ENT Maladies - Symptoms, Treatment, Homeopathic Remedies
Using Homeopathy for Tonsillitis, Colds, Sore throat
The ear, nose, and throat (ENT) zone of the human body is the portal for breath and food (and sound, of course) - and for the antigens that can cause illness. The afflictions that arise in this region - which is covered by a branch of medicine called otolaryngology - can be a nuisance, like the typical common cold, or a more serious ordeal such as a severe ear infection that ruptures the ear drum. There is a huge variety of potential ENT problems, including earaches, sinus infections, tonsillitis, laryngitis, pharyngitis, strep throat, mouth sores, the common cold, hoarseness, tinnitus, mouth or throat cancer, nosebleeds, apnea, and many more. We will here look at a small number of possible illnesses, from a homeopathic perspective.
Conventional Treatment Treats the Symptoms Not the Cause
Much of the conventional treatment for ENT problems involves prescribing antibiotics, which not only have unpleasant side effects but also can help create resistance to their future use. The homeopathic approach does not entail these risks, and it is geared towards strengthening the body's vital force and immune system to render further illness less likely.
Colds and Flu
Contracting a cold or flu is virtually a universal experience, and the symptoms are familiar to all: stuffiness, sneezing, coughing, runny nose, fever, chills, aches, etc. Conventional medicine offers the obvious suggestions: rest and fluids, plus some medications that ease the symptoms (and which can mask underlying imbalances). Homeopathic treatment addresses the whole person, not just the immediate illness, and a skillful homeopath will select a remedy that will both alleviate the severity and frequency of the symptoms and help restore overall wellbeing on a constitutional level.
Considerations when choosing the most effective remedy for people with a cold or flu include how early the illness is caught, whether there is discharge and how copious it is, the presence of a headache, if there is a predisposition to catching colds, the time of year, chest involvement, degree and type of pain associated with coughing, and much else.
Homeopathy Matches Your Individual Symptoms to a Homeopathic Remedy So You Feel Better Right Away
Some of the more common homeopathic remedies for colds and flues include Aconite [Acon], Belladonna, Arsenicum [Ars], Allium cepa [All-c], Allium, Euphrasia [Euph], Arum triphyllum [Arum-t], Gelsemium [Gels], Lachesis, Nux vomica [Nux-v], Mercurius [Merc], Pulsatilla [Puls], Camphora [Camph], Kali iodatum [Kali-i], Natrum muriaticum [Nat-m], Dulcamara [Dulc], Bryonia alba, Euphrasia, Ferrum phos, Hepar sulph, and Rhus tox.
Ear Diseases
For ear infections and other maladies, which can be extremely painful, homeopaths will consider the nature of the pain itself (does it feel like its boring into the head, for example), what time of day the pain is at its worst, how it responds to warmth, whether the ear is hot or red, and many other factors.
Some of the common homeopathic remedies used for ear problems are Aconite [Acon], Causticum [Caust], Ferrum Phosphoricum, Chamomilla [Cham], Hepar sulphur [Hep], Silicea [Sil], Pulsatilla [Puls], Belladonna [Bell], Capsicum [Caps], Mercurius [Merc], and Sulphur [Sulph].
Laryngitis
Consideration of a remedy will include such factors as the presence of a cough, degree of thirst, how thoroughly the voice is lost or hoarse, time of day when symptoms are worst, the question of pain (is it a burning sensation, for example), sensitivity to air and drafts, relative difficulty in swallowing, and much more.
Common remedies include Causticum [Caust], Aconite [Acon], Spongia, Carbo vegetabilis [Carb-v], Arum triphyllum [Arum-t], Hepar sulphur [Hep], and Phosphorus [Phos].
Sore Throat
Factors considered in selecting an effective remedy include throat dryness, its appearance (color, texture, etc.), inflammation of the tonsils, desire to swallow, response to drinking, gland swelling, tongue coating, offensiveness of breath, uvula swelling, ulceration, phlegm presence, and more.
Common homeopathic remedies for sore throat include Belladonna [Bell], Phytolacca [Phyt], Kali bichromicum [Kali-b], Lachesis [Lach], Hepar sulphur [Hep], Nux vomica [Nux-v], Cantharis [Canth], Guaiacum [Guai], Kali muriaticum [Kali-m], and Mercurius [Merc].
Tonsillitis
Homeopathic care of tonsillitis can help preserve the glands from removal - which is the bias of conventional treatment. Some considerations in selecting a remedy include whether the condition is chronic, the glands' appearance, which side is worse, whether hearing is impaired, smoothness or node-like quality of the swelling, soreness of the throat, difficulty swallowing, and more.
Common homeopathic remedies for tonsillitis are Baryta Carbonica [Bar-c], Bromine [Brom], Lycopodium [Lyc], Ferrum phosphoricum [Ferr-p], Calcarea phosphorica [Calc-p], Phytolacca, Guaiacum, Silicea, Mercurius, Lachesis [Lach], Kali muriaticum [Kali-m], Apis mellifica [Apis], Hepar sulphur, Ignatia, Belladonna [Bell], and Calcarea iodata [Calc-i].
