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Why Homeopathy is best in bronchitis?
In this post, we are going to see what is bronchitis and its best treatment in homoeopathy. Homoeopathy is best in bronchitis, as it acts in a very safe, natural, gently without any side effects.
Homoeopathic medicines are free from any side effects and treat bronchitis without suppressing it. Most cases of bronchitis get better itself within a few weeks without any treatment.
Homoeopathy in Bronchitis –
Antim tart –
It affects mucous membranes of bronchi and lungs, causing accumulation of mucus with much rattling laboured breathing. It is suited to children and old people. Antim tart helps to loosen the mucus helping in easy expectoration.
Shortness of breath with much mucus in throat and hoarseness of voice. Thick expectoration with tightness in chest with a burning sensation. Rapid, short, difficult breathing which is relieved by sitting up and eructations.
Complaints are aggravated by lying, cold, damp weather, milk and ameliorated by sitting, expectoration, lying on the right side. Also indicated in emphysema of the old people.
Drosera –
This is one of the best homeopathic medicine used for dry cough. There is dry, spasmodic, irritating cough accompanied by severe breathlessness. Deep, hoarse cough with yellow expectoration.
Constrictive pain in larynx and trachea during coughing. Sensation as if feather in the larynx. Rattling, whistling, barking type of cough as soon as head touches the pillow. Cough aggravates from smoking, talking, cold and in the night.
Phosphorus –
Phosphorus is also great medicine for patients of Bronchitis. It irritates, inflames and degenerates mucous membranes. There is great sensitivity to touch, odours, and atmospheric changes. Hard and dry cough induced by laughing and talking and cold air.
Patient complaints of tightness, heaviness and oppression of chest with blood-stained mucus. The patient may also have a craving for cold drinks, ice cream, and juices.
Spongia –
It is indicated in bronchitis accompanied by dryness of air passage with no mucus. The patient has anxiety and fear where every excitement causes cough. There are stitches and dryness in the throat along with burning and stinging. Dry, barking cough with difficult breathing and sensation of plug in the throat.
The cough starts after eating and drinking, especially warm drinks. The patient has an asthmatic cough with wheezing which gets worse by cold air, night and better by lying down with head low.
Ipecac –
It is commonly indicated in constant cough with the rattling of mucus in chest. It produces spasmodic irritation in chest and stomach, dyspnea, constriction of the chest with yearly attacks of asthma and breathlessness.
Hemoptysis accompanied by nausea and vomiting is indicative of ipecac. It is specially indicated in fat children and adults who catch a cold easily. Ipecac helps to expel cough with least efforts.
What is Bronchitis?
Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchi in the lungs. The main route to the lungs is the bronchi. When we breathe through our nose or mouth, the air goes into the larynx, trachea, and left-right bronchus.
When the bronchi become swollen due to infection or irritation, bronchitis occurs and makes breathing more difficult with more mucus & cough.
Types –
Acute bronchitis –
Also known as a chest cold, is a short term inflammation of the bronchi & is one of the most common diseases.
Most of the cases of acute bronchitis are due to viral infection, with a cough that usually lasts for 3 weeks with fever for the first 3 days of infection. This is an air-borne infection spreading through cough, sneeze, and direct contact.
Smoking, dust and other air pollution are some risk factors for acute bronchitis.
The most common symptoms include cough with mucus, wheezing, fever, short breathe, chest discomfort. The infection may last about 10 days and the symptoms usually around three weeks. In some cases, the symptoms may last for 6 weeks. It mostly occurs in winter days.
Chronic bronchitis-
Chronic bronchitis is often called a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In this type, cough lasts for 3 months & more every year for at least 2 years. Smoking, air pollution, and genetics are the main causative factors.
It is seen usually in older people above 50 years of age. It is characterized by wheezing and shortness of breath, especially upon exertion and low oxygen saturations. After waking, the cough is often severe and the spit produced may be yellow or green and maybe with bloodstains.
In chronic cases, it never goes away, and a person lives with it constantly, although it gets good and bad at times.
Why do I have bronchitis?
The bronchi produce mucus to catch dust and other particles that could otherwise cause irritation to the lungs.
Smoking is the most common cause of chronic bronchitis, it can cause permanent damage to the bronchi, causing them to become inflamed.
Who is affected?
Acute bronchitis is most common in younger children under the age of five, but it can affect all ages. It is more common in winter days and often develops following a cold, sore throat or flu.
Causes –
- Infection – The most common cause of bronchitis is a viral infection, but bacterial infection may also occur. Most of the cases of bronchitis are caused by the same virus that causes the common cold or flu.
- Irritants – Bronchitis may also be triggered by inhaling irritant substances, such as smog, chemicals in household products or tobacco smoke.
- Occupational exposure – to grain dust, fabric fibres, chemical fumes, strong acids, pesticides. Also known as “occupational bronchitis”.
- Family history – of lung diseases, respiratory disease or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may also cause bronchitis.
- Chronic bronchitis is caused by smoking, chronic inhalation of air pollution or irritating fumes or dust from coal mining, grain handling, textile manufacturing, farming, and metal industries.
Symptoms of acute and chronic bronchitis are –
- Cough longer than 3 weeks
- Cough with blood streaks
- The main symptom is cough, with yellow-grey mucosal expectoration
- Sore throat and wheezing or a whistling sound while breathing
- Runny or blocked nose
- Headache and pains with fever
- Tiredness
- Shortness of breath or wheezing (common in chronic bronchitis)
- Exertional breathlessness
- Persistent cough with expectoration
- Frequent chest infections
- The symptoms often worsen in the winter
- Body aches and chills
- Feeling “wiped out”
- Even after the other symptoms of acute bronchitis are gone, the cough may last for a few weeks.
- In chronic bronchitis, your cough lasts for at least 3 months and returns for at least 2 consecutive years.
- The cough may last for several weeks after other symptoms have gone, with soreness of the muscles of the chest & abdomen.
Diagnosis –
- Signs and symptoms
- Pulmonary function test – to measure the lung functions. Decreased lung capacity may indicate underlying health problems.
- Chest X-ray – to rule out pneumonia or another illness that can cause cough
- Oxygen levels in your blood by placing a pulse oximeter probe to your finger or toe
- Blood tests – for any infection and other parameters
Preventive measures –
- Take rest
- It can be prevented by avoiding smoking and other lung irritants.
- Frequent hand washing may also be protective.
- Drink lots of fluids to prevent dehydration and also it thins the mucus in your lungs, making it easier to expectorate.
- Regular exercising to strengthen the chest muscles to help to breathe
- Wear a mask when you are around irritant things like paint fumes, chemicals, air pollution, dust, smog.
Complications –
Pneumonia is the most common complication of bronchitis, when the infection spreads further into the lungs, causing air sacs inside the lungs to fill up with fluid.
Elderly people, tobacco smokers, people with heart, liver or kidney disease, low immunity, are at an increased risk of developing pneumonia.
“I believe that human health is a precious thing which may not be compromised at any cost. That’s why I strongly believe in Homeopathy because it is so natural and NO harming side effects at all”.