Common Cold (Catarrh) — Homeopathic Guide

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Prepared by S R Pharmacy, Noida from classical homeopathic references (Boericke’s Materia Medica, 1927) and manufacturers’ clinical charts. Last updated 25 October 2026.

A cold can begin in very different ways — a sudden, dry, blocked nose after cold wind; a nose that streams and stings; or one that runs by day and blocks at night. Homeopaths have long told these apart by small details. This guide shows how, and when a cold needs a doctor rather than a remedy.

What a common cold usually looks like

People describe it in many ways: a runny nose, a blocked or stuffy nose, sneezing, a watery nose, or thicker yellow or green discharge. When it sits in the nose and sinuses it is called a “head cold”; when it moves down into the chest, a “chesty cold”. A cold is a viral infection, so antibiotics do not help it, and it usually settles by itself within a week to ten days. Rest, warm fluids and staying warm make you more comfortable while it does.

Which cold is yours? How homeopaths tell them apart

Classical homeopathy does not treat “a cold” as one thing. It looks at how the cold behaves — what the discharge feels like, what makes it better or worse, and how you feel in yourself. These are the five pictures our reference charts give for the common cold:

Most real colds do not match one picture neatly, and some are a mix. That is why our pharmacist asks a few questions before suggesting anything — you can describe your cold to our assistant on the home page or message us on WhatsApp below.

Ready-made cold and flu combinations

When the picture is not clear, many people use a combination made for colds. The manufacturers’ charts we work from list these for the common cold:

• Dr. Reckeweg — R6 (Influenza Drops)
• ADEL — ADEL 23, a combination of Aconite, Gelsemium, Arsenicum Album and Allium Cepa
• Dr. Willmar Schwabe — Alpha-WD
• Bakson’s — B1 (Influenza & Fever Drops), B22 (Sinus Drops), Aller Aid and Flu Aid tablets, and Bio-Combination 6
• Allen — A5 (Cold/Sinus Drop) and A16 (Influenza Drop)

The ones we have in stock are listed below, and you can browse all cold, cough and respiratory medicines. Your pharmacist confirms the right one, and how to take it, before your order goes out.

Looking after yourself while it runs its course

• Rest, and keep warm — especially at night.
• Drink plenty of warm fluids.
• Wash your hands and use a tissue, to protect the people around you.

Common questions

Which homeopathic medicine is traditionally used for a runny nose with burning discharge?

Two pictures are classic. Allium Cepa is a streaming nose that burns the upper lip, with bland tears, worse in a warm room and better outdoors. Arsenicum Album is a thin, burning discharge with a nose that still feels stopped up, together with chilliness, restlessness and a worse time after midnight. Your pharmacist can help you tell which fits.

What is used at the very start of a cold after cold wind?

Aconite is the traditional choice for the first few hours of a cold that came on suddenly after cold, dry wind — with a dry, blocked nose, restlessness and often a small fever. Once the cold is well settled, that picture no longer fits.

When should I see a doctor instead?

A cold should ease within about a week to ten days. See a doctor if there is real difficulty breathing or chest pain, a high fever that will not come down, a fever lasting more than three days, or any symptom that is severe, rapidly worsening, or has lasted far longer than it should. A baby or young child who is floppy, not feeding, or not passing urine needs a doctor urgently.