Homeopathic medicine, treatment and remedies for Chikungunya

• Nux Vomica
  Common Name: Poison-nut
  Symptoms: Nux vomica is best suited for people who follow a sedentary lifestyle but experience mental strain due to long working hours. These people are hypersensitive, irritable and have a bad temperament. This remedy helps in reducing the symptoms of vomiting in chikungunya patients. It also relieves the following symptoms:
  • Fever that begins with a feeling of cold
  • Pain in the back and limbs
  • Bluish discolouration of fingernails
  • Sweating on one side of the body
  • Feeling chilly when uncovered, but the person does not like to be covered
  • A feeling of loss of energy in legs and arms in the morning time
  • Headache, especially on exposure to sunlight
  • A sensation of dry heat in the body
  • Popping and cracking sounds from the knee joints while moving
  • Blotches and redness on the skin

Symptoms become worse after eating spicy foods, in cold and dry weather, and in the morning time. They become better in the evening, after taking rest and in rainy and humid weather.

• Pyrogenium
  Common Name: Artificial sepsin
  Symptoms: Pyrogen is known as a potent antiseptic medicine in homeopathy. It helps reduce high fever that is one of the most common symptoms of chikungunya. This remedy is also beneficial in managing the following symptoms:
  • Restlessness
  • Fever with chills, especially in the back
  • Pain in all bones (bone pain) and limbs
  • Fevers caused due to an infection
  • Vomiting
  • Extreme weakness in the morning
  • Fever with profuse sweating where sweating does not reduce the temperature
  • Pain in arms and legs that becomes better on moving
  • Dry and inflamed skin

All symptoms become better on moving about.

• Belladonna
  Common Name: Deadly nightshade
  Symptoms: Belladonna is known as the best remedy for children. It reduces vomiting and high fever in chikungunya patients. Belladonna also helps alleviate the following symptoms:
  • Fever with lack of thirst, cold feet and sweating only in the head region
  • Swelling in the joints
  • Shooting pain in arms and legs
  • Headache that becomes worse in the presence of light and in the afternoon
  • Pale and red skin
  • A wobbling gait
  • Limping involuntarily
  • Sleeplessness with drowsiness

Symptoms become worse in the afternoon, after lying down, and in the presence of noise. The patient feels better while sitting in a semi-erect position.

• Rhus Toxicodendron
  Common Name: Poison-ivy
  Symptoms: Poison-ivy works well for people who feel better after moving. It helps reduce joint pain and skin rashes in chikungunya patients. This remedy is also helpful in the management of:
  • Fever, shivering and restlessness 
  • Stiffness in arms and legs
  • Tearing pain in the ligaments and tendons
  • Swelling of joints
  • Numbness in the extremities after overexertion
  • Fever accompanied by intermittent chills and dry cough
  • Tenderness in the knee joint
  • Loss of strength in the fingers and forearm area
  • A tingling sensation in the feet and a crawling sensation on the fingertips
  • Pain in body on getting exposed to fresh cold air

Symptoms become worse in the rainy season, while sleeping, at night-time, while taking rest and on lying on the right side or backside. All complaints become better with warmth, in dry weather, on walking and stretching out limbs.

• Arsenicum Album
  Common Name: Arsenious acid
  Symptoms: Arsenicum album is best suited for restless and irritable individuals who are constantly worried or scared. It helps treat chikungunya by improving appetite and reducing anxiety or restlessness due to fever. This remedy is also effective in the management of the following symptoms:
  • High fever
  • Uneasiness and twitching in limbs
  • Sweating but feeling cold
  • Vomiting
  • Swelling in feet
  • Fainting
  • Heaviness and weakness in calves

Symptoms aggravate at midnight, in cold and rainy weather, and after consuming cold food or drinks. Symptoms improve when the patient keeps their head in an elevated position or takes warm drinks.

• Bryonia Alba
  Common Name: Wild hops
  Symptoms: This remedy is best suited to people who are healthy, irritable and have a dark complexion. It reduces physical weakness and muscle pain. Bryonia alba helps treat chikungunya by reducing the symptom of a pounding or pulse-like pain. It also helps reduce the following symptoms:
  • Fever with coldness and chills
  • Fever with profuse sweating
  • Pain and stiffness in the knees
  • Swelling, heat, and redness in the joints of the feet
  • Fainting and nausea while rising up
  • A splitting headache
  • A headache that worsens after moving the eyeballs

Symptoms become worse in the presence of warm weather and in the mornings. They become better after lying down on the painful side, taking rest and lying on cold things.

• Asafoetida
  Common Name: Gum of the stinkasand
  Symptoms: Asafoetida helps reduce joint pain in chikungunya patients. It also treats the following symptoms:
  • Itching of the skin
  • Darting pain in bones
  • Throbbing pain in the body at night-time
  • Pain, enlargement and swelling in the periosteum (a dense tissue layer on the bones)
  • Ichorous pus (a foul-smelling watery discharge)
  • Bone caries

Symptoms worsen on taking rest, putting warm applications on the affected area, lying on the left side and at night-time. They become better on applying pressure on the affected area and spending time in open air.

• Eupatorium Aromaticum
  Common Name: Pool-root|
  Symptoms: This remedy helps reduce fever. It also reduces restlessness, and chorea (a movement disorder that causes abnormal movements).

According to Dr. Hahnemann (the founder of homeopathic medicine), certain lifestyle patterns and dietary habits aggravate the symptoms of chikungumya and affect the healing activity of homeopathic medications (since the medicines are made and used in highly diluted doses). Therefore, to get the maximum benefit from homeopathic remedies and to maintain overall health, homeopathic doctors recommend the following guidelines to their patients:

Do’s:

• If you have an urge to eat or drink anything, satisfy them without any hesitation, however, in moderate limits.
• Adjust the temperature of your room as per your comfort.

Don’ts: 

• Do not over-exert your mind.
• Do not get very excited.

Homeopathic remedies are made from natural substances and are administered on the basis of both the disease symptoms and the individual's miasms. Scientific studies indicate the benefits of homeopathic remedies for chikungunya patients. 

An observational study was conducted at the Directorate of ISM & Homeopathy, India, to study the effect of homeopathic remedies on reducing post chikungunya chronic arthritis (PCCA) and chikungunya fever. For the study, 126 patients were administered a homeopathic medicine individualized to their condition. A visual analogue scale was used to measure the symptoms. According to the results of the study, 90% of the PCCA cases completely recovered in about 32.5 days and 84.5% of the patients completely recovered in about 6.8 days.

A randomised, double-blind controlled trial conducted in Kerela showed that homeopathic medicines can be used as prophylactic drugs for preventing chikungunya. For the study, bryonia alba was randomly administered in 30C potency to 19750 people, and 18479 people received a placebo. A weekly follow-up was performed for 35 days. The findings showed that there was a significant difference in the infection rate of both the groups, with the group receiving bryonia alba showing a 19.76% risk reduction.

Homeopathic remedies do not produce any side effects if taken as per the directions of a qualified homeopathic doctor. The drugs are made from natural substances like minerals and herbs that are diluted to a great extent before administration. In addition, these remedies are prescribed in extremely small amounts, in a highly controlled manner, further improving their safety quotient.

Chikungunya is a viral infection that majorly affects the joints. Along with joint pain, fevers, lack of appetite, headache and vomiting are some other symptoms of this disease. Homeopathic remedies reduce the symptoms of chikungunya and promote quick recovery. Pyrogen, eupatorium and nux vomica are some of the best homeopathic remedies that help bring down fever in chikungunya patients. Being made from natural substances, homeopathic remedies do not have many side effects. It is best to take homeopathic medicines after consulting a qualified doctor.