Allergies of various kinds affect a significant proportion of the global population and may manifest as reactions to food, airborne allergens or substances that may come into contact with the skin. Concerns regarding the side-effects of common medical treatments for allergies and a general increase in interest in natural therapies lead many sufferers of allergies to the doors of natural therapists. Homeopathic medicine has the advantages of speed, a low risk of side effects and the ability to tailor the treatment to the individual’s specific needs. Where the homeopathic simillimum is difficult to find, or the where the prescriber feels ill-equipped to pursue it, a number of authors1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 have made some useful recommendations about general and specific remedies that may provide symptomatic relief from allergies. These remedies should be used in 6C potencies, half hourly or three times daily, only while the symptoms that relate specifically to the remedy are present. For any issues that don’t resolve in a reasonable period of time, or those that increase in severity or where new symptoms arise, the services of a qualified and experienced homoeopath should be sought.
Allergy in General
These allergy homeopathic remedies may be worth considering for general allergy symptoms.
Remedy | Comments / Modalities |
Allium cepa | Sneezing, profuse, fluent burning acrid nasal discharge with conjunctivitis, itchy eyes, photophobia, a bland lachrymal discharge, ticklish throat and a dull frontal headache are often seen here. Symptoms are worse in a warm room and in the evening, and are better in open air and cold. |
Antimonium tart | Dyspnoea, a chesty cough, nausea and fatigue respond well to this remedy. Symptoms are worse for warmth and better for motion and belching. |
Apis mel | Commonly used for bites and stings by insects, those with hives, swelling of the throat, and general swelling and burning symptoms may benefit from Apis. Skin symptoms are better for cold application. |
Arsenicum alb | Violent sneezing, photophobia, burning tears and a thin, watery, excoriating nasal discharge appear here and there may also be swollen eyelids, dyspnoea, restlessness and anxiety. Symptoms are worse after exertion, after midnight and are better in a warm room |
Euphrasia | Catarrhal headaches, profuse burning tears, conjunctivitis and a bland nasal discharge characterise this remedy. Symptoms are worse in the cold air, in sunlight or wind, for warmth and during the evening and better in bed and from coffee. |
Nat mur | Weakness, photophobia, itchy eyes, lachrymation, swelling of the eyes and migraine headaches that are worse from sunrise to sunset, numbness and tingling of the tongue, sneezing and coryza may be seen here. Symptoms are better for open air and rest and are worse mid-morning and from mental exertion. |
Nux vomica | Cough associated with bursting headache, fluent nasal discharge by day and nasal congestion at night with sneezing and irritability will often respond well to Nux vom. Symptoms are worse in the early morning and in cold, open air. |
Pulsatilla | Occipital or one-sided headache, shortness of breath, bland, yellow, nasal discharge during the day and congestion at night may indicate the need for Pulsatilla. Symptoms are worse in a warm room, at twilight, at night and while lying down and better for cool and open air. |
Rhus tox | Restlessness, swelling and oedema of the eyelids, photophobia, drowsiness after eating, occipital headache, sneezing with fluent coryza, hives, extreme itching and joint stiffness characterise this remedy. Symptoms are worse for exposure to cold and better for hot applications. |
Urtica urens | Erythema, hives and contact allergies resulting in Itching and burning skin symptoms which may alternate with arthritic symptoms are often seen here. Symptoms are worse for exposure to cold or from touch. |
Allergy Specifics
The authors noted in the bibliography have also made mention of a numbers of remedies that correspond to specific allergies. These may be miasmatic or symptomatic in action but in all cases the characteristics of the remedy should be matched to the presenting symptoms.
Allergy to | Remedy |
Animal Dander | Tuberculinum |
Asparagus | Carcinosin |
Bananas | Phosphorus |
Bees | Apis mel |
Butter | Sulphur |
Buckwheat | Pulsatilla |
Carrots | Phosphorus |
Castor Bean | Alumina, Antimonium ars. |
Cats | Phosphorus, Tuberculinum |
Celery | Apium grav |
Chocolate | Sulphur |
Cod Liver Oil | Pulsatilla |
Dogs | Phosphorus |
Dust | Blatta orientalis |
Eggs | Ferrum met, Nat mur, Sulphur, Tuberculinum |
Fats, Animal | Pulsatilla, Sulphur |
Feathers | Sulphur |
Fish | Sulphur, Tuberculinum |
Flour | Aspidosperma |
Flowers | Sanguinaria |
Fruit | Arsenicum alb, Pulsatilla |
Glutamate | Nat mur, Phosphorus |
Grass, Freshly Cut | Allium cepa, Dulcamara, Pulsatilla, Sabadadilla |
Grass Pollens | Medorrhinum, Natrum sulph, Phosphorus, Senega |
Guinea Pig Hair | Kali carb, Lycopdium |
Hair Dyes | Sulphur, Tuberculinum |
Hazelnuts | Phosphorus |
Honey | Nat mur |
Hornets | Vespa crabro |
Insect Bites | Carbolic acid |
Meat | Nat mur, Sulphur, Tuberculinum |
Metals | Sulphur |
Milk | Calc carb, Homarus, Nat mur, Sepia, Sulphur, Tuberculinum, Urtica urens |
Mosquito | Culex |
Onion | Nat mur, Thuja |
Oranges | Pulsatilla |
Oysters | Lycopodium |
Pollen | Blatta orientalis |
Pork | Pulsatilla, Sepia |
Ragweed | Ambrosia |
Sardines | Sulphur, Tuberculinum |
Shellfish | Arsenicum alb., Terebinthina, Urtica urens |
Starch | Nat mur |
Strawberries | Carcinosin, Fragaria vesca |
Sugar | Saccharum officinale |
Tamarind Seed | Blatta orientalis, Carbo veg |
Wasps | Vespa crabro |
Weevils | Grindelia, Ipecac |
Wheat | Nat mur, Psorinum |
Specific Desensitisation
Another more direct, but not necessarily homeopathic method of dealing with allergies, is by desensitisation using the specific material associated with the generation of the allergy symptoms. The normal method here is to isolate the causative agent (allergen) and treat the sufferer by using 10 drops of a 15c preparation of the allergen every second day for 16 days (therefore 8 doses), then use 10 drops of a 9c preparation of the allergen every second day for 16 days. This cycle should be repeated on alternate months for 4 to 6 months if the situation requires it, although regular challenges via muscle testing etc may need to be made to monitor the patient’s progress. In acute episodes, 10-15 drops of the 9c preparation of the allergen may be used along with 10-15 drops of Histaminum 30c, 3-5 times daily or as required.
Bibliography
1. Das RBB. Select Your Remedy. 14th Edition, May 1992, B Jain, New Delhi, India
2. Clarke JH. A Clinical Repertory to the Dictionary of the Materia Medica. Health Sciences Press, England, 1979 ISBN 0 85032 061 5.
3. Dewey WA. Practical Homoeopathic Therapeutics. 2nd Edition, B Jain, New Delhi, 1991.
4. Bouko Levy MM. Homeopathic and Drainage Repertory. Editions Similia, France, 1992, ISBN-2-904928-70-7.
5. Raue CG. Special Pathology and Diagnostics with Therapeutic Hints. 4th Edition, 1896, B. Jain, New Delhi.
6. Knerr CB. Repertory of Hering’s Guiding Symptoms of our Materia Medica. 1997, B. Jain, New Delhi.
7. Lilienthal S. Homoeopathic Therapeutics. 3rd edition, 1890, Indian Books and Periodicals.
Dear sir
Yoer article on allergy is very informative.Thanks for the useful information.
dear sir, this article is very informative and thorough in presentation. Would you suggest to use homeopathy treatment during anaphylaxis attack or it is always safe to use Epinephrine?
DEAR SIR,
THE ARTICLE IS VERY INFORMATIVE,THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
Sir,
Excellent article and probably need of the time. Well presented, detailed and informative; very useful. Thank you.
DEAR DR,
IN MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE I HAVE FOUND THE BEST MEDICINE OF ALLERGY OF ANY TYPE A COMBINATION OF TWO MEDICINES NAMELY HEPER SULPH-1M AND ANT. CRUD=1M. ONE DOSE OF IT IS MOSTLY SUFFICIENT FOR CURE IF NEED BE IT CAN BE REPEATED WHEN IMPROVEMENT IS STOPPED.
THANKS
DR SHEKHAR
Can any one suggest the remedy for allergy to kum-kum (Sindhur). Patient having boil on between upeer eyelids and due to scratching somtimes pus oozes out.Now due to local applications prescribed by allopath patient is getting wheeze and breathlessness especially in sleep and cough. Please suggest any remedy ?
Dear Sachin,
This looks like a case of suppression, which a homeopath needs to deal with. The case must be taken by an experienced homeopath as soon as possible. The homeopath will take much more information and manage the case. Contact the homeopathy organization in your country for a referral. You can find that information here: https://hpathy.com/homeopathy-organizations/
Alan V. Schmukler
Dear Allen,
For a long time I was looking for such an article. It is excellent well researched and comprehensive, all allergies and treatment at one place with no long list of 10-20 remedies for same symptoms. This article will be very handy in my clinical practice, thank you, I wish you could have given the potencies to be used in case of specific allergies just like you advised 6-C for general allergies.
Thanks a lot! Very useful and simple!
I liked the article very much but I could not get solution for my problem of being allergic to all edibles except lemon and tomato.