Cough only when lying down? Homeopathy for bronchitis and co.
by Joette Calabrese
Do you remember the KISS principle? The abbreviation dates from the 1960s and stands for "Keep It Simple, Stupid". Put more politely: "Don't make it unnecessarily complicated." The idea behind it is that the simplest solution is often the best.
The KISS principle is applied in many areas – aircraft construction, software development, engineering and even marketing. It also plays a role in homeopathy.
Some time ago I received an interesting question: "Which homeopathic remedy is appropriate for bronchitis involving the epithelial cells?"
Wow! That sounds extremely precise and complex, doesn't it? In fact, that description tells me very little about the actual complaints.
For the non-medical among us: the epithelial cells of the lung are specialised cells that line the airways and alveoli. They form a protective barrier and, depending on the cell type, perform different tasks: they produce mucus, remove foreign particles or enable the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide.
In other words: epithelial cells are part of the lung and its normal function.
I'm not a chest physician
Now, I'm not a medical doctor and it's not for me to judge the correctness of a medical diagnosis.
I am the wife of an athletic, adventurous man, mother of three adult sons, grandmother of two grandchildren and have been working as a homeopath for nearly 40 years. From my life experience and my homeopathic practice I can say: we do not always have to get lost in the complex technical language of a medical diagnosis.
Often, people try to transfer terms from a doctor's consultation directly to the selection of a homeopathic remedy. In this case the line of thought apparently was: "Epithelial cells were mentioned in the diagnosis. Which remedy, then, fits bronchitis involving the epithelial cells?"
But is that really the question we should be asking? Can that conclusion actually be drawn from the diagnosis? Or is it simply a case of bronchitis – in the spirit of the KISS principle?
In everyday practice it is like this: sometimes a medical diagnosis can be readily integrated into the homeopathic assessment. In other cases additional technical terms make it harder to focus on the symptoms.
Doctors use medical terms to describe a condition more precisely. That description is not wrong. However, for those affected it is often difficult to see which details are relevant for the homeopathic evaluation.
In homeopathy we ask: how do the symptoms present?
"What exactly is wrong with the lungs? Do you have a cough?"
"Yes, I have a cough!"
"Then please describe how this cough presents. What did you tell your doctor?"
"I always have to cough when I lie down. It's barely bearable! The cough only occurs when I'm lying down."
Now the description becomes more specific.
Bronchitis, epithelial cells or simply: coughing when lying down
Although I often emphasise that a diagnosis should also be taken into account, it is sometimes more helpful to translate the medical jargon into understandable terms. What matters for homeopathic treatment is a description of the symptoms that captures the actual complaints as accurately as possible.
Additional technical terms can be medically significant. For homeopathic remedy selection, however, they do not always provide the information needed.
So to the point: how do the symptoms present? In the present case it is a cough that occurs or becomes worse when lying down.
I would like to present a remedy from a case in my practice that I believe I have not yet discussed: Aralia racemosa in potency C30.
In my homeopathic practice I use Aralia for a cough that occurs exclusively when lying down. In some patients it begins immediately after lying down; others only wake later in the night and then start coughing.
Typically Aralia racemosa C30 is taken as soon as the cough starts and, depending on the severity of the symptoms, repeated at regular intervals. If the cough persists, the remedy may be given at short intervals. If it eases during the night, a further dose is usually given, if necessary, only on the following evening. You can find more about dosage and potency levels here.
Once the symptoms have clearly improved, i.e. the cough no longer occurs when lying down, the treatment is stopped. The remedy is only taken again if the cough should recur. It can be that simple.
Homeopathy helps — spread the word!
Warmly,
Yours,
Joette
Sources
- Calabrese J. Bronchitis, Epithelial Cells, and a Stubborn Cough Only When Lying Down. Joette Calabrese. https://joettecalabrese.com/blog/bronchitis-cough-when-lying-down/
