hello all!

what is recommended for a bad cough?

it's been up/down for about a week now. i started off with echinacea when i first noticed a bit of weakness and that uncomfortable tingle in my throat. but stopped after day 4, because i was told i'd be worse off if i kept taking it.

the coughing isn't very constant, but when it does happen it hurts mainly in the throat and not too much in the chest. i'm taking 1500iu (ui?) of vitamin c everyday, sometimes more, as i've heard/experienced it helping to ease the effects of this season. i've also been chomping on salt-crisps which does help temporarily to ease the throat.

but i don't feel it getting better yet, after 7 days. is there something i can use, take or a way to condition my throat so it'll heal quicker?

thanks everyone!

Dear CSCS,

I'm glad you posted your case; we've been talking on Roselinville's thread about acutes and how to approach them, and here is a good example.

I know you are hoping that homeopathy has a "remedy for coughs" so you can get better, unfortunately, we have lots of remedies for coughs, but only one of those remedies is gonna help YOU. So, we have to find out what is peculiar about your cough--what makes it different from everybody else's; cuz believe it or not, your cough is unique, and just how unique is what we need to learn so we can match it to one of our many cough remedies.

1. First of all, is it dry or loose?

2. Is there a time factor involved with your cough? Worse after midnight? Worse after sleep?
I remember having a cold once where the cough came on at 11:00 every night like clock-work! In homeopathy, there are actually remedies for this. There's a rubric in our Repertory (book of symptoms): "Coughs at 11, coughs at 12...." and so on.

3. What do you have to do to make yourself feel better? For example: sit up, lie down, drink cold water, get up and move around, cover up, drink warm drinks, get out in the air, etc.?

4. What brings it on: Lying down? Deep breathing? Stuffy rooms? Tickling in the larynx? Does coughing bring on more coughing? Cold air? Motion? Talking? Drinking?

5. What does the cough sound like? A saw going through wood? A seal barking? Deep and hollow? Brassy? Hoarse? Hacking? Like a machine gun firing?

6. How does it feel: Does it hurt to cough? Do you have to hold your chest to steady yourself? Is the cough suffocative, choking, gasping, must swallow constantly? Cough end in gagging?

7. Are you more thirsty than usual or less thirsty?

8. Are you desiring any particular foods out of the ordinary? Maybe fruit or ice cream or lemons, etc.?

9. How does your chest feel, tight? Oppressed? Burning pains in the chest?

10. How's your energy? Normal, debilitated, restless?

11. How are you mentally and emotionally--any change here? Are you irritable? Apathetic? Angry? Weepy and feeling sorry for yourself? Anxiety about your health? Needing company? Worse for company--just want to be alone? Feeling droopy drowsy and dull? Feeling very picky about things--clutter getting on your nerves, crooked pictures on the wall and so forth?

12. Is there expectoration? What color and consistency is it? Watery? Lumpy? Thick? Clear?
White, yellow? Green?

13. What crummy thing might have caused this cold? Exposure to cold dry winds? Over-studying and sleep loss? Worry? Humiliation? An unresolved flu? etc.

14.Let's talk about concomitants. Concomitants are symptoms you have along with the cough--for instance: Sneezing, watery eyes, runny nose, constipation, fever, nausea, face turns color, nose bleed, sore throat, insomnia, etc.

15. Lastly, is there anything peculiar about your cough symptoms that we haven't mentioned--like for instance, does your cough seem to come from your stomach? Do you cough til you lose your breath? and so on.

Yes, we really do need the answer to all these questions! (Sorry)

Snoopy

Hi again!

I read your post over. You have already mentioned two peculiar symptoms about your case. There's a repertory rubric: "Throat, pain, coughing, on"; then there's the rather peculiar aspect of your throat, that you're better from eating salty food. So, I feel confident that we will be able to come up with a remedy for you with just a little bit more information.

Snoopy

Well Snoops - how long did that take to type? Fingers tired yet?

I just wanted to mention that a nasty cough is making it's way through North AMerica and it does take a loooong time to get rid of so don't be alarmed by it.

It would be nice to know if a genus epid has been spotted for this.

__________________
Man, do not pride yourself on your superiority to animals. For they are without sin and you in your greatness defile the earth by your appearance on it and leave traces of you foulness after you. Dostoyevsky

Thanks, Barb; I've caught Shana's cold! At least she's better thanks to Ars. 6C.

I guess it took an hour to type that questionaire
--I guess it's worth it; Chris gets upset when we don't take a complete case

Talk to ya soon,
Snoopy

Now comes the hard part--repertorizing! First, though, could you tell me about your sore throat?
Left-sided? Right-sided? Any special sensation--burning? Prickly? As if splinters in throat or a lump or fish bone, etc.? Swallowing a problem?
Pain extend to ears? Swollen glands?

Let me know,

Snoopy

swallowing isn't a problem. it doesn't seem to be on any particular side. and the sensation (when not coughing) is like a constant tiny pin prick.

what's repertorizing? sounds painful

no pain in ears and no noticeable swollen glands.

Do warm drinks help the throat pain? Would you call it a sticking pain? Stinging pain? As if a splinter?

Snoopy

yes, warm drinks do help it.

i would say it's a sticking pain, but slight. like a splinter, yes.

Thanks,
I'll get back to you.

Snoopy