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Homeopathic Remedies for Pleurisy

Pleurisy also known as pleuritis refers to inflammation of pleura (pleura: two layers of tissue that covers the lungs and lines the inner chest wall). These layers are named as the visceral pleura and parietal pleura. Normally, during breathing these two pleurae rub together but are lubricated in between by a very small quantity of fluid in the space between the two layers. But if this tissue is inflamed, swollen or gets infected then it causes pain every time the lungs expand and the pleura rub against each other. Homeopathic remedies for pleurisy offer a supportive role in managing the symptoms of this condition. Homeopathic remedies for pleurisy

Homeopathic Remedies for Pleurisy

Homeopathic medicines can be taken along with conventional treatment to manage symptoms of pleurisy. They offer help to manage symptoms including chest pain, shortness of breath and cough in these cases. The homeopathic medicines help in reducing the inflammation of pleura by targeting the root cause behind it. As this medical condition can have serious complications so one should avoid self medication. Use any of the homeopathic medicines only on a homeopathic physician’s recommendation after detailed analysis of the case. 

Bryonia – Top Grade Medicine

Bryonia is prepared from the root of the plant Bryonia Alba commonly known as wild hops. This plant belongs to the family cucurbitaceae. It is a top listed medicine to manage cases of pleurisy. The main indicating symptom to use this medicine is stitching pain in the chest while coughing, breathing, deep inspiration or motion. It is better from rest. The person needing it can’t take a deep breath because of the pain that it causes. The pain from the chest may extend to the back.  A prominent symptom that attends it is shortness of breath that gets worse from slightest motion.
Next symptom that is present is a dry cough with stitching pain in the chest. During coughing the person holds the chest because it causes chest pain. Heated sensation is also felt in the chest. The persons who need it may also have pneumonia. In such cases blood streaked expectoration having brick colour, chest pain, high fever are present. Apart from above it is also indicated for pleuritic pain with tuberculosis.

Kali Carb – For Dry, Short Cough

It is a well indicated medicine when there is prominent short, dry cough in pleurisy. In the majority of cases, the cough is most troublesome at night time. It often wakes a person from sleep. On coughing, acute pain in the chest is felt. The pain is stitching type. This is usually felt on the left side of the chest. The pain from the chest can go towards the back. Taking a long breath also worsens the chest pain. Along with these there is complaint of difficult respiration.  

Arsenic Album – For Managing Difficult Breathing

Arsenic Album is a leading medicine to manage complaints of difficulty in breathing. People needing it mostly have this symptom from slightest motion. Its use is often called in chronic cases of pleurisy with dark expectoration and excessive weakness. Other symptoms that are present include dry short and hacking cough and pain in the lower chest. On coughing, soreness in the chest or stitches on the side of chest is also felt. With this complaint of pneumonia can be present. Here dark, offensive sputa, great weakness and heat in the chest appears.

Aconite – For Stitching Pain in Chest on Breathing, Coughing

This medicine is prepared from plant Aconitum Napellus having the common name monkshood. It belongs to family ranunculaceae. This medicine is useful when stitching pain in the chest when breathing or coughing is present. Dry heat can be felt in the chest. Along with this constant dry cough can be present. Shortness of breath especially in sleep after midnight is another characteristic. Another unique feature for using it in pleurisy is inability to lie on the right side. 

Hepar Sulph – For Chest Pain on Movement

This medicine is selected when chest pain is felt on every movement. The pain may extend from chest to shoulder blades. With this cough and shortness of breath also arises. The cough is deep, dry and with every cough pain in the chest is felt. Alternate heat and chills with shivering can attend these symptoms. Weight loss may also appear.

Phosphorus – For Supportive Help in Late Stages

This medicine is used for managing pleurisy cases in late stages. The symptoms that it can manage includes chest pain when coughing / on deep inspiration, soreness in the chest and burning sensation in chest. Sometimes pneumonia is present along with pleurisy in cases requiring it. In these cases shortness of breath; short, dry cough; rust coloured sputum and pain / tightness across the chest is present. In cases needing it there may be pus accumulation in pleural space (empyema.)

Ranunculus Bulbosus – For Chest Pain due to Adhesions

This medicine is prepared from a plant named Buttercup belonging to the family ranunculaceae. It works well in cases to manage chest pain where adhesions of layers of pleura have occurred after pleurisy. It is indicated to manage stitching pain in the chest with painful inspiration. It is also well indicated for pneumonia of the left side with pleurisy. In these cases great soreness in chest, stitching pain in left side chest, slight cough, loss of appetite and low body strength is present.

Sulphur – For Persistent Cough

This medicine is helpful when following pleurisy the cough remains for a long time. The cough is mild and always ends in little expectoration. It is also useful for cases with stitches in the right side  of chest on taking a deep inspiration or coughing along with difficult respiration. Lastly Sulphur is well indicated when pleurisy occurs in case of articular rheumatism.

Argentum Nitricum – For Cough in Pleurisy

This medicine is valuable for cases where excessive cough is present in pleurisy cases. The cough is irritative that continues evening and night. Along with this pain and soreness especially on the left side of chest is there. Sometimes blood streaked sputum is expectorated. Tensive pain in the chest tends to arise with this.

Guaiacum – For Stitching Pain in Chest

This medicine is prepared from gum – resin of a large tree Guaiacum officinale also known as Lignum sanctum that belongs to family zygophyllaceae. This medicine is significant to manage cases of pleurisy with stitching pain in the chest that is felt from each inspiration. This pain is also felt between the shoulder blades. Sometimes there is expectoration of offensive pus with this. Other symptoms that can accompany it includes tight and dry cough, fever and shortness of breath. It is also indicated for pleurisy with stitching in the chest along with tuberculosis.

Squilla – For Pain in Sides of Chest

This medicine is prepared from fresh bulb of plant Squilla Maritima commonly known as sea onion. This plant belongs to family liliaceae. It is best suited for cases of pleurisy with pain in the sides of the chest. This is usually felt on inhaling and coughing. Its worsening can also be seen in the morning. With this shortness of breath appears. This is felt from every exertion.

Zizia – When Stitching in Chest Worsens from Cough

This medicine is prepared from the root of the plant named Zizia aurea having commonly named as Meadow Parsnip. It belongs to the family umbelliferae. It is beneficial when stitching pain in the chest worsens from coughing. This can be attended with feverish symptoms. It also helps when there is sharp pain in the side of chest to both shoulder blades. Hard, dry and short cough can occur with this.

Kali Iodatum – For Supportive Help with Pleural Effusion

Kali Iodatum is mainly considered to offer supportive help in cases of pleurisy accompanied with pleural effusion. The symptoms indicating its use include stitching pain in chest, great weakness, loss of appetite. The pain is worse while walking where it is required. The chest feels sore with this, and the left side is more affected for use of this remedy. 

Causes 

Pleurisy can arise from various reasons. The main reason behind it are viral infections (like coxackie  B virus, influenza, adenovirus, cytomegalovirus) that travel down the lungs. Other reasons include bacterial infection of lungs like pneumonia, fungal infection, tuberculosis, bronchitis. It can also arise in some autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis ( inflammatory disorder of autoimmune origin in which the joints are inflamed leading to pain, stiffness and swelling of joint), trauma to chest wall, rib fracture, tumours / cancer of lung in the pleural space. Apart from these it can arise from pulmonary embolism (blockage in one of the pulmonary arteries mostly from a blood clot) and sickle cell anaemia. Sometimes the cause behind it remains unknown.

Symptoms 

The main symptom of pleurisy is chest pain. It is usually a sharp, stabbing type of pain. This pain is worse while breathing. The pain can also get worse from coughing, sneezing or movement of the upper body. The pain can remain confined to one place of chest or sometimes it may radiate to shoulders or back. Next symptom is shortness of breath. Other than this cough, fever, chills, shallow breathing, loss of appetite, weight loss may appear depending on the cause behind pleurisy.

Complications 

Pleural effusion or build up of fluid in the pleural space that lies between the two layers of the pleurae), empyema or collection of pus in the pleural space, and atelectasis, which is partial or complete collapse of the lung are some complications of pleurisy. 

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Comments

  1. Arun Kumar Dixit says:

    A. 8 to 10 ml small pleural effusion
    B.After spine surgery x 3 days (3 febuary ) sudden severe flank pain in rt chest ,during Pain difficulty of breath
    C. Bronchoscopy done all reports are normal.
    D.then discharge from hospital 21 February.
    Hospital Diagonsed as CAP
    E. After discharge x 7dasy
    Consult with chest doctor advice USG
    USG show 8 to 10 ml pleural effusion and prescribed tab clathromycin 500 MG BD
    Dr instructions review with next visit with USG Rt thorox
    Plz give any suggestion

  2. Kanchan prabha says:

    Dear Dr.
    My mother had problem of pleural effusion in the month of June . Fluid was discharged and was under medication for some time . Now again she is facing the breathing problem. After tests we have come to know that little amount of fluid has dried up in the lungs . She having acute weakness since last six months. Haemoglobin is also not recovering. She is facing a lot of problem in movements. Please suggest the medication. I will be grateful for your support.
    Thank and regards
    Kanchan

  3. Sibel bengisu says:

    Thank you. It is a very good article for the differential diagnosis of Remedi.

  4. A H choudhury says:

    Pleural effusion has been drained by incision and the patient is under medication. Chest x-ray shows little effusion and doctor asked for ultrasound to confirm. The patient earlier frequently suffered from cold and dry cough but report does not show any cough.though Dr impression is its due to post pneumonia. The patient is of 27 years old healthy female. I have a faith on homeopath and requesting for further treatment to avoid reversal and complete cure. Pls suggest me.
    A choudhury.

  5. Suman Bist says:

    Dr. Sharma Sir,

    My wife she had a breast cancer in 2018 for which she got surgery, chemotherapy & radiation. Last year there occurred pleural effusion & after pleural tapping & biopsy test through VATS it was found that there it was negative for cancer reocurrence (malignant cells not found). It was detected as TB.

    We are taking from last 4 months medicines for TB. However there is no decrease in pleural effusion.

    Hence looking for homeopathic treatment for removing pleural effusion

  6. May Roessner says:

    Dr Sharma,

    I tested positive for COVID-19 last Friday 6/24. I’m taking Antimonium Tartaricum for the dry cough with some mucus build up. Seems to improve, less coughing. But the pain in the lower front and back rib cage is getting worse

    Looking forward to hear from you,

    May

  7. Celia Silva says:

    Hi Dr Kaur,
    Firstly I would like to thank you for listing here the benefits of homeopathy and the treatments for different health conditions.
    I would like to have your advice if possible for my daughter who suffered with severe and persistent cough for more than a month and now she has a rupture in the pleura due to the cough. After reading the benefits of Kali Iodatum I think this is exactly what she needs whoever I can’t find this product anywhere to buy online to Ireland and unfortunately there are no homeopathic shops nearby to order this product. Can you please advise where I can purchase this online to deliver in the Rep of Ireland or if I can replace this with another product. I have the Hellios emergency Kit witch contains more than 30 treatments but unfortunately does not have Kali Iodatum.
    Looking forward for your kind reply
    Thank you
    Celia

    • If you can’t purchase the remedy physically at first, try writing it on a piece of paper, with your name on it and the potency and broadcast it in that way. I can really start to work its homeopathic magic.

  8. God morning.I have a pleural effusion and problems in right eye with coroide..I think kalium iodatum is right..I would like to know the dosage .thank you so much.
    Monica

  9. I am 76 years old and have been diagnosed with fluid on both lungs from a CT scan.. Is there a remedy to shift the fluid from the Lungs ?

  10. Harshit Gupta says:

    Doctor, I am Harshit Gupta, Age 29 yrs. I had around 2.5 litre TB pleural effusion on left side. Thoracentesis performed & ATT started 4 months back w.e.f. 18/03/2021. Small fluid which had septations was left for which doc said it would get resolved with medicines & breathing exercises. Now after 4 months, fluid hasnt resolved completely & since past 2 months I feel chest tightness on the left side. I cant breath fully and feel exhausted. Breath feels like an effort. Tightness gets reduced when I do incentive spirometer & exercises but after I relax for sometime it is back again. And if i leave exercises tightness & breathlessness increases & spreads upto my neck. I can also feel the effect of tightness on my head, ear & jaw. It slows my eating. Sometimes i am in confused state of mind. Specially when i wake up after relaxing or a nap. I find my heart is beating fast.

    Further, I want to tell that since my doctor didn’t get to see the drug sensitivity report on time, he started me Cefuroxime 1 bd for 10 days. This was given after 2 months from start of the ATT. He said that had he seen that report, fluid would have resolved to a great extent. But since infection remained for that long, it caused increased in LDH which consequently thickened the fluid.
    Recent HRCT report says:
    1. Minimal to mild Loculated pleural effusion seen on left side with basal plate atelectasis. A pleural based dome shaped high attenuation lesion of size ~2.2×1.3cm overlying posterior basal segment of left lower lobe.
    2. Few fibrotic bands are seen in the left lower lobe.

    Q1. Kindly explain. What is the best solution for me?
    Q2. What cure is there in homeopathy for this? I want my lung back like before. I am a very active person

    • Najam us Saqib says:

      Sir according to my HRCT Scan Chest: tiny lobular opacity in upper lobe at periphery with pleural thickening likely healed granuloma.
      sir short breath, dry little cough, irritative, dyspnea, weight loss 74 kg to 56 kg within roundabout 09 months. feeling weak also.
      all liver urine stool blood Hb. % thyroid tests normal.

  11. Manish Maheshwari says:

    I am suffering from minimal right pleural effusion with evidence of sonoair bronchogram
    Sujjest any medicine

  12. Sneha Mohanty says:

    I have severe pain in the left side of my chest.My doctor friend has suggested pleurisy.
    Please let me the treatment.
    I can buy it from a homeopathic store Sprout

  13. Hello Dr. Sharma I was in the ER last week and diagnosed with pleural inflammation. I had an upper chest xray and CAT scan because I have stage IV breast cancer with mets to my sternum bone. They found no cancer in my xray/scans. They suggested advil. I don’t take advil so I asked my intergative doctor and she recommended Bryonia do you have any feedback regarding this?

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