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. ​
 ​​

Our overseas visitors just left us after a very enjoyable time.

One (dare I say) benefit of staying at the home of an enthusiastic homeopath is that some issues can be addressed in a relaxed fashion. Among other ailments, we addressed a long-standing case of plantar fasciitis; pre-wedding emotions for the mother-of-the-bride were handled nicely with Ignatia; bug bites were avoided and (if we didn’t get the OHM* bug spray on in time) helped; sunburned shoulders were quickly cooled with Similasan’s Burn Recovery*™; jangled nerves following an off-road adventure were met with Aconite (remember! Aconite rhymes with Fright!); Nux vomica came in handy the morning after the late night festivities and a custom Bach Flower Remedy blend for the bride herself proved useful for the ubiquitous pre-nuptial butterflies. Did I mention it was a nice, long visit with plenty of time to get the chance to show off what homeopathy can do!?

The day before the return flight, painful ears as a result of flying was brought up. So, I sent along a tube of Kali mur. When she landed, she texted to say that she did not take the remedy for the first flight and her “ears were yuck. Took them for the second flight and for the first time no need to keep moving jaw to pop ears, also when landing.” 

Kali muriaticum is one of Schussler’s 12 original cell salts and is known to help the body clear congestions. (In this case, I gave her the 30c potency, but I’m sure the 6x "cell salt" would have worked just fine, but may have needed to be repeated more frequently.) This remedy is known to be helpful for blocked eustachian tubes, middle ear conditions, swollen glands and when crackling noises are heard when blowing the nose or swallowing. Robin Murphy talks about "snapping, itching, as of a plug in ears". That pretty much sums up the discomfort one can feel in one's ears when flying and Kali mur did the trick for her.

Her husband jokingly asked if I had “anything for the annoying fellow passengers.” Yup. Nux vomica would be worth a try for that because, after all, it’s not necessarily that the fellow passengers are annoying, it’s the fact that one is being annoyed by one's fellow passengers.

Whoo hoo! I love it. Homeopathy works so quickly and so effectively for so very many conditions. I truly wish everybody knew about this amazing medicine!


Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath


#wellnessawaits


* OHM products are only available to professional homeopaths and their clients.
​
** I have no affiliation with this company, I just like their products.
I have never used it, but I bet Similasan’s Itch Relief would work well, too!

A friend texted the other day asking for a remedy suggestion “for work stress and ready to cry — not sad crying, but overwhelmed.”

My general go-to for stress and feelings of overwhelm is Ignatia, but that remedy wasn’t quite right here. I suggested Nux vomica to her.

Surprisingly, these two homeopathic remedies have a lot in common in the mental and emotional realm. It’s not really this simple (because there is a lot of nuance to homeopathic remedies), but to me, the difference comes down to this: Ignatia is a bit sadder and Nux vomica is a bit angrier.

In the homeopathic repertory (the big, marvelous book of symptoms), the remedies are listed on a scale of 1-4, with 4 being the strongest association of the remedy to the symptom. Here is how Ignatia and Nux vomica stack up in a few mental/emotional symptoms:

• Nervous excitement: Ignatia 3 & Nux 2
• Grief & sorrow: Ignatia 4 & Nux 2
• Inconsolable: Ignatia 4 & Nux 3
• Sulky behavior: Ignatia 4 & Nux 2
• Sadness: Ignatia 3 & Nux 2
• Feeling dispirited: Ignatia 3 & Nux 2
• Brooding behaviour: Ignatia 4 & Nux 1

Where is Nux vomica more highly indicated? Funny you should ask… I have that info right here:

• Feelings of hatred: Nux 4 & Ignatia 1
• Apathy & indifference: Nux 3 & Ignatia 2
• Easily irritated: Nux 3 & Ignatia 2
• Easily offended: Nux 4 & Ignatia 3
• Disposition to quarrel: Nux 4 & Ignatia 1
• Tendency to scold others: Nux 3 & Ignatia 1
• Oversensitive… to noise: Nux 4 & Ignatia 3; to voices: Nux 3, Ignatia 1

See what I mean? These two remedies are very similar but just ever so slightly different (in the mental & emotional arena, anyway).

Homeopathic Nux vomica has a reputation of being a good remedy for “the businessman.” Picture the old stereotype of the stressed out, overworked, chain smoking, hard drinking, stressed out, short-tempered business man … the characters from Man in the Grey Flannel Suit*  or Mad Men, or, heck, even Darren Stevens from Bewitched!

We’re now in a world where the smoking and heavy daytime drinking may have been dropped away from being societally acceptable, but the stress and the resulting grumpiness remains for all the desk jockies (not just the men in the grey flannel suits).

Homeopathic Nux vomica also addresses issues that stem from work, otherwise known in the repertory as the rubric, “ailments from being overworked".

• Indigestion from the stress of being overworked.
• Angst and problems stemming from business failures
• Worries about business matters
• Business matters infiltrating your dreams while you sleep
• Headaches with irritability
• Just plain worn out from work

All of this stress and worry can then lead to sleep problems which can be addressed nicely by Nux vomica: 
​

• Disturbed sleep 
• Stupefaction, after sleep or just generally feeling worse when you wake up
• Falling asleep while sitting
• Insomnia, especially if as a result of business worries

Just because the homeopathic literature speaks of the benefits of Nux vomica to businessmen does not mean it only benefits men or only benefits ailments from work related issues… but, it’s a helpful way to remember the remedy.** 

Keep calm and carry a tube of Nux vomica…

Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath

#wellnessawaits



*Aucoin (2015) has a nice overview of The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit.

**For more information on Nux vomica, see these previous articles: Calming the Cold, My Little Bag of Wellness, The Eagle has Landed!, Too Much!

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. ‌

The world of homeopathy suffered an enormous, irreplaceable loss this week. 

If you have read any of my articles before, then you have unwittingly met Dr. Robin Murphy. I cite him regularly. Dr. Murphy is the man who translated all of the old homeopathy books into every day words and meanings. He brought clarity to all of us homeopaths in explaining the nuances of this artful, intricate science.

I have listened to countless hours of his old lectures. My notes are copious as he so clearly said what needed to be understood. I never met Dr. Murphy nor spoken to him directly, but he did answer one of my questions in his forum (and that one short answer of his gave more clarity and depth to not just the remedy in question, but to homeopathy in general). The bookshelf where I work is lined with 10 sticky notes, 9 of them with Dr. Murphy's words to keep me on track with what is important in taking a homeopathic case.

This fall I enrolled in a year-long class with Dr. Murphy. The 3 live classes we had were fantastic and left me wanting much more. Alas. The classes were temporarily cancelled a couple of weeks ago when he became ill, to give him the time he needed to recover. Last I heard, on Sunday, he was recovering slowly but surely and by Wednesday night the homeopathic chats were filled with the sad news. 

Lots of things come to mind for me with the passing of Dr. Murphy. These same sorts of thoughts popped up last year (when another world-renowned homeopath) Dr. Pratip Banerji died. I'm sure I wasn't the only homeopath who thought, “why didn’t they…?” I’m sure they did. As Dr. Banerji’s father Prasanta Banerji is known to have said, (and, I paraphrase), “Homeopathy can cure all conditions, but homeopathy can’t cure all conditions in all people.”

When I pulled Dr. Murphy’s book off the shelf for guidance for this article on grief, it magically opened to Ignatia. The book knew exactly where I wanted to go. Unlike most of the rest of the book, Ignatia is not all highlighted and marked up. I hadn’t tackled Ignatia from Dr. Murphy’s point of view yet. I have written about Ignatia before (PTSD, Homeopathy can make a heavy world lighter, Accidents, and Dystopia). Ignatia is a very powerful homeopathic remedy for emotions and there aren’t many emotions bigger, or more common, than grief and sadness. 

Dr. Murphy’s Keynote Materia Medica (Murphy 2015, pp 328-329) are the transcribed seminar notes on homeopathic remedies — with lots of back and forth between “RM” and “Student.” He was incredibly generous with his knowledge. He wanted to make homeopathy accessible to people, and he did!

His commentary on Ignatia begins: “Most of you know Ignatia so we won’t spend much time on it. This is the most often prescribed remedy if someone has an acute sudden shock and grief. Hysteria from grief, hysteria in homeopathy means a loss of emotional control: laughing, crying, weeping, irritability, moody, etc. It's for shock from frights, shock from bad news and it's also a black type remedy for shock from disappointments.” There you have it. Now you know why Dr. Murphy is my go-to guy to learn the remedies. He read through all the many, many volumes of the old literature and summed it all up for us in a nice, tidy package. (Trust me, there are no other books that give this information so succinctly.)

He goes on to explain, "the disappointment was a shock to the system and the person has become sleepless, irritable, angry ever since then. A dose of Ignatia 200c will usually neutralize disappointments.”

“… they’re sobbing and sighing and have catching respiration. The sighing is a keynote of Ignatia… They have a lump in the throat, and a tight feeling, and all the acute symptoms of grief, or signs of suppressed grief. They can also have an all-gone feeling in the chest or the stomach since a grief, they have an empty feeling."

“Crying from grief with the inability to stop, uncontrolled crying spells with choking and spasmodic crying.… it’s like a ratching [sic] that’s tearing them apart inside, agony, really acute emotional agony and pain from emotional loss. That’s Ignatia.”

I dare say, that you, too, now have a good idea of the understanding of homeopathic Ignatia.

Like all homeopathic remedies, there is more to it than this. There are deeper levels and further physical manifestations but for today’s purpose, after the homeopathic community lost an absolute giant, that’s all that needs to be said for Ignatia.

Thank you Dr. Murphy for your generosity in sharing your vast knowledge. You will be sorely missed by many.



Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath


#wellnessawaits

Dystopian fiction used to be one of my favorite genres… until 2020 happened and we found ourselves living in an actual dystopia! A few weeks ago, I decided it was time to return to normal and re-visit this type of fiction. 

One Second After by William R. Forstchen came to me via an enthusiastic recommendation and it turned out to be a well-written, plausible scenario of the after effects of an EMP (Electromagnetic Pulse) being dropped on the United States. The result? All electronics ceased functioning: no phones, no running water, no refrigeration, no cars. Supply lines stopped. Stores looted and emptied in the first days. Medical help was dependent on the knowledge of the local doctors, nurses and veterinarians and whatever supplies they happened to have on hand.

You know what was missing in this scenario? Somebody with some homeopathic knowledge! Homeopathy is an essential skill to have if you are living off the grid, whether by choice … or through a fictional EMP being dropped.

The main character got a life-threatening infection after cutting his hand.  A number of remedies come to mind for a really bad infection*: Calendula (Parente et al. 2012; Givol et al. 2019; Preethi and Kuttan 2009), Gunpowder (Casey 2011) or, the  Banerji protocol of Hypericum 200c mixed with Arsenicum album 200c (Banerji and Banerji 2013). 

*This article is based on a fictional situation. If you find yourself in any of these situations in real life, seek medical attention immediately!

His daughter had Type 1 diabetes (NOT a good thing to have when the supply lines are cut and there is no more insulin to be found) and though homeopathy may help control some of the symptoms, it isn’t going to do much to help that situation. There are certainly medical conditions for which pharmaceutical drugs are absolutely necessary to keep people alive. But, this dystopian novel made me think about all the people dependent on pharmaceutical meds for non-life-threatening conditions. You don’t want to be dependent on these things when this fictional EMP is dropped (or even if there is a breakdown of the supply chain)!

The coming to grips with their new reality? Ignatia could certainly help with that. It is so good at addressing emotional shocks and for those suffering ill effects from hearing bad news or from fright and "disorders of the mind, particularly if actuated by grief, sadness, hopelessness, hysterical variableness, fantastic illusions" (Murphy 2006, p. 973).

The diarrhea that spread through town? Arsenicum album (Rafferty and Kayne 1994), Veratrum album (Banerji and Banerji 2013) or Camphor ​(Banerji and Banerji 2013; Leary 1997; Perko 2005). [An interesting read on the use of homeopathy in cholera epidemics.]

The psychiatric patients in town who no longer had their meds… Homeopathy has a good track record for helping mental and emotional conditions of all sorts and certainly could have helped to keep some of these conditions at bay, but these are better suited to an individualized classical homeopathic remedy. (Check out Homeopathy and Mental Health Care by C. K. Johannes for a place to start.)

Another beautiful aspect of homeopathy is it doesn’t require much of a supply chain. It is completely possible to make your own homeopathic remedies as long as you have either the raw materials or the homeopathic remedy itself. If you have blank pellets, you can create more pellets as needed, or, you can make essentially limitless liquid remedies from a couple of pellets and treat the whole town at once!

What else could these people have used? A good First Aid Kit** and the knowledge of how to use it.  When your local hospitals and clinics are no longer of any use to you, a medium-sized accident can leave you in a world of hurt. Remember, in this fictional account, there was no electricity, no internet, no phones to help you figure out how to use your first aid kit. It does you no good to have something downloaded on your now defunct tablet; you need to have good, old-fashioned books to guide you, like US Army First Aid Manual or Herbal medic : a green beret’s guide to emergency medical preparedness and natural first aid.

I know some people find these catastrophic topics disturbing. I like the problem solving that comes along with reading these kinds of books; to think about the worst case scenario and figure out ways to tackle the problems — being prepared (in my mind, at least) brings me a sense of calm.

I’m happy to have this genre back in my life. I wonder what the next dystopian scenario coming my way will be? Regardless of what it is, I bet homeopathy would be a useful skill to have!


Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath

#wellnessawaits

** I have no affiliation with this company or any products listed here, I just like their products.

REFERENCES

Anon., 2020. Instructions For Turning Pills Into Liquid Remedies [online]. Homeopathy Plus. 

Banerji, P. and Banerji, P., 2013. The Banerji protocols : a new method of treatment with homeopathic medicines. India: Pratip Banerji.
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Camerlink, I., Ellinger, L., Bakker, E. J., and Lantinga, E. A., 2010. Homeopathy as replacement to antibiotics in the case of Escherichia coli diarrhoea in neonatal piglets. Homeopathy [online], 99 (1), 57–62.
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Casey, S., 2011. Gunpowder! Little-Known Remedy Packs a Wallop Against Wounds - Shirley Casey [online]. Hpathy. 

Coyte, J., 2021. Homeopathic potency briefly explained [online]. CLASSICALLYPRACTICAL.COM. 

Givol, O., Kornhaber, R., Visentin, D., Cleary, M., Haik, J., and Harats, M., 2019. A systematic review of Calendula officinalis extract for wound healing. Wound Repair and Regeneration [online], 27 (5), 548–561.

Jacobs, J., Jiménez, L. M., Gloyd, S. S., Gale, J. L., and Crothers, D., 1994. Treatment of acute childhood diarrhea with homeopathic medicine: a randomized clinical trial in Nicaragua. Pediatrics [online], 93 (5), 719–725.

Johannes, C. K., 2010. Homeopathy and Mental Health Care. The Netherlands: Homeolinks Publishers.

Leary, B., 1997. The homoepathic management of cholera in the nineteenty century with special reference to the epidemic in London, 1854. Medizin, Gesellschaft, Und Geschichte: Jahrbuch Des Instituts Fur Geschichte Der Medizin Der Robert Bosch Stiftung [online], 16, 125–144.
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Murphy, R., 2006. Nature’s materia medica : 1,400 homeopathic and herbal remedies. Blackburg, Va.: Lotus Health Institute, November.

Parente, L. M. L., Lino Júnior, R. de S., Tresvenzol, L. M. F., Vinaud, M. C., de Paula, J. R., and Paulo, N. M., 2012. Wound Healing and Anti-Inflammatory Effect in Animal Models of Calendula officinalis L. Growing in Brazil [online]. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 

Perko, S. J., 2005. The homeopathic treatment of influenza : surviving influenza epidemics and pandemics past, present and future with homeopathy. San Antonio, Tx: Benchmark Homeopathic Publications.

Preethi, K. C. and Kuttan, R., 2009. Wound healing activity of flower extract of Calendula offlcinalis. Journal of Basic and Clinical Physiology and Pharmacology[online], 20 (1).

Rafferty, A. and Kayne, S., 1994. The use of Arsenicum album 30c to complement conventional treatment of neonatal diarrhoea (“scours”) in calves. British Homeopathic Journal [online], 83 (04), 202–204.
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FIRST AID BOOKS

Coffman, S., 2021. Herbal medic : a green beret’s guide to emergency medical preparedness and natural first aid. North Adams, Ma: Storey Publishing.
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Pareek, R. S. and Pareek, A., 2012. Homeopathy for Acutes and Emergencies. Kandern, Germany: Narayana Publishers.

Ratera, Dr. M. M., 2016. First Aid with Homeopathy.

Schmukler, A. V., 2006. Homeopathy : an A to Z home handbook. Woodbury, Minn.: Llewellyn Publications.
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United States. Department Of The Army, 2009. U.S. Army first aid manual. New York: Skyhorse Pub.

Wiseman, J. and Britain., G., 2014. SAS survival handbook : the ultimate guide to surviving anywhere. New York: William Morrow, An Imprint Of Harpercollins Publishers.
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Rufus was acting strangely tonight. He was pacing back and forth from the door to his bed to the other side of me and back again. I talked to him. I opened the door for him. He went out once, walked around the house and came back in through his personal door and then he continued this strange behavior. I petted him. I gave him water. He didn’t seem particularly distressed, just really restless.

Additionally, he was panting. The panting is not unusual, in and of itself. He’s a big dog with a lot of hair and we live in a desert. But, tonight, it’s a cool autumnal evening, so it was definitely out of the ordinary behavior. Panting can be a sign of anxiety in dogs (Helmer 2020) and we have seen other signs from him showing some anxiety over the years.

What to do?
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Homeopathic Ignatia 200c delivered to him in a small bowl of bone broth. Within a few minutes the pacing stopped and he was lying on his bed. The panting stopped and started for a few more minutes but then stopped all together and he eventually settled into a nice, rhythmic breath.

How did I come to the idea of giving him Ignatia?

Ignatia Amara 200c is part of the Banerji protocol for mental shock, both immediate and in the past, making it an excellent remedy for PTSD — for dogs and for humans.

PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder can be an absolutely debilitating condition stemming from any number of situations: abuse of all kinds and occurring at any age, now or in the past; being in or witnessing an accident; experiencing a natural disaster; combat exposure; physical assault or any life-threatening event. As renown homeopath Dr. Robin Murphy says, a person has a toxic memory that haunts them; they can’t eliminate it. The person is on heightened alert and the toxic memory is overwhelming their life.

PTSD can lead to depression and anxiety; substance abuse; eating disorders; sleeplessness; irritability or angry outbursts; overwhelming guilt or shame.

Farokh Master, MD and homeopath notes that stress causes disease and  disease causes stress leading to a vicious circle. Dr. Master cited a study finding that individuals diagnosed with a stress-related disorder were more likely to be diagnosed with an auto-immune disease*.  It's important to address these mental and emotional issues before they lead to further physical or emotional degeneration. 

If PTSD is the diagnosis, try Ignatia 200c and Coffea cruda 200c, each twice daily until significant improvement is seen. (Note: this may take many weeks or even months). Ignatia is not the only remedy for PTSD. If you do not see any improvement, work with a professional homeopath to find a better suited remedy. 

Coffea cruda is an excellent remedy for insomnia in general and those repeating thoughts that plague in the night… when you just can't shut your brain off.

In the case of an acute mental shock, give one dose of Ignatia and see if any relief is found. If there is some improvement but the symptoms return, repeat the remedy until very much better. An acute mental shock could be: a parent dealing with a sick child; witnessing an accident; experiencing the death of a loved one; receiving bad news or experiencing a fright; sadness or worry; separation anxiety as well as experiencing general anxiety or any psychological stress short term.

Back to Rufus. A few years ago, Rufus came to us following what appeared to be a pretty hard life. He was only 80 pounds (now he’s about 130) and his coat was a mess and he was very itchy. His teeth were in a bad way. He stunk. He cowered easily, expecting who knows what. He was afraid of traffic. Though the vet judged him to be about 4 or 5 years old, he had to be taught how to walk on a leash. Yes, we are pretty sure he had it pretty rough before he got here. 

What could have been troubling him tonight? I’m not sure. There was a particularly hyped up teenage on-line video game going on in the next room, but that isn’t completely out of the ordinary. A little wind outside tonight, but not too bad. Or, just doggie senses on high alert, perhaps.

Often when the correct homeopathic remedy is given in an acute situation, sleep follows soon after. In the case of old Rufus who spends a lot of time sleeping anyway, it’s kind of hard to tell if it was the Ignatia or if he was just doing his normal thing. But, given his odd behavior 10 minutes earlier and the almost immediate change following the Ignatia, I’m going with the idea that this was the correct remedy for him at this moment.

PTSD can put an enormous damper on living a full and happy life and homeopathy may help. Contact me to see if homeopathy could possibly help you or your loved one.

Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical Homeopathy

#wellnessawaits
​#homeopathycanhelp

* Apologies, I was listening to this lecture and missed the details of the study to which he referred.

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.
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