Ear, Eye, Nose, Mouth and Throat Troubles

Affections of Ear

Ear is the organ of hearing and of balance. It is structured in three sections – outer, middle and inner ear.

Disorders of outer ear – Skin infections, fungus infestation and impaction of foreign bodies in ear canal are some manifestations.

Middle ear – Infections associated with upper respiratory-tract infections transmitted through Eustachian tube from the nose and pharynx. It should be brought to the doctor as early as possible.

Inner car – Vertigo, nausea and vomiting as well as tinnitus (noises) are common symptoms of the affections of inner ear often caused by labrynthial disease, otosclerosis and brain injuries.

Ferrum Phos. 3x and Mag. Phos. 3x alternately every ½ hour. Pain throbbing; noises in ear from congestion: temporary deafness.
Kali Phos. & Nat. Mur. 6x for humming (noises) in ears.
Kali Mur., Silicea and Calc. Phos. are the principal remedies for discharges from the ears. Eustachian catarrh. Deafness.
Kali Sulph. Earache with thin, yellow, watery discharge.
Kali Mur. & Nat. Mur. 6x alternately if hearing is better in noise.
Silicea. Foul, thick discharge: it hastens suppuration.

Mastoid

The bone behind the ear lobule often gets infected due to chronic ear infections.

Ferrum Phos. Acute mastoiditis.
Kali Mur. Much swelling with threatened suppuration.
Calc. Sulph. If pus is discharging.

Deafness

Loss of hearing ranging from partial to total is of two major type conductive and nerve. If both are present it is called mixed type. The interruption of sound vibrations in the outer or middle ear before they can reach the nerve endings of the inner car causes conductive deafness, wax in external car canal is the commonest cause. Damage to nerve endings in internal car of the auditory nerve causes nerve deafness. Arteriosclerosis, Meniere’s disease and syphilis are other causes.

Ferrum Phos. & Kali Mur. 3x alterniately in beginning.
Nat. Mur. Due to bad effects of quinine.
Silicea and Calc. Sulph. Alternately if deafness is due to otorrhoeas.

Affections of Eyes

Eye, the organ of sight, sends image information by way of the retina.

Ferrum Phos. Ist stage of eye inflammation. Pain in eyes from overstrain; granulated eye lids. Eyes blood-shot.
Kali Mur. 2nd stage of inflammation with white discharge, with feeling of sand in eyes.
Nat. Mur. Muscular asthenopia, neuralgic pain around the eye with much watering of eyes, granulated lids.
Silicea. Styes and induration of the lids: scrophulous ophthalmia.
Kali Phos & Calc. Sulph. Alternately for ulcers of Cornea.

Dysphagia

Difficulty in swallowing for any reason. This disorder may be temporary due to sore throat, following tonsillectomy or because of some foreign body lodged in the food pipe, or it may be a symptom of congenital abnormality.

Muscular disorders, degenerative disorders, multiple sclerosis, nervous system disorders are some other causes for it, some of which require surgical treatment as well.

Nat. Mur. & Kali Mur. 6x. If the difficulty is due to affections of mouth.
Silicea & Mag. Phos. 6x in hot water for obstructive affections of throat.

Hoarseness

Hoarseness or huskiness of the voice is generally the result of catarrh or inflammation of the vocal cords, but it may also result from pressure on the nerves that control the movements of the cords. Disease in the region of the glottis will affect the voice, or sore throat may arise from over-use of the voice and cause a certain amount of hoarseness.

Calc. Phos. When the phlegm is albuminous (like white of an egg); alternate with Ferr. Phos.
Calc. Sulph. Obstinate hoarseness.
Ferr. Phos. Painful hoarseness of singers, teachers, or public speakers from over-exertion of voice, from draughts, cold or wet. Hoarseness in the evening.
Kali Mur. Hoarseness, loss of voice from cold. In obstinate cases follow with Calc. Sulph.
Kali Sulph. Hoarseness from cold and overuse of vocal organs as after raising slogans.

Sore Throat

Pharyngitis is a symptom of many illnesses including colds, influenza, tonsillitis, quinsy, diphtheria measler, scaslet fever, rheumatic fever, etc. Also due to heavy smoking and cold damp weather.

Calc. Phos. Clergyman’s sore throat as intercurrent remedy.
Calc. sulph. Suppurating sorethroat.
Calc. Flour. Follicular sore throat with tickling in the larynx exciting cough.
Ferrum Phos. Acute inflammation, throat dry, red with much pain (take in hot water).
Kali Mur. When swelling of the glands or tonsil etc. (alternate with Ferrum Phos.)
Kali Phos. Gangrenous sore throat.
Nat. Mur. Chronic sore throat, especially in smokers.
Nat. Phos. Enlarged tonsils with yellow coated tongue.
Nat. Sulph. Ulcerated sore throat.
Mag. Phos. Chronic sore throat with choking.

Tonsillitis

Tonsilitis is an inflammation of the tonsils and may be either acute or chronic. Infection occurs mostly during the winter months. Predisposing factors are similar to those preceding the onset of seasonal coughs and colds.

Tonsilitis can be infectious and in children it may be a forerunner of more serious trouble. The onset is sudden with pain in swallowing, chilliness and fever. The tonsils become enlarged and exude a whitish, purulent substance and the glands of the throat may become tender and swollen.

Medical attention is needed as during the early stages the symptoms are similar to those of diphtheria. There is always a risk of complications in this kind of infection unless proper precautions are taken and this applies particularly with children the tonsils play an important part in the protective mechanism of the body; they act in the manner of filters and any exudation shows that they are doing their job efficiently.

Calc. Phos. Chronic swelling of the tonsils with deafness and difficulty of swallowing, husky voice.
Calc. Sulph. Tonsillitis with abscess formation.
Ferrum Phos. Tonsils are inflamed, painre on swallowing.
Kali Mur. Tonsils swollen, chronic or acute tonsillitis. Eruptions on tonsils. Uvula swollen, difficult to breath. Alternate with Fer. Phos.
Kali Phos. Tonsils large and sore, with white solid deposit on them.
Nat. Phos. Chronic swelling of the tonsils with hyperacidity.
Nat. Mur. Chronic enlargement of the tonsils. Uvula swollen, elongated, lying on the tongue (30x).
Mag. Phos. Tonsilitis worse on right side. Throat red and swollen.

Pharyngitis

Minor sore throat is generally a complication of a cold the infection travelling from the nose. Usually it goes away in a few days and the discomfort can be relieved by gargles and these tissue salts. Chronic pharyngitis can be caused by dust or repeated cold or sinusitis. It often presents with cough, hacking type.

Ferrum Phos. If the parts are dry, hot, with painful swallowing.
Kali Mur. If there is much swelling, with tongue coated white or creamy.
Nat. Phos. If the tongue is coated yellowish.

Laryngitis

Acute laryngitis usually begins with a cold and it may be accompanied by severe pain deep in the throat. Chronic laryngitis is usually caused by strain, often seen in singers, clergymen and school teachers. An essential regimen in treating chronic laryngitis is to give rest to the voice.

Ferrum Phos. Severe pain with difficulty in speaking, loss of voice.
Kali Mur. Loss of voice from cold, croupy cough.
Kali. Phos. Hoareness after nervous strain, tired, wearyfullying general weakness.

Goitre

Enlargement of thyroid gland producing a prominent swelling on the front and the sides. of the neck. Simple and exophthalmic are two types, lodized salt often prevents goitre.

Calc. Phos. Chief remedy specially for anaemic patients.
Calc. Fluor. Gland enlarged; bony hard in consistency.
Nat. Mur. Gland cystic. Exophthalmic goitre: eyes protruding, heart enlarged: difficulty in swallowing (dysphagia). breathlessness on least exertion; palpitation.
Nat. Phos. Goitre with hyperacidity.

Diseases of Mouth

Mouth is lined with mucous membrane which is vulnerable to many germs and viruses. The mouth is not only the portal of feeding but of many infectious diseases as well.

Calc. Phos. Gums painful and inflamed in teething children. Pale appearance of the gums, signs of anaemia. Upper lip swollen and painful.
Calc. Fluor. Gumboil, hard swellings on the jaws. Indurations.
Calc. Sulph. Inside of lips sore, gums bleed on brushing teeth.
Ferrum Phos. Gums sore red hot and inflamed. Redness, dryness or heat of the mouth.
Kali Mur. Aphthae, thrush, white ulcers in the mouth of little children or nursing mothers. Ulcers, gum boils, with great fetor from the mouth. Gums swollen, white or yellow in colour, bleed easily. Gangrene of the mouth.
Kali Phos. Fetid breath, stomatitis, gums bleed easily, gangrene, gums spongy and receding. Profuse thick, salty saliva. Glossitis with edges of tongue red and sore.
Kali Sulph. Dryness and desquamation of the lower lip, it peels off in flakes.
Nat. Mur. Thrush with salivation. Pearl-like blisters around mouth. Lips swollen, gumboil with throbbing pain.
Nat. Phos. Ulceration of the buccal mucosa.

Gums

The mucous membrane and underlying tissue covering the sockets and the roots of the teeth. The gums may be sore and swollen during teething or the primary dentition. Gingivitis, inflammation of the gums, results from poor dental hygiene faulty dentures, oral sepsis, strench mouth, vitamin C deficiency, pregnancy, etc.

Calc. Fluor. 12x for hard gum boil.
Calc. Phos. For pale gums
Ferrum Phos. For inflamed gums.
Kali Mur, & Silicea 6x alternatively for bleeding, spongy gums.
Nat. Mur. For bleeding gums (scurvy).

Mumps

Mumps is an infectious disease characterized by inflammatory swelling of one or other of the salivary glands, usually the parotid and frequently occurring as an epidemic. It mostly affects young persons but can occur at any age. It is highly infectious for two or three days before the swellings appear. There is an incubation period of two to three weeks, after infection, before the glands begin to swell. The first signs are feverishness, sore throat and high temperature. The swelling subsides within about a week. The person should be kept in isolation for about fourteen days from the onset of the disease or seven days after the subsidence of all swelling. In some cases there is swelling in other glands of the body. Care should be taken to guard against complications. Medical advice should be sought.

Ferrum Phos. Initial stage with febrile symptoms.
Kali Mur. Swelling of the parotid gland (the gland beside the ear) with pain on swallowing.
Nat. Mur. With much saliva. Swelling of the testicles after the swelling of the parotid gland subsides.

Influenza

Influenza is one of the infectious febrile diseases principally involving the respiratory organs. It occurs usually in epidemics during the winter months. The Italians at one time ascribed it to the influence of the stars, hence the name “influenza”.

It is now known to be due to a virus. The onset of influenza is sudden with a feeling of chilliness, headache and aching of the limbs, followed by sore throat and other symptoms. Old people particularly are susceptible to complications. Heart symptoms are common and constitute one of the major dangers of influenza. Inflammation of the middle ear is not uncommon following influenza. An aftermath is depression, which may even amount to melancholia. Extra care should be taken during convalescence to avoid the possibility of a relapse.

Ferrum Phos. In the first stage with chill followed by heat, fever, headache and body-aches.
Calc. Phos. Weakness and lassitude during and after convalescence.
Kali Sulph. In alternation with Ferr. Phos. to promote perspiration. Dry skin, feeling of heat.
Kali mur. Sore throat, tongue coated white, constipation.
Nat. Mur. Watery discharge from eyes, nose; sneezing, dry throat, etc.
Nat. Sulph. Principal remedy for prevention, cure, and for after effects of the disease.

Hay Fever

Hay fever is an allergic condition of the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose and air passages. One of the predisposing factors is its hereditary propagation. It is twice as common in men as women, and it seems to affect those of active temperament and high mental development.

Attacks of hay fever can be brought on from pollen from the hay fields. When there is an underlying tissue salt disturbance in the tissues, those particular tissues are subject to an allergic reaction. The eyes and nose are most commonly involved, the bronchial frequently, when the disease is called hay asthma. The attack commences with irritation of the nasal membrane, swelling, dryness and tickling culminating in sneezing quickly followed by a profuse watery discharge from the nose and usually from the eyes at the same time. There is smarting and burning of both the nose and eyes.

This is the common type, although many develop symptoms of bronchial origin and some have typical attacks of asthma. It is suggested that those who are annually troubled with hay fever should take the indicated tissue salts approximately four to six weeks prior to the expected attack of hay fever and continue the treatment during the actual hay fever season.

Ferr. Phos. For congestion, inflammation and headache.
Kali Phos. For depression and to aid breathing.
Nat. Mur. For hay fever after exposure to sun; watery symptoms with sensation of itching and tingling in the nose.
Mag. Phos. To prevent a threatened attack from maturing, or to ease the spasms.
Silicea. Itching and tingling of the nose with violent sneezing.

Sinus

Sinus is a cavity in bone or tissue. The air sinuses of the frontal bones communicate with the interior of the nose. Inflammation or infection may spread into the sinus cavities and may be difficult to disperse on account of the restricted drainage apertures. Suppuration in the nasal sinuses may be associated with an abscess of the upper teeth, the roots of which project into the cavity. Nasal catarrh may also spread into the sinus.

Fer. Phos. First stage of fever: congestion and pain in the sinus area. Flushed face, rapid pulse, throbbing pain.
Kali Mur. Dull pain in the sinus area, thick white mucus discharge, stuffiness of the head.
Nat. Mur. Nasal obstruction with watery discharge, loss of sense of smell, inflammation of sinus with sensation of beating as of hammers, worse in cold air.
Kali Sulph. Yellow, slimy discharges, worse in warm room and in evening.
Silicea. Chronic condition; thick, offensive, acrid discharge, ulceration of mucus membrane, chronic nasal catarrh.

Polypi

A benign growth that hangs by a pedicle (stalk) from the surface of a body cavity, varying widely in nature and structure, depending on its origin. Nasal, bladder, uterine, rectal, placental, etc. are the common polyps.

Calc. Phos & Calc. Fluor. 6x alternately.
Nat. Mur. If much sneezing and watery discharge from nose.