Note: The following information is not meant to replace medical advice from a homeopathic practitioner, and is meant to be educational only.
This year I have found that what I used to consider a persons constitutional homeopathic remedy does NOT appear to treat the persons acute conditions (such as the flu, cough, sinusitis, vertigo, etc.) as effectively as it did in the past. Fortunately, instead, I have used the remedies that are commonly considered acute remedies such as Baptisia, Belladonna, Bryonia, Drosera, Gelsemium, Hepar Sulph, and Mercurius with much success. Clearly, these acute conditions are displacing people from their usual constitution/state into new ones, the ones that are often considered acute constitutions/states. Once patients are relieved of their acute illnesses (the flu, cough, sinusitis, vertigo, etc.), they seem to shift back into their usual constitution, whatever that may be. Although I have seen cases where the patient did not shift back into her usual constitution and needed a re-dose of the new remedy for her acute constitution before she was able to shift back into her usual constitution.
Recently I seem to be witnessing a sort of epidemic of sinusitis in my practice here in Kent, Washington. Just today, I treated 3 cases of sinusitis that had been going on for different lengths of time, one for a week, one for two weeks, and one for over a month. I have had much success treating acute sinusitis cases with Hepar sulph 200C, over the last month. Patients with various typical constitutions of Calc carb, Nat mur, or Phosphorus are finding themselves in a Hepar sulph state. The remedy helped every single one of them within 5-10 minutes, nearly complete recovery in less than an hour. Its noteworthy that these same patients had already tried their previous constitutional remedy (Calc carb, Nat mur and Phosphorus) without significant improvements with their sinusitis symptoms, although some other symptoms had indeed improved. All of these patients were very content with Hepar sulph 200C within minutes, however. (Note: Key symptoms of Hepar sulph were present in all these cases: On a mental/emotional level, irritable and moody, angry in some cases and acting out in an angry way (out of character for many of these patients), chilly (or chillier than usual if already a chilly person), swollen submandibular and/or cervical lymph nodes, stitching or splinter-like pains somewhere in the body (in the head, sinuses, or anywhere else totally unrelated to the head/sinuses), ear symptoms, sore throat, and cough. Not all of the above symptoms must be present for the person to be able to benefit from Hepar sulph, but the majority of my sinusitis patients so far this year have demonstrated most of these symptoms. Its interesting that the above symptoms are typically NOT associated with most patients usual constitutions, namely Calc carb, Nat mur or Phosphorus.)
I have also been seeing a large number of cough cases, and used the various acute remedies listed above with rather impressive results. For example, severe relentless cough that had lasted a few weeks ended within 1-2 hours in several cases with Drosera 200C. (Note: Key symptoms of the constitution Drosera were present in all these cases: Violent paroxysm of coughing, worse at nights, particularly worse upon lying at night, either vomiting from coughing or feeling as if they could, and dry throat.)
Regarding vertigo, I would like to point out that we seem to have had an epidemic of vertigo (which appears to be getting progressively worse) over the last year or so. Homeopathic remedies are probably one of the most effective methods of treating vertigo. Although, sadly, I have seen cases that are rather challenging to treat even using homeopathic remedies.
However, that being said, sometimes a persons own usual good old constitution seems to fit the symptoms of the acute illness rather well. For instance I had a cough case last week which after much deliberation, I decided that her own usual constitution/state, Sepia, had indeed not changed into a new one (as a result of the stress from the acute condition). She was still in a Sepia state. The remedy helped her severe cough that had been going on for nearly two weeks within hours. Coincidentally, the next day she developed a rash on her chest, what is referred to as a healing reaction, totally desirable, homeopathically speaking.
In summary, if you are ill with an acute illness this season, its quite likely you may need a homeopathic remedy different from your usual one. To find out what the correct remedy may be at this time, I would have to investigate each case, one by one.
In health,
Dr. Sharif