 Kitchen Quickies… Burns As the name implies, Kitchen Quickies are short and to the point remedy suggestions to get you on your way if you have suffered any mishaps in the kitchen. I open my oven door and pull the rack out to tend to whatever lovely thing is cooking all the time. The other day, however, I managed to singe my forearm on the rack. What did I do? I immediately sprayed it with something I keep in my kitchen for precisely such occasions: Similasan Burn Recovery.* (Note: Mine was a minor burn. If you have anything more serious than a superficial burn, seek medical assistance.) This Burn Recovery bottle has pride of place in my cupboard and is standing ready and available for quick access following silly cooking errors as well as sunburned shoulders. Next to this spray is a little tube of Cantharis, which I also took shortly after using the spray. At bedtime that night, I put a little Boiron Calendula ointment* on the burn and that was that. I didn’t think about it again until my husband saw it and commented a few days later, saying, “that was a nasty burn.” I had pretty much forgotten about it because I didn’t feel it again after the first day. This Similasan burn combination contains homeopathic Calendula, Cantharis, Echinacea, and Urtica urens. All of these homeopathic remedies would likely be just as affective if taken orally when chosen individually, based on the presenting symptoms. But, this spray feels so good! (Additionally, homeopathic pellets can be put in some fresh water and applied to the skin for a similar effect to the commercially available spray.) Homeopathic Calendula is the first remedy I think about for any skin ouchies — big and little. According to K. Chandran (and Kuttan 2008), it’s with good reason. They found “the administration of Calendula officinalis extract significantly decreased the serum level of marker enzymes of tissue damage….” (Note: This research was conducted using an extract of Calendula.) Why these homeopathic remedies?
Keep on cooking, but mind the oven racks! Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits * I have no affiliation with this company, I just like their products. K. Chandran, P. and Kuttan, R., 2008. Effect of Calendula officinalis Flower Extract on Acute Phase Proteins, Antioxidant Defense Mechanism and Granuloma Formation During Thermal Burns. Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition [online], 43 (2), 58–64.
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  Whether a river, an ocean or a pool -- nothing is as inviting as a body of water on a hot, summer’s day. It’s cool and refreshing, but, after a shallow dive into the subject … I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it can be dangerous! Let’s start with a dip in the pool, which is most likely chlorinated. Some people are particularly sensitive to the chlorine and can develop what is known as SWIMMER'S EYE or, chlorine conjunctivitis. It is essentially eye irritation but it stings and it can be pretty miserable. Goggles can help, but that's not a sure thing to keep it at bay. Homeopathic Euphrasia or “Eyebright” for burning eyes and watery eyes. Pain as if something were in the eye. Puffy eyes. Red eyes. When “eye” is in the name of the remedy, you know it’s a good place to start. Arsenicum album for profuse, watery, burning discharge. There is often a level of restlessness. Or, Similisan’s Redness & Itchy Eye Relief* would be a good thing to keep in the cupboard if you or your child is prone to this. --------------------------------------------- Moving from the pool to a natural body of water can bring it’s own set of problems, namely, SWIMMER'S ITCH or Cercarial Dermatitis. Caused by a parasite that gets under the skin (Kolářová et al. 2012) and triggers an allergic reaction, swimmer’s itch is as the name suggests, an itchy rash. If the rash is blistery and oozy, look to Graphites. If the rash burns, stings and itches, try Sulphur. If the rash stings and is raised and fluid filled, try Apis. ------------------------------------------- SWIMMER’S EAR Regardless of what kind of water you’re swimming in, swimmer’s ear is basically an outer ear infection caused by trapped water in your ear that can lead to the growth of bacteria (Mayo Clinic). For sharp ear pain with a sudden onset, Belladonna. There may be redness and throbbing pain. An aching ear pain that feels like the ear is stopped up, Chamomilla. If there is discharge and itching, try Hepar sulph. Or, Similason has a new formula: Swimmer's Ear Relief*. ------------------------------------------- If you are lucky enough to be near the ocean, beware of JELLYFISH! Potentially harmful jellyfish are found in most oceans and can cause both dermatological problems as well as systemic issues (Mebs 2014). The venom of the 51 species of box jellyfish can kill a human in less than 2 minutes (Baldwin 2022). The Wilderness Medical Society has published “Jellyfish Stings: A Practical Approach” (Lakkis et al. 2015). If you left your stinger suit hanging in the closet and manage to get stung, conventional medicine doesn’t have a lot to offer. “The literature published on the treatment of jellyfish stings is limited, conflicting, and lacks consensus.” In short, help the person out of the water, keep them from rubbing the stung area and reassure them. Some say to apply cold, others heat. If it’s a life-threatening species, call an ambulance immediately. (Be careful when helping someone with a jellyfish sting as stinging cells may be spread on contact.) Once again, this is a situation where homeopathy can come in very handy. Homeopathy doesn’t care if the sting is a result of a jellyfish or a bee. If the symptoms match the remedy, there is a good chance relief will follow. First Aid with Homeopathy (Mateu 2020) says applying vinegar can decrease the effect of the toxins. For all these homeopathic jellyfish remedy recommendations, repeat every five minutes until significantly better and then begin to lengthen the time between doses. For most “run of the mill” jellyfish stings, try Apis mellifica. For intense burning and stinging followed by redness and swelling. The person needing Apis will generally be worse from warm applications. If the affected area feels cold and also feels better from cold, try Ledum. Urtica urens can be applied topically as well as ingesting the homeopathic remedy. The person needing Urtica will be experiencing great itchiness and burning, similar to experiencing stinging nettles (from which the remedy is made). If the pains are more neuralgic in nature and radiating out, try Hypericum. ------------------------------------------- HYPOTHERMIA It’s a warm, beautiful day with a little breeze and you think, “what could possibly go wrong?” Well, Hypothermia is one thing that can ruin your day. “That only happens in the cold, right?” Um. Nope. The only requirement for hypothermia to set in is anything that causes a severe drop in body temperature. It can happen in perfect conditions (Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission 2022) and, actually, swimming doesn’t even need to be involved. It can happen from being in the water or from being caught in a rainstorm. When I was a kid, my brother went sailing on a too cold day and he returned way too cold. I remember being instructed to lie down on the kitchen floor next to him under a blanket to try and warm him up. I now know that is termed “external passive rewarming” and is the method of choice for mild hypothermia. A slow and gentle warming is what you’re after. For hypothermia to set in, the water doesn’t have to be cold, just cooler than your body temperature. Children, the elderly, injured or intoxicated people are more susceptible (Paal et al. 2022). Shivering, confusion, breathing issues, and muscle dysfunction are some of the symptoms which may be experienced with a significantly lowered body temperature. The Natural First Aid Handbook (Mars 2017) recommends hot water bottles to the groin and sides of the torso and warns against rubbing or massaging an individual with hypothermia. First Aid with Homeopathy (Ratera 2016) recommends hot liquids and moderate warmth to the abdomen via a hot water bottle and also talks about breath as a treatment for hypothermia. “The helper places his mouth against the spine, between the shoulder blades, and breathes out in long breaths, blowing directly against the clothing. Almost immediately, local heat is felt, and gradually this heat spreads through the body if the exercise is continued. This technique helps to warm, and also to calm the patient. It can therefore also be used in crises of asthma or panic, to calm the patient and restore natural breathing.” Fascinating! Other than warming the person, what can be done? Homeopathy, of course! If the person is conscious, give a dose of Aconite to help with the shock. Bellis perennis is useful in thermal shock (Ratera 2016). Thermal shock can happen from any sudden exposure to cold when the body is hot — even drinking cold drinks when the body is hot. Carbo vegetabilis can be useful for persons who are chilly, with cold perspiration and cold breath. Other symptoms may include coldness, numbness and weakness. Veratrum album is for internal coldness, as if ice-water is in the veins. Weakness and collapse with coldness. If the person is icy cold but wants to be uncovered, consider some homeopathic Camphor. Cramps, convulsions or shock may be present. ----------------------------------------- DROWNING Regardless of the size of the body of water, drowning is always something to watch out for and contrary to what we have seen in the movies, drowning is often completely silent (Redcross. CA 2013). See sidebar for "signs a swimmer is in trouble." According to Stop Drowning Now (2018), in the US, 10 people die every day from drowning. “Drowning is fast and silent and can happen in as little as 20-60 seconds.” When my son was little, I turned my back to get his floaties and the other mother with me (who I thought was watching all the kids!) said, “I didn’t know he could swim.” I turned around and I saw him standing on the bottom of the pool, completely underwater, eyes open, looking up at me. He couldn’t swim! He definitely did not belong there! That could have been a disaster. It was absolutely instantaneous — shockingly fast! Thankfully, he was completely fine. I will never be able to get that vision out of my mind. It was terrible. CPR or the Heimlich maneuver, followed by mouth-to-mouth is the standard recommendation. Venema (et al. 2010) claim that 30% of rescued drowning victims require CPR. Get medical help immediately. If the person is unconscious, administer homeopathic Carbo vegetabilis while waiting for help to arrive. Carbo veg is known as “the corpse reviver” and should be administered frequently. To avoid inhaling the remedy, place the pellet between the lips and the teeth and let it dissolve there. If the person is better when sitting up but is experiencing a rattling in the chest, try Antimonium tart. Lachesis is indicated when the person is suffering asphyxia and the pulse is very weak. If there is a “near miss” like I described with my son, it may not be over and done with when you have them out of the water and breathing on their own again. Jama Pediatrics (Stern and Thompson 2022) notes that “symptoms of drowning such as gasping or difficulty breathing most commonly occur immediately. In rare cases, symptoms may develop after a nonfatal drowning. If a child develops worsening cough, fast breathing rate, vomiting or change in mental status after nonfatal drowning, take them to the nearest emergency department for evaluation.” It may seem like it’s better (and safer!) to just dip your toes in the water to cool off, but no! Life is too short to sit out the swim! Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits * I have no affiliation with this company, I just like their products.  REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING:
Baird, J. K. and Wear, D. J., 1987. 12 Cercarial dermatitis: The swimmer’s itch. Clinics in Dermatology, 5 (3), 88–91. Baldwin, E., 2022. Box Jellyfish: The Dangerous Jellyfish | Ocean Info [online]. oceaninfo.com. Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, 2022. Hypothermia [online]. Florida Fish And Wildlife Conservation Commission. Gordy, M. A., Cobb, T. P. and Hanington, P. C., 2018. Swimmer’s itch in Canada: a look at the past and a survey of the present to plan for the future. Environmental Health, 17 (1). Hoeffler, D. F., 1977. ‘Swimmers’ itch’ (cercarial dermatitis). Cutis [online], 19 (4), 461–465, 467. Kolářová, L., Horák, P., Skírnisson, K., Marečková, H. and Doenhoff, M., 2012. Cercarial Dermatitis, a Neglected Allergic Disease. Clinical Reviews in Allergy & Immunology [online], 45 (1), 63–74. Lakkis, N. A., Maalouf, G. J. and Mahmassani, D. M., 2015. Jellyfish Stings: A Practical Approach. Wilderness & Environmental Medicine [online], 26 (3), 422–429. Lessell, C. B., 1999. The world travellers’ manual of homoeopathy. Saffron Walden: C.W. Daniel. Mateu, M., 2020. First aid with homeopathy. Kandern, Germany Narayana Verlag. Mayo Clinic, n.d. Swimmer’s ear - Symptoms and causes [online]. Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic, n.d. Swimmer’s itch - Symptoms and causes [online]. Mayo Clinic. Mebs, D., 2014. Durch Quallen verursachte Verletzungen. Jelly Fish Sting Injuries Der Hautarzt [online], 65 (10), 873–878. Paal, P., Pasquier, M., Darocha, T., Lechner, R., Kosinski, S., Wallner, B., Zafren, K. and Brugger, H., 2022. Accidental Hypothermia: 2021 Update. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health [online], 19 (1), 501. Ratera, Dr. M. M., 2016. First Aid with Homeopathy. Kander, Germany: Narayana Verlag. Redcross. CA, 2013. Drowning: A silent killer - Canadian Red Cross [online]. Red Cross Canada. Schmukler, A. V., 2006. Homeopathy : an A to Z home handbook. Woodbury, Minn.: Llewellyn Publications. Smith, S., 2007. Medical homoeopathy. West Wickham England: Winter Press. Stern, A. M. and Thompson, L. A., 2022. What Parents Should Know About Drowning and Dry Drowning. JAMA Pediatrics [online]. Stop Drowning Now, 2018. Facts & Stats About Drowning - Stop Drowning Now [online]. www.stopdrowningnow.org. Szpilman, D., Bierens, J. J. L. M., Handley, A. J. and Orlowski, J. P., 2012. Drowning. New England Journal of Medicine [online], 366 (22), 2102–2110. Venema, A. M., Groothoff, J. W. and Bierens, J. J. L. M., 2010. The role of bystanders during rescue and resuscitation of drowning victims. Resuscitation [online], 81 (4), 434–439.  Summer is now officially in full swing! Whether you are jetting across the world or driving to the coast or just visiting your local water park, I hope you are out and about and enjoying the sunshine … with a nice, big, wide-brimmed hat, of course! After decades of being told to avoid the sun, at least one group is warning us that we are not getting enough sun (Alfredsson et al. 2020). As a redhead, I know too well it’s a fine line between too little and too much. Finding that sweet spot of sun is tricky. Sunburn. I’ve been there, done this and I feel your pain! I was always under the impression the sun reflecting off the water played a part in a beach vacation sunburn, but Diffey and Mobley (2018) say otherwise. They claim it is just a simple lack of shade at the beach that is the culprit. Those passing clouds aren’t going to help much, either! According to Cancer Research UK (2019), 90% of the UV rays can still pass through light clouds. And, it’s not just the sun from above… hot sand can result in “beach feet” (Cohen 2019). (My personal thoughts on the water and the clouds are that you just don't feel the intensity of the sun as much in those conditions so you are less likely to be taking the necessary precautions.) Years ago, I watched a TV program which said that adding lycopene (via tomato paste, specifically) to your diet can help keep your skin from burning. Apparently, they weren’t wrong: (Stahl et al. 2001; Cooperstone et al. 2017). Other carotenoids can also be helpful, too (Stahl and Sies 2012). But, if you haven’t eaten enough tomatoes and carrots and instead you find yourself turning into a sun-dried tomato*, I have some homeopathic remedies for you. For each of these sunburn remedy suggestions, repeat a 30c dose, every half hour or so until some relief is felt and then space the doses out. The first remedy to turn to for any burn, whether from the sun, a chemical or a flame, is Cantharis. Burns, as well as burning pains. Restlessness. Sunburn with blisters. Even burning pains in the eyes. Belladonna for dry and hot skin with burning sensations. Swollen skin. Throbbing pains. Bright, red skin. “Burning, pungent, steaming, heat” (Murphy 2020). If your skin is feeling itchy or prickly after a sunburn, Urtica urens is the remedy you’re looking for. Itching, raised, red blotches. (I had a childhood friend who used to get this after any exposure to the sun. I wish I had known then what I know now. Alas.) If your skin is burning up and you’re sweating but are inexplicably NOT thirsty, Pulsatilla may be in order. One more idea is Similasan’s Burn Recovery** for some quick, spray-on relief. That big beautiful glowing thing in the sky not only can be too much on your skin, it can be too much on your entire system. Horrible to experience, but not generally life threatening is a terrible headache resulting from too much sun. Belladonna or Glonoinum is what you need here. As mentioned above for the sunburn, the sun-induced Belladonna headache will be throbbing and intense. A Glonoinum headache will, in addition to throbbing, also be bursting with “waves of terrible, pounding pain” (Murphy 2020) with a rush of blood to the head. The person needing Glonoinum cannot tolerate having heir head laid backward and may also experience twitching or muscle contractions. The person needing Belladonna will be more comfortable with their head laid in a backward position and sitting quietly. This sun headache can be indicative of worse things to come. If you find yourself at this point — get out of the sun now(!) and get some fluids in you. Do whatever you need to do to gently lower your body temperature. The Natural First Aid Handbook (Mars 2017) suggests making a spritzer to cool yourself down by filling an 8-ounce spray bottle with water, 2 teaspoons of witch hazel, 10 drops of lavender essential oil and 10 drops of peppermint essential oil and “spray or sprinkle over yourself.” If you are unsuccessful in regulating your temperature, Heat exhaustion or Heat Prostration is the next step when you’ve been out too long and your body is not able to cool itself. Children are particularly susceptible to this phenomenon (SunSmart 2020). Symptoms of heat exhaustion include confusion, weakness, faintness, headache, muscle cramps, heavy sweating and nausea and/or vomiting. Dr. Colin B. Lessell (1999) recommends giving either homeopathic Carbo vegetabilis for the exhausted person who seems ready to collapse or Bach Rescue Remedy and notes that expert medical assistance should be sought if the patient does not respond rapidly. A further ill-effect from the sun is Heat Stroke or Sunstroke which is a serious condition and requires immediate medical attention. Administer Belladonna or Glonoinum while on the way to the hospital or while waiting for the ambulance. How to tell the difference between Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke? According to Lessell (1999, p. 116): If you, like me, have a history of sunburns, check out my article on Sol, yet another homeopathic remedy which can help set things right after too much sun. Now, get a big hat and a bottle of water, grab a friend (or a book) and head to the beach, the pool, the park or your balcony to soak up some (but not too much!) delicious vitamin D! Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits * Bonus remedy: Consider some China officinalis if you have experienced any dehydration from too much sweating or not drinking enough water. Note: putting a little pinch of salt in your water (Lessell 1999) can help balance your electrolytes … or, grab nature's electrolyte balancer, coconut water. (Clever thing that coconuts are what you find on an otherwise uninhabitable island!) ** I have no affiliation with this company, I just like their products. Reference list and further reading:
Alfredsson, L., Armstrong, B. K., Butterfield, D. A., Chowdhury, R., de Gruijl, F. R., Feelisch, M., Garland, C. F., Hart, P. H., Hoel, D. G., Jacobsen, R., Lindqvist, P. G., Llewellyn, D. J., Tiemeier, H., Weller, R. B. and Young, A. R., 2020. Insufficient Sun Exposure Has Become a Real Public Health Problem. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health [online], 17 (14). Cancer Research UK, 2019. The UV index and sunburn risk [online]. Cancer Research UK. Cohen, P. R., 2019. Beach Feet: A Sand-associated Thermal Injury to the Soles of the Feet and the Plantar Aspect of the Toes. Cureus [online]. Connolly, S., Bertinetti, M., Teague, W. J., Gabbe, B. J. and Tracy, L. M., 2021. Sunburn Injuries Admitted to Burn Services in Australia and New Zealand. JAMA Dermatology [online], 157 (6), 729. Cooperstone, J. L., Tober, K. L., Riedl, K. M., Teegarden, M. D., Cichon, M. J., Francis, D. M., Schwartz, S. J. and Oberyszyn, T. M., 2017. Tomatoes protect against development of UV-induced keratinocyte carcinoma via metabolomic alterations. Scientific Reports [online], 7, 5106. Diffey, B. L. and Mobley, C. D., 2018. Sunburn at the seaside. Photodermatology, Photoimmunology & Photomedicine [online], 34 (5), 298–301. Gauer, R. and Meyers, B. K., 2019. Heat-Related Illnesses. American Family Physician [online], 99 (8), 482–489. Glazer, J. L., 2005. Management of Heatstroke and Heat Exhaustion. American Family Physician [online], 71 (11), 2133–2140. Kenny, G. P., Wilson, T. E., Flouris, A. D. and Fujii, N., 2018. Chapter 31 - Heat exhaustion [online]. ScienceDirect. Lau, W. Y., Kato, H. and Nosaka, K., 2019. Water intake after dehydration makes muscles more susceptible to cramp but electrolytes reverse that effect. BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine [online], 5 (1), e000478. Lessell, C. B., 1999. The world travellers’ manual of homoeopathy. Saffron Walden: C.W. Daniel. Mars, B., 2017. The natural first aid handbook : household remedies, herbal treatments, basic emergency preparedness everyone should know. North Adams, Ma: Storey Publishing. Murphy, R., 2020. Nature’s materia medica : 1,400 homeopathic and herbal remedies. 4th edition. Blackburg, Va.: Lotus Health Institute, November. Pirayesh Islamian, J. and Mehrali, H., 2015. Lycopene as A Carotenoid Provides Radioprotectant and Antioxidant Effects by Quenching Radiation-Induced Free Radical Singlet Oxygen: An Overview. Cell Journal (Yakhteh) [online], 16 (4), 386–391. Stahl, W., Heinrich, U., Wiseman, S., Eichler, O., Sies, H. and Tronnier, H., 2001. Dietary Tomato Paste Protects against Ultraviolet Light–Induced Erythema in Humans. The Journal of Nutrition [online], 131 (5), 1449–1451. Stahl, W. and Sies, H., 2012. Photoprotection by dietary carotenoids: concept, mechanisms, evidence and future development. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research [online], 56 (2), 287–295. SunSmart, 2020. Alarming number of infants, children and teens presenting at Victorian hospital emergency departments with sunburn - SunSmart [online]. Sunsmart.com.au. Tripathi, R., Mazmudar, R. S., Knusel, K. D., Ezaldein, H. H., Bordeaux, J. S. and Scott, J. F., 2021. Trends in emergency department visits due to sunburn and factors associated with severe sunburns in the United States. Archives of Dermatological Research [online], 313 (2), 79–88. |
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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