With pleurisy the lining of the lungs inflame and cause severe pain upon movement. It feels like someone is standing on your chest and is hard to breathe.
Dry pleurisy is the sensation of severe stabbing pain each breath and is usually accompanied with dry irritating cough or a slight fever.
Wet pleurisy is the buildup of fluid in the lining (pleural effusion). It appears gradually with uneasiness, feeling dull, appetite loss and may also come on suddenly with chills, fever, sticking pains and pressure in the chest, difficulty breathing and a persistent dry cough. This type of wet pleurisy may be a chronic problem only recognized after years of suffering.
Causes of both wet and dry pleurisy are most commonly a chest cold or after a more severe disease such as asthma or pneumonia. Pleurisy can be caused by lung infections, and more rarely by lung abscesses, tuberculosis, lung cancer, lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.
Modern medicine diagnoses the underlying cause to treat pleurisy with the appropriate medication, which are antibiotics for bacterial infections or pneumonia. The underlying weaknesses causing pleurisy, however, are not addressed but the symptoms treated.
Naturally, we also look for the underlying causes and sometimes rely on the modern medicine to rule out tuberculosis, cancer, etc. Pleurisy is easily treated naturally as herbs, homeopathic remedies and cell salts are very effective and have fast results. Just use the appropriate homeopathic remedy for the dry pleurisy or wet pleurisy.
A good natural supplement to help with pleurisy is CoQ10 (300 mg a day) for lung and muscle integrity.
Diet is usually 30 to 50% of the problem. Stay away from fast foods. Coffee and black tea need to be avoided as well as sodas in general. Keep alcohol to a 1 to 2 drinks a week. I am amazed how many people smoke with respiratory problems. Now you get the idea – No smoking! .
Herbs for Pleurisy
Herbs are plants valued for their specific strengthening/ tonifying properties.
The following works best as a formula but may be use individually for wet pleurisy and dry pleurisy. I you use herbal tinctures 1 part = 5 drops. If you mix herbs into a powder, use 1 teaspoon per day.
1 part Hyssop supports the respiratory system to help coughing and circulation.
2 parts Lobelia relaxes muscles and relieves coughing.
3 parts Pleurisy root used for pleurisy traditionally with great success, nervine. (Historical use points to its safety.)
2 parts Sage traditionally used for pleurisy to increase circulation, reduce inflammation, reduces water (wet pleurisy).
1 part Yarrow improves digestion and gets rid of excess fluids.
Cell Salts to Help with Pleurisy
To make a cell salt solution, put up to 10 tablets of each cell salt in a 16- to 24-ounce bottle; fill with water and swirl to dissolve tablets. Sip throughout the day.
#4 Ferr phos 6X – pleurisy with low fever, spitting of blood from pneumonia; dry pleurisy; short painful, tickling cough
#9 Nat mur 6X – dry pleurisy with clear mucus from pneumonia; grief
#7 Kali sulph 6X – wet pleurisy, rattling mucus; from pneumonia or flu with yellow sticky mucus
Pleurisy Homeopathic Remedies
Homeopathic remedies are non-toxic natural medicines safe for everyone including infants and pregnant or nursing women. You may use 6X, 30X, 6C or 30C potencies.
Bryonia (#1 Homeopathic for Pleurisy) – dry pleurisy; right sided; severe headache; irritating cough; severe sticking pains upon breathing, speaking or coughing; bitter taste; better from rest, warmth; worse from any motion.
Arsenicum iod – wet pleurisy; dry hacking cough; restless at night; from asthma; wheezing upon first lying down; pneumonia with mucus; hard to breath at night; night sweats; shortness of breath; pleurisy from tuberculosis.
Aconite – pleurisy from the flu or asthma; dry pleurisy; caused by dry cold wind or fright; hot suffocating sensation; oppression when moving; shortness of breath.
Carbo animalis – nervous labored breathing; suffocation on closing eyes; stitching pain; ulceration and coldness of lungs; cough with green pus; worse warm room; cough worse lying on right side; swollen glands.
Kali carb – more right sided pleurisy; dry, hard, suffocative, chocking cough about 3 am with sharp pains; never well since pneumonia; cant breathe at night; asthma better sitting up or bending forward; cheesy tasting mucus.
Phosphorus – left-sided pleurisy; dry pleurisy; tickling cough worse cold air, talking, going from warm to cold air; coughing before thunderstorms, with strong odors; must sit up when coughing.
Ranunculus bulb – wet pleurisy; sticking, sudden rib pains worse from breathing, sneezing coughing or laughing; burning pains; worse from motion, temperature change, mornings and evenings; better from pressure.
Senega – chest feels heavy; cough ends in sneeze; rattling in chest, mucus is blood streaked; feels better when bending head backward; pleurisy in elderly with history of asthma.
Sulphur – left-sided pleurisy; dry pleurisy; feels hot; heaviness of chest with burning; hard to breath, wants windows opened; worse night, suffocative need for air; rattling of mucus in chest; worse 11 pm; from pneumonia; intellectual person.
Sulphur iod – chronic pleurisy; from bronchitis with bad smelling mucus; swollen glands of neck and armpits; from pneumonia; wet pleurisy with irregular rattling and suffocative breathing.
Source: Dave’s Healing Notes
