Bronchiectasis is a form COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) characterized by damage, thickening, and widening of the bronchi. Mucus tends to build up in these widened airways that allow bacteria to flourish there and lead to frequent lung infections. Bronchiectasis can arise from any lung injury. Homeopathic medicines for bronchiectasis can help prevent further progress of pathology but cannot reverse the damage that has already occurred in the airways.
Most cases arise from damage from a condition known as cystic fibrosis. Other conditions that can lead to bronchiectasis include repeated lung infections, abnormal immune system function, an allergic reaction to a fungus known as allergic aspergillosis, alpha 1 – antitrypsin deficiency, HIV, autoimmune diseases and primary ciliary dysplasia. It can also develop in cases of inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis) and rheumatological diseases (rheumatoid arthritis and Sjogren’s disease).
Homeopathic Medicines for Bronchiectasis
Homeopathy has a supportive role to play in cases of bronchiectasis along with conventional help. These remedies help a person manage the symptoms of bronchiectasis including cough, expectoration, wheezing, shortness of breath in an excellent manner. Antominium Tart, Kali Bichrome, Pulsatilla, Silicea, Phosphorous and Arsenic are the top medicines for bronchiectasis.
1. Antimonium Tart – Top Grade Medicine for Bronchiectasis
Antimonium Tart is a top listed medicine for treating bronchiectasis. The key feature to use Antimonium Tart is an excessive rattling cough. Rattling worsens on lying down and is better on sitting in upright position. There is a collection of enormous mucus in the lungs and the chest feels full. The expectoration is difficult. Expectoration, when arising, is yellow, thick, tough and sometimes mixed with blood. Cough is attended with suffocation. Chest feels oppressed. Chest pain also arises on coughing.
2. Kali Bichrome – For Bronchiectasis with Cough and Thick, Tenacious Expectoration
Kali Bichrome is useful medicine for bronchiectasis with thick, tenacious expectoration. Expectoration is highly viscid, sticky in nature that can be drawn in long strings. The expectoration is copious and can be transparent, white, yellow, green or slate – coloured. There is cough with pain and soreness in the chest. Chest also feels heavy as from a weight / heavy load on chest
3. Pulsatilla – For Cough and Yellowish Green Expectoration
Pulsatilla is prepared from plant Pulsatilla Nigricans commonly known by the name of windflower or pasque flower of the natural order Ranunculaceae. Pulsatilla is indicated for bronchiectasis when there is cough with yellowish green colored expectoration. The cough worsens in a warm room. Expectoration appears in large quantities of yellow-greenish thick, lumpy mucus, especially in the morning time. It may have a slimy, bitter, sweet or salty taste. The person needing Pulsatilla may also have weakness and fever.
4. Silicea – For Offensive Expectoration
Silicea is helpful for cases of bronchiectasis with offensive expectoration. Expectoration is profuse. It can be thick and purulent in nature. The expectoration appears in badly smelling granules. Cough appears day and night with copious expectoration. Cough tends to get worse from a cold. Chest feels sore. Pain in chest appears that gets worse from motion and deep breathing.
5. Phosphorus – For Bloody Expectoration
Phosphorus is a prominent medicine for bronchiectasis with bloody expectoration. The blood is bright red, reddish brown or rust colored. This can be attended with chest pain. The pain tends to be stitching in nature. A heated sensation may be felt in the chest. The chest also tends to feel heavy as from a weight lying on it. Breathing is very oppressed.
6. Arsenic Album – For Cough and Marked Wheezing
Arsenic Album is a well-indicated medicine for bronchiectasis with marked wheezing. This is attended with cough and expectoration which is mainly of frothy nature. The phlegm can be bitter or saltish. Shortness of breath also frequently attend. There is marked difficulty in breathing and the person is able to breath better with chest inclined forwards. Lying down worsens the difficulty breathing episodes. An aggravation of all symptoms is there at midnight. Constriction/tightness of the chest also accompanies. Sometimes chest pain is also felt. Anxiety and marked restlessness are felt with the above symptoms.
7. Ammonium Carb – For Shortness of Breath
Ammonium Carb is beneficial for bronchiectasis with shortness of breath. Persons requiring Ammonium Carb has difficulty in breathing even on walking a few steps. This gets better in the open air but may be attended with cough and spitting of bloody phlegm either light or dark colored. Chest feels contracted and heavy along with a burning sensation.
8. Kali Carb – For Chest Pain Attending other Symptoms
Kali Carb is indicated for bronchiectasis with chest pain attending other symptoms. For using Kali Carb the chest pain may be cutting, stitching or stabbing in nature. Cough is present with suffocation. Wheezing may be present with cough. Cough most times gets worse around 3:00 am. Shortness of breath may be felt in the morning hours. There is expectoration of offensive, lumpy copious phlegm.
9. Hepar Sulph – For Purulent Expectoration
Hepar Sulph offers help in cases of bronchiectasis with purulent expectoration. It may have a sour or sweet taste and smells bad. Along with this cough and wheezing in the chest are present. Symptoms worsen from cold air exposure. Wrapping up warmly helps to relieve the symptoms. Difficulty in breathing may arise that prevents sleeping in some cases with the above symptoms.
10. Stannum Met – For Copious Green Expectoration
Stannum Met is another indicated medicine for bronchiectasis with copious greenish expectoration. It has sweetish taste in most of the cases where Stannum Met is indicated. There is a cough with shortness of breath. The person tends to take deep breaths frequently. Chest feels oppressed on coughing. There is a sensation of weakness in the chest.
Symptoms of Bronchiectasis
The symptoms of bronchiectasis include a chronic cough with a large amount of phlegm (yellow, green or clear), offensive expectoration, cough with blood-stained phlegm, shortness of breath, wheezing, chest pain, fatigue, weight loss and clubbing of fingertips.
