Cold? Flu? Allergies? Pt.4 Help for the Flu Using Homeopathics

Homeopathics for the flu are very specific in their nature and require that you pay attention to signs and symptoms in order to select the BEST remedy for you or yours. In fact, you may select several remedies, and that is okay, select remedies based upon symptoms. Read the descriptions carefully and select the one(s) that most closely match the signs and symptoms. And again, follow these directions after selecting the remedy that most closely matches the symptoms:

Depending upon what symptoms you are displaying you may want either one of the single remedies or a combination remedy. Typically a homeopathic remedy is a pellet, liquid or soft tablet. Directions on ‘how much’ to take come on the package. What I will suggest however is disregarding the ‘how often’.

Acute/Active Symptoms: 3-5 pellets (2-3 tabs or 3-5 drops) every 15mins for the first hour or until symptoms begin to clear up. If after 4 doses in the first hour you aren’t noticing any benefit, reassess your symptoms and try something else.

Onset/Not Too Bad/Just Beginning: 2-3 pellets (1-2 tabs or 2-3 drops) every 20-30 minutes until you notice the symptoms are gone.

In both cases once you get your symptoms under control (in otherwords, symptom relief)

back off dosing to every ½ hour. If you symptoms begin to return within that half hour time frame continue to take the remedy every half hour. As time progresses you will notice a greater period of time between displaying of symptoms…you will have to pay attention to this. If at the half hour mark you still have no symptoms wait until the one hour mark before taking another dose and then pay attention as to when the symptoms begin to return so that you are gradually decreasing your dosing schedule to 2-3 times per day, increasing length of time between doses by a ½ hour each time. Once you have reached this 2-3 times per day for 1-2 days you can then stop taking the remedy and you are ‘cured’. With children I always recommend to stop after being symptom free for 1 day.

Infants dosing should be ½ of that of an adults dose, however, as I have learned, sometimes with a young child the adult dose is appropriate to initially relieve symptoms so do not be afraid to use more in a infant or young child.

AGAIN…the trick is watch for symptom reduction! If you aren’t seeing a reduction in symptoms with the first hour of use (2-4 doses) then move onto another homeopathic!! I have increased the amount taken in children in very stubborn or acute symptoms just to ‘tamp’ it down quickly and then reduce the amount taken once I have reduced symptoms.

I would first like to suggest the following for prevention of the flu OR to take as soon as you believe you might be coming down with the flu:

Oscillococcinum Flu Remedy

This can often be found in many drug stores and is well worth keeping on hand ‘just in case’ and should be used as a ‘first defense’.

With that said, you don’t have to take the whole vial at one time as they instruct. I truly believe that this is a marketing ploy to make money. Instead, I suggest the following which has worked for me over many years.

1)      To prevent the common flu…take 3-5 pellets at one time, every other day for one week. The following week, take 3-5 pellets 2 times that week and finally, the following week and every week there after, take 3-5 pellets once a week. Do this for the duration of the ‘flu’ season. Actually, I would take starting in September and then end in March.

2)      If you feel like you are getting the flu…follow the standard dosing instructions above. Now, with that said, if you don’t start feeling better within 2-3 hours (in otherwords the symptoms don’t go away) you are most likely NOT getting the flu, but a cold. Try a different remedy that can be found on the Cold Part 3 blog page.

Common Flu Remedies

The number one flu homeopathic remedy is GELSEMIUM . The flu has a slow onset and is associated with chills, tiredness and paralytic weakness. The chills begin in the hands and feet, and run up and down the spine.
These patients feel as if run over by a truck. Aching pain is felt in the muscles and they experience trembing of the limbs with lack of mucular co-ordination. Want to lie down and be left alone.
The patient is generally worse in the early morning and last thing at night. They feel better after urination and in fresh air. Please see below for more information on Gelsemium.

Aconite: Sudden onset of the flu with great anxiety and fear. She thinks she is about to die.

Better: in fresh air
Worse: in a warm room, in the evening or at night, lying on the left side, hearing music, when exposed to tobacco smoke.
Other uses: any situation where the person is scared, such if they just witnessed something horrible, were just involved in an accident, etc

Arnica: Flu with a feeling of soreness, as if bruised internally and externally.

Symptoms come on very suddenly, especially after exposure to a dry, cold wind or from an emotional shock or fright.

High fever, dry cough, sore throat and feeling of great worry and fear.

The individual is very restless.

Fear of death with anxiety, tossing and trembling.

Croupy cough, early stages of croup.

Pneumonia with sudden onset.

Coughing up of blood.

Other uses: This is the main initial remedy for acute trauma, injuries and accidents. Bumps, bruises, sprains, strains, cuts, etc. It is commonly given to patients before and after surgery to improve outcome, decrease bleeding and bruising and promote healing. You will find Arnica in all homeopathic emergency kits.

Aconitum napellus: This remedy is useful for a flu that comes on suddenly and intensely accompanied by fever, anxiety, constricted pupils, and strong thirst. The person may feel fearful or agitated, and the fever can alternate with chills. Symptoms are often worst around midnight. Exposure to cold wind or a shock of some kind often precedes the illness.

Apis mellifica: If a person has dry fever that alternates with sweating, facial flushing, and a very sore throat with swollen tonsils , then this homeopathic remedy may be prescribed. Pain may extend to the ears, and the eyelids may be swollen. Exposure to cool air and cold applications may bring relief. Despite the fever, thirst usually is low. The person can be very irritable, disliking interference.

Arsenicum Album: Influenza in children with sudden onset and much prostration.

Extremely restless, oversensitive, anxious and weak.

Fear of death.

Extreme prostration, out of proportion to the disease.

Very restless, can’t stay in one place.

Does not want to be left alone.

Chilly.

Pale face with an anxious expression.

Burning pains that are better with warm applications.

Thirsty, drinks in small sips often.

Worse between 1 and 2 a.m.

Vomiting and diarrhea are common.

Diarrhea with acrid, offensive, watery stools.

Too neat, upset by clutter.

Desires fatty and sour things, especially lemon.

Other uses: Food poisonings, stomach flues.

Baptisia: Looks drowsy and drunk. Flu with high fever and a feeling of being bruised all over.

Flu that comes on suddenly.

Sensation of being bruised and sore all over, the body and limbs feel as if they are scattered.

Profuse sweating with a high fever and an intense thirst.

Dull red face, looks dazed and sluggish as if they may fall asleep at any time.

The bed feels hard (Compare with Pyrogenium and Arnica)

Stupefying headache, with confusion.

Delirium with strange sensations, like as if there is somebody else in bed with him, parts of her body are separated, etc.

Patient smells bad.

Belladonna: Flu with a high fever, red face and dilated pupils. Dryness and burning heat. Everything is intense and concentrated in the head.

High fever that comes on suddenly, often as a result of a change in temperature (e.g. becoming chilled or overheated, washing the hair).

Flushed face, sore throat, eyes wide and staring, pupils dilated, bright red tongue, red throat with white spots on the tonsils.

Constriction on attempting to swallow

Ejection of food and drink through the nose and mouth from spasm.

There may be confusion, delirium or vivid hallucinations.

Twitching and starting.

Headache.

Symptoms tend to affect the right side of the body.

Craving for lemon or lemonade.

General aggravation at 3 p.m.

Better: standing, sitting upright, in a warm room.
Worse: any noise, bright light, movement, lying down, night.
Other uses: strep throat, meningitis, abdominal cramps, menstrual cramps, etc, when the overall picture fits.

Bryonia: Extremely irritable, talks about business. Bryonia is good if symptoms include a headache, cough, constipation, thirst, and irritability
Flu with a severe, throbbing headache, body pains. All symptoms are worse from any motion.

Slow onset.

Thirst for large amounts infrequently, preferably cold.

Pains (headache, body pains) better by pressure. Lies on the painful part.

Dryness everywhere, dry tongue, with generally a white coating

Nose bleed

Pneumonia, especially of the right side; pleurisy (pain on breathing and coughing).

Business: worries, talks and dreams about it.

Wants to go home. May be confused and not realize she is at home.

Better: pressure, rest
Worse: any excitement, noise, touch, movement, bright light, from eating and coughing and at around 3am and 9pm.Other uses: Pain in joints, sprains, strains, when symptoms are worse from movement.

Specific Symptoms for Bryonia:

Grumpy and feels miserable with the flu

Wanting only to lie still and be left alone

Headache, muscle aches, and cough or stomach pain

Everything feels worse from even the slightest motion.

Dry mouth, with a thirst for long cold drinks

Eupatorium – perfoliatum: Flu with body pains so severe, that the bones feel broken.

Feels as if run over by a truck, with pain deep in the bones.

Bursting headache and sore eyes.

Thirsty for ice cold water (opposite to Gelsemium, which is not thirsty).

Chills running up and down the back.

High fever preceded by chills, especially from 7 – 9am.

Worse: movement

Ferrum Phos: Flu without any localizing or characteristic symptoms.

High fever, usually 102 degrees or higher.

Right sided complaints – Pneumonia.

Flushes or redness or pallor.

Hemorrhage [Nose or Chest]

Specific symptoms for Eupatorium:
Deep ache in the bones and muscles
Eyeballs hurt
Exhaustion
Desires cold food and drinks, which are vomited as soon as they warm in the stomach
Painful cough
Yellow tongue
Tremendous aching, as if bones are broken
Fever preceded by chills, especially from 7:00 to 9:00 A.M.

Ferrum phosphoricum: This remedy may be helpful during flu associated with the following symptoms:

Fever

Headache

Rosy cheeks

A feeling of weariness

Sensitive eyes

A short hard cough

Strong thirst

Vomiting after eating

This remedy is also prescribed in early stages of flu or fever, even if symptoms are not especially clear.

Gelsemium: Flu with chills and paralytic weakness. They feel as if run over by a truck.

This tends to be the number 1 flu remedy. Take Gelsemium if you have heavy, droopy eyes; feel weak and tired, with aches and chills up and down your back; and want to be alone.

Slow onset

After worrying about a forthcoming task or event such as a public speaking engagement.

Sore throat.

Bursting headache beginning in the neck and which may extend over the head to the eyes and forehead; relieved by copious urination.

Double vision often before or during the headache. Eyelids are heavy and droopy, can’t keep them open.

Fatigue, heaviness and dullness. The legs feel weak and shaky and they just want to lie in bed.

Pain is felt in the muscles.

No thirst.

Aching muscles.

Chills begin in the hands and feet, and run up and down the spine.

Worse: early morning and last thing at night, in the sun, and when exposed to tobacco smoke.
Better: urination, fresh air
Comparisons:

Bryonia also has pains, but they are much worse from any movement. Gelsemium patient does not want to move due to fatigue and heaviness, not aggravation from movement.

Eupatorium perfoliatum patient also feels as if run over by a truck, but the pains are more severe, and they are felt in the bones. In addition, Eup-per patient is thirsty, and Gels patient is not.

Other uses: Anxiety anticipating an important engagement.

Specific symptoms for Gelsemium:

hot head and face, but with chills that go up and down the back; burning headache without any real sense of thirst, etc. are symptoms for which this remedy is often prescribed. Other symptoms:

Fatigue and achiness that come on gradually, increasing over several days

The face feels heavy, with droopy eyes and aching.

A headache may begin at the back of the neck and skull

Chills and heat running up and down the spine.

Anxiety

Dizziness

Moderate fever

Trembling

Perspiration

Kali sulphuricum: Yellow, slimy

Fever with easy sweating

Yellow slimy tongue, nasal discharge, ear discharge, diarrhea.

Cough with easily expelled yellow slimy sputum.

Thirsty. Averse to hot drinks.

Wants to lie down, but it makes her worse, so she must walk for relief.

Mercurius solubilis: Dirty, smelly, drooling.

Increased salivation, offensive breath, profuse offensive sweat.

Filthy tongue, large, flabby, tooth – notched

Thirsty

Craves bread and butter.

Worse: night, heat of bed

Nux Vomica: Flu with great irritability and over sensitivity. Easily offended, angry, cold.

Irritable, impatient, angry and easily offended.

Very chilly. Chilliness on the slightest movement. On the slightest exposure to the open air, shivering and chilliness for an hour; dreads to go out into the open air. By the slightest draught he gets chilled. He cannot get warm. Great coldness not removed by heat, or by bed coverings. Wants to be completely covered.

Very sensitive to light, noise and odors.

Shivering and chilliness immediately after drinking.

Fastidious. Wants everything just so.

Collapse and fatigue states from overwork.

Other uses: Ailments from overdoing: overeating, overwork, etc. Hangover.

Specific symptoms for Nux Vomica:

Nux Vomica is often prescribed for flu associated with thoroughly chilled feelings, cannot get warm at all, limbs and back are aching, stomach upset. Other indications are:

high fever

violent chills

strong nausea

cramping in the digestive tract (or a painful cough and constricted breathing if the flu is respiratory)

headache

oversensitivity to sound, bright light, and odors

often very irritable

feels worse from exertion

Feels worse from being cold in any way

Phosphorus: The flu quickly affects the lungs, especially the base of the right lung. Lots of cough. Bleeding.

Bloody sputum, bright red.

Craves cold drinks, which may be vomited when they become warm in the stomach.

Burning, ressure and constriction in the chest; worse lying on the left side; worse lying on the painful side (patient and the cough).

Nose bleed, bright red.

Cough, worse talking and laughing.

Specific symptoms for Phosphorus:

This remedy is indicated for flu when it is accompanied by:

fever with an easily-flushing face

feels very weak and dizzy

headache

hoarseness

sore throat

cough

stomach pain and nausea or vomiting

strong anxiety

wanting others to be around to offer company and reassurance

strong thirst, with a tendency to vomit when liquids warm up in the stomach

Pulsatilla: Clingy and weepy when sick.

Flitting chilliness; chills in spots. Chilly in a warm room.

One sided chilliness – heat – sweat. One cheek red, the other white.

Palpitations with anxiety: must throw off the clothes.

Dry cough at night, better sitting up, worse on lying down again.

Thick yellow-green discharge from nose. Yellow-green expectoration.

Craves butter, cream, pastries.

Thirstless.

Tearful, craves company and sympathy.

Worse: external warmth, closed room
Better: open air, outside, slow motionOther uses: This is one of the most commonly used remedies in children. Whatever the problem (ear infection, teething, cold, etc), when the child is weepy, wants the caregiver next to him all the time and gets better only when held. This is opposite to Chamomilla children, who are often angry and reject kindness.

Pyrogenium: Septic states.

Extremely restless. Has to keep on moving, rocking, wringing, for momentary relief.

The bed feels too hard, aching everywhere, feels beaten and bruised.

Everything is offensive: sweat, breath, discharges, stool, etc.

The pulse is abnormally rapid for the temperature. High temperature with slow pulse, or the reverse.

Creeping chills in the back, with a thumping heart.

Bursting headache.

Rapid bed sores.

Feels as if someone else is in his bed.

Consciousness of the heart beating.

Rhus toxicodendron: Stiff and restless, better with movement.

Restlessness. Wants to move all the time.

Aching and stiffness in the joints, worse on first starting to move and better with continued movement.

Red triangle on the tip of the tongue.

Intense fever: thirsty: great prostration: weeps without knowing why.

Severe aching in the bones.

Fear of poisoning. She may refuse taking medicine feeling it is poison.

Anxiety and fear which are worse at night.

Other uses: Sprains, strains, when the pain is better with movement (opposite of Bryonia).

Rhus toxicodendron: A person who needs this remedy during flu feels extremely restless and complain of achy, stiff muscles. Other indications:

fever is often accompanied by bone and muscle aches

teasing cough

sore throat

red tongue

nausea and bloating

soreness and stiffness may be felt all over,

feels better from hot showers or from getting up and pacing.

feels worse when waking up, after lying in bed, or from keeping still too long.

symptoms are often relieved by rubbing and stretching, but especially warmth and movement.

Sulphur

Hot, burning sensations. This is a well known remedy for skin irritation.

Partially recovers and then relapses.

Very sensitive to the open air and drafts (opposite to Pulsatilla); worse from washing and taking a bath.

The crown of the head is very hot but the feet are cold.

The soles of the feet burn at night; they must be put out of the bed.

Hungry and starving at 11am, but not before then.

Often left-sided

Specific symptoms for Sulphur:

This remedy is often prescribed if a flu is very long-lasting or has some lingering symptoms such as the case when people have neglected to take good care of themselves. The person may feel hot and sweaty, with low fever and reddish mucous membranes. Symptoms, either digestive or respiratory, will often have a hot or burning quality. Heat aggravates the symptoms, and the person often feels worse after bathing.

Other remedies that may be used but are often used in ‘worst case’ flu situations and, if at all possible, professional medical attention should be sought out.

Camphora: Flu with laborious, asthmatic breathing, accumultion of phlegm in the air tubes, cold, dry skin.

Profound prostration/collapse.

Coldness and shivering.

Cold to touch, yet cannot bear to be covered.

Very sensitive to cold air

Face is pale and blue, lips are livid.

Pulse is weak and scarcely perceptible.

Pneumonia or bronchitis with collapse. Irritability

Worse: Cold

Carbo –vegetalis: “Corpse reviver”

Desperate cases.

Cold; even the breath and tongue are cold; very pale, air – hunger, asks for the windows to be opened, to be fanned.

Shortness of breath. Must sit up in bed.

Bloating, indigestion, and tremendous amount of gas.

This is a frequent ICU remedy, when life seems to be draining away.

China (Cinchona officinalis): Ailment from loss of fluids: blood loss, vomiting, diarrhea.

Desperate cases.

Debility with chilliness.

Anemic; pallid; weak. Sensitive to touch: motion: to cold air.

Worse at regular period: alternate days, every third day, every seven days, etc.

Weariness of the limbs, with desire to stretch, move or change position.

Painless diarrhea with a lot of gas.

Other uses: A very common remedy for diarrhea

Other possible remedies that may help:

Antimonium tartaricum: pneumonia with rattling of mucus in the chest.

Profuse mucus in bronchi with drowsiness. Loose, coarse rattling but scanty expectoration. Suffocative shortness of breath; alternating with cough. Chest seems full, yet less and less is raised, followed by vomiting or sleep.

Nausea; in waves; with weakness and cold sweat.

Forcible vomiting, followed by exhaustion and sleep

Tongue coated thick white with reddened papillae and edges.

Vomiting better lying on right side.

Desire for acids, apples.

Anxiety, aversion to being looked at; wants to be left alone.

Sleepy, weak, sweaty.

Worse: heat; warm room.

Asclepias tuberosa

Influenza with marked weakness on walking.

Shooting pleuritic pains (pains with inspiration) during and lingering after influenza.

Bleeding from gums, coughing up blood, bleeding from nose.

Worse: Lying, especially on left side. Motion of arms. Deep inspiration.
Better: Bending forward.

Euphorbium resinifera: Flu with burning pains in the bones.

Intense burning pains as if a live coal were on, or in the part.

Pharyngitis with a sensation as if expired air was a burning flame.

Worse: Touch; rest; sitting; beginning of motion.
Better: Continued motion; cold applications (compare with Arsenicum, which has burning pains better from hot applications).

Euphrasia: Flu with eye symptoms.

Acrid tears and bland nasal discharge.

Burning, smarting eyes and aversion to light and constant winking.

Cough with large quantities of mucus.

Ipecacuanha: She coughs till she vomits.

Dry, spasmodic cough ending in choking, gagging and vomiting. Person stiffens and becomes pale or blue; gasps for breath.

Constant nausea not relieved by vomiting.

Clean tongue.

Profuse salivation with the nausea.

No thirst.

Worse: Heat.
Other uses: Any ailments or pains attended with constant nausea and clean tongue. Whooping cough.

Sanguinaria: Flu with burning in various parts and headache.

Right-sided remedy.

Burning in various parts: eyeballs, cheeks, tongue, throat, chest, stomach, palms and soles.

Headaches, especially right sided, spreading from shoulder over the head to the eye.

Spasmodic cough with expectoration of rust-colored sputum.

Runny or stopped-up nose, followed by diarrhea.

Dryness of mucous membranes.

Desire for spicy and pungent food.

Warm-blooded.

The following information was taken from an article in Homeopathy World Community and was written by Bente Ødegård. It may be found at: http://www.homeopathyworldcommunity.com/profiles/blogs/influenza-pandemics-and-long

Influenza pandemics have for centuries posed the greatest threat of a worldwide calamity caused by infectious disease. Over the past 300 years, ten influenza pandemics have occurred among humans. According to recent analysis, the 1918-19 pandemic killed 50 to 100 million people globally. Today, even a “mild” pandemic could kill many millions of people.

Influenza manifests in the respiratory system and produces generalized aches and pain, especially in the limbs and back. It produces malaise; prostration; fever; coryza, headache; with photophobia and retrobulbar aching; and inflamed respiratory mucous membranes. The incubation period is around 48 hours.

The symptoms begin with sore throat with substernal burning; nonproductive cough; and coryza. Cough usually becomes severe and productive and causes pain in the chest. The soft palate, posterior hard palate, tonsils and throat become reddened and painful. The eyes water easily and the conjunctiva may be mildly inflamed. Sweating and weakness may continue for weeks. Complications include bronchitis; pneumonia; breathlessness; spitting of blood; pulmonary edema; encephalitis; and death.Old people; babies; those confined to bed; or with chronic pulmonary or heart disease are the most at risk.

During the 1918 influenza pandemic it was young people, 25 -34 years of age, which were most severely affected. They appeared to have no immunity and succumbed to a pneumonia that would kill within days. It was not uncommon for someone physically strong and in good health to get up feeling well in the morning and by bedtime they would be dead. During this flu pandemic large numbers of people sought homeopathic care and were restored to good health; in numerous cases their lives were saved

An article published in the Journal of the American Institute of Homeopathy in May 1921 states that Dean W.A.Pearson of Philadelphia collected 26,795 cases of influenza treated by homeopathic physicians with only a mortality rate of 1.05%, while the average conventional medical approach had a mortality rate of 30%.

During this time there were many Medical Doctors practicing homeopathic medicine throughout Europe and in America, much to the chagrin of non-homeopathic doctors and pharmacists. While conventional hospitals in the US had an 80-90% loss of life during the scarlet fever, Cholera and Flu epidemics around 1919, Homeopathic Hospitals had only a 2-5% loss.

There is however a possibility that some of these high numbers of positive effects of homeopathic treatment can be subscribed to the ill effects of the conventional treatment. Many homeopaths reported a decrease in chance of survival in those that had, previously to homeopathic treatment, been taking Aspirin. A.F. Stevens, M.D. in St.Louis said about the patients undergoing conventional treatment: “They died like flies around a plate of poison although ‘science’ did all that could be done to ‘save’ them”.

There has been at least three large scale double-blind placebo- controlled trials to treat people with flu or influenza – like syndrome. Each of these large scale studies were conducted by independent researchers, and a treatment is considered proven when at least three independent studies verify positive results.

Several studies have suggested that the homeopathic remedy oscillococcinum, which is prepared from a duck liver, is a very effective treatment for influenza. One study found that the remedy significantly increased the rate of cure within two days of diagnosis. This was a high- quality trial, published in an important, non- homeopathic journal and involving large numbers of patients (237 treated and 241 on placebo).

It is generally impossible in homeopathy to pinpoint a few remedies that would help in general against the flu. But, what is fascinating is that during an influenza epidemic, a remedy or two will work marvellously. This remedy is sometimes referred to as genus epidemicus. The homeopathic Materia Medica has well over 3,500 remedies. There is no one remedy that is specific to the flu because individuals will manifest symptoms in different ways that are unique to them. The most important point to remember about homeopathy is that it treats the individual.

If you are interested in more information or purchasing a homeopathic flu kit for yourself please visit:

http://flusolution.net/remedies.htm

December 8, 2011 Posted by Survivingshtfmom | Homeopathics, Medical Conditions, Self-Help | Alternative medical care, fever, flu symptoms, homeopathic, homeopathic nosode, preparedness, SHTF, survival medicine | Leave a comment