The flu season is upon us, and experts worry that this year Canada could face a more difficult influenza season than normal. Record case counts in the Southern Hemisphere could be a bellwether of what we might expect here.
My intention in this post is to share a few studies that indicate promising results for those who are looking for an integrated symptomatic therapy to help themselves during the flu and from common cold this winter.
The following randomized, triple arm placebo controlled trial study of 474 cases of ILI (Influenza like illness) was undertaken to evaluate the effect of homoeopathic medicines in the treatment of Influenza like illness. Significant improvement was observed in headache and myalgia (muscle soreness), malaise, sore throat, fatigue, and nasal complaints within 1-2 days of starting treatment, while cough improved significantly from 3 rd day. The study revealed the significant effect of individualized homoeopathic treatment in the patients suffering from ILI.
In another randomized, blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial conducted over a period of one year to assess the efficacy of homeopathy for prevention of influenza and acute respiratory tract infections in children aged 1-5 years, there was a 30% increased chance of developing an acute respiratory infection in the placebo control group compared to the group using homeopathy. These results suggested that the use of homeopathic medicines minimized the number of flu and acute respiratory infection symptomatic episodes in children, signalizing that the homeopathic prophylactic potential should be investigated in further studies.
Finally, the following nonrandomized, observational study over a treatment period of maximally two weeks involving three hundred ninety-seven patients with upper respiratory symptoms in Germany compared the effects of a complex homeopathic preparation compared to conventional therapies using antihistamines, antitussives, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on upper respiratory symptoms of the common cold. The effects of treatment were evaluated on 397 patients, the variables measured being; fatigue, sensation of illness, chill/tremor, aching joints, overall severity of illness, sum of all clinical variables, temperature, and time to symptomatic improvement. The results show that both the conventional and the homeopathic method were equally helpful, that the homeopathic treatment was noninferior in a noninferiority analysis, and that significantly more patients using the homeopathic complex reported improvement within 3 days (77.1% vs 61.7% for the control group).
In conclusion, homeopathic medicine is a natural and gentle approach that can compliment everything else you do to help yourself during the winter, when common colds and flus prevail. For more info on how homeopathy can help you or your loved ones, contact me at https://julekmeissner.com/contact/ or by calling 613-234-5151.
