Words: Dr Joette CALABRESE
They say silence is golden, but I’m pretty sure they didn’t mean laryngitis, epecially during cold and flu season when laryngitis can add insult to injury.
Generally speaking, laryngitis that accompanies an acute respiratory illness is not particularly serious, but, yes, it’s annoying.
Keep in mind, however, that today we are discussing loss of voice [aphonia], or hoarseness of voice [dysphonia], due to respiratory conditions, rather than other causes.
There is more than one way to shear a sheep in homeopathy. That’s why, in the absence of a specific practical protocol, it’s essential to own a Materia Medica to help you discern the best option. Reading the entry of each potential homeopathic remedy for the symptom makes it easier to ‘home’ in on the best choice for the entire condition being addressed.
Indeed, many remedy choices may be appropriate for loss of voice. Consequently, we would be well advised to consider the complete picture accompanying it to differentiate between our three top medicine choices.
Laryngitis Accompanied By Excess Salivation
When excess salivation is an issue, Mercurius solubilis 30C, or 200C [depending on severity] is often our tightest fit [Note: Mercurius cyanatus and Mercurius solubilis are generally considered to be interchangeable]. Other accompanying symptoms that may call for Mercurius solubilis for laryngitis are halitosis, pustules on the throat, or tonsils, or even ulcers in the mouth and throat.
Laryngitis Accompanied By Chest Involvement
When aphonia, or dysphonia, is associated with a ‘chestier’ sensation — meaning that the condition is not exclusively focused in the throat, we may consider Phosphorus 30C, or 200C [depending on severity]. This would be our top medicine to explore when laryngitis results from bronchitis.
Laryngitis Accompanied By Painful Sore Throat
Occasionally, aphonia can be intermingled with an excruciating sore throat. The throat may also feel as though a stick, or a splinter, is stuck in it. Often, in these cases, the lymph nodes under the ear and the tonsils may also be extremely swollen. These symptoms are a clear indication that Hepar sulphuris calcareum [Hepar sulph] 30C should be considered.
Frequency For The Chosen Homeopathic Medication
In any acute situation [meaning not a chronic illness that has lasted for months, or longer], the medicine is best used at a frequency that meets the severity of the condition. That’s a fancy way of saying that if the condition is really serious, the medicine may be used more often. As the condition begins to improve, dial back the frequency.
For example, if a sufferer has a bloody nose with just a little bit of blood that can be controlled with a dab of tissue, they might take the appropriate homeopathic medicine only twice a day [And, probably for only one day].
However, if the blood is streaming from the nose — it won’t stop bleeding — the medicine may need to be utilised every 15 minutes, or less, to address the acute condition.
Likewise, if garden-variety laryngitis is merely annoying, one may employ one of the medicines mentioned above twice daily.
But, if it’s serious — with intense pain and/or difficulty while swallowing — the sufferer may use their chosen remedy every 3-6 hours, depending on severity.
Isn’t that just common sense? That’s one of the beauties of homeopathy — one of the many beauties, I might add. It’s a sensible medical paradigm. We only utilise medicines to address a presenting condition and use them according to our observations as the illness changes.
