HOMEOPATHY FOR SUMMER COLDS AND ALLERGIES

In 1871 a Homeopathic physician from Scotland, C.H. Blackley, first identified pollen as the cause of hay fever. Furthermore, one of the three founders of the American Academy of Allergy was a San Francisco Homeopathic physician, Dr. Grant L. Selfridge. As you can see, Homeopathy has an impressive history of being involved in the treatment of allergies.

Summer colds and allergies share many of the same symptoms and may require the same remedies. There is nothing worse than a cold in the summer when it’s hot, sticky and buggy. Well actually there is, allergies. At least the cold is gone in a few days to a week, while allergies can linger for much longer. Here are some tips for relief.

ALLIUM CEPA, when your nose and or eyes run like a faucet, as if chopping onions. The remedy is actually made from red onion. Discharges can burn. Often there is frequent sneezing. There can also be hoarseness or tickling of the throat.

AMBROSIA (ragweed) is for eyes that tear with intolerable itching of the eyelids, eyes that burn and smart, watery nasal discharge with sneezing, stuffy nose, head and chest and a wheezy cough.

DULCAMARA has constant sneezing; profuse nasal discharge and teary eyes; worse in open air and gets worse in August as summer begins to change into autumn. Nose totally stopped up; cold settles in the eyes, nose and bladder; headache from pressure of stuffed nose. Symptoms arise after lawn is mowed or from hay; sudden changes in temperature or laying on cold damp ground. Symptoms improve from warmth, dry air and moving about.

EUPHRASIA affects the mucous membranes of the eyes. There can be tears, eye discharges and burning; if there is nasal discharge is will be bland. (The opposite of Allium cepa) Eyelids can be swollen and itchy and the corners of the eyes red.

GELSEMIUM is for hay fever in warm to hot weather. There is stuffy nose with thin, watery discharge; violent sneezing from tingling in nose; fullness at roof of nose; heavy, drooping eyelids; hot, heavy, flushed face; dull headache and can have profuse urination. Feverish with chills up and down spine; dull, dizzy and drowsy; fatigued, achy, thirst-less and wants to be quiet and left alone.

SABADILLA is frequently used for hay fever, especially if there are violent sneezing episodes with a runny, stuffy, itchy or tingly nose. There can be severe headaches, bursting pain about the eyes and watering, tearing red, burning eyes. These could be the same symptoms of a head cold. There can also be a severe sore throat that can be mistaken for strep.

WYETHIA is often used for hay fever sufferers. The key symptom is itchiness, especially the roof of the mouth and tickling in the throat. The back of the sinuses may experience intense itching also causing the person to try to scratch it with their tongue causing a clicking sound. There may be a constant need to clear the throat. A dry hacking cough with burning in the bronchial tubes may follow the sore throat.

This does not constitute a complete list of cold and allergy remedies, but covers many of the more commonly used. If the first remedy choice does not bring enough relief, try the next closest to your symptoms. Initially the remedy can be taken every couple of hours, as needed.