We tend to think of the winter being the season for colds and yet people can suffer with coughs and cold symptoms all year round. Much time has been spent on research into trying to discover the origins of the "common cold" with little success. Certainly some virus and bacteria are responsible for infections and some places (such as schools, colleges, hospitals and nursing homes - where many people gather) are likely to expose us to such possible infections. But not everyone succumbs to the infections. Our own constitution and our immune system are also vital considerations. If we are strong and healthy we are much more likely to resist or fight off infections quickly. So one of our priorities needs to be to look after ourselves, to eat healthily, get enough sleep and exercise and to monitor our stress levels. In this way we give our body the support it needs.
Our response to any infection is individual and depends on our health and stress at the time. For one person having a "cold" means runny eyes and nose, a fever and yet feeling chilly. For another person, even in the same family, having a "cold" means a sore throat, headache, blocked, stuffed nose and loss of the sense of taste and smell.
This is why homoeopathic remedies are chosen according to the picture of your symptoms rather than the label "cold" or "flu".
There are common remedies for various types of coughs, colds or flu. Take the remedy that suits your symptoms, changing remedies as and when the symptoms may change, and stopping the treatment as soon as you are better.
The dosage of the remedy depends on how acute the symptoms are. The more severe the symptoms, the more frequent the dosage (as often as every half hour if necessary). As the condition improves so reduce the frequency of doses and stop once completely well.
Many "simple" infections are now immune to conventional treatment with antibiotics and doctors are becoming more reluctant to automatically prescribe antibiotics for coughs and colds which may anyway be of viral origin, preferring the patient to use their own body's immune resources. Homoeopathic remedies offer a safe, gentle and effective way of treating these illnesses with the added benefit of no side effects.