Allergic Rhinitis and Euphorbium

The homeopathic remedy Euphorbium, especially in a combination remedy, has shown promise for treating allergic rhinitis. Homeopathic treatment offer a relative natural remedy for allergic rhinitis with minimal side effects.

Homeopathic remedies do not work in a direct or obvious way. Homeopathic theory has some relationship to ancient healing traditions, but in many ways stands uniquely on its own ground, unrelated to other approaches. The term "homeopathy" is formed from the combination of two Greek words: omio meaning “same” and pathos meaning "suffering." This reflects the homeopathic belief that a substance that causes certain symptoms in a healthy person can cure an ailing person of similar symptoms. This belief is the basis for how homeopathic remedies are formulated and recommended.

Read more details about Euphorbium.

Researchers conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of Euphorbium D3 for the treatment of an acute attack of hay fever.¹² In this study, which lasted 14 days and followed 104 participants, the homeopathically treated group did not show a statistically significant improvement in their nasal symptoms. However, the author of this study noted that a mistake was made in the study design. The problem was that evaluation of possible benefit was made on day 8 or day 15 after the treatment was first given. As it turned out, the illness tended to resolve itself by day 3 to 5 in most cases, so it was hard to tell if the medicine made a difference or not.

Another double-blind, placebo-controlled trial tested two homeopathic nasal spray formulas containing Euphorbium for the treatment of chronic sinus problems.¹³ A total of 155 people participated. The first remedy consisted of Euphorbium, Pulsatilla, Luffa operculata, Mercurius bijodatus, Mucosa basalis suis, Hepar sulfuris, Argentum nitricum, and a sinusitis nosode. The other solution contained only Euphorbium, Pulsatilla, Luffa operculata, and Hepar sulfuris.

In each case, participants were instructed to use two sprays to each nostril four times per day for 4 weeks. Information from questionnaires, as well as the findings from fiberoptic scope and ultrasound examination of the sinuses, were recorded at the first appointment, again at 2 weeks and at 4 weeks, and then again at a post-treatment follow-up at 4 months.

The results indicated that the first homeopathic solution was more effective than placebo, improving such symptoms as nasal congestion, sensation of pressure, and headache. However, the second remedy did not prove effective.

In classical homeopathy, there are many possible homeopathic treatments for allergic rhinitis, chosen based on various specific details of the person seeking treatment.

When you chop an onion, your eyes often sting, water, and itch as they do if you have hay fever. A person with profusely watery eyes and a nose that runs like a faucet fits the symptom picture for Allium cepa, which is made from common red onion.

However, hay fever doesn’t always appear in this form. If you are experiencing a pressing headache with dizziness, a fluent nasal discharge, difficulty breathing, and much sneezing, then you fit the symptom picture for Euphorbium.

However, hay fever doesn’t always appear in this form. Galphimia is associated with a symptom picture dominated by swollen eyelids, sneezing, skin rash, stomach pain, and sensitivity to weather changes.

Constitutional (or classical) homeopathy is a holistic art that looks at the symptom picture of a person, including psychological, emotional, physical, and hereditary information, and tries to choose an appropriate remedy. Recently, however, a simplified form of homeopathy has developed, disease-oriented (or symptomatic) homeopathy, in which remedies are given based solely on specific diseases. Both types of homeopathy have been studied scientifically, although disease-oriented homeopathy has received more attention for the simple reason that it is easier to study.

Homeopaths, sometimes called homeopathic physicians, practice homeopathy. Homeopathic support is also available from health professionals, such as naturopathic doctors, who use homeopathy as part of their broader medical practice.

Homeopathic remedies are, by nature, completely nontoxic.

However, according to the principles of classical (or constitutional) homeopathy, versus disease-oriented (or symptomatic) homeopathy, these remedies can cause problems. On the way toward a cure, temporary exacerbation of symptoms are said to occur frequently. Such “homeopathic aggravations” are supposed to indicate a release of underlying problems, and are therefore seen as ultimately helpful, if temporarily unpleasant. However, there is no meaningful scientific evidence that such aggravations take place at any higher rate than could be accounted for by chance (and patient’s expectation).

12. Mossinger P. Untersuchung zur behandlung des akuten fliesschnupfens mit Euphorbium D3 [in German; English abstract]. Allg homoopathische Zeitung. 1982;227:89–95.
13. Weiser M, Clasen B. Klinische studie zur Untersuchung der wirksamkeit und vertraglichkeit von Euphorbium commpositum—nasentrofen S bei chronischer sinusitis [in German; English abstract]. Forsch Komplementarmed. 1994;1:251–259.