Homeopathy Heals You Blog

With the wildfires raging throughout Florida and south Georgia, and little to no rain plus wind some areas are experiencing a tremendous amount of smoke right now. In case you are affected by the smoke I am sending a few tips and some first aid homeopathic solutions.

HELPFUL WEBSITES MAP with regular updates for those in the Gainesville area. National Fire Information Center

COMMON SYMPTOMS Smoke particles are irritating and can aggravate respiratory conditions (like asthma etc.) or cause coughs, runny eyes and noses, sore or scratchy throats and eyes, inflamed sinuses, headaches and so on in people who are sensitive. SUGGESTIONS If you can smell smoke in your neighborhood - and you are sensitive then the following suggestions (most are courtesy of the Gainesville Sun) may be helpful:

• Limit your outdoor activities to those that are truly urgent.
• Remain in your home and keep doors and windows closed.
• Run the air conditioner with re-circulated air from time to time.
• Close the fresh air intake and make sure the filter is clean.
• If you have to drive keep the windows closed and
• run the A/C with the vent to the outside closed.
• Irrigate your sinuses (salt water in a netipot etc.) frequently.

~ Here's a forum discussing the different kinds of Nasal Irrigation

• If you do spent time outside and are affected change your clothes quickly and take a quick shower or wash the exposes parts with running water.
• Do not add indoor smoke: don't burn candles or fireplaces. Vacuuming stirs up particles inside your home so consider holding off on vacuuming for the time being. Remove all air fresheners.
• Do not rely on dust masks for protection. Paper “dust” masks commonly found at hardware stores are designed to trap large particles, such as sawdust. These masks will not protect your lungs from smoke.
• If you don't have an air conditioner or are particularly sensitive to the smoke, consider spending time in comfortable public areas such as the shopping mall, a movie theater or library.

HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES Arsenicum: For smoke exposure with anxiety.

• Eyes burn and stream
• Nose burns and streams
• Cough is dry and worse at night.
• Tremendous anxiety especially about what is going to happen - and restlessness.

Euphrasia: For simple smoke exposure with irritation to eyes and possibly nose and no other symptoms.

• Eyes stream and burn - lids are red and swollen and sensitive.
• Nose streams but doesn't burn.
• There may be a mild daytime cough with mucus.
• The eyes stream on coughing.

Kali bichromicum: For more serious smoke exposure with irritated sinuses and/or lungs.

• Nose is blocked - nasal discharge is dry or comes out in sticky or stringy 'plugs'.
• Sinuses are sore, raw, irritated and painful.
• Cough is painful - chest is sore - mucus coughed up with difficulty and is scanty and sticky or stingy.

Natrum arsenicosum: Great sensitivity to smoke. Indicated remedies haven't helped much or at all.

• Eyes dry and painful. They stream and smart on going out into the smoky air.
• Sinuses feel blocked and are painful.
• Racking cough. Lungs feel full of smoke.
• Headache from the smoke.

Silica: To help the body eject inhaled particles.

• Nose dry and blocked - no sense of smell or taste.
• Sinuses stuffed up
• Cough - dry, irritating from inhaled particles. With lumpy, yellow mucus.

TAKING REMEDIES ~ Take 6C, 12C or 30C (whatever potency you have to hand is always the best potency) 3 times a day stopping on improvement and repeating as needed i.e. if your symptoms return. ~ If you've taken a remedy for 2 days and had no response select a different remedy or call your homeopath. ~ If you need these remedies your local whole food store will have most in stock. ~ The Natural Health Supply can send remedies to you and has Natrum arsenicum in 6C or 30C (the one remedy your whole food store definitely won't have): 888-689-1608.

IMPORTANT If you are under constitutional homeopathic treatment then check with your homeopath before taking one of these remedies to make sure it is (a) the right remedy and (b) that the remedy has a good relationship with your constitutional remedy and won't inadvertently 'antidote' it i.e. stop it from working.