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. ​
 ​​

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!

Funny how the world works. I have been thinking of writing a post about recovering from surgery and lo and behold, not long ago, I awakened to a text saying my oldest son was in the ER experiencing terrible stomach pain. 

Yes. You guessed it. Within 12 hours, he had his appendix removed*.

Always remember… the procedure may be simple, but recovering from removing a piece of your anatomy is never simple!

He was prescribed and he filled all of the meds the doctors recommended. Has he used them? Nope. (I take that back. He took one single Tylenol the first morning.)

How did we address this post-surgical pain? With 2 little tubes of homeopathic remedies: homeopathic Nux vomica and Helios’** homeopathic combination remedy, "Surg".

Why Nux vomica following an appendectomy and anesthesia? 

Dr. Ratera (2016, p. 310) lists Nux vomica among a selection of only 11 remedies for use following general anesthesia, including narcosis (“a state of stupor, drowsiness or unconsciousness produced by drugs”). 

Schroyens (2012) lists Nux in the following rubrics in his homeopathic repertory:

• Stomach, nausea, operation on abdomen, after; Including cramping pain.
• Vomiting following an operation.
• General ailments following an operation.

In addition to those “official” symptoms, Nux vomica is the remedy to turn to when you have things in your system that shouldn’t be there — (see:  Garbage in, Garbage out and Too Much!). 

Once upon a time, our Great Pyrenees, Rufus, had a minor procedure and he was not waking up following the anesthesia (see definition of Narcosis above). When I set out to his vet appointment, I didn’t know he was going to be put under, so, I didn’t bring any remedies with me. But, I always have Nux vomica 200c in my purse, (see: My Little Bag of Wellness). I slipped 2 pellets in between his gum and his cheek and he literally popped out of Neverland and was able to stand up and walk to the car. Did I mention he’s a big dog? There was no way I was going to be able to carry him to the car. We got home and he curled up on his bed and was back into a very deep sleep. Another dose of Nux placed between his gum and his cheek and he got up and drank some water. I think we did 1 final dose of Nux later that evening and he was back to his normal self.

My son didn’t want to take the Nux immediately. They told him that having the anesthesia in his system would help him to sleep that night and since it had been a long time since he had any sleep, that’s the route he chose.

The other tube of homeopathy he used was a beautiful mixture of homeopathic remedies from Helios pharmacy they call “Surg.” Surg is a combination of Arnica, Bellis perennis, Calendula, Hypericum and Staphysagria.

Homeopathic Arnica is probably the most researched homeopathic remedy. Below is a good handful of summaries and links to the actual papers.

ARNICA & SURGERY RESEARCH:

Anesthesia recovery and Analgesia in dogs -- Arnica & Papaver
“The Arnica group required rescue analgesia later than the others.” (I’m willing to bet the rescue analgesia could be have been avoided all-together if further doses of Arnica were provided.)

Postoperative Sore Throat (This is a case report.)

Knee Surgery
“In all three trials, patients receiving homeopathic arnica showed a trend towards less postoperative swelling compared to patients receiving placebo.”

Post-tonsillectomy analgesia
“The results of this trial suggest that Arnica montana given after tonsillectomy provides a small, but statistically significant, decrease in pain scores compared to placebo.”

​Healing of Wounds following surgery, compared to diclofenac
“After foot operations, Arnica… can be used instead of diclofenac to reduce wound irritation.”

Effectiveness and Safety of Arnica montana in Post-Surgical Setting, Pain and Inflammation. This is a review showing “arnica Montana is more effective than placebo when used for the treatment of several conditions including post-traumatic and postoperative pain, edema, and ecchymosis.”

Varicose vein surgery Varicose vein surgery
“The results of this pilot study showed a trend towards a beneficial effect of Arnica… with regard to reduction of hematoma and pain during the postoperative course.”


Is Homeopathic Arnica Effective for Postoperative Recovery? A Meta-analysis of Placebo-Controlled and Active Comparator Trials
“Homeopathic Arnica has a small effect size over and against placebo in preventing excessive hematoma and other sequelae of surgeries. The effect is comparable to that of anti-inflammatory substances.”

Is there a role for homeopathy in breast cancer surgery?
“A. montana… could reduce post-operative blood and seroma collection in women undergoing unilateral total mastectomy.”

Use of Arnica to relieve pain after carpal-tunnel release surgery
“…there was a significant reduction in pain experienced after 2 weeks in the Arnica-treated group.”

RESEARCH on ARNICA combined with other homeopathic remedies listed in “Surg.”

Healing of Surgical Wounds -- Arnica & Staphysagria
The table provided in this study shows the number of days needed to complete healing of the surgical wound for the control group and the groups assigned either Arnica or Staphysagria.

Homeopathic Mixture Accelerates Wound Closure -- Arnica, Calendula, and Hypericum
“A homeopathic remedy… accelerates in vitro wound scratch closure of NIH 3T3 fibroblasts.”

The effect of the homeopathic remedies Arnica montana and Bellis perennis on mild postpartum bleeding
“Treatment with homeopathic Arnica montana and Bellis perennis may reduce postpartum blood loss, as compared with placebo.

RESEARCH on Arnica and homeopathic remedies not listed in “Surg.”
Perioperative Homeopathic Arnica and Bromelain
"A systematic review of the literature demonstrates the potential for arnica and bromelain to improve perioperative outcomes including edema, ecchymosis, and pain control."

RESEARCH on Hypericum:
Hypericum perforatum to Improve Postoperative Pain Outcome After Monosegmental Spinal Sequestrectomy (HYPOS)
“Although no significant differences between the groups could be shown, we found that patients who took potentiated Hypericum in addition to usual pain management showed lower consumption of analgesics.”

Homeopathic treatment for peripheral nerve regeneration
“Hypericum improves functional recovery of peripheral nerve regeneration in rats.”

Note: Most of the research on Calendula, Hypericum and Bellis perennis  centers on herbal or mother tinctures. 

Historically speaking, in homeopathic terms, these last three remedies have a terrific reputation for post-surgical and wound healing with claims that it can promote healing and reduce risk of infection. Dr. Robin Murphy spoke often in his seminars of the healing qualities of Calendula and names it the number one remedy to use following surgery, noting the homeopathic remedy can be taken internally as well as topically. (Note: to use topically, a pellet of homeopathic Calendula can be added to clean water and used as a compress. Or, “Calendula, mother tincture, 15 drops to a wineglass of boiled water. This will cleanse the abraded surface and prevent sepsis. Calendula 6 given three to four times daily by the mouth will assist the healing process” (Shepherd and Robinson 1995).

Calendula and Hypericum tinctures are often used together following surgery or for wound healing in general. 

Dr. Dorothy Shepherd*** says, “I have never seen a cleaner wound surface or more rapid healing in a torn perineum than those which were treated with Calendula sprays, and it was much more efficacious, and more rapid than the strongest antiseptic, nor was there any rise in temperature after!” (Shephard 1989).

Bellis perennis is the common daisy. When I first learned about this remedy, the story was told about the soldiers in the war marching over fields of daisies. They were tired and they were sore and they were bruised and they didn’t realize the little flowers they were tromping over actually held the key to their ails. “Bellis perennis is long-flowering and surprisingly tough. It is resilient to the damage of mowing and human footfall, bouncing back” (Evans 2020).

The National Center for Homeopathy says it is most often used to speed surgical healing.

In addition to being helpful after surgery, Bellis can be used to assist in the healing from “long-unresolved or repeated trauma from accidents and injuries; physical, emotional or sexual abuse” (Evans 2020). Bellis is “especially useful in soft tissue injuries …. Similar to Arnica, it acts on muscle fibers and blood vessels with intense pain … deep trauma … especially in pelvis and abdomen” (Ratera 2016).


If you or a loved one has a surgery scheduled in the near future, contact Helios for a tube of “Surg” or, grab a tube of each of the remedies included in that combination (Arnica, Bellis perennis Calendula, Hypericum, and Staphysagria) and make your own combo remedy to help speed your recovery along. (Note: A good way to make your own combo remedy is to drop a pellet or two into a bottle of water and take sips as needed. Remember, every sip is a dose, so it's wise to have a water for drinking and a bottle for healing.)


For further research on the potential benefits of homeopathy, see: https://classicallypractical.com/research.html.



Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath


#wellnessawaits


* Are there homeopathic remedies that can help with an inflamed appendix? Yes, there are, and perhaps I will write about those one day. In the mean time, if you are suffering from appendicitis, or, other severe stomach/abdominal pain, please go to the ER or talk to your physician.

** I have no affiliation with Helios; I just like their products.

*** Dr. Dorothy Shepherd was an orthodox physician who turned to homeopathy, saying, “I must admit that homeopathy has never let me down.” She had a homeopathic clinic in London during the war (Anon. 2009).

Reference list
Anon., 2009. Dorothy Shepherd (1885 - 1952) [online]. www.sueyounghistories.com. 

Anon., 2022. Bellis perennis [online]. National Center for Homeopathy. 

Evans, J., 2020. Asteraceae: remedies of the sunflower family. Harlem, NL: Emryss.

Ratera, Dr. M. M., 2016. First Aid with Homeopathy. Kander, Germany: Narayana Verlag.

Schroyens, F., 2012. Synthesis : repertorium homeopathicum syntheticum. Accessed through Radar Opus software. London: Homeopathic Book Publishers.

Shephard, Dr. D., 1989. The magic of the minimum dose : experiences and cases. Saffron Walden: Health Science Press.
​
Shepherd, D. and Robinson, G. E., 1995. More magic of the minimum dose : experiences and cases. Saffron Walden, Essex: C.W. Daniel Co.

Practicing homeopathy is a lot like doing a puzzle or decoding a mystery  — there is a lot of sleuthing to figure out the right remedy. In taking a classical homeopathic case, accurate details are the key — the more, the better!

Practical homeopathy is often much easier — the majority of the puzzle has been worked out already through tried and true symptom/remedy matches and often you just have to fill in the blanks, so to speak.

What both of these homeopathic methods have in common is the gathering of symptoms… which makes sense since homeopathy is a methodology based on symptoms, symptom gathering is very important!

So, though practical or clinical homeopathy has made figuring out the correct homeopathic remedy for a given situation much easier, (especially when it comes to the Banerji Protocols!), details are still very important.

For instance, headaches.

What’s in a headache? An awful lot, as it turns out. 

Headaches can be very difficult to treat because no two people experience the same headache pain. What one person calls a sinus headache is often very different to what another person calls a sinus headache. Sometimes people say they have sinus headaches and, yet, their sinuses don’t seem to be involved in the pain … at all. According to the Mayo Clinic, many people (up to 90%!) who claim to have sinus headaches may actually be suffering from migraines (Mayo Clinic 2018). I have come to understand that when someone tells me they suffer "sinus headaches", they just mean that it’s worse than their “normal” headache, or what they interpret to be a "normal" headache. 

Regardless of whether it’s a sinus headache or a migraine or a tension headache, getting the details on how a person experiences their headaches can be difficult. In the moment, the pain can be too great to be able to get much detail. After the fact, many people don’t even want to go there — to put themselves back into that pain — to remember what the details were. 

A while back I encountered a young man who asked if I had any headache medicine. He was looking for mainstream over-the-counter meds, but, I being a homeopath, began down the homeopathic road, instead.

He proceeded to tell me about his usual headaches that he has been experiencing for years, which he described as “sinus headaches.” So, I started to question the quality of the pains and the location of the pains, etc.

This was not a formal consultation, just a casual encounter. I tried a headache combo remedy for him, but nothing happened. Then, based on his description, I moved to the Banerji Protocol for “sinus headaches with acute pain,” Sanguinaria 200c mixed with Belladonna 3c, taken every 30 minutes (Banerji and Banerji 2013, p. 118). Well, that did something, but it did the wrong something and he soon began to feel nauseous.*

Then, I learned the all important missing piece to this particular headache puzzle. He had a few too many drinks the night before. It didn’t matter that he thought he was experiencing his “usual” headache pain because on top of that usual pain was sitting a few alcoholic drinks which likely had a causative effect. 

More importantly, homeopathically speaking, he left that detail out of the information he provided. If he had included that little nugget, my homeopathic questioning most likely would have stopped abruptly and I would have given him a dose of homeopathic Nux vomica.

The go-to remedy for one who has had “a few too many” is Nux vomica. According to Schroyens Synthesis repertory (2012), there are 102 remedies applicable to symptoms following intoxication, with Nux vomica (and one other) being the most highly indicated homeopathic remedy.

Why? Because Nux vomica is very highly indicated in the following headache symptoms, according to Murphy’s Repertory:

• A heavy sensation in the head, especially in the morning
• When your head feels as if you are intoxicated 
• A pulsing/throbbing sensation on the top of your head.
• As if your head is being squeezed
• Pain when shaking your head, particularly a sharp pain in the temples when shaking your head
• A headache that feels better by wrapping your head
• A headache with chills
• Pain in the eye with a headache that is felt in the back of your head 
• Headache during vomiting

Nux vomica is also one of the largest liver remedies in homeopathy and as the medical literature has taught us, the liver is involved to help you cope with ridding your body of the toxins from the alcohol (Jung and Namkoong 2014).

Homeopathic Nux vomica is very highly indicated in the following liver symptoms, again, according to Murphy: pain in the liver, atrophy of the liver, enlarged liver, a sensation of fullness in the liver; hepatitis infection, jaundice; congestion in the portal system. **If you are experiencing chronic liver issues, please work with a professional homeopath alongside your physician.

What other symptoms does homeopathic Nux vomica address which may be experienced after “tying one on?” — according to Phatak (2005):
​

• Stool issues: Diarrhea, constipation, (see also, The Eagle has Landed) or frequent stools
• Feeling better following bowel movement (after all, you're bound to feel better when you get that poison out of your system!)
• Abdominal pain
• Irritability and bad temper — little things irritate
• Aversion to food
• Lying in bed makes you feel better, but rolling over in bed makes you feel worse
• Moving makes everything feel worse — with an inclination to sit
• Offensive breath
• Bad taste in the mouth
• “Dull, beclouded, difficult comprehension, stupefied” — thinking is difficult.
• Sour burps
• Gas, and/or noisy guts
• Heartburn
• Feeling lethargic
• Noise makes everything feel worse
• An acute sense of smell 
• Feeling worse in the morning
• Trembling
• Dizziness
• Heart palpitations
• Vomiting — (better out than in!)

These keynote symptoms for Nux vomica sound to me like a pretty comprehensive list of symptoms which follow intoxication (Jung and Namkoong 2014; Mayo Clinic 2017).

Getting an accurate account of one’s symptoms is imperative to getting the best-matched homeopathic remedy. Without the details, well, it’s GIGO (TechTerms.com) — “garbage in, garbage out.”

On that note of garbage, I recommend you keep the garbage out of your body, too, but if you find yourself in this compromised position, Nux vomica may well help set things back in order.

Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath


#wellnessawaits



* REMEMBER, when you take a remedy which is not well indicated, the homeopathic remedy can actually cause you to experience some of the symptoms the remedy is intended to treat.

Reference list
Banerji, P. and Banerji, P., 2013. The Banerji protocols : a new method of treatment with homeopathic medicines. India: Pratip Banerji.

Jung, Y. and Namkoong, K., 2014. Chapter 7 - Alcohol: intoxication and poisoning – diagnosis and treatment [online]. ScienceDirect. 

Mayo Clinic, 2017. Hangovers - Symptoms and causes [online]. Mayo Clinic. 

Mayo Clinic, 2018. Sinus headaches - Symptoms and causes [online]. Mayo Clinic. 

Murphy, R., n.d. Repertory, version 3. Accessed through Radar Opus software.

Phatak, S. R. and C Jeevanandam, 2005. A concise repertory of homoeopathic medicines : alphabetically arranged. New Delhi: B. Jain Pub.

Rozencwajg, J., 2010. Organotherapy Drainage & Detoxification. Emrys Publisher.

Schroyens, F., 2012. Synthesis : repertorium homeopathicum syntheticum. Accessed through Radar Opus software. London: Homeopathic Book Publishers.

TechTerms.com, n.d. GIGO (Garbage In, Garbage Out) Definition [online]. techterms.com. 

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!

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!