Hippocrates in his work on Seasonal Diseases listed: irregular fevers, strangury, lientery, dysentery, sciatica, quinsy, asthma, epilepsy and melancholic disorders as Autumn diseases. These diseases and some more have seasonal predominance due to temperature and humidity transition related with Autumn season. Autumn is the time of maturity and harvest. The air becomes a bit crisper, and the leaves change. Everything slows down, and the days shorten.

A study by Ohio State University showed mice naturally boost their own immune systems as the daylight hours dwindle in late summer and autumn. Humans do they same, the scientists speculated, so they can prepare for the health challenges of autumn and winter. Homeopathy as a system of therapeutics offers aid in helping us deal with the health problems associated with this season. Some of the common remedies used for Autumn diseases include:

COMMON COLD

Colds are usually mild illnesses and don’t require treatment with medicines of any kind. We suggest you to treat yourself or family members with homeopathic medicines only if the cold or cough is particularly severe or lingers for more than a few days.

Aconite: indicated when the cold symptoms come on suddenly, often after exposure to cold weather or cold, dry wind. Aconite is indicated only in the first 24 hours. Symptoms come violently within few hours, experiencing high fever, anxiety, restlessness, sensitive to light, and thirst.

Belladonna: indicated in early in the course of the illness. Symptoms include high fever, leaping pulse, flushed dry face, redness and heat. Skin is hot.

Allium cepa: with profuse discharge from the eyes and nose, with burning, biting and smarting in the eyes, and corroding the nose and upper lip and is worse in the evening and indoors and better in open air; there may be headache which is also worse in warm room and better in open air.

Euphrasia: has non irritating cold, watery nasal discharge and copious, burning tears. Nasal discharge is worse in open air, morning and when lying down.

Arsenicum album: useful for both head colds and cough. Profuse watery nasal discharge that burns the skin. Irritation and tickling in the nose and frequent violent sneezing. In time nasal discharge becomes thick and yellow. Dull throbbing headache.

Hepar sulph: indicated in the later stages of a cold. Symptoms may have begun several days earlier with a watery runny nose, but by now a thick, yellow and sometimes offensive smelling discharge is present. Patients may sneeze at the slightest exposure to cold. Cold air, eating cold foods and exposure to the winds causes cold and cough.

Mercurius: creeping chills, worse in the evening and night, even in bed; the nose discharges thin water with sneezing, watering of eyes, and sore throat, which stings and pricks, with constant inclination to swallow saliva which accumulates in plenty, with a bad smell from the mouth; slight fever with profuse sweat which does not relieve.

Nux vomica : is the remedy of first stage of cold. The nose is blocked, or stops at night and runs through the day; there is frontal headache; sore throat and very sensitive to inhaled cold air. The most characteristic indication is that the patient is chilly on the least motion or uncovering, and even during the fever must be covered and keep quiet.

Pusatilla: It comes at the third stage when the discharge becomes thick. Bland, thick yellow discharge from the throat, loss of smell and taste, or bitter taste; no thirst and generally poor appetite.

Sulphur: cases become chronic with thick yellow discharge, or running in to the chronic form with thick discharge of offensive smell.

BRONCHITIS

First inflammatory stage -

Aconite : chill with high temperature, quick pulse, dry heat and dry skin, great restlessness, fear and tossing about; short dry cough, after exposure to dry cold air; suitable for sanguine, full blooded subjects.

Ferrum phos : suitable in delicate, pale or weakly subjects, not so much of the nervous excitability as with aconite, but the fever is very great and congestion to the lungs more liable.

Belladona : follows when aconite has quieted the great excitement so for as the anxious restlessness is concerned, but the heat still continues, though there is a disposition on covered parts. There are more brain symptoms, such as red eyes, flushed face, throbbing carotids and delirium, and especially if the child starts and jumps in sleep. One of these three remedies will either check the disease in the first stage or modify its character as to call one of the following remedies.

Bryonia: high fever, dry, and painful cough of gradual onset, the cough and the consequent pains in the throat and the chest are worse from the slightest motion. Therefore the person lies still and holds the chest when coughing, excessive dryness of the mouth and the throat, causing acute thirst and the intestine, causing constipation. It is especially indicated if the trouble extends downwards, threatening the lungs and pleura.

Mercurius: the whole mucous membrane catarrhal, but unlike bryonia, high fever, moist tongue, with increased thirst. Tongue flabby showing imprint of teeth and offensive breath, profuse sweat, which does not relieve. The more the sweat, the more the suffering.

Natrum mur: acute inflammation of the windpipe, with frothy and clear watery phlegm, loose and rattling, sometimes coughed up with difficulty. Chronic bronchitis, bronchial catarrh, "winter cough," with any of the above symptoms. Clear, watery, starch-like sputa. Secretion causes soreness and excoriation. Chronic forms, when sputum is transparent, viscid, weak voice, fluttering of heart. Patient is worse near the seashore.

Second stage:

Hepar sulph: loose rattling cough with choking or wheezing breathing, worse even on slight exposure to cold air, even if a hand becomes uncovered; cough worse in the early morning hours.

Kali mur: in the second stage, when thick white phlegm forms, fibrinous in character.

Phosphorus: throat painful with inability to talk, especially worse in the evening and lying on the left side; Cough hurts and the patient holds the breath and lets it out with a moan because it hurts him so.

Antimonium tart: almost always loose cough with much coarse rattling of mucus which is abundant, but the patient feels choked and cannot raise, particularly indicated in children and old people.

Ipecacuanha: when the person is suffering from various problems such as dry cough with wheezing and rattling in the chest and accompanied by nausea and vomiting, a bout of vomiting does not relieve nausea, long bouts of cough render the person breathless and blue in face, cough is worse in cold, dry weather i.e. winter but improves by warmth, and thirstlessness. At that point of time the patient should use Ipecacuanha.

Kali bich: violent cough with gagging and vomiting, cough brings out tough, tenacious, stringy, yellow mucous, wandering, painful spots in the chest that can be covered by tip of a finger, the cough is worse in the morning, while sitting but is relieved on lying down or by inhaling steam.

Pulsatilla : expectoration green and bitter, bad taste in the mouth, appetite poor, patient wants open air or cool room.

Kali sulph: when the expectoration is distinctly yellow, watery and profuse, or where it is greenish, slimy and watery. In the stage of resolution.

Calcarea sulph: where expectoration is yellow, or yellowish green, or mixed with blood, stage of resolution. Third stage of bronchitis. Ordinary catarrhal colds and in cases similar to those benefited by Hepar sulph

Silicea: Cough worse from cold and better from warm drinks. Pus-like expectoration, falls to bottom of vessel containing water and spreads out like sediment. Bronchial affections of rachitic children. Laryngeal morning cough.

BRONCHIAL ASTHMA:

Remedies in general: Ipecac; Arsenic; Natrum sulph; Dulcamara; Kalicarb; Antimtart; Kali bi; Hepar sulph; Psorinum; Nux vomica; Carbo veg; Sulphur; Silicea, Tuberculinum, Bacillinum, Drosera; Medorrhinum.

Leading Indications:

• Spasmodic- Ipecac, Ars
• Dry- Ars
• After autumn fever- Nat sulph, Ipecac, Ars
• Worse in damp- Natrum sulph, Dulcamara
• Worse in dry and Cold weather- Hepar sulph, Spongia

PHARYNGITIS:

Pharyngitis is this season one of the most common diseases because of seasonal changes in temperature conversion, and the air is dry, the body cannot adapt quickly, it is easy disease. Remedies in general: Aconite; Belladona; Bryonia; Rhustox; Chamomilla; Mercurius;

PEPTIC ULCERS:

Another common disease during this time of year is Peptic Ulcer, which can have many underlying causes like smoking, alcohol, stress, poor eating habits, chronic diseases etc. Homeopathic medicines have a remarkable healing property on the esophageal, gastric or duodenal mucosa, reducing edema and the amount of acid that our stomach makes. Self care methods include:

• Eat diet rich in fiber, and Vitamin A especially fruits and vegetables; this may reduce the risk of developing an ulcer in the first place and may speed your recovery if you already have one.
• Foods containing flavonoids, like apples, celery, cranberries, onions, garlic and tea inhibits the growth of H. pylori.
• Eat bland food and cut down on sugar, salt, citrus, tomato products, chocolate, coffee, including decaffeinated coffee, carbonated beverages all of which can increase stomach acid.
• Eat small meals evenly spaced throughout the day. Avoid periods of hunger or overeating.
• Eat slowly and chew foods well.
• Avoid stress, unnecessary medication, smoking and alcohol.

Homeopathic medicines which help in such cases are:

Kali-bichrom : It is especially indicated for fleshy, fat, light complexioned persons subject to catarrhs or with syphilitic or scrofulous history. The special affinities of this drug are the mucous membrane of stomach, bowels. Symptoms are worse in the morning; pains MIGRATE QUICKLY, rheumatic and gastric symptoms alternate. Load immediately after eating. Feels as if digestion had stopped. Dilatation of stomach. Gastritis. ROUND ULCER OF STOMACH. Vomiting of bright yellow water.

Lachesis : Pit of stomach painful to touch. Hungry, cannot wait for food. Gnawing pressure MADE BETTER BY EATING, but returning in a few hours. Perceptible trembling movement in the epigastric region. Empty swallowing more painful than swallowing solids.

OBESITY:

Antimonium crud: Children and young person with tendency to grow fat with coated moist white tongue. The subject needing this remedy may belch a great deal, and the eructations may taste of the ingesta. Bloating after eating. <By heat is a marked characteristic. The symptoms are < in the heat of the Sun. Nails discoloured and deformed. Corns and callous excrescences on the feet. Alternate diarrhoea and constipation especially in aged persons.

Calcarea carbonica: This is the main remedy for reducing obesity. The characteristic symptom is sweating on the forehead which wets the pillow when sleeping. It should be given in 200 potency with weekly repetition. This can be prescribed to obese children also. The patient's hand is soft, warm, and moist; a boneless hand with clammy feet. Great sensitiveness to cold, damp air. Dread of bathing and water. Great weakness on ascending, on walking and talking.

JOINT COMPLAINTS:

Leading indications-

• Pains excited or aggravated by the slightest cold- Aconite, Bryonia, Calcarea carb, Dulcamara, Mercurius, Sulphur.
• Pains excited or aggravated by the severe cold - Calcarea carb, Dulcamara, Rhus tox, Lyco, Hepar suph.

Dulcamara: Hot days and cold nights towards the close of summer are especially favorable to the action of Dulcamara, and is one of the remedies that correspond in their symptoms to the conditions found as effects of damp weather, colds after exposure to wet, especially diarrhoea. The RHEUMATIC TROUBLES induced by damp cold are aggravated by every cold change and somewhat relieved by moving about. Results from sitting on cold, damp ground. Icy coldness. Rheumatism alternates with diarrhoea. feet icy cold, worse, at night; from cold in general, damp, rainy weather. better, from moving about, external warmth.

Rhus tox: Rhus affects fibrous tissue markedly- joints, tendons, sheaths-aponeurosis, etc., producing pains and stiffness. Rheumatic pains spread over a large surface at nape of neck, loins, and extremities; better motion. Limbs stiff, paralyzed, cold fresh air is not tolerated; it makes the skin painful. Worse, cold, damp weather, at night. Numbness and formication, after overwork and exposure. Loss of power in forearm and fingers; crawling sensation in the tips of fingers. Tingling in feet.

Bryonia: Aching in every muscle. The general character of the pain here is a stitching, tearing; worse by motion, better rest. These characteristic stitching pains, greatly aggravated by any motion,

STROKE:

In the autumn, due to abrupt changes in the temperature and atmospheric pressure, various heart problems begin to appear. The attacks of stenocardia and hypertensive crises become more frequent, ischemic heart disease becomes acute, and people suffering from heart disease may experience a lack of oxygen (hypoxia).

Remedies in general: Aconite, Ars alba, Bryonia, Lachesis, Nux vom, Phos, Puls etc.

IN GENERAL AUTUMN REMEDIES

Remedies indicated in general for Autumn Complaints include: Complaints aggravate in Autumn: Antim-tart, Aurum, Calcarea, Colchicum, Colocynth, Dulcamara, Graphitis, Kali-bichrom, Lachesis, Rhus-tox, Stramonium, Veratrum.