Homeopathic Remedies for Influenza, Colds & Coughs Winter 2023/24
Help yourself with Homeopathy.
Homeopathy has a wealth of remedies to address symptoms of influenza, colds, coughs and Covid in its ever mutating strains. Here are a few of my top remedies for Colds & flu’s.
FIRST SIGNS OF COLD OR FLU:
Top Remedies for the beginning of colds and flu’s…
Ferrum Phos is my personal favourite for the early onset of colds – Just take it at the first sign of illness - a sore or scratchy throat, sneezing, sniffles, chilliness etc. One dose at the first sign of these & I often find this ‘nips it in the bud’ Sometimes just one dose is enough for the symptoms to pass so listen in to your body and your responses to the remedy. If symptoms continue you can repeat the dose every 1-2hours up to 3 doses. If improvement stop dosing & wait, if symptoms return repeat the remedy.
Aconite is also good for early stages of inflammation – especially if you’ve been out in a cold wind and got chilled. Sudden sore throats, fevers, earaches. Or fevers that come on after midnight. In children they may go to bed early but wake after midnight with a fever and a glazed look.
3. Anas Barb (Known as Oscillococcinum in Europe) 30c or 200c can be taken at the first sign of flu. Or once weekly as an intended preventative. This is a well- documented, readily available remedy for use in this way.
General Flu symptoms: Aching, weariness, fever:
Gelsemium is for fevers and flus that come on slowly (often over a few days) with aches and pains in the back and legs and a general heaviness and apathy. There may be a cough and heaviness on the chest, pain moving the eyes & a vague headache.
Eupatorium Perfoliatum known as ‘boneset’ for the prompt way it can relieve pain in limbs & muscles in influenza, this is a fever with deep aching /bone pain, shivering, often with a throbbing headache.
Belladonna is the other remedy for the early stages of a fever with a fiery red face, a glazed look and chilly hands and feet. Sore throats with a high fever. This state can come on after swimming and not drying your hair properly or after having a haircut and letting your head get chilled. Or from inflammation and infection. The Cough is dry & barking sometimes spasmodic, tickling short cough worse at night.
Can you see how all the remedies have a slightly different ‘picture’ to them?
Mercurius (sometimes called Merc Vivus or Merc Sol) is for a sore throat sometimes with white spots or coated tongue that progresses to swollen glands, increased salivation and a fever with sweats that’s worse at night and general malaise, feeling worse for the sweats,
If you cant find relief or improvement with a remedy after two doses its likely you need a different one so look again. Sometimes symptoms can change rapidly or slightly. Or if you feel some improvement then do wait as the remedy is likely to be working. Repeat dosing if its not needed can sometimes undo the work.
If you can’t find the right remedy or symptoms persists do seek help, if you’re unwell its not always easy to choose the right remedy for yourself, in that case do get in touch, or if urgent seek medical attention.
You can also call one of the homeopathic pharmacies or helplines.
Helios can post or courier remedies to you or have them ready for collection if you call ahead.
Helios, 8 New Row, Covent Garden WC2N 4LJ
Open 9.30-5.30pm - Tel 020 7379 7434
Here are my Top 10 cough remedies for possible types of Flu’s/Cough / respiratory issues based on current information. Many of these remedies are in the Ainsworths essential 42 remedy kit.
COUGH/ RESPIRATORY ISSUES:
1. Arsen Alb is the main remedy that we’ve seen used initially for the harsh cough and chest symptoms associated with the recent SARS/Covid type flu’s – it fits the symptoms best – fever with weakness and a harsh cough sometimes with wheezing & with anxiety & restlessness accompanied by flu symptoms. Thirsty for sips of water little and often.
2. Ant Tart is a great remedy for a tight sounding cough where expectoration is difficult - there’s inflammation of the lungs with a rattling cough with thick white mucus which is extremely difficult to cough up. Coughing & gasping consecutively. Difficult to speak. Person must sit up.
3. Bryonia - Epidemic Influenza. Dry hacking painful cough, inflammation of lungs, pneumonia. Fever can be moderate, dry tongue. breathlessness, pains - sharp stitching in chest worse by any motion. Severe dryness of lips, throat & very thirsty & crave cold drinks. The cough is hard & dry, hacking & painful person holds their chest. Expectoration can be rust coloured. Worse for deep breathing, motion & better lying or with some pressure on painful part.
4. Kali carb - inflammation of lungs with a choking cough - wheezing/rattling breathing. Dry hacking cough. Dryness of pharynx. Chilly with hot hands. Stitching and sharp pains. Can have backache, sensitive to cold. Worse lying on affected side, night esp 2-4am, better leaning forward.
5. Phosphorus - weak lungs tendency to respiratory probs. Dry Cough with tightness across chest, pain under sternum. Hard dry tight racking cough worse cold air & going from warm room into cold. Sensitive to light, noise & touch. Thirsty & Craves cold often icy drinks.
6. Sulphur - in any stage of pneumonia. Burning pains (ars alb also) child kicks off covers flushes of heat, dry skin, great thirst, night sweats. Cough is loose worse talking & morning. Expectoration can be greenish, sweetish with much rattling in chest. Dyspnoea in night better sitting up. Difficult respiration wants windows open.
7. Camphora - 1st stages of a cold or last stages with pneumonia. Cold from chill then dry cough with sneezing. Pulse small and weak, icy coldness of whole body but wants covers off and on alternately with internal burning heat and anxiousness. Extreme exhaustion and prostration, bedridden, low BP, low body temp.
8. Carbo veg - Spasmodic cough with itching in throat, burning in chest, rattling of mucus, wheezing, pleural pneumonia, Paleness of Face & coldness of limbs, pulse weak. Coldness with thirst. Very weak, apathetic & anxious, delirium, distressed. Needs air. Wants to be fanned. Worse evening, going fm warm to cold & any exertion.
9. Oxygenium - 6x or 6c in water as a tonic if any issues with shortness of breath.Coughs, colds influenza, sore throats, hoarseness and hard shaking cough. Symptoms of (or similar to) Altitude sickness (seen in severe late stage covid19 symptoms) Hyperventilation, Shortness of breath, Pulmonary oedema, Suffocation feeling in chest, tendency to breath slowly. Dry hacking violent cough worse 2-5am. Oppressed breathing, bursting symptoms in chest.
10. Stannum - 30c - Tickling persistant coughs worse talking, laughter & walking, causing shortness of breath & weakness. Possible hoarseness & mucus expelled by forcible cough. Cough in day with green sweetish expectoration or scanty sticky mucus in afternoon.
DOSAGE & POTENCY
In acute illnesses dosage can be frequent or infrequent depending on severity of symptoms, in general dose every 1-2 hours to start with, if improvement reduce dose, if symptoms improve reduce but some remain, continue to dose 2-3 times a day for up to 3 days.
Look out for changes in symptoms that would indicate a different remedy. If no change in symptoms after 2 doses seek a different remedy or if you need guidance contact a homeopath or the homeopathic advice lines mentioned below. As always if you are concerned contact 111 or your medical advisor.
As always when taking homeopathic remedies try & leave 20mins either side of eating or drinking (unless just having water then 5mins is ok) if pills or tablets try not to touch them, pop the pill straight in the mouth using the cap or a teaspoon & leave under the tongue to dissolve.
POTENCY - always start with a low potency 6c or 30c is fine. If symptoms are high energy ie high fever or headaches consider using a higher 200c potency.
Preventative Remedies: from Ainsworths Homeopathic Pharmacy.
Anti cold & flu 30c
Ainsworths make this each year from the flu vaccine, it comes with instructions for 2 doses on one day every fortnight through the flu season, increase to weekly in high risk of flu.
Anas Barb Co 30c - see above
Influenzinum 200c. - a nosode made from the flu virus itself. Take a dose or two if suspected flu infection or once a week when flu viruses are active.