Remedies for Acute Infection

There is more DNA in our bodies that is not of our genetic strain than there is DNA of our own. We are living in a symbiotic relationship with millions of other living micro-organisms. These micro-organisms are present everywhere; in our bodies, on our bodies, and in our environment. Most of these micro-organisms are harmless or even necessary for our own health and well being.

The micro-organisms that are responsible for many of our illnesses are bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. Bacterial and viral infections are the most common causes of acute infections. Bacteria are microscopic one-celled organisms that in the right environment can cause acute infection. The most common infectious bacteria are Streptococcus, Stapyllococcus, Escherichia coli, and Clostridia.

Bacteria responsible for infection are usually identified by their shape and how they look when stained looking at them under a microscope. Round shaped bacteria are cocci, rod-like bacteria are bacilli and spiral or helical bacteria are spirochetes. When a bacteria is stained with a Gram stain under the microscope and turns blue, it is called gram-positive. If it stains pink, it is called gram-negative. Most antibiotics are developed to fight these two types of bacteria.

A virus is a very small infectious organism. They are much smaller than bacteria and do not have a cellular structure. They are bundles of DNA that attach themselves to the cell and inject their DNA into the cell. This DNA replicates and can alter the cellular function. The infected cell will do normal cell division and replicate with the viral DNA during the prodromal or latent period of infection. When the number of cells require that the the body fight these out of control cells, we call this illness a viral infection. Most common colds and influenza are viral.

Our immune system is very adapted to fighting infection. Once the damaged cells from infection are recognized the bodies defenses will wall off the area of infection, attack and kill the invaders, and dispose of dead and damaged tissue. During infection, the blood supply increases and white blood cells increase. These carry the killer T cells to the infected area, kill the invading cause of infection, and develop an immune response.

Common effects of infection are fever, discomfort, local swelling,  lymph swelling, discharges, and pus. Each viral or bacterial infectious disease has its own common, diagnosable symptoms. When treating infection with homeopathy, it is very important to look at the unique symptoms of the individual. Even with easily diagnosed infection, no two people will present their illness in the same way. It is not like an antibiotic treatment for infection. We must understand what is strange, rare, peculiar and unique about the persons symptoms; are they having unusual thoughts during fever, do they smell different, is there an unusual quality to the pain they experience, etc. Even general symptoms are important; are they thirsty or not, are they restless or not, is there a patten to the times of suffering, etc.

There are many remedies listed under inflammation in our repertory. Also, there are many areas of the body that have the rubric inflammation. There are too many to list here (1,356 remedies under the rubric, Generalities; inflammation). It would be a small repertory in its own right. But here are a few rubrics from the Complete 2013 Repertory that may offer some general ideas and help for infection:

• generalities; INFLAMMATION; after (126) : acon., aego-p., 3Agar., 3Agn., 3Alum., 3Alumn., am-c., ambr., ant-c., 3Apis, arg., 3Arn., 3Ars., asaf., aur., 3Aur-m., 3Bar-c., 4BELL., berb., 3Bov., 3Bry., cact., 3Calc., 3Camph., cann-s., canth., caps., 3Carb-an., 4CARB-V., carc., caust., cere-b., 3Cham., chel., chim., 4CHIN., 4CIC., cina, 4CLEM., 3Cocc., 3Coloc., 3Con., croc., crot-h., 3Cupr., cycl., dig., dros., 3Dulc., echi., euph., euphr., 2ferr., fl-ac., 3Graph., guai., hep., holm-m., 3Hydrc., hyos., 3Ign., ilx-a., 3Iod., 3Kali-bi., 3Kali-c., kali-i., 4LACH., led., 4LYC., m-arct., m-art., m-aust., mag-c., 4MAG-M., manc., med., meny., 4MERC., merc-d., 3Mez., morg., nat-c., nat-m., 3Nit-ac., 4NUX-V., op., pall., petr., ph-ac., 4PHOS., phys., 3Phyt., plat., plb., 3Psor., 3Puls., ran-b., ran-s., 3Rhod., 4RHUS-T., ruta, sabad., sabal., 4SABIN., sec., sel., 3Senec., 3Seneg., 4SEP., 3Sil., 2spig., 3Spong., squil., 3Staph., stram., sul-i., 4SULPH., 3Ter., teucr., 3Thuj., ust., vac., valer., vario., 3Verat., zinc.
• generalities; INFLAMMATION; cellular tissue, cellulitis (26) : abr., 3Apis, 3Arn., 3Ars., bapt., bell., bry., cod., crot-h., gad., graph., 3Hep., hydrc., 3Lach., mang., med., merc., 3Merc-i-r., myris., 3Rhus-t., 3Sil., sul-i., sulph., tarent-c., verat-v., vesp.
• generalities; INFLAMMATION; lymphatic tissue, lymphangitis (113) : abel., acon., acon-l., aethi-a., ail., all-c., alum-p., 4AM-C., 3Anthr., 3Apis, aq-mar., arn., 4ARS., 4ARS-I., asim., astac., 3Aster., aur., 3Aur-m-n., bac., 4BAR-C., bar-i., 4BELL., berb., both-l., 3Brom., 4BUFO, 3Buth-aust., 4CALC., 3Calc-ar., calc-chln., calc-f., 3Calc-i., 3Canth., 3Carb-ac., 3Carb-an., carb-v., carc., caust., 4CHAM., 3Chin-ar., 3Cist., 3Con., 3Crot-h., cupr., dulc., 3Echi., elaps, euph., glech., 3Graph., 3Gunp., hall, hecla., 4HEP., herin., hippoz., hura, 4HYPER., iod., jug-c., jug-r., 3Kali-bi., 4KALI-C., kali-i., kali-m., 3Lac-ac., lacer., 4LACH., 3Lap-a., lat-k., lat-m., loxo-r., lsd, m-aust., mag-p., 3Merc., 4MERC-D., 3Merc-i-f., 4MERC-I-R., 4MERC-N., 4MUR-AC., mygal., 3Myris., nat-s., 4NIT-AC., nux-v., petr., phos., phyt., plan., plb., 4PYROG., raph., 4RHUS-T., rhus-v., salx-m., sars., 3Sil., sil-mar., spong., 3Still., sul-ac., 3Sulph., 3Tarent-c., 3Teucr., thuj., thymin., trach-v., 2urt-u., v-a-b., verat., vip.
• generalities; INFLAMMATION; chronic (466) : 3Abrot., acal., acet-ac., 3Acon., acon-l., 2acor-c., adlu., adon., 3Adren., 2aesc., agar., agav-t., 3Ail., alco., alf., 4ALL-C., all-s., 3Aln., 3Aloe, 4ALUM., alum-p., alum-sil., 3Alumn., am-be., 3Am-br., 3Am-c., 3Am-caust., am-i., am-m., 3Am-p., ambr., ammc., ampe-qu., 2anag., 2anet-g., ange-s., 3Ant-ar., 3Ant-c., ant-i., 2ant-s., 3Ant-t., 3Apis, aral., aran., aran-ix., arbu., 3Arg., arg-cy., 3Arg-n., arge., arist-cl., 3Arn., 4ARS., ars-br., 3Ars-i., arum-d., arum-m., 3Arum-t., asaf., asar., asc-t., astac., atista, 4AUR., aur-ar., 3Aur-i., 3Aur-m-n., bac., 3Bad., bals-p., 4BAR-C., 3Bar-i., 3Bar-m., bar-s., 3Baros., 3Bell., bell-p., 3Benz-ac., berb., beryl., beta., 3Betul., blatta, bond., 3Bor., 2bov., 3Brach., 3Brom., 3Bry., but-ac., 3Cact., 3Cadm-s., 4CALC., 3Calc-ar., calc-caust., 3Calc-f., 2calc-i., 4CALC-P., 4CALC-S., calc-sil., calcul-r., cale-z., calen., 3Camph., cand-a., cann-i., 3Cann-s., 3Canth., 3Caps., carb-ac., 3Carb-an., 4CARB-V., 3Carbn-s., carc., 2card-b., 3Card-m., 3Cast., cath-a., caul., 4CAUST., 3Cean., cedr., cer-c., cetr., 3Cham., 3Chel., chelo., 3Chim., 3Chin., chin-ar., 2chin-s., chion., chlor., 3Cimic., cinnb., 3Cist., cit-ac., 3Clem., 3Cob., 4COC-C., coca, coch., 3Colch., colchin., 2coll., coloc., 3Con., conv., 3Cop., 3Cor-r., 3Corn., cortico., cory., cot., crat., croc., 3Crot-h., croto-t., cub., 2cund., 3Cupr., cupr-acet., cyt-l., 3Dig., diph., diphtox., dros., dubin., 3Dulc., dys-co., echi., elaps, eos., ephe., 3Epig., equis-a., erig., 3Erio., ery-a., eucal., 3Euon., 2eup-c., eup-per., 3Eup-pur., euph., 4EUPHR., euro-c., 2excr-can., fab., fago., 2ferr., ferr-ar., ferr-cit., ferr-i., ferr-m., ferr-n., 3Ferr-p., ferr-pic., fil., 3Fl-ac., flor-p., form-ac., frag., fuc., fuli., 3Gent-l., 2ger-r., 3Glon., glyc., 2gran., 3Graph., grin., guai., haliae-lc., 3Ham., hecla., 2hed., 3Helon., 4HEP., hepat., 4HERN-G., hip-ac., 3Hippoz., hoch., holm-m., 3Hydr., hydr-ac., hydrin-m., hyos., hyssop., ichth., 3Ign., interf., inul., 4IOD., ion-rad., 3Ip., irid., 3Iris, iris-t., jab., 2jatr., 3Jug-c., 3Juni-c., juni-v., kali-ar., 4KALI-BI., 2kali-br., 3Kali-c., 3Kali-chl., kali-cit., kali-fcy., kali-hp., 3Kali-i., 4KALI-M., 4KALI-S., kali-sil., kalm., 3Kreos., kres., lac-ac., 3Lac-c., 4LACH., lachn., lact., lant-p., 3Lap-a., 2lappa, lath., laur., 2led., lem-m., lim-b-c., lip., lith-be., lith-c., lith-sal., lob., lon-x., 4LYC., 2lythr-s., mag-f., mag-m., mag-s., mand., 3Mang., marr., med., menthol, 4MERC., 4MERC-C., 3Merc-cy., 3Merc-d., 3Merc-i-f., 3Merc-i-r., mez., 3Mom-b., morg., morg-g., mut., myos., myos-a., myric., myrt-c., naja, 3Nat-ar., nat-br., 3Nat-c., nat-hchls., 3Nat-i., 3Nat-m., nat-p., 4NAT-S., nat-sal., nat-sel., neod-br., 4NIT-AC., 3Nux-v., nym., ol-j., 3Ol-sant., onon., onop., op., 3Orig., 3Orthos., osm., 3Ox-ac., ozone, 3Par., 3Pareir., pen., 3Petr., 3Petros., 3Ph-ac., 4PHOS., phys., 3Phyt., pic-ac., 3Piloc., 2pimp., 2pip-m., 3Pipe., pitu-a., pix., 2plan., 2plan-l., 3Plb., 3Plb-i., 3Plumbg., plut-n., 3Podo., poly-a., 3Pop., prun., prun-v., 3Psor., 3Ptel., 4PULS., puls-n., 3Pyro-r., pyrog., 3Querc-r., rad-br., ran-s., rhod., rhus-a., rhus-t., 3Rhus-v., 4RUMX., ruta, 3Sabad., 3Sabal., 3Sabin., sal-ac., sal-mar., 3Salv., sama-m., 3Samb., 4SANG., 4SANGUIN-N., 3Sani-eu., 2sant., saroth., 4SARS., scirr., 3Scroph-n., sec., 3Sel., 3Senec., 3Seneg., 4SEP., 4SIL., 3Silphu., 3Sin-n., 3Skook., 4SOLID., 3Solin., 3Spig., 4SPONG., squil., 3Stann., stann-i., 3Staph., 4STICT., 2stigm., still., stram., stroph., stry., succ., sul-ac., 3Sul-i., 3Sul-ter., sulo-ac., 4SULPH., sumb., syc-co., 2sym-r., 4SYMPH., 3Syph., tab., tarax., 3Tarent., tax., 3Tell., 3Ter., 3Teucr., teucr-s., 2teucr-sc., thal-s., 3Ther., thiosin., thlaspi, 3Thuj., thym-gl., thymin., 3Thymu-v., thyr., tril., tritic-r., trop., 4TUB., tub-a., tub-k., 3Uran-n., urea, urine, urt-u., 4UVA., v-a-b., 3Vario., verat., vero-o., 3Vesi., vip., vip-a., 2visc., 3Wye., xanth., zea-i., 3Zinc., zinc-pic., 3Zinc-val., 2zing., ziz.
• generalities; INFLAMMATION; gangrenous (50) : acon., all-c., 3Anthr., 3Apis, 4ARS., bani-c., bapt., 3Bell., both-l., brass., brom., calc-ar., 4CANTH., 3Carb-an., 3Carb-v., carbn-o., 3Chin., 3Colch., 3Crot-h., cupr., echi., euph., hell., hep., 3Iod., kali-chl., kali-i., kali-n., 3Kali-p., kreos., 4LACH., lyc., merc., mur-ac., naja, op., ph-ac., 3Phos., 3Plb., ran-s., 3Rhus-t., sabin., 4SEC., 4SIL., 3Sin-n., squil., sulph., tarent., 3Tarent-c., vip.
• generalities; INFLAMMATION; recurrent (58) : 3Ail., 3Alumn., apei-s., aq-mar., ars., asaf., aur-m-n., 4BAR-C., 3Bar-m., 3Brom., bry., 4CALC., cand-a., caps., carc., diph., diphtox., dpt, dys-co., dysp-s., ferr., foll., gels., guai., 3Hep., kali-i., kali-m., kali-p., 3Lach., lith-c., lyc., med., mein., morg., morg-g., mut., neod-f., 3Nit-ac., phos., phyt., pitu-a., plut-n., 4PSOR., 3Puls., sama-m., 3Sang., sep., 3Sil., staph., 4STREPT., 3Sulph., syc-co., 3Syph., thal., thul-c., thymin., 4TUB., vesp.
• generalities; INFLAMMATION; sudden (5) : 3Abrot., acon., arum-t., 3Bell., cahin.
• generalities; INFLAMMATION; surgical (20) : acon., 3Anthr., arn., ars., ars-i., 3Bell., bell-p., calc-s., calen., echi., gunp., 3Hep., hyper., iod., merc-c., merc-i-r., myrt-c., 3Pyrog., rhus-t., 3Sil.

With so many ways that inflammation is listed in the repertory and so many remedies available, it is very necessary to receive the case and understand the mental/emotional picture as well as the physical symptoms. Most of the ways we get sick are from infection. With so many ways to describe illnesses, we need to be very good observers and find the remedy for the person and not the dis-ease.

A few common remedies that have many common symptoms of acute infection and are most useful are:

• Arsenicum Album – Anxiety, exhaustion, and restlessness. Burning pains like fire, hot needles or wires. Better from heat. Sudden weakness. Food poisoning, dissecting wounds. Fastidious and faultfinding. Miserly, selfish and lacks courage. Fear of death and disease. Groans and moans during pain. Despair of recovery. Thinks it’s useless to take the medicine. Changes place continually. Intense thirst, drinks little, often in sips. High hectic fever; burning hot and ice cold chills.
• Belladonna – Violence of attack and suddenness. Great heat. Burning red skin with dryness. Flushed face. Cold limbs and hot head. Sweats on covered parts only. Aversion to drinking during fever. Thirst for cold water. Desires lemons or lemonade. Delirium during fever. Hallucinations. Wants to hide. Acuteness of all senses. Swelling of glands in the neck.
• Anthracinum – Terrible burning. Carbuncles, boils and ulcerated eruptions. Offensive odor with malignant gangrenous ulcers, black and blue. Septicemia. Great restlessness. Depressed. Great exhaustion, feels like death is coming. Thirst with fever. Excessive thirst but can hardly swallow.
• Hepar Sulphuris – Suppuration. Higher potencies will abort suppuration. Lower potencies will hasten suppuration. Discharges smell like old cheese. Acts on the lymphatic, glandular skin and respiratory mucous membranes. Thick, yellow, acrid, ropey discharges. Great sensitiveness to all impressions. Dejected and sad. Sure of death and desires it. Slightest cause irritates him. Very cold during fever. Wants to be wrapped up. Worse from any chill or draft.
• Calcarea Sulphurica – Acts much like Hepar sulp. but more deeply. After the abscess has suppurated. Affects glands, mucous membranes bones and skin. Pus is thick, yellow, bloody and lumpy. Hurried feeling, Feels his/her value is not understood. Despises those who disagree with him.
• Pyrogenium – Septic states with intense restlessness. Typhoid, thypus, ptomaine poisoning, diphtheria, dissecting wounds, infection after childbirth or miscarriage. Aching, bruised and sore with great restlessness. Violent burning pains. Bed feels too hard. Feels as if crowded with arms and legs. Cannot tell if dreaming or awake. Feels as if one person while lying in the bed and turning over feels like another. Pulse out of proportion to temperature, too quick. Septic cuts, bites and wounds. Septic fevers with profuse hot sweat that does not relive the fever.
• Silica – Promotes suppuration. Ripens abscesses. Pus formation. Glands enlarged. Want of vital heat. Discharges offensive. Loss of confidence. Dreads failure but it is unfounded. Obstinate. Sensitive to all impressions. Faint-hearted, yielding anxious. Thick, yellow, lumpy expectoration. Hectic fever with chills.

Most of our immune system is in our intestines. These friendly bacteria live harmoniously with us and live off of other bacteria. This a delicate balance. When we take antibiotics for an infection, a great number of health-giving bacteria are killed. This lowers our immune response. Additionally, herbicides and pesticides in our environment also kill healthy bacteria when ingested. Eating organic foods has become more important than ever for our immune system. Keeping a healthy immune system is the key to fighting infection.

Always receive a complete case. Always look for what is unique about this person's illness. Choose remedies that are matching some of the unique mental symptoms and general symptoms as well. Low potencies are best when treating acute infection. The X potencies and the C potencies work very well. Start with 6 or 12 C and repeat often. If the inflammation is very acute, then the 30 C or X may be better. If necessary a 200c or X may be useful if the 30 does not hold. Most bacteria and viruses have evolved to develop great antibiotic resistance. This makes them very virulent. When treating the person, it is imperative to treat them until the infection seems gone. Then continue for at least another 4-7 days beyond that time. You want to be sure that the immune system has really done the job and the infection is over. This also gives time for immunity to develop.

When you have a case of acute infection, homeopathy can really help. But never forget that infection can be dangerous and life-threatening. Most infections are self-resolving, but you never want to take infection for granted. Always seek the services of a medical provider.

Keep the conversation going! I would love to hear your questions and thoughts below!