Colds

Choose a remedy: No one has all the below cold symptoms so choose based on the most prominent ones. If symptoms change, take a remedy that matches your new symptoms.

Dosage: At onset of symptoms, take 30C twice a day or 6C or 12X four times a day* for a few days. Or, see the Dosage Chart

• When symptoms improve, stop taking the remedy. 
• Repeat if symptoms return
• If no improvement after 2 doses, try a different remedy

Notes:

• If a self-selected remedy – however well indicated – doesn’t help and your symptoms are more than you would expect for a common cold, you need to seek medical expertise.  A doctor will provide a diagnosis and/or a professional homeopath can evaluate your symptoms in the context of your whole person. 
• Avoid medicated cough drops with camphor, eucalyptus, menthol as these may antidote homeopathic medicine.

 

Symptoms	Remedy
General cold symptoms This medicine is a combination of many of the remedies listed in this chart View Remedy	Cold Calm – Adult Cold Calm – Children Combination remedy manufactured by Boiron Follow package directions
Cough, mucus and congestion View Remedy	Kids Colds and Mucus Relief Multi-remedy manufactured by Similason Take according to package directions
Daytime and Nighttime cold and cough relief View Remedy	Kids Cold and Cough Multi-remedy manufactured by Hylands Take according to package directions
Runny nose Sore throat Sneezing Cough View Remedy	4 Kids Sniffles and Sneezes  Multi-remedy manufactured by Hylands Take according to package directions
Take at the first sign of a cold coming on Sudden onset after exposure to cold/wind.   Nose blocked, mucus membranes dry Fever, chill, thirsty for cold drinks Better: open air View Remedy	Aconitum Napellus
Profuse, clear, watery nasal discharge  Nasal mucus burns nose and upper lip Eyes may be irritated and teary Headache with runny nose Sneezing Better: fresh air cold room Worse: warmth View Remedy	Allium cepa
Profuse, clear, watery nasal discharge Nasal mucus burns nose and upper lip Nose runs yet feels stuffy Very chilly, needs heat Prefers frequent sips of water Sneezing Restless, anxious Worse: night if chilled Better: warmth View Remedy	Arsenicum album
Runny nose irritates skin and throat Alternates with stuffy nose and mouth breathing Urge to bore into nose Nose margins, corners of lips crack View Remedy	Arum triphyllum
Runny nose with swollen upper lip and nose Glands around ears painful and swollen View Remedy	Baryta carbonica
Early stage of cold Sudden onset Head may feel hot Runny nose May desire lemons or lemonade View Remedy	Belladonna
When cold has moved to chest Wants to be left alone, lie still and not move Dry lips, mouth, throat Tremendous thirst – gulps fluid Better: alone coolness open air View Remedy	Bryonia
Cold symptoms with achiness and bone pain Restless Thirsty for cold drinks, cold food Worse: cold air View Remedy	Eupatorium perfolatum
Profuse burning tears Eyes burning, irritated, swollen lids Runny nose – non-irritating, with cough Sneezing View Remedy	Euphrasia
Slow onset Early cold without marked symptoms May have mild fever Poor appetite, little thirst Worse: exertion early morning View Remedy	Ferrum phosphoricum
Achey, weak, exhausted, shaky Heavy, droopy eyelids, drowsy Head feels heavy and mind dull Headache starting at nape of neck Chills run up and down back View Remedy	Gelsemium
For later stages of cold Profuse thick, yellow mucus Old cheese smell in nose Very sensitive to cold air, cold food/drinks Wants warm wraps, warm baths Irritable View Remedy	Hepar sulphuris calcareum
Thick nasal discharge with burning pain Sinus congestion View Remedy	Hydrastis canadensis
Later stages of colds Thick, yellow/green, gluey, stringy mucus Nose crusty Pain and fullness at root of nose (near eyes) Better: warmth open air pressure View Remedy	Kali bichromicum
For a general decongestant effect May be taken in between doses of main remedy View Remedy	Kali Muriaticum 6C Take every 3-4 hours during cold until better
Thick, grayish or yellowish nasal discharge Chest rattles with breathing or cough Similar to Pulsatilla, but more irritable Better: fresh air View Remedy	Kali sulphuricum
Thick yellow-green discharges Discharges smell bad, bad breath Increased salivation Swollen glands, may be painful Fatigue Chills alternate with feeling hot Tongue thickly coated and may seem enlarged Worse: night View Remedy	Mercurius solubilis or Mercurius vivus
For later stage colds Sinus pain in upper jaw and teeth Better warm compresses Dry cough with retching and vomiting Worse evening and night In morning, coughs up mucus Mucus has salty taste or old tasting Worse: eating night View Remedy	Mezereum
Nose runs “like a tap” Mucus watery or like egg whites Sneezing, worse in morning Nose alternates being runny or stuffed Shuns sympathy Worse: heat around 10am Better: open air View Remedy	Natrum muriaticum
Daytime – watery runny nose Nighttime – stuffy Nose runs in a warm room, stuffy outside Very chilly, can’t get warm Achey, dull headache Irritable, impatient, easily offended Worse: morning open air overeating coffee alcohol tobacco anger View Remedy	Nux vomica
Recurrent respiratory infections Tendency for colds to quickly go to the chest Lingering, tickley cough Prefers ice cold drinks View Remedy	Phosphorus
Later stage of a cold Thick, stringy, yellow/green mucus, smells bad Mucus hangs out of child’s nose like candlesticks Loose cough in morning, dry at night Gentle, affectionate, craves attention, sympathy Symptoms and mood very changeable Worse: morning  Better: open air View Remedy	Pulsatilla
Achey, stiff feeling on first movement Better with continued motion, activity Restless.  Prefers to move around Chilly Desires warmth and hot drinks View Remedy	Rhus toxicodendron
Nasal mucus dries quickly forming crusts/scabs Feeling of fullness at root of nose (near eyes) Constant need to blow nose but no discharge View Remedy	Sticta pulmonaria
Colds commonly seen in infants Nose blocked and breathing is obstructed Sweats a lot View Remedy	Sambucus

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