I used to think I wanted to live forever. My then-young son told me that wasn’t a good idea. He couldn’t really explain to me at the time what he was thinking, but he was adamant. Later, we read one of his school assigned-reading books together, Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt, and the penny finally dropped for me. (Forget the fact this is a children’s book and pick up a copy — it’s excellent.)

I was recently speaking with a man in his early 90s, who said, “My mom is dead. My dad is dead. My brother is dead. My sister is dead. My wife is dead. I’ve outlived them all.”

For some, this could be touted as a victorious feat and worn with a badge of honor; for others, it could be a desolate situation.

If one is not feeling triumphant in this position, that is a heavy place to sit. This particular gentleman still has his best friend (same age), and he has lots of younger people around him all the time, including some good friends who are a decade or so behind him. But, it seems to me after talking to him that there is a different level of loneliness when you’re the last of your ilk.

There is a tendency, I think, to assume one who is lonely is also sad. Though this may not always be the case, Julia Métraux in Everyday Health says depression and loneliness appear to reinforce each other. From that same article, Drew Maygren, DO, a psychiatrist at Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, California says, “Among a cohort of older adults in the UK, there was a 29% increase in depressive scores of those that reported loneliness compared with those who did not report loneliness.”

For other reasons, loneliness is also increasing among young people with 1 in every 3 young adults reporting feeling lonely. Gone are the days of mandatory human interaction, replaced, instead by technological interfacing which some say can make loneliness “more like virtual isolation.”

In some respects, you can’t fix normal. This is simply a sad situation. I think, though, homeopathy can help one cope with this heavy, lonely burden.

Let’s look at some possible MIND rubrics, using various repertories (Mangialavore*; Murphy (both Homeopathic Remedy Guide and Meta*); Saine; Schroyens), followed by the number of remedies listed in each, including the remedies I have chosen to highlight (note: when rubrics were available in multiple repertories, I chose to use the one with the largest number of remedies listed):

• abandoned, forsaken feelings; elderly, people in (5: ars; aur; nat-m; puls)
• abandoned, forsaken feelings; friendless, feels lonely (6: ars; nat-m; phos; puls)
• age - old people - forsaken feeling (25: aur; bell-p)
• ailments from - death of loved ones (134: arg-n; ars; bell-p; puls)
• alone, ailments from being (43: ars; nat-m; phos; puls)
• anxiety, alone, when (25: arg-n; ars; phos)
• delusions**; alone; world, in the (24: none of my chosen remedies are in this rubric)
• delusions, imaginations; alone; always (3: nat-m; puls)
• depression, sadness, alone, when (28: ars; aur; nat-m; phos; puls)
• fear, alone of being (16: none of my chosen remedies are in this rubric)
• fear, death, of - alone, when - evening in bed (5: ars; phos)
• fears, phobias, general; alone, of being (82: arg-n; ars; nat-m; phos; puls)
• fears, phobias, general, alone, of, being, die, lest he (7: ars; phos)
• forsaken feeling - isolation, sensation of (38: arg-n; puls)
• homesickness, nostalgia, general (60: aur; nat-m; phos; puls)
• loneliness, feelings (75: arg-n; ars; aur; nat-m; phos; puls)
• sadness, despondency, depression, melancholy - company - desire for (3: arg-n)

There are other, smaller, more specific rubrics which I will not throw into the mix, such as: “being a castaway” or “imaginations, alone, graveyard, in a” — but it’s useful to know these rubrics exist.

**Continuing the theme from the Language of Rubrics earlier this month:
Delusion: in modern parlance, we may equate this with someone who is “delusional,” implying someone with a mental illness. That is not necessarily the case in the language of rubrics.

Delusion = a false judgement of objective things.

Dr. Muhammed Rafeeque’s Reverse Repertory of the Mind explains further:

• Delusion — False belief or idea.
• Hallucination — Perception of something that is not present.
• Illusion — Wrong interpretation of an existing thing.

“In repertory, all are given together as each one of them is a different grade of wrong perception.”
“Wrong perception” sums it up nicely, I think.

Now, let’s see what remedies are indicated for these thoughts…

Rafeeque lists some of the important drugs for delusions/hallucinations and illusions (The bold remedies in this list are also represented in our rubrics listed above): Argentum nitricum; Belladonna; Coccinum; Hyoscyamus; Ignatia; Lachesis; Petroleum; Phosphoric acid; Sabadilla; Stramonium; Sulphur (which is found only in the large “loneliness” rubric). 

It’s important when choosing a remedy to consider the following differentiation: is this a rubric to lift the delusion or idea, or, is this a rubric addressing the loneliness? What are we trying to achieve?

There are many, many homeopathic remedies which may be relevant here, but I have chosen just a couple of commonly available remedies to compare.

Natrum muriaticum, Aurum metallicum, Phosphorus, Pulsatilla, Argentum nitricum and Arsenicum album are all well indicated; in fact, all of them are also in Murphy’s “elderly constitutions” rubric (90). For each head to head comparison, both remedies are indicated, but one may be a little more indicated than the other and I tried to simply give a flavor of each remedy in regard to how they may relate to loneliness.

Nat mur and Aurum are both excellent sadness/depression remedies.

• Nat mur often likes to be alone — or, another way to say it is they are aggravated while in company; they may have a desire for solitude. That doesn’t mean there may not be sadness or depression when they are alone, but they may feel better when they are by themselves, despite the loneliness. Or, they may be able to cry when alone but buck themselves up when with others. Nat mur may be a little more angry, specifically they may have anger with silent grief. They may hide their true feelings more.
• Aurum metallicum is indicated in all the Nat mur symptoms, too, but perhaps not so prominently. They may have an aversion to being spoken to. A fear of people may develop. Aurum may have a violent anger. There may be a sense of doom and despair and apathy or joylessness. Difficulty sleeping. Weakness.

Phosphorus and Pulsatilla both hate to be alone. In very broad terms, Phosphorus is more fearful and Pulsatilla is sadder.

• Pulsatilla may have more of a feeling of abandonment and may have some level of anthropophobia (fear of people). Clinging behavior and they may be worse in crowds. There may be weeping and they feel better for doing so. Feelings of helplessness and isolation and they may demonstrate jealousy. Moodiness/ changeable moods.
• Phosphorus has a lot of fear and anxiety. They may be distracted and are better by being occupied by mental diversions. Phosphorus may be reserved and weary of life. Difficulty sleeping. Weakness.

Arsenicum album and Argentum nitricum are two more "fearful/anxious” remedies (both are level 4 in Murphy in the anxiety rubric). Again, both of these remedies are in all of these rubrics; I have just highlighted the higher ranked remedies.

• Arsenicum album… anxiety: with anger; when alone; about their health; on waking. Losing the desire to eat. Desires company. May have a presentiment of death. Depression. Filled with despair, particularly about their salvation. Fastidious/obsessive compulsive. Fearful: of death; impending disease or of being incurable; of robbers. They may feel helpless. Desires to talk to others.
• Argentum nitricum… anxiety: anticipatory; compelled to do something when (“fruitlessly busy”); about the future (anticipatory, essentially). Mental confusion. Disagreeable/irritable. Worse in crowds. Not very talkative. Exhaustion from mental exertion. Fearful: of losing control; in crowds; of evil; something bad will happen; imaginary things; insanity. Impulsive behavior. Stubborn. Panic attacks. Overly sensitive. Persistent and/or tormenting thoughts.

Bellis perennis showed up very strongly in Massimo Mangialavore’s*** rubric: Age - old people - mind - forsaken feeling… so I went looking a little further and I was surprised to see it in the ailments from death of loved ones rubric. Most people know Bellis as a “deeper” Arnica — something to try when Arnica doesn’t quite do what it is needed to do on a physical level.

Let’s take a little look at some prominent mental symptoms of Bellis perennis (Schroyens & Murphy’s Meta*):

Anxiety about their or their or loved one’s health. Indifference: to pain; to loved ones; stoical to what happens. (The word “stoical” is in this rubric so I am going to assume this is different than “apathy.” note: Mangialavori has this remedy in both “heroic” and “stoic.”) Too much sense of duty. Dictatorial/domineering. Aversion to being touched. Aggravated by consolation. Abandoned/forsaken feelings. Ailments from agony/anguish; ailments from grief. Anger alternating with indifference. Fastidious. Fearful of impending danger and heart disease. Panic attacks. Feels friendless; forsaken feeling. Silent grief; cannot cry. They feel better from physical exercise. Aggravated by company. Oversensitive to criticism/reprimands.

All of these, ultimately overlapping, remedies may help regardless of age, or reason for the loneliness. Look a little beyond the surface of loneliness and see what lies underneath to find the most well-suited remedy.


Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath

#wellnessawaits


*Both Mangialavore’s and Murphy’s Meta repertory are (will be?) available in Similia.io†.

**This note is beneath the list of rubrics, within the text.

***I recently listened to a webinar with Massimo Mangialavore and he was talking about the idea that perhaps we don’t need more homeopathic remedies but that maybe we should work on the quality of the information we have on our existing remedies rather than keep adding more. He also says he doesn’t “consider a good case something where the follow-up is not at least four, five years.” With that, I put a little more stock in the remedies in his repertory because they generally come with a lot of reflection.

†I have no affiliation with this company other than they have been kind enough to open up the full software for me to play around with it. I have to say, I really like Similia and I enjoy using it.



Reference list
Métraux, J. and Vann, M. R., 2012. Dealing With Depression and Loneliness [online]. EverydayHealth.com.

MUHAMMED., D. and Salini, J. P., 2021. Reverse Repertory of the Mind. B. Jain Publishers (P.) Ltd.

Newport Institute, 2022. Loneliness and Depression in Young Adults [online]. Newport Institute. 

I was beginning to think the flu season may have just skimmed over the world this year, but here it is … a little later than usual, but, just like always, it is no fun. And, just like always, a little prevention can go a long way.
​
(See also: Calming the Cold; Flu Remedies to Consider; Ho Ho Ho, (not Oooooh No!); Ahh-choo; On the 4th Day of Cell Salts… Ferr Phos.)

Let’s jump ahead to the unfortunate situation we see in the picture above where those early signals were missed (or, ignored) and, here we are, unable to get out of bed … feeling just awful and the kids are hungry. (Oh, man, I remember those days. So painful!) So, where would one start in this scenario?

​Below are seven MAIN COMPLAINTs, followed by 4 or 5 commonly found remedies with 4 or 5 symptoms each which may help to choose a remedy to get back on your feet quickly. Remember! We are not looking for perfection. We are looking for improvement. We are looking to move the worst symptom out of the way for a minute so you can do what you need to do and then, when that’s done, get back into bed to rest properly.

This is far from a complete flu repertory. The intent here is to put as many remedies as possible in a quick list. Note: All of these homeopathic remedies could (pretty much) be listed under all of the headings. In other words, they are (for the most part) wide-reaching flu remedies.

Choose the worst MAIN COMPLAINT (found in BOLD CAPS) you are experiencing at the moment and then choose the remedy that best fits your current symptoms.

GASTRO:​​

Arsenicum album

• nausea and vomiting worse from anything being put in the stomach (even thinking of food makes it worse); no relief from vomiting
• stomach pain, nausea during fever
• burning pains: excoriating diarrhea
• anxious/restless
• thirsty for small sips
• Ipecac
  • constant nausea; diarrhea with nausea
  • vomiting, violent; no relief from vomiting; headache during vomiting; vomiting during cough
  • lots of salivation
  • thirstless
• Nux vomica
  • nausea and vomiting; lots of retching; feels better from being able to vomit; vomiting with urge for bowel movement at the same time
  • lots of burping; sour burps
  • headache during nausea
  • cramping pains
  • mental dullness; irritability; sensitive; 
• Phosphorus
  • craves ice cold things/drinks but vomits as soon as those drinks warm up in the stomach
  • exhausting diarrhea; painless diarrhea
  • great weakness after bowel movements
  • lots of burping; burps coming on suddenly
  • fearful

It’s important to remember that there are many, many homeopathic remedies for each of these main symptoms. This is just a brief list which may help to get dinner on the table or that important email answered.



Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath


#wellnessawaits


* Be sure to seek treatment if the fever is very high, continues to climb or is accompanied by seizure or fainting or severe headache or stiff neck (to name but a few concerning symptoms). For more information:

• Johns Hopkins Medicine
• Mayo Clinic
• Merck Manual

If you have already been through the worst of the flu, check out “Get Well Soon” to find a few helpful tips on recuperating.

No matter what you want to call it … (if you’re squeamish, just know we’re talking about diarrhea and skip forward to the next paragraph). If toilet humor is your thing, here we go: Number 3, Chocolate Thunder, Poo Stew, Rectum Rapids, Turd Tea, Emergency Evacuation, The Squirts, Brown Bomb, Liquid Lunch, Poop Soup … I’ll stop now. (If you would like a few more unseemly names, see Travelers’ Diarrhea.)

Don’t worry, I won’t continue with the graphic descriptions. What follows is a long list of situations where one might experience diarrhea and the most highly indicated remedies for each.

Once again, if you are experiencing diarrhea beyond an acute bout, please seek professional medical advice.

Before embarking on my long list of unfortunate bottom-related circumstances, let me share one of my first amazing homeopathic "wowee!" moments. We were traveling and my then young teenage son was very sick in the night with suspected food poisoning. I was hemming and hawing, trying to remember what I had learned about remedies. I went with Veratrum album and within minutes everything stopped. I mean, everything completely stopped. He slept the rest of the night and woke up fine and dandy. “Better out than in” is what we say around here! As a result of this experience, I keep a little vial of Veratrum album in my little travel kit that accompanies me every time I leave the house with my suitcase.

Veratrum album is my go-to homeopathic remedy for if things are coming out of both ends. What else may point to the use of this remedy? The diarrhea (or vomiting) may be violent, voluminous and relentless. Collapse following diarrhea (not the only well indicated remedy in this rubric, but a good place to start). The person may be cold: cold limbs, generally chilly, and/or clammy. Diarrhea with perspiration. Diarrhea after eating fruit; diarrhea after eating cucumbers (technically a fruit, after all). Diarrhea during menses. Diarrhea which is made worse by movement/motion (Bryonia is another one to think of for this symptom). And, here’s one more unusual concomitant symptom for Veratrum album: hiccups during diarrhea. Isn’t that just what you need in that situation?!

Children & Diarrhea:
If you have an infant with diarrhea, administer Podophyllum on the way to see the doctor — dehydration can set in quickly.

Diarrhea while cutting teeth: Chamomilla. Chamomilla is such an excellent remedy for children, in general, and it doesn’t let us down in this situation, either (but these symptoms are not confined to children. With everything homeopathy, if the symptoms match, the remedy would be effective for man, woman, child or animal. Diarrhea with abdominal pain. Diarrhea: following anger; after taking a cold; after eating and, specifically after eating rhubarb. Emotional diarrhea or from excitement. During hot weather. Painless diarrhea. And, here is a rubric unique to Chamomilla (but hopefully you wouldn’t find this in a child!): diarrhea after smoking.

The Elderly & Diarrhea:
Like children, the elderly, too, have some remedies with great affinity to their age. In this particular situation, I would lean toward China officinalis.

China is so good for enfeebled people, as can often be found in the later years. In particular, China is useful for weak digestion; dyspepsia/indigestion; flatulence; chronic belching.

Dysentery, in simple terms, involves frequent bowel movements with blood and mucus in the stool, often accompanied by cramps and pain. Give some China while on the way to see a doctor. Please seek medical assistance if you are experiencing these symptoms.

If diarrhea and constipation alternate in older individuals, consider Antimonium crud.

On to the general list…

If experiencing abdominal pain, and it feels like diarrhea is imminent, Aloe would be my first recommendation. There may be accompanying weakness. Diarrhea after eating and in particular, diarrhea following the slightest dietary indiscretion. Walking makes it worse. Lots of toots during the diarrhea.

There are a few rubrics where Aloe and Sulphur “tie” when it comes to diarrhea: burning pain in the rectum; being driven out of bed in the morning, needing the toilet desperately (Sulphur has the specific times of 5-6 am); painless diarrhea; standing makes it worse.

Where Sulphur “wins out” over Aloe: diarrhea after beer and nighttime diarrhea, especially after midnight.

If the diarrhea alternates with another symptom, such as:

• rheumatism: Kali bich
• a heat sensation in the head: Belladonna
• headaches: Podophyllum
• asthma, especially at night: Kali carb
• diarrhea every other day: China

Diarrhea and emotions:

• after anger: Colocynthis
• after anticipation/anxiety: Argentum nitricum or Gelsemium. If nausea is part of this picture, also consider Nux vomica.
• feeling cheerful despite chronic diarrhea: Calc carb, which is a little unusual when it comes to elimination — they don’t mind being constipated and apparently chronic diarrhea doesn’t bother them, either!
• irritability: Bryonia
• with mental restlessness: Arsenicum album

Feeling wiped out after all that wiping? China is a good place to start. If the weakness is particularly pronounced, also consider Phosphoric acid. If the act of wiping actually causes pain: Graphites.

Diarrhea during pregnancy: Phosphorus

Diarrhea during menopause: Lachesis

Diarrhea following an injury: Arnica

If it’s coming out as from a hydrant: Podophyllum

If it has a really noxious smell: ​Baptisia

Diarrhea following the consumption of:

• after a debauch: Nux vomica
• ice cream: Arsenicum album or Pulsatilla
  • if ice cream after diarrhea makes you feel better: Phosphorus
• chocolate, sugar or sweets: Argentum nitricum
• pastries: Pulsatilla

If you find your appetite increases with diarrhea: Petroleum.

Cold hands with diarrhea: Phosphorus
Cold feet: Lycopodium
Cold limbs: Arsenicum album, Camphora and Veratrum album

Positionally speaking:
If lying down make it worse: Dioscorea
If lying down makes it better: Bryonia (though it may be worse lying on your side)
Sitting upright makes it worse: Bryonia

Time of day:
If it starts after you have risen from bed and moving around: Bryonia or Nat sulph
After midnight: Arsenicum album or Sulphur
If the diarrhea causes sleeplessness: Phosphorus

I changed my mind. I will use one more dysphemism: the sharts, also commonly referred to as “gambled and lost” (Flanagan 2010). If you are having diarrhea during rectal flatus, there are a number of well indicated remedies, but I would start with Aloe — the remedy for an insecure rectum (click that link to read the previous article with the same name.)

What would cause an “insecure rectum?” Let’s go back to Giulia Enders’ Gut for this explanation. Apparently we have a pair of “sophisticated” sphincters which Enders takes a few pages to explain and I am going to try and shrink it down to the bare essentials using her words, (but her full explanation is certainly worth a read). “The outer muscle is a faithful servant of our consciousness. When our brain deems it an unsuitable time to go to the toilet, the external sphincter obeys and stays closed with all its might. … Our internal sphincter is a no-nonsense little guy. His motto is, ‘If it’s gotta come out, it’s gotta come out!’ … The external sphincter, on the other hand, has to deal with the vagaries of the outside world and its many options.” Suffice it to say, we need these two sphincters to communicate well.

A few more remedies for involuntary stool (not necessarily diarrhea):

• on bending over/stooping: Ruta
• during coughing or sneezing: Phosphorus or Sulphur
• on laughing: Sulphur
• on moving: Phosphorus or Phosphoric acid
• on beginning to move: Rhus tox
• during sleep: Podophyllum
• on walking: Aloe

As you can see, homeopathy can be invaluable when it comes to diarrhea — there is a homeopathic remedy for almost any situation!

​
Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath

#wellnessawaits

References:

Enders, G., 2015. Gut : the Inside Story of Our Body’s Most Underrated Organ. Greystone Books.

​Flanagan, D., 2010. Everybody poops 410 pounds a year : an illustrated bathroom companion for grown-ups. Berkeley, Ca: Ulysses Press.

Murphy, R., n.d. Homeopathic Remedy Guide. accessed through Radar Opus software.

I am so not amused. The winds are picking up and I am really missing my Similasan eye drops. The powers that be in the USA have removed the choice of using these eyedrops from us. When they removed them from the store shelves in 2023, they did so without cause, as far as I’m concerned. They didn’t cite any adverse reactions to these eye drops. In fact, they didn’t even cite a single case of anything negative. Not cool.

So, what do we do without access to this really helpful product?

Fortunately, homeopathic remedies work on the entire system — eyes included. The Similasan eye drops may feel delightful when you use them, but the drops are not a required method of delivery for the homeopathic remedies to address the eyes.

There are 5 homeopathic remedies that I think of right off the bat when someone comes to me for help with their allergic eye symptoms:

• Euphrasia
• Pulsatilla
• Natrum muriaticum
• Apis
• Allium cepa

Euphrasia is hands down the first homeopathic remedy I turn to for allergic eye discomfort -- actually, for any eye discomfort. In my list of 21 various eye symptoms that I used to compare these remedies for this article, Euphrasia is highly indicated in all but 2: bland tears and the desire to rub the eyes. (All 5 remedies are indicated in 6 of my symptom list: Bloodshot eyes, burning pain, inflammation, lachrymation, and light sensitivity. For the following symptoms, where multiple remedies are indicated for each symptom, I have underlined the remedy which is more highly indicated for each symptom.)

If you are suffering from bland tears — tears that do not burn and bother — your best bet is Allium cepa or Pulsatilla.

If your eyes feel like there is dust or sand in them: Euphrasia or Nat mur.

If your eyes are stuck together or the eyelids are sticky: Euphrasia or Pulsatilla.

If the pain in your eyes is a stinging pain: Apis, Pulsatilla or Euphrasia.

If the pain in your eyes causes you to wink and blink: Euphrasia or Apis. (If the sun causes you to wink and blink, look to Nat mur.)

If your eyes feel filmy: Euphrasia or Pulsatilla.

If your eyes feel dry: Nat mur, Pulsatilla or Euphrasia.

Aching pain in the eyes: Pulsatilla is your best bet. (If you have aching pain above your eyes, try Allium cepa.)

If the removal of homeopathic remedies from the store shelves irks you like it irks me, go to Americans for Homeopathy Choice and use their handy-dandy, easy-to-use form to send a message to congress and let them know you would like to have the option to purchase these safe and effective eyedrops once again.

Until that time, go the old-fashioned homeopathic route and try one of the above mentioned remedies which best match your symptoms.

If you suffer from more than just the occasionally irritated eyes from allergies, I highly recommend contacting a professional homeopath to see how they can help.



Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath


#wellnessawaits

As summer winds down, the cicadas seem to be winding up. Boy, they have been noisy this year! When they take a break, the silence makes me realize that living with something like tinnitus must be very trying, indeed!

Tinnitus (National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders 2018), the perception of outside noise when no actual external stimulus is causing the sound, affects 15-20% of people of all ages but it is especially common in older adults. Sometimes there is an underlying cause that can be addressed to fix the tinnitus, but usually, treatments to make the tinnitus less noticeable are used (things like hearing aids, sound generators). Common causes are hearing loss, ear infection or ear canal blockage, head or neck injuries and medications (Mayo Clinic 2018).

Like so many chronic conditions, we are told there is no cure. Half the people who experience tinnitus do not have measurable hearing loss. A small percentage of people suffering from tinnitus experience serious debility in their daily lives (Prutsman 2023).

Homeopathically speaking, there are some remedies that can help though it’s not usually a quick fix, so be prepared to be patient. 

There are a lot of rubrics and remedies associated with hearing noises in the ears — some of them quite specific as to the sound (for example, hearing bagpipes in the distance — Nat carb) or, specific circumstances or specific times of day when the noises occur.

A few remedies pop up more often than others: Petroleum, Lycopodium, and China officinalis, in particular. There is a theme amongst these remedies of sensitive hearing, hyperacusis, which is a common complaint of tinnitus sufferers (Hebert et al. 2013). It never ceases to amaze me how homeopathy figured this stuff out a hundred plus years before the research was done! 

Petroleum is associated with chronic eustachian catarrh, (mucus or gunk in laymen’s terms). Conversely, there may be a dryness or a disagreeable feeling of dryness in the ears. There may be itching deep inside the ear or, diminished hearing in general. There could be an over-sensitiveness of not only hearing, but also of touch and smell, too.

Impaired hearing with noises in the ears; impaired hearing in old people or, progressive hearing impairment.

The sounds which may be heard for which Petroleum may be of benefit: bells; humming; constant roaring or rushing water; cracking; whizzing or the sound of wind.

Lycopodium may help when there is a swelling of the ear with discharge. Perhaps, a sensation as if hot blood has rushed into the ears.

Impaired hearing with discharge from the ear. Sensitive to noises and sounds, particularly music.

The noises which may be helped with Lycopodium are: roaring, humming, whizzing and rushing.

China officinalis is for a great over-sensitiveness of the nervous system — all sights, smells, hearing and taste are too strong. The external ear may be sensitive to touch.

Impaired hearing with constant noises in the ears, possibly with a headache.

The noises which may be helped by China officinalis are humming; ringing, especially with an accompanying headache; roaring; ticking as of a distant watch; buzzing; noises as if hearing singing.

Back to the bagpipes of Natrum carbonicum… this remedy isn’t as prominent as the remedies listed above, but there are some interesting things associated with it.

There may be a stopped sensation with diminished hearing. Sensitive hearing, particularly to music - they can’t bear it or, the rumpling of paper.

Bubbling noises or as if a bubble is bursting; sounds seem to come from the left side when they really come from the right; and, the illusion of hearing singing. And, though they can’t stand hearing music, they have the delusion they are hearing music — that must be frustratingly awful!

A list of a few noise rubrics and some corresponding remedies:

• If you hear noises in your ears when blowing your nose: Calc carb or Hepar sulph.
• Buzzing is a big one with a lot of possibly indicated remedies, but some good places to start would be Argentum nitricum, China off, Lycopodium, or Nux-vomica.
• If the noises occur only at night, try Dulcamera or Graphites.
• Cracking sound: Kali carb or Petroleum.
• In bed, or, lying down makes it worse: Sulphur
• Hearing noises during a headache: China off.
• Humming: China off, Lycopodium, Phosphorus or Sepia
• Difficulty hearing with the noises: Causticum or Lycopodium
• Rushing water: Chamomilla
• Boiling water: Lycopodium
• As of wind: Petroleum
• If it is synchronous with the pulse, it’s an easy one to remember: Pulsatilla, or, Puls for short.

Book a focused consultation and see if we can take the focus off those noises for you.

Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath

#wellnessawaits

Reference list
Cleveland Clinic, n.d. Tinnitus: Causes, Treatment & Prevention [online]. Cleveland Clinic. 

Hebert, S., Fournier, P. and Norena, A., 2013. The Auditory Sensitivity is Increased in Tinnitus Ears. Journal of Neuroscience [online], 33 (6), 2356–2364. 

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

​National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, 2018. Tinnitus [online]. NIDCD. 

Prutsman, Dr. J., 2023. Tinnitus [online]. Sound Relief Tinnitus & Hearing Center. 

​Did you know that October 18th is World Menopause Day? (Nor did I.)

The International Menopause Society says it is, so it must be true. The IMS have a goal “to work globally to promote and support access to best practice health care for women through their menopause transition.”

A good goal, to be sure. I certainly hope they include homeopathy in their best practices!

This year, IMS is focusing on Cognition and Mood associated with menopause. Their website provides a leaflet on Menopausal Brain Fog with some interesting data, if you’re curious.

Brain Fog is a complaint I hear often from women of a certain age and I addressed it here where I shared the Banerji Protocol for menopausal brain fog — an excellent place to start for “Cognition and Mood” during menopause. Protocols don’t address every condition for every person, so if you try the protocol and don’t get any joy, work with a professional homeopath to relieve your specific condition.

Homeopathic remedies can be very helpful in relieving the symptoms of menopause and peri-menopause in general. In addition to brain fog, hot flashes are right up there in common complaints.

Homeopathic Ammonium carb may address some level of hot flashes, especially when there is heat in the face and/or sweaty feet. Becoming heated can cause aggravation or even result in a headache. Unlike some of the remedies that follow below, Am-carb women may have an aversion to open air.

Lachesis is my “go-to” remedy for hot flashes as I have seen some pretty amazing things happen when women suffering from hot flashes use homeopathic Lachesis. Hot flashes may be more intense around the head and neck while their hands and feet remain cold. They have no tolerance for warm and stuffy rooms; craving cool, fresh air. There is also very little tolerance for tight or constricting clothing, especially around the neck or waist. All symptoms may be worse on waking. Because of this, falling asleep may be daunting.

Sepia can be cold during the day and hot during the night resulting in drenching sweats only to end up chilly again. These sweats may also show up from minimal physical effort. Hot flashes may begin down low and move upward. Women benefitting from homeopathic Sepia often suffer from low energy but are energized through exercise.

Pulsatilla hot flashes may be experienced when anxious or upset. Open windows with fresh air are are needed all the time…, they feel better outdoors. Constant fluctuation between being too hot and too cold. This changeability may be found elsewhere: mood swings, constantly changing bowel habits and wandering pains.

Sulphur is kind of the “mother of all hot flashes.” They are warm all the time and rapidly overheat. These flashes can be very distressing and may be followed quickly by chilliness. In general, homeopathic sulphur has irregular heat distribution throughout the body. They may also find some parts are hot while other parts remain cool. They have a tendency to sweat excessively, especially around the head, feet and armpits and this sweat may be strongly odiferous. They are too hot for covers at night, especially the feet, and may also suffer from rashes, which are worse from heat.

The experience surrounding menopause can last for many years — the perimenopause leading up to, the menopause itself as well as the years following the cessation of periods. That’s potentially a very long time to be suffering needlessly. Do yourself a favor and try some homeopathy.


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. ​
 ​​

It’s a jungle out there in the summer! All this talk of creepy crawlies is making me itchy! Keep some of these homeopathic remedies at hand in case of attack!

​

Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath


#wellnessawaits


* I have no financial affiliation with this company, I just like their products.

Reference list:


Alton, J. and Alton, A., 2021. The survival medicine handbook : the essential guide for when help is NOT on the way : a Doom and Bloom guide. United States? Doom And Bloom Llc.


Anagnostou, K., 2018. Anaphylaxis in Children: Epidemiology, Risk Factors and Management. Current Pediatric Reviews [online], 14 (3), 180–186.

Benzoni, T. and Cooper, J. S., 2021. Tick Removal [online]. PubMed. 

Cleveland Clinic, 2021. Caterpillar Rash: How to Spot and Treat It [online]. Cleveland Clinic. 

Coffman, S., 2021. Herbal medic : a green beret’s guide to emergency medical preparedness and natural first aid. North Adams, Ma: Storey Publishing.

Forgey, W. W., 2020. The prepper’s medical handbook : how to provide medical care when you can’t rely on anyone but yourself. Guilford, Connecticut: Lyons Press.

Homeopathy Plus, 2020. The Cinchona Experiment [online]. Homeopathy Plus. 

Lessell, C. B., 1999. The world travellers’ manual of homoeopathy. Saffron Walden: C.W. Daniel.

Magyar, A. C., 2020. How To Make A Plantain Tincture + 8 Ways To Use This Healing Plant [online]. Rural Sprout. 

Mayo Clinic, 2018. Lyme disease - Symptoms and causes [online]. Mayo Clinic. 

Permin, H., Norn, S., Kruse, E. and Kruse, P. R., 2016. On the history of Cinchona bark in the treatment of Malaria. Dansk Medicinhistorisk Arbog [online], 44, 9–30. 

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

Ross Russell, A. L., Dryden, M. S., Pinto, A. A. and Lovett, J. K., 2018. Lyme disease: diagnosis and management. Practical Neurology [online], 18 (6), 455–464. 

Schmitt Pediatric Guidelines, 2022. How to Remove A Tick [online]. HealthyChildren.org. 

Schmukler, A. V., 2006. Homeopathy : an A to Z home handbook. Woodbury, Minn.: Llewellyn Publications.

Sue, 2014. Gigantic black horse fly [online]. Back Yard Biology. 

Watts, M. M. and Ditto, A. M., 2019. Anaphylaxis. Allergy and Asthma Proceedings [online], 40 (6), 453–456.