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Homeopathy for Croup

Homeopathic medicines for CROUP

Homeopathy for CROUP or Laryngotracheobronchitis. Causative agent, symptoms, prognosis, and prevention of CROUP. List with indications of common homeopathic medicines for CRoup. List of homeopathic remedies for croup. Croup is the most common infection of the middle respiratory tract.

Are you looking for a homeopathic cure for croup? This article discusses the homeopathy treatment of croup along with the best homeopathic medicine for croup treatment.

Croup, or laryngotracheobronchitis, is the most common infection of the middle respiratory tract and often presents in children 1-5 yr of age group.

Croup is most common in children 6 months to 3 years of age.

Early winter is favorable weather for this disease. It typically follows a common cold.

Let’s understand the Respiratory System

The respiratory system is made up of the organs involved in the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. These are the parts:

The upper respiratory tract is made up of the:

  • Nose
  • Nasal cavity
  • Sinuses
  • Larynx
  • Trachea

The lower respiratory tract is made up of the:

  • Bronchi and bronchioles
  • Alveoli (air sacs)

Causative agent of Croup

Viral agents are chiefly responsible for croup but bacterial may be the cause in few cases.

Viral

Viral croup or acute laryngotracheitis is most commonly caused by

  • Para-influenza virus primarily types 1 and 2, in 75% of cases.
  • Influenza a and b,
  • Measles virus
  • Adenovirus
  • Respiratory syncytial virus (rsv)

Bacterial

  •  Corynebacterium diphtheriae
  • Staphylococcus aureus
  • Streptococcus pneumoniae
  • Hemophilus influenzae
  • Moraxella catarrhalis

Croup, Laryngitis – Homeopathy Treatment & Homeopathic Remedies

homeopathic medicine for croup

Homeopathy treats the person as a whole. It means that homeopathic medicines for croup focuses on the patient as a person, as well as his pathological condition. The homeopathic medicines for croup are selected after a full individualizing examination and case-analysis, which includes the medical history of the patient, physical and mental constitution etc. A miasmatic tendency (predisposition/susceptibility) is also often taken into account for the treatment of chronic conditions. The homeopathic remedies for croup given below indicate the therapeutic affinity but this is not a complete and definite guide to the treatment of this condition. The symptoms listed against each medicine may not be directly related to this disease because in homeopathy general symptoms and constitutional indications are also taken into account for selecting a homeopathic remedy for croup. To study any of the following remedies in more detail, please visit our Materia Medica section. None of these homeopathic medicines for croup should be taken without professional advice.

  • Antimonium tart
  • Aconite
  • Apis mellifica
  • Arsenic album
  • Bromine
  • Bryonia Alba
  • Carbo veg
  • Causticum
  • Corallium rubrum
  • Drosera
  • Hepar Sulphur
  • Iodine
  • Ipecac
  • Kali bichromicum
  • Kali brom
  • Kali muriaticum
  • Kaolin
  • Lachesis
  • Lobelias inflate
  • Lycopodium
  • Sambucus Nigra
  • Sanguinaria
  • Spongia

Aconite

Aconite is always the remedy in the beginning of croup, be it spasmodic or membranous in character. The child is Aconite nepallus homeopathic medicine for croupsuddenly aroused out of sleep gasping for breath.

There is a most anxious distressed countenance, hot skin and much restlessness and tossing about. The cough is of the driest kind, loud and barking, no expectoration. If however, the remedy be continued a little while a little expectoration will appear and with it relief.

Crop brought on by exposure to dry, cold winds calls for Aconite. The remedy should not be stopped too soon; if so the trouble will return the following night. The breathing is loud, especially the inspiratory effort.

Antim tart

It is an excellent remedy for croup; difficult expectoration with much rattling of mucus in the larynx.

Patient gasp for breath at the beginning of every spell of cough; feeling of suffocation with neck stretched out, threatening paralysis of lungs; amelioration by vomiting or spitting of mucus

Arsenic album

Homeopathic medicines for croup in which croup associated with coryza; dyspnoea and suffocative attacks at night; especially after midnight; croup before or after rashes or hives; patient cannot breath through nose; complaints with much restlessness and thirst, but for less quantity of water; aggravation after drinking.

Bryonia Albabryonia alba homeopathic medicine for croup

Mucus is tough in nature which loosens only when patient hawks the mucus frequently. Dry hacking cough; voice rough and hoarse; spasmodic shock towards the upper part of the trachea

Bromine

Perhaps the next remedy in order is Bromine. Its indications are a deep, hoarse voice, and every attempt at inspiration produces coughing; the breathing is hoarse, rasping and whistling and there is rattling in the larynx, and when the child coughs the larynx sounds full of mucus.

With Bromine the child is suddenly roused out of sleep as if choking and a drink of water often relieves the spasmodic condition.

The sensation as if some of the membrane were loose in the larynx giving rise to this rattling, is very characteristic of this drug. There is also marked prostration.

Carbo veg

One of the best remedies for croup; face becomes blue while coughing; intermittent small pulse; great perspiration with restlessness; amelioration by fanning or rapid motion.

Causticum

Remarkable remedy for catarrhal croup; sensation of rawness and soreness in the throat; great dryness of air passages; attacks of suffocation during cough.

Ipecauc

Catarrhal croup; spasmodic cough with constricted feeling and fear of suffocation; Convulsive cough in the evening

Kali brom

It is an excellent remedy for spasmodic croup; sense of suffocation during sleep due to severe spasmodic cough; after one or two hours patient falls asleep and breathes easily and naturally; only to awake again in a similar paroxysm.

Lobelias inflate

Remarkable remedy for spasmodic croup, dyspnoea; spasmodic feeling in the larynx, fear of suffocation; constant cough and great anguish.

Hepar Sulphur

This is the third of the great croup trinity, and it follows Spongia well. It has the same croupy sound, but there is a certain amount of moisture to it; it has a “loose edge.”

It comes on after dry, cold winds, the breathing is whistling and there is great sensitiveness to the cold air. There must be some looseness of the cough to indicate Hepar in fact, the child is apt to have choking fits with the cough.

Homeopathic medicines for croup in which pains going from the throat to the ears and expulsion of pieces of false membrane..

Kali muriaticum

Clinically, Kali muriaticum has been found a very useful remedy in croup. It corresponds to croupous exudations, it has expectoration of gray fibrinous slime or phlegm from the mucous membrane.

The cough is dry, hard and croupy,harsh and barking. It forms with Ferrum phosphoricum the principal tissue remedy treatment of croup.

Kaolin

This is a remedy little used or thought of in croup. It has some good symptoms, however.

It is useful for membranous croup when it extends downwards, and one of its characteristic symptoms is intense soreness along the trachea and upper part of the chest.

Homeopathic medicines for croup in which patient does not want anything to touch him because the chest is so sore

Iodine

Iodine, in its provings, not only presents all the symptoms peculiar to croup, such as hoarseness, dry, rough, deep cough, painful larynx, whistling respiration, sensation of obstruction in larynx, but in the record of poisonings we have the formation of pseudo-membrane on epiglottis, vocal chords and the parts of the larynx beneath them.

It may be employed in all stages of croup. Given in the beginning, it may cut short the attack, and after 1 exudation has taken place it diminishes this either directly by absorption, or by rendering it more fluid it become more easy to expectorate; and when exudation has existed for some time and the patient is exhausted it has the effect of rousing the organism to general reaction.

The special indications for its use are the dry, short, barking cough with wheezing, sawing respiration, dyspnoea and imminent suffocation. The cough may have lost the peculiar metallic tone and become muffled and indistinct. There is constant desire to change position, and it acts especially well in dark-complexioned children.

Kali bichromicum

This remedy is suitable to children with short, fat necks, and it is indicated in true membranous croup. The cough is metallic, the fauces and tonsils are red and swollen, breathing is labored and the larynx is sensitive.

The child has smothering spells and awakens choking. The formation of a thick membrane takes place, and the tendency of the disease is to extend downward, becoming croupous bronchitis.

There is violent wheezing, and the expectoration is of tough and stringy mucus. It offers the most hope of removing the false membrane. Cowperthwaite places this remedy before all others in membranous croup.

Sanguinaria

This remedy may be useful in croup. There is the formation of a false membrane with dryness, burning and swollen feeling in the throat and a wheezing, whistling croupy cough.

Dryness and burning are the keynotes of Sanguinaria.

Spongia

Spongia is the great homoeopathic croup remedy, but it always comes in after Aconite. The breathing is harsh, sawing and hard as if the patient were breathing through a sponge.

Hard barking ringing cough with scanty expectoration; in fact, it seems to get tighter and tighter every minute and almost threatens suffocation.

It is worse before midnight, and it is especially well indicated in light complexioned children with blue eyes. It corresponds more closely to the spasmodic form of croup than to the membranous.

Sambucus Nigra

Pseudo membranous croup; wheezing cough with suffocative attacks just after midnight, and from lying with head low; dread of being uncovered; spasm of glottis.

Symptoms of Croup

The manifestations of croup are:

  • Harsh cough described as barking or brassy, hoarseness.
  • Stridor is a harsh, high-pitched respiratory sound produced by turbulent airflow.low-grade fever
  • Respiratory distress that may develop slowly or quickly.
  • Signs of upper airway obstruction, such as labored breathing

Conventional Treatment for croup

Treatment includes

Steroids

Corticosteroids, such as dexamethasone and budesonide, have been shown to improve outcomes in children with all severities of croup.

Epinephrine

Moderate to severe croup may be improved temporarily when patient is nebulized with epinephrine.

Complications of Croup

  • The most common complication of croup is viral pneumonia, which occurs in 1% to 2% of children. Para-influenza virus pneumonia and secondary bacterial pneumonia are more common in immune-compromised persons.
  • Bacterial tracheitis may also be a complication of croup.

Prognosis of Croup

The prognosis for croup is excellent. Illness usually lasts approximately 5 days. As children grow, they become less susceptible to the airway effects of viral infections of the middle respiratory tract.

How to prevent Croup

  • Limit contact with affected person especially during the first three days of their illness.
  • Wash hands after contact with affected person and objects and surfaces they may have contaminated.
  • Use of alcohol-based hand rubs. Hand Washing plays major role in prevention as it removes viruses from the skin of the hand and fingers either by killing them or by the mechanical action of washing.
  • Avoid close contact with other adults and children with upper respiratory infection when possible. This may be difficult, especially when in public, but parents can try to limit direct contact. In addition, infants or children who are sick should not be sent to day care or school as this can potentially cause others to become ill.

The above information about homeopathy treatment of croup is only for information purpose. Please consult a professional homeopath before taking any homeopathic medicine for croup. 

Some Cases of Croup Cured with Homeopathic Medicine

Four Brief Cases from the Homoeopathic Recorder Volume XIII – 1898

She Will Just Not Eat Her Food – Allergies & Respiratory Issues – by Monica Raina

Two Cases Illustrating the Importance of Specific Rubrics and Characteristic Symptoms in Homoeopathy – by Shishir Paranjape

Three Cured Cases – by Jayakumar Pannakkal

Musings on Mental Illnesses – by K. V. Natarajan

A Case of Salix nigra – by David A. Johnson

Two Cases of Acute Cough in Children – by Petr Hoffman

About the author

Dr. Manish Bhatia

- BCA, M.Sc Homeopathy (UK), CICH (Greece), MD (Hom)
- Associate Professor, Organon & Homeopathic Philosophy, SKH Medical College, Jaipur
- Founder Director of Hpathy.com
- Editor, Homeopathy for Everyone
- Co-author - Homeopathy and Mental Health Care: Integrative Practice, Principles and Research
- Author - Lectures on Organon of Medicine vol 1, 2, 3. CCH Approved. (English, German, Bulgarian)
- Awardee - Raja Pajwan Dev Award for Excellence in the Field of Medicine; APJ Abdul Kalam Award for Excellence in Homeopathy Education
- Visit Dr. Bhatia's website

About the author

Dr. Bhanu Sharma

BHMS, MD (Hom) Paediatrics
Dr. Bhanu Sharma is a young homeopath from Jaipur, who is very passionate about homeopathy. She has worked as an assistant doctor at Dr. Bhatia's Asha Homeopathy and currently has an independent practice in Jaipur.

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