Homeopathy for Influenza

Remedies

Homeopathic Remedies for Influenza

What follows is a brief Materia Medica of the most common remedies for influenza. These remedies are included in the Remedy Kit available for sale on this site. If you get a flu, it is always a good idea to see your doctor to be sure you are not missing something important. The homeopathic remedies may help your immune system deal with the flu virus more effectively.

We recommend you work with a professional homeopath to figure out the best remedy for you. However, if you want to treat yourself, it is possible. If you decide to do that, we recommend you read some beginner homeopathic book to familiarize yourself with the basic homeopathic philosophy and procedure. For a brief discussion of Homeopathy in general and suggested reading list see www.BookOnHealing.com.

Read through the descriptions of the symptoms and compare to your symptoms. The remedy that matches your symptoms the best is the one most likely to help. In most cases one starts with the lower potency of the indicated remedy, takes it every hour or two as long as it is effective, then goes up the potency if the effectiveness wanes. Once you feel better on a remedy, stop taking it. When you feel worse again, start taking it again. Our kit contains the following potencies: 30C, 200C, 1M. We do not recommend going above 200C without the advise of a professional homeopath.

As more cases of any specific epidemic are seen by homeopaths, it usually becomes clear that two or three remedies cover the majority of the cases. A remedy most often seen in an epidemic is called genus epidemicus. Unfortunately, we don't know what it is until many people become sick and are helped by that remedy. As soon as this information becomes available, we will place it on our web site and the remedy will be made available on the Remedy Kit page. Until then, we should be ready with the following remedies.

Please note:
Homeopathic practitioners do not diagnose or treat disease, unless they are licensed to do so.
Homeopathic remedies do not treat any specific disease. All they can do is improve your body's ability to fight disease by stimulating its defense mechanism.

Common Flu Remedies

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

	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.

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.

	Sends others away saying, “I’m fine, there’s nothing wrong with me,” when it’s evident that they are very sick.
	Complains that the bed feels too hard.
	Fear of others approaching and touching them because their body is so sore.
	Desires sour drinks and alcohol.

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.

Arsenicum Album: 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.
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.

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

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.
	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.

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.

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.

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 motion

Other 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).

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
	This one is hard to figure out. Your professional homeopath will know when it is indicated.

Desperate case remedies

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

Possible avian flu remedies

From the symptoms of avian flu collected so far, homeopathic communities world wide are predicting the following remedies to be useful in avian flu cases. Many more remedies may get added as the time passes and we collect more information on avian flu. This information is hypothetical and has not been tested in the field.

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.