
Cold and flu viruses tend to get the best of us during seasonal weather changes and with spring comes those warm days and cold nights – a time when the body hasn’t quite adjusted to the new season. When a cold or flu hits, remember homeopathy. A well selected remedy can help the body recover faster and manage symptoms of aching, pain and exhaustion quickly so you’re back on your feet fast. Whether symptoms are actually a flu or another virus, like Covid for example, know that the medical diagnosis is not as important in homeopathy as the symptoms themselves. Just be sure to choose the remedy according to the sign and symptoms you experience rather than purely by diagnosis. As a general guide, select the best fitting remedy in a 30ch potency and repeat three times daily until symptoms subside.
Bryonia 30ch is one of the top remedies for the flu when aching is the hallmark symptom. Headaches, sore achy back and stitching pains in the muscles are worse with any form of movement and will cause you to just lie in bed. You won’t be up doing work if you need this remedy. Usually, the person needing Bryonia will feel more dry and have a thirst for large amounts of water. They may also be more irritable and just want to be left alone. The least movement hurts even though they may need to change position every now and again.
- Worse movement
- Thirsty for large quantities of fluids
- Dryness of the mouth, constipation
- Painful flu – stitching, aching pains worse movement
- Mood is typically irritable
Gelsemium 30ch is the better fit for the type of flu when exhaustion trumps pain. While there is aching, fatigue overwhelms the body to the point of weakness and trembling on attempting to rise. Exhaustion may be accompanied by headaches at the base of the skull that extend to the forehead. Chills run up and down the spine. The person is not usually interested in much other than sleep.
- Exhaustion even trembling
- Not typically thirsty
- Headaches, aching
- Chills down the spine
- Mood is typically disinterested, tired
Arsenicum album 30ch is one of the top homeopathic remedies for the flu and for colds when chills and restlessness accompany aching, burning pains. Either there may be cold symptoms where the nose drips and leaves the upper lip raw and red – or it may show up more like a stomach flu with diarrhea and/or nausea/vomiting. A person needing Arsenicum album is more likely to feel anxious with their symptoms, and feel the need to be up and about even though feeling fatigued and unwell. Symptoms tend to be worse at night, especially around midnight. If this person has work to do, they’ll likely try and do it, or be worried about it.
- Chilly, achy but also restless and fatigued
- Thirsty for sips of warm drinks
- May have nausea or diarrhea –
- Worse at night better company
- Mood is typically more anxious than usual
Nux vomica 30ch is an excellent choice for colds and flus when too much work, lack of sleep or jet lag have overtaxed the nervous system and left the body more susceptible. Like Arsenicum album, the person is quite chilly and wants to cover up and drink warm drinks but in this case, symptoms tend to be worse in the morning or if sleep is interrupted. It doesn’t help that the nervous system won’t let you rest, and sleep tends to be elusive or interrupted. The person will find they wake up with the least noise, light or draft of cold air. While there isn’t the restlessness you may find for a person needing Arsenicum album, a person needing Nux vomica will just feel miserable, cranky and irritable. Headaches, sneezing and crampy, achy pains may accompany the cold or flu. Note that not all symptoms have to be present to choose this remedy. If has a cold from being overworked, is chilly and irritable along with perhaps another symptom or two, then I’d start with this remedy.
- Flu with headaches, crampy, achy pains
- Colds from too much work or lack of sleep
- Supremely chilly and desire for warmth, warm drinks
- Sensitive to cold air, drafts, noise, light
- Waking more easily with trouble getting back to sleep
- More irritable than usual – often overtaxed nervous system
Too early to know what to start with? Try these:
Natrum muriaticum 30ch: If your cold starts with sneezing, Natrum muriaticum will stop the cold before it starts. Other symptoms are a runny nose that runs watery and has the consistency of egg white. The nose may be stuffed up too – headaches and cold sores may also come on. Take a dose frequently, ever 1-2 hours for 3 doses for best results, then if some symptoms linger, repeat 3 times daily.
Oscillococcinum is a generic flu remedy that is a brand name product by Boiron. It’s designed to work best before symptoms have really set in. If you have any symptoms that indicate you’re coming down with the flu but don’t know what to take, Oscillo will often nip symptoms before they get worse.
Ferr phos 6x Schuessler cell salt: This is a good generic remedy for inflammation generally, so start it early and repeat frequently. Even when there aren’t generic remedies in homeopathy, the Schuessler cell salts can often be used in more conventional ways, so Ferr phos 6x help kick the symptoms before they take hold. Take 1-4 pills, depending on the manufacturer’s instructions, every hour for 4-6 doses, then 4 times daily until you feel the cold is gone.
A final note on remedy selection and dosing instructions: Since homeopathy works with the body’s ability to heal itself, if the viral load is low and the immune system strong, you’ll find a few doses of a remedy given early will nip the symptoms while their in the budding stage. But other times, especially if the exposure is extended or the immune system is taxed, you may need to start with one remedy and follow with another. Let your symptoms guide you. When signs and symptoms are intense, repeat every 2-4 hours for 3 doses and then 3 times daily. You should notice a clear improvement within 24 hours even if the cold/flu is not gone. Continue the remedy until your symptoms improve and then stop. If symptoms change and the remedy is no longer working, switch to a better fit. Also be sure to rest and hydrate for a full recovery – and use your common sense. If symptoms are not improving or you feel very ill, reach out to a medical professional for assistance.
The evidence: Know that homeopathic medicines do work beyond the placebo effect! You’ll know that yourself if you’ve ever used it but if you need additional hard paper evidence, here are some studies to explore: Homeopathic medicine for acute cough in upper respiratory tract infections and acute bronchitis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial: Zanasi A, Mazzolini M, Tursi F, Morselli-Labate AM, Paccapelo A, Lecchi M. Journal of Pulmonary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 2014 Feb;27(1):102-8. Another study looked at homeopathic medicines for Covid positive patients who were asked to stay at home – note that in Italy, homeopaths are medical physicians: “In Italy most positive and probable COVID-19 patients are at home if their clinical situation is mild. A group of homeopathic physicians treated 50 patients.The study describes their hospitalization rate, clinical evolution, homeopathic medicines used and gives an updated picture of use, limitations and perspectives of classical homeopathy in COVID-19 extrahospital patients.” Valeri, Andrea. Symptomatic COVID-19 positive and likely patients treated by homeopathic physicians – an Italian descriptive study. While explaining how homeopathy works is still being explored, scientists are offering some insights: “This paper examines the growing evidence supporting the adaptive network nanomedicine model for Homeopathic Medicines (HMs) and their actions. Multiple laboratories have identified nanostructures in homeopathically-manufactured medicines at low and high potencies.” Iris R. Bell1-4* Gary E. Schwartz5, Joyce Frye6, Barbara Sarter7, and Leanna J. Standish4 Extending the Adaptive Network Nanomedicine Model for Homeopathic Medicines: Nanostructures as Salient Cell Danger Signals for Adaptation Symbiosis Nanoscience and Technology Open Access, June 26, 2015