If you want to skip straight to the remedies click here for Homeopathy for cough Part 2.
Does homeopathy work for cough? The answer is a resounding YES. In some cases all it takes is one remedy granule and cough that has tormented you for over a week disappears.
People often develop cough when seasons change and autumn sets in. A lot of children get colds and coughs as they return to school and the weather turns a little chilly. Keeping the immune system strong and resilient helps prevent viral infections.
If you or your child develop a cough, the first thing you need to do is rest. Slowing down and having plenty of sleep and relaxation will help your body with repair and recovery. Uncomplicated cough often doesn’t require treatment and will resolve by itself. Avoid cough suppressants. By coughing, your body is trying expel waste or irritants, such as mucus, bacteria, microbes or allergens.
Home remedies for cough
- Echinacea tincture
- Vitamin C
- Zinc
- Elderberry syrup
- Thyme tea is great for congestion and chest colds. Steep 2-3 teaspoons of fresh or dried organic thyme per cup, for 10-15 minutes, and add honey to taste.
- Yerba Santa for productive coughs, helps loosen the phlegm and bring it up. Can be used as a tea, tincture or syrup.
- Mint tea is good at soothing tickling irritated cough.
- Limit or avoid dairy. It produces mucus and makes congestion worse.
- Inhaling warm steam helps moisturise dry and irritated nose and throat. Put your head over a bowl of hot water and cover it with a towel. Be careful not to burn yourself.
Homeopathy for cough
It can be tricky to select the right homeopathic remedy for cough simply because there are over 300 remedies to choose from. For best results answer the following questions:
- Is the cough dry or wet?
- Do you cough up mucus? What colour / consistency / taste?
- Does it hurt to cough? Where is the pain and what does it feel like?
- What brings the cough on? / What makes it better?
For example, eating, drinking, warmth of bed, open air, laughing, talking, bending head forward or backward etc. - Is the cough worse when you move or when you rest?
- What position do you assume when coughing?
- Is the cough better / worse during the day or night?
- Are there any other symptoms, for example fever, headache?
- How do you feel in yourself, emotionally? For example, weepy, irritable, anxious, restless?
- How does the cough sound?
As you can see, you need a lot of detailed information to select the right homeopathic remedy for cough. I find that listening to patient’s cough gives me some valuable clues. Try it yourself, it makes prescribing fun!
Homeopathy for cough – Aconite
Before we delve into remedies, I want to mention Aconite. When using homeopathy for cough, this remedy is brilliant at first signs of cough or cold that came on suddenly. The trigger is often getting chilled or being exposed to cold wind. When your child is completely well going to bed but wakes up in the middle of the night with dry croupy cough and possibly high temperature, grab Aconite. They may also be restless and anxious. This remedy is particularly useful during the first 24-48 hours of the onset of symptoms. If this is the beginning of croup, you can learn about other croup remedies here.
Continue reading about Homeopathy for cough in Part 2 of this article
I hope you found this helpful. If you have any questions or would like to book an appointment, please feel free to contact me. I am a qualified professional offering expert homeopathic treatment in Dublin and Online. Family discounts available.
