Chronic Cough
1. PRELIMINARY DATA
- No.: 224/2026
- Patient's Name: STU
- Address: Flat 1503, Diamond Enclave, Pune.
- Occupation: School Principal (chalk dust, speaking all day, stress from administration)
- Religion: Hindu
- Date: 25/06/2026
- Age: 51 Years
- Sex: Female
- Education: M.Ed
- Status: Married
2. CHIEF COMPLAINTS AND ASSOCIATED TROUBLES
| LOCATION | SENSATION & PATHOLOGY | A/F & MODALITIES | CONCOMITANTS |
|---|
| Throat & Chest | Chronic dry hacking cough, tickling in throat, occasional mucoid sputum, chest irritation | < Talking/laughing, < Dust/chalk, < Night lying down, < Cold air, > Warm drinks, > Covering throat, since 10 years (dry phase dominant, worse last 4 years) | Hoarseness, fatigue, headache from coughing, irritability |
| General | Throat rawness | < After meals | Anxiety about underlying disease, low mood |
3. PERSONAL PAST & FAMILY HISTORY
- Past History: Recurrent sore throats in childhood suppressed with antibiotics; suppressed nasal allergy with sprays; frequent voice loss from overuse; smoking exposure from husband (passive); tonsillectomy at 20.
- Family History: Mother has chronic cough & asthma. Father has allergic rhinitis. Sister has chronic bronchitis.
- Developmental Landmarks: All milestones were reached at the appropriate age.
4. PATIENT AS A PERSON (PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS)
A. Physical Characteristics
- Appetite: Normal
- Desires: Warm drinks (+++), Sweets (+)
- Aversions: Cold food/drinks
- Thirst: Moderate
- Elimination:
- Urine: Normal
- Stool: Regular
- Perspiration: Scanty, sour when present
- Sleep: Disturbed by cough; wakes coughing
- Thermal State: Chilly patient (sensitive to cold air/drafts)
B. Reactions - Physical Factors
- Weather: Aggravation in cold dry wind
- Position: Better sitting up
5. MENTAL STATE (Psychodynamic & Life-Space)
- Nature: Irritable, anxious, perfectionist
- Anxiety: About voice loss, teaching ability
- Fear: Fear of lung cancer, fear chronic illness
- Dreams: Suffocation, being unable to speak, failure
- Other: Suppressed frustration, feels exhausted
6. PHYSICAL GENERAL EXAMINATION
- Wt: 66 kg | Ht: 160 cm | Temp: 98.6°F
- RR: 18/min | Pulse: 80 bpm | B.P.: 128/82 mmHg
- Face: Tired, hoarse voice
- Tongue: Clean
- Nails: Normal
- Skin: Dry
7. SYSTEMIC EXAMINATION
- Respiratory: Occasional dry cough on exam, throat mildly red, no wheeze
- ENT: Pharynx irritated, no tonsils
- CVS: S1, S2 Normal
- GIT: Normal
8. ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION OF SYMPTOMS
- Mental General: Irritability, anxiety about voice/health, fear cancer (Grade 3)
- Physical General: Chilly, desire warm drinks, scanty sweat, chronic dry cough (Grade 3)
- Particular: Chronic dry cough with throat tickle, < talking/cold/night, > warm drinks/sitting (Grade 2)
9. SELECTION OF REPERTORY WITH REASON
- Repertory: Kent’s Repertory of Homoeopathic Materia Medica
- Reason: Chronic irritative cough with strong Mental Generals (irritability, fears) and Physical Generals (thermal, desires) dominating; Kent suits cough & larynx rubrics for chronic cough.
10. TOTALITY OF SYMPTOMS FOR REPERTORISATION
- Irritability and perfectionism
- Anxiety about health/voice
- Fear cancer
- Desire warm drinks
- Chilly patient
- Chronic dry hacking cough
- Throat tickling irritation
- < Talking, cold air, night lying
-
Warm drinks, sitting up
- Hoarseness & fatigue
- Family respiratory history
11. CONVERSION INTO REPERTORIAL RUBRICS
| SR. NO. | SYMPTOMS | RUBRICS WITH SUB-RUBRICS | PAGE NO. (Kent) |
|---|
| 1 | Irritability | Mind; IRRITABILITY | 57 |
| 2 | Anxiety health | Mind; ANXIETY; health, about | 6 |
| 3 | Fear cancer | Mind; FEAR; cancer, of | 42 |
| 4 | Desire warm drinks | Stomach; DESIRES; warm drinks | 486 |
| 5 | Cough dry chronic | Cough; DRY; chronic | 786 |
| 6 | Throat tickling cough | Throat; COUGH; tickling | 453 |
| 7 | Chilly | Generalities; COLD; agg. | 1348 |
12. SELECTION OF REPERTORIZATION (NUMERICAL ORDER)
| SR. NO. | REMEDIES | RUBRICS COVERED | TOTAL MARKS |
|---|
| 1 | Rumex Crispus | 7/7 | 21 |
| 2 | Drosera | 6/7 | 18 |
| 3 | Spongia Tosta | 5/7 | 15 |
13. MIASMATIC INTERPRETATION
| PSORA | SYCOSIS | TUBERCULAR | SYPHILIS |
|---|
| Tickling cough, irritability, chilly | Chronic irritation, mucus | Family respiratory issues | Destructive fear cancer |
Dominant Miasm: Psora
14. FINAL STEPS
- Provisional Diagnosis: Chronic Cough (dry irritative)
- Differentiation of Remedies: Compared Rumex with Drosera. Drosera has more spasmodic cough, chilly; Rumex matches chronic dry tickling cough from throat, < talking/cold air/night lying, > warm drinks, chilly, irritability/anxiety. Spongia more for dry barking cough.
- Selection of Remedy (Materia Medica): Rumex Crispus matches chronic dry cough with throat tickle, < talking/cold air/night, > warm drinks, chilly patient (Ref: Allen’s Keynotes, Boericke).
- Selection of Potency: 200C (Chronic irritative respiratory miasmatic case, sensitive constitution)
- Actual Prescription:
- Rumex Crispus 200 — single dose (one dose only, wait & watch)
- Placebo — 4 pills twice a day for 8 weeks
15. FOLLOW-UP'S TABLE
| DATE | COMPLAINTS | REMEDY | ADVICE |
|---|
| 20/07/2026 | Cough frequency reduced 70%, tickle milder, no night waking | Placebo | Avoid dust/chalk, warm drinks, voice rest |
| 20/11/2026 | Cough occasional & mild, no hoarseness, energy better | Placebo | Continue avoidance, throat lozenges if needed, report persistence |