Catching A Cold

Winter is a time when our immunity happens to take a dip and compared to the other times.

It is that time of the year when the chill breeze of winter insists you bring out the sweaters and pullovers. It is also the time for sniffles and irritated throat always on the verge of an acute infection. But then it is not just the usual suspects: bacteria and viruses that need to be blamed, but also our lifestyle that predisposes us to these conditions.

Winter is the time when the growth of the bacteria and the viruses is unhampered. It is also a time when our immunity takes a dip.In individuals whose immunity is good but tends to over react to situations of presence of viruses or allergens too, the opportunity of growth of infection in the body seems to be high.

Most patients complain of uneasiness and irritation in the throat as the lining or the mucus membrane of the throat is affected. This compels one to constantly clear the throat. There is an initiation of thin, mucous discharge from the nose too. Sneezing at the slightest pretext intermittently is another troublesome feature. Nasal blockage with sensation of difficulty in breathing gets worse on lying down. If you swallow the phlegm it again leads to a throat infection and a cough. Winter infections usually affect the upper respiratory tract. A low-grade fever could be associated with the symptoms.

But a few steps during this season can help you ward away the probability of colds. Eating well and sleeping on time are primary in not catching a cold. If one has already developed a cold one should drink more water to keep oneself hydrated, which also helps loosen the mucus to clear out easily. Avoidalcohol and caffeine.If one is a smoker, the misery can be accentuated, as the hair like structures in the respiratory tract are busier warding off the tobacco than the viruses and the intensity of infection is that much higher in those individuals.

Gargling with salt water will help relieve a sore throat apart from warm water and honey at bed time.

Homoeopathic medicine has good remedies like Gelsemium, Eupatorium, Hypericum, Hepar sulph which when given during the onset of season in susceptible individuals would help prevent the intensity of colds from flaring. Amm carb, Sticta, Sambucus help clear a blocked nose while Senega, Natrum mur, Natrum sulph, Silicea are good to prevent the sniffles and nasal discharge. If the throat is affected Rumex and Wyethia are of help and in case of dry cough, Spongia, Alumina relieve. Homoeopathy lets you enjoy the festive season by letting the cold weather to bring a flush on your cheeks.

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Cervical spondylosis

Due to severe pain in the neck and the left hand with numbness I underwent an MRI which showed "osteophytosis and bulging of discs at C4-5, C5-6 spaces with impingement." Can homoeopathy help?

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Remedies can relieve the pain and numbness due to the above condition like Spigelia, Kalmia, Chenopodium and you would also need to improve your calcium intake to see that further degeneration of the bones does not occur. Consult a homoeopath.

Thrombocytopenia

Is there any remedy for thrombocytopenia?<

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Our blood has platelets that clot to prevent loss. But due to many factors their count can go down.The cause of the condition need to be ascertained to suggest how much Homeopathy can be of help either individually or as a complementary medicine. Consult a homoeopath.

Ear problem

My five-year-old son has a tendency to develop cold often and on one instance complained of ear pain, which was diagnosed by an ENT as due to fluid in the middle ear. Can homoeopathy help?

Bhargavi

 

Medical management with remedies such as Kali mur, Natrum mur, Pulsatilla and Silicea have been found to help to an extent with a change evident in about six to eight weeks. Apart from that the recurrent colds need to be treated which is the reason for the problem. Consult a homoeopath.