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HELP, the hazy-smokey air from the wildfires is back! If I stay in my house all day it?s not too bad. However, that just doesn?t work when the smoke lasts for days and then weeks.

The first morning I woke up with a headache I wondered what was going on because I hardly ever get headaches. Then my ear started aching and there was pressure in my sinuses. Oh, my goodness ? I haven?t had anything like this in years.

One look outside and I knew what the problem was. It looked like we were on a campout and the smoke from everyone?s campfire had settled right in our backyard!

My first reaction was to look through my homeopathy repertory and then search my ?stash? of homeopathic remedies to deal with the uncomfortable symptoms.

I decided the easiest thing to do was treat my symptoms with Boiron?s combination medicine, SinusCalm. After a day of taking SinusCalm, my symptoms started to subside and by the next day they were gone. A few days later I started feeling like my headache was trying to come back. So, I took just one more dose of the SinusCalm and that was enough. We?ve now had poor air quality for a few weeks, but I haven?t had any more headaches. Success!

What do you do if the medicine you choose doesn?t work? Well, that is what I love about homeopathy ? there are many choices and more than one option for every condition.

It?s okay to move on to something else if you are treating an acute condition that is not responding to your remedy choice after approximately a day or 5-6 doses (please note that is not the way we approach it if the condition is chronic).

What other choices might be good for an acute sinus headache?

* Sangunaria 200 mixed with Belladonna 3 (taken at the same time): good for sinus headache with forehead pain. This might also be helpful if suffering with nausea as well as forehead pain.

* Sanguinaria 200 alternated with Bryonia 30: considered if the symptom is a stuffy nose along with the pressure headache.

* Kali bichromium 30: helpful for a headache from sinus pain which may be accompanied by sticky nasal discharge and postnasal drip often cause by inhaling smoke. This remedy may also be valuable if dealing with a spasmodic cough.

How about an acute headache that is not sinus related?

* Belladonna 3 is good for a throbbing headache especially if the face is red and flushed.

* Bryonia 30 is useful for headaches made worse with movement, especially eye movement.

* Gelsemium 30 can be helpful if the head feels heavy and difficult to lift and the pain starts at the neck and radiates to the forehead.

Are your eyes and/or nose burning from the smoke? If so, Arsenicum album 200 should be considered. A dry cough that might be worse at night is another indication that Arsenicum can be a good choice.

Euphrasia officinalis 30 is known for its effectiveness in treating eye conditions. In this case the eyes may feel irritated and burn, they may have a watery discharge, and could also be swollen and/or possibly red.

Respiratory issues are probably the most common symptoms associated with wildfire smoke because of the negative affect from the poor air quality. Often the symptoms will show up as coughing, wheezing, or difficulty breathing.

Of course, staying indoors and using an air purifying system would be good when coping with respiratory issues caused by wildfire smoke. Whether or not that is an option homeopathy offers a natural way of dealing with those uncomfortable and troubling symptoms.

* Arsenicum album 30 or 200: helpful for wheezing, shortness of breath and asthma-like symptoms. Known for helping with anxiousness and may be helpful if experiencing fear because of the discomfort.

* Antimonium tart 30 (200 if more severe): helps with a rattling cough and difficult expectoration. The mucus in this case is specific to the lungs not the throat.

* Carbo vegetabilis 6 (for asthma-like symptoms) 200 (when hungry for air): recommended for wheezing, a cough with burning in the chest as well as shortness of breath.

 

* Drosera rotundifolia 200: a barking, spasmodic cough and can be difficult to get a breath

* Phosphorus 30: may be helpful for a long-lasting deep cough and the sufferer may also be experiencing nosebleeds.

* Spongia tosta 30: consider for croupy coughs or the need to be constantly clearing a dry throat which may also be sore.

I love homeopathy because it is used according to the presenting symptoms. Whether or not smoke is the cause for your headache, burning eyes, or respiratory problem it doesn?t really matter. You use the remedies based on the symptoms not the cause.

Are you new to homeopathy and want to know a little more about how to get started learning about and using it to help you and your family? You can certainly look for online articles and blog sites that have information. However, if you?re like me and want a faster introduction to homeopathy you might want to consider taking the Gateway to Practical Homeopathy^® classes 1 and 2 developed by homeopath Joette Calabrese.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to me.