Homeopathy & Flu

Most homeopaths are taught that when a person develops an acute illness, such as flu, it could be an exacerbation of their chronic complaints. If this is, indeed, the case, chronic symptoms may persist during the acute illness, but with the cold, or flu, symptoms added on. What also often helps the patient is a repetition of their constitutional remedy.

- Dr Deborah Olenev

We, homeopaths, are often warned not to administer a remedy at the onset of the illness, but at the end, because in flu and for its symptoms could get aggravated initially. From my experience, yes, this does happen, and sometimes it doesn’t happen. What I have seen is that there often is an escalation of symptoms for a number of hours, followed by a rapid improvement in symptoms. This also happens in chronic health situations just as well.

PURE ACUTES 

The second thing that can happen is that the acute illness is what we call a ‘pure’ acute. In this case the chronic symptoms of the patient are suspended. For example, if they suffer from chronic back problems, or chronic bad temper, all of a sudden these symptoms are much better and they are a joy to be around. The chronic symptoms are replaced by a new set of symptoms, which are the symptoms of the cold or flu. When this happens the patient usually needs an acute or typhoid miasm remedy.

ACUTE MIASM REMEDIES 

How does one know which acute remedy the patient needs? The acute miasm [miasm = a deep inner susceptibility] remedies are characterised by a sudden onset of symptoms. They were feeling fine and now they are terrible. This type of illness usually happens to healthy children. They come down suddenly, violently and dramatically with the illness. Two of the most commonly used acute miasm remedies are Belladonna and Aconite Napellus.