Antiviral medications have a similarly clouded history. The best that can be expected from any of these antiviral medications, according to the Mayo Clinic, is “shortening the illness by a day or so.” [1]
These antiviral medications have not been sufficiently tested to determine how safe or effective they actually are. [2] They are associated with significant adverse events including diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, sinusitis, bronchitis, cough, headache, dizziness, ear, nose and throat infections, oropharyngeal and facial edema, neuropsychiatric events, and delirium. [3]
These medications are not recommended for preventive prophylaxis of the flu because the more they are used, the greater the risk of developing viral resistance. The CDC has already received reports of the H1N1 virus demonstrating resistance to these drugs. [4]
Why has the federal government taken the position of mandating use of these dangerous vaccinations and strongly advocated the use of these ineffective medications when epidemiologists have already agreed that the H1N1 pandemic is expected to be unusually mild? The answer can only be the result of political or financial factors or both.
Commercial interest in the flu is tremendous. Fortunes are made in the preparation and distribution of fear in the form of millions of doses of vaccine, courses of antiviral medications, masks, and hand sanitizers. Industry has a strong interest in inflating public concern over these “pandemics,” even in the face of opposing scientific evidence. [5]
Flu Treatment
The symptoms of novel H1N1 are typical for the flu. They differ only slightly from previous years’ flu epidemics by the appearance of more frequent gastrointestinal symptoms and a milder course. Typical symptoms of H1N1 influenza include fever, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, weakness, chills, myalgias, rhinorrhea, sore throat, headache, vomiting, wheezing, and diarrhea. [6]
General precautions and recommendations for treatment and prevention of the flu include:
· Remaining home to rest when symptoms strike.
· Maintaining adequate hydration.
· Avoiding aspirin, NSAIDs, and other anti-inflammatory, anti-fever medications.
· Avoiding antiviral medications.
· Limiting food intake to small amounts.
· Resting and sleeping adequately.
· Avoiding excessive intake of refined sugars, carbohydrates, and sweets.
· Getting exposure to sunlight when possible.
Homeopathic medicines to consider for the flu include:
Oscillococcinum. Placebo-controlled studies indicate that this medicine can help prevent the flu and shorten duration of flu symptoms. It can be used preventatively throughout the flu season or at the first sign of flu symptoms.
Aconitum napellus. This medicine can be helpful at the first sign of flu symptoms or after exposure to the flu. It can reverse the symptoms of the flu within the first few hours of onset.
Gelsemium sempervirens. A helpful medicine in flu syndromes marked by weakness, muscle aches, and lack of thirst. This was one of the most helpful medicines in the Spanish Flu Epidemic of 1918.
Bryonia alba. This medicine is indicated in cases of the flu marked by aching in joints, immobility due to pain, frontal headache, a dry, painful cough, and thirst for large quantities of cold water.
Eupatorium perfoliatum. This medicine is helpful for cases of flu accompanied by severe bone pain. Symptoms include severe restlessness, insomnia, and thirst for cold water.
Arsenicum album. So far, this medicine is the most commonly indicated remedy for the H1N1 virus outbreak of early 2009. Symptoms include severe fatigue, high fever, headache, and gastrointestinal upset.
Prevention of the flu means taking care of one’s health, eating properly, and getting adequate sleep. This year’s flu season looks like it may be milder than most despite the alarming public media campaign and extreme precautions mandated by departments of public health. Maintaining a firm grasp of the scientific evidence is essential in any rational program public health. Avoiding the epidemic of fear is also important.
References:
1. Mayoclinic.com/health/swine-flu/DS01144
2. Cdc.gov/flu/professionals/antivirals/side-effects.htm
3. Medical Society of the State of New York, News of New York. 64(8): 8–14. mssny.org
5. Day M. How the media caught Tamiflu. BMJ.2005; 331:127
6. Cdc.gov/h1n1flu/surveillanceqa.htm
Swine Flu or Novel H1N1, Part 1
Swine Flu or Novel H1N1, Part 2
Dr. Whitmont is a classical homeopathic physician practicing in Rhinebeck, N.Y., and New York City. His Web site is Homeopathicmd.com
