colds, flu - treatment & homeopathic medicines

#aconite [acon]
when the attack comes on suddenly after an exposure to a cold, dry wind, with chilliness,
followed by fever, aconite will be the remedy. it should be administered just as soon as
the patient realizes that he is taking cold. there is as yet no discharge, but from the
congestion the nose is swollen, hot, dry and stopped up, and this stoppage is apt to
change from side to side; there is tingling and burning in the nose and a throbbing frontal
headache; there may be sneezing also. these symptoms are all better in the open air. nux
vomica has colds caused by cold weather, with a dry, stuffed up nose and rough, scrapy
throat. in belladonna there is more cerebral excitement and swelling in the throat is a
prominent symptom. china has headache with pains, worse in open air, not better, as in
aconite. ferrum phosphoricum is very similar to aconite and may be used when the onset
is less sudden and violent and when there is no anxiety and restlessness. it is also, like
nux and calcarea carbonica, excellent for predisposition to take cold.
#arsenicum [ars]
is especially useful in winter colds where there is a thin, watery discharge from the
nostrils which excoriates the upper lip, yet in spite of this fluent discharge the nose feels
stopped up. there is a dull, throbbing frontal headache and sneezing, photophobia, and
contrary to what one would expect, the sneezing does not relieve in the slightest and the
irritation continues as before and is worse on going into sir. it corresponds well to patients
who are rarely without a cold. these symptoms of watery discharge and sneezing place
arsenic in the front rank in the treatment of hay fever. catarrh based upon a malarial
miasm in poorly nourished subjects calls for the remedy. arsenic iodide may be found
indicated when burning in nose and throat is marked. allium cepa has this excoriating
nasal discharge also, but, if and anything; there is more lachrymation, which, by the way,
is bland. sinapis nigra resembles arsenicum in the heat in the nose, but with sinapis there
is dryness and no discharge. the discharge of mercurius, though excoriating and acrid, is
thicker. the cold of arsenic always settles in the nose, that of phosphorus in the chest. the
arsenic patient is chilly and wants to be near the fire all the time; the nose burns both
externally and internally.
#allium cepa [all-c]
one of our best remedies for cold in the head, indeed, is said by come to be the best, and
probably it is when indicated. the discharge is profuse, thin and acrid, with great smarting
in the nose and eyes, and the distinguishing feature between this remedy and euphrasia is
the profuse lachrymation which here is bland, and under euphrasia is excoriating, while
the opposite condition obtains in the nose. under allium the edges of the eyelids burn and
the eyes are red and sensitive to light. the nasal discharge is thin and flows constantly,
excoriates the upper lip, and there is prolonged sneezing. a peculiarity of allium is that
the discharge ceases when the patient goes into the open air, but returns when entering a
warm room again. it is a drug which should be given early, and if there be a splitting
laryngeal cough, causing the patient to wince and crouch with pain, it is all the more
indicated. farrington, however, claims that allium is apt to drive the trouble to the chest,
and adds that when it reaches the chest phosphorus is the remedy. arsenic, too, is similar,
but arsenic has sneezing in the cool air after leaving a worm room, and it lacks the
laryngeal symptoms so common in allium. the mercurius discharge is acrid, and not as
thin as that of allium.
#euphrasia [euph]
here the upper part only of the respiratory mucous membrane is affected. like allium cepa
it has a copious, fluent discharge from nose, and copious lachrymation, the latter being
most acrid, excoriating the cheeks, and being so profuse as to keep them wet all the time.
it differs from allium, as we have seen, in the character of the discharge, from the eyes
excoriating, from the nose bland. euphrasia is often well indicated in the coryzas, which
precede measles, when there is a cough, which sounds decidedly measly. eruptions on the
wings of the nose.
#arum triphyllum [arum-t]
under arum all of the secretions are acrid, and there is a discharge if ichorous fluid from
the nose; the nostrils and lips are sore. there may be a discharge from both nose and eyes
which is yellow and acrid. there is thirst, but drinking causes pain. the nostrils are sore,
and there is constant desire to bore the finger into the nose. the nose may be completely
stopped up, and at the same time there is a fluent acrid discharge. drowsiness and an
inclination to sneeze accompanies. lycopodium has complete stoppage of the nose night
and day, with some discharge, which may be excoriating. dryness posteriorly and
discharge anteriorly is also characteristic of lycopodium.
#gelsemium [gels]
this remedy is often underestimated in the early stages of cold in the head. it will break up
a cold at the beginning quicker than any other remedy with these indication: fullness of
the head, hot fever and chilliness, as if a cold were coming on. the patient is dull and
weak, chills run up and down the back, with a watery, excoriating, or bland discharge
form the nose and sneezing. there is also a marked inclination in the patient to hug the
fire. colds brought on by warm relaxing weather especially indicate gelsemium, hence it
seems to be most useful in spring and summer weather, and corresponds well to some
epidemic colds. there is a predisposition to take cold on any change of the weather. it has
been found especially useful in influenzas with fever. it is a remedy that must be used
early in the cold. the 1x dilution will often suffice. lachesis is often suitable for spring
colds and catarrhs, with sensitiveness of throat. quillaya. in the incipiency of a cold, with
very sore throat, this remedy has been found to be of signal use. sepia. colds at onset of
menstruation.
#nux vomica [nux-v]
the first stage of ordinary cold in the head may be met by nux vomica, when it is brought
on by damp, cold weather, or from sitting on damp, cold steps; associated with sneezing
and stuffed up feeling in the nose. the nose is dry, there is very little discharge, the eyes
water, and there is scraping in the throat, and dullness and oppression about the front
sinuses; it should be given as soon as dryness and tickling in the nose begins; the nasal
passages are alternately free and obstructed. these symptoms are worse in a warm room
and better in the open air. it is of little use after the cold is established. mercurius is
similar, having rawness and soreness in the nose, but it is especially aggravated in damp
weather. pulsatilla is more for a ripe cold, and arsenicum also has heat and burning in the
nose, but the coryza is relieved by warmth and aggravated by cold, which is opposite of
nux. another symptom indicating nux is a fluent coryza during the day and a stuffed up
sensation at night.
#mercurius [merc]
there is a profuse coryza, which extends to the frontal sinuses, burning in eyes and nose,
acrid discharge, violent sneezing, and tendency to perspiration which aggravates. when a
cold begins with coryza, mercurius is a valuable remedy. kali iodatum has great distress
in frontal region, worse at 3 a.m. mercurius is especially aggravated in damp weather and
the coryza is worse by heat of stove room; nose is sore; wiping nose is painful. thin
watery discharges belong to allium cepa, euphrasia, arum triphyllum and arsenicum. the
mercury discharge is thin mucus, not thick as in pulsatilla, hydrastis, and some other
drugs, or it may be yellowish green in color.
#pulsatilla [puls]
pulsatilla is more indicated in an advanced stage of cold in the head, what is known as a
ripe-cold, hence it should not be given at the beginning of a cold, for it is never indicated.
there is no sneezing or excoriating discharge with pulsatilla. the discharge is thick,
yellow, muco-purulent, and, above all bland. penthorum sedoides. coryza with raw nose
and throat; later it has the thick, yellow discharge of pulsatilla, but the keynote of this
remedy is a sensation of wetness in the nose. hydrastis is also similar to pulsatilla, but
there is no burning and rawness and tenacity to the discharge; sensation of a hair in the
nostrils; constant desire to blow the nose, which feels raw and excoriated; the cold has
settled in the back of the nose and throat. this remedy alone will cure more sinusitis than
any remedy because it is more often indicated. thick, yellow, tenacious mucus in posterior
nares, more distinctly yellow than kali bichromicum and profuse. if you have a pulsatilla
cold, and in addition to it you have sneezing, give cyclamen, also for attacks of sneezing
without a cold. chromico-kali-sulphuricum in the 2x or 3x is highly recommended in
chronic rhinitis. with the pulsatilla cold there is usually loss of smell and taste, and there
is relief in the open air, even though the patient be chilly. magnesia muriatica. loss of
taste and smell after catarrh. drosera suits the last of colds with a cough coming on by
fits.
#camphora [camph]
first stage of cold in the head when nose is stopped up and is dry, and the inspired air
feels cooler than usual. it will often check an incipient cold when the chill is first felt, and
is a useful remedy in chronic or rather paroxysmal coryzas, which occur upon every
change ;of weather; it may be used by olfaction. the patient feels chilly, frontal sinuses
involved, dull headache. increased secretion of watery mucus from nose, with and
without sneezing. it really comes in along with or even before aconite, but it has not the
wide range of application that aconite has.
#kali iodatum [kali-i]
thin, excoriating and very profuse, scalding discharges from the nose and coryzas, which
involve the frontal sinuses and antra ;of highmore in scrofulous or mercurialized
individuals, with profuse, watery discharges, call for this remedy. the eyes smart,
lachrymate and become puffed. the throat is irritated and the no;se is apt to be red. kali
bichromicum. discharge tough and stringy, sometimes extending to throat, causing
choking. it often follows aconite well, catarrhs involving whole respiratory tract. it is a
frequently indicated remedy in chronic nasal catarrh, hypertrophic rhinitis, first fluent
acrid coryza relieved by warmth, then tough, stringy, discharge; wants to blow nose; no
discharge; feeling of dryness in nose. lemna minor. putrid smell, putrid taste. nasal
polypi, atrophic rhinitis, glairy mucus, post-nasal discharge.
#natrum muriaticum [nat-m]
colds with watery, transparent discharges, causing vesicular eruptions about mouth and
nose, with watery, clear frothy discharge, worse on going into colds air and on exertion;
great dryness of posterior nares. there is entire loss of taste. this is the schuessler remedy
for coryzas, the watery exudations being the biochemic indication for coryzas, the watery
exudations being the biochemic indication for its use. dropping of mucus from naso-
pharynx in the morning. it also removes the tendency to take cold. sticta. constant desire
to blow the nose, though nothing escapes; stuffed feeling at root of nose. the leading and
most annoying symptom is dryness of the mucous membrane of the nose ( senega),
secretion dries rapidly, forming scabs difficult to dislodge. clarke considers natrum
muriaticum one of the most valuable remedies we possess for colds. the use of salt baths
by the old school and the popular use of salt food would seem to verify this observation.
#dulcamara [dulc]
dry coryza renewed by slightest exposure, worse after getting wet, in the open air and at
night. it suits especially torpid phlegmatic constitutions, those who take cold when the
weather changes to a lower temperature, and so it becomes of great use in nasal catarrhs
and influenzas of autumn. the nux coryza is worse in the house and better in the open air,
which will easily distinguish. colds, which come on from change of weather and
gradually involve the whole respiratory tract may indicate dulcamara. "cold sores" may
accompany the colds. colds, which come on suddenly, with a discharge dropping at times
like clear water from the nose, should call for calcarea and it will be found of great
service. sanguinaria nitrate. acute colds with sneezing, profuse discharge, burning and
rawness in posterior nares. chronic catarrh, thick, yellow discharge, with much burning
and irritation, husky voice must clear throat before speaking.