Aromatherapy And Colds

Aromatherapy and essential oils can play a big role in prevention of your colds over the windy and cold seasons.  They can also play a role in easing the symptoms once a cold has been contracted.

Prevention

Prevention begins in the air we breathe. By ensuring that essential oils are chosen in a room spray the air in your home can smell lovely, as well as be fighting the bacteria and viruses that are known to inhabit that air, and spread to your family members.

There are a few different essential oils that can be utilised to prevent infections, and my favourites are:

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Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)

Antibacterial (Staph and Strep infections), antiseptic (influenza)

Lemon (Citrus limon)

Antibacterial (Staph and Strep infections), antiinfectious (respiratory system), antiseptic (air), immunostimulant, antiviral (colds)

Pine (Pinus sylvestris)

Antibacterial (Staph infections), antiinfectious (air, colds, influenza, respiratory system)

By making a blend in a bottle of springwater, this can be easily sprayed into the family and common areas in the morning, and again in the evening.  As well as an evening spray in the bedrooms, or on the linen when making the bed daily.  This will aid in boosting the immune system, as well as providing some antiseptic support for the air where bacteria and viruses ‘hang out’.

Cold Symptoms

Once a cold has established itself, then it’s time to support the body in quickly and efficiently breaking up the mucous, expectorating it out (coughing it out) and supporting the immune system to fight the cold itself.

Inhalation is a method of choice for delivery of the essential oils required when a cold is progressing.  Inhalation can be through different methods.

• room spray
• steamer
• tissue

If you don’t own a steamer that can be used in conjunction with essential oils, then place the required amount of essential oil into a bowl of warm water, and breathe in the steam.  Care is to be taken if you are considering holding the bowl for another person, when someone is upset, the bowl can be unexpectedly pushed from your hands, making a bed or area of rest very wet indeed, as well as yourself!

Massage is another method of delivery for essential oils when a cold is progressing.  However, if the patient is not interested in undressing and being massaged, another great way to deliver the oils is to apply them, in a carrier oil, on the wrists, under the nose, or around the throat area.

Always ensure that essential oils are delivered in a diluted format, never place undiluted essential oils directly onto the skin!

Essential oils of choice for colds include:

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Frankincense (Boswellia carteri)

Expectorant, mucolytic, immunostimulant

Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus smithii, Eucalyptus globulus, Eucalyptus radiata)

Expectorant, mucolytic

Peppermint (Mentha x piperita)

Expectorant, mucolytic, febrifuge (assists with fever)

For more information on using essential oils within your daily life, visit http://www.sandravenables.com

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this blog are those of the author and should not be taken to constitute medical advice or imply treatment of any disorder. For all health conditions you must visit an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.

Spasmodic & Rattling Coughs

The cold reaches the second stage when the cough develops further and discharges are beginning to occur.

When there is much mucous and phlegm, so all of it is coming out, this is when the cold has entered the third stage. Either of these stages can be accompanied by a dry, spasmodic or rattling cough.

Spasmodic Coughs

When coughs come in a series, or in spasms, it’s described as a spasmodic cough. It can be dry or wet in nature.

The Drosera cough is a dry and barking cough, from a tickle, with prolonged periods of rapid, deep, barking, or even choking type of cough. It can take the breath away and may end in retching or vomiting, a nose bleed or a cold sweat. Often it’s worse at 2am.

Incessant and violent cough, with wheezing and choking that may trigger vomiting. The vomiting of phlegm occurs, though it doesn’t ameliorate the coughing.  The body can stiffen during the suffocative spasms of coughing, Ipecac.

Sudden onset at night of coughing, after being asleep, wakes with a suffocative cough, must sit up to cough, will be frigthened, grasping at their throat. Shortly after the coughing spasms, sweating on the head, face and neck will break out.  During the cough, the nails and lips will appear purple, Sambucus.

Regular episodes of violent tickling, racking cough, ending in vomiting or raising up of much clear ropy type of mucous, with a purple red coloured face and internal heat feeling. Coughing episodes can be brought on by brushing the teeth, rinsing the mouth with water, or trying to raise the phlegm.  Raising the mucous/phlegm, ameliorates the cough for 3 – 4 hours, before it begins again. Usually worse in the morning, on first waking or on first getting out of bed. Coughing does not stop until vomiting or raising of the mucous occurs, Coccus cacti.

There are many more remedies for spasmodic coughs that vary in symptoms from these mentioned too.

Rattling Coughs

Cough hacking, rattling, with sneezing and painless watering of the eyes. The nose runs like water also, Allium cepa.

Rattling cough, with a lot of thick, yellow or yellow/green mucous from the nose. Accompanied by a loss of appetite and no thirst, loss of taste and smell.  Often there is much mucous and phlegm during the day, and dry at night. Pulsatilla.

Antimonium tartaricum has much rattling mucous in the chest, however it is very difficult to cough it up. The chest seems full of mucous, yet it gets harder and harder to raise it.  Mucous can be thick and yellow. The cough can come on if you are angry, or have been eating. Often worse after midnight, and better for sitting up or for being carried upright.

Lots of yellowish mucous, with a thick, loose sounding cough, can be rattling and barking.  Often comes on after being in the cold air, or the cold winds. Usually accompanied by a sore throat that feels as if there is a splinter or fish bone in there, Hepar sulphuris.

A loose cough during the day, that is much better when lying down at night. A lot of watery discharge from the nose, and the eyes are red and sore from the burning tears, Euphrasia.

As for the spasmodic coughs, there are many more options for a rattling cough, symptoms dependant.

For the lingering or recurrent cough, do take the time to come for a consultation to consider an overall picture and discover the deeper acting remedy that is required to clear that cough and restore balance.

For further information on homeopathic remedies dosage, visit http://www.sandravenables.com

Image courtesy of StockImages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Disclaimer:
The opinions expressed within this blog are those of the author and should not be taken to constitute medical advice or imply treatment of any disorder. For all health conditions you must visit an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.

Dry Coughs

For very early stages of any inflammatory process, either colds or flus, Ferrum phos may be useful, when the symptoms are vague, there’s a feeling of not being 100% or ther may be a short, dry cough, with no expectoration.  When the cough is dry, barking, comes on, or is worse, in the evening, especially after being out in the cold winds that day, Aconite.

When the dry, barking, repetitive, cough is accompanied by a fever and a flushed face, Belladonna.

A painful, dry cough, where any movement makes it worse, or it’s so sore to cough the chest or sternum has to be held, Bryonia.

A dry, tiring cough, usually accompanied by blocked nose overnight and runny nose during the day, Nux vomica.

When the dry cough is raspy and barking, like a seal, especially when it develops into this around midnight, consider Spongia.

A dry, yet barking cough, again holding the chest with their hands, coughing to retching or vomiting, often worse at night, Drosera.

The dry, teasing, continuous cough, from a tickle in the throat, especially worse for breathing in cool, or cold, air, or going from a warm to cold room, preventing sleep, Rumex.

Often the initial dry cough is considered to be the first stage of a cold.

For more information on homeopathy and dosing, visit http://www.sandravenables.com

Image courtesy of StockImages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this blog are those of the author and should not be taken to constitute medical advice or imply treatment of any disorder. For all health conditions you must visit an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.