same time pains in the throat, ears, head and eyes,

CAUSTICUM

Caust. for a protracted, dry, short cough, or for a hollow one, with excoriating or burning pain on the chest and in the windpipe; scraping in the throat and rattUng in the chest ; pain in the hip,as if going to burst open, or other rheumatic pains; the urine escapes while coughing.   Reference: C. Hering's domestic physician