Contents:
Definition | Causes | Symptoms | Nutrients
Herbs | Recommendations | Suggestions | Bibliography
Definition
A childhood disease characterized by a resonant barking cough, suffocative
and difficult breathing, laryngeal spasm, and sometimes by the formation
of a membrane. The membranous croup is an inflammation of the larynx
with exudation forming a false membrane.
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Causes
Several viruses may cause this disease. These include parainfluenza, respiratory syncytial, and various influenza viruses. Sometimes croup is caused by a cold, bronchitis, or an allergy, but can also occur when a foreign body is inhaled. Attacks frequently occur at night. Prognosis of membranous croup is grave, unless tracheostomy has been performed. The illness usually subsides in 3 to
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Symptoms
Croup is a respiratory infection that causes the larynx and trachea to narrow due to swelling. The larynx spasms and the victim experiences difficult breathing, a harsh cough, hoarseness, tightness in the lungs, and feelings of suffocation.
A trademark of croup is an abnormal noise that is made when air is breathed in through the constricted windpipe over inflamed vocal cords. This noise occurs in young children, since their airways are much narrower than adults and often become clogged with mucus when accompanied by an inflammation. Children with difficulty breathing should be admitted to the hospital for
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Nutrients
The dosages of this list is for children
Zinc lozenges,
Cod liver oil,
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Herbs
- Bloodroot
- Cardinal flower
- Chamomile
- Comfrey
- Echinacea, tincture
- Eucalyptus, oil
- Fenugreek
- Ginger
- Goldenseal
- Horehound
- Jack-in-the-pulpit
- Leek, wild
- Lobelia
- Mullein
- Mustard, black
- Onion
- Pine, white
- Snakeroot, Senega
- Spicebush
- Sticta
- Thyme
- Virginia snakeroot
Recommendations
Eucalyptus oil from a health food store can be used in a vaporizer to steam and inhale. Tincture of benzoin can be used the same way in a vaporizer for steam inhalation.
Take very warm ginger herb baths, wrap in a heavy towel or blanket, and go directly to bed to perspire. This helps loosen mucus and rid the body of toxins.
Apply hot onion packs over the chest and back
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Suggestions
Humidification of the air by whatever means is available such as vaporizers or steam. Antibiotics and corticosteroids are of no proven benefit. If hypoxia (decreased oxygen) the oxygen face mask should be used to supply oxygen to the patient.
Echinacea tincture should be taken if a fever is present. Put
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Bibliography
Back to Eden, by Jethro Kloss; Back to Eden Publishing Co., Loma Linda, CA 92354, Original copyright 1939, revised edition 1994
Indian Herbalogy of North America, by Alma R. Hutchens, Shambala Publications, Inc., Horticultural Hall, 300 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, 1973
Eastern/Central Medicinal Plants, by Steven Foster and James A. Duke., Houghton Mifflin Company, 215 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10000
Planetary Herbology, by Michael Tierra, C.A., N.D., O.M.D., Lotus Press, PO Box 325, Twin Lakes. WI 53181., Copyright 1988, published 1992
The Old Herb Doctor, by Joseph E. Meyer, Meyerbooks, publisher, PO Box 427, Glenwood, Illinois 60425, copyright 1984, sixth printing 1994.
Secrets of the Chinese Herbalists, by Richard Lucas, Parker Publishing Company, Inc., West Nyack, NY, 1987.
Prescription for Nutritional Healing, Fifth Edition: A Practical A-to-Z Reference to Drug-Free Remedies Using Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs & Food Supplements, by James F. Balch, M.D. and Phyllis A. Balch, C.N.C., Avery Publishing Group, Inc., Garden City Park, NY
Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, 15th Edition, F. A. Davis Company, 1915 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103