As summer winds down, the cicadas seem to be winding up. Boy, they have been noisy this year! When they take a break, the silence makes me realize that living with something like tinnitus must be very trying, indeed!

Tinnitus (National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders 2018), the perception of outside noise when no actual external stimulus is causing the sound, affects 15-20% of people of all ages but it is especially common in older adults. Sometimes there is an underlying cause that can be addressed to fix the tinnitus, but usually, treatments to make the tinnitus less noticeable are used (things like hearing aids, sound generators). Common causes are hearing loss, ear infection or ear canal blockage, head or neck injuries and medications (Mayo Clinic 2018).

Like so many chronic conditions, we are told there is no cure. Half the people who experience tinnitus do not have measurable hearing loss. A small percentage of people suffering from tinnitus experience serious debility in their daily lives (Prutsman 2023).

Homeopathically speaking, there are some remedies that can help though it’s not usually a quick fix, so be prepared to be patient. 

There are a lot of rubrics and remedies associated with hearing noises in the ears — some of them quite specific as to the sound (for example, hearing bagpipes in the distance — Nat carb) or, specific circumstances or specific times of day when the noises occur.

A few remedies pop up more often than others: Petroleum, Lycopodium, and China officinalis, in particular. There is a theme amongst these remedies of sensitive hearing, hyperacusis, which is a common complaint of tinnitus sufferers (Hebert et al. 2013). It never ceases to amaze me how homeopathy figured this stuff out a hundred plus years before the research was done! 

Petroleum is associated with chronic eustachian catarrh, (mucus or gunk in laymen’s terms). Conversely, there may be a dryness or a disagreeable feeling of dryness in the ears. There may be itching deep inside the ear or, diminished hearing in general. There could be an over-sensitiveness of not only hearing, but also of touch and smell, too.

Impaired hearing with noises in the ears; impaired hearing in old people or, progressive hearing impairment.

The sounds which may be heard for which Petroleum may be of benefit: bells; humming; constant roaring or rushing water; cracking; whizzing or the sound of wind.

Lycopodium may help when there is a swelling of the ear with discharge. Perhaps, a sensation as if hot blood has rushed into the ears.

Impaired hearing with discharge from the ear. Sensitive to noises and sounds, particularly music.

The noises which may be helped with Lycopodium are: roaring, humming, whizzing and rushing.

China officinalis is for a great over-sensitiveness of the nervous system — all sights, smells, hearing and taste are too strong. The external ear may be sensitive to touch.

Impaired hearing with constant noises in the ears, possibly with a headache.

The noises which may be helped by China officinalis are humming; ringing, especially with an accompanying headache; roaring; ticking as of a distant watch; buzzing; noises as if hearing singing.

Back to the bagpipes of Natrum carbonicum… this remedy isn’t as prominent as the remedies listed above, but there are some interesting things associated with it.

There may be a stopped sensation with diminished hearing. Sensitive hearing, particularly to music - they can’t bear it or, the rumpling of paper.

Bubbling noises or as if a bubble is bursting; sounds seem to come from the left side when they really come from the right; and, the illusion of hearing singing. And, though they can’t stand hearing music, they have the delusion they are hearing music — that must be frustratingly awful!

A list of a few noise rubrics and some corresponding remedies:

• If you hear noises in your ears when blowing your nose: Calc carb or Hepar sulph.
• Buzzing is a big one with a lot of possibly indicated remedies, but some good places to start would be Argentum nitricum, China off, Lycopodium, or Nux-vomica.
• If the noises occur only at night, try Dulcamera or Graphites.
• Cracking sound: Kali carb or Petroleum.
• In bed, or, lying down makes it worse: Sulphur
• Hearing noises during a headache: China off.
• Humming: China off, Lycopodium, Phosphorus or Sepia
• Difficulty hearing with the noises: Causticum or Lycopodium
• Rushing water: Chamomilla
• Boiling water: Lycopodium
• As of wind: Petroleum
• If it is synchronous with the pulse, it’s an easy one to remember: Pulsatilla, or, Puls for short.

Book a focused consultation and see if we can take the focus off those noises for you.

Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath

#wellnessawaits

Reference list
Cleveland Clinic, n.d. Tinnitus: Causes, Treatment & Prevention [online]. Cleveland Clinic. 

Hebert, S., Fournier, P. and Norena, A., 2013. The Auditory Sensitivity is Increased in Tinnitus Ears. Journal of Neuroscience [online], 33 (6), 2356–2364. 

Mayo Clinic, 2018. Tinnitus - Symptoms and causes [online]. Mayo Clinic.

​National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, 2018. Tinnitus [online]. NIDCD. 

Prutsman, Dr. J., 2023. Tinnitus [online]. Sound Relief Tinnitus & Hearing Center. 

Coughs are considered chronic when they last for 8 weeks or longer (4 weeks in children).

Nuisance? Yup. Annoying? Yup. (For the cougher and those around you.) Dangerous? Sometimes — be sure to seek the opinion of a medical professional if you are suffering from a chronic cough. Additionally, severe coughs can cause vomiting, dizziness, incontinence and even rib fractures.

What causes a chronic cough? Allergies. Postnasal drip. Asthma. Smoking. Acid reflux. Infections (colds and flus). Pneumonia (if you suspect this, please go to the doctor). Fungal infections of the lung. COPD. Some drugs can be the cause of chronic cough. The list goes on, but I dare say you get the picture. Plenty of underlying reasons for a chronic cough.

The beautiful part of homeopathy… well, there are many beautiful parts to homeopathy, actually. I digress. Back to today’s beautiful part of homeopathy. The underlying cause doesn’t matter. If we know the reason, it can sometimes be helpful, but it’s not a necessary component to find relief.

According to pulmonologist Jonathan Parson from Ohio’s Weiner Medical Center, it’s important to remember that coughing is considered to be a “protective mechanism.”

A few descriptions of coughs:

• A wet cough, also known as a productive cough, brings up mucus.
• Dry cough: can be tickling, annoying, hacking; this kind of cough may come in groupings.
• Paroxysmal coughs: violent, draining coughs that can make it hard to breathe.
• Hemoptysis: this is the coughing up of blood. * Please seek medical treatment ASAP.

Some coughs come in the middle of the night, waking the poor soul (and their spouse). Some people cough first thing in the morning. Some people cough all day long sometimes escalating to the point of vomiting.

With so many different kinds of cough, it’s no surprise there are a lot of homeopathic remedies which may help.

Today, I’m going to do a brief repertory (listing the specific type of cough and the associated remedies) followed by a short Materia Medica (a write-up of the remedies) for a couple of my favorite cough remedies. Note: this is an incomplete repertory. (Frederik Schroyens lists over 4,000 rubrics for cough!) I concentrated only on the most highly indicated and easily available remedies. 

IMPORTANT NOTE: There are many possible underlying reasons for cough, some of which can be very serious. I have highlighted only a couple of these symptoms. If you are suffering from a chronic cough, have it evaluated by a medical professional.

Bursting head pain during cough: Bryonia, Natrum muriatium, Nux vomica,

Coughing worse by eating: Antimonium tart, Bryonia, Nux vomica

Cough with obstructed breathing: *BE SURE TO SEEK MEDICAL CARE IMMEDIATELY. While waiting for help to arrive, try one of the following: Antimonium tart, Arsenicum album, Cuprum metallic, Drosera, Ipecac, Nux vomica

Cough with rattling in the chest: Antimonium tart, Ipecac, Nux vomica

Cough with vomiting: Antimonium tart, Bryonia, Drosera, Nux vomica

Evening cough: Bryonia, Nux vomica

Eyes watering during cough: Bryonia, Natrum muriaticum,

Fear of coughing: Antimonium tart, Apis, Drosera

Involuntary urination with Cough: Apis, Arsenicum album, Bryonia, Causticum, Natrum muriaticum Nux vomica

Painful cough: Bryonia, Causticum, Nux vomica

Suffocating, choking cough: Antimonium tart, Cuprum, Drosera, Ipecac,

Tickling cough: Drosera, Ipecac, Nux vomica

Vertigo/dizziness with coughing: Antimonium tart, Arsenicum album, Nux vomica

On to the materia medica!

Antimonium tartaricum:

• Cough followed by vomiting
• Must sit up to breathe or cough
• Coughs and yawns alternately
  • sleepiness with cough
• Coughing and gasping
• Cough made worse by eating, with pain in the chest and larynx
• Loose, rattling cough — but very little is coughed up
• Dizziness with cough
• Coughing at 4 am 
• Whooping cough
• Spasmodic cough, with much wind

Bryonia:

• Pain in the chest during cough
  • Cough with the feeling as if the chest would fly to pieces; must support the chest while coughing
• Inability to cough due to the pain
• Dry, hacking cough
  • as if the cough is coming from the stomach
• Wants to take a deep breath but can’t because it makes the cough come on
• Cough with sneezing
• Pain in the abdomen with cough
• Convulsive, spasmodic cough
• Loose cough in the morning
• Vomiting of food from the cough
• Incontinence during cough
• Teeth pain during cough

Cuprum metallicum:

• Cough in violent paroxysms, coughs self out of breath
• Difficult breathing with cough *Seek medical attention
• Cough better cold drinks
• Cough worse deep breathing, bending backwards
• Cough has a gurgling sound, better by drinking cold water
• Whooping cough
• Distressing cough
• Painful cough
• Paroxysmal cough attacks, uninterrupted, OR, consisting of few long coughs
• Sudden coughs
• Nausea after a cough

Drosera:

• Whooping cough (principle remedy for)
  • Spasmodic cough resembling whooping cough
• Violent, tickling cough
• Frequent barking cough, worse in the evening and after midnight
• Vomits if cannot get up the phlegm
  • vomiting of slimy matter and of food during the cough
  • retching, gagging with cough
• Coughs and chokes
• Cough worse singing or talking
• Very deep and hoarse cough
• Abdominal pain during the cough
• Accelerated breathing during the coughing
• Difficult breathing during cough *Seek medical attention
• Holds the chest during cough due to pain
• Distressing cough; tormenting cough
• Irritable cough from the trachea
• Nose bleed with cough
• Incontinence during cough
• Incessant cough
• Very talkative after coughing
• Nausea after a cough

Dulcamera:

• Whooping cough
• Cough, worse cold, wet weather
• Winter coughs
• Cough after physical exertion
• Hoarse, spasmodic cough
• Loose, rattling cough
• Must cough a long time to expel phlegm
• Prolonged cough, caused by tickling in back of the throat with much loose easy expectoration -- especially in the elderly

Ipecac:

• Whooping cough
• Incessant cough, and violent, with every breath
• Wheezing cough
• Suffocative cough 
  • difficult breathing with cough *Seek medical attention
  • in the evening
• Rattling cough
• Tormenting cough
• Cough with runny nose
• Nausea during the cough
• Vomiting food from the cough

Nux vomica:

• Cough with the sensation as if something has torn loose in the chest
• Desire to eat during cough
• Tight, dry, hacking cough, at times with bloody expectoration. *Seek medical care if you are coughing up any blood
• Cough brings on a bursting headache
• An exhausting cough
• Pain in the abdomen during cough
• Suffocative cough
  • Breathing is difficult during a cough *Seek medical attention.
• Whooping cough
• Distressing cough
• Dry cough in the middle of the night, sometimes lasting until daybreak
• Irritable cough in the air passages
• Painful cough
• Tickling cough
• Violent coughing in the morning before getting out of bed
• Incontinence during cough
• Incessant cough
• Restlessness with coughing

I could literally keep writing for days about various coughs and their homeopathic remedies.

Just know that if you are suffering from a chronic cough, there’s a good chance homeopathy may help. What have you got to lose?!



Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath


#wellnessawaits

Reference list

Judah, 2020. Types of Coughs in Seniors: ‘Pardon me, I have a cough!’ [online]. Laurel Bay Health and Rehabilitation Center. 

Murphy, R., n.d. Homeopathic Remedy Guide. accessed through Radar Opus.

Murphy, R., n.d. Repertory, version 3. Accessed through Radar Opus software.

Schroyens, F., n.d. Synthesis Adonis. (accessed through Radar Opus software).

Song, W.-J., Morice, A. H., Kim, M.-H., Lee, S.-E., Jo, E.-J., Lee, S.-M., Han, J.-W., Kim, T. H., Kim, S.-H., Jang, H.-C., Kim, K. W., Cho, S.-H., Min, K.-U. and Chang, Y.-S., 2013. Cough in the Elderly Population: Relationships with Multiple Comorbidity. PLoS ONE [online], 8 (10), e78081. 

Teramoto, S., 2005. Significance of chronic cough as a defence mechanism or a symptom in elderly patients with aspiration and aspiration pneumonia. European Respiratory Journal [online], 25 (1), 210–211. 

Reference list:
​
Choudhuri, N. M., 2016. A study on materia medica : an ideal text-book for homoeopathic students. Accessed through Radar Opus software. Noida, U.P., India: B. Jain Publishers (P) Ltd.

Elderlygym.com, 2019. 12 Best Elderly Balance Exercises For Seniors to Reduce the Risk of Falls [online]. Eldergym® Senior Fitness. 

Farrington, A., 2010. Lectures on Clinical Materia Medica in Family Order. Accessed through Radar Opus software.

Mayo Clinic, 2018. Balance problems - Symptoms and causes [online]. Mayo Clinic. 

Morrison, R., 1998. Desktop companion to physical pathology. Nevada City, Calif.: Hahnemann Clinic Publ.

Murphy, R., n.d. Repertory, version 3. Accessed through Radar Opus software.

I’m the queen of giving things up. My husband says I’m addicted to giving things up and has challenged me to give up giving things up. Well, I’m running out of things to give up, so, someday soon perhaps I’ll think about it!

My latest giving up thing has without a doubt been the hardest one I have tackled to date. Over the years, I have successfully kicked: alcohol, caffeine, grains, legumes, nightshades, sugar, dairy and even chocolate. There are more, but I won’t bore you with the list. Some of them were for short periods of time just to see how it affected me, but most have become incorporated into my way of life after discovering I felt better without them. This article is in no way suggesting that anybody give up anything in particular. I’m a firm believer in the importance of people doing what is right for themselves. You do you.

Back to this latest one that is so hard. ** Drumroll ** Crossing my legs while sitting.

Oooh! It’s killing me! Well, it’s a little easier today after a Rolfing session yesterday. She helped move my sacrum into its new home after being twisted up for many decades and it is now much easier to sit without desperately wanting to cross my legs. Argh. Yet, I know from experience, this, too, shall pass.

What’s the secret to successfully giving things up?
Putting things in. Don’t punish yourself when you give something up — swap it. Maybe that’s why the not crossing my legs is so hard — there is nothing I can put in to substitute for this habit. The other big obstacle is situational. These habits are engrained throughout your whole being. Hanging out with the old friend with whom you used to enjoy ice cream sundaes can set those cravings in motion. Passing the cafe where you used to enjoy a regular coffee and a cookie can likewise stir things up. Create new neural pathways and life gets much easier.

Why am I telling you this? Because I want to tell you my thoughts on coffee. I gave up coffee prior to finding homeopathy, so I never thought about it much from the alleged homeopathic interference standpoint for myself. Again, I am not suggesting you give up coffee.

What does coffee have to do with homeopathy?
Some homeopaths instruct their clients to not drink coffee while working with them (and, even coffee flavored things, too). Others expand the “do not use while taking homeopathic remedies” list to include: mint, (including toothpaste), mouthwash, onions, garlic, ginger, chocolate, tobacco, alcohol, and more…. (Here’s a link to a nice article on mint from the American Association of Homeopathic Pharmacists (Watkins and Foxman 2014) which dispels the mint myth.) 

“What!?!?” I hear you saying. “You want me to forego my morning coffee in order to use homeopathy? No way is that happening!”
Not I, but, yup, some homeopaths even go so far as to say they won’t work with a client if they don’t agree to some pretty stringent rules. In case it isn’t clear, I’m not one of those homeopaths.

For the record, I am not suggesting that you should go against your homeopath's guidance. Perhaps you could start a conversation with them to understand their thinking. What I am sharing here are my thoughts on homeopathy and what I have found works with my clients.

Why is this coffee thing even a thing?
“Effect of coffee on Homeopathic medicine” does a good job of explaining one theory on where this idea originated (Varghese 2019).

It is true that some things can indeed cancel out your homeopathic remedies: both cancelling the effects of a remedy on the person as well as making the remedies themselves in their tubes inert (*see below).

In true homeopathic form — these things are highly individualistic. Some people are much more sensitive than others. However, in my experience, coffee and mint are not a problem for most people.

I’m not going to make a blanket statement that if you have your remedy and then drink a cup of coffee that it’s not going to counter-act said remedy. If you are a regular coffee drinker, coffee is most likely not going to affect you and your homeopathic remedy. Coffee is a part of who you are. If you don’t drink coffee regularly and you find yourself on a lovely vacation in Venice, Italy and you just can’t resist that special after dinner espresso — it may  have an effect on the effectiveness of your remedy. Is this a problem? In a word? No. Just repeat the remedy.

So, what’s the big deal, then?
In a classical homeopathic situation, it is common that the client would be given one single dose of a remedy and then wait a number of weeks and see what happens. In these circumstances, I can see how a homeopath would want to limit any possible interference with said remedy. When homeopathic remedies are repeated at regular intervals, whether that be twice daily, once weekly or something else, possible interference is less of a concern. 

So, are there other substances that actually might interfere with the effect of homeopathic remedies?
Yes. But, there’s a big caveat here. Again, like homeopathic remedies, it’s highly individual. Some common culprits are:

• Prescription drugs. (It’s important that your homeopath know what medicines you take and how often, so be sure to tell them!)
• Marijuana and other recreational drugs, even alcohol to excess has been said to be a problem. (Again, be sure to be open and honest with your homeopath so you can work together for the best homeopathic outcome for you.)
• Acupuncture, and possibly other vigorous body work.
• Strong essential oils or strong aromatherapy.

Other possible antidotes that I have heard about but have not seen to be a problem include:

• Taking other homeopathic remedies not otherwise suggested by the homeopath. Classical homeopathy operates on the idea that certain remedies can antidote other remedies. I haven’t seen this to be a problem, with the exception of Camphor.** (Having said this, taking other homeopathic remedies while undergoing a homeopathic plan can confuse the picture. I ask my clients to contact me if acute situations come up and if they feel the need to take a remedy on their own to keep good records of what remedy, when they took it and what happened.)
• Some claim dental work can stop the affect of remedies. I haven’t seen this to be a problem, but depending on the amount of work you’re having done, it might be worth keeping in mind.
• Geothermal baths. 
• Electric blankets. 

If you are noticing your remedies not working as well as they used to work, you may be a sensitive soul and you may want to time your remedies differently if you partake in any of the above possibilities. (A word on sensitive souls — we definitely exist and just because you have been sensitive to remedies in the past does not mean homeopathic remedies are not right for you. Work with a professional homeopath who can help guide you through this process.)

* How can you make a whole tube of remedies go inert?
Storing remedies next to strong smelling substances like cleaning products or strong essential oils has been known to “kill” the remedies themselves. If you find that tube of Arnica which has always worked in the past for you is no longer having that same beneficial effect, that tube should probably be discarded and a new one should take its place.

Some people say that putting remedies through the X-ray machine at the airport can have a negative effect on the remedies themselves. I never travel without my remedies and I have never had a problem after they have been through the X-ray machine. If you are worried about it, though, the few times I have asked the TSA agents to do a hand inspection, they have happily obliged.

What about keeping the remedies next to cell phones or computers?
I haven’t found this to be a problem.

Some people say magnets can have a negative effect on remedies — I have no experience with this and cannot comment.

Heat and sunlight has not been a problem for my remedies, either. I keep a small kit in the center console of my car and each remedy I have used has worked every time.

Tell me more about Camphor.
** Camphor as a homeopathic remedy is commonly used to stop further action of another homeopathic remedy. If an ill-advised remedy has been used and is causing unwanted effects, a dose of homeopathic Camphor can often bring that to a halt.

Likewise, some deep inhales of camphor itself or eucalyptus or menthol or tea tree oil can have the same halting effect.

“OK, we now know that coffee and mint and some other niceties of life are not (necessarily) going to interfere with the remedies. Anything else to take into consideration?”
There are a few general guidelines which may be beneficial.

In an ideal world, homeopathic remedies would be taken in a clean mouth, waiting 10-15 minutes after eating, drinking (except water) or brushing your teeth. Additionally, take the remedies away from allopathic medicines and herbs and supplements and other homeopathic remedies. In other words, give these delicate but powerful homeopathic remedies some time and space to do what they do.

Are these conditions absolutely necessary?
Not in my experience. But, if you have the time and the capacity to administer the remedies in this way, it certainly can’t be faulted.

What about touching the pellets themselves?
This could be a problem because the homeopathic medicine is just a thin coating on the pellet and any moisture on your fingers or hands may release the remedy at the point of contact, rather than utilizing that delightful and quick-acting sublingual absorption. (Having said this, the remedy can still be effective through the skin, but not as quick and sure.) Any creams or soaps on the skin may stop the remedy from entering your system. The best way to get the pellets into your mouth is to pour the desired amount of pellets into the cap and toss them into your mouth directly from the cap.

Under the tongue is best, but it’s perfectly fine to place the pellets between gum and lip — this is especially useful with babies and animals.

If you spill the pellets, it’s best to throw them out. Definitely don’t try to put them back in the tube if they have spilled.

Reference list:
American Association of Homeopathic Pharmacists, n.d. FAQs [online]. The American Association of Homeopathic Pharmacists. 

Boiron, n.d. Frequently Asked Questions | Boiron USA [online]. boironusa.com. 

Varghese, Dr. S., 2019. Effect of coffee on Homeopathic medicine [online]. Homeopathy Resource by Homeobook.com. 

Watkins, M. B. and Foxman, E. L., 2014. Don’t Skip the Mint [online]. The American Association of Homeopathic Pharmacists. 

"I have taken my homeopathic remedy. Now, what can I expect to happen?"

Well, that depends. Today, we’ll talk about what to look for in an acute illness after taking a well-indicated remedy.

Generally speaking in homeopathy, a person suffering an acute ailment should be feeling a little better in a short amount of time and significantly better within 24 hours. We’re not looking for perfection, remember… we are looking for improvement or, “moving in the direction of cure” is the homeopathic terminology.

In terms of an acute illness, if after a few doses you are not feeling any improvement, there’s a good chance it is not the correct remedy for this immediate situation. Once again, we’re not looking for perfection.

If we’re not looking for perfection, what are we looking for?

Let’s use a stomach bug as an example, since it's going around these days. (See Nobody Needs a Nasty Nauseating Norovirus for some remedy ideas.) With our pretend bug, our pretend symptoms are:

• headache
• nausea with loss of appetite
• burps
• stomach pain
• loose stools, feeling like full blown diarrhea is on the way
• dizziness
• chilly
• irritable

A general rule of thumb in an acute illness is to repeat the remedy every 15-20 minutes for an hour. After that hour is up, re-assess. There should be some level of improvement, even if it's small.

What do we want to see happening with our stomach bug sufferer after taking some Nux vomica, which seems to be a pretty good fit for these symptoms? We want to see something shift in a positive direction.

• We want to see the headache lessen a bit and the mood to lift.
• We want to see the nausea ease up a bit and maybe be interested in entertaining the idea of some food again some day.
• Burps, which were very sour and very frequent and even a little painful, are now a little less sour and not quite so frequent and they no longer hurt.
• The tender, sore stomach is a little less tender and those waves of pain are now coming every few minutes instead of being constant.
• The loose stools have ceased and diarrhea no longer feels imminent.
• The dizziness which was constant is now only once in a while.
• The blanket you couldn’t bear to part with is now just covering your still chilly feet after the rest of you has warmed up a little.

See what I mean? Not perfection, but definite improvement. Maybe not everything lifts all at once, but some of these symptoms should be heading in the right direction.

Now that things are improving a bit, back off the frequency of taking the remedy. Now, take it maybe once an hour, or if and when the symptoms return. If you find yourself snuggling under that blanket again or the sour burps are returning, it’s time to repeat the remedy, regardless of timing.

One of the best indications that a remedy is headed in the right direction is that the person feels better in themselves: they are less grumpy, or their energy picks up a bit, or their concentration improves. These can be subtle changes, so keep an eye out for them. For example, our stomach bug sufferer — they may still be feeling a little nauseous but they are now able to concentrate on that book or movie. These improvements in the mental and emotional arena are very good indications that the remedy is a good fit for the current situation.

If the symptoms change, it may be time to find a new remedy. Some acute illnesses require “chasing” the symptoms which requires sequential remedies.

Remember… improvement, not perfection is what we’re after.


Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath


#wellnessawaits

​Let’s take a look at toots — you know, gas… bottom burps… farts… stink bombs… fluffer-doodles. While there certainly can be some instances which may indicate a serious medical problem for which medical treatment should be sought*, for the sake of this article, we’re going to just stick to common, everyday gas.

If you go to a conventional medical practitioner for your gas problem, they will most likely offer you one of the following:

• Enzymes to help break down the carbohydrates, (e.g. Beano)
• Lactase supplements to help digest the sugar in dairy products, (e.g. Lactaid)
• Years ago, our pediatrician suggested simethicone for our gas-prone little fellows which help break up the gas bubbles, (e.g. Gas-x.) (Looking back, I so wish I had known about homeopathy, I could have helped them much more!)
• Activated charcoal (a supplement of which I am exceedingly fond, I have to say)
• A change in diet

*According to Mayo Clinic, if you have chronic or unusual abdominal pain, severe heartburn, persistent vomiting or nausea, chronic diarrhea, bloody or black stool, weight loss and loss of appetite, severe bloating, constipation or difficulty emptying your bowels, seek medical attention.

All of these conventional treatments may help now and again and in the moment, but, to my knowledge, they don’t help get rid of the underlying problem.

Homeopathy, on the other hand, has many remedies for many kinds of toots. When I enter “flatulence” into my homeopathic software, Dr. Robin Murphy’s repertory comes back with 849 “different” rubrics. (I put different in quotes because there are overlaps, to be sure, but it’s a clear indication of how homeopathy differs from conventional medicine.) Remedies for specific complaints stemming from gas. How cool is that? Tailored toot remedies, you might say!

What kinds of flatus are there? Here are just a few descriptions from Dr. Murphy:

• Painful abdomen with flatulence. Abdominal pain with flatulence after eating. Painful distended abdomen.
• Distended abdomen in the evening. Flatulence in the morning on waking.
• “Incarcerated flatus” is one of my favorite homeopathic terms — trapped gas.
• Back pain which is better from passing gas.
• Flatulence during menses.
• Offensive flatulence. Offensive, sulphur-like odor. (And from Boger, we have a rather eloquent description: “copious, silent discharge of hot, bilious-smelling flatus.")
• Odorless flatulence.
• Flatulence from sour foods.
• Rumbling in the intestines which improves after passing gas.
• Flatus from anxiety.
• Burning pain in the rectum after passing gas.
• Then there’s the worst gas of all — the kind where the rectal gate keepers fail in their job.😳

I could go on — it’s a long and fascinating list -- but, you get the idea.

One of the most beautiful aspects of homeopathy is that it can not only help in the moment by relieving symptoms, it can help to lessen the problem altogether.

When you are using homeopathy, you should be looking for overall improvement: the problem should be less intense and less frequent. In short, you should be looking for the problem to be getting better in general, not just in the moment. For instance, if you suffer severe gas and bloating every evening, once you are taking the “right” remedy (there are many remedies which can help with many given symptoms), the amount of gas should be less and the abdominal pressure should be less and the rumbling should quieten. Soon, it won’t be happening every night, it will be every other night and then every few nights and then only once in a while. That’s what we’re looking for -- overall improvement in the complaint.

So, what are some go-to remedies for common gas?

My first thought when somebody is suffering from gas and bloating is Lycopodium.

Homeopathic Lycopodium is a very highly indicated remedy for gas and bloating, especially when said toots are a result of eating offending foods. Where else might Lycopodium be helpful in gaseous complaints? Abdominal pain; back pain stemming from gas; flatulence in the elderly; wind accompanying stool; evening flatus, and, rumbling guts which improve when you are able to release some air.

How about that “incarcerated flatus”? Trapped wind causing cramping pain might be Lycopodium, but it might also be Carbo vegetablis (which is actually made from charcoal). If all that trapped gas makes your belly so full it can be difficult to breathe, Carbo veg is probably gonna' be your new favorite remedy. Gas during diarrhea; offensive gas; so much trapped gas that the abdomen feels hard and maybe even tender.

Those poor little babies, scrunching up their legs trying to get some relief? Mag phos would be my first thought.

Toots which smell like spoiled eggs? Sulphur, or, even Arnica.

Another good gas remedy is Nux vomica for flatulence from anxiety; flatulence after eating or even while eating and toots which accompany coughing.

If you have a potent, musical bottom, give some homeopathic remedies a try. Your loved ones will thank you!

Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath

#wellnessawaits

In my last post, I mentioned 7 remedies which may be good to have around as the flu season approaches.

Here’s a quick rundown of why they’re good to have handy, focusing especially on fevers.

Baptisia for fevers with profuse sweat, intense thirst; fevers with lethargy — no energy. Those who may benefit from homeopathic Baptisia may be suffering from bad breath or other foul smelling discharges. The bed may feel too hard and going outside and getting some fresh air does not sound like a good plan to them. There may be some mental confusion or they may even feel as if they are intoxicated. There may be copious, (often) smelly stool. Throat may appear dark red.

Bryonia. Homeopathic Bryonia may be an excellent remedy for a flu that creeps up on you… when you haven’t quite been feeling yourself but you wouldn’t necessarily call yourself “sick” yet, either. A dry fever with a great thirst for a lot of liquid; chills are more likely not a part of this picture. Dryness, however, is a key part of Bryonia… you may see constipation or a dry cough or dry eyes, dry skin, dry mouth. Someone benefitting from Bryonia may prefer to be still and quiet with movement resulting in discomfort, including when moving their eyes. They may prefer to be by their grumpy selves.

Eupatorium feverish people may find themselves shivering, especially after drinking any liquids. Aching pain anywhere in the body, but specifically pains in the legs - terrible pains in the bones themselves and may even feel as if one is broken. Big chills. Unquenchable thirst. Pulsating pain in the back of the head. They may feel depressed during a fever. 

Gelsemium has little or no thirst at all and the 4 Ds: Droopy, drowsy, dizzy and dull. They feel their eyelids are too heavy to keep them open. Shivering and weak with coldness down the back. May feel faint. They may feel a dull, bruised pain all over and are worse from physical exertion. There may be a headache, beginning in the neck and moving up to the top of the head and feel as if there were a band or hoop around their head. Headaches may be relieved to some degree when urinating. 

Mercurius sol is often worse in the night, where a fever may drive them from their bed. There may be shivering and shuddering with this fever. There may be bone pains, more so at night. Discharges from the ears and the eyes. Fevers with profuse perspiration, again, worse at night or diarrhea at night. Headaches may be worse on the sides of the head and extend to the ears and the teeth. There may be mental restlessness and anxiety during the fever.

Nux vomica flu may have pain in the lower back during fever. Shivering with perspiration. Thirsty, but not wanting to drink anything. Very chilly and worse for cold air or drafts and may have a cough which starts when becoming cold. Nux vomica is well known for its digestive issues and may experience stomach pains during fever. They may find themselves oversensitive and emotional during a fever. 

Rhus tox is most likely mentally restless during a fever. Chill plays a big part in a Rhus tox fever: chill, followed by heat and perspiration; thirsty during the chill; they feel worse when chilled and may develop a tickling cough during the chill. Drinking cold drinks may bring on stomach pains. They may feel they have a lump or plug in their throat and swallowing may feel good on the throat. They may feel better lying on their back and worse lying on the sides.

Here's wishing you have a happy and healthy winter season!
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Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath

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#wellnessawaits


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