Ruminating on Remedies, My thoughts on homeopathy

12/6/2025

Painkillers?

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A couple of months ago, we were given some “new” information about Tylenol. In actuality, there was nothing new about this information, it was just brought to our broader attention through "official" channels. (See, also: The Road Less Traveled, from 2022 where I brought a little light to the darker sides of over the counter (OTC) painkillers for headaches*.)

“But, popping a painkiller is so easy!”
I know. I truly do. There is a song called “The Sinking Feeling” by the band The The, which says, “The path of least resistance leads to the garbage heap of despair (air-air-aiiir), I think I’d better get back in bed.” I like the whole song, but that one line is what really sticks with me. Taking the easy route is not always the best choice.

I am confident in saying that when it comes to dealing with your pain, taking the road less traveled is well worth the time and energy required to figure it out. Using OTC painkillers don’t just block the pain, they block important healing messages to get the job done, doing what the body is meant to do -- fixing what's wrong.

“In all the cases, the immense advantage of homeopathy is that it cures in a gentle, quick and lasting manner, according to Hahnemann’s postulates. In this sense, there is no other therapeutic capable of being compared to it. Besides, it is never harmful, it is never dangerous, it never produces side effects because it lacks all chemical substance; thus, it is the best therapeutic ever invented by human beings.”
—Francisco Xavier Eizayaga, M.D.

For the sake of discussion, let’s assume we are dealing with a sprained ankle.

What exactly is a sprained ankle?
A sprain is a trauma to the ligaments by stretching it too far; this causes pain and difficulty with movement. “A mild sprain is really a pulled or strained ligament, with tenderness and mild swelling, but no tearing of tissue. A moderate strain** has partial tearing of the ligament, while a severe strain entails a complete tear, with corresponding degrees of swelling, bruising and inability to move the joint or bear weight” (Hershoff 2000). Conventional treatment involves applying ice to the area and wraps to compress the area. Taber’s also recommends “analgesics and NSAIDs.” As we’ll see below, not all sprains respond well to ice and wraps — another place where homeopathy shines -- We can use those data points to help us find the best suited remedy.

Let’s get back to the simplicity of the over-the-counter pills… How do they work? If you ask an AI, it will tell you that the exact mechanism of acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol) is not fully understood, but it is believed to work through the central nervous system to block pain signals. Ibuprofen (NSAIDS/Advil), on the other hand, blocks the production of prostaglandins.

What are prostaglandins again?
In simple terms, prostaglandins (PGs) are the chemical messengers that cause pain, swelling, and fever — let’s call that the “alarm system”. In short, Advil turns off the alarm system at the source (blocks the PGs). Tylenol turns the volume down on the alarm sounds in your brain — the alarm is still going, you just don’t “hear” it as loudly, so the pain feels less intense.

Sounds like a solid plan to me! What could be the problem with it?
Taber’s Medical Dictionary (Venes 2017) tells us that prostaglandins (PGs) “influence a broad range of biological effects, including vasodilation, vascular permeability, bronchoconstriction†, platelet aggregation, dysmenorrhea†, inhibition of gastric acid secretion, stimulation of neural receptors for pain during tissue damage, sleep inhibition†, and maintenance of patent ductus arteriosis†.” That sums it all up, doesn’t it?! Keep reading — we’ll see if we can sort some of this out.

Vasodilation. If you sprain your ankle, vasodilation is what causes the ankle to swell up and become red, hot and painful. Blocking the vasodilation reduces swelling and makes the ankle less painful. The potential harm of blocking that vasodilation is the vasodilation is actually allowing for your body to call in the repair crew to come in and fix what needs fixing. The OTCs can slow down the healing process — the correct messages aren’t being sent to the fix-it crew.
Vascular permeability. This is what causes the swelling (edema), another healing mechanism. As I understand the process, the swelling creates a nice liquid-y environment that allows the healing cells (neutrophils and macrophages) to move around quickly to get their jobs done. Think of it like a walled off watery construction site. If this mechanism is turned off, we risk messing with the essential building blocks (such as fibrinogen and fibronectin), making our imaginary construction site walls temporary, rather than permanent.
Platelet aggregation. Kind of important stuff. Let’s assume that when you sprained your ankle, you also got a cut at the same time. Without platelet aggregation, bleeding would continue. Platelets job is to stop the bleeding. Ibuprofen keeps the platelets from doing their thing and is therefore considered a “blood thinner” — but it’s not actually thinning the blood, it’s slowing down the blood clotting mechanism.
- This would be part of the reason Advil/Motrin has been known to cause gastrointestinal bleeding (especially with prolonged use or for those with a history of peptic ulcers or other bleeding disorders or who take blood thinning medication. If you require an OTC painkiller with any of these conditions, acetiminophen would be a better choice in this instance as it is “a weak inhibitor of platelet cyclooxygenase 1” (Munsterhjelm et al. 2005).
- “NSAIDs induce clinically significant ulceration, bleeding, and/or obstruction in 1-4% of patients chronically taking these drugs. Even higher rates of ulceration are seen in patients with a history of peptic ulceration; in patients concurrently taking anticoagulants, low-dose aspirin, or glucocorticoids; and in the elderly” (Wallace 2008).
  - 1-4% doesn’t sound like a big deal, but there was a mom on the playground once upon a time who was “bleeding out” due to NSAID use (I was told later). Another mom, who happened to be a doctor, was nearby. If not for her, she probably wouldn’t have made it. This was my first wake up call to an OTC drug I used to use regularly. NSAIDs have also caused GI bleeding in family members - so two close encounters with this stated tiny minority.
- Inhibition of gastric acid secretion. On the topic of the GI system, NSAIDs can increase gastric acid secretion and harm the stomach lining, too (Wallace 2008). So, the prostaglandins inhibit the gastric acid secretion and the NSAIDs can increase the acid secretion. Tylenol does not have this effect.
Stimulation of neural receptors for pain during tissue damage. This is called nociception which is, according to Taber’s (Venes 2017): “The stimulus-response process involving the stimulation of peripheral pain-carrying nerve fibers and the transmission of impulses along peripheral nerves to the central nervous system, where the stimulus is perceived as pain.” By blocking these signals, you are blocking your body’s way of telling you to stop using an injured part so it can heal, potentially causing more damage before you have healed. Tylenol, on the other hand, could be even more harmful as it has not done anything to lessen the inflammation at the injury site, it has just turned down the pain volume.

OK. I get it, OTCs are not completely without risk. What do you suggest using for this fictitious sprained ankle?

Well, homeopathy, of course!

Arnica is always a good place to start for any injury. Swelling, bruising, weakness; worse with movement, touch and jarring. Better for cold compresses.
For a sprained ankled with redness that feels hot, painful, swollen and stiff and is worse when moving it (or, even incapable of moving it) but feels better from pressure (even tight bandaging) and local heat: Bryonia alba.
Rhus tox for pain and stiffness that is worse with the starting of movement but it gets better with continued movement and feels better from applied heat. In other words, the stiffness and soreness are worse from staying in one position too long. Rhus works on ligaments and connective tissue as well as joints.
If the affected area feels cold to the touch but also feels better from cold applications/worse for warmth: Ledum palustre. There may be a deep aching.
Ruta if it feels tender or bruised and aching — especially good for sprains involving ligaments, tendons and connective tissues. Also good for repetitive strain injuries. May feel worse with cold, damp weather or pressure on the affected area; may feel better for warmth and rubbing.
Symphytum is known to aid in healing ligaments and tendons, making it particularly useful in sprains where joint stability is compromised. Particularly good if there is a deep, aching sensation with significant bruising around the sprained area.
Bellis perennis for sprains with more bruising and may feel cold (Bellis is sometimes called “the deeper Arnica) — deep-seated soreness; may feel better for warmth and gentle movement. There may be a feeling of constriction as if there were a band around the joint.

Another option… choose two well suited remedies and alternate them. There are a lot of different pieces to a sprain puzzle and these symptoms may change as the healing takes place — move to the next remedy as symptoms change or if the current remedy is no longer as effective.

Or, the combination of Arnica, Ruta and Rhus is an excellent injury go-to, covering many bases at once.

I encourage you to read up on the OTC painkillers. Drugs.com is a good place to start. (Hint: keep scrolling down the page on Drugs.com. There is a brief overview at the top of the page, but if you keep going, you’ll find further links for “side effects” that should be known but are a little hidden.)

If you purchase/make a good household kit, you will be ready to deal with most common ailments that come your way and be able to skirt the OTCs.

Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath

#wellnessawaits

*Ibuprofen/Advil/Motrin/NSAIDS are used interchangeably throughout this article; likewise acetaminophen/Tylenol, too.

**Some sources say a strain is the injury to tendons while sprains are injuries to ligaments. Other sources use strain and sprain interchangeably.

†In keeping with the sprained ankle analogy, bronchoconstriction, dysmenorrhea, sleep inhibition and maintenance of patent ductus arteriosis do not pertain to this situation.

Reference list
American Association of Homeopathic Pharmacists, n.d. FAQs [online]. The American Association of Homeopathic Pharmacists.

Anderson, L. A., 2024. Pain / Fever Drugs and Alcohol Interactions [online]. Drugs.com.

Andonian, N., 2020. Rebound (Medication-Overuse) Headaches: How to Stop Them [online]. GoodRx.

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

Durbin, K., 2023a. Acetaminophen [online]. Drugs.com.

Durbin, K., 2023b. Ibuprofen [online]. Drugs.com.

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

Harvard Health Publishing, 2024. Acetaminophen safety: Be cautious but not afraid - Harvard Health [online]. Harvard Health.

Hershoff, A., 2000. Homeopathic Remedies. Kindle. Avery Uuuu-Uuuu.

Mcconnell, T. H., Paulson, V. A. and Valasek, M. A., 2014. The nature of disease : pathology for the health professions. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

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

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

Venes, D., 2017. Taber’s cyclopedic medical dictionary. Kindle. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Company.

Waugh, A. and Grant, A., 2023. Ross and Wilson Anatomy and Physiology in Health and Illness. 14th ed. Edinburgh: Elsevier Health Sciences.

7/19/2025

ARNICA

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We've never really talked about, have we?

I mean, I have mentioned Arnica in more than 35 previous articles (too many to list here, go here or here and search "Arnica" if you would like to read those, or you can keep reading and I have linked to separate articles throughout), but I haven't really talked about Arnica specifically.

I have always just sort of assumed that everybody reading Ruminating on Remedies already had a general grasp of Arnica. Maybe not, though. With that, let's take a look at what is considered to be the "gateway" homeopathic remedy.

Before it was made into a homeopathic remedy, it was used herbally. I remember Arnica being taught to me as a plant that was in a useful place -- hikers would be tired and sore after climbing in the mountains and there sits the answer to their troubles, right at their sore feet.

Excerpted from Encylopedia of Herbal Medicine (Chevallier 2000, p 172):

Arnica montana, also known as Leopard’s Bane, grows in the mountain woods and pastures. It has been used extensively in European folk medicine and is an effective ointment and compress for bruises, sprains and muscle pain and improves the local blood supply and speeds healing. It is anti-inflammatory and increases the rate of reabsorption of internal bleeding. Generally the plant is now taken internally only as a homeopathic dilution, principally for shock, injury and pain. If taken as a decoction or tincture… it can be toxic even at low dosage and thus is rarely used in this way.
CAUTIONS: Arnica preparations should not be applied to broken skin.

Interestingly, to me, Arnica often looks a little bedraggled in the photos… a little bent and rough around the edges and like it could use a little bit of homeopathic Arnica itself. 😄

"Due to the toxicity of the sesquiterpene lactones it contains, oral use of arnica must be avoided altogether" (Hoffman 2003, p 530). "The homeopathic preparation is entirely safe to take internally, especially when used according to homeopathic directions" (Hoffman 2003, p 529).

Let's turn to my favorite place to hang out… the repertory. I have to say that repertory software makes searching all this so much easier and even more fun! (Look for an upcoming "Quickie" on software👀.) I searched for Arnica and level 4 symptoms, from Dr. Murphy:

concussion
blows
bruises
contusions
extravasations from injuries
falls
injuries, general
shock, traumatic
bruised pain, as if beaten
mind, fears, phobias, of others approaching them
sore pain

A.L. Blackwood (2016) in A Manual of Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacology (originally published in 1906) says, "The [homeopathic] remedy is indicated following mechanical injuries, strains and wrenching of muscles, in hemorrhages from injuries, injuries of the soft parts that accompany fractures, and bruises, and ecchymosis, and in concussions of the spine and brain, and in inflammation of the skin and cellular tissues, with extreme tenderness to pressure." Well, that sums up a lot of situations, actually. No wonder it's the first remedy to think of following an injury. "… when the patient feels as if bruised all over, and everything upon which he lies feels too hard, compelling him to change his position on this account."

INJURIES: now there's a big topic… Sprains. Strains. Contusions. Fractures. Overuse injuries. Concussions. Dislocations. Guess what? Arnica would most likely be helpful in all these situations. Why? If for no other reason than they are all painful.

Going back to 1855 to Dr. William Helmuth's Surgery and Its adaptation into Homoeopathic Practice: "Arnica is useful in all cases and ages to allay the extreme sensibility of the whole body, the general restlessness and intense pain in the seat of injury."

Let's look again to Dr. Murphy to see where Arnica really shines -- pain -- using both level 3 & 4 rubrics:

"sore" pain
- Sore pain. Is that pain from a sore? Could be, as there is the rubric Skin, Eruptions, painful — that sounds like a sore.
  “Sore” is actually met by Arnica in both of its definitions, according to Taber's Medical Dictionary (Venes 2017):
  1. tender; painful
  2. any type of tender or painful ulcer or lesion of the skin or mucous membrane.
"aching" pain
- Aching pain, again from Taber:
  1. pain that is persistent rather than sudden or spasmodic. it may be dull or severe.
  2. to suffer persistent pain.
pain from injuries
"rheumatic" pain
- “a general, imprecise, colloquial, and somewhat old-fashioned term for acute and chronic conditions marked by inflammation, muscle soreness and stiffness, and pain in joints and associated structures. It includes inflammatory arthritis (infectious, rheumatoid, gouty), arthritis due to rheumatic fever or trauma, degenerative joint disease…” (Venes 2017)
"bruised" pain, as if beaten (4)
aching pain in the periosteum (tissue around the bones) -- resembling bruising pain, actually
sore muscles (4), following overexertion
teeth pain after dental work or injury
- Calvin Knerr’s repertory (2022) often has a little different (but unquestionable) take on the remedies and says: Teeth, abscesses at roots, injuries to dental nerves, sensitive after filling. (I suppose we could chalk that up to bruises, contusions, injuries, and pain, but I think it’s important to remember that it’s specifically helpful in dental issues.)

BRUISING -- also known as ECCHYMOSIS -- is superficial bleeding under the skin or a mucous membrane; a bruise (Venes 2017). Arnica is the only level 4 remedy for skin, ecchymosis in Murphy. (Symphytum is the exception here, level 4 specific for eye injuries -- black eyes -- but I digress.) Bruising results when blood vessels (external or internal) are broken but the tissue surfaces remain intact (Venes 2017). As we saw above, Arnica in herbal form is known to increase the rate of reabsorption of internal bleeding and it does so also in homeopathic form. If I had a nickel for every time I have heard about an injury that looked like it was going to end up with an enormous bruise only to have disappeared to nearly nothing after taking Arnica…

"Sore, lame, bruised feeling all through the body, as if beaten" (Allen). Feels as if been hit by a bus is another way of saying that.

Another keynote of Arnica is they feel the bed seems too hard.

Not only does the bed just seem hard, Arnica is useful for bed sores. Another injury, actually, in a strange sort of way -- a localized injury, a sore, to the skin or the underlying tissue.

What else to look for which may strongly indicate Arnica? They say they are fine… "nothing is wrong with me" when there is clearly something wrong with them. (rubrics: Mind - Irritability, general - sends the doctor home, says he is not sick; Mind - Refuses, general - treatment, every - very sick, in spite of being.)

Massimo Mangialavori has a brand new book, Arnica and Similar Remedies. He takes the understanding of Arnica well beyond the "gateway to homeopathy remedy for injuries." In Mangialavori's Suggesta repertory (accessed through Radar Opus software), he shows a level 3 rubric: Apathy, indifference - anosognosia**, thinking that he is not ill.

Back to his new book, Arnica & Similar Remedies (2025, p 4):

"Arnica tends to have a phobia about being sick. In fact, he is one of the most hypochondriacal remedies in the materia medica -- and so he does not 'allow' himself to be ill… the revelation that he is susceptible is profoundly disturbing."

Prompted by Mangialavori, let's return to Murphy and see what comes up for the mind rubrics with Arnica (again, using just levels 3 & 4):

ailments from sexual abuse or violence
- "Arnica tries to stoically suppress his emotions and not share them with others; to do otherwise generates shame" (Mangialavori 2025, p 8).
accident prone
aversions to being approached by others; don't want to be touched; fears of being injured or touched or struck
- As mentioned earlier, there is a fear of being approached or touched. Why? Because they are afraid of being touched when they are in pain. They are very protective of themselves and their injuries. There is a feeling of delicacy. They are afraid of being injured. An oversensitivity to pain and touch.
- "They do their best to show that they are fine, despite their injury. A touch -- whether physical or emotional -- threatens to disrupt this strategy, and reveal that they are not so invulnerable after all" (Mangialavori 2025, p 3).
cautious behavior
distracted
- William Burt (1896( says: "very forgetful; absent minded; thinks rightly but uses the wrong word; sits as in a waking dream." This reads a little like what happens after a head injury.
mental symptoms from injuries or from emotional shock
- "Arnica does whatever he can to avoid decompensation, but when this occurs, it happens quickly. The fall is dramatic, often all the way to collapse, with a feeling that he can't repair and all is lost" (Mangialavori 2025, p 9).
whimpering, moaning or groaning

SUMMING IT ALL UP:
Jo Evans' Asteraceae: remedies of the sunflower family (2020, p 11) gives us a nice little list of where Arnica is helpful -- here are some standouts:

immediate or chronic trauma
jet lag
over-exertion, sprains
fractures
concussion
infected wounds, abscess, boils, bedsores and pustules
after dentistry, surgery, childbirth, anaesthetic
pain everywhere. sensation as if bruised, beaten, broken, dislocated. unable to find any comfortable position.
influenza
a rotten egg smell (belching, flatulence, taste in mouth)
bruising, contusions, ruptured blood vessels. hot, hard, shining swelling.
stings
shock
PTSD (see also: PTSD; Honoring All Who Served).
claims to be fine, despite great trauma. refuses medical intervention.

Arnica is without question my number one homeopathic remedy that I would not be without and now you know why.

Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath

#wellnessawaits

* Do NOT use Arnica on open skin!
** Anosognosia is a fascinating thing I recently learned about. It is the apparent denial or unawareness of one’s own neurological defect (Venes 2017). Visual anosognosia is “a neurological syndrome in which patients who cannot see deny that they are blind. An excuse such as ‘I lost my glasses’ may be offered."

Reference list
Allen, H. C., n.d. Keynotes and Characteristics. accessed through Radar Opus software.

BLACKWOOD, A. L., 2016. A Manual of Materia Medica Theraoeutics and Pharmacology. accessed through Radar Opus software. B. Jain Publishing.

Burt, W. H., 1896. Physiological Materia Medica, Containing All that is Known of the Physiological Action of Our Remedies. accessed through Radar Opus software.

Chevallier, A., 2000. Natural health encyclopedia of herbal medicine. New York: Dk Pub. Inc.

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

Hellmuth, W. T., n.d. Surgery and Its Adaptation into Homoeopathic Practice. accessed through Radar Opus software.

Hoffmann, D., 2003. Medical herbalism: The science and practice of herbal medicine. Healing Arts Press.

KNERR, C., 2022. REPERTORY OF HERING’S GUIDING SYMPTOMS OF OUR MATERIA MEDICA (CLASSIC REPRINT). accessed through Radar Opus software.

Mangialavori, M., n.d. Suggesta. accessed through Radar Opus software.

Mangialavori, M., Heron, K., Sobraske, J. and Wood, B., 2025. Arnica & Similar Remedies. Independently Published.

Murphy, R., 2006. Nature’s materia medica : 1,400 homeopathic and herbal remedies. accessed through Radar Opus software. Blackburg, Va.: Lotus Health Institute, November.

Venes, D., 2017. Taber’s cyclopedic medical dictionary. Kindle. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Company.

8/13/2021

Lions and Tigers and Bears…

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My latest read arrived in the mail today. “Pigs: The Homeopathic Approach to the Treatment and Prevention of Diseases.” Once I have read it, it will sit on the shelf next to “Homeopathy for the Heard: A Farmer’s Guide to Low-Cost, Non-Toxic Veterinary Care of Cattle” and the “Practical Handbook of Veterinary Homeopathy: Healing Our Companion Animals from the Inside Out.” I have more like this on the shelf, but that’s not the point of this article.

The purpose of this article is to point out how marvelously well homeopathy works for all creatures. I have recently written about Rufus and his troubles ["An Insecure Rectum" & "What Hurts?"], but homeopathy has in the past helped our chickens and our peacock, too.

Now, let's take a look at our imaginary creatures from the title of this article.

I have no doubt this powerful medicine would be able to help “The Lion in Love.” That’s the Aesop’s Fable where the poor lion, in love with the woodsman’s daughter, was de-fanged and de-clawed and still denied the woodsman’s daughter anyway. This poor fellow most certainly could have been helped by Natrum muriaticum, the preeminent homeopathic remedy for unrequited love.

Though tiger balm isn’t made from any part of a tiger (at least not that I can find!), and can be useful for straining injuries — the mechanism behind the active ingredient is to numb and block nerve sensations to make the area feel temporarily less painful. Now, if our imaginary tiger from an Aesop’s fable was in need of tiger balm, I’m not certain it would do him much good due to his thick coat and skin. BUT, homeopathy could help him. Helios pharmacy makes a lovely remedy they call “Helios Injury.” This is a combination of homeopathic Arnica, Rhus tox and Ruta grav which will bring relief to strains and sprains and bruises (oh, my! — sorry, I couldn’t resist). If you are not near a Helios (located in the UK), you can make your own homeopathic combination remedy by putting a couple of pellets of each of the 3 remedies in your mouth at one time and letting them dissolve together to create a powerful remedy.

The bear in Aesop's “The Bear and The Bees,” who was stung so terribly by the whole hive from whom he was trying to steal their honey… Apis mellifica is the homeopathic remedy needed if the area is warm, red and swollen. But, if the sting area feels cold and it is relieved by cold, then homeopathic Ledum palustre is the better choice.

Whether it’s a chicken or a peacock or a dog or a pig or a whole herd of cows… homeopathy can help clear up what ails them quickly, safely and non-toxically.

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