Homeopathy for Pleurisy

Pleurisy is the name given to inflammation of the pleura, the delicate lining membrane of the lungs. It can be associated with all sorts of disease, from serious to very minor.

Who gets pleurisy?

Pleurisy can attack people of all ages, from children to the very aged. When it is caused by viral infection, it is a disease that doctors tend to associate with young people. When it is associated with pneumonia, it is generally considered to be a disease of older people. A pleural effusion may occur for a variety of reasons. This, too, tends to affect older people.

Causes of pleurisy

Pleurisy (Homeopathy Treatment for Pleurisy) develops as a complication of pneumonia, tuberculosis, viruses, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, uremia, certain cancers, pulmonary infraction, and chest trauma. Pleuritic pain is caused by the inflammation or irritation of sensory nerve endings in  the parietal pleura lining the pleural space, causing pain. This disorder usually begins suddenly.

Symptoms of pleurisy

The main symptoms of pleurisy is sudden pain in the chest, made worse with deep breathing, coughing, and chest movements. Pain may be referred to areas away from the site of origin, such as the shoulder, lower chest, neck, or abdomen, which can be confused with intraabdominal disease. if sufficient pleural fluid accumulates, it can compress the underlying lung, causing rapid or difficult breathing.

Diagnosis of pleurisy

Pleurisy is easily diagnosed when the characteristic pleuritic pain occurs. A pleural friction rub is diagnostic but may be transient in nature. Chest radiographs are useful to demonstrate pleural fluid.

Analysis of the pleural fluid when present is the most helpful diagnostic test in establishing is a diagnosis in most cases of pleurisy. This is done using a procedure called thoracentesis, in which a fine needle is inserted in to the chest to reach the pleural space and extract fluid.

Homeopathic treatment for pleurisy

Homeopathy is one of the most popular holistic systems of medicine. The selection of remedy is based upon the theory of individualization and symptoms similarity by using holistic approach. This is the only way through which a state of complete health can be regained by removing all the sign and symptoms from which the patient is suffering. The aim of homeopathy is not only to treat pleurisy but to address its underlying cause and individual susceptibility. As far as therapeutic medication is concerned, several remedies are available to treat pleurisy fasciitis that can be selected on the basis of cause, sensations and modalities of the complaints.  For individualized remedy selection and treatment, the patient should consult a qualified homeopathic doctor in person. There are following remedies which are helpful in the treatment of pleurisy:

Abrotanum [Abrot]

In pleurisy, after Aconite, and Bryonia, when a pressing sensation remains in affected side, impeding respiration.

Aconite [Acon]

Severe fever, with stitching pains on a fixed spot of the thorax, worse by breathing, gaping, coughing, sneezing, with superficial, short, hurried respiration, accelerated pulse, great thirst, hot skin.

Antimonium-tart [Ant-t]

Commencement of pleuro-pneumonia; rapid, short, heavy and anxious breathing, must be supported in a sitting posture in bed; violent pains from chest to shoulder, lancinating and tearing; palpitation of heart.

Apis-mell [Apis]

Fever moderate, very little pain; oppression with heat and smarting in throat; cough short, tearing, (<) at night in bed and from the heat of the room great lassitude, extreme irritability, but no fear of death, though he has a strange feeling as if he could not take another breath, paleness, oedema of face, feeble pulse, urine scanty and like black coffee; morning diarrhoea; OPPRESSION AND FAINTISHNESS FROM THE QUALITY OF EXUDATION, especially useful in chronic or latent cases.

Arnica [Arn]

After mechanical injuries; must continually change position, bed feels too hard; articulation and

cartilaginous connections of chest feel as if beaten, when moving, breathing or coughing; dry, short, hacking cough; stitches in chest (left), (<) from dry cough and motion, (>) from external pressure; PNEUMOTHORAX FROM EXTERNAL INJURIES; stitches in cardiac region, asthmatic sensation; dry, cold extremities with internal heat; in traumatic pleurisy Sulph.ac. follows well after Arnica

Arsenicum [Ars]

Serous effusion in pleura; asthmatic respiration; great weakness, tendency to faint; asthenia; dyspnoea increasing with the rapid accumulation of serous or bloody fluid in chest, fear of death; insomnia; colliquative sweat, diarrhoea, great thirst; dropsical swellings.

Arsenicum-iod [Ars-i]

Pleuritic exudation; great emaciation and prostration intercostal spaces filled, dull sound on percussion; breathing too rapid, even when at rest, (<) on exertion, soon only a wheezing; frequent, short, suppressed cough, often loose; heaviness of limbs with weariness of whole body.

Asclepias-tub [Asc-t]

Acute pleuritic pain in right side, with dry hacking cough and scanty mucous expectoration, better by bending forward, and worse by motion; stitches in left side, shooting over to right side and up the left shoulder; rheumatic stitching pains in muscles and joints, dark-red urine, and hot perspiring skin; high fever, with hot sweat, chronic pleurisy in tuberculous patients.

Bryonia [Bry]

Stitching pain in chest worse from slightest motion; chest very sensitive on inspiration, with stitches in left side; stitches in sternum when coughing, has to hold the chest with his hands; respiration impeded, quick and deep, without motion of the ribs, better in cold air, and from drinking cold water; INTENSE AND PERSISTENT FEVER, seat of pain very sensitive to pressure; affection of right side; better when lying on affected side, as by the pressure exerted he moves it less (Belladonna worse), and later on account of effusion; free, sour and warm sweat.

Cactus [Cact]

Painful sensation of constriction, as if a cord were tightly bound around false ribs, obstructing respiration; pain from lower part of chest to shoulder-blades; dull percussion sound.

Cantharis [Canth]

FEBRILE STATE NOT MARKED; shooting pain in chest, from front to back, impeding respiration; stitches in chest, more on right side, or first left, then right; in lower right chest, extending towards middle of sternum; burning in chest; exudation within pleura; when trying to breathe deeply and when speaking fears to exert herself on account of great weakness of respiratory organs; excessive dyspnoea; displacement of heart, tendency to fainting; dry, hacking cough.

Carbo-an [Carb-an]

PLEURISY ASSUMING A TYPHOID CHARACTER; sickly, bluish color of skin, expectoration puriform, putrid; ichoraemia and degeneration of the exudation in chest; green pus from chest, right side; the stitch remains, though everything else is gone.

Carbo-veg [Carb-v]

Pleurisy complicated with chronic bronchitis; dull stitches in left side of chest, extending into short ribs; pleuritic serous exudation, with hectic fever and evening aggravation; asthmatic affection from hydrothorax; pain and burning in chest from coughing; great dyspnoea and anxiety but no restlessness.

Colchicum [Colch]

Arthritic pleuritis, serous effusion in chest; great dyspnoea, (<) at night; lancinating pains, as with a knife; stinging in cardiac region, with oppression.

Hepar [Hep]

Plastic exudation into pleura, often of long standing; hectic fever, emaciation; chilliness; sensitiveness to damp air, which brings on coughing.

Kali-carb [Kali-c]

The violent stitching fails to yield to Bryonia, especially on left side, with violent palpitation of heart, dry cough, (<) 3 A.M.; pleura affected by extension from the lungs; pleuritis of tuberculous patients, affecting especially the clavicular region; pain as if lower lobe of right lung were adhering to ribs; pleurisy, stitches in left chest, with violent palpitation, dry cough, (<) 3 A.M., and on inspiration.

Kali-iod [Kali-i]

Subacute pleurisy and effusion in chest; great difficulty in breathing, cannot lie in comfort, and not all on right side; heart displaced; pleuro-pneumonia of right side, with serous effusion and hepatization of lower lung; absence of respiratory sounds in affected parts.

Mercurius [Merc]

Stitching pain through to back when coughing or sneezing, especially on right side; utter impossibility of lying on right side; great fever with chills, often followed by burning heat and weakening, foetid sweats; considerable thirst; intense gastro- intestinal catarrh and light, icteric color.

Nitric-acid [Nit-ac]

PLEURITIS OF OLD PEOPLE, when the pain leaves and the pulse increase and becomes smaller chest sore when coughing or breathing; dyspnoea from weakness; diarrhoea; heaviness and trembling of limbs, especially in morning.

Ranunculus-bulb [Ran-b]

ACUTE STABBING PAINS WITH EFFUSION OF SERUM dyspnoea, anguish and distress; stitches about chest at every change of weather, often from pleuritic adhesions; breathing short and oppressed, with inclination to take a deep breath.

Rhus-tox [Rhus-t]

After exposure to wet, or from straining, lifting, etc.; oppression of breathing, as if it were stopped at the pit of stomach; dry, teasing cough; stitches in chest, (<) when at rest, sitting crooked, or when sneezing; tingling in chest, with tension in the intercostal muscles, (<) when at rest; tip of tongue red, fever-blisters.

Senega [Seneg]

Dyspnoea, sensation as if chest were too tight; violent afflux of blood to chest with beating of heart; dull stitches and burning pain in left chest, when sitting or lying; violent beating of heart, shaking the whole chest; pulse unequal; throat dry and sensitive so that even talking is painful.

Sepia [Sep]

PLEURISY IN DYSCRASIC PATIENTS; dry, short, hacking cough with stitches in chest; cough at night, waking her from sleep; pleuritic exudations; coldness between shoulders, as from a cold hand; oppression of chest and shortness of breath when walking, worse towards evening; stitches in upper part of lung from clavicle to third rib, (<) breathing and coughing.

Squilla [Squil]

Stitching pain in left side; short rattling cough, disturbing sleep; inability to lie on left side; granting of teeth; twitching of lips, which are covered with thick yellow crusts, more on left side, worse mornings; oppression across chest as if it were too tight; stitches when coughing; dry heat with chills when uncovering ever so little.

Stannum [Stann]

Sharp, knife-like stitches beginning in left axilla and extending up into left clavicle or down into abdomen, (<) from bending forward, pressure and inspiration; great sore feeling in chest; oppressed breathing from every movement, when lying down and in the evening; tension across upper part of chest, with emptiness in lower one.

Sulphur [Sulph]

Shortness of breath and oppression on bending the arms backward; sharp stitches through the chest, extending into left scapula, worse lying on back and during least motion; pain in chest from overlifting, pain as if chest would fly to pieces when coughing or drawing a deep breath; plastic EXUDATION after pleuritis; lips bright-red; follows well after Bryonia or Rhus.