COLD AND ACUTE CORYZA (which means sneezing)
The common cold may be caused by variety viruses such as the rhinoviruses
and adenoviruses, influenzaviruses. More than 95 rhinovirus serotypes have
been discovered in relationship to coryza yet there is still no effective
treatment in orthodox medicine. Homeopathy, on the other hand, works
directly on strengthening the immune system allowing it to overcome the
virus and establish more immunity to it in the future. Not all colds,
however, are caused by viruses in the first place. Some acute coryza may
have other causes, such as the elimination of waste products, specific
allergens or pollution.
The incubation period is usually 18 to 48 hour after exposure after which
the onset is often rather abrupt. The symptoms often start with a scratchy,
itchy, or burning throat, followed by sneezing, a clear watery discharge,
and varying degrees of malaise. This may be followed by a hacking cough,
laryngitis, tracheitis with substernal tightness and burning discomfort, and
mild bronchitis in those who are susceptible. In the adult a cold is usually
afebrile although it may cause a mild fever (100 to 102 F) in infants an
small children. Complications include sinusitis, swollen glands,
tonsillitis, ear infections, bronchitis, and secondary infections marked by
purulent sputum.
A common cold usually follows four distinct stages that assist in choosing
the correct remedies. The first is mark by the scratchy throat, clear
discharge, sneezing, and malaise. The second is marked by a white creamy
discharge, less sneezing and a tight, hacking or tickling, itching,
irritating cough. sore throats, and fever and chill. The third is marked by
a yellowish discharge,, loose coughs, and pain in the chest. The fourth
stage is marked by greenish or brownish discharges, the coughing up of lumps
and plugs, and soreness deep in the lungs. After this fourth phase, the
coryza may dry up and convalescence begun, or complication arise that
continue toward a chronic state. Bed red and plenty of fluids is advised for
those who are strongly affected.
Materia Medica
ACONITE (2). First stage. Coryza caused by cold, dry winds, dry at first
with violent headache, roaring in ears, fever, sleeplessness, heat and sense
of fullness in nares, and muscles sore all over body so that sneezing forces
him to support chest. Fluent coryza with frequent sneezing and dropping of
clear, hot watery discharge, inner nose swollen, red, interfering with
breathing. Better > in cool room and open air.
ALLIUM CEPA (3). Colds with streaming discharges from the eyes and nose,
with headache and frequent sneezing. Profuse acrid discharges from the nose
corroding the lip and nose and bland lachrymation from the eyes (reverse of
Euphr.). Violent laryngitis, tickling in larynx. cough seems to split and
tear the larynx, grasp larynx when coughing. Hot and thirsty. Worse <
evenings, indoors, warm room. Better > in open air.
ARSENICUM (3). Thin watery discharges from nose which excoriates the upper
lip, while nose is stuffed up all the time. Always taking cold in the nose,
from every change of weather, colds begins in the nose and drops to the
chest. Always chilly, hovers round the fire, can't get enough clothes on.
Chilly with burning, relieved by heat. Thirst for frequent drinks in sips.
Restless, anxious, morbidity fastidious and exhausted.
ARUM TRIPH (2). Nostril raw and bloody, bores and picks at bloody surfaces,
worse < morning. Continuos discharges of burning ichorous fluid from nose,
excoriating Nostril upper lip and corner of moth, nose stuffed, can only
breathe with mouth open. Bores and picks in nose till it bleeds, worse
mornings. Sneezing, worse < night, can hardly talk on account of phlegm in
back part of throat, Snuffles of babies.
BELLADONNA (2). Suppressed catarrh with maddening headache. Throat raw and
sore, very red and shining. Hoarseness and painful dryness larynx. As if
larynx inflamed and swollen, with snoring breathing and danger of
suffocation. Acute catarrhal laryngitis. Cough with red, injected throat.
Dry, tearing cough, which scrapes throat. This remedy is characterized by
redness, heat and dryness. Tend toward thirstlessness.
BRYONIA (2). Often begins in the nose, sneezing, coryza running at nose,
lachrymation, aching eyes, nose and head the first day, then trouble goes
down posterior nares, throat, larynx with hoarseness and bronchitis which
may end in pleurisy and pneumonia. Extreme dryness, dry spasmodic, hard,
racking, expectoration scanty, lips dry and parched, thirsty for large
drinks. Cough with stitches in chest, with headache as if the head would fly
to pieces. Irritable, wants to lie still and be left alone, Cough worse < at
night, after eating and drinking, entering warm room, on taking a deep
inspiration. Worse < cold, dry weather.
CAMPHOR (1). Useful at the very beginning of a cold before the catarrhal
symptoms have begun. Feels chilled, can not get warm, yet wants to be
uncovered. Can abort the entire process if given early during the chill.
Fluent coryza on sudden change of weather, violent stitching or crawling,
from the root of the nose almost to the tip.
CARBO VEG (3). Worse < warm moist weather, evening. Loss of voice every
evening, rawness of larynx and pharynx.
DULCAMARA (1). Colds from cold, wet weather and snow, from getting wet, or
chilled when heated. Worse < sudden changes of from hot to cold. Dry coryza,
sore throat, stiff neck and limb painful. More fluent in warm or house less
fluent in cold air, cold room. Starts sneezing in a cold room, nose stuffs
up in cold rain.
EUPATORIUM PERF. (3). Coryza with deep aching in every bone, and lassitude.
Fluent coryza with sneezing and hoarseness, weight over head and forehead,
nose and eyes both streaming with water at intervals.
EUPHRASIA (3). Burning coryza, increasing in the evening, with fluent flow
of tears and cough. Mild discharge from the nose with acrid tears from the
eyes (reverse Euphr.), aversion to light, worse < at night while lying down.
Cough worse < during the day, after windy weather.
FERR PHOS (2). Coryza at the very beginning, frontal headache, better > by
nosebleed. Starts with the fever. Chill returning at the same time every
day, while sitting at table, and 1 p.m..
GELSEMIUM (2). Catarrh during warm, moist, relaxing weather, with
excoriating discharge form the nose, making the nostrils and wings of nose
raw and sore. Frequent sneezing, sore throat, tonsils red and tumefied.
Difficulty swallowing from paretic state of the muscles, great prostration,
wants to be left alone. Dullness, heaviness, droopy eyes, muscular soreness,
fever without thirst (reverse Bry.).
HEPAR SULPH. (3). Colds from the cold, dry weather (Acon., Nux-v.). Sneezing
and running from the nose, first watery, then thick, yellow offensive.
Sweating all night without relief (Merc.) Hoarse croupy cough, phlegm is
loose, rattling and choking. Hypersensitive to touch, pain, draughts of cold
air. Wants to strike anyone who lets cold air in the room, very irritable.
Better > moist, wet weather ( reverse Gels.).
IPECAC (1). Colds with overwhelming nausea, no thirst.
KALI BICH (3). and other kalis. Catarrhs with great accumulation of ropy
mucus and expectoration of solid chunks from posterior nares. Cough with
expectoration of tough phlegm which can be drawn into long strings. Pressure
and tightness at the root of the nose, sinusitis, loss of smell. Flow of
acrid water from nose, excoriating the nostrils causing ulceration (Arum-t.,
Ars.). Yellowish and greenish discharge.
(a). Kali-m (1). Colds in the second stage with swollen glands, white coated
tongue, and white or grayish discharges.
(b). Kali-i (2). Nose is red, swollen, tender and the face is red. Discharge
from the nose feels cold and is acrid and watery. Discharge is yellowish or
greenish. Hot and dry, then, alternating drenched with sweat. Alternating
heat and chill. Late stages of a cold.
(c). Kali-s (1). Coryza with thick yellow offensive discharges alternating
with a watery flow. Follows kali-m well.
MERCURIUS (2). Frequent sneezing, copious discharges of watery salvia,
swelling, redness and rough scraping soreness of nose, with itching and pain
in the nasal bones on pressing. Fetid smell of the nasal mucus. Painful
heaviness of forehead, night-sweats, chill and feverish heat, great thirst
pain in the limb, worse warmth or old by dampness. Watery, swollen, flabby
tongue showing indention of teeth, with thirst. Creeping chilliness. Painful
teeth and jaws with swollen glands. Suspicious, cautious, introverted,
hurried, and at times slow and hesitant. Worse from cold and heat.
NATRUM MUR. (2). Cattarhs watery, or thick whitish, like white of egg "raw
or cooked". Colds with abnormal quantity of secretion with paroxysms of
sneezing. Fluent alternating with dry catarrh. Watery vesicles about lips
and wings of nose, cold sore and herpes. Cough with bursting headache
(Bry.). Urine spurt when coughing. Depressed, serious, feels weepy but only
cries when alone, worse < consolation. Craves salt. Tongue is clean, watery,
with small bubbles.
NUX VOMICA (2). During the first stage, dryness and obstruction of the nose,
with heaviness in the forehead and angry, impatient mood. Catarrh fluent in
the morning and dry in the evening and at night, with dryness of the mouth
without much thirst, worse < in warm air, better in cold air. Sneezing early
in bed, scraping in the nose and throat, chills and heat alternate in the
evening, with great heat of the face and head, acrid discharge from the
obstructed nose, stoppage of the nose, particularly out-doors, but fluent
indoors. Worse < exposures to dry, cold air, sitting on cold stones, etc.
PHOSPHORUS (2). Fluent coryza, dullness of the head, sleepiness, especially
during the day and after meals, blowing blood from the nose, alternating
fluent and dry with frequent sneezing, dry, forming firmly adhering crusts.
Profuse discharges, flowing down into faucets, neck swollen, eyes staring.
Cold begins in chest and runs up nose. Chest tight, cough hard, tight dry,
rack the patient, worse < open air. Thirst for cold water, desires cool
food. Highly sympathetic, lively, expressive individuals who are often tall
, thin, hungry and desire for cold water and cold foods.
PULSATILLA (3). Old catarrhs with loss of smell, thick, bland, yellow
discharges, in nervous, yielding, timid, or passive temperaments. Better >
in open air. Lips chapped and peel yet patient is thirstless. Chronic,
thick, yellow, bland discharges or later yellow, green and offensive.
Tearful, craves sympathy and is better by > consolation (reverse Nat-m.).
SULPHUR (3). Constant sneezing, stoppage of the nose, fluent, like water
trickling from the nose, nasal discharges acrid and burning. Dirty looking
discharges. Often useful when colds are lingering in individuals who are
intellectual, philosophical, eccentric and messy in appearance.
Repertorium
ACUTE CORYZA - Acon., ALL-C., Arum-t., ARS., Bell., Bry., camph., Eup-p.,
EUPHR., Ferr-p., Gels., HEP., kali-m., KALI-B., Kali-i., kali-s., Merc.,
Nat-m., Nux-v., Phos., PULS., Sulph..
abdomen, pain in, from coughing or sneezing - Bry,
alternating heat and cold - Kali-i..
discharges
acrid - All-c., Ars., Bels., Kalo-i., Mer., Nux-v. Sul..
bland - Euphr., Puls..
offensive - Calc., Hep., Kali-b., Merc., Nat-c., Puls..
greenish - Kali-b., Kali-i. Merc., Puls..
yellow-
easily chilled - Ars., Bry., Hep., Nat-m., Nux-v., Phos., Puls..
head, pain from coughing or sneezing - Bry., Nux-v., Phos..
modalites -
air, open
< Bry., Hep., Merc., Nat-m., Nux-v., Phos..
>Acon., All-c., Puls..
cold
< cold air - all-c., Ars., Dulc., Hep., Nux-v., Phos..
< cold dry weather - Acon., Bry., Hep., Nux-v.
< cold wet - Calc., Dulc., Rhus-t., Nat-s..
< inhaling cold air - All-c., Hep., Phos., Rumex..
wet
< wet - Calc., Dulc., Kali-i., Merc., Puls., Sul..
< warm wet - Gels., Carb-v..
>warm wet - Hep..
warm room
< All-c., Merc., Nux-v., Puls.,
entering - Bry..
stages-
first - Acon., camph., ferr-p. Nat-m..
second- kali-m.,
third - kali-s., Puls.,
fourth - Puls.,
sinus, frontal affected - ars., kali-i., lyc., Merc., sil..
sore throat - Merc., Nux-v., Phos..
sweating -
better > - kali-i..
worse < - Hep., Merc..
travels down - Ars., Bry., Carb-v., Ipec.,
travels up - Phos..