Immune System
Long-/Post-COVID –
The Long Road Back to Normality
A Consideration From a Homeopathic Point of View
Corona infections often leave lasting symptoms. The list of Post-COVID symptoms is long. It is still unclear what pathological processes are behind this. Various attempts at explanation are discussed. From a medical point of view, the problem cannot be solved so far.
In addition to limited resilience typical post-COVID symptoms include a weakened immune system, headaches and body aches, nausea, indigestion, respiratory problems, neuralgia and various neurological symptoms such as sensitivity to stimuli, dizziness, concentration and memory disorders, loss of smell and taste, and especially exhaustion or chronic fatigue syndrome. The symptoms are diverse and have a significant influence on the quality of life of those affected.
These long-term consequences of viral infections have not only been around since “Corona”. They can also develop after an Epstein-Barr virus infection, after shingles caused by herpes viruses, after influenza or another viral infection.
Homeopathy and Homeostasis
A suitable therapy must both fill existing deficits and provide an impulse for the immune system that stimulates its defense mechanisms and leads to a correction of previously erroneous and incomplete immune responses. Homeopathy is an individual stimulation and regulation therapy that can provide such impulses. The organism receives specific stimuli that lead to healthy reorganization and restore homeostasis. In physiology, homeostasis refers to the state of equilibrium of a dynamic system that is maintained by its own internal control process. This describes the ability of systems to self-regulate. A living organism is such a system that is capable of self-regulation. It has to react to the constantly changing influences in order to maintain an inner balance.
Samuel Hahnemann, the founder of homeopathy, called the body’s ability to homeostasis “The Life Force”. However, the life force is not visible or measurable. In order to recognize this invisible, the therapist has the tool of anamnesis. In doing so, he tries to find out which stimuli people react to and what exactly their individual reaction looks like. Every organism responds to stimuli that come from outside or from within, in a very specific and at the same time unique way. The patient’s symptoms provide a specific picture or pattern. This pattern, also known as the clinical picture, is compared with the known symptom patterns of our homeopathic medicines. If both pictures coincide in most areas, then we have found the right homeopathic remedy that stimulates the organism to heal itself (Principle of Similarity). The subsequent process must be supervised and guided by the therapist.
Homeopathic Solutions Approaches
Homeopaths always treat the so-called “Totality of Symptoms”. But in the case of Long- or Post-COVID, what is this “totality”? Is it only the symptoms that have occurred since the Corona infection or do previously existing diseases and symptoms also play a role?
- If a new symptomatology has developed since the infection, with complaints and symptoms that were not present before, we only use those symptoms and signs of illness that have appeared since then for the selection of the remedy. Then, these cover the new status. We are looking for a remedy that covers the current symptoms — an “acute remedy”.
- Post-viral syndrome is treated as a chronic disease if the predominant complaints already existed before the infection and worsened significantly in the post-viral phase. Already the pre-existing underlying disease, the “Chronic Miasm”, has worsened. In this case, the totality of the symptoms, including the previous entire medical history and the totality of the symptoms, must be explored and must be incorporated into the choice of remedy.
“Individually constitutionally selected medications also require an individual dosage. Basically, they should not be given too frequently.”
The Practical Application of Homeopathic Therapy
The frequency of remedy administrations depends on the potency of the selected remedy. However, it is also directed by the patient’s condition and reaction. Individually constitutionally selected medications also require an individual dosage. Basically, they should not be given too frequently. The higher the potency used, the more precisely the patient’s symptom picture and the remedy picture must be matched, otherwise there will be little or no effect.
Recommendation: C 30, three globuli once a day for several days until a reaction appears. Alternatively: D12, five globuli twice a day until a reaction appears.
If there are signs of improvement, the intervals between doses are increased. If there is a sustained improvement, further doses are only necessary if the condition stagnates or deteriorates again. If there is no change, the choice of remedy must be reviewed. It may also be necessary to change the potency or to remove existing obstacles to healing.
Examples of Some Proven Medications
In the case of chronic states of exhaustion and concentration disorders after a Corona infection, homeopathic phosphorus compounds such as acidum phosphoricum, potassium phosphoricum, calcium phosphoricum, zincum phosphoricum and phosphorus are particularly indicated. Phosphorus is essential for all living organisms and an important component of the cellular energy supply (ADP, ATP).
Acidum phosphoricum (Ph-ac.)
The focus of the remedy is on mental and physical weakness with concentration difficulties and memory disorders.
Excessive weakness is a sign of homeopathic acid remedies, both in the mental and emotional realm (lack of concentration, apathy) as well as on a physical level. This condition can be found, for example, after severe mental overload, but also under the negative after-effects of acute illnesses, consequences of infections, fever and abundant secretions of body fluids.
In the case of Acidum phosphoricum patients, the mind and spirit are particularly affected. The brain seems to work slowly; people cannot concentrate, they have difficulty finding words and suffer from poor memory. All thinking feels tough and a kind of “brain fatigue” seems to be spreading. In addition, there is lightheadedness and possibly oppressive headaches with slight dizziness. The headache worsens due to mental exertion or eye strain. Later, the patient resigns himself and becomes quiet, indifferent, listless, apathetic, as if “burned out” and withdraws.
Indigestion with a tendency to diarrhea may occur. Other symptoms include: weakness in the chest, dry cough, hair loss and abundant secretions (sweat, diarrhea, urine).
Case Study: “It’s not going smoothly in the head” A 51-year-old patient I already know contacted me a few weeks after a Corona infection in March 2021. She told me she had experienced the acute phase of the infection like a very strong flu-like infection. Since then, she has been quickly exhausted, feels pressure on her chest and she has the impression that “my head hasn’t been running fully since then”.
She works at a counselling centre and has to make a lot of phone calls. There are often longer pauses during the conversations because she can no longer find the words. She then tries to paraphrase the terms. In the meantime, she is also receiving feedback from customers and colleagues. In general it is difficult for her to concentrate. After mental exertion, headaches also appear.
Up to this point, her condition has stagnated for several weeks. From the intake of Acidum phosphoricum C 30, initially three globuli a day for five days and only when necessary when improved, we had achieved a significant improvement after 14 days. An administration of the higher potency C 200 then solved the remaining complaints.
“Arsenicum album is a profound remedy for any organ and tissue, even in severe disease states with characteristic symptoms.”
Arsenicum album (Ars.)
This is a profoundly effective remedy for any organ and tissue, even in severe disease states with characteristic symptoms. On the physical level, a great weakness predominates; Exhaustion after little exertion, a rapid decline in strength. Despite the pronounced weakness, one notices a great restlessness. The restlessness is accompanied by great anxiety on the psychological level. This triad of weakness, restlessness and anxiety is typical of the Arsenicum album remedy picture.
All complaints are especially severe in the hours after midnight. The patient tosses and turns around in bed and can’t find a position that suits him. He is afraid that he will never get well again, is desperate and constantly calls the doctor because this or that worries him.
Patients are very pale, feel very cold and crave warmth; they will need several blankets or a hot water bottle. A dry mouth makes you thirsty, but the patient can only drink small amounts in sips.
Accompanying digestive disorders are often found. Diarrhea and vomiting are possible. It can lead to emaciation and weight loss.
Arsenicum patients may suffer from shortness of breath with burning sensation in the chest; You can’t lie flat and have to sit up. If pain is present, the Arsenicum album patient usually complains of “burning pain”, for example in neuralgia after a herpes zoster infection.
Case Study: Restless and Weakness One patient had panic attacks during the acute phase of a corona infection. She had never experienced anything like this before.
The disease progressed with fever, body aches, cold symptoms and diarrhea. By taking painkillers, because of severe headaches, she also got vomiting. She was very weak and suffered from a strong feeling of frost. Even four weeks after infection, her condition was still unstable and some symptoms, like for example fever and diarrhea returned over and over again. Nevertheless, weakness and a great restlessness were a matter of priority, coupled with the fear of never getting well again. Her sleep was restless and she tossed and turned in bed a lot at night.
She only needed two doses of Arsenicum album C 200 to eliminate the consequences of the infection along with the restlessness. By the way, Arsenicum album was an important medicine for homeopathic doctors during the Spanish Flu. Dr. Dorothy Shepherd treated 150 patients with it and all of them survived this terrible disease with homeopathic help [1].
Chininum arsenicosum (Chin-ar.)
This remedy is a proven tonic after exhausting diseases with difficulty breathing, palpitations and dyspepsia. Chininum arsenicosum combines many of the properties of its two components, China officinalis and Arsenicum album together. Because of the symptoms of general fatigue and debilitation effected by this remedy, it is used as a homeopathic tonic after exhausting illnesses.
One focus of this remedy is the heart: circulatory insufficiency or shortness of breath after acute infections, shortness of breath when climbing stairs, cardiac shortness of breath. Palpitations and pulse irregularities indicate post-infectious myocarditis and/or myocardial involvement. The symptoms often occur periodically. It is a valuable convalescent remedy after serious illnesses.
There may also be stomach complaints, such as loss of appetite, sickness feeling, nausea, dyspepsia, and emaciation, with a thick yellow coated tongue and a more bitter taste.
With neuralgia, Chininum arsenicosum is also found useful: Periodically recurring, severe pain, neuralgia or headaches are typical. There is coldness of the extremities. Heat generally improves. Sleep is restless or frequently interrupted.
In the remedy picture we find both the fear for health of Arsenicum album and the periodic occurrence of complaints typical of China officinalis.
Case Study: “A Poisoned Feeling” A patient, 68 years old, presented herself in my medical practice. One and a half years earlier, she had a corona infection, which was relatively mild. However, in the weeks that followed, muscle pain occurred in the pelvis and thighs, which persisted for weeks. Three months ago, the woman received a COVID-19 vaccination. After that, she had flu-like symptoms for four weeks, with periodic bouts of fever, sweating, chills, and feeling exhausted. In addition, stomach pain was added. Since then, she hasn’t recovered properly, is exhausted and nervous. With the suspected diagnosis of Long- or Post-COVID-19, she went to a clinic, but without result.
When she presented at my medical practice, stomach pain was the main problem. This comes as soon as she feels overwhelmed and this is often the case because she is very nervous at the moment. Furthermore, after eating there is a feeling of fullness with cramping pain. After fruit, she gets diarrhea, otherwise the bowel movements are without abnormalities. The patient has lost a lot of weight, because she can hardly eat without pain and has no appetite at all.
During the stomach pain, she is extremely restless. The patient experiences feelings of anxiety, accompanied by strong palpitations. She is very concerned about her health and feels like she is poisoned. Her sleep is also very poor. She rarely falls asleep before three o’clock, as she spends a lot of time thinking about her health. She becomes restless and then gets stomach problems again during the night – a vicious circle. So far all conventional medicine, and prescribed phytotherapeutic and homeopathic medications did not bring any improvement.
It was only with the remedy Chininum arsenicosum D 12 that the patient initially became calmer and was able to sleep better again. With the steadily decreasing stomach problems, the appetite also returned. She slowly recovered and regained weight.
Result
Since Hahnemann’s time, homeopaths have repeatedly had to deal with epidemics and their consequences. There are plenty of historical examples of the success of this approach: cholera, typhus, Spanish flu and others. It may sound astonishing at first, but the cases described show in an impressive way that homeopathy can also help patients with long-term consequences of infections.
Keywords: Homeopathy, Immune System, Long-COVID, Post-COVID, SARS-CoV-2
An Exclusive Translated Article for P2P Supporters
From the Monthly Publications of P2P
Published March 2024
From an article in CO’Med, Volume 30, January 2024
Machine Translation by Lernout & Hauspie, & Promt
Translation & redaction by: Carolyn L. Winsor, P2P Consulting
© Copyright 2024, Peter Bergman HP, Essenbach, Germany
Literature
- Shepherd D. Das Wunder der unsichtbaren Kraft. Lage & Roy Verlag, 1995.
