Allium cepa is a common homeopathic remedy used as an acute drug that is very useful in common colds and coughs.
Allium cepa has been investigated earlier to cure influenza and to produce catarrhal conditions and it acts upon the upper respiratory system and in curing common colds.
It is commonly called the red onion and belongs to the Liliaceae family and the vegetable kingdom. Allium cepa was first proved by Hering.
For Homeopathic use, we use the tincture prepared from the onion bulb.
The remedy’s primary sphere of action is on the upper respiratory system.
It is a remedy for those who tend to catch colds that settle in the nose and eyes and extend to the ears, throat, larynx, and bronchi very rapidly.
Allium cepa Personality/ Constitution:
The remedy is primarily used in acute cases and consideration of the constitution is not important.
However, the patient is very hot and cannot tolerate the warmth.
The patient has a psoric miasm in the background.
Guiding symptoms of Allium cepa :
Allium cepa is a useful remedy for a range of acute and chronic conditions, especially those affecting the respiratory and digestive systems.
It is important to note that homeopathic remedies are chosen based on a person’s symptom picture, and a qualified homeopathic practitioner should be consulted before taking any homeopathic remedy.
Allium cepa is a left-sided medicine. All the symptoms go from left to right.
The remedy must be thought of in the common cold or cough or headache, which is aggravated in a warm room. It gets better when in the open air and returns when they come back to the warm room.
Patients experience a profuse acrid nasal discharge and profuse bland lachrymation.
The desire for raw onions is a strong keynote of the remedy.
Aggravation in the warm room and evening. Amelioration in a cold room and open air is very striking in the remedy.
There is violent laryngitis and the patient feels that the cough may tear and split the larynx
It relieves neuralgic pain when pain is as if a long thread is being pulled, especially after any nerve injuries and following an amputation.
Thread-like pains of various parts are a characteristic symptom of Allium cepa.
Ailments include – exposure to damp north-western cold winds, bad effects from getting wet, salad, and cucumber.
Allium cepa Uses-
This article will discuss all the symptoms experienced by Allium cepa patients under various subheadings.
The main seat of action is on the conjunctiva, the mucous membrane of the nose, respiratory tract, intestines, and nerves.
When studied carefully and given, Allium cepa will help in curing upper respiratory complaints such as colds, cough, influenza, laryngitis, whooping cough, throat infections, etc
Mind Symptoms:
This is highly consistent with the pathophysiology of this therapy, as the onion has been used for sleeplessness from ancient times and was known to be hypnagogic.
The first symptom of eating a lot of onions for everyone is tiredness. The ancients were hesitant to use onions in excess due to their ability to influence the brain.
Allium cepa may be helpful for individuals who are easily agitated, irritable, and restless. They may be sensitive to noise and light, and their symptoms may be aggravated by being in a warm room.
In its mental-emotional symptoms, we observe a very peculiar state. The brain is affected by Allium cepa, which causes a state of lethargy and absentmindedness.
Particularly when under the influence of some wine or coffee, the brain appears to slip readily into a state of torpor. The patient’s mind becomes muddled, but it is an entirely passive confusion in which they are unconcerned with anything.
The patient does not observe what is happening around him. It feels as if the person is not interested. There is a great dullness of mind which aggravates in the afternoon.
It is also helpful if a patient begins to make mistakes in his work, loses focus, exhibits signs of confusion similar to those caused by excessive barbiturates, yawns, and feels lethargic and disinterested.
In writing, they make a lot of mistakes in spelling, misplaced words, etc.
But keep in mind that the primary explanation for the symptomatology is a drowsy brain. Indifference is displayed towards sleepiness.
Head Symptoms:
Coryza causes a persistent headache, especially if the watery catarrh diminishes or disappears entirely.
In warm rooms, there is aggravation and there is amelioration in the cold room.
In the episode when a catarrh from the nose develops, the headache is lessened.
While menstruating, headaches stop, then resume after the flow stops.
A severe headache is present in the forehead, above the eyes, and extends to the nose. headache in the morning in the occiput. Winking makes temple headaches worse.
Headache that starts in the sides of the forehead and spreads to the jaw and teeth. The patient experiences a head-wrapped-in-water sensation.
Eyes Symptoms:
Bland eye discharges with acrid nasal discharge is a keynote of the remedy.
There is excessive lachrymation but bland.
Lachrymation may cause burning pain in the eyes as if there were fumes in the room. The patient tends to rub them often.
Lacrimation of eyes in a warm room. Itchy eyebrows in the evening.
Patients also experience a dimness of vision when seeing candles.
Ears Symptoms:
Pain in the ears extending to the throat. Coryza may cause shooting pain in the eustachian tube.
There are also tinnitus and humming noises in the ear, especially while lying on the back. The ringing noises seem distant.
Sometimes, there may be swelling under the ears.
Nose Symptoms:
It helps to cure coryza and hay fever. In both conditions, we will see violent and frequent sneezing with profuse discharge from the nose that destroys the hair of the upper lip.
Hay fever often comes in spring annually and it is worse in August. The discharge with coryza is worse in a warm environment.
Coryza also occurs from the smell of flowers and in a warm room. Worse towards the evening and gets better at the night.
Excoriating discharge from the left nostril. Caustic discharge from the nose with bland discharge from the eyes. Itching on the inside of the right nostril is rare.
Coryza from the left nostril to right is a keynote symptom of the remedy.
Burning and excruciating pain in the wings of the nose with the marked pulsation of the wings.
Patients are sensitive to the odor of flowers and have an acuteness of the smell.
A peculiar symptom is also that there is an acrid discharge when singing.
Mouth Symptoms:
There is a constricting pain in the tongue.
The dryness of the root of the tongue is a characteristic symptom. A burning taste in the mouth with smarting pain can be cured with the remedy.
Burning of the tongue and raw sensation on consuming cucumbers were seen during provings.
Burning pains are better in the open air and drinking cold drinks.
It is also useful in bleeding gums on brushing.
Face Symptoms:
Facial pain is better by going out in the open air. Left-sided paralysis of the face with increased urination is a keynote.
Throat Symptoms:
Nasal colds cause throat congestion.
The stomach area becomes warm. Throat mucus is sweet-smelling. Hoarseness occurs annually during springtime. Even though cold air lessens discomfort, it tickles and makes coughing worse.
The patient coughs and grabs his larynx because of laryngitis. It is a good remedy for hoarseness of voice during springtime.
There is a feeling of the larynx being torn or split.
Chest Symptoms:
Hacking coughs are exacerbated by the cold. During coughing, he grabs his throat and larynx unconsciously, feeling as though the larynx might be torn.
Returning from cold air to warm air or the other way around makes symptoms worse. Breathing difficulty brought on by chest tightness in the sternum.
Chest discomfort causes tightness and wandering pain on swallowing.
Swallowing causes pain behind the sternum as if food is stuck there.
Burning ache between the ribs on the sides of the chest.
By generating mucus, it is also understood to treat catarrhal disorders of the chest.
Stomach Symptoms:
Constricting pain in the pylorus region of the stomach while sitting and it gets better by walking.
Constriction of the cardiac orifice on swallowing. Frothy eructations with stomach affections in the morning.
Patients tend to experience canine hunger and feel the emptiness of the stomach.
Desiring raw onions which ameliorate in general is a keynote of the remedy.
There is a desire for raw food. Cucumbers aggravate the symptoms.
Abdomen Symptoms:
Allium cepa can help relieve excessive gas in the abdomen, which can cause discomfort and bloating.
It may be used to treat various types of stomach pain, such as cramping and aching.
It can help to alleviate diarrhea that is accompanied by burning and soreness in the anal region. It is a great remedy for colicky pain and nausea and vomiting caused by indigestion.
It may help treat acid reflux, a condition in which stomach acid flows back into the esophagus.
Rectum Symptoms:
Diarrhea is experienced during the early mornings. Flatus feels moist. Glowing heat in the rectum. Sometimes patients may also experience coldness in the rectum.
Constriction in the rectum prevents stool. Itching and rhagades in the anus.
Urinary Symptoms:
Heat in the bladder. Retention of urine after getting feet wet. Aching pain after coition. Burning; pressing pain at 10 A.M.
Pain in the bladder after coition. Pain in prostate gland after coition. Walking aggravates the pain.
Copious urine with coryza. Yellow, reddish sediment of urine is often noticed with coryza and hay fever.
Male Symptom:
Painful erections in the morning. Painful erections without desire. Patients may experience erection on waking up in the morning.
Pain in spermatic cords extending into testes. Aching pain in spermatic cords.
Female Symptoms:
It is a very good remedy for dysmenorrhoea before menses.
Leucorrhoea may be acrid and profuse.
Extremities Symptoms:
Joints feel lame and numb, especially the elbow, and the pains are aggravated by motion.
Trembling of the hand in the evening.
It is a very good remedy for felons. Heat in the back of the hand associated with coryza.
There is the heaviness of the hip. Weakness in the hip prevents finishing. Pain in joints is worse in the evening.
It is also a specific remedy for urticaria on the thighs.
Back Symptoms:
Pain in the dorsal region, and right scapula, while lying, and pain under the right scapula after sitting. Coldness and chills extended down the back at 9 P.M. Shivering extends down the back.
Sleep Symptoms:
Yawning with a headache. Even in deep sleep, the patient yawns often and wakes up. Patients often wake up at 2 A.M. They tend to experience dreams of precipices, heights, of water bodies such as the sea, storms, rain, and wells.
Allium cepa is a great remedy for dullness and sleepiness, especially in the afternoon.
Skin Symptoms:
It is a great cure for red streaks running up, panaritium, and ulcers in heels from rubbing shoes.
It is also helpful for the sore and raw spots on the feet and heel from the friction of the shoes
It is also helpful when phlebitis develops after forceps delivery. There are red rashes that drive the child to despair, Allium cepa is thought to be of importance.
Modalities:
In homeopathy, a modality is a specific factor that either aggravates or ameliorates a person’s symptoms.
These factors may include environmental or situational factors, such as time of day, weather conditions, or emotional states, among others.
The identification of modalities is an important part of the homeopathic case-taking process, as it helps the practitioner to select the most appropriate remedy for the individual.
The goal is to select a remedy that matches the person’s unique symptoms and modalities to stimulate the body’s natural healing process and restore balance and health.
Aggravation worsens the symptoms whereas amelioration means the symptoms are improved.
A few examples of factors are time, seasons, applications, or positions, emotional stress, environment, etc
Aggravated By-
- Warm room
- Evenings
- Warm environment – august in spring
- Damp weather
- Eating cucumbers
Here, we must stress that the general aggravation of Allium cepa is caused by a warm room.
Respiratory symptoms are worse during the afternoon and cease in the open air.
Generally, patients feel worse from warm weather and warm air.
Amelioration By-
- Open-air
- Cool room/environment
- Eating onions
Allium cepa patients feel their symptoms are better when in the open air and cold environments and the symptoms return on going to a warm room.
Relationship with Other Medicine:
Antidoted by-
When a case takes a wrong direction of cure without any improvement, the symptoms must be studied and the antidote for the earlier given remedy must be employed to reverse the harmful effects of a wrongly prescribed remedy.
The remedy which covers these symptoms is called the antidote.
Allium cepa is antidoted by coffee, camphor, and remedies like Arnica, Arsenicum album, Chamomilla, Nux vomica, Phosphorus, Thuja, and Veratrum album.
Antidotes –
When given subsequently while the primary remedy is acting, the second remedy may antidote or nullify the action of the primary remedy.
Allium cepa antidotes Veratrum album.
Complementary remedies –
In homeopathy, the complementary remedy is prescribed to support the action of the primary remedy and to address other symptoms that the patient may be experiencing.
Allium cepa is complementary to remedies like Phosphorus, Pulsatilla, Thuja, Sarsaparilla, and Sulphur.
Allium cepa Dosage & Potencies
The remedy can be used from 12 CH potencies to the highest potencies like 10 M potencies.
Allium cepa 30 CH Uses-
Allium cepa 30 CH potency can be used in treating upper respiratory tract infections like common colds, laryngitis, and hay fever.
The potency can be repeated frequently as per symptomatology and is most suited to use this potency in sensitive children.
Allium cepa 200 CH Uses-
It is a moderate potency used in robust constitutions when the degree of similarity of the selected remedy with the patient’s symptomatology is high.
On giving 200C potency, it’s advisable to wait and watch for one week at least.
When the remedy picture is clear in the patient, one dose of Allium cepa 200 CH will help to overcome the common cold.
Allium cepa 1M and 10M Uses-
The 1 M and 10M potencies shouldn’t be repeated frequently. Only when symptoms exactly match is it administered once for 30 days, and the patient must wait until it has finished acting.
Higher potencies have been proven to have the potential to severely aggravate acute conditions, thus it is advisable to stick to low and moderate potencies for the best outcomes.
Allium cepa 3X/6X Uses-
It is a lower potency and works well as a therapeutic dose for neuralgias and phlebitis.
A repeated intake of 3-4 times a day is advised when a person has symptoms of Allium cepa.
Clinical Indications of Allium cepa:
- cough
- coryza
- laryngitis
- whooping cough
- Hay fever.
- Influenza.
- Laryngitis.
- Pneumonia.
- Fissures of the anus.
- Panaritium.
- Facial paralysis.
- Traumatic chronic neuritis.
- Neuralgia
Allium cepa – Side Effects
Clinically no major side effect of Allium cepa in homeopathic form is observed.
Excess intake, in crude form, can cause sleepiness and dullness
It’s important to note that a homeopathy is a holistic approach to healing, and the goal is to treat the whole person rather than just the symptoms. A trained homeopath can help determine which remedies are appropriate for a particular patient.