Diarrhea

Diarrhea:
A caution: Diarrhea can be serious in an infant. The problem is the loss of fluids causing severe dehydration resulting in loss of fluids from tissues and blood. If your child does not respond immediately to the homeopathic remedy, discontinue use and consult your health professional.

Colocynthus - for explosive diarrhea preceded by cramp-like pains.

Aloe Socratans- for foul smelling stools

Arsenicum Album - for child exhausted after a movement

Chamomilla, for soft stools associated with teething.

Nux Vomica for diarrhea resulting from over-feeding or when baby strains but can only pass a small amount of stool .

FEVER

Aconite

This fever comes on suddenly, often after a chill (especially from a cold wind). She is fine on going to bed and then wakes around midnight with a high fever. She is hot and sweaty and thirsty, kicks the covers off and then feels cold. Her cheeks alternate between being hot and red and pale and ghostly or one cheek may be hot and red if it is a teething fever. She can also be very restless and distressed, you suspect that she may have a pain somewhere.

Belladonna

Fevers calling for Belladonna come on suddenly. Your baby gets so hot she radiates heat. It is a dry heat (without sweating) and can alternate with chills. She may become delirious, her pupils are more dilated than usual and she may grind her teeth (if she has any!)

Chamomilla

Fevers in teething babies, or those that accompany an earache or sore throat. You will recognise this one easily because your child is very hard to please, she wants to be carried constantly but even that doesn't help much, she cries and shouts a lot and may even hit out. There are red, round patches on one or both cheeks. The face can be hot whilst the body is cold.

Gelsemium. [Gels]

This remedy suits dull, stupid, apathetic conditions. The patient is dizzy and drowsy, the chill is partial; there is a full flowing pulse with an element of weakness in it. It corresponds especially to remittent types of fever and to fevers brought on by warm, relaxing weather. The fever is accompanied by languor, muscular weakness and a desire for absolute rest and is unaccompanied by thirst. Ferrum phosphoricum. This remedy stands midway between Aconite and Gelsemium in febrile conditions, and it may be differentiated from its neighbors by the pulse, which, under Aconite, is full and bounding and under Gelsemium soft and flowing, and by the mental symptoms, Aconite being marked by anxiety and Gelsemium by drowsiness and dullness. Baptisia. Hughes praises this remedy in simple continued fevers, where he believes it is specific. Gastric fever, he claims, will never run into typhoid if treated with this remedy. Pulsatilla has a thirstless fever, hot head, dry lips and chilliness all over, especially in the evening. Chilliness predominates with the remedy, there being but little heat.

Sulphur. [Sulph]

An excellent fever remedy, it comes in after Aconite when the skin is dry and hot and there is no sweat; the fever seems to burn the patient up,the tongue is dry and red and the patient at first is sleepless and restless, but soon becomes drowsy. There are no blood changes; it is a chronic Aconite or a passive Aconite does to the arteries.

Bryonia. [Bry]

Suits especially a quite form of fever; true, the patient may be restless and toss about, but is always made worse thereby. There is intense headache, dull, stupefying with a sensation as if the head would burst at the temples; sharp pains over the eyes, faintness on rising up, dry mouth and a tongue coated white in the middle. Cold, chilly sensations predominate in fevers calling for Bryonia, and there is much thirst for large drinks of water at rather infrequent intervals. The fever of Bryonia is unmarked by the violence, acuteness and general storm of Aconite or the decomposition and great debility of the acids. It is neither synochal nor so markedly asthenic in character, it is between the two and is dependent upon local affections, state of stomach, liver, chest, etc.

HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES

Rhus Toxicodendron

Extreme restlessness. Thoughts of suicide. Rheumatic pains which are worse at beginning of motion. Drowsiness after eating. Pains due to over-exertion. Pain and stiffness in small of back. Sciatica. Urticaria. Complaints are worse when at rest.

Sepia

Indifference to friends and relatives. Chronic nasal catarrh. Herpes behind ears. Nausea in morning before eating. Desire for spicy food. Irregular menses with bearing-down sensation. Weakness of back. Hot flashes at menopause.

Silicea

Intolerance of alcoholic stimulants. Tendency to formation of pus. Styes, boils and abscesses. Constipation before and after menses. Extreme coldness of body with desire to remain close to fire. Offensive foot sweat. Crippled nails. Keloid growths. Loss of smell.

Spigelia

Pericarditis, violent palpitation, angina pectoris, rheumatic carditis and other problems related to heart. Left-sided headache.

Sulphur

Forgetfulness. Burning and redness of eyes. Burning in palms and soles. Unhealthy skin with tendency to skin diseases. Great acidity. Difficult respiration. Hemorrhoids. Aversion to bathing.

Thuja Occidentalis

Fig-warts. Freckles. Fungus growths. Loss of appetite. Rapid emaciation. Constipation with violent rectal pain. Piles. Gonorrhea. Asthma in children.

Veratrum Album

Extreme coldness, blueness and weakness. Pale face. Painful diarrhea followed by great weakness. Weakness of heart with intermittent action. Cramps in calves.

Zincum Metallicum

Sensitivity to noise. Lethargy. Headache due to wine. Squinting (of eyes). Cholera of infants. Weakness, trembling and twitching of various muscles of limbs. Backache.

HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES

Opium

Lack of response to various medicines. Vertigo. Fright. Delirium. Paralysis of tongue. Obstinate constipation. Stool round like black balls. Snoring. Great drowsiness. Convulsions. Useful in coma.

Phosphoricum Acidum

Mental debility. Impaired memory. Hair thin out, turn gray early. Blue rings around eyes. Lips dry, cracked. Bleeding gums; retract from teeth. Face pale. Craving juicy things. Thirst for cold milk. Diarrhea, white, watery, involuntary, painless. Frequent urination at night. Emissions at night and at stool. Menses too early and profuse, with pain in liver. Weak feeling in chest from talking. Cramps in upper arms and wrists. Pimples, acne, blood-boils. Falling out of hair.

Phosphorus

Great lowness of spirit. Dread of death when alone. Fatty degenerations. Scurvy. Vertigo of the aged. Dandruff. Falling of hair. Hemorrhages. Cirrhosis of liver. Glaucoma. Epistaxis instead of menses. Vomiting soon after taking water. Hoarseness. Various respiratory problems.

Phytolacca Decandra

Loss of personal delicacy. Indifference to life. Dark redness of throat with swollen tonsils. Quinsy. Mumps. Cancer and abscess of breast. Urine suppressed with pain in kidney region.

Podophyllum

Profuse, painless, watery, gushing diarrhea. Internal and external piles. Grinding of teeth at night. Pulsatilla NigraPatient is timid and can be easily discouraged. Moods are changeable and contradictory. Changeable and contradictory symptoms. Mouth is dry but no thirst. Taste of mouth keeps changing. Secretions from eyes, nose and mouth are all thick. Disliking for fat and warm food. Menses delayed, scanty, thick, dark, clotted, intermittent and changeable. Pains in the body keep shifting. Styes. Acne. Measles.

HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES

Ledum Palustre

Rheumatism. Gouty nodosities. Anal fissures. Carbuncles. Complaints which appear from below upwards.

Lycopodium

Lack of self-confidence. Weakness of memory. Night blindness. Anorexia, small quantities of food create fullness. Distention of abdomen. Cirrhosis. Hernia, Painful hemorrhoids. Sciatica. Impotence. Psoriasis. Hepatitis.

Magnesia Phosphorica

Spasmodic pains. Cramps of muscles. Toothache. Flatulent colic. Menstrual colic. Angina pectoris. Spasmodic palpitation.

Mercurius - Hydrargyrum

Secondary stage of syphilis. Profuse and burning discharge from eyes. Yellow, bloody discharge from ears. Sneezing in sunshine. Swelling of nasal bones. Spongy and easily bleeding gums. Intense thirst for cold drinks. Paralysis of the aged.

Mercurius Sublimatus

CorrosivusGonorrhea, Inflammation and soreness of eyes. Red, swollen and painful throat. Bloody dysentery. Sensitiveness of epigastrium.

Natrum Muriaticum

Great weakness. High blood pressure and even low blood pressure. Blinding headache. Violent and fluent coryza specially which begins with sneezing. Numbness of tongue. Tachycardia, pulse intermits on lying down. Falling out of hair.

Niticum Acidum

Putrid breath. Bleeding of gums. Bloody saliva. Hemorrhages from bowels, profuse, bright. Hemorrhoids bleed easily. Diarrhea, slimy and offensive. Stool scanty, dark, offensive. Uterine hemorrhages. Menses early, profuse, like muddy water, with pain in back, hips and thighs. Short breath on going upstairs. Black pores on face.

Nux Vomica

Great irritability. Habit of finding faults with others. Headache in sunshine and on waking in the morning. Nose stuffed up at night. Stomach problems are aggravated by eating. Frequent ineffectual urging for stool. Blind hemorrhoids. Dysmenorrhea. Asthma due to digestive disorders. Unrefreshing sleep.

HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES

Graphites

Dryness of skin. Nails deformed and brittle. Constipation. Obesity, hot drinks create problems. Offensive breath.

Hamamelis Virginica

Bleeding hemorrhoids. Hemorrhage from any part. Varicose veins. Orchitis.

Hepar Sulphuris Calcareum

Great sensitiveness to all impressions. Tendency to suppuration. Cough when exposed to dry and cold wind. Chronic and recurring urticaria. Deep cracks on hands and feet. Great sensitiveness to dry, cold weather.

Ignatia Amara

Many of the emotional symptoms including ill effects of grief and worry. Changeable moods. Twitching of facial muscles. Insomnia. Violent yawning. Dry spasmodic cough. Feminine sexual frigidity. Coffee aggravates many problems.

Ipecacuanha

Nausea and vomiting due to any reason. Hemorrhages where blood is bright red. Diarrhea with grass-green stool. Profuse uterine hemorrhage. Asthma. Bleeding from lungs. Sleep with eyes half open. Suffocating and wheezing cough.

Kali Bichromicum

Thick, ropy secretions. Loss of smell. Stomach ulcer. Left sided sciatica. Quick migration of pains. Cirrhosis of liver.

Kali Carbonicum

Sharp and cutting pains. Sensitiveness to weather changes. Dryness and falling out of hair. Sour eructations. Weakness of back. Large hemorrhoids. Pulse weak, rapid and intermittent. Cold weather complaints.

Kali Phosphoricum

Weakness of nervous system. Mental and physical depression. Loss of memory. Humming and buzzing in the ears. Violent dysentery.

Kreosotum

Ulcerations. Cancerous affections. Very painful dentition. Rapid decay of teeth. Hoarseness. Cholera of infants. Senile gangrene. Cracking of soles.

Lachesis Mutus

Climacteric hot flashes. Toothache. Diphtheria. Quinsy and many other complaints related with throat and respiratory system. Neuralgia of coccyx.

HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES

Calcarea Carbonicum

Apprehension, forgetfulness. Excessive sweat of head. Discharging ears. Easy taking of cold. Head proportionately larger but legs thinner in children. Obesity. Loss of appetite when tired. Umbilical hernia. Gall-stone colic. Menses too early, too profuse and too long. Feet feel cold and damp.

Cantharis

Abdominal complaints which are aggravated by coffee. Inflammation of urinary passages. Constant urge to urinate. Nephritis with bloody urine. Excessive sexual desire in females. Burns and scalds. Irregular pulse, pericarditis.

Capsicum

Desire to be alone. Swelling and pain behind ears. Sore throat of smokers and drinkers. Stomatitis. Fetid odor from mouth. Intense craving for stimulants. Thirsty after stool, with shivering. Bleeding piles, with soreness of anus. Neck of bladder spasmodically contracted. Climacteric disturbances with burning of tip of tongue. Constriction of chest. Dyspnea. Sciatica, worse bending backward.

Carbo Vegetabilis

Lowered vital power. Deficiency of oxygen in the body. Digestion very slow. Hands and feet cold. Epistaxis. Distress even from simplest food. Flatulent colic. Pulse imperceptible. Easy fainting.

Causticum

Chronic rheumatic, arthritic and paralytic affections. Paralysis of tongue and vocal chords. Unsteadiness of muscles. Involuntary passing of urine specially at night and in the aged.

Chamomilla

Excessive irritability and impatience specially in children. Violent earache. Diarrhea of children during dentition. Tickling cough. Rheumatic pains.

Cinchona Officinalis or China Officinalis

General weakness. Aversion to mental or physical exertion. Ringing in ears, Violent dry sneezing. Ill effects of tea. Weakness due to loss of fluids. Painless frothy stools. Slow digestion. Distention of stomach and abdomen after eating. Hiccough. Jaundice.

Colocynthis

Intense abdominal pain causing the patient to bend over double. Dysentery. Taste very bitter. Contraction of muscles. Stiffness of joints.

Drosera Rotundifolia

Spasmodic, dry, irritating, choking cough (much likewhooping-cough) with hoarseness of voice. Nosebleed. Disinclination to speak because talking creates breathing difficulties.

Eucalyptus Globulus

Is a powerful antiseptic. Typhoid. Relapsing fever. Slow digestion. Dysentery. Nephritis. Asthma. High fever.

Ferrum Phosphoricum

Headache better by cold applications. Eyes red, inflamed, with burning sensation. Epistaxis; bright red blood. Face flushed; cheeks sore and hot. Ulcerated sore throat. Tonsils red and swollen. Eustachian tubes inflamed. Aversion to meat and milk. Anemia. Stools watery, bloody, undigested. Congestions of lungs. Hemoptysis. Expectoration of pure blood in pneumonia. Palpitation; pulse rapid. Rheumatic pain in shoulder. Restlessness and sleeplessness.

Gelsemium

Various degrees of motor paralysis. Muscular weakness. Vertigo. Insomnia. Dim-sightedness. Diarrhea from emotional excitement.

HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES

Aconitum Napellus

A state of fear, anxiety; anguish of mind and body. Physical and mental restlessness. Sudden and great sinking of strength. Complaints and tension caused by exposure to dry, cold weather. Fears the future. Eyes feel dry and hot, as if sand in them. Pain at root of nose. Tingling in cheeks and numbness. Gums hot and inflamed. Tongue coated white. Vomiting, with fear, heat, profuse sweat and increased urination. Bitter taste of everything except water. Intense thirst. Bleeding hemorrhoids. Urine scanty, red, hot, painful. Cough, dry, short, hacking; worse at night and after midnight. Tingling in chest after cough. Tachycardia. Pulse full, hard; tense and bounding. Rheumatic inflammation of joints; worse at night. Anxious dreams. Sleeplessness, with restless and tossing about.

Aesculus Hippocastanum

Dry and swollen mucous membranes. Tongue thickly coated, feels as if scalded. Hemorrhoids with sharp shooting pains up the back. Burning of anus after stool. Spine feels weak. Backache affecting sacrum and hips. Heart's action full and heavy, can feel pulsations all over.

Aethusa Cynapium

Marked inability to digest milk, and poor circulation. Stool undigested, thin, greenish, preceded by colic. Vertigo with drowsiness, with palpitation. Lymphatic glands swollen. Skin of hands dry and shrunken. Ecchymosis.

Allium Cepa

Watery and acrid nasal discharge which becomes worse in warm room. Oppressed breathing. Tickling in larynx. Eyes sensitive to light. Burning in nose, mouth, throat, bladder and skin. Sneezing, especially when entering a warm room.

Alumina

Very severe constipation, no desire for days. Rectum sore and dry. Dryness of mucous membranes. Left-sided abdominal complaints. Brittle nails. Intolerable itching when getting warm in bed. Legs feel asleep, especially when sitting with legs crossed. Staggers on walking. Heels feel numb.

Antimonium Crudum

Excessive irritability. Tongue thickly-coated white. Loss of appetite. Menses suppressed from cold bathing. Watery leucorrhea. Various skin diseases. Arthritic pain in fingers.

Antimonium Tartaricum

Respiratory problems, rattling of mucus but little expectoration. Thirst for cold water but little and often. Great drowsiness.

Apis Mellifica

Edema of skin and mucous membranes. Stinging pains. Intolerance of heat. No thirst. Swelling in throat. Swelling after insect bites. Last drops of urine burn and smart. Inflammation of kidneys.

Argentum Nitricum

Patient is always in hurry. Headache from mental exertion. Symptoms of in-coordination. Painful swelling of pit of stomach. Great desire for sweets. Intolerance of heat. Sexual weakness of males. Diarrhea immediately after eating or drinking.

Arnica Montana

Traumatic injuries. Pain from overuse of an organ. Fetid breath. Violent spasmodic cough. Angina pectoris. Small boils. Thrombosis. Tinnitus.

Arsenicum Album

Influenza with thin, watery and excoriating nasal discharge. Sneezing. Photophobia. Seaside complaints. Restlessness. Food poisoning. Intolerance of smell of food. Jaundice. Anemia. Skin dry, rough, scaly. Psoriasis which is worse in winters. periodic fever. Typhoid. Thoughts of committing suicide.

Baptisia

Septic conditions. Fetid breath. Stool offensive, thin, dark, bloody. Menses too early, too profuse. Sleeplessness and restlessness. Nightmares and frightful dreams.

Baryta Carbonica

Tonsils and glands around ears painful and swollen. Easy taking of cold. Abdomen hard and tense. Palpitation when lying on left side. Fetid foot sweat.

Belladonna

Sudden and violent complaints and inflammations. Neuralgic pains which come and go suddenly. No thirst. Redness of affected organs. Skin sore and sensitive. Dysmenorrhea, menses profuse. Eyelids red and swollen. Epistaxis. Spasmodic hiccough.

Berberis Vulgaris

Kidney and gall bladder stones. Inflammation of kidneys. Bloody urine. Anal fistula. Itching of skin worsened by scratching. Lumbago.

Bryonia Alba

Excessive irritability. Dryness of all mucous membranes. Great thirst for large quantities of water. Constipation. Menses suppressed. Frequent bleeding of nose when menses should appear. Dry cough. Joints red and swollen. All complaints are aggravated by motion.

Urinary Tract Infection

Aconitum apellus
This remedy is often useful when a person feels anxious both before and during urination, with hot, scanty urine, and a burning or spasmodic feeling in the outlet of the bladder. It can also be helpful if retention of urine occurs after a person has been very cold and chilled, or after a shaking experience.
Apis mellifica
This remedy is indicated when the person frequently needs to urinate, but only small quantities are passed. Stinging and burning sensations are felt (especially with the last few drops) and the person may also experience soreness in the abdomen. Heat and touch make the symptoms worse, and cold applications, cool bathing, and open air bring relief. A lack of thirst is another indication that Apis may be needed.
Belladonna
This remedy may be beneficial if urging to urinate is frequent and intense, and the bladder feels very sensitive. A cramping or writhing sensation may be felt in the bladder area. Small amounts of highly-colored urine pass. (This remedy is sometimes helpful if a person passes small amounts of blood and no serious cause can be found on medical examination.)
Berberis vulgaris
Cystitis with twinges of cutting pain, or a burning feeling that extends to the urethra and its opening, may indicate a need for this remedy. The passage may also burn at times when no attempt at urination is being made. After emptying the bladder, the person feels as if some urine still remains inside. Urging and discomfort are often worse from walking.
Cantharis
Strong urging to urinate-with cutting pains that are felt before the urine passes, as well as during and after-may indicate a need for this remedy. Only several drops pass at a time, with a scalding sensation. The person may feel as if the bladder has not been emptied, still feeling a constant urge to urinate.
Borax
This remedy can be helpful for cystitis with smarting pain in the urinary opening and aching in the bladder, with a feeling that the urine is retained. Children may cry or shriek, afraid to urinate because they know the pain is coming. Borax is often indicated for people who are sensitive to noise and inclined toward motion sickness.
Chimaphila umbellata
If a person has a troublesome urge to urinate but has to strain (or even stand up and lean forward) to make it pass, this remedy may be useful. A scalding sensation may be felt while the urine flows, with a feeling of straining afterward.
Clematis
This remedy may be indicated if a person has to urinate frequently with only a small amount being passed. A feeling of constriction is felt in the urinary passage, and the flow may be interrupted, or there may be dribbling afterward. A tingling sensation may occur, lasting long after urination is finished.
Equisetum
If cystitis is accompanied by dull but distressing pain and a feeling of fullness in the bladder, even after urinating, this remedy may be helpful. Urging and discomfort are more intense when the bladder has recently been emptied, improving over time as the bladder become more full.
Lycopodium
This remedy may be helpful if a person has to urinate frequently during the night and passes large amounts of urine. Or the person may feel a painful urge, but has to strain to make the urine flow. Pain may be felt in the back before the urine passes. (If fever is present, the urine has a reddish color, or discomfort is felt in the kidney region, the person should see a doctor.)
Nux vomica
Irritable bladder with a constant need to urinate, passing only small amounts, suggests a need for this remedy. Burning or cramping pain may be felt in the bladder area, with an itching sensation in the urethra while the urine passes. The person may feel very irritable, impatient, and chilly. Symptoms may be relieved by hot baths or other forms of warmth.
Sarsaparilla
This remedy is often useful in cystitis and often helps when symptoms are unclear, or if other remedies have not been effective. Frequent urging is felt, with burning pain at the end of urination. Urine passes when the person is standing up, but only dribbling occurs while sitting. Flakes or sediment are sometimes seen in the urine. (Sarsaparilla is sometimes helpful when stones are forming or the kidneys are involved; however, these conditions need a doctor's care.)
Sepia
This remedy may be helpful if a person has to urinate frequently, with sudden urging, a sense that urine will leak if urination is delayed, and small amounts of involuntary urine loss. The person may experience a bearing-down feeling in the bladder region, or pressure above the pubic bone. A person who needs this remedy often feels worn-out and irritable, with cold extremities, and a lax or sagging feeling in the pelvic area.
Staphysagria
This remedy is often indicated for cystitis that develops in a woman after sexual intercourse, especially if sexual activity is new to her, or if cystitis occurs after every occasion of having sex. Pressure may be felt in the bladder after urinating, as if it is still not empty. A sensation that a drop of urine is rolling through the urethra, or a constant burning feeling, are other indications. Staphysagria is also useful for cystitis that develops after illnesses with extended bed rest, or after the use of catheters.

Blisters

Bubbles of fluid under the skin caused by friction or burning.
If blisters burst, bathe with calendula and hypericum solution.

Itching, burning blisters. A cold compress provides soothing relief. then
Cantharis 12C, 4 times a day until pain subsides.

Red, swollen and itchy blisters. then
Rhus Toxicodendron 12C, 4 times a day until pain subsides.

Insect Bites & Stings

Stung area is swollen, bruised and painful. then
Arnica Montana 30C every 5 minutes, up to 10 doses, followed by:
Ledum Palustre 6C every 8 hours, up to 3 days.

Stung area is red, feels hot and swollen. then
Apis Mellifica 30C every 15 minutes, up to 6 doses.

Cuts, Scrapes & Bruises

If bleeding, infection may occur.
Clean wound with a sterile gauze soaked in calendula and hypericum lotion.

Moderate to severe bruising. then
Arnica Montana 30C every 2 hours, up to 6 doses, then 3 doses a day for 3 days.

Wound feels cold and numb. Soothing feeling with cold compress. then
Ledum Palustre 6C every 2 hours, up to 6 doses, then 3 doses a day for 3 days.

Wounds with shooting nerve pain. then
Hypericum Perforatum 30C every 2 hours for up to 3 days.

Burns

Burns range from insignificant, though painful injuries, to life-threatening ones. The extent of body surface affected is a key to the seriousness of the injury. (if a large portion of the body is affected, or the burns are third degree, send to the hospital).If there is an element of shock, give Arnica immediately. When the shock has passed the burned person may feel more pain, so Cantharis 30c can be given every 15 minutes.Cantharis is a specific to prevent the after-effects of burns and scalds and can be kept in the kitchen. It prevents blister formation. If a large area of the skin is burnt or scalded, apply Cantharis 30c over the affected part (diluted with water) to reduce the burning pain. Also give doses of Cantharis 30 internally.

Urtica urens lotion made from stinging nettle, is a soothing external burn remedy when there is stinging, burning and prickling sensation. A leaf from an Aloe vera plant can be split and the gel can be applied to the burn and has a rapid healing effect.

Calendula lotion can be used when healing has begun.

Hypericum lotion can be used to ease the pain of sunburn. Be sure to use on unbroken skin.

After Injury Shock, Trauma

ARNICA (mountain daisy)
ARNICA is mentioned first because it is a medicine par excellence for the shock or trauma of any injury. It is necessary to treat an injured person for shock first unless the injury is very mild or unless the person is bleeding so profusely that stopping the bleeding should be attended to immediately. Since ARNICA is the first medicine prescribed in numerous types of injuries, it is the most common medicine used in first aid. It helps reduce shock, relieve pain, diminish swelling, and begin healing. ARNICA is a great medicine for injuries to muscles, especially when there is pain from overexertion.
ARNICA is also an excellent medicine before or after surgery since the body experiences a state of shock from these medical procedures. It is used as well before and after dental surgery, and before, during, and after labor to help the mother and infant deal with the shock and stress of birth.
Common conditions for use: Shock or trauma of injury; surgical shock; muscle injuries.
HYPERICUM (St. John's Wort)
HYPERICUM is an excellent medicine for injuries to nerves or to injured parts of the body which are richly supplied with nerves (fingers, toes, the spine). Generally, such injuries have sharp or shooting pains, and the injured part is very sensitive to touch. HYPERICUM is also good for old injuries to nerves which still seem to both the person.
King George VI of England was so impressed by the effectiveness of HYPERICUM that he named his prize racehorse after it.
Common conditions for use: Injuries to nerves.
URTICA URENS (Stinging Nettle)
As you might have predicted from learning about the law of similars, URTICA URENS is the medicine of choice for burns (stinging nettle, as you may know, causes a burn upon contact with the spine of the plant). URTICA URENS in external application is also helpful in diminishing the pain of the burn and in promoting healing. Such application should be diluted approximately one part of URTICA URENS with ten parts water.
Common conditions for use: burns.
LEDUM (Marsh Tea)
LEDUM is the best medicine for puncture wounds, whether it be from a needle, a nail, or other sharp object. Deep punctures or punctures from rusty nail should receive medical attention, but this should not delay you from taking LEDUM which has no side-effects and which can be helpful in healing wounds and preventing tetanus. LEDUM is also commonly prescribed for insect stings and animal bites. It's applicable as well to people with severe bruising (black eyes or blows from firm objects), especially if the affected part feels cold and yet feels relieved by cold applications.
Common conditions for use: puncture wounds; insect bites.
RHUS TOX (Poison Ivy)
Although some people cringe when they even hear someone mention poison ivy, it is an obten prescribed homeopathic medicine (in non-toxic homeopathically prepared dose!). It is a great medicine for certain types of skin conditions (since it causes them!) as well as for numerous other conditions which homeopaths have found it causes in overdose. One of the conditions it causes in overdose is the rupturing of ligaments and tendons. Because of this, it is the most common medicine prescribed for sprains and strains, especially the type of sprain and strain that is worse upon initial motion but that is better upon continued motion. It is also a medicine given for dislocated joints. ARNICA is another medicine to condition for dislocations.
Common condition for use: Sprains or strains.
RUTA (Rue)
RUTA is the medicine given for severe sprains where the person has a torn or wrenched tendon, split ligament, or bruised periosteum (bone covering). It is also the most common medicine prescribed for recent or old injuries to the knee or elbow. As such, it is one of the medicine prescribed for "tennis elbow."
Common conditions for use: Severe sprain; injury to the bone.
SYMPHYTUM (Comfrey)
Homeopaths, like herbalists, use SYMPHYTUM for fractures. Homeopaths, however, give their medicine in potentized dose rather than in teas and poultices as done by herbalists. Although one must go to a physician to have the fracture re-set and placed in a cast, SYMPHYTUM will relieve pain and promote rapid healing of the fracture. Besides its application in fractures, SYMPHYTUM is a great medicine for injuries to the eyeball, bones around the eyes, and the cheekbones.
Common conditions for use: Fractures; facial injuries.
External Applications
Some homeopathic medicines are used externally,* including:
CALENDULA (Marigold)
CALENDULA TINCTURE (in an alcohol base), GEL, SPRAY, and OINTMENT are invaluable external applications in treating cuts and abrasions. CALENDULA is known to have antiseptic properties due to its organic iodine content. CALENDULA helps stop bleeding, inhibits infection, and promotes granulation of tissues to help heal wounds and burns. CALENDULA TINCTURE should not be applied directly on a cut since its alcohol content causes stinging pain. It is best to dilute this tincture with a little water. If you'd like to avoid this effort, you can instead directly apply CALENDULA GEL, SPRAY, or OINTMENT.
Note: CALENDULA works so rapidly in healing the skin that it is not recommended for use in deep cuts. In deep cuts CALENDULA sometimes can close and heal the outside skin before the tissue underneath is completely healed.
Common conditions for use: Cuts, abrasions, burns.
HYPERICUM (St. John's Wort)
HYPERICUM TINCTURE is recommended as an external application in treating deep cuts since it helps heal internal structures as well as the skin. It also has the ability to close open wounds and thus sometimes prevents the need for stitches. HYPERICUM is also used for septic (infected) wounds (CALENDULA, in comparison, is primarily good for clean uninfected cuts). HYPERICUM TINCTURE, like other external applications which have an alcohol base, should be diluted prior to application.

Arthritis

Arsenicum album (arsenic trioxide, white oxide of arsenic). In its crude form, arsenic is a deadly poison: when applied topically, it can literally corrode skin tissue; when ingested, it damages blood vessels and ultimately leads to organ damage throughout the body. However, in the right form and amount, arsenic is known to be a treatment for several different illnesses—and has been known as such since physicians in ancient Greece and Rome started using it. Samuel Hahnemann introduced arsenic to homeopathy in 1828, and it has been used as a remedy ever since.
Homeopaths generally prescribe arsenicum album to those people whose symptoms tend to be worse at night than in the morning, improve with heat and warm drinks, and include anxiety and fear.

Aurum metallicum (metallic gold). Similar to the gold compounds used to treat arthritis in mainstream medicine, aurum metallicum is a remedy for a variety of disturbances. Homeopathic gold comes in a fine brown powder which is prepared by a process called trituration. Trituration, which involves grinding down the powder and diluting it with milk sugars, is necessary because gold is not soluble in water or alcohol.
Typically, homeopaths prescribe aurum metallicum to arthritis patients who complain that the pain in their fingers or limbs feels worse from sunset to sunrise, is least problematic in the morning, and gets better during the day.

Bryonia alba (wild bryony, wild hops). Bryonia, which is derived from a climbing vine known as Cucurbitaceae, is one of the most effective homeopathic remedies for rheumatic conditions. It acts especially on fibrous tissues, including ligaments and tendons, as well as nerves. The illnesses usually associated with bryonia are more likely to occur in warm, damp climates.
A homeopath is most likely to suggest bryonia to an individual who seems sluggish and dull of mind, whose symptoms improve with exposure to cool, fresh air and worsen with movement and touch. Rest and a diet consisting mostly of cold foods may also be recommended.

Calcarea carbonica (Calcarea ostrearum, oystershell). Derived from the pure white portion of oyster shells, this homeopathic remedy has as its primary component the mineral calcium. The fifth most abundant element in the body, calcium is essential to the body's formation and repair of bone tissue. Calcarea carbonica, therefore, is especially useful for those people suffering from osteoarthritis.
A person for whom this remedy would be most helpful would have symptoms that improved in a dry, warm climate and worsened in the cold and with any type of exertion. Generally speaking, the calcarea patient tends to have pale skin and a plump figure, among other qualities.

Pulsatilla (windflower, meadow anemone). This remedy derives from the perennial herb known as Pulsatilla nigricans; it is prepared from the whole fresh plant when it is in flower. In addition to its use as a remedy for arthritis, it is also known to help in eye disease, uterine disorders, and menstrual cramping.
For those with arthritis symptoms, a homeopath is most likely to prescribe pulsatilla to someone who, like Marjorie, is warm and compassionate, complains about the heat, and (if female) has associated menstrual problems. Symptoms tend to worsen with heat and rich food, and improve with open air and cold applications.

Rhus toxicodendron (poison ivy). Derived from a plant with which campers, hikers, and adventurous children are all too familiar, this homeopathic remedy was first used by a French physician in 1798. It affects the skin, mucous membranes, and, of special importance to those with arthritis, fibrous tissue including joints, tendons, and sheaths.
People who do best with Rhus tox., as it is known, tend to be anxious and despondent and have symptoms that improve with warmth and warm, dry weather. Other common traits of Rhus tox. include frequent rashes, dryness of the mouth and throat, and a dry cough.

Understanding Homeopathy

In the early nineteenth century, a German scientist named Samuel Hahnemann developed a revolutionary theory of health and medicine. Derived from the Greek work homoios (meaning "similar") and pathos (meaning "suffering"), homeopathy remains a striking alternative to the way that modern medicine looks at health and disease, particularly chronic conditions such as arthritis. Inside every human, Hahnemann believed, was a "vital force," a life power, that animates and rules the body, keeping it in balance and health. Disease occurs when a disturbance of this vital force takes place. Homeopathy considers symptoms of disease to be the external evidence of the vital force's internal attempts to bring the body back to a state of balance. An aching hip or knee, for instance, might represent the body's effort to release accumulated toxins and waste products from the muscles.
Furthermore, Samuel Hahnemann was a deeply spiritual man who believed that a physician's role should be to help a patient's own body heal itself, that true healing could not take place by simply administering drugs that would, in essence, override the body's natural processes. To a homeopath, a "disease" consists of the symptoms produced by the body in its own efforts to heal itself. To help the body achieve that goal—to strengthen its vital force against an illness—a homeopath administers remedies designed to match these symptoms, not to alleviate them as Western medicine attempts to do. This principle is known as Hahnemann's Law of Similars, or "like cures like." By making symptoms worse, a remedy attempts to strengthen the body's own power to heal itself. In fact, according to homeopathic theory, any therapy that attempts to suppress the free flow of symptoms—including the use of painkillers—will actually prolong the underlying disturbance since it prevents the body from being able to heal itself.
Another theory of homeopathic medicine is known as the Law of Infinitesimals. First developed by Hahnemann in order to reduce the side effects of often potentially toxic chemicals, this theory states that the smaller the dose of medicine, the greater its potency and its effect on the body's vital force. Homeopathic remedies are extracts derived by soaking plant, animal, mineral, or other biological material in alcohol or water to form what homeopaths call the "mother tincture." This tincture is again diluted with alcohol in ratios of one part tincture to 10 or 100 parts of alcohol or water shaken vigorously, then diluted again.
This process of shaking and diluting, repeated several times, is known as "succussion." Many researchers believe that through succussion the vital energy of a substance is transferred to the tincture. Therefore, the more times the solution is passed through succussion, the more potent the remedy, even though there appears to be no trace of the original herb or mineral left. Finally, the resulting solution is added to tablets, usually made of sucrose and lactose.
As you know from reading about Marjorie Williams's experience, homepaths write prescriptions only after they carefully evaluate a patient's particular set of symptoms and physical and emotional make-up. Indeed, a session with a homeopath may be a unique experience for those of us accustomed to Western medicine's approach to diagnosis and treatment. Generally speaking, a homeopath will spend much more time talking to a patient about symptoms and lifestyle factors, and look more carefully at her demeanor, personality, and coloring, than would a mainstream physician.
According to homeopathic tenets, mental and emotional disturbances are more serious than physical illnesses, primarily because they can themselves cause physical disease. High stress levels and the emotions they provoke (such as anger, anxiety, and irritability) may cause or exacerbate the pain of arthritis. A homeopath will spend a great deal of time talking to you about stress and your ability to cope with it before she prescribes a remedy.
In fact, the way a homeopath treats chronic conditions like arthritis pain depends entirely on an individual's particular pattern of symptoms: not everyone with inflammation of the finger joints, for instance, experiences the same kind of pain at the same time or in exactly the same place, or for the same reasons. While a conventional, mainstream physician would probably offer roughly the same treatment to almost everyone (usually a combination of painkillers, exercise, or surgery), a homeopath recognizes several different symptom patterns and has corresponding remedies for each one. The homeopath then matches the patient's symptoms with the pattern of symptoms produced by a remedy. The more closely the remedy matches the total pattern of the patient, the more effective the remedy will be.
Furthermore, the symptoms that first bring someone to the doctor (called common symptoms in homeopathy) are rarely the most important symptoms when it comes to selecting a remedy. Instead, homeopaths give general symptoms, which include the patient's state of mind and mood, more weight in determining a treatment. Other symptoms, called particular symptoms, are those that pertain to any given organ or structure of the body (muscle pain, for instance). They, too, are less important than the general symptoms. Most important of all are what homeopaths call strange, rare, and peculiar; as their name implies, they are symptoms that are completely unique to the individual describing them. A man who says that his knees feel as if they are locked in place and a woman who feels as if her fingers are on fire are examples of two people with strange, rare, and peculiar symptoms. Even if each of them also has been diagnosed with arthritis, they would probably be given different remedies by a homeopath.
One more important aspect of homeopathy is the Law of Cure, which postulates that symptoms disappear in the reverse order of appearance. In other words, the last symptoms to appear will be the first to disappear with treatment. If someone has had many health problems in his life, he may find that symptoms of past problems reappear as homeopathic treatment continues. Someone who comes to a homeopath with arthritis, for instance, may find that she briefly develops symptoms of bronchitis, a previous illness. Marjorie found that her cough, due to an unknown underlying problem, briefly emerged but then disappeared. Slowly but surely, working backward in time, the homeopathic remedy or remedies will restore strength to the vital force and balance to the internal environment.