 I have a confession to make: I’m always amazed when somebody says they don’t experience headaches. As someone who has been known to experience headaches, it’s unfathomable to me that people exist who have never experienced such a thing. We headache sufferers assume everybody knows what we’re talking about. According to Stovner (et al. 2022), 52% of the world population experiences headaches. 14% experience migraines. Up to 1 adult in 20 has a headache every - or nearly every - day (World Health Organization 2014). Wow. Painful. Disabling. Disruptive. Exhausting. Boring. Troublesome. Worrisome. Irksome. Annoying. I don’t think there are any pleasant words to use for headaches because having a headache is a thoroughly unpleasant experience. I have written previously about headaches and homeopathy (see: “The Road Less Traveled” and now let’s take a look at how the cell salts may help. Headaches are well indicated in most cell salts with the exception of Calc fluor and Kali mur. But, as we have learned previously, my headache is not like your headache and your headache is not like your neighbor’s headache, and so on, and so on, and so on… (See “Garbage In, Garbage Out”.) So let’s break down the cell salt headaches, shall we? Location, causation, pain quality and concomitant (accompanying) symptoms all play an important role in landing on the “right” cell salt for headaches. Calc phos may be worse near the region of sutures (a seam-like immovable junction between two bones; where the skull bones meet). The pain may be burning or throbbing and may be brought on by over-study, watching television or after receiving sad or bad news. Gut issues may be involved, like: diarrhea, flatulence, and nausea. Musculoskeletally speaking, these headaches may accompany trembling hands or rheumatism. Calc sulph has pain around the whole head. It may be caused by injuries or blows or sinusitis and may be accompanied by vertigo and nausea. A Ferr phos headache may feel as if a nail has been driven into the head with throbbing in the temples or over the eyes. These headaches could be caused by weather (cold, sun or heat) or a rush of blood to the head and may be accompanied by fever; photophobia; red eyes and face; a tender scalp or vomiting. Motion and noise may make it worse. Kali phos headaches may be described as “nervous headaches” with what feels like a weight in the back part of the head. Students or others who are worn out and exhausted may need this and may find an empty feeling in the stomach or vomiting with weariness and yawning. These headaches might be worse in the evening or in a heated room and extraneous noise may be unwanted. Kali sulph may feel like the head has been placed in a vice or as if a metal band has been put around the head. These headaches often begin in the evening and may result from becoming heated. Accompanying chills, dizziness or nausea may be present. Mag phos headache pain may be described as darting or excruciating, pounding, shooting, sharp, stinging or spasmodic. These headache sufferers may be irritable with possible sparks in their vision before or during the headache. Nat mur is a big headache remedy — for hammering, throbbing, dull, or periodical headaches with a lot of mucus and/or lachrymation and profuse saliva. Vision may be disturbed. There may be chills or constipation or eye pain. These headaches may be before, during or after a fever. Becoming heated, over-exertion of the eyes, injuries, walking or running, sun exposure or sinusitis may bring this headache on. The person may feel depressed or dull; the headache may be worse in the mornings. Nat phos headaches may be felt on the top of the head, especially on waking in the morning. These headaches are felt as pressure, intense with heat and nausea; the skull feels too full and there is a tight feeling in the head. Drinking wine or milk, as well as eyestrain may bring on this headache which may also be accompanied by gastric issues or sour vomit. Nat sulph is well known for its use in head injuries. These headaches may be felt as a pulsation on the top of the head and may be described as a “sick” headache and be accompanied by nausea and a bitter taste in the mouth with salivation. Dizziness and the vomiting of bile may be worse in damp, warm weather. Silicea headaches may be chronic and experienced as coming up from the nape of the neck. These headaches may be brought on from heat, eyestrain, fasting, overdoing it physically (lifting/straining of muscles), study or sex. The person may be oversensitive. The pain may be accompanied by chills, fever, insomnia, vomiting or weakness. Vision may be disturbed or dim and they may experience noises in the ears, a roaring, as well as being sensitive to noises. Generally speaking, headaches in children respond well to Ferr phos or Calc phos; Calc phos especially if the headache occurs during dentition. Students may respond well to Nat mur, Calc phos or Silicea. Headaches are terrible. Chronic headaches are nearly unbearable. If you are a chronic headache sufferer, click here for a free introductory chat to see if homeopathy may be helpful to you. Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits Reference list
Stovner, L. J., Hagen, K., Linde, M. and Steiner, T. J., 2022. The global prevalence of headache: an update, with analysis of the influences of methodological factors on prevalence estimates. The Journal of Headache and Pain [online], 23 (1). World Health Organization, 2014. Headache disorders: How common are headaches? [online]. www.who.int.
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 On the 8th day of cell salts, Dr. Schüssler gave to us… Magnesium phosphoricum. Like Kali phos, Mag phos helps with nerve issues but dealing with muscular nerves and fibers. Mag phos is an anti-spasmodic and anti-neuralgic — a relaxant for nerves and muscles as well as a nerve stabilizer. Mag phos is the nutritional remedy of the nerves. Mag phos is an excellent pain remedy: pains that shoot from place to place; spasmodic pains; sharp pains; cramping pains; pains that come and go suddenly — conditions like PMS. For pains that run along nerves like sciatica. Conditions which may benefit from Mag phos:
Mentally and emotionally, Mag phos may be irritable, angry, sleepless — their pain is taking center stage. Mag phos is a little different than all the other cells salts in that it “acts especially well, given in hot water” (Boericke 1916). “For speedy symptomatic relief of spasmodic ailments, dissolve 1-2 tablets under the tongue. Then dissolve 2-3 tablets in some hot water, taken in sips. Hold the liquid under the tongue for a minute each time. The 6x potency is usually sufficient” (Weintraub 1999). Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits Reference list
Boericke, W., 1916. Pocket manual of homeopathic materia medica comprising the characteristic and guiding symptoms of all remedies. accessed through Radar Opus software. New York, Boericke & Runyon. Carey, G. W., 1996. The Biochemic System of Medicine. Health Research Books. Chapman, E., 1960. How to Use the Twelve Tissue Salts. Nutri Books. Dewey, W. A. and Boericke, W., 2022. The Twelve Tissue Remedies of Schüssler: Comprising the Theory, Therapeutic Application, Materia Medica, and a Complete Repertory of These Remedies. H. Legare Street Press. Hyland's, 2024. Cell Salt #1 Calc Fluor [online]. Hyland’s. McCabe, V., 2009. The Healing Echo. ReadHowYouWant.com. Schuesslertissuessalts.com.au, n.d. Schuessler Tissue Salts - 150 Years Of Natural Medicine In Australia [online]. Schuessler Tissue Salts. Schüssler, W. H., 2003. Schüssler’s twelve tissue remedies : comprising the theory, therapeutic applications, materia medica and a complete repertory of tissue remedies. Sittingbourne, Kent: Homæopathic Book Service. Strbac, L., 2024. Schuessler’s Tissue Salts Rediscovered. Weintraub, S., 1999. Natural healing with cell salts. Pleasant Grove, Ut: Woodland Pub.  I was listening to a Russel Brand podcast the other day where he was talking to the man who began VivoBarefoot* shoe company -- shoes that changed my world. I used to love my pointy-toe cowboy boots and my high heels and for a minute there I had some kickin' little, pointy toe boots made from army green cloth -- they didn't last long, but I loved them! Somewhere along the line, a body worker suggested my footwear may be playing a part in my hip/spine aches. So, me being me, always looking for ways to improve my condition, I put my binding and lifting (but cute!) shoes on the shelf and moved to a shoe with a negative or zero-drop heel and a wide toe box. Lo and behold, it helped! A lot. I'm never going back. It wasn’t over night, that’s for sure. It took quite a while to build up those long under-used muscles. When I first began, the ache in my feet, going all the way up the leg was definitely a thing. (If you are going to give this a try, be sure to go slowly — wearing the barefoot shoe for short periods of time and building up to a full day.) The only problem, though, was that the bulk of these shoes were not cute. I would look down at my feet and think, “I’m wearing clown shoes.” But, I stuck with my unfashionable shoes and my toes can now move around like never before — the way they are supposed to. (Note: overall, comfy shoes are much better looking now than when I began this process.) There are zero-drop shoes and there are minimalist shoes (like the Vivo Barefoot I mentioned earlier, as well as what I call my “frog feet” shoes — Vibram Five Fingers* — which they now do a nice job of disguising, but when I first started wearing them they were really goofy looking). The point of minimalist shoes is to allow your feet to use all those muscles that become under-utilized when wearing modern comfy, squishy shoes. There are a lot of muscles in your feet and all those muscles connect to all those other muscles and ligaments and tendons and joints going all the way up the chain -- you know, the foot bone is connected to the ankle bone…. (For a little look at what’s going on down there: (Card and Bordoni 2020). As we have all experienced, when your feet hurt, everything hurts. I have written a little bit about plantar fasciitis and heel spurs here. Without going into specific foot problems, a place to start for sore feet would be my go-to combination for all things joints/muscles: Arnica/Ruta/Rhus. See here and here. Why Arnica, Ruta and Rhus? Arnica is the first remedy to think about for trauma/injury. Excellent for bruising and muscle pain, in general. Ruta is good for connective tissues -- tendons and ligaments as well as stiffness. Rhus tox is a go-to for joint issues and is highly indicated in the following specific feet issues:
If you want to get a little more specific, rather than taking a combo remedy, try one of these remedies on for size… Foot pain that extends upward: Ledum palustre As if sprained: Arnica or Rhus tox Toenail injuries: Arnica or Hypericum Cramps: Mag-phos or Calc carb Pain while sitting (the pain lessens during continued movement) & feels better in warmth: Rhus tox Pain while standing: Ruta Sole pain: Causticum Shooting pain or tearing pain: Kali-carb Take a step in the right direction and try some homeopathy and see if you can get a little relief for those sore tootsies. Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits * I have no affiliation with any of these companies. I just like their products. Reference list
Card, R. K. and Bordoni, B., 2020. Anatomy, Bony Pelvis and Lower Limb, Foot Muscles [online]. PubMed. Kassel, G., 2022. What’s the Deal with Zero-Drop Shoes? [online]. Shape. Vibram, 2023. FiveFingers: The Original Barefoot Toe Shoes | Vibram [online]. Vivo Barefoot, 2023. Shoespiracy 2| Vivobarefoot | USA [online]. www.vivobarefoot.com.  “Homeopathic treatment is always worthwhile, even in individuals who are seriously ill and in need of care where there is no hope of complete recovery of health” (Teut and Doppler 2019). This topic is near and dear to me… Arthritis (this article focuses on osteoarthritis). Every time I have had an x-ray done over the last 10 or so years, they came back and said there is arthritis in there. Why would I have so many xrays? Cuz I had pain, that’s why. I have x-ray evidence of arthritis in my hands, (fingers and wrists), feet, ankles, knees and following an injury as a teenager, I was told the left side of my jaw was “bone on bone.” I’m pretty sure that were I to have further imaging on my hips and low back and neck that arthritis would be seen in those places, too. Now, I would like to point out that in that last paragraph I used the past tense. Since using homeopathy to address my arthritis, my pain levels have absolutely plummeted. It’s a rare day when my hands ache. I walk about 3 miles a day and while I do sometimes have some stiffness afterward, it is short-lived and soon forgotten. I’m not going to say all my joints are in perfect working order, but compared to where I was (and, definitely as compared to where I was headed), I have very few complaints at the age of 55. I had way more pain and discomfort 10-20 years ago. (I credit homeopathy for the bulk of my relief, but in addition to exercising regularly, I also eat a good, healthy whole foods diet, including plenty of bone broth and I also credit rolfing, too.) Once we hit age 65, nearly half (47.4%) of Americans have been diagnosed by a doctor as having arthritis (Brooks et al. 2018). If we want to add in people who have not bothered to get an official diagnosis, I’m willing to bet that number is considerably higher. Dr. Andrew Lockie (1993) estimates that 90% of people over the age of 40 have some degree of osteoarthritis in one or more joints. Along with the physical discomfort, osteoarthritis and all its limitations can lead to depression and sleep disturbances (Brooks et al. 2018). Additionally, anxiety and depression can lower your pain threshold and then the chronic pain aggravates the anxiety and depression — resulting in a vicious circle. See? It’s a good thing to try and get a handle on as soon as possible! What exactly is arthritis and who gets it? “Arthritis” is painful inflammation and stiffness of the joints. (Joints, as a reminder, are places where two bones meet.) Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease. Degeneration is structural or functional breakdown. Common symptoms include pain, redness, heat and swelling. The most commonly affected joints are: hands, knees, hips, neck and lower back. In addition to the breakdown, small bone growths (osteophytes or bone spurs see also: The Importance of a Proper Diagnosis) may grow on the edges of the joint. Or, a bit can break off and float inside the joint space. (I had this as a kid when I chipped my patella). Did I mention that I have had more than my fair share of injuries? I was a busy kid, playing hard and getting hurt! The receptionist at the orthopedist’s office once said to me, “you really do love us, don’t you?” Anyone can get it, though generally speaking, it’s not a problem until we age — especially women when it develops after menopause. Though young people can get it as a result of an injury or a genetic defect. Why is osteoarthritis so common? Joint injury, obesity, genetics and anatomical factors affect joint mechanics (Shane Anderson and Loeser 2010). But, wear and tear takes its toll and “age remains the single greatest risk factor for the development of OA in susceptible joints.” So, how can homeopathy help arthritis? It’s very important to remember that conventional medicine doesn’t have a lot to offer in terms of helping osteoarthritis. The first line treatments are pain relievers, according to Mayo Clinic: Tylenol, Advil and Duloxetine (Cymbalta). (I highly recommend looking into the side effects of any medicines you plan on putting in your body. Drugs.com is a quick way to do this.) Other therapies which may be helpful include: physical therapy to strengthen the muscles around the joint; occupational therapy, and Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS*) — low-voltage current to relieve pain. Beyond these, then we’re looking at more serious interventions, including cortisone injections and surgery to replace damaged joints. Homeopathy is not the absolute answer to every problem (though I think it's pretty close!) What homeopathy can do is to assist your body to wellness. When I began using homeopathy to treat my arthritis, as much as I was wanting an overnight success, that’s not how it works. The first few remedies I used went a long way at relieving my immediate discomfort, taking the edge off, so to speak. There is a lot to undo after a lifetime of wear and tear. It wasn't until I got into some deeper remedies that the daily pain disappeared. Let’s start with some support remedies: cell salts, (also known as tissue salts/remedies or biochemical medicine or Schüssler’s tissue salts). Cell salts are derived from substances that are naturally present in the human body, intended to nourish and balance our bodies; they are our building blocks. Dr. Schüssler “worked by the theory of deficiency. The idea of deficiency is that, if we can ascertain exactly which mineral salt or salt the body’s cells are starving for, and if we can give the body those salts in a manner in which it can absorb and digest them, then the cells will be nourished and the balance needed for function, form and good health will result.” “The cell salts are, therefore, a strange balance between allopathy and homeopathy, or, better put, a balance between homeopathy and nutritional medicine.” (McCabe 2009). Dr. Carey (1894) recommends three cell salts** for arthritis: Ferrum phos for an acute attack with very painful joints which are worse on movement. Tenalgia crepitans, (inflammation of a tendon sheath in which movement of the tendon is accompanied by a cracking sound). Natrum phos “is indicated in all cases of rheumatism of the joints.” Natrum sulph should be given alternately with Ferr phos in acute cases, but in chronic cases, Nat sulph alone may be helpful; especially in joints of the fingers. Other cell salts which may be helpful: Kali mur: in acute arthritis may be alternated with Ferr phos. Movement makes the pains worse; tenalgia crepitans. Natrum mur: for chronic arthritis; the joints crack; synovitis; rheumatic arthritis, especially of finger joints; hot, painful swellings of the knee joint. Mag phos is useful for the (violent) pains; excruciating pains which are spasmodic in character. Kali sulph: for pains which shift from one joint to another and are worse by heat. Shifting and wandering rheumatic pains in the joints. Calc phos for bone health, in general. Calc fluor for enlargements of the finger joints. Cell salts are generally given in a 6x potency and they can be combined in the mouth at one time as one dose and taken twice daily. (Martin & Pleasance*** makes a Comb M for rheumatism with equal parts Calc phos, Kali mur, Nat phos and Nat sulph.) On to homeopathy itself. For dealing with the acute pain of arthritis, a quick go-to remedy is T-Relief*** or T-Relief Arthritis***, both are available in either a cream or a tablet. Medinatura*** also makes/sells BHI Arthritis Pain Relief***. All three of these combos are made of slightly different remedies. The individual remedies which are shared between these combinations are worth investigating. Arnica for soreness all over the body. Worse for touch, pressure, cold or cold, damp weather. Worse for motion. Bryonia for excruciating, often stitching pains. Worse for the slightest motion (they just want to be still) and heat. Even though they are worse for moving, they feel restless. Better for pressure and warmth on the painful part, lying still, especially lying on the painful side. Joints may be hot and swollen. May seem irritable. Dulcamera is worse especially in damp weather, and cold damp autumn and the change of weather in general. Better for motion and warmth. Ledum may have some swelling and coldness in the affected joint. Worse for heat or becoming over-heated and motion. Though they may be chilly, they feel better for cold applications or cold bathing. Pain in the small joints, especially the toes and joint pains seem to progress up the body. Ledum is particularly good for the feet and lower legs. The soles of the feet may be painful. Ledum can also be helpful for the after-effects of steroid injections. Rhus tox (see also: Rhymes with Box) is a good remedy for all forms of rheumatism. Worse in the morning on waking, cold, sitting still (resting) and when first moving. Better after getting up and going, continued motion and hot baths or showers. They may be restless and feel better if they keep moving. All of these remedies listed are primarily to address the acute pain of osteoarthritis. Alan Schmukler (2006) mentions that Bryonia or Rhus tox will bring relief in a majority of cases. This is just a small sampling of the most common (and readily available) remedies which may help arthritis pain. I could keep writing on homeopathic arthritis remedies for hours! There's a lot to say and a lot of individual remedies which may be further tailored to specific arthritic symptoms. I highly recommend working with a professional homeopath to try and get to the root of the issue. In the meantime, try one of these above listed remedies and see if you can get a little relief. Life is just way too short to be in constant pain and discomfort. Try some homeopathy and see if you can get back to doing things you love. Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits * I have and am very pleased with ireliev’s wireless TENS unit (though, I must say, I really don’t use it very often any more). Again, I have no affiliation with this company, I just like their product. ** It is possible to purchase a mixture of all 12 cell salts. However, I have found better results when choosing just the best indicated cell salts rather than using the full complement. ***I have no affiliation with this company, I just like their products. Reference list:
Anon., 2023. tenalgia crepitans [online]. TheFreeDictionary.com. Arthritis Foundation, 2016. Arthritis and Mental Health [online]. Arthritis.org. Brooks, J. M., Titus, A. J., Polenick, C. A., Orzechowski, N. M., Reid, M. C., MacKenzie, T. A., Bartels, S. J. and Batsis, J. A., 2018. Prevalence rates of arthritis among US older adults with varying degrees of depression: Findings from the 2011 to 2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry [online], 33 (12), 1671–1679. Carey, G. W., 1894. The Biochemic System of Medicine. F. August Luyties. Kansal, K. and Kaushal, R., 2015. Textbook of practice of medicine with homeopathic therapeutics. New Delhi: B. Jain. Lockie, A., 1993. The family guide to homeopathy : symptoms and natural solutions. New York: Simon & Schuster. Mayo Clinic, 2021. Osteoarthritis - Diagnosis and treatment - Mayo Clinic [online]. Mayoclinic.org. McCabe, V., 2009. The Healing Echo. ReadHowYouWant.com. Morrison, R., 1998. Desktop companion to physical pathology. Nevada City, Calif.: Hahnemann Clinic Publ. NIAMS, 2019. NIAMS Health Information on Arthritis [online]. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Rath, L., 2022. What Is Arthritis? [online]. www.arthritis.org. Schmukler, A. V., 2006. Homeopathy : an A to Z home handbook. Woodbury, Minn.: Llewellyn Publications. Schüssler, W. H., 2003. Schüssler’s twelve tissue remedies : comprising the theory, therapeutic applications, materia medica and a complete repertory of tissue remedies. Sittingbourne, Kent: Homæopathic Book Service. Shane Anderson, A. and Loeser, R. F., 2010. Why is osteoarthritis an age-related disease? Best Practice & Research Clinical Rheumatology, 24 (1), 15–26. Teut, M. and Doppler, C., eds. 2019. Homeopathy in Dementia: Materia Medica and Case Studies. Emryss. Thornton, P., 2022. Duloxetine: Uses, Side Effects, Dosage, Warnings [online]. Drugs.com.
 Let’s take a look at toots — you know, gas… bottom burps… farts… stink bombs… fluffer-doodles. While there certainly can be some instances which may indicate a serious medical problem for which medical treatment should be sought*, for the sake of this article, we’re going to just stick to common, everyday gas.
If you go to a conventional medical practitioner for your gas problem, they will most likely offer you one of the following:
*According to Mayo Clinic, if you have chronic or unusual abdominal pain, severe heartburn, persistent vomiting or nausea, chronic diarrhea, bloody or black stool, weight loss and loss of appetite, severe bloating, constipation or difficulty emptying your bowels, seek medical attention. All of these conventional treatments may help now and again and in the moment, but, to my knowledge, they don’t help get rid of the underlying problem. Homeopathy, on the other hand, has many remedies for many kinds of toots. When I enter “flatulence” into my homeopathic software, Dr. Robin Murphy’s repertory comes back with 849 “different” rubrics. (I put different in quotes because there are overlaps, to be sure, but it’s a clear indication of how homeopathy differs from conventional medicine.) Remedies for specific complaints stemming from gas. How cool is that? Tailored toot remedies, you might say! What kinds of flatus are there? Here are just a few descriptions from Dr. Murphy:
One of the most beautiful aspects of homeopathy is that it can not only help in the moment by relieving symptoms, it can help to lessen the problem altogether. When you are using homeopathy, you should be looking for overall improvement: the problem should be less intense and less frequent. In short, you should be looking for the problem to be getting better in general, not just in the moment. For instance, if you suffer severe gas and bloating every evening, once you are taking the “right” remedy (there are many remedies which can help with many given symptoms), the amount of gas should be less and the abdominal pressure should be less and the rumbling should quieten. Soon, it won’t be happening every night, it will be every other night and then every few nights and then only once in a while. That’s what we’re looking for -- overall improvement in the complaint. So, what are some go-to remedies for common gas? My first thought when somebody is suffering from gas and bloating is Lycopodium. Homeopathic Lycopodium is a very highly indicated remedy for gas and bloating, especially when said toots are a result of eating offending foods. Where else might Lycopodium be helpful in gaseous complaints? Abdominal pain; back pain stemming from gas; flatulence in the elderly; wind accompanying stool; evening flatus, and, rumbling guts which improve when you are able to release some air. How about that “incarcerated flatus”? Trapped wind causing cramping pain might be Lycopodium, but it might also be Carbo vegetablis (which is actually made from charcoal). If all that trapped gas makes your belly so full it can be difficult to breathe, Carbo veg is probably gonna' be your new favorite remedy. Gas during diarrhea; offensive gas; so much trapped gas that the abdomen feels hard and maybe even tender. Those poor little babies, scrunching up their legs trying to get some relief? Mag phos would be my first thought. Toots which smell like spoiled eggs? Sulphur, or, even Arnica. Another good gas remedy is Nux vomica for flatulence from anxiety; flatulence after eating or even while eating and toots which accompany coughing. If you have a potent, musical bottom, give some homeopathic remedies a try. Your loved ones will thank you! Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits  It doesn’t look like a scary place, does it? But it is! This beautiful blue sky, well, what was under that beautiful blue sky, filled my head with some dastardly little things that gave me a stonking headache and made it difficult to breathe and sleep. I was up many times in the night blowing my nose. The light frost in the morning didn’t do anything to make those bad things go away the next night, either!
I guess it’s that time of year… Hayfever season. All my life, everybody around me has suffered miserably from hayfever. It’s a new thing for me and I don’t find the number of tissues I have been blasting my way through very amusing. I have a new-found sympathy for all allergy sufferers, I can tell you that! I felt better on the drive home with the windows up and the A/C on, but it all returned again once I unpacked the truck. I had a shower to get those nasty little allergens off of me and I also had a chewable tablet that I am now going to keep a little closer to me until a good, hard frost comes in. “Combination H”: Schuessler Tissue Salts Hayfever combination.* (This page also has a nice FAQ list about tissue/cell salts.) Uh-huh, that’s what I’m talking about! Headache gone. I slept all night without having to blow my nose. Good stuff! Made in Australia by Martin & Pleasance*, they have a whole range of combination tissue salts, (or cell salts, if you prefer) for a couple of dozen common conditions. The tablets are handy, that’s for sure. But, if you don’t have this combo remedy easily at hand, you can have a dose each of Mag phos, Nat Mur and Silicea (all 6x potency) and achieve the same blessedly wonderful effect. Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits * I have no affiliation with this company, I just like their products.  Summer athletes, take heed! ER visits shoot up in the warmer months as the seasonal warriors take on the bats, balls and trails.  SPRAINS This one hits home right now as my husband is in week 3 of his really nasty sprain. Click here for an 18-second visual of what’s involved in an ankle sprain. (For the record, he wasn’t being a weekend warrior, it was just an unfortunate happenstance.) We were hours from medical care, his ankle was huge and looked very wrong. I gave him Arnica 1m immediately, to great effect. Ice. Rest. Elevation. More Arnica repeated as needed. The ER took X-rays and sent him on his way with 2 Ace bandages and told him to take ibuprofen for the pain. That was helpful. Not. The next day we were able to see a proper orthopedist who took more X-rays and this time sent him on his way with a walking/air boot and the same instructions for pain. He never resorted to the over-the-counter painkillers, I am happy to say. What to do after that? Well, some people say the X-rays can be a problem. If you’re worried about that, Nat Mur 6x, (twice daily the day of the X-ray and a few days following) is said to help. Back to sprained ankles… The number one remedy to turn to for any accident or injury is Arnica. Give it early and repeat as needed. As a general rule of thumb, the worse the injury, the higher the potency and then back off the repetition and lower the potency as the pain dictates. The next remedy to consider is Aconite to help reduce the shock which often follows a bad injury. Remember! Aconite rhymes with fright. Any situation that has been a shock to your system can benefit from Aconite. And, in this case, it can benefit not only the person who had the accident, but the person who witnessed the accident. The traditional, much accepted treatment for injuries is RICE: Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. Some injuries respond to cold, some respond to heat. Ice restricts blood flow and blood flow is what you need to heal your parts. That same blood flow is also what can cause all the swelling. I am not a physician but I have certainly had more than my fair share of injuries in my lifetime. Some of my injuries felt better with rest and elevation and ice and some felt better getting moving right away. To my mind, your pain (in addition to the input from your physician) needs to be your guide as to what is right for you. What else can help? Here are a few homeopathic suggestions and their symptoms which may help you choose the best homeopathic remedy for your injury. Arnica: Start here. “It is safe to say that 98% of patients who have suffered traumatic injury, however caused, need a dose of Arnica to begin their recovery” (Thomas 2000). A typical Arnica patient does not want anyone to touch their injured area. Sore, they may feel “beaten up” with swelling, bruising and inflammation. Topical Arnica is an option if the skin is intact. Do NOT apply Arnica to open injuries. Rhus tox: for an injury that is better for heat and continued motion. Worse on first moving. Rhus tox is better suited to simple sprains. Ruta: for an injury that is worse for motion and worse for cold application. Bruised, crushed, weak feeling. A remedy for tendons and ligaments, similar to Rhus in its pain. May feel hot to touch. Follows Arnica well to help aid in recovery. Bellis perennis: Think of this remedy if Arnica is not helping as much as you think it should be helping. Bruised pain. Like Rhus tox, a Bellis pain hurts when starting to move but gets better as you keep moving the injured area and is better from heat. A Bellis pain, though, may have the sensation of a band squeezing the injured joint. “Complicated sprains involving tendons, ligaments and soft tissue with swelling, edema and pain” (Ratera 2016). Bryonia: worse for the slightest movement of any kind. Better for rest and immobility. This person might be a little grumpy as a result of their injury. Ledum: when the injured area feels better from cold applications. Ankle feels dislocated and is worse by walking, to the point of being intolerable. The skin may be cold to the touch. Symphytum for tears at the point of tendon insertion into the bone (Ratera 2016). This remedy has been known to speed along recovery. CAUTION: do NOT use Symphytum until you are certain there is no break or fracture. Cell Salts which may be of help for sprains (Weintraub 1999):
Again, let your pain be your guide as to how long and how often you taking the remedies.  STRAINS According to American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, a sprain is a stretch and/or tear of a ligament and a strain is an injury to a muscle or tendon. Sprains generally occur in ankles, knees and wrists and strains generally occur in the back or leg, particularly the hamstring. Both injuries can range in severity and neither is necessarily worse than the other — it depends on the person and the injury. Conventional medicine again recommends RICE for strains (see above). Homeopathically, Arnica is the best place to start and may be all that you need. “Forcing, twisting, wrenching strains and tears are most likely to respond to Arnica if it is prescribed within 24 hours of the trauma” (Thomas 2000). The above list of remedies can also be applied to muscle strains with these notations: Rhus tox may be especially helpful in injuries due to lifting or over-exertion. Bryonia is especially well suited to intercostal and rib injuries. Ruta is also useful for injuries due to over-exertion. Follows Arnica well to help aid in recovery. Cell Salts which may be of help for strains (Weintraub 1999): In addition to the above listed cell salts:
 BICYCLE FALLS Number one: wear a helmet. Høye (2018) found helmet use reduced serious head injury by 60%. We just watched an interesting documentary called Bikes of Wrath where 5 young guys re-created the journey from Steinbeck’s novel of a similar name, but this time on bikes. None of them had any head injuries, but they did indeed have some strains and perhaps a sprain — in his case, it was his elbow. They certainly could have benefitted from carrying a little remedy kit with them, that's for sure! Sprains and strains are covered above, let's move on to cuts, scrapes and contusions. Once again, Arnica is the first stop for any injury. If the fall was big enough, take a dose of Aconite for any shock.  ROAD RASH (see this link for more information) Ooof! It’s been a long time since I’ve had to pick gravel out of my knee, but I can still remember how unpleasant that is! In this case, an oral dose of Arnica may be helpful because there is probably some element of bruising that will accompany the road rash, but remember DO NOT to apply Arnica to broken skin. I have no idea who this group is, but they have some clear images indicating whether hospital treatment should be sought following a skinned knee. Assuming the wound is not too bad and does not need professional medical care, clean the area and remove any debris. The Wound Care Society has some nice instructions. Calendula is where you want to start homeopathically for this injury — after the wound has been sufficiently cleaned out, that is. Calendula can be taken orally, or a Calendula tincture or cream can be applied. If you have the homeopathic pellet, but not a tincture, dissolve the Calendula pellet in some clean water and apply that to the wound. Hypericum can be used in this way, as well. Ledum is useful if the wound is deeper. It may be cool to the touch and very painful. Hypericum: like Calendula, Hypericum is very good and soothing to use topically. In fact, they can work very well together. Helios offers a lovely combination cream*. A Hypericum wound is very sensitive and is definitely indicated if any nerves are involved, like fingertips or toes. Hamamelis is very good if the wound continues to bleed. Arnica, too, can help with bleeding, but Hamamelis would be the next stop. Also very good for hematomas which may form as a result of the injury. Cell Salts which may be of help for cuts and abrasions (Weintraub 1999):
 BRUISING Guess what the first remedy is for bruising? You’re so clever! Yes, it’s Arnica! The bruise is painful and they don’t want anybody to touch it! Bellis perennis if the bruising is deeper, and especially if the bruising is in the abdominal area or breast tissue. Ledum shows up again here, too -- if the area feels better with cold application. Ruta or Symphytum if the bone is bruised or the periosteum is affected (the tissues between the bones and the skin — think of the shins or cheekbones). Cell Salts which may be of help for bruising (Weintraub 1999):
 HEAD INJURIES First off — consult a physician if you have hit your head, whether you were wearing a helmet, or not. Once again, Arnica is the place to start. Not only because it’s the go-to first remedy for any accident or injury, but in this case because Arnica is the first choice homeopathic remedy for head injury, period. Bonus! One of my favorite homeopathic books for injuries, First Aid with Homeopathy by Dr. Manuel Mateu Ratera, has a PDF of his Head Injury pages available online. The next-in-line remedy for head injuries is Nat sulph (see cell salts below). Like Arnica, Nat sulph can be used for residual effects from old head injuries. Why choose one over the other? Arnica has the general trauma/injury element to it. When to choose Nat sulph? Nat sulph has a slight edge in terms of residual effects from head injuries: concussions afterward, migraines afterward. However, Nat sulph is more clearly indicated when there is vertigo following a head injury or depression or mental dullness sets in after a head injury. Cell Salts which may be of help for head injuries (Weintraub 1999):
For some research on mild traumatic brain injuries and homeopathy, see Chapman et al. (1999). These remedies, Arnica in particular, should accompany you when you set out for any physical activities this summer. Or, better yet, purchase a little kit to throw in your bag. Taproots has nice one*. Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits * Just because NSAIDs are available over the counter does not mean they are without risks. There are plenty of studies out there talking about the downside of taking NSAIDs. Below are just a few of these studies. ** I have no affiliation with these companies, I just like their products. Reference list
American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, n.d. Sprains, Strains and Other Soft-Tissue Injuries - OrthoInfo - AAOS [online]. www.orthoinfo.org. Helios Homoeopathy, n.d. Hypericum/Calendula cream: helios-frontend [online]. www.helios.co.uk. Høye, A., 2018. Bicycle helmets – To wear or not to wear? A meta-analyses of the effects of bicycle helmets on injuries. Accident Analysis & Prevention [online], 117, 85–97. Mayo Clinic, 2018. Sprained ankle - Symptoms and causes [online]. Mayo Clinic. Ratera, Dr. M. M., 2016. First Aid with Homeopathy. Kander, Germany: Narayana Verlag. Sonnenschmidt, R., Sankaran, R., Vithoulkas, G., Borland, D., Scholten, J., Kusse, F., Mangialavori, M., Birch, K., Das Kaviraj, V., Perko, S., Welte, U., Le Roux, P., Hahnemann, S., Jus, S. and Chauhan, D., n.d. Manuel Mateu i Ratera First Aid with Homeopathy Reading excerpt First Aid with Homeopathy of Manuel Mateu i Ratera Publisher: Hahnemann Institut [online]. Summers, S., 2022. How can I take care of a scraped knee? [online]. www.truthaboutnursing.org. TapRoots, 2022. SUMMER On-the-Go Portable Homeopathic Kit Including Hard-covered Case, Holds 8 Kit-sized Remedies [online]. TapRoots. Temple ReadyCare, 2021. 6 Reasons for Summer ER Visits and How to Avoid Common Injuries and Illness [online]. Temple Health. Thomas, E., 2000. Homoeopathy for sports, exercise, and dance. Beaconsfield, Bucks, Uk: Beaconsfield Publishers. Weintraub, S., 1999. Natural healing with cell salts. Pleasant Grove, Ut: Woodland Pub. woundcaresociety, 2016. How to heal skinned knee quickly? [online]. Wound Care Society. woundcaresociety, 2019. How Long Does Road Rash Take To Heal [online]. Wound Care Society. Research links - Arnica: Marzotto, M., Arruda-Silva, F. and Bellavite, P., 2020. Fibronectin Gene Up-regulation by Arnica montana in Human Macrophages: Validation by Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay. Homeopathy [online], 109 (03), 140–145. Research links Homeopathy & Head Injury: Chapman, E. H., Weintraub, R. J., Milburn, M. A., Pirozzi, T. O. and Woo, E., 1999. Homeopathic Treatment of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation [online], 14 (6), 521–542. Research links: Traumeel: Birnesser, H., Oberbaum, M., Klein, P. and Weiser, M., 2004. THE HOMEOPATHIC PREPARATION TRAUMEEL® S COMPARED WITH NSAIDS FOR SYMPTOMATIC TREATMENT OF EPICONDYLITIS. Journal of Musculoskeletal Research [online], 08 (02n03), 119–128. Conforti, A., Bertani, S., Metelmann, H., Chirumbolo, S., Lussignoli, S. and Bellavite, P., 1997. Experimental studies of the anti-inflammatory activity of a homeopathic preparation. [online]. Lussignoli, S., Bertani, S., Metelmann, H., Bellavite, P. and Conforti, A., 1999. Effect of Traumeel S, a homeopathic formulation, on blood-induced inflammation in rats. Complementary Therapies in Medicine [online], 7 (4), 225–230. Porozov, S., Cahalon, L., Weiser, M., Branski, D., Lider, O. and Oberbaum, M., 2004. Inhibition of IL-1β and TNF-α Secretion from Resting and Activated Human Immunocytes by the Homeopathic Medication Traumeel® S. Clinical and Developmental Immunology [online], 11 (2), 143–149. Schneider, C., Klein, P., Stolt, P. and Oberbaum, M., 2005. A Homeopathic Ointment Preparation Compared With 1% Diclofenac Gel for Acute Symptomatic Treatment of Tendinopathy. EXPLORE [online], 1 (6), 446–452. * Research links: NSAIDs: Allison, M. C., Howatson, A. G., Torrance, C. J., Lee, F. D. and Russell, R. I., 1992. Gastrointestinal Damage Associated with the Use of Nonsteroidal Antiinflammatory Drugs. New England Journal of Medicine [online], 327 (11), 749–754. Bindu, S., Mazumder, S. and Bandyopadhyay, U., 2020. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and organ damage: A current perspective. Biochemical Pharmacology [online], 180, 114147. Graham, D. Y., Opekun, A. R., Willingham, F. F. and Qureshi, W. A., 2005. Visible small-intestinal mucosal injury in chronic NSAID users. Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology [online], 3 (1), 55–59. Risser, A., Donovan, D., Heintzman, J. and Page, T., 2009. NSAID Prescribing Precautions. American Family Physician [online], 80 (12), 1371–1378. |
Julia Coyte, CHomI am passionate about homeopathy and I love sharing this passion. Having a working knowledge of homeopathy shouldn't be kept a secret. If people have the ability to help themselves, their children and their friends when they have minor ailments, life just gets better for everyone. That is the purpose behind Ruminating on Remedies. Archives
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