Homeopathy - The Consolation From All Immunity-Based Endemics
Pandemic, virus, lockdown, quarantine, isolation, masks, vaccination…feels like a flashback to 2020? Only when we were beginning to believe that Covid-19 was a thing of the yesteryears, we are greeted with yet another virus. While monkeypox had been prevailing in West and Central Africa, health officials noticed an outbreak of the virus in the regions outside Africa. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified 35 cases of monkeypox and a similar virus in the United States as of early June 2022, and more than 1,000 cases globally.
As of July 2022, India reported its very first case of monkeypox in Kerala. The infected man had a history of foreign travel and had returned from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). He started showing signs of the virus post which he was admitted to the hospital. So far, India has reported a total of 4 cases of monkeypox, three from Kerala and one from Delhi. The latter had no history of foreign traveling, however, he had been on a trip to Himachal Pradesh, following which, he started experiencing fever.
When viruses strike, complementary medicines have proven helpful to a great extent, as noticed in the recent pandemic that took the world by storm. Hence, it is necessary to understand the role of complementary medicines like homeopathy in treating viruses. But first, let's cover the important insights about monkeypox that one needs to be aware of.
The genesis of the pox
The virus Monkeypox is categorized as a viral zoonosis, meaning, that the infection is passed on from a non-human animal to a human. An article published by the Cleveland Clinic states that monkeypox originated from the monkeys used for research in Copenhagen in 1958. Later, the pox-like virus was prevalent in West and Central Africa. The monkeypox virus has two distinct kinds, one originating in Central Africa and the other in West Africa. The less deadly West African kind (clade) is the source of the current monkeypox breakout.
Causes of Monkeypox
Monkeypox can be transferred through animal-to-person contact, meaning, that if you come in contact with an infected animal through bites and scratches or have direct contact with their blood or bodily fluid, you’re most likely to get infected.
As mentioned in an article by Cleveland Clinic, when you come into touch with the sores, scabs, respiratory droplets, or oral secretions of an infected individual, person-to-person spread (transmission) takes place. This typically happens when you are in close proximity like cuddling, kissing, or having intercourse.
Symptoms
The symptoms of monkeypox differ from person to person, and they could manifest in the following ways:
● Fever
● Swollen Nymph lodes
● Headache
● Muscle ache
● Back pain
● Fatigue
● Low energy
● Rashes on the mouth, groin, feet, eyes, palm, face, and so on.
● Lesions
Lesions appear flat and then become cystic and often consist of puss. Later, they turn into crusts and fall off the skin. The rashes and lesions can last up to 2-3 weeks and are contagious throughout this period.
According to the World Health Organization, monkeypox complications can lead to bronchopneumonia, secondary infections, sepsis, encephalitis, and corneal infections with subsequent vision loss.
To safeguard yourself from this insidious virus, it is necessary to take important measures. Here’s a list of precautionary measures one can take to preserve their health:
● Wear a mask.
● Wash your hands frequently.
● Change your beddings, towels, and other clothing material if it comes in contact with an infected person.
● Practice isolation if you experience symptoms such as fever, swollen lymph nodes, cough, and so on.
● If your pet has unhealed wounds, please visit a doctor and take precautionary measures to ensure healing and adequate hygiene.
● Avoid direct contact with an infected or sick animal.
● Avoid eating uncleaned meat.
● Clean and disinfect all the equipment that is frequently touched.
● Eat healthy meals.
You need a stronger immunity to fight this virus
Your immune system plays an important role in fighting against viruses. With the overuse of antibiotics in recent years, vaccines, climatic changes, and rapid globalization, there is a significant need for complimentary medical solutions to help boost immunity. Homeopathy is a modern scientific system of medicine that is natural, side-effect free and effective in building immunity naturally.
According to the US National Library of Medicine, Homeopathy has been used to treat epidemic diseases for over 200 years, when Belladonna was used in treating scarlet fever. In another research study provided by WHO on the efficacy of homeopathy for reduced immunity-based ailments, evidence has proven that homeopathy is effective. Homeopathy has a robust track record of controlling, managing, and preventing outbreaks of infectious diseases on a large scale.
When homeopathic medicines are prescribed in an ultra-diluted form on the basis of a symptom similarity, they stimulate the body's defense mechanisms to fight against the pathogen. Here’s a list of homeopathic remedies that can help with specific symptoms of monkeypox:
Variolinum is one of the best-indicated remedies for patients suffering from intense fever, headache, and backache.
Merc sol is effective in treating eruptions that are large and filled with pus. Merc sol is also effective in treating swollen lymph nodes.
Rhus Tox can be administered in cases when the patient is restless, the lesions are filled with pus and there is persistent itching and burning.
As seen above, homeopathic medicines are symptom-specific and can be administered simultaneously with an alternative system of medicines. Homeopathic medicines do not reduce the efficiency of the other medicines and work simultaneously to provide the best-measured results. Furthermore, homeopathy as a mind-body approach to treatment not only treats the symptoms of the disease but it treats the person as a whole.
Viruses bring with them the uncertainty of life and social isolation, therefore, it is important to administer healthy life choices to live a long healthy life. On the contrary, if you notice symptoms of monkeypox, it is advised to reach out to a health care provider and acquire safe treatment.
