The Homeopathic Coach

This article provides some curative Homeopathic medicines for coughs. In my previous post called Homeopathic Cough Cures part 1, I explained when it is important for your health to leave a cough to do its work rather than suppress it. I also outlined when we should definitely treat a cough and taught you how to take an effective homeopathic cough case. In this article you will be able to select your Homeopathic cough medicine from the medicines explained below.

Homeopathic Cough medicines

As you will know by now, the Homeopathic pharmacy has upwards of 4000 medicines to choose from. As an individualised medicine, Homeopathy has many different solutions to each specific cough. In the interests of not overwhelming you with information, I have chosen the most common and most distinctive homeopathic cough cures so you will be able to select the appropriate treatment with ease. In addition I have grouped the medicines into two main catergories:

• Dry coughs
• Loose coughs

I will cover Croup specifically in another post in this series.

Homeopaths use shorthand symbols as follows:

< means that the patient is 'worse for' the items that follow the symbol
> means that the patient is 'better for' the items that follow the symbol

Dry Coughs

Aconite: This cough is a dry, often barking cough with a sudden onset, that may arise after exposure to cold (especially cold wind) ,or after a sudden shock or fright. If fever is present the head will be hot but the extremities cold or cool to touch. Patient may be restless and/or fearful.
< Night or when asleep,especially after just falling asleep, lying on either side
> Lying on their back

Bryonia: The patient with this cough will have a dry, painful chest and may place their hands on either their chest or head when they cough. They may be extremely irritable and worse in a warm room.
< Eating or swallowing, overheating, lying with head low
> Open air

Rumex: This irritative cough has a dry tickle in the throat. Breathing in cold air can set this cough off and they are usually worse at night. In fact any temperature change can cause them to cough so watch if moving from house to car makes them worse.
< Beathing in cold air, at 11pm, undressing or uncovering, bending head backwards, talking, lying
> Lying on right side

Spongia: A dry hacking cough with a sound as if drawing a saw through wood. The cough is both day and night usually and if the patient bends their head backwards it makes it worse. They are worse from breathing in, cold drinks and better for bending forwards.
< Before or after midnight, cold, dry air, day and night
> Eating or drinking, sitting, bending head forward

Ipecac: (see notes below in loose cough section)

Loose Coughs

Antimonium Tartaricum: (Ant Tart) use this medicine if the patient has a loose rattly chest but does not bring up anything when he/she coughs. This medicine will change the cough to a productive loose cough which should enable the patient to clear their chest effectively. Often indicated in young children and infants. The cough is rattling, wheezy, choking.
< At night especially 10pm til midnight, cold, damp weather and at night on lying down, eating, yawning
> Sitting, after expectoration

Hepar Sulph: This is for a loose croupy cough with thick, yellow mucous. The cough sounds both loose and 'thick' and can sometimes be dry and barking. Can feel as if needles or splinters are in the throat.
< Evening in bed til midnight, getting cold, slightest drafts, after eating, after talking
> Warmth and from expectoration

Ipecac: Often a dry tickling cough or a loose, rattly cough often in infants such as in bronchiolitis. Spasms of coughing may be followed by vomiting. In children they may feel as if they will vomit with each coughing fit.
< At night especially around 7pm, eating, warm room
> After expectoration, cold drinks

Pulsatilla: A cough from allergy , asthma or a head cold. Loose, rattling with green or yellow expectoration. Can be dry in the evening then loose in the morning. Worse in the evening, or in bed at night or after becoming cold and or wet. If it is a cough caused by allergy the patient will be worse in a warm room. This is a good medicine for post nasal drip. Use pillows to prop up patient at night and a gentle, cool fan may help.
< Warm, stuffy rooms, evening and at night, being cold or wet
> Open or cool air, gentle walking, deep breath

Kali Carb: An excellent medicine for a loose productive cough with bronchitis or conversely a dry, tickling cough. The cough is worse in the night partucularly between 2-4am. The cough may cause the patient to vomit and they may also have stitching pains in the chest on coughing.
< 2-4 am, on first going to sleep, cold air and slightest draft, lying, exertion, warm food
> Fresh air but warm body, being propped up or bent forward

If you are unsure about how to decide which are the important symptoms in a patient with a cough please refer to Homeopathic Cough Cures Part 1 . Prescribing for chronic coughs is more complex so if you need help with this and a professional consultation for your chronic cough, find yourself a local Homeopath or book a skype online consultation with me and let's get to work!

Happy Homeopathic prescribing :)