 Homeopathy
has very effective treatments for acute viral conditions like colds and
influenza (flu). It works by aiding the body’s defences, so it is not
limited by whether the infecting agent is a bacteria or a virus, as
orthodox medicine so frequently is.
As always, homeopathic treatment is individual, based on the exact
symptom picture of the disease in that patient. For example, colds and
flu’s that start with sneezing, watery eyes and runny nose may need Allium cepa, Arsenicum or Euphrasia,
depending on the complete symptom picture as a whole. Those that start
with fever and chills and are of sudden onset may respond to Aconite, Belladonna or Camphora, amongst others. As well, at this Perth clinic we use naturopathic principles to support the medicine's action.
Homeopathic remedies work by strengthening the body’s own response to
the virus. They are not drugs, and unlike drugs they do not attempt to
target the virus itself. That is why they need to be individually
prescribed. The beauty is that the body learns from the experience; in
the process, the immune system is strengthened, and next time around is
better able to respond to similar viruses. In this Perth clinic we
attempt to educate you in what treatments you can use at home as first
aid to prevent more serious complications and secondary infections.
Influenza, like colds, is caused by a virus. Flu however is usually
more serious and affects the whole body. Fevers and chills are usual.
Often there are muscle aches and pains, and even pains that appear to
affect the bones. There may be headaches and sore throats, runny nose,
cough, lethargy nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. Pneumonia and
bronchitis could be a possible complication. Here, depending on the
exact symptom picture homeopathic medicines such as Gelsemium (illustrated above), Eupatorium, Baptisia, Bryonia (illustrated below), Carbo veg or Veratrum may be chosen.
 We
hear a lot these days about swine flu and bird flu. There is concern
because authorities remember the disastrous influenza epidemic of
1918/1919, when more than fifty million people worldwide were killed,
far more than in the Great War of 1914-18. Homeopathy was extensively
used to treat that epidemic in America.
It was reported in The Journal of the American Institute for Homeopathy,
May, 1921, that of 24,000 cases of flu treated by orthodox medicine
there was a mortality rate of 28.2% while 26,000 cases of flu treated
by homeopathic doctors had a mortality rate of only 1.05%. This was a
stunning result for homeopathy.
These doctors reported that a small number of remedies served in most cases, the most useful being Gelsemium, Eupatorium and Bryonia.
So far the symptoms of swine flu appear quite similar to that of 1918,
although not so sudden in onset, and nowhere near as severe. As
homeopaths we are quietly confident that our skills and knowledge will
serve us as well in any future epidemic.
Not
only is homeopathy able to treat the acute symptoms of colds and flu’s,
often “nipping them in the bud”, but more importantly we are able to
strengthen the patient as a whole and improve their immune response.
People who consistently get sick every winter need “constitutional”
treatment, as we call it. This means we can not only treat outbreaks of
illness but also improve the susceptibility of that person to any
further exposure to similar viruses.
As well as homeopathic treatment, at this Perth clinic naturopathic
principles are applied: healthy lifestyle, diet and stress management.
Once the cycle is broken and health is restored, these patients no
longer catch everything they are exposed to.
(Illustrated is Aconite, one of the most useful remedies in the
sudden results of exposure to cold, dry weather and winds and change of
climate. In the modern world, it is the air traveller’s companion)
Post-viral syndromes are increasingly common in the modern world, often
resulting in chronic fatigue. Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS or ME, as
it is sometimes called) results in continual lethargy, tiredness,
muscle aches and pain, poor sleep patterns and is often accompanied by
depression and apathy. Orthodox medicine has few solutions for these
patients. But homeopathic treatment at this clinic, coupled with
naturopathic principles does the following: it detoxifies the system,
deals with any allergies or sensitivities, normalises the function of
the immune system and improves the energy and mood. In time it
often helps restore them to complete health, by aiding the body’s own
natural recovery processes.
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