In my last post, I mentioned 7 remedies which may be good to have around as the flu season approaches.

Here’s a quick rundown of why they’re good to have handy, focusing especially on fevers.

Baptisia for fevers with profuse sweat, intense thirst; fevers with lethargy — no energy. Those who may benefit from homeopathic Baptisia may be suffering from bad breath or other foul smelling discharges. The bed may feel too hard and going outside and getting some fresh air does not sound like a good plan to them. There may be some mental confusion or they may even feel as if they are intoxicated. There may be copious, (often) smelly stool. Throat may appear dark red.

Bryonia. Homeopathic Bryonia may be an excellent remedy for a flu that creeps up on you… when you haven’t quite been feeling yourself but you wouldn’t necessarily call yourself “sick” yet, either. A dry fever with a great thirst for a lot of liquid; chills are more likely not a part of this picture. Dryness, however, is a key part of Bryonia… you may see constipation or a dry cough or dry eyes, dry skin, dry mouth. Someone benefitting from Bryonia may prefer to be still and quiet with movement resulting in discomfort, including when moving their eyes. They may prefer to be by their grumpy selves.

Eupatorium feverish people may find themselves shivering, especially after drinking any liquids. Aching pain anywhere in the body, but specifically pains in the legs - terrible pains in the bones themselves and may even feel as if one is broken. Big chills. Unquenchable thirst. Pulsating pain in the back of the head. They may feel depressed during a fever. 

Gelsemium has little or no thirst at all and the 4 Ds: Droopy, drowsy, dizzy and dull. They feel their eyelids are too heavy to keep them open. Shivering and weak with coldness down the back. May feel faint. They may feel a dull, bruised pain all over and are worse from physical exertion. There may be a headache, beginning in the neck and moving up to the top of the head and feel as if there were a band or hoop around their head. Headaches may be relieved to some degree when urinating. 

Mercurius sol is often worse in the night, where a fever may drive them from their bed. There may be shivering and shuddering with this fever. There may be bone pains, more so at night. Discharges from the ears and the eyes. Fevers with profuse perspiration, again, worse at night or diarrhea at night. Headaches may be worse on the sides of the head and extend to the ears and the teeth. There may be mental restlessness and anxiety during the fever.

Nux vomica flu may have pain in the lower back during fever. Shivering with perspiration. Thirsty, but not wanting to drink anything. Very chilly and worse for cold air or drafts and may have a cough which starts when becoming cold. Nux vomica is well known for its digestive issues and may experience stomach pains during fever. They may find themselves oversensitive and emotional during a fever. 

Rhus tox is most likely mentally restless during a fever. Chill plays a big part in a Rhus tox fever: chill, followed by heat and perspiration; thirsty during the chill; they feel worse when chilled and may develop a tickling cough during the chill. Drinking cold drinks may bring on stomach pains. They may feel they have a lump or plug in their throat and swallowing may feel good on the throat. They may feel better lying on their back and worse lying on the sides.

Here's wishing you have a happy and healthy winter season!
​

Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath

​
#wellnessawaits


 ​

Headaches are tough. They’re tough to live through and they can be tough to help homeopathically speaking because there are so many variables in headaches.

I woke up with a cracking headache the other day. This headache was so bad that I, the homeopath who has not had so much as a Tylenol in 10 years, considered for just a brief moment, taking some over the counter (OTC) medicine.

Why not take that route? It’s so easy! What harm can it do? Let's take a quick look at why OTC meds might not be the best option.

If you take any conventional meds, prescribed or otherwise, I highly recommend you spend a little time at drugs.com. They do a nice job of explaining the “side effects” and other important information that one should know when one is ingesting substances. (All of the below information comes from drugs.com unless otherwise noted.)

The two most common OTC meds for headaches are acetaminophen (e.g. Tylenol) and NSAIDs (a.k.a. ibuprofen, e.g. Advil).

Acetaminophen use in the US is shockingly high. 40% of adults reported using it monthly and 23% weekly and it is the most common cause of acute liver failure. Acetaminophen is also the most common cause of both intentional and unintentional poisoning in the US (Dimitropoulos 2014).

Finding statistics on who uses ibuprofen and how often was not so easy. The nearest I came was to find that “approximately 70% of people 65 years or older use NSAIDs at least once per week” (Fine 2013).

NSAIDs and acetaminophen both:

• Can be dangerous when combined with alcohol (Anderson 2022)
• Can cause an upset stomach

Acetaminophen: Very common (10% or more): Nausea (up to 34%), Vomiting (up to 15%)
Ibuprofen: Very common (10% or more): Nausea (up to 57%), vomiting (up to 22%), flatulence (up to 16%), diarrhea (up to 10%)

• Can cause cardiovascular issues

Acetaminophen: Common (1% to 10%): Peripheral edema, hypertension, hypotension, tachycardia, chest pain
Ibuprofen: Very common (10% or more): Hemorrhage (up to 10%), hypertension (10%), hypotension (10%)

Using these OTC meds frequently for headaches can also result in rebound headaches (Freeland 2020).

For years, doctors have been recommending acetaminophen over NSAIDs during pregnancy, but now we’re learning that exposure to this is linked to higher rates of ADHD and autism (National Institutes of Health 2019; Alemany et al. 2021; Cleveland Clinic 2022).

An added risk of using acetaminophen is that it is commonly used in other drugs (e.g. Theraflu, Alka-Seltzer Plus Liquid Gels, Vicodin, Percocet). If you take a Tylenol in addition to taking one of these other meds, it could result in a fatal overdose (Bates 2016; Harvard Health Publishing 2018).

After just a short while looking into these “safe” OTC medicines, I realized this could become a very long article, so I will stop here. (I really didn’t even look into risks for children (Ogilvie et al. 2012), though I’m sure they are just as bad, if not worse than for adults.) I will say this, though: I am even more pleased with my decision to not take the well trodden OTC painkiller route after my little internet exploration. Risking gastrointestinal bleeding or liver disease to get rid of a headache? No, thank you. I’ll pass.

What route did I take? I took the road less traveled… Homeopathy, of course!

Before I get to the homeopathic remedies for headaches, please note that some headaches definitely warrant medical assistance:

• Headache with a high fever
• Headache following a head injury
• An extremely bad headache — pain like you’ve never experienced before — that has come out of nowhere
• A headache that affects your speech or vision
• A headache that affects your memory or you find yourself confused

As I mentioned in my article Garbage In, Garbage Out, everybody experiences headaches differently. Your headache is not the same as your neighbor’s headache.

Why do we get headaches? Good question. The reasons are plentiful: Stress and tension can cause headaches. Emotions can cause headaches. Crying can cause headaches. Drinking alcohol can cause headaches. Certain foods for certain people can cause headaches. The weather can cause headaches. Hunger can cause headaches. Physical issues, like sitting at a desk all day, can cause headaches. Dehydration can cause headaches (see, Summer Fun #5: Dehydration). Menses can cause headaches. And, homeopathy in all its wisdom takes all of these possible causations into consideration when selecting a remedy. (Some of these conditions are chronic situations and seeking the advice from a professional homeopath may be necessary to help figure your headaches out.)

As in everything homeopathy, the symptoms, or how you experience the headache, are the key to finding the right remedy for you.

NOTE: A 30c potency is a good place to start. If no change occurs, repeat the remedy 15-20 minutes later. If there is any amelioration, stick with the remedy. We are not looking for perfection, we are looking for improvement. If you are NO better after a couple of doses, take another look at the symptoms and try another remedy. As I said earlier, headaches can be very tricky, especially when you are in the middle of one. (If you have somebody nearby who can help you figure it out, all the better.) Don’t get discouraged. The long-term benefits of kicking the OTC habit are worth it. If you have to succumb to an OTC, try and take note of what you were feeling and see if you can match up a remedy for the next time you get a headache.

Please note also that this is not an exhaustive list of headache remedies. This is just a quick look at a few common homeopathic headache remedies which should be readily available in most household homeopathic kits or in your local health food store.

Bryonia is the “grumpy bear” remedy. Grumpy because every movement you make hurts — it even hurts to move your eyes. It hurts to be touched. Every noise somebody else makes hurts. A splitting headache — as if the head would split right open or pain right across the forehead. Thirsty, thirsty, thirsty for big gulps of water. Constipation may be present. Firm pressure on the head can help as can a nice, cool cloth across the forehead. Bryonia is an excellent flu remedy and is also good for injuries and back pains, neck & shoulder pains; too much sun and coughing. 

Belladonna — sudden onset. Throbbing, pounding pain. In the temples or extending from temple to temple. Fullness in the head — a congestive headache. Your head may hurt so much that it hurts to touch your scalp. A couple of keynotes for Belladonna in any condition: sudden onset. Hotness. Redness. (See, Summer Fun #1: Sun.) They don’t want any noise or light or anyone to bump that bed they are on. A Belladonna headache feels better with pressure — pressing on your head can help the pain. Headaches from coughing or sneezing.

Gelsemium: Headache with the sensation as if there were a tight band around the head. A distressing headache. Pain beginning in the neck and extending up and all over the head. A good remedy for headaches with the flu. Can’t keep the eyes open. Headache from nervousness — anticipatory anxiety. Or, a headache that came on after hearing bad news. They feel better when keeping their head raised up when lying down. Their brain may feel sore. A fascinating symptom of Gelsemium is the headache can feel better after urinating. They want to be left alone, but unlike Bryonia, they have no thirst.

Ignatia: Headaches from emotions: shock, sadness, grief, worry or anger. From the outside, they may seem oversensitive to the pain; they may even be hysterical. Pain as if a nail is driven into the side of the head. Or, a headache felt along the sides of the head. A heavy feeling in the head. Pulsating sensation over the eyes. They may have a very focused headache, just in one spot. Strong smells, especially tobacco smoke, can bring on a headache. Wrapping the head up may feel good.

Natrum muriaticum: headaches from grief and disappointed love. Headache as if being hit by dozens of tiny hammers beating on your brain. A bursting headache. A heavy sensation in the back of the head. May feel a band or hoop sensation around head. Headache as if from a blow to the head. Feels as if they must lie down. A headache on one side of the head. Eyes are sensitive to light and there may be visual disturbances. They are worse from the sun.

Nux vomica for headaches from too much (see, Too Much!) — too much alcohol, too much sugar, too much sun, too much work, too much food. Too much can also mean not enough of something else: not enough sleep, not enough emptying of the bowels (constipation). Headaches from toxic substances, street drugs as well as prescription or over the counter medicines. Or, a headache that feels as if it’s from intoxication, without imbibing the toxic substance itself. Unable to raise the head. Head feels swollen. These people can be miffed — angry and frustrated. The pain can be in the back of the head or over the eyes. As if a nail has been driven into the top of the head. Headache all over the head. Splitting headache. Dizziness, especially on rising. The head may be sensitive to cold air or drafts of air. Headache from tooth pain. Nux vomica is also good for colds and stuffed up noses, so if your headache is coming from that, this could be a good choice.

Pulsatilla: Headache from overeating, especially fats. Hormonal headaches. Headaches experienced during puberty. Throbbing. Heavy head — hard to hold it up. A bubbling sensation in the head or noises in the head. Bending the head to one side may feel good. They must lie down while keeping their head raised. A one-sided headache. Oversensitivity, weepiness and craving company and with no thirst — all big keynotes for Pulsatilla. They feel better in open air and while rubbing their head or from wrapping their head. Coughs make it worse. Shooting pains or wandering pains.

Sanguinaria: A “sick headache” with nausea and possibly vomiting. The pain is focused in or around the right eye. It can be a quick pain — a flash of pain on the back of the head. The eyes may feel like they’re being pressed out. Forehead pain, just above the eyes. The pain improves from sleep. Nausea. Dizziness. Vomiting and feeling better from vomiting. Bursting pain.

Silicea. Lingering headaches following an illness. An occipital headache, sitting right there at the back or your head or, starting in the occiput and traveling up and over the head. May feel nauseous and vomit. Cold, clammy sweat on the forehead. Talking makes them feel worse. Constipation and straining can cause this headache. A headache from cold exposure to the head. Head pain resulting from a toothache. May feel better from binding the head. Conversely, a headache that has been brought on from having the head bound may respond well to Silicea. Like Gelsemium, the headache can improve with urination.

Children with headaches may respond well to Calc phos 3x. Older children may respond well to Nat Mur or Ignatia.

So, what did I take for my headache?
Bryonia first, which removed the debilitating pain and I could then focus more clearly on what I was feeling. Almost immediately, I noticed how nauseous I was. Was I nauseous before? Maybe, but it certainly wasn't pronounced enough for me to notice it. Then, sitting by an open window trying to get some work done, the nearby construction noise was absolutely intolerable — really irking me. Aha. Irritability and nausea = Nux vomica. Within an hour, the bulk of the headache was gone and by afternoon I felt absolutely good to go -- as if I never even had a headache.

Was it harder to take homeopathy rather than popping an OTC? Maybe, but only because it required me to think about my symptoms. But, to me, it was absolutely worth it. With homeopathy, there are no side-effects, no rebound headaches, no possibility of long-term damage (Habs and Koller 2021; American Association of Homeopathic Pharmacists 2022). And, bonus, homeopathy has been known to help uproot the underlying cause of the existing condition, thereby lessening the frequency and intensity in the future, especially in chronic conditions.

Reference list 
Alemany, S., Avella-García, C., Liew, Z., García-Esteban, R., Inoue, K., Cadman, T., López-Vicente, M., González, L., Riaño Galán, I., Andiarena, A., Casas, M., Margetaki, K., Strandberg-Larsen, K., Lawlor, D. A., El Marroun, H., Tiemeier, H., Iñiguez, C., Tardón, A., Santa-Marina, L. and Júlvez, J., 2021. Prenatal and postnatal exposure to acetaminophen in relation to autism spectrum and attention-deficit and hyperactivity symptoms in childhood: Meta-analysis in six European population-based cohorts. European Journal of Epidemiology [online]. 

American Association of Homeopathic Pharmacists, 2022. FAQs [online]. The American Association of Homeopathic Pharmacists. 

Anderson, L. A., 2022. Pain / Fever Drugs and Alcohol Interactions [online]. Drugs.com. Available from: https://www.drugs.com/article/pain-medications-alcohol.html

Bates, A., 2016. Acetaminophen Intoxication: A Critical-Care Emergency [online]. Uspharmacist.com. 

Cleveland Clinic, 2022. Does Acetaminophen Heighten Risk for Autism or ADHD? [online]. Cleveland Clinic. 

Dimitropoulos, E., 2014. Acetaminophen Toxicity: What Pharmacists Need to Know [online]. Uspharmacist.com. 

Drugs.com, 2018a. Acetaminophen [online]. Drugs.com. 

Drugs.com, 2018b. Ibuprofen [online]. Drugs.com. 

Fine, M., 2013. Quantifying the Impact of NSAID-Associated Adverse Events [online]. AJMC. 

Freeland, M. N., 2020. Migraine Medication Overuse and Rebound Headaches - GoodRx [online]. GoodRx. 

Habs, M. and Koller, M., 2021. Material Risks of Homeopathic Medicinal Products: Regulatory Frameworks, Results of Preclinical Toxicology, and Clinical Meta-Analyses and Their Implications. Complementary Medicine Research [online], 28 (1), 64–84. 

Harvard Health Publishing, 2018. Acetaminophen safety: Be cautious but not afraid - Harvard Health [online]. Harvard Health. 

National Institutes of Health, 2019. NIH-funded study suggests acetaminophen exposure in pregnancy linked to higher risk of ADHD, autism [online]. National Institutes of Health (NIH). Available from: .

Ogilvie, J. D., Rieder, M. J. and Lim, R., 2012. Acetaminophen overdose in children. Canadian Medical Association Journal [online], 184 (13), 1492–1496.

Further reading:
​
Kaufman, D. W., Kelly, J. P., Wiholm, B.-E., Laszlo, A., Sheehan, J. E., Koff, R. S. and Shapiro, S., 1999. The Risk of Acute Major Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding Among Users of Aspirin and Ibuprofen at Various Levels of Alcohol Consumption. American Journal of Gastroenterology [online], 94 (11), 3189–3196. 

Mayo Clinic Staff, 2018. Taking pills for chronic pain? [online]. Mayo Clinic. 

Ullman, D., 2017. Safety Issues and Homeopathic Medicines [online]. Homeopathic.com. ​
 ​​

Summer athletes, take heed! ER visits shoot up in the warmer months as the weekend warriors take on the bats, balls and trails.

SPRAINS
This one hits home right now as my husband is in week 3 of his 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 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 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. But, that 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). See below for some research on Arnica.

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 wounds.

Rhus tox: for an injury that feels better for heat and continued motion. Worse on first moving. 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):

• Ferr phos: first aid remedy
• Mag phos: pain which accompanies sprains
• Nat sulph: after effects of shock
• Ferr phos, Kali mur: swelling

for tendons and ligaments: Make a compress from these cell salts dissolved in tepid water and applied to the area: Calc fluor, Ferr phos, Mag phos, Kali mur.

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 sprain 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.

Traumeel or T-Relief as it is now known is a nice combination remedy to help with strains. (See below for some Traumeel research.)

Cell Salts which may be of help for strains (Weintraub 1999): 
In addition to the above listed cell salts:

• Calc sulph, Mag phos: for muscles strained from overwork and a sensation of heat
• Mag phos: for muscle spasms

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): 

• Ferr phos for abrasions and wounds; topical application of powdered tables applied directly to the injured parts
• Calc sulph: for cuts that are slow to heal

• Kali mur, Ferr phos: for swelling

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.

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): 

• Ferr phos for any bleeding into tissues -- may also apply powder directly to the area
• Calc fluor for bruises affecting the bones
• Kali phos for all-over feelign of being bruised
• Kali mur for hard, blue-black bruises

​
To make a compress: dissolve 5 of each cell salt tablet and apply locally; take internally also: Ferr phos, Kali mur.

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.

For some research on mild traumatic brain injuries and homeopathy, see Chapman et al. (1999). 

Cell Salts which may be of help for head injuries (Weintraub 1999): 
Calc fluor for bruises on the cranial bones, with hard, rough, uneven lumps
Ferr phos for bruising to the head, with pain
≈ Nat sulph as a cell salt may be used, as well.

These homeopathic 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. 

A scary morning!

My teenage son stepped outside the patio door and promptly hit some ice and was on the ground. I heard it 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 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 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 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:

• 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, 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. ‌

I noticed an interesting thing after I posted my last article … An increase in people finding my site by searching for the term “rage.”

Whether you are raging at governmental mask mandates or raging at fellow citizens who refuse to follow the governmental mask mandates, it is clear to me that anger and rage are alive and well in 2022.

Does anger follow chronic illness or does anger contribute to chronic illness? Is the grumpy old man with a bad back grumpy because he has a bad back or does he have a bad back because he’s grumpy?

Carson (et al. 2007) suggests patients who have more difficulty expressing emotions may experience higher pain and anger. Burns (et al. 2012) suggests suppression of anger may be linked to heightened pain.

Suppressed anger seems to be the biggest problem. Where does all that energy go if it doesn’t have an outlet? There is a word for this in Korean: Hwabyung: a culture-related anger syndrome known to occur due to continued repression of anger. Suh (et al. 2021) says this phenomenon affects patients’ physical, psychological and social functions. Mills (and Dimsdale 1993) found men who routinely suppressed their anger had increased beta-adrenergic receptor sensitivity. These receptors play an important role in regulation of heart function (Wallukat 2002).

Homeopathy takes anger very seriously. Frederik Schroyens Synthesis (2012) repertory lists hundreds of rubrics in regard to anger, for example: Mind, anger, morning; evening; causeless; easily angered; from noise; throwing things in anger; when touched; weeping from anger… the list goes on.

Let’s take a look at the top 5 anger remedies (general anger, not suppressed or differentiated in any way. Though, suppressed anger is really fascinating and is worth a look in the future!)

Bryonia: Homeopathic Bryonia is known as “the grumpy bear” remedy and this aspect is very clear when talking about how Bryonia relates to anger. Headaches from anger. Anger resulting from pains. Not wanting to talk when angry. Exceedingly irritable. There can be chilliness with the anger. A red face when angry.

Chamomilla: Homeopathic Chamomilla is often indicated in children with anger — or children who become angry and irritable due to their physical situation — think teething. Those who have difficulty breathing after their anger or suffer convulsions after anger. Anger associated with PMS/menses. Those easily angered. A red face when angry. Temper tantrums. Vomiting after anger. A person needing Chamomilla may get hot and sweaty with their anger.

Hepar sulph: Homeopathic Hepar sulph is highly indicated in violent anger. Sensitive to noise and odors. Irritable and angry. Easily angered and abusive. Anger “at the least trifle” — oversensitive mind. Peevish. 

Lachesis: Homeopathic Lachesis is highly indicated in anger associated with jealousy. Violent anger. Anger from disappointed love. The mingling of melancholy/sadness and anger. In children, they awaken angry or suffer anger from dentition or jealousy and during sleep.

Nux vomica: Homeopathic Nux vomica is one of the first remedies I think of for anger. Nux vomica is highly indicated in liver issues and where is anger processed? According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the liver (Suttie 2022; Traditional Chinese Medicine World Foundation 2021; Cutler 2011). Convulsions following anger. Angry dreams. Anger associated with anxiety. Anger from business failures or work related issues. Easily angered. Angry in the morning, upon waking. Anger at little things. Violent anger. A red face when angry. Vomiting after anger.

Anger vs Rage: what is the difference? According to Psychologydictionary.org, rage occurs when anger cannot be controlled.

Emotional Healing with Homeopathy (Chappell 2003, p. 126) differentiates homeopathic remedies for rage thusly:

Chamomilla: with contrary behavior, great irritability, impossible to meet demands, worse evening.

Nux vomica: with great irritability, impatience, frustration, and gastric upsets. Road rage.

Back to the original thought of why there may be an increase of people who may be angry at this point in history: anger at mandates and anger at those who won’t comply with said mandates. Homeopathic Causticum, though very highly indicated in anger, is not in the top 5 remedies for anger, but is definitely worth a mention here.

Causticum: inclined to fits of anger with scolding. Great anger over injustices toward himself or others. Stammering on account of anger. Angry against the system. Sensitive and inclined to anger, while the nerves are much affected.

Now, take some deep breaths and a dose of whichever remedy suits your symptoms best and go forth in peace.

Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath


#wellnessawaits

I mentioned last time that our children always seemed to have made some emotional growth spurts following a big, acute illness and I wondered if that could be the case for me. Here’s what happened…

I could not budge my low-grade fever. No remedy made a dent. Period. I eventually contacted one of my previous instructors asking for help.

Her response: “something is stuck inside. Your symptoms are being too shy.”

Hmmm.

She recommended some Sulphur 30c.

Sulphur is an interesting remedy. It is often used to clear up/clean out the remnants of an acute illness. I had considered the idea, but given I was not at the end, I didn’t think it was time for me yet. The Father of homeopathy,  Samuel Hahnemann, used to begin every case with Sulphur because it was going to illicit some sort of a response in everybody.

Sulphur definitely pulled a little somethin’ somethin’ out of me. Immediately upon taking it (I mean immediately), I became so weak I had to abandon the shower I had just turned on. Within 5 minutes, I began weeping and the tears simply wouldn’t stop. For the first time since my illness began, I couldn’t get out of bed.

The tears eventually stopped and I was able to get out of bed again, but the fever remained. I wondered and pondered at what could be "stuck." December was a fraught month for me — it could have been any number of emotions that got stuck.  

Anger was stuck.

I raged in my mind for hours one morning and I could literally feel the crud breaking up. My temperature dropped a bit but it soon went back up again. 

So, I wrote and I wrote and I wrote. I raged and I raged again and I began to understand what was stuck inside of me. Again, I felt the crud breaking up. By the next morning, the fever was gone, for the first time in nearly 2 weeks.

Coincidence? Perhaps. But I had also worked through serious amounts of stagnant emotion and that can only be a good thing.

Was Sulphur the only remedy I needed? Nope.

Sulphur got things going.

Once I recognized anger as the culprit, Nux vomica was suggested and it made good sense, homeopathically speaking. Nux vomica is a major liver remedy and the liver, of course, is where that anger gets processed. But, Nux didn’t do much for me this time around.

Natrum muriaticum was suggested. Nat Mur is a well indicated remedy for ailments from anger. I only took 1 dose and it was abandoned in order to keep chasing the current symptoms.

Chamomilla was suggested and Chamomilla definitely did something. It was as if the Chamomilla opened the door to usher the anger through.

Then, it was suggested to take Bryonia alba in 3 ascending potencies. I took the first dose and the fever continued to improve, so I left it at that.
The next morning was when the fever was gone.

So, what’s left?

Fatigue is what’s left and a little dizziness. Turns out a low-level fever for 2 weeks and very little appetite takes its toll on a person’s energy.

So, was there emotional growth that happened for me?

Why, yes! There was some growth that happened!
Some emotional growth and some good homeopathic education, too!

Ladders are deceptively dangerous. A few years ago a friend fell from a 2-story ladder and suffered horrific injuries resulting in numerous surgeries and the lingering potential loss of a limb. Today I learned of another friend who fell off what was described only as a tall ladder. I’m told he broke 3 ribs, his nose and his arm and required some stitches in his face and was knocked unconscious. I can’t even imagine the pain he is enduring.

Without further information of what sorts of interventions he has been given, here is what I would suggest, homeopathically speaking, to help find some relief after such a major accident.

When something like this happens, you have to address the most serious aspects first and in this case that would be the injury to the head.

He has apparently not suffered any brain damage, thank goodness. With a knock to the head like that though, I would start things off with a dose of homeopathic Arnica montana in as high a potency as you have available. Arnica is the first homeopathic remedy to think of after an accident in general and more specifically following an injury to the head. Arnica is one of 2 highly indicated remedies for head injuries. (Nat sulph is the other remedy to consider in this scenario.) Arnica is reputed to help with shock: Traumatic shock, shock from blood loss, shock from fractures, surgical shock and even mental shock. Arnica is also known to help with all these types of pains in general, including the pain from all the broken bones as well as the inevitable bruising* that will follow.

Broken ribs. 3 of them! Homeopathic Bryonia alba is known as the “grumpy bear” remedy. A Bryonia pain is virtually always aggravated by motion (Morrison 1993). When it hurts to move. When it hurts to breathe. When it hurts to even move your eyes. When you hurt that much, you’re gonna’ be grumpy. Bryonia is also an excellent remedy for the pain from broken bones, which, of course, hurt when you move them.

For the stitches, homeopathic Calendula would be where I would start. Calendula is amazingly soothing in addition to its ability to help heal wounds*. Calendula can be taken both internally as well as used topically (by dissolving some pellets in water and then soaking cloths or bandages in the solution and applying them to the area).

*For research showing the benefits of Calendula and wound healing and Arnica for bruising,  check out my research page.

His loved ones are suffering right along with him. Ignatia amara may help to address the worry and the fear they are enduring. Aconite might be in order if they witnessed the fall, to help with that shock, especially if the image keeps re-playing in their mind.

How often to take the remedies following an injury varies and is dependent on the severity of the injury and the resulting pain. Let this pain be your guide. The worse the pain, the more frequent the administration of the remedies. With the remedies suggested above, I would do the following:

Arnica: Immediately following the injury and repeat as necessary until the person is calm. Following that, begin alternating Arnica and Bryonia every hour until the pain is significantly lessened. (Note: this may need to be more frequent at the start.) 

Calendula 30, twice daily. Re-apply the topical Calendula dressings as they begin to dry out until no longer needed for pain and the risk of infection has passed.

After the initial few doses, wait for the pain to return before taking another dose. Do not take the remedies if there is no pain. If the pain returns, that is the time to take the remedy.

Support remedies to be considered:
​Calcium phosphorica 6x (Calc-phos) and Calcium Fluoride 12x (Calc-fluor) are tissue salts (cell salts) which can be taken daily, or even twice daily, for bone support.

For the loved ones:
Aconite immediately and repeat until they are calm and that initial shock has subsided.
Ignatia, twice daily until the stressful situation has stabilized.

Be mindful of deceptively dangerous contraptions!


Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical Homeopathy


#wellnessawaits  #homeopathycanhelp

Sources:
Morrison, R., 1993. Desktop guide to keynotes and confirmatory symptoms. Nevada City, Calif.: Hahnemann Clinic Pub.
‌

Resources used in this article:
Morrison, M.D., R., 1998. Desktop companion to physical pathology. Nevada City, Calif.: Hahnemann Clinic Publ.
‌
Pareek, R. S. and Pareek, A., 2012. Homeopathy for Acutes and Emergencies. Kandern, Germany: Narayana Publishers.