Swine flu: an overview of influenza and influenza remedies

Also known as influenza A(H1N1), the virus is a sub-type of influenza A. The strain responsible for the recent cases of swine flu has its origin in pigs. Strains of H1N1 were also responsible for the 1918 flu pandemic which killed 50-100 million people worldwide.

Symptoms: Early signs of influenza A(H1N1) are flu-like, including fever, cough, headache, muscle and joint pain, sore throat and runny nose, and sometimes vomiting or diarrhoea. (World Health Organization)

Spread of influenza A(H1N1): Swine flu is spread from human to human through droplet infection; when an infected person coughs or sneezes droplets may get on their hands or other surfaces, or into the air where they may be picked up or breathed in by others. There have been no confirmed cases of transmission between pigs and humans.

Preventing the spread of infection: The WHO recommends covering your mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing, and washing your hands thoroughly and regularly. Simple.

Homeopathy and influenza: During the devastating outbreak of Spanish influenza in 1918, homeopathy was used with great success in both treatment and prevention (homeopaths reported around 1% mortality in their cases, while conventional doctors were losing 30% of their patients). After seeing many influenza cases homeopaths were able to perceive the “genus epidemicus”, or the common set of symptoms pertaining to that particular strain of influenza as a whole. This enabled them to treat a great many sick people using a relatively small group of homeopathic remedies, and also to use those same remedies to prevent infection in those who were not yet sick.

The main remedies used during the 1918 pandemic were Bryonia, Gelsemium and Eupatorium perfoliatum.

Bryonia:

Influenza keynotes: All mucous membranes are dry. Dry cough. Tough mucus, must sit up to cough. There is great aggravation from motion and movement. Pains are better from pressure and lying on the painful side. Marked irritability, and wants to be left alone.

General/mental/emotional: Great exhaustion. Weakness on rising. He must drag himself about. Attacked by fantasies on rising from bed. Anxiety about his future, especially worried and concerned about his business when he is ill. Talks constantly about his business affairs. Very irritable and ill-humoured. Everything puts him out of humour. Very difficult patient. He is vexed because he is ill and must be away from attending business. Delirious prattling about business which he imagines must be attended to immediately. Thinks he must get out of bed and go home, even though he actually is at home.

Worse: motion, deep breathing, dry heat, cold, stooping, becoming hot, hot room, eating, vexation, touch, early morning, vegetables.

Better: keeping and applying pressure, rest, lying on painful part, cool open air, quiet, cloudy damp days, drawing knees up, heat to inflamed part.

Gelsemium:

Influenza keynotes: Extreme muscle weakness and trembling. Body aches all over. Apathetic. Apathy concerning his illness. Excoriating discharges. Itching of soft palate and nasopharynx.

General/mental/emotional: Great apathy with regard to his illness, with dullness of mind. Incapacity to think or fix attention. Very listless and languid, as if he just doesn’t care. The mental faculties are simply dull and inactive, he can not think clearly or fix his attention , therefore he does not want to talk or to be talked to, as anything requiring thought is too much for him. All this is due to nervous prostration. Delirium in his sleep; half awake; incoherent.

Worse: Emotions; dread, surprise, shock; motion, being in a hot room or from direct sunlight, if feverish is aggravated by cold and draught, 10am.

Better: Open air, afternoon, reclining with the head held high, bending forward, continued movement, as a result of sweating and after passing a large quantity of pale urine.

Eupatorium perfoliatum:

Influenza keynotes: Pains of flu are felt in the bones more so than in the muscles, compelling the patient to move, but movement brings no relief, unlike Rhus tox which gets temporary relief from movement. Vomiting bile at the end of a chill.

General/mental/emotional: Despondent with fever. Anxious countenance, moaning, with restlessness, cannot keep still, though he wants to. Moans with aching pains.

Worse: Cold air, motion, 7-9am, 3^rd or 7^th day, lying on part, coughing, smell or sight of food.

Better: Vomiting bile, sweating, lying on face, conversation, getting on hands and knees.

Other remedies to consider in the treatment of influenza are:

Baptisia:

Influenza keynotes:Muscle soreness, limbs feel heavy. Extreme toxic feeling, indescribably sick feeling. Flu with gastric symptoms or liver disturbance. Profound prostration, weak and tremulous. “Besotted”, as if drunk or doped appearance. Offensive “sickroom” smell about the patient. Clarke considered it almost a specific for influenza with gastric symptoms.

Worse: from open air, cold wind, humid heat, pressure, on waking.

Influenzinum is the nosode from the 1918 flu strain, and is often employed in both the treatment and prevention of flu. It can be taken once weekly if influenza is present in the community, or during travel.

Remember other simple approaches to the prevention of viral infection, such as the use of olive-leaf extract and good old vitamin C.