Colds and Rhinopharyngitis

The majority of people in the Western world catch a common cold at least once a year. This ailment, a viral infection of the nasal mucosa and air passages, is transmitted from one person to another by minute airborne droplets from the saliva and the breath.

The well known symptoms of the cold are a thick, fairly clear, nasal discharge, but the nose can sometimes be blocked.

Rhinopharyngitis, inflammation of the nose and throat at the same time, is usually viral or bacterial in origin, but can sometimes be due to allergy; it is very contagious and frequent in creches and amongst groups.

It also involves a running nose, but with a temperature, which can be high, a sore throat, and a cough set off by the nasal discharge.

To oversimplify, one could say that babies have simple colds, children suffer from rhinopharyngitis, and adolescents from tonsillitis.

Preventive measures

• These are important and easily put into practice:
• If possible, take the child out of the creche.
• Hygienic precautions: wash hands frequently, and show children how to blow their noses.
• Reduce the heating and forbid smoking in the bedroom.
• Humidify the atmosphere with a humidifier: add eucalyptus.
• Look for an infectious person in the family circle.
• Eliminate any allergic factor.

Standard anti-infective treatment

At the beginning of any cold - to be started as quickly as possible at the first abnormal symptom:

• Start with Aconitum-Homaccord@ (Heel) which contains Aconitum D2, D10, D30, D200, Eucalyptus D4, D10, D30 and Ipecacuanha D2, D10, D30, D200:
  - available in drop bottles containing 30 and 100ml
  - Generally 10 drops three times daily. Initially 10 drops every 15 minutes
• Add copper as a trace element with silver or gold in colloidal form
• Six tablets of Pyrogenium 5c, once a day in a single dose. for a few days
• Twenty drops of Lehning@ L52 in a little water. three or four times per day
• Vitamin C: one gram per day for adults, 0.5g for children, for a fortnight

Some foods rich in vitamin C

Citrus fruits (lemon, orange, grapefruit), green vegetables (celery, green cabbage++, cress, spinach, sorrel, parsley, horseradish), fruit, particularly red fruit (strawberries, raspberries, redcurrants), but also others (pineapple, blackcurrants++, guava, kiwi ++), potatoes, green peppers, tomatoes...

Local treatment

• You can use Rhinodoron (Weleda) nasal spray which contains an isotonic salt solution of sodium and potassium chloride in pure distilled water with aloe vera.
  - Available in glass bottles of 20ml as a spray
• You can use Euphorbium composition Nasal Spray S (Heel):
  - Available as a 20ml atomizer
  - Spray 1-2 shots into each nostril 3-5 times daily. For children under 6 years, 1 shot 3-4 times daily
  This treatment, along with the dietary advice given in the section The start of infection' will bring about improvement or cure in a good number of cases.

Homeopathy

Allium cepa, Hepar sulfur

- Four tablets of one of these two remedies at 5c to be sucked like sweets three or four times a day, between meals.

Allium cepa

- Vegetable origin: the common onion used in cooking
- A homeopathic remedy for a running, irritated nose.
- The symptoms of a patient with a cold are identical to the effects of peeling an onion: the eyes and nose smart and begin to run, there is violent sneezing. You can prescribe Allium cepa to alleviate the symptoms: this is the very principle of homeopathy

Hepar sulfur

- Chemical origin: a mixture of sulphur and oyster shell
- Homeopathic remedy for infections with suppuration
- Characteristic sign: irritation caused by the smallest current of air

• You can use Naso-Heel@ (Heel) which contains Kalium bichromicum 05, Phos­phorus 06, Arum maculatum 04
  - Available in drop bottles of 30ml and 100ml
  - In general. 10 drops three times daily; in acute disorders, initially 10 drops every 15 minutes
• It is also necessary to add a basic remedy chosen after consulting a homeopath: often Calcarea phosphor­ica, Pulsatilla, Silicea...

Oligotherapy

Essentially with copper, but also zinc. Trace elements are normally supplied by the diet, which should be varied and of good quality. When there is a defi­ciency, the elements can be taken as preparations.

Dietary sources of copper

Copper is present in small quantities nearly everywhere, except in milk, which contains very little.

It is found especially in liver++ (calf, sheep), seafood (seaweed, lobsters, oysters, scallops, fish roe), almonds and nuts, certain vegetables (avocados, mushrooms), cereals (whole wheat, whole rice, soya), dried fruits, green vegetables, plums, cocoa, tea...

Dietary sources of zinc

Zinc is widespread in seafood: oysters++, other shellfish, and fish. However it is also found in meat, egg yolk, cereals, wholemeal bread, brewer's yeast, nuts, some vegetables (broccoli, mushrooms, spinach, haricot beans)...

• Copper and zinc preparations: there are various brands and presentations: colloidal minerals such as Organic Minerals (Colloidals) which contains 70+ trace minerals:
  - Available in 946ml bottles
  - Take 1-3 caps just before breakfast ancllor evening meal
  - Children I teaspoon daily for each 20lbs of body weight Or Maximol (Ionized colloidals):
  - Available in 500ml bottles
  - Take 1/2 capful once or twice daily on an empty stomach

Herbal treatment

• Anti-infective Echinacea, very stimulating ginseng.
  
  - Ask your herbalist to prepare 30ml bottles of the mother tincture of each of these plants, and take 25 drops three times a day of the first and 25 drops twice a day of the second
  
  You can use Echinaforce (Bioforce). a tincture of Echinacea purpurea:
  - Available in 50ml and 100ml bottles of oral drops
  - Fifteen drops to be taken in a little water, three times a day by adults, seven drops three times a day by children (6-12 years old).

Some plant essential oils

Niaouli, mountain savory, and common thyme, for their anti-infective properties.
Mint, nutmeg, rosemary, for their stimulant properties.
-Two drops of one of these to be taken in a teaspoonful of honey, twice a day by adults.
For children, you can choose between eucalyptus radiata, niaioli, and thyme linalol.
- One drop of one of these to be taken in a teaspoonful of honey, twice a day.

Eucalyptus

Australian in origin, the eucalyptus is a very large ornamental tree that can reach tens of metres in height. and has long been used by the Aborigines to combat infections and fevers. It was introduced into Europe in the 19th century, not for medical purposes but for geographic and agricultural reasons: its great roots, which absorb large quantities of water and deter the growth of neighbouring plants, have made it possible to dry up marshy areas, mainly in the south of France and in southern Europe. Its characteristic pleasant smell kept insects away and drove malaria towards Africa. Its long leaves are sometimes distilled fresh to obtain the essential oil, and sometimes dried for the preparation of remedies. Among the 600 existing species of eucalyptus, the globulus variety is almost exclusively used in medicine.

Natural remedies and alternative medicine are a great way to supplement your personal well-being. For additional health care tips, do a bit of online surfing. For people who don't have expensive health insurance, homeopathy is a real life saver.