Homeopathics can be very effective for cold and flu symptoms; the trick is finding the right remedy for the right situation. My favorite book to help figure this out is Homeopathic Medicine at Home by Maesimund B. Panos, MD, and Jane Heimlich. This book not only contains charts on which homeopathic to use for what type of cough, cold, or flu, but also contains charts for many other common ailments and injuries. Here are a few homeopathics that are particularly useful for cold and flu symptoms, as well as the symptoms for which each remedy is best suited.
Aconite
For sudden onset; best if used within the first 24 hours; frequent sneezing; restlessness; thirsty; high fever; one cheek red and the other pale; barking cough.
Allium cepa
Burning nasal discharge that makes nose and upper lip sore; constant watery discharge from nose; headache in forehead; hoarseness; symptoms begin on left side then extend toward right.
Antimonium
Rattling of mucus in chest; difficulty spitting up mucus in chest; weak and drowsy; feels cold and sweaty with a pale face.
Belladonna
Sudden and violent onset; skin red, dry, and hot to touch; flushed face; burning fever; sensitive to light, odors, noise, etc; pupils dilated; headache and/or earache with throbbing pain.
Bryonia
For head colds that travel to chest; hard, dry, racking cough with painful chest; patient is irritable and wants to be left alone and wants to lie perfectly still; patient feels hot and is thirsty for cold drinks.
Chamomilla
Often used for earache; patient very irritable and sensitive (whiny); can’t be pleased; one cheek red and hot, the other cheek pale and cool; intolerant of pain.
Drosera
Barking or spasmodic cough; croup; coughing episodes that end in retching or vomiting.
Eupatorium
Deep aching in back and limbs; bursting headache; afraid to move because of pain; eyeballs sore; insatiable thirst followed by chills and fever.
Euphrasia
Watery discharge from nose; copious burning tears; coughing up of large amounts of mucus.
Gelsemium
Gradual onset; sensation of heaviness throughout body; drooping eyelids; great fatigue; chills up and down spine; sluggish; fever, but no thirst.
Hepar Sulphur
Rarely used in beginning stages; croupy cough; extreme sensitivity to cold; coughs up yellow mucus; cold begins in throat and spreads to ears.
Kali bichromicum
Used during later stages of cold; thick, yellow or greenish, stringy mucus; sinus headache with pressure at root of nose; hoarse voice; better from heat and lying down.
Mercurius
Cold begins with creeping chilliness; violent sneezing; thick green or profuse water nasal discharge that makes nose and upper lip sore; raw sore throat with difficulty swallowing; very thirsty; coated tongue with bad odor from mouth.
Natrum muriatricum
Cold begins with sneezing; nasal discharge is watery or like egg white; lips dry and cracked; great weakness and weariness; depressed and/or weepy mood; hoarseness; nose stopped up; craves salt.
Nux vomica
Illness after exposure to cold or cold and dry weather; irritable and easily offended; dry, teasing cough with sore throat; onset is not sudden; chilled and unable to get warm; extremely sensitive to noise and odors.
Oscillococcinum
For flu symptoms including body aches, headache, fever, chills, and fatigue.
Phosphorous
Laryngitis and hoarseness; hard, dry, tickling cough; appears well despite high fever; chilly and craves ice cold drinks; nervous when alone in the dark; sweats at night.
Pulsatilla
For a “ripe” cold; thick, creamy, yellow nasal discharge; weepy, wants sympathy and attention; dry mouth with lack of thirst; nose stuffed up indoors and at night; nose runs in open air; fever but no thirst; lips chapped and peeling.
Rumex crispus
For coughs provoked by breathing cold air; cough dry and shallow, may be spasmodic; extremely sensitive to cold air; cough is worse lying down.
Spongia
Loud, dry, barking cough; hoarse, rasping respiration; cough worse from excitement and talking; throat sensitive to touch; awakens with suffocative sensation from difficulty breathing; anxious; feels as if plug in throat.