Dr Jaimin R. Chotaliya M.D. (Hom.)
Dr Jalpa P. Atri (B.H.M.S) M.D.
INTRODUCTION:
In Pandemic era of Novel Corona virus, Corona occupies its dangerous place in each and every mind. This pandemic is a huge fight of medical fraternity against novel Corona virus to save humanity. From emergency to Regular OPD departments of medical worlds are facing a constant pressure to fight against the corona virus. Due to its variable presentation in this second wave of corona, diagnosis and prognosis are very difficult for even highly intellectual Physicians. Fever, weakness and cough are widely manifested symptoms among the corona patients. Sometime presence of only one symptom to chain of pathological symptoms is present in corona virus affected patient in this second wave. In this fight for humanity let’s give contribution from Homeopathy to fight against this Pandemic.
KEYWORDS: COUGH, HOMOEOPATHY, COVID
In this pandemic of corona virus, homeopathy gives a valuable contribution for treatment of mild and moderate cases of Corona virus. Solely homeopathic medicine in mild corona cases and homeopathic medicines as add on therapy along with modern medicines in moderate cases are popular in current era.
Symptomatic Manifestation of corona is variable but cough is most widely manifested symptom in cases. Here some therapeutics regarding the cough from homeopathy where cough is major concern about the patient’s health and followed by some cases which show the beneficial effect of Homeopathy in treatment of Corona Virus Cases.
THERAPEUTICS OF COUGH:
Arsenicum Album: Unable to lie down; fears suffocation. Air-passages constricted. Asthma worse midnight. Burning in chest. Suffocative catarrh. Cough worse after midnight; worse lying on back. Expectoration scanty, frothy. Darting pain through upper third of right lung. Wheezing respiration. Haemoptysis with pain between shoulders; burning heat all over. Cough dry, as from sulphur fumes; after drinking.
Rumex Crispus:
This remedy has a dry cough from tickling in the supra-sternal fossa. It is a laryngo-tracheal cough, which is teasing and persistent, and is aggravated by cold air. The patient has to cover the head with the bedclothes and breathe warm air to stop the cough. Deep inspiration aggravates it. It suits incessant fatiguing coughs, with soreness behind the sternum, and much tough mucus in the larynx which cannot be hawked up. It suits the night coughs of consumptives where there is sharp, stitching pains trough the lungs in the early stages.
Bryonia Alba:
The cough of Bryonia is generally dry and concussive. It seems to come from the region of the stomach, and is preceded by a tickling in the epigastrium. During the cough the patient holds the sides of the chest with his hands, as the cough not only shakes the chest, but also hurts distant parts of the body. It is induced also by coming from the open air into a warm room and is accompanied by bursting headache. The expectoration is scanty, tough and sometimes bloody.
Spongia tosta:
This remedy suits a hard, barking, ringing, metallic sounding cough, which is worse from deep breathing and excitement, often arousing the patient out of sleep with a suffocative feeling. There is usually no expectoration; it suits, therefore, oftentimes the dry, racking cough of chronic bronchitis.
Sanguinaria Canadensis:
This is one of our best remedies in dry and humid coughs following inflammation. It is especially useful in the pre-tubercular stage of phthisis. Brigham says that few remedies have proved equal to Sanguinaria for bronchial coughs. It is usually a dry cough excited by tickling in the larynx and upper chest. The expectoration is rust colored and the breath may be offensive. Again, it may have a loose cough, but the secretion of mucus is expectorated with great difficulty, here being like Kali bichromicum. Holcombe says : “It has done me more good in pulmonary diseases than any other single remedy.” Almost any cough with a hectic flush and dryness of the throat will yield to Sanguinaria.
Hepar Sulphuricum:
The cough of Hepar is husky and hoarse, never a perfectly dry one; it has a loose edge and the patient coughs into a fit of choking.
Squilla maritima
Rattling in chest; patient coughs a long time before a little mucus is raised, which relieves.
Causticum:
Causticum has a dry, hollow cough, with tightly adhering mucus in the chest, relieved by a drink of cold water, as in the nervous spasmodic cough of Cuprum. It is accompanied oftentimes with pain in the hips, more frequently the left, and with involuntary spurting of urine. Scilla and Natrum muriaticum also have this last symptom. With Causticum the patient cannot cough deeply enough to raise the mucus, being similar to Lachesis in this sticking of the phlegm. The Causticum cough is attended with morning hoarseness.
Senega:
Senega is useful in coughs with profuse secretion of mucus, causing ineffectual efforts for its expulsion, though the cough is loose and rattling. Burning in the chest before or after coughing is an excellent symptom.
Ipecacuanha
Ipecac has a loose, rattling cough occurring with every breath, accompanied by asthma and nausea and vomiting. As with Antimonium tartaricum, the chest seems full of mucus, but does not yield to coughing. A cough that has lasted a long time and been neglected will oftentimes be benefited by Ipecac.
Rhus tox:
Tickling behind upper sternum. Dry, teasing cough from midnight until morning, during a chill, or when putting hands out of bed. Haemoptysis from overexertion; blood bright red. Influenza, with aching in all bones. [Eup. perf.] Hoarseness from overtraining voice. [Arn.] Oppression of the chest, cannot get breath with sticking pains. Bronchial coughs in old people, worse on awaking and with expectoration of small plugs of mucus.
Eupatorium perfoliatum
Coryza, with sneezing. Hoarseness and cough, with soreness in chest; must support it. Influenza, with great soreness of muscles and bones. Chronic loose cough, chest sore; worse at night.Cough relieved by getting on hands and knees.
Ferrum Phosphoricum
First stage of all inflammatory affections. Congestions of lungs. Haemoptysis. Short, painful tickling cough. Croup. Hard, dry cough, with sore chest. Hoarseness. Expectoration of pure blood in pneumonia. [Millefol.] Cough better at night.
Cases of Corona Virus infected patients with beneficial effects of Homeopathy as add on therapy to conventional medicines:
Note: This is a summary of managed cases through phone call and video call. All the cases were taken according to Homeopathic case taking Guidelines mentioned in Organon and analysis was based on Principle of analogy. Posology of cases was on the basis of disease Severity and patient’s Susceptibility as well as suitability of Medicine.
Case No. 1:
Name: ABC Age: 48 Sex: Male Address: Ahemdabad
Complaints of fever, weakness cough and body ache since 4 days. Taken allopathic medicines but slight relief. Bodyache and dry cough were chief complaint of pt during case taking. Cough was dry with no expectoration with irritation of throat. On the basis of other physical generals and totality of symptoms Eupatorium perfoliatum 200 BDS was prescribed on April 15 2021.
16 April- Relief in cough with slight bodyache
18 April- Relief in bodyache and having a feeling of strength in day to day activities.
Learning: In this case Cough with concomitant symptom-Severe bodyache (Great soreness of muscles) was the basis of Prescription.
Case no. 2:
Name: xyz Age: 45 Sex: Female Address: Ahemdabad
Complaints of throat irritation and cough since 3 days and cough aggravated at night with severe pain in calf muscle at night which prevent sleep. Cough was dry but with more than 3 paroxysms whenever pt coughs. Passiflora mother tincture (Q) HS was prescribed on 21 April 2021.
23 April- relief in cough but slight pain in calf muscle at night still persist.
25 April- no more pain in calf muscle at night with sound sleep.
Learning: in this case the spasmodic Affection was the generalized expression of sick person whether on respiratory complaint or on muscular symptom.
Case no. 3
Name: ABC Age: 29 Sex: Male Address: Ahemdabad
Patient presents with Complaint of Dry Cough with successive paroxysms and severe weakness. Pt was on conventional medicine but slight relief with medicines and wants to take Homeopathic medicines. On chest X-ray, prominent brochovascular margins were there having history of tendency to catch cold. Pt having thirst for large quantity of water at long intervals and feeling of dryness in throat was marked. On the basis of totality of symptoms, Bryonia Alba 200 BDS was prescribed on 17 April 2021.
Follow ups: after taking medicine on next day cough paroxysm were reduced but slight weakness was there. On follow up of 23 April- Cough was relieved with much improvement in strength.
(Patient was Advise to take Further Homeopathic Medicines to correct the tendency to catch cold.)
Learning: Here importance given to the physical generals as well as affinity of medicine form the basis of prescription.
Case no. 4
Name: ABC Age: 26 Sex: Female Address: Surat
Patient presents with complaint of dry cough with irritation of throat. Cough < at night with no other symptoms. Cough < by cold drinks and air > while wearing mask. No other complaint but throat irritation was marked. On the basis of totality of symptoms Rumex 30 TDS was prescribed on 17 April 2021.
Follow Up: After taking medicine on next day throat irritation was better and cough reduced. Within 4 days of medicines cough was much better with no irritation in throat.
Learning: Here Modality and seat of action were the Key factor for the selection of medicine along with other symptomatology of case.
Case no. 5
Name: xyz Age: 24 years Sex: Male Address: Ahemdabad
Patient present with the weakness and cough since4 days and taking modern medicines but slight relief was there. Here cough was dry with feverish feeling was there which is better with medications but again after 6-7 hrs symptoms again develops. Pt was seen in restlessness with cough< at night. Thirst 1-2 liter/ day and no other complaints. On observation- tongue was moist with red triangular tip. On the basis of totality of symptoms Rhus tox 30 BDS was prescribed on 20 April 2021.
Follow Ups: after 3rd dose of medicine, feverish feeling was no more but cough was there. On 23 April 2021- cough was much reduced with feeling of good strength in body.
Learning: observation plays an important part in homoeopathic case taking. Here on the basis of general and particular symptoms of case many medicines were indicated but characteristic tongue differentiate Rhus tox from other Remedies in Indicated Group of Remedies.
Conclusion: this pandemic is dangerous for our health but a rational approach and helping hands are useful weapons in fight. Intention of this article is to stimulate mind of neophytes in Homeopathy for Practice. Managing mild to moderate cases with Homeopathy will be a great help to suffering humanity in this corona pandemic.
References:
- Boericke W., Pocket manual of Homeopathic Materia Medica with Repertory, Reprint edition, India; B. Jain Publication Pvt. Ltd New Delhi.
- Dewey W.A., Practical Homeopathic Therapeutics, Reprint edition; India; B. Jain Publication Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi, Cough chapter.
Dr. Jaimin R. Chotaliya M.D. (Hom.)
Asst. Professor (Department of Repertory)
Swami Vivekanand Homoeopathic medical college and Hospital, Sidsar road, Bhavnagar. 364060
jaiminchotaliya@gmail.com
Dr. Jalpa P. Atri (B.H.M.S) M.D.
Works as Assistant Professor
Department of Surgery and Homeopathic Therapeutics
Dr L.R. Shah Homoeopathy College Kalavad Highway, Gardividhyapith,Rajkot, Gujarat 361162
atrijappi4494@gmail.com
Wonderful description regarding Cough medicine.