How can homeopathy support you during a pandemic?

COVID who? It sounds like a bad knock-knock joke, doesn't it? There are already some examples of people naming their babies after the pandemic – I've heard of one couple who apparently named their twins ‘Covid’ and ‘Corona’.

Back to being serious though, in this article, we'll explore how homeopathy and how homeopaths can help people in this pandemic situation. Key to this is that homeopaths do not treat named diseases – whether the disease is called COVID-1, COVID-19, or anything else.

Sensible supportive treatments

“There is currently no specific treatment for Coronavirus” – that’s a quote from an NHS leaflet, which advises sensible supportive treatments such as ensuring good hydration, getting rest, and how to ease shortness of breath by sitting upright, relaxing and breathing slowly. 

All sound advice and, alongside this, your GP’s advice and guidance must always form a cornerstone of your healthcare.

There's no denying that coping with symptoms can be tough. Luckily, complementary approaches can provide support.  

Labels change, diseases evolve. But, the principles underlying holistic, homeopathic treatment – the famous “like cures like” – do not change.

A homeopath works with the patient, not a disease label

Our work is with the patient and their suffering, not a disease. How does that play out when someone has symptoms that correspond to a virus, and indeed ‘the’ virus?

Acute symptoms

Homeopathy has a long history of use during epidemics. There is a range of ‘typical’ homeopathic remedies that are traditionally used for flu and can be bought over the counter. An individual sufferer may need something different, and that’s where treatment by a professional homeopath comes in. 
 
A homeopath will identify which remedy most closely matches the symptoms someone is experiencing:

• The now-famous dysosmia/anosmia (altered or lost sense of smell) among early COVID symptoms is typical – and a way to help pinpoint just the right remedy.
• Alterations in mood are fairly common but hugely varied – and details of such changes are really helpful in tracking down the individualised prescription.
• Your main symptom may be a cough or a fever or gastric trouble. But, the right remedy for you might be found in part because of the way you are feeling just now, or a characteristic, unusual symptom you have noticed.

Long-term problems after an infection

COVID-19 is now well-known for sometimes causing perplexing, hard-to-treat and varied long-term symptoms after the acute stage is over. This can also happen in normal flu, so there is an established body of work homeopaths draw on to help a return to full health. 
 
Some people find that weeks or months after initial recovery they are still experiencing unusual levels of tiredness, and a host of symptoms like chronic headaches, unexplained weight loss, tingling, brain fog and more. 
 
Thanks to the principle of individualisation, and because of the wide range of symptoms people experience, a homeopath can really make a difference in helping people with long-term post-COVID symptoms regain their previous levels of health. 

Your homeopath can help with recovery, remotely or in-person

If you have acute flu-like symptoms, diagnosed or not, you will need to self-isolate. Luckily most homeopaths can see patients via Zoom and other online video communication tools; remote therapy is a great way of getting help quickly and safely.
 
If you have recovered but you are suffering from post-viral symptoms and would prefer a face-to-face consultation, many homeopaths are now able to receive patients in their practice rooms again, within the parameters of safe practice guidelines.

Please note: COVID-19 is a notifiable disease.  If you think you may have caught the virus, talk to your GP about getting tested.