Homeopathy for Max’s ‘Gelsemium Flu’
Case Report: A Gelsemium Flu
Max could hardly lift his head. He was unwell with the flu and exhausted.
His eyelids were half-closed and his face was a flushed, dusky red.
Max had started to feel unwell with a sore throat four days ago and had slowly deteriorated since then.
He was now drowsy and weak and it was an effort for him to sit up, let alone stand. His arms and legs trembled with the effort.
Max’s fever alternated with severe chills and rigors (shuddering). The back of his head ached and the pain radiated over the top to his forehead. The pain only lessened when he passed a large amount of urine.
In spite of the fever, Max was generally thirstless. When examined, his tongue was thickly coated and yellow. Because of his exhaustion, Max spent most of his time sleeping.
Following a prescription of homeopathic Gelsemium, Max made a gradual recovery. By the end of the day, his headache had resolved and his fever, while still present, was much lower. His energy levels improved and though he was still weak, he no longer trembled on trying to move.
It took another two days before Max was completely well but his progression was faster than others – some of his friends who had also succumbed to the flu took weeks to fully recover.
Symptoms that Respond to Gelsemium sempervirens
A Gelsemium-type flu has the following symptoms:
- Marked weakness, debility and sleepiness.
- Trembling and heaviness of limbs and head.
- Eyelids drooping or closed – unable to open fully.
- Occipital headache radiating to the forehead.
- Headaches relieved by passing a large amount of urine.
- Chills running up and down the back.
- Mental fogginess and dullness.
Gelsemium was the chief remedy prescribed during the 1917 Spanish Flu pandemic in which up to 50 million people died. Records from that time show that those treated with homeopathy were far more likely to survive.
Homeopathy for Flu-related Symptoms
Those unfamiliar with homeopathy are often surprised at how quickly the correct homeopathic remedy relieves flu symptoms.
In France, where homeopathy is well-known and prescribed by over 40% of French doctors, the leading flu medicine is a homeopathic remedy, Anas barbariae. Studies have shown it relieves the intensity and shortens the duration of flu symptoms – and without side-effects.
While Anas barbariae has a broad action over a large variety of flu symptoms, it is not so effective in the elderly and has to be prescribed within the first 48 hours of symptom onset.
For this reason, most homeopaths still prefer to treat the flu from a larger range of homeopathics as a homeopathic remedy that closely matches the symptoms of the individual sufferer often produces a better result regardless of age or flu duration.
This approach was certainly seen with Max’s ‘Gelsemium flu’. It’s also demonstrated in three other types of flu cases in the links below.
Other Types of Flu
Many different sets of flu-related symptoms respond to homeopathy. The beneficial remedy has to match the symptom set. The following cases are just three among many potential remedy options.
Homeopathy for Russell’s ‘Bryonia Flu’
