Influenza

Colds can be left to cure on their own. In fact it’s an opportunity to “clean house” and as long as the loved-one experiences colds infrequently, it’s an opportunity to gain better health on many levels. My clients often report that their children have made physical, emotional and mental leaps after a completed cold. I have noted this in my own children. Unless there is a strong justification for treating colds I generally don’t treat them homeopathically. Instead, I resortto enforced rest, good bone stocks, plenty of water, raw garlic, raw milk and homeopathic cell salts.

Influenza is another concern. It, too, can be left to cure itself, however for many people the flu is a more trying illness and has the potential for greater discomfort and/or danger. Sometimes the flu can be cured with the use of one well-chosen remedy. Other times one following another is a better course. In any event, when there is an epidemic, the community at large begins to represent an entity as a whole and often a remedy that is useful to one member is the best suited for the whole. In other words, if one finds Gelsemium curative during a flu epidemic for one member of the family, it is likely it will be curative for the others. This includes neighbors and friends, too; watch for similar symptoms. In fact, the curative flu remedy can be used prophylactically for those not yet affected. Give a dose of the chosen remedy to those who might contract the flu 1x/week until the threat is eliminated.

Nine Leading Remedies for Colds and Influenza

1.) Aconitum

• Use when symptoms come on quickly, especially after exposure to cold weather

• Use for first 24 hours of illness

• Very ill within a few hours

• Anxiety

• Sensitivity to light

• Thirst

• Feverish but not delirious

• Watery, runny nose

• Strong headache

• Use when illness has suddenly appeared as cough in early stages, especially croup

• Cough with sensation of choking, causing panic

• Dry cough or with some watery mucous

2.) Oscillococcinum

• Quick onset of influenza or cold

• Best utilized during cold, damp weather

• Aches and chilled

3.) Gelsemium

• Symptoms come on gradually

• Low energy for several days while experiencing tickling in back of mouth

• Runny nose with watery and irritating discharge

• Lots of tiredness and heaviness

• Chills in back

• Headache above the neck

4.) Bryonia

• Common for coughs

Indicated by cold that has moved into the chest

• Cough is dry and with spasms

• Worse with deep breathing and after eating and drinking

• Open air is relieving, as is warm water

• Cough is painful, resulting in soreness throughout the body

• Pain from coughing can trigger the instinct to restrain head or chest during coughing

• Putting pressure on sore areas is relieving

• Desires to breathe deeply but pain prevents this – short, panting breaths

• Little mucous, but what there is, is yellow or with some blood

• Often thirsty and can’t find the right temperature

• Likely to look sick with dusky complexion

• Irritable and want to be alone

5.) Nux vomica

• Good for colds brought on by cold, dry weather

• Symptoms have slow onset (opposite of Aconite)

• Dry tickling sensation in nose

• Later, stuffy nose with watery discharge and sneezing

• Stuffy at night, runny in the day

• Eating aggravates symptoms

• Cough can be worse in morning

• Warm drinks help coughing

• Body is chilly and has hard time getting warm even with lots of covers and in warm room

• Personality is irritable and over-sensitive

6.) Rhus tox

• Stuffy nose with thick yellow or green mucous

• Red throat

• Dry cough

• Hoarseness

• Cold room aggravates

• Worse at night

• Cough prevents sleep or triggered by sleep, causing awakening

• Movement is relieving

7.) Eupatorium

• Coryza, with sneezing

• Hoarseness and cough with numbness in chest; must support it

• Soreness of muscles and bones

• Chronic loose cough

• Worse at night

8.) Arsenicum

• Used for head colds and coughs

• Lots of watery, nasal running that burns

• Nose is runny but feels stuffed

• Lots of sneezing that does not bring relief

• Mucous becomes thick and yellow over time

• Dull headache in forehead

• Good for all kinds of coughs: throat or chest, loose or dry

• Worse at night (midnight to 3 AM)

• Cold air aggravates

• Cough is better with warm drinks

• Sometimes has wheezing and burning chest pain

• Very chilled but can be relieved more easily than Nux Vomica patient

• Restless temperament with anxiety

• Even though ill, sensitive to messy areas

9.) Belladonna

• Symptoms come on suddenly

• Important to take early in illness

• High fever

• Red, dry face

• Hot skin

• Pounding head with visible pulse in head and neck

• In early stages, easily aggravated

• Sensitive to light

• Mentally dull from illness

• Delirious and anxious about imaginary things

• Differs from Aconite, in that patients are not as sharp mentally

• Dilated pupils and dry skin

• Thin, watery nasal discharge

• Dry, hot throat

• Raw, sore throat with bad earache

• Coughing in upper chest or throat

• Painful cough

• Croupy, barking cough that is worse at night