CLEARING CATARRH
Colds are an unpleasant fact of life, but many people particularly dread a cold because of the days, or even weeks, of annoying catarrh which often follows it. Catarrh is caused by the reaction of the mucous membrane, which lines the nose and throat, to infection. The membrane steps up production and produces thick, sticky mucus which clogs up the nasal passages and sticks in the throat.
Cold are the most common cause of catarrh, but it may also be caused by an allergy to the house dust mite or to pollens or by asthma. If you suffer with catarrh you can’t shake off, check with your doctor to rule out the possibility of allergies, infection or lung congestion.
Where catarrh lingers after a cold, conventional medicine often doesn’t have much to offer. Nasal decongestants can help for a while but shouldn’t be used for more than a week at a time and simpler, self-help remedies can be more useful.
Herbal remedies
Inhaling steam and drinking warm fluids are two of the best ways to thin mucus and make it easier to cough up. A few drops of essential oil added to steam inhalations can help dislodge stubborn mucus. Eucalyptus has a refreshing camphor smell, is an antiseptic and clears the head. Peppermint is also recommended for clearing the nasal passages. Hot herbal teas are soothing and healing: camomile, peppermint, hyssop and ginger are especially good to loosen catarrh. Hot lemon with honey is a good, tradition al remedy for colds and catarrh honey’s antiseptic properties help with infection and phlegm, while lemon contains vitamin C. Just add a tablespoon of honey to the juice of half a lemon and top up with boiling water.
Homeopathic remedies
Natural therapists like homeopaths tend to disagree with taking medicines to suppress symptoms. Homeopathic medicine maintains that some people have an inherited tendency to suffer chronic catarrh and certainly, some of us do suffer more or longer than others. According to homeopaths, the worst thing to do is to “damp down” catarrh with medicines like cough mixtures, which stop its production or suppress the cough that it causes. They believe this discharge is the body’s way of expelling toxins which must come out. In cases of catarrh following a cold, homeopathic treatment consists of remedies to make phlegm less thick and the following remedies are some of those that can be recommended:-
Thick, yellowish-green catarrh: Hepar sulph
Yellow catarrh which smells offensive: Pulsatilla
Sticky, stringy, white catarrh: Kali Bich
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