Bronchitis & Tracheitis

Maja called me on Monday morning, complaining about symptoms which originated from the inflammation of the bronchial tubes and trachea. She told me, that she was absolutely fine on Friday, but could hardly rise on Saturday morning as she was overwhelmed by a flood of distressing symptoms, which the physician diagnosed as middle-severe bronchitis and tracheitis. A most probable exciting cause according to §5 Organon was not to find out, many of her colleagues were ill of flu or grippal infect, and everybody around her were coughing.

She complained about extreme general weakness with fever, so that she was almost unable to get out of the bed. Her cough was asthmatic and accompanied by pain behind the sternum on coughing. She suffered from various kinds of pains which occurred with the infect but could not been explained by the inflammation of bronchial tubes. The legs were aching, especially the ankles, there was pain in the lumbosacral region on coughing, and also the sacral region and coccyx were aching. Between the scapula she had the sensation of constriction and suffered also from pressing headache in the forehead and temples. Other mental symptoms, physical generals or modalities were not to elicit.

Now, with such a mass of symptoms we shall see, what the remedy is, what the disturbed vital force is calling for. Homeopathic remedies are chosen according to the Law of Similars, thus we were seeking for a remedy which is able to produce similar symptoms during the proving upon a healthy individual, and which in this case is especially characterised by a sudden onset of symptoms, with symptoms, modalities and concomitants as prescribed by the ill patient. Striking in this case are the concomitants which can not be explained by the inflammation of bronchial tubes and trachea, those are peculiar symptoms in accordance with §153 Organon. Even if the most of these symptoms are particulars (local symptoms), they are the differentiating factor in this case, as they are outstanding in their location, and even in their combination.

The other symptoms were used as confirmatory symptoms and for DD to other remedies. (in full length: Back, pain, lumbosacral region, cough, on Generalities, weakness, enervation, exhaustion, infirmity, disease, acute, in)

The only remedy covering all symptoms and moreover with the greatest totality is Phosphorus. This remedy is well known for being a remedy with sudden onset of symptoms, and the homeopathic materia medica approves all repertorised as well as other symptoms, and also the pathological diagnosis of bronchitis. Despite we are not looking at „pathological“ symptoms in homeopathic prescribing, as they don’t express the individual reaction of the vital force and immune system to the disease-producing agent, this confirms the choice of the remedy and gives the prognosis, that the remedy will cure. After the administration of Phosphorus 200C  four times the day the first day, and 2 doses on each of the following two days, the patient reported first about the amelioration of the general feeling of well being, that weakness disappeared, the concomitants and lastly the cough, thus showing the cure from centre to circumference.

Interesting is, that even if we would repertorise only the pronounced concomitants, which are without any relation to the pathological seat of the disease (inflammation of bronchial tubes), Phosphorus is of the highest value, leaving far behind other remedies, thus demonstrating, that our human body is reacting as a whole, that there are no „local diseases“, and that homeopathy is a holistic medical approach which suits the requirement to treat the patient as a whole. As acute diseases are of a short and rapid acting nature, with a definite onset and ending, and which are self-limited, the symptom picture is limited to the acute disease and quite prominent, representing a relative simple case.

White Phosphorus under water with yellow cutting area.
Phosphorus needs to be kept safe under water because
it develops white smoke in air after a short time.

Yellow (also called white) Phosphorus is an element, of pale yellow colour and a distinct odour, found in volcanic regions. It is highly poisonous, soft, waxy and flammable. It was discovered in 1669 by the German alchemist Henning Brand, who isolated it from urine. Phosphorus is essential to life because it is one of the five elements which make up DNA and part of the body’s energy storage and release system. Research has traced phosphorus in the body to red and white blood cells, also to bone marrow, lymph nodes, spleen and liver. Leukaemia and neoplastic tissues also show a selective affinity. The tissue affinities of Phosphorus are widespread, thus in potency it is likely to be a remedy of very wide usefulness in a variety of conditions of disordered cell and tissue metabolism. To prepare the homeopathic remedy it is dissolved in alcohol and dilutions are made from which higher potencies are prepared.

-Katja Schuett