 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.
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 A scary morning! My teenage son stepped outside the patio door, hit some ice and was promptly on the ground. I heard the crash from the other room. We knew he banged his knee up pretty good. We didn’t know if he hit his head on the flower pot next to the door. With some help, he hobbled back in the house and sat down in a chair. Almost immediately, he “disappeared.” He was staring (and, breathing!) but completely unresponsive. Concussion? Seizure? It was a very spooky few seconds. Then, nausea and retching set in and he started shaking; his face (lips in particular) were absolutely colorless. Now, we added shock to the list of possibilities.* Immediately, I gave him Arnica 200c. Why 200c? Because it was the one that was the nearest. In an emergency, the best potency is the one you have! (I did move to Arnica 1M shortly thereafter.) Homeopathic Arnica is the go-to for injuries in general. Arnica is the go-to for head injuries, too. Arnica is indicated in traumatic shock and shock from fractures. Arnica is also indicated in, as the homeopathic repertory says, “fainting, injury from shock in.” Cleveland Clinic (n.d.) says, “Fainting, also called passing out or syncope, is a temporary loss of consciousness. It is caused by a sudden decrease of blood flow to the brain. An episode typically lasts a few seconds or minutes. Most fainting spells are not a cause for concern. But if you faint often or have other symptoms, you should seek medical attention.” (I have seen 2 of my boys faint now on more than one occasion and it certainly does not feel like it’s not a cause for concern!) Mayo Clinic (2018) describes: pale skin, lightheadedness, nausea and jerky, abnormal movements. “Recovery after a vasovagal episode generally begins in less than a minute. However, if you stand up too soon after fainting — waiting about 15-30 minutes — you’re at risk of fainting again.” I wish I had read that earlier today because he did try to stand up and he did “disappear” again. One theory of why this happens, according to Alboni and Alboni (2017), is the body is trying to “take on a gravitationally neutral position” — to get the head lowered to get some blood flow back to the brain. It turns out sitting in a chair was probably not the best position for him; we should have had him lying down with his head slightly raised on a pillow. Is Arnica the only remedy I used? Nope. Aconite for shock. Ipecac for the nausea. Bryonia for the knee stiffness. I also used homeopathic Carbo vegetabilis. We were discussing going to the emergency room and he commented that putting a mask over his face "felt like a very bad idea." When taking a homeopathic case, the patient’s words are very important, so his mentioning this with no prompting gave me reason to pay attention. Why did I care about this statement? It is Carbo veg’s association with the want of air that tipped me off. “The patient faints easily, is worn out, and must have fresh air” (Boericke 2007). Homeopathic Carbo veg is known to be helpful for the following breathing issues: • Asphyxia • Cyanosis • Difficult breathing • Wants to be fanned • Gasping for air • Desires air • Panting • Breathing stopped • Wheezing Carbo veg is also useful for: shaking with chills, unconsciousness or semi-consciousness, traumatic shock, physical anxiety, and it is very highly indicated in hypotension or low blood pressure, which, of course also makes it a good remedy for fainting, thus making it a good fit for my son this morning. I am happy to report that after a couple of hours of taking it easy and getting some good food and plenty of water in him, he is nearly back to his old self. His knee is still a little tender, but it’s getting him where he needs to go and it doesn't appear to be broken. (Phew!) Any other remedies used? Yep. Ignatia 200c for me. As my mother-in-law used to say about raising children, “it’s not the work, it’s the worry.” Stressful stuff to watch your son “disappear.” Watch your step! Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits * I am fortunate to have an excellent and kind MD who answers my texts on a panicked Saturday morning. We also spoke with an ER doctor. We did not go this alone. If we had not had these resources, we definitely would have taken him to the ER. Reference list
Alboni, P. and Alboni, M., 2017. Typical vasovagal syncope as a “defense mechanism” for the heart by contrasting sympathetic overactivity. Clinical Autonomic Research: Official Journal of the Clinical Autonomic Research Society [online], 27 (4), 253–261. Boericke, W., 2007. Pocket manual of homeopathic materia medica & repertory : comprising of the characteristic and guiding symptoms of all remedies clinical and pathogenetic including Indian drugs. Accessed through Radar Opus software. New Delhi, India: B. Jain. Cleveland Clinic, n.d. Fainting: Causes, Symptoms & Prevention [online]. Cleveland Clinic. Mayo Clinic, 2018. Vasovagal syncope - Symptoms and causes [online]. Mayo Clinic.  T-Relief, that is. I was annoyed when the company changed the name of Traumeel to T-Relief. No reason, I guess I just liked the name Traumeel. But today, I think the name T-Relief is far superior. I am riddled with osteoarthritis. It seems every time I have an x-ray done, I get confirmation as to why this or that place was stiff, sore or uncomfortable. My hands, wrists, knees, hips, ankles, feet — I’m sure there are more, but I haven’t had those black and white internal pictures yet. For the most part, my osteoarthritis is a non-issue. I credit bone broth and homeopathy (of course!) and exercise. If I don’t move regularly, my knees (right knee in particular) and hips get ornery. So, I make sure to walk frequently and for fairly long distances. Conversely, my hands and wrists can get sore if I use them too much. Go figure. (Actually, as I am thinking about it, perhaps that has to do with broken bones, as I broke a bunch of fingers and my wrist. Hmmm. I’ll have to noodle this further. I’ve never really given it any thought before.) I take absolutely no medicines or painkillers of any kind, aside from homeopathy. It is important to note that I have arthritis in many places, but I need to acknowledge that my arthritis is considered mild to moderate. (If you are suffering with severe osteoarthritis, homeopathy can probably still help, but I would recommend a more targeted homeopathic approach in addition to T-Relief.) Occasionally, I wake up with sore hands. Today was one of those days. I grabbed T-Relief and put a small amount of the cream on my hands. Within less than 2 minutes, I had relief. True relief. No remnants of stiffness or soreness. None. That’s the moment I decided I prefer the new name of this homeopathic combination. (A few years ago I watched an older woman with pretty advanced arthritis use Traumeel and she said, “it’s like I put on gloves and I have new hands.” Yes! I can now relate to that! What’s in T-Relief and why does it help? Let’s take a look. Interestingly, this combination uses extremely low potencies: 1X, 2X, 3X, 4X, 6X and 10X. (For a refresher on homeopathic potencies, click here and here.) With these low potencies, the instructions of using it “2 to 3 times daily, or more often if necessary” make good sense*. Aconitum napellus or Aconite for short. Numbness and tingling can result when the inflamed joints press on nerves. Raynaud’s disease occurs more frequently in arthritis patients and it, too, can be helped by Aconite. “Red, shining swelling, very sensitive joints” (Murphy 2020) are helped by Aconite as are weak and lax ligaments of joints and sharp joint pains. Hip joints and thighs that feel lame. Trembling can also be associated with osteoarthritis and Aconite can help with this, too. Arnica montana. T-Relief takes, in my opinion, a scattershot approach (in a good way!) with their Arnica by including it in 1X, 3X and 10X potencies. One of these potencies is most likely going to provide some relief. Arnica is the go-to remedy for over-doing it, as well as experiencing a lame feeling. Limbs which ache as if they had been beaten. Aching as a result of exposure to cold and damp or muscular strain. Cramps, like writer’s cramp. Weakness in the hands, especially when grasping. Arnica is shown here and here and here to have anti-inflammatory effects. Baptisia tinctoria is also excellent for aching, sore and bruised pains with great weakness. Wandering pains as well as stiffness and pain. Belladonna is well known for any ailment which is red and hot. Swollen joints, cramping pains. Spasms and shifting pains and the cold limbs which can sometimes result from arthritis. Bellis perennis, the common daisy, is amazing for aching pains, new or old. (If you are suffering from old injury pains, Bellis perennis may be your new best friend.) Sore joints as well as muscular soreness. A bruised, aching, sore pain. Tight wrists. Hip pains that are worse for exertion. Calendula officinalis. Calendula has been shown to be anti-inflammatory (and here, too) as well as being useful in repairing damaged tissues and when we get right down to it, what is osteoarthritis? “Osteoarthritis is a joint disease in which the tissues in the joint break down over time” (NIAMS 2019) so it makes sense that Calendula would be helpful in repairing not just superficial wounds, but also the deeper tissues. Like Belladonna, Calendula can also help with cold hands and feet. Chamomilla The Materia Medica does have some guidance regarding Chamomilla assisting when ankles give way, when there are pains in the hips and loins and numbness and stiffness of hands, particularly when grasping objects. However, I think Chamomilla’s biggest contribution to this combination remedy is its ability to soothe irritability and anger. Not being able to easily do, or do at all, what you want to do, inevitably leads to irritability. If Chamomilla can help soothe a teething toddler, it can help a grumpy old arthritic person! Echinacea also addresses cold hands and feet as well as aching, weakness and pain in general. Hamamelis virginiana is another good pain remedy. It is indicated in very sore muscles and joints and it is one of the most highly indicated remedies for varicose veins which have been found to be associated with osteoarthritis (Sisto et al. 1995). Hypericum perforatum is another excellent nerve remedy as well as a good remedy for when the joints feel bruised. It is also a highly indicated remedy for pain in general, especially radiating or shooting pains. Millefolium is a pain remedy, not terribly specific to arthritis with the exception of sprains and strains of joints. (Remember, T-Relief is not specifically formulated for arthritis, it is for pain, in general.) Ruta graveleons is a big remedy for bruised pain, particularly in the bones and shows an affinity for joints, ankles and wrists. Cracking in joints. Knees which give way. Pains in the bones of feet and ankles. Pain and stiffness in wrists and hands. Symphytum officinale is for bone pain and more importantly, complaints and pains of cartilage. Aching hip pain as well as joint pain, generally. See here and here for research on Comfrey, AKA Symphytum.) As you can see, T-Relief is a beautiful combination of low potency homeopathic remedies to assist in the relieving of mild to moderate arthritis pain. P.S. Don’t be surprised if you rub some T-Relief into your hands and find relief in your knee. Once the remedies are in your system (in this case via the skin), you will likely find relief all over, not just where it was applied. Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits * It’s always important to read the directions and use according to manufacturer’s recommendations. REFERENCE LIST
Arthritis National Research Foundation, 2021. Does arthritis cause numbness or tingling? [online]. Arthritis Research | Arthritis National Research Foundation. Carmona-Terés, V., Moix-Queraltó, J., Pujol-Ribera, E., Lumillo-Gutiérrez, I., Mas, X., Batlle-Gualda, E., Gobbo-Montoya, M., Jodar-Fernández, L., and Berenguera, A., 2017. Understanding knee osteoarthritis from the patients’ perspective: a qualitative study. BMC musculoskeletal disorders [online], 18 (1), 225. Grube, B., Grünwald, J., Krug, L., and Staiger, C., 2007. Efficacy of a comfrey root (Symphyti offic. radix) extract ointment in the treatment of patients with painful osteoarthritis of the knee: Results of a double-blind, randomised, bicenter, placebo-controlled trial. Phytomedicine [online], 14 (1), 2–10. Jurca, T., Józsa, L., Suciu, R., Pallag, A., Marian, E., Bácskay, I., Mureșan, M., Stan, R. L., Cevei, M., Cioară, F., Vicaș, L., and Fehér, P., 2020. Formulation of Topical Dosage Forms Containing Synthetic and Natural Anti-Inflammatory Agents for the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Molecules [online], 26 (1). 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. Murphy, R., 2006. Nature’s materia medica : 1,400 homeopathic and herbal remedies. 3rd ed. Blackburg, Va.: Lotus Health Institute, November. Murphy, R., 2020. Nature’s materia medica : 1,400 homeopathic and herbal remedies. 4th edition. Blackburg, Va.: Lotus Health Institute, November. NIAMS, 2019. NIAMS Health Information on Osteoarthritis [online]. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Sisto, T., Reunanen, A., Laurikka, J., Impivaara, O., Heliövaara, M., Knekt, P., and Aromaa, A., 1995. Prevalence and risk factors of varicose veins in lower extremities: mini-Finland health survey. The European Journal of Surgery = Acta Chirurgica [online], 161 (6), 405–414. Staiger, C., 2012. Comfrey: A Clinical Overview. Phytotherapy Research [online], 26 (10), n/a-n/a.
 My latest read arrived in the mail today. “Pigs: The Homeopathic Approach to the Treatment and Prevention of Diseases.” Once I have read it, it will sit on the shelf next to “Homeopathy for the Heard: A Farmer’s Guide to Low-Cost, Non-Toxic Veterinary Care of Cattle” and the “Practical Handbook of Veterinary Homeopathy: Healing Our Companion Animals from the Inside Out.” I have more like this on the shelf, but that’s not the point of this article. The purpose of this article is to point out how marvelously well homeopathy works for all creatures. I have recently written about Rufus and his troubles ["An insecure rectum"& "What Hurts?"], but homeopathy has in the past helped our chickens and our peacock, too. Now, let's take a look at our imaginary creatures from the title of this article. I have no doubt this powerful medicine would be able to help “The Lion in Love.” That’s the Aesop’s Fable where the poor lion, in love with the woodsman’s daughter, was de-fanged and de-clawed and still denied the woodsman’s daughter anyway. This poor fellow most certainly could have been helped by Natrum muriaticum, the preeminent remedy for unrequited love. Though tiger balm isn’t made from any part of a tiger (at least not that I can find!), and can be useful for straining injuries — the mechanism behind the active ingredient is to numb and block nerve sensations to make the area feel temporarily less painful. Now, if our imaginary tiger from an Aesop’s fable was in need of tiger balm, I’m not certain it would do him much good due to his thick coat and skin. BUT, homeopathy could help him. Helios pharmacy makes a lovely remedy they call “Helios Injury.” This is a combination of Arnica, Rhus tox and Ruta grav which will bring relief to strains and sprains and bruises (oh, my! — sorry, I couldn’t resist). If you are not near a Helios (located in the UK), you can make your own combination remedy by putting a couple of pellets of each of the 3 remedies in your mouth at one time and letting them dissolve together to create this powerful remedy. The bear in Aesop's “The Bear and The Bees,” who was stung so terribly by the whole hive from whom he was trying to steal their honey… Apis mellifica is the remedy needed if the area is warm, red and swollen. But, if the sting area feels cold and it is relieved by cold, then Ledum palustre is the better choice. Whether it’s a chicken or a peacock or a dog or a pig or a whole herd of cows… homeopathy can help clear up what ails them quickly, safely and non-toxically. If you are interested in setting an appointment for your lion, tiger or bear, I'm willing to give it a try! Contact me at classicallypractical.com. While hiking this weekend, I stepped on a twig. Actually, it was bigger than a twig. Does that make it a small branch? Regardless, it snapped and poked 4 holes into my calf. It was less than pleasant.
I cleaned it out with soap and water and it no longer looked as bad as it did when I was in the woods. Nothing appeared to be stuck in there. I then applied Boiron's Calendula cream and put a band-aid over it. The pain stopped pretty quickly. If it had been worse, I would have considered either Ledum palustre or Hypericum perforatum. Both of these remedies are the "go-to" remedies for puncture wounds. How to decide between them? Hypericum is particular for nerve rich areas (finger tips, toes, tailbone). Ledum is greatly relieved by cold. Hypericum has shooting pains. Ledum has bruising and swelling. This is not to say a Hypericum wound can't have bruising, but that would be a secondary consideration after shooting pains and nerve-y pains. I got off easy with my twig snap, but having a remedy kit with me meant I was prepared for most eventualities. |
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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