Colds and Flus

This article will soon be posted on Hines Homeopathy

Question: Should I always  get a cold treated? 

Answer: No.

A cold can be left to run its course without homeopathy. 

In fact, this is an opportunity  for the autonomic immune system  “set itself up,  to get one's vital force reactions sharpened” and improve one's health on many levels. 

My clients often report that their children make physical, emotional and mental leaps  after getting a bad cold. I've seen this in my children when they were younger.

The most important thing is that your loved ones are not prone to catch a cold too often.

I usually avoid homeopathy remedies for colds unless there is a good reason to treat a cold. 

Instead I use tools such as  mandatory rest, plenty of light soups and bone broth, plenty of water, raw garlic, raw milk, and maybe, just maybe some homeopathic tissue salts. 

Influenza is a different problem. Although it can left to run its course without homeopathic remedies, however for many people the flu can be a trying and difficult complaint  causing more discomfort and/or danger than to the average person. 

Sometimes the flu can be treated with the right remedy, one single well chosen remedy will do the trick in some situations and individuals. 

In other cases, a succession of homeopathic remedies is better. Dr Hahnemann observed that when an epidemic strikes, the affected community by the flu virus begins to “look like”, represent  an entity as a whole, a pattern as a whole and  the treatment that works for one member is often best for all. 

By way of explanation, if one member of the family learns Eupathorium perforatum works well during that flu season, it is most probable that it will also work for the rest of the community. That means that neighbours and friends will benefit from Eupathorium perforatum. Just check for similar symptoms. 

In fact, people who are not yet sick can be given flu remedies as a prophylaxis. Give one dose of the desired remedy once a week to a person who is at risk of influenza  until the threat is gone.

A Few Remedies for Colds and Influenza: 

1.  Oscillococcinum (sold in homeopathic pharmacies under its original Latin nomenclature as Anas Barbariae)

• Quick onset of influenza or cold
• Best used during cold, damp weather
• Aches and chilled

2 -  Aconite

• Use when symptoms come on quickly, especially after exposure to cold weather
• Indicated for first 24 hours of illness
• Very ill within a few hours after exposure to cold
• 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

3 -  Bryonia

• Common for cough. 
• 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
• Want to stay lying down

4 - Belladonna

• Symptoms come on suddenly
• Important to take early in illness
• Differs from Aconite, in that patients are not as sharp mentally. They seem to be in a daze.
• 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
• 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

5 -  Gelsemium

• Symptoms come on gradually
• Low energy for several days while experiencing tickling in back of mouth
• Runny nose with watery and irritating discharge
• Patient feels a lot of tiredness and heaviness
• Chills in back
• Headache above the neck

6 - 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
• Patient’s body  feels chilly and has hard time getting warm even with lots of covers and in warm room
• Patient is irritable and over-sensitive

7 - Rhus tox

• Stuffy nose with thick yellow or green mucous with stuffy nose
• Red throat
• Dry cough
• Hoarseness
• Cold room aggravates
• Worse at night
• Cough prevents sleep or triggered by sleep, causing awakening
• Movement is relieving. Staying still aggravates the patient.

8 - Eupatorium

• Coryza, with sneezing
• Hoarseness and cough with numbness in chest; must support it
• Soreness of muscles and bones
• Deep Bone Aches/Pains
• Chronic loose cough
• Worse at night

9 -  Arsenicum

• 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
• Used for head colds and coughs
• 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 mess, untidiness

Other remedies to treat colds and flus are : Phosphorus, Pulsatilla, Drosera, Spongia, Natrum-mur, Allim-cepa, Kali-bich, FErrum-phos, Euphrasia and others. They are chosen based on individual symptoms of the patients, their totality of symptoms must match the remedy picture.

Read more about How to Self-Prescribe Homeopathy and the Dose

This article is intended purely for educational purposes, and the reader should make their own enquiries and seek out the guidance of a medical professional.