A man of 60 has periodic asthma, must then stand by open window with upper part of body stretched forward to prevent choking. Several remedies failed, but Cannabis 30c cured–Gross. Carbo vegetabilis
This remedy is indicated in acute and chronic cases of asthma in which patients are cold, extremities icy cold, pulse slow and intermittent. Sometimes there is real muscle rigidity, hands and feet numb, nails blue. Often an attack is followed by severe shaking cough–Kreuss.
A woman in the 30th year, following overwork nursing, was very weak, nervous, had fever and bronchial catarrh; too weak to expectorate accumulated mucus with severe coughing attacks. Symptoms: Has to sit up in bed, can not lie down; cold face expresses mortal fear; nose pointed; bathed in cold perspiration; cough short, usually dry, breath becoming shorter and difficult. Carbo veg. 30c was given; steam inhalation every 5 to 10 minutes. Almost immediate relief. Patient convalesced quickly and was entirely well–Lobethal.
Chamomilla
General remarks: Chamomilla helps where there is constant ineffective trial at coughing with severe pressure on chest and heart, or where to perspiration occurs; attacks after intense anger–Hering.
Breathing difficulty in children during windy weather; where in previously healthy children the epigastrium and hypochondria become tensely swollen, with restlessness, tossing about in bed, crying, drawing up legs, shortness of breath. Here Chamomilla is almost specific–Hartmann.
China
Asthma with whistling breathing and mucous rales threatening suffocation nights when awakening; or where breathing is only possible when sitting up, where patient perspires and takes cold easily–Hering.
Conium
General remarks: Indicated in senile asthma (when beginning hydrothorax is not causative) with fast breathing from least motion and dry convulsive cough. Here Conium is unsurpassed, which can be curative where patients are not too old–Lobethal.
Cuprum
A boy of 6, usually well, had crusta lactea when very young which was quickly suppressed by salves. After every cold develops dyspnea with convulsive cough and chest rales. When trying to breathe deeply, has cough with whistling inspiration. Dyspnea aggravated by coughing, laughing, fast walking; epigastrium sensitive to pressure, all aggravated when going to bed. During attack patient has to sit up bent forward; white mucous expectoration; heat and perspiration of entire body; abdomen painful to pressure, especially hypochondria. After attack has cough similar to pertussis with pain in epigastrium. Cuprum carbonicum 15–Knorre.
A woman of 33 has chronic asthma following a fright. Symptoms: Menses were scanty, but now profuse for 5 to 6 days, preceded by congestion with palpitation; during menstruation daily asthmatic attacks. Shortness of breath always, must often take a deep breath especially when walking fast or climbing stairs. Dress feels too tight over epigastrium. Attacks force patient to lie down, begin with hiccup, contractive sensation in chest, can neither speak nor breathe. Fast breathing with panting; chest expansion shallow while abdominal muscles act convulsively. At the height of attack convulsive contraction of facial muscles, trunk and extremities, while face is high-red, almost swollen, finally covered with hot perspiration. Severe pressure over epigastrium shortens or ends attack. Exhaustion follows attack. Several attacks daily.
Cuprum aceticum 30c was given, after which attacks came less often, were less severe; four weeks later after great provocation she had only a little shortness of breathing. At the beginning of menses severe congestion to chest. Aggravation from sleeping on back and covering of chest; better from sitting up and total uncovering of chest–Knorre.
Hepar sulphur
A patient (tenor singer) had suffered three years ago from dry, red herpes over epigastrium, with painful chest oppression. Allopathic treatment did not help. Symptoms: Sleeplessness on account of difficult, whistling breathing with rales, much mucous expectoration; drops off to sleep, is awakened by attack of suffocation, has to get up and breathe open air. During the day patient is free from attacks and can do his singing. Sulphur 30c did not help in 20 days when Hepar sulphur 30c was given with primary aggravation for 5 days, but cured when herpes appeared again as he had it 3 years ago–Perussel.
Ipecacuanha
It is valuable in recent attacks; pulse small, slow; extremities cold; asthma, especially in children–Kreuss.
A patient has suffered from chronic cough threatening suffocation. Allopathic treatment did not help. Symptoms: Cough dry, convulsive, shaking; patient fainting; every attack threatens dying; dashing cold water over him brought him to again. Ipecacuanha 3c, two doses, cured lastingly in a few days- -Sonenberg.
A woman of 72, melancholic temperament, light brunette, spare-built; hemorrhoids congestive-spastic pelvic symptoms, had seizures of severe spasmodic cough with pronounced attacks of repeated choking during the day or night, which several homoeopathic remedies did not influence; great exhaustion. Ipecacuanha 2c did not help, but Ipecacuanha 30c immediately brought several hours of rest and cured–Kaempfer.
A child of 22, pale, thick, spongy, had a convulsive attack; crying pitifully, continual rales, ophisthotonos; green stools; face alternatingly hot or cold; pale. Aconite and Belladonna did not help. Ipecacuanha 9c cured soon–Bethmann.
Lachesis
Indicated in peevish, morose, excitable patients with aggravation after sleeping–Hering.
A man of plethoric constitution with predisposition to hydrothorax has for years suffered from periodic attacks of asthma daily with or without special cause. Symptoms: Awakens after midnight with sensation of strangulation, also in early morning when rising quickly; breathing slow, hard, whistling; must sit bending forward. Lachesis 30c was given. The following night a slight attack; after that could rise up quickly without trouble–Hering.
Lobelia
Dr. J. states that he found the 6c to the 15c potency especially indicated in continuous dyspnea aggravated from light physical exertion and from slight colds to real asthmatic attacks. Sensation of oppression and weakness in pit of stomach extending into chest, with or without burning pain, and stomach spasm; sensation of lump of mucus in suprasternal fossa. Pain in forehead from one temple to the other; backache in region of last spinal vertebra; pain in left side of chest. Urine dark. I have often observed that dyspnea is not always due to thoracic disease, but often to gastric disturbance. Lobelia relieved both.
The main action of Lobelia in asthma seems to be in degeneration of the bronchial mucous membrane caused by inflammation of larynx, trachea or bronchi. Symptoms: Dyspnea with short, fast breathing and frequent desire for a deep breath; tightness in chest worse from least exertion, draft and eating of heavy food; periodic spastic asthma in adults–Hartmann.
Lycopodium
A man in his fifties suffered often from cramps in stomach; 2 years ago he had arthritis; head and stomach troubles aggravated; angina pectoris. Losing strength. Symptoms: During asthmatic attacks has restlessness in epigastrium, stomach and upper abdomen; pain from stomach to back, in hypochondria and epigastrium with oppressed breathing, fear, sighing; congestion from abdomen over chest to head with red shining face, vertigo with exhaustion. Stomach cramps end in eructation, nausea, aversion and weakness. Such attacks at times lasted from afternoon into the night, ending in mucous vomiting. Lycopodium 18c cured–Schelling.
Nux vomica
It is especially indicated in asthma of hysterical patients; in angina pectoris, where relief is had from turning on the other side while lying in bed, or getting up from bed, or lying down; in asthmatic attacks due to anxious dreams; in sensation of too tightly fitting clothes; in attacks of stomach spasm–Hartmann.
Asthma from chest congestion with sensation of oppression; skin warm, inclined to perspiration; pulse full, fast, hard– Kreuss.
A minister of 44, robust, had suffered from asthma and abdominal troubles for 13 years. All possible allopathic remedies did not help. Symptoms: Walking and every exertion immediately causes constriction of chest with dyspnea, has to sleep sitting in a chair. After midnight and toward morning, increased dyspnea forcing him out of chair when for hours he has to stand up leaning with hands on table for a long time on account of chest constriction. Breath slow and whistling, accompanied by dry, exhausting cough. Anxiety all through body.
Aversion to black (rye) bread and meat; very little eating makes him feel full; eructation sharp, acid; least causes full feeling in liver region with stitching, pressing pain sensitive even to touch. Diarrhea with tenesmus; mucous matter, often alternating with constipation or hard blood-mixed feces; vertigo with heavy head. Sleep full of fear and anxious dreams. Face sallow, yellowish. Disposition cross, especially mornings. Dislikes mental exertion. Nux vomica 15c was given for a few months and cured–Stapf.
Phosphorus
Difficult, loud, panting breathing–Hahnemann.
