Acute Upper Respiratory Illness and Influenza Support with Homeopathy

Nov 01, 2023 12:00AM ● By Ashley Keul and Beth Bundy

With winter ahead, acute upper respiratory illnesses are more likely to develop. Including homeopathic support in one’s wellness toolkit is helpful to decrease symptom intensity and shorten illness duration.

Homeopathy is an effective and holistic system of natural medicine used by millions of people worldwide for over 200 years to achieve wellness. It is non-toxic and can be safely used with children, pets, and pregnant and breastfeeding persons. Remedies are inexpensive and readily available for purchase at health food stores or online.

For best results with homeopathy, select the remedy that most accurately reflects the ill person’s total symptom picture. Individualization is key to successful use.

Guidelines are to administer 1 dose every 2 hours for 24 hours, then every 3 to 4 hours until symptoms clear. If there is no relief within 24 hours, or the symptom picture changes considerably, switch to a new remedy accordingly. Less is more with homeopathy, and allow time for the body to respond after each dose. Always seek additional medical care when needed.

Here are seven key homeopathic remedies to support individuals and families for winter wellness:

Aconitum napellus 30C is helpful when symptoms of acute illness present suddenly with high fever, dry heat, burning pains, thirst, anxiety fearful restlessness and painful cough. Symptoms often appear in the evening.

Arsenicum album 30C is useful for high fever following a 2-to-3-day onset that is worse between midnight to  2 a.m. or noon to 2 p.m. The person experiences chills and shivers, heat in the face, thirst for sips of warm drinks, chest tightness and wheezing, irritability, and burning pains that feel better with heat. The tongue is often coated white, and vomiting and diarrhea often present. The person may feel better when they are not left alone.

Bryonia alba 30C helps slowly progressing symptoms of severe muscle aches, painful and dry cough, chest pain and heat. There is pain with deep breathing, pain in the back of the head or left forehead, and pain with motion. Symptoms tend to worsen around 9 p.m., when disturbed and overheated. Pressure, cold drinks and being left alone often helps the person feel better.

Gelsemium sempervirens 30C helps to relieve slow onset of fever with great weakness, sleepiness, trembling, mental dullness and body aches, and heat alternating with chills. Also common are a headache in the back of the head, stiff neck are common, heavy eyelids, blurry vision and sneezing.

Nux vomica 30C is useful for symptoms of high fever with rapid onset; sensitivity to noise, light, odors and touch; face burning with heat; shivering and chills; raw sore throat; nausea; cramping abdominal pain; stuffy nose and dry cough. Symptoms tend to be worse around 3am to 4am or when first waking up and also include great irritability, restlessness and desire for warm food and drink.

Phosphorus 30C helps when colds descend into the chest. A person feels a dry, painful cough with burning in the chest that is worse in the evening and from talking, cold air or lying on left side. Sputum may be blood-tinged. His or her voice is hoarse with thirst for cold drinks. He or she is over-sensitive to light, odors, touch, and noises and is very anxious; comfort from others helps.

Rhus toxicodendron 30C eases symptoms accompanied by anguish, anxiety, and restlessness – pains, stiffness and aching are present through the whole body. Warmth and warm drinks tend to help. Violent redness and edema of throat with hoarseness, rawness. Fever is common from chills and dampness, and so is a hard, racking cough and hoarse, swollen throat.

Have a healthy, joyous, and adventurous Midwest winter season!

For additional support for acute illness or injury, and to learn more about how homeopathy can help you with chronic conditions,  please visit FieldworkHomeopathy.com. Ashley Keul and Beth Bundy, CCH, BSN, are the founders of Fieldwork Homeopathy, based in Sheboygan. Reach Ashley at 507-301-5904 or Beth at 507-321-1148.