Flu Notes for 2012/2013
I posted this note on my Facebook Page on January 14th: http://bit.ly/flunotes (includes comments). On January 12, 2013 I posted an open inquiry to friends and homeopaths about which remedies are helping them and/or their patients in their state – and/or their country.
There’s a long and interesting discussion there: http://bit.ly/mchom
The flu isn’t straightforward this year … I have spoken to homeopaths and patients all over the country and different remedies are needed for different people at different stages of the illness – and in different parts of the country.
Rhus tox is helping people with severe body aches – stiffness and aching in the joints, and restlessness, with runny noses and fevers (can be high). There may be a nausea – there should be a red tip to the tongue (Rhus tox SRP/confirmatory). This is no cough, no sore throat.
I gave Opium (homeopathic of course) to a friend who looked like an extreme Gelsemium – sleeping around the clock (for 5 days altogether), not thirsty etc. etc. It didn’t work, Nux moschata didn’t work either, I then realized she wasn’t asking for anything. A single dose worked a small miracle and 3 days later a single dose of Influenzinum 200C helped her when she started sinking into a Fluey Doldrums.
Begabati Lennihan (Boston homeopath) hasn’t had one case of flu in her practice. Considering that there’s an epidemic in Boston this is beyond impressive. She thinks the preventative protocol (courtesy of Sandra Perko) she is using for her patients is a winner so here it is:
- Influenzinum 9C (single dose) once a week for 4 weeks then once a month (single dose) for the rest of the flu season
- Influenzinum 30C if in contact with someone who has the flu and/or
- Influenzinum 30C if flu symptoms develop – Begabati has people take it 3-4 times a day until the symptoms resolve
Oscillococcinum is only working for some people – for those with clear symptoms that match the remedy … I have included the materia medica below FYI.
I suppose you could alternate it with Influenzinum (I never have done this but why not …)
I have started alternating Influenzinum with the indicated remedy (at any stage during the flu including/especially the convalescent stage) and gotten much much better responses than with the remedy on its own.
Influenzinum 9C and 30C are available in the US from Washington Homeopathic Products: http://www.homeopathyworks.com/ (best to order online) and in the UK from Helios Homeopathic Pharmacy: http://www.helios.co.uk
Karen Allen (and the French homeopaths) give Thymuline 9C for flus with coughs – especially with patients with chronic respiratory complaints like RAD, asthma and COPD etc.
There’s an interesting discussion here: http://kenthomeopathic.com/homeonet/index.php?topic=1555.0
Thymuline 9C and Influenzinum 9C are available from: http://www.homeopathystore.com/products/influenzinum-and-thymuline-combo
THYMULINE
Thymuline Materia Medica by Alain Sarembaud: http://bit.ly/Uxu96Q
Thymuline and Echinacea by Doctors Pierre Dorfman and Max Tétau (Paris) : http://bit.ly/Va6dKz
INFLUENZINUM
Materia Medica of Oscillococcinum: Robin Murphy
Courtesy of ReferenceWorks http://www.kenthomeopathic.com
PHARMACY – influ. Influenzinum. Influenza nosode. The nosode of influenza virus of the Asian and common flu. Historical dose: All potencies.
CLINICAL – Aching, pain. Anorexia. Bronchitis. Bronchial, asthma. Bronchopneumonia. Cardiac neurosis. Catarrh. Chills. Chronic Colds. Conjunctivitis. Coryza. Depression. Diarrhea. Encephalitis. Enterocolitis. Fatigue. Fever. Hyperthermia. Hypotension. Influenza. Laryngitis. Meningitis. Mononucleosis. Otitis. Pharyngitis. Sinusitis. Sycosis. Weakness.
HOMEOPATHIC – With many practitioners, Influenzinum has taken the place of Baptisia as the routine remedy in epidemics.
It can be given in the 12c or 30c potency, either in the form of tincture, pills or ten pellets may be dissolved in six ounces of water. Of this a dessert spoonful may be given for a dose. It may be repeated every two hours. This will be found sufficient to control a large proportion of the cases.
Clarke directed his patients that when “colds” appear in their family, have those who are unaffected take Ars. 3c three times daily, and have the patients take Influ. 30c every hour or two.
This generally prevents the spread of the trouble and clears up the colds, whether they are influenza or not.
Influ. has the ability to develop old troubles and thus it takes a variety of forms in different persons. It need not be expected to cure all cases unaided or indeed to be appropriate to every case.
Influenza. Influenza encephalitis. Enterocolitis of influenza. Diarrhea of influenza. Meningitis. Measles. Weakness and fatigue. General ill feeling with chill, headache, diffused pains. Neurotic, depressive persons. Stiffness. Tendency to hypotension. Hyperthermia. Sycosis. Anorexia.
MIND – Apathy and indifference. Mental dullness. Brain fatigue. Post-influenza depressive neurosis. Weak memory.
ABDOMEN – Gastro-intestinal pain.
BLOOD – Leucopenia with mononucleosis.
EARS – Otitis with influenza.
EYES – Eyes are heavy and sensitive to movements. Stiffness of eyes. Blepharitis. Conjunctivitis of influenza.
HEAD – Meningitis. Encephalitis with vomiting. Headache of influenza.
HEART – Hypotension. Cardiac neurosis. Weakness of the myocardia.
LIMBS – Aches and pains. Rheumatism. Rheumatoid pains during humid and cold weather. Intermittent lameness. Venous stasis of lower limbs. Venous and arterial congestion of the lower limbs. Varicose veins and ulcers (Oscilloc.).
LUNGS – Dry painful cough. Bronchial asthma. Bronchitis. Bronchopneumonia of influenza. Sub-acute edema of babies.
NOSE – Acute or chronic coryza. Acute and chronic rhino-pharyngitis. Nasal congestion. Coryza of influenza. Sinusitis. Nasal polyps. Chronic atrophic rhinitis.
RECTUM – Weakness of the anal sphincter. Weakening diarrhea.
THROAT – Pharyngitis. Chronic laryngitis. Stridulous laryngitis of children. Nasal voice. Laryngitis of influenza.
RELATIONS – Compare: (1) Gels., Oscilloc.. (2) Mim-p. – inflammation of the eyes and nasal mucosa. Headache, worse by movement, better while closing eyes. Diarrhea with colic and irritating stools. (3) Galph. – Hypersensitiveness to change of weather, Hypersecretion of nasal and ocular mucous. (4) Luf-op.: fronto-occipital headache. Acute or chronic inflammation of the nasal mucosa. Compatible with: Gels., Cimic., Ars., Bell., Bry., Hep., Merc. and many others.
REFERENCES – Boericke. Clarke. Julian.
OSCILLOCOCCINUM
Materia Medica of Oscillococcinum: Robin Murphy
Courtesy of ReferenceWorks http://www.kenthomeopathic.com
PHARMACY – oscilloc. Oscillococcinum. Lysate from Oscillococcus. Virus. Historical dose: All potencies.
CLINICAL – Aches. Anxiety. Bronchitis. Conjunctivitis. Ear pain. Epidemic, influenza. Fears. Headaches. Influenza. Gastro-intestinal disorders. Mastoiditis. Otitis. Rhinitis. Sinusitis. Varicose ulcer.
HOMEOPATHIC – In the year 1925, Joseph Roy is believed to have observed in some conditions of a culture the existence of a germ animated by an oscillating movement. He named the nosode Oscillococcinum because of this fact. These researches helped him to describe a remedy of which the clinical experiments in the infections of influenza were carried out in particular by Paul Chavanon.
Oscilloc. was developed by Boiron Laboratory in France. Pierre Schmidt said Oscilloc. is for “influenza at the beginning as a preventive, as well as during convalescence”
Influenza of all types, especially in the earlier stages. Epidemic influenza. Bursting headaches and muscle aching. Gastro-intestinal troubles with the influenza. Beginning of influenza, rhinitis and otitis. Tendency to get influenza.
Given early it is very efficacious. To obtain good results in a case which begins and to cut short the manifestations of influenza, it is necessary to use one dose of Oscillococcinum 200c every 2 to 3 hours or repeat only if necessary.
Anxiety, paleness, chill. Sensitiveness to barometric weather changes. Tuberculous patients sensitive to cold. Asthenia, hyperthermia. Eye and nasal catarrh. Bronchial congestion. Painful congestion of the ear drum. Schmidt noted it for “Mastoiditis, at the beginning of a disease which does not develop.”
MIND – Subjects with fixed ideas, obsessions. Obstinate. Agony, anxious without any motive. A busy body. Maniac, cannot bear disorder. Fear of dirt, of being polluted. Has the need to wash his hands very often and is afraid of giving his hand to others for the fear of pollution, contagion.
ABDOMEN – Abdominal cramping pains followed by fetid diarrhea. Pains in the appendix region.
EARS – Pains sometimes as if from needles in one or both ears. Tympanum red and swollen. Mastoiditis. Diminution of hearing acuity.
EYES – Yellow conjunctiva. Conjunctivitis of influenza. Eye catarrh.
FACE – Pain in the frontal and maxillary region.
FOOD – Can digest neither milk nor eggs.
HEAD – Bursting headaches. Headache with considerable throbbing.
KIDNEYS – Turbid urine, less abundant, deep color. Painful urination.
LUNGS – Muco-purulent expectoration with humid cough.
MODALITIES – Better by heat, rest. Worse by milk, eggs.
MOUTH – Tongue white.
NOSE – Nasal voice. Nasal catarrh. Stuffed nose, nasal obstruction, sneezing. Serous discharge from the nose, then muco-purulent.
RECTUM – Constipation.
SKIN – Varicose type of ulcers of the legs.
STOMACH – Swelling of the stomach. Putrid regurgitations. Vomiting of water or food.
TEMPERATURE – Bruised sensation, chill, hyperthermia.
THROAT – Aphonia, dry painful cough.
RELATIONS – Eup-per. is to be associated with it. Compare: (1) Eup-per., Gels., Pyrog., Bapt., Ars., Influ. (2) Gaulphimia glauca – Hypersecretion of the nasal and ocular mucous, sneezing, hypersensitivity to change of weather. (3) Gelinsoga purviflora – Morning headache, makes mistakes when writing numbers and letters, stuffed nose, augmentation of diuresis, joint pains, lassitude, feels as if bruised. (4) Gink. – Pale face, drawn traits, numbness and chill. Laryngeal irritation with cough, frontal and left supra – orbita pain. (4) Luf-op. – Frontal-occipital headache, acute or chronic inflammation of the mucus membrane of the nasal fossa, lassitude and bodily fatigue.
REFERENCES – Julian. O.
The article I wrote for Homeopathy Today in 2002 about The Flu is still good…it is packed with useful information about how to select and use the most common homeopathic remedies for the flu. The chart is particularly helpful. http://nationalcenterforhomeopathy.org/files/castroflu_dec02.pdf
