Treating upper respiratory tract infections with homeopathy

The upper respiratory infections are the maladies that give sleepless nights to the sufferer. Incessant throat pain, blocked nostrils (and/or running nose), dull headache, and mild to moderate fever are some of the guiding symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections. These are usually acute diseases that need good symptomatic treatment.

While dealing with these infections homeopathically, one should remember that the approach of treatment must remain individualistic. Many homeopaths give routine medicines for almost all patients for respiratory tract infections and all the patients may not respond positively. The crux of beneficial homeopathic treatment is in identifying the characteristic symptoms of the respiratory infections in a particular patient. Therefore, the remedies differ depending upon-

(1) The symptoms

(2) their causative factors,

(3) their aggravating and ameliorating factors, and

(4) concomitant symptoms

If one is suffering from very acute respiratory symptom like suddenly started throat pain after getting wet in rains, he may not need anything more than a single dose of Aconite for the total relief. If however the infection has settled in throat and there is marked redness, one must think of further remedies like Belladona or Hepar sulph depending upon the progress of the disease.

He above mentioned was just an example. There can be many overlapping and similar symptoms many patients have especially during weather changes or epidemics. This is the time to employ the skills of homeopathic practitioners and treat accordingly.

The aim while treating acute upper respiratory infections should be:

– to halt the further progress of the disease

– to ameliorate the symptoms

– to treat the concomitant symptoms that co-exist with the chief symptom

– to prevent recurrence

When all these factors are considered and given a thought, the treatment usually does not go wrong. With homeopathy, we are building the immunities of the society as a whole (Herd Immunity). Homeopathic medicines have proved powerful during epidemics all over the world. May the whole world realize the power of homeopathy and develop powerful immune system with this marvelous system!