Ruminating on Remedies, My thoughts on homeopathy

11/19/2022

When it hurts to go

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I was reading an article the other day about Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) and antibiotics. According to this CNN story LINK, 47% of women were being prescribed a wrong antibiotic for their UTIs. Nearly half! This is bad on many levels, not the least of which is that the pathogens which cause the UTIs are becoming increasingly resistant to the commonly used antibiotics (Mattoo et al. 2021; Wawrysiuk et al. 2019).

UTIs are painful things. There often is burning pain. The urge to urinate that is not relieved by urinating — you have to go, you go and immediately feels like you have to go again. There may be blood in the urine. Cramping pain. They’re not fun and they are not uncommon. A 2011 WHO report “found UTIs contributed to over 8 million office visits and over 1 million hospitalizations” (LaMotte 2021).

As for antibiotics for UTIs in general, sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t work. Whether they work or not is irrelevant to what they do to your gut (Ianiro et al. 2016).

Some people, women most frequently, experience UTIs multiple times a year and know pretty much exactly what’s going on when they have these symptoms. For children (and their parents), the burning pain can be quite distressing.

So, when do you know if it’s time to seek medical treatment? According to Dr. Troy Madsen (University of Utah 2018), if you’re an older man experiencing these troubles, that can be more problematic than if you’re a woman as these symptoms may signify prostate troubles.

When to seek medical treatment for a UTI (ER of Texas 2022):

symptoms have progressed to the point of lethargy
high fever
shaking and chills
severe nausea
vomiting
blood in the urine

So, what’s the answer to this painful condition that winds up with so many people presenting to the ER and taking (possibly) ill-prescribed antibiotics which may lead to antibiotic resistance?

Well, for run-of-the-mill UTIs, homeopathy, of course!

For the treatment of minor urinary tract infections, homeopathy can be a marvelous and fast answer to some relief.

A few well-indicated homeopathic remedies to address these uncomfortable symptoms, (for men, women, children and pets, too!):

Cantharis
- very frequent urge to urinate, almost constant
- stinging/burning/cutting pains before, during and after urination
- passing small quantities of dark urine
- may be insatiably thirsty

Staphysagria
- pressure upon the bladder — feels as if it didn’t empty
- burning pains in the urethra, especially between urination
- frequent urging to urinate with either scanty or profuse watery urine
- may be thirstless

Apis
- burning and stinging pains during urination
- retention of urine
- difficult or slow urination
- may be very restless

Not only can homeopathy help the immediate symptoms, but using homeopathy has even been found to decrease the recurrence. Pannek (et al. 2018) found adjunctive homeopathic treatment led to a significant decrease in UTIs in patients with spinal cord injury.

If you suffer from frequent, recurring UTIs, I highly encourage you to work with a professional homeopath because there’s something else going on there that needs to be brought into the equation.

Stop the burning drip and get with the flow!

Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath

#wellnessawaits

Reference list
American College of Emergency Physicians, 2022. Urinary Tract Infections — Know When to Go to the ER [online]. www.emergencyphysicians.org.

Chand, K. S. and Kapoor, P., 2020. Two Case Reports of Integrated Management of Antibiotic-Resistant Urinary Tract Infection. Homeopathy : the journal of the Faculty of Homeopathy [online], 10.1055/s0039-1696992.

ER of Texas, 2022. When to go to the ER for Urinary Tract Infection Symptoms [online]. ER of Texas.

Ianiro, G., Tilg, H. and Gasbarrini, A., 2016. Antibiotics as deep modulators of gut microbiota: between good and evil. Gut [online], 65 (11), 1906–1915.

LaMotte, S., 2021. Doctors treat female UTIs with wrong antibiotics nearly half the time, study finds. CNN [online], 24 February 2021.

Mattoo, T. K., Shaikh, N. and Nelson, C. P., 2021. Contemporary Management of Urinary Tract Infection in Children. Pediatrics [online], 147 (2).

Pannek, J., Jus, M. C. and Jus, M. S., 2012. [Homeopathic prophylaxis of urinary tract infections in patients with neurogenic bladder dysfunction]. Der Urologe. Ausg. A [online], 51 (4), 544–546.

Pannek, J., Pannek-Rademacher, S., Jus, M. S., Wöllner, J. and Krebs, J., 2018. Usefulness of classical homeopathy for the prophylaxis of recurrent urinary tract infections in individuals with chronic neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction. The Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine [online], 42 (4), 453–459.

University of Utah, 2018. ER or Not: It’s Difficult to Pee [online]. healthcare.utah.edu.

Wawrysiuk, S., Naber, K., Rechberger, T. and Miotla, P., 2019. Prevention and treatment of uncomplicated lower urinary tract infections in the era of increasing antimicrobial resistance—non-antibiotic approaches: a systemic review. Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics [online], 300 (4), 821–828.

7/16/2022

Summer Fun #3: Flying Things (mainly)

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As a rule, repeat the homeopathic remedy every 15 minutes for the first hour.

If no relief in that time, it is most likely not the correct remedy for now -- try another.
--------------------
Swelling, redness, heat, worse by heat: Apis.

Bites that itch and burn: Caladium.

If a watery blister develops: Cantharis.

Burning pains: Cantharis.

If a secondary infection develops: Gunpowder.
See: Things that go boom.

Intense, unbearable, possibly radiating pain with hypersensitivity to touch: Hypericum.

If the skin is hot and looks blue or purple: Lachesis.

Itching is better by cold and the site is sensitive to touch: Ledum.

Excessive itching or develop large welts: Staphysagria

Intense itching and burning with hive-like swelling: Urtica urens.

(Lessell 1999; Schmukler 2006; Ratera 2016).

My teenager came looking for me the other day at 8 am. It’s summer vacation so I knew something was not quite right. He awakened with a centipede in his bed. Not a good way to wake up in the morning! [Note to self: be careful of the blog articles I am planning… first the appendectomy and now the centipede in the bed!] Dr. Forgey (2020) says a cold pack is usually sufficient treatment but notes that some centipede bites can be severe and result in regional lymph node swelling. My son’s morning visitor got him on the shoulder and we used a little OHM Sting Relief & Insect Repellent and he was good to go. Beautiful stuff, but we’ll get to those ingredients in a minute.

It's a good thing that most bug bites are just annoying. But, for those unlucky few, that's not the case. I have a friend who just found out the hard way that she is allergic to bees. They got her twice at once - (one on the leg and the other the hand) and her hand swelled up, as did her throat! She, too, is a homeopath and knew just what to do. In this case, Apis mellifica.

Homeopathic Apis is made from the honeybee and is absolutely the #1 go-to remedy for anything that causes an anaphylactic reaction. Repeat Apis often while on the way to the hospital or awaiting medical attention.

“Anaphylaxis is a sudden onset, immediate reaction that implies a risk of death … reactions usually begin within 2 minutes to 2 hours after injection, infusion, ingestion, contact or inhalation. Fatalities can be from asphyxiation from laryngeal or oropharyngeal swelling, collapse from hypotensive shock, cardiac arrest, or acute severe bronchoconstriction that causes respiratory failure and arrest” (Watts and Ditto 2019). In other words, anaphylaxis is serious stuff which most often requires immediate medical attention though “fatalities are a rare occurrence” (Anagnostou 2018). Most people who know they have anaphylactic reactions would be equipped with an Epi-pen, but this was news for my friend!

Even without the anaphylactic reaction, Apis is the remedy to turn to for bee stings. As a side note, given that the remedy is made from the honeybee itself, this makes Apis not homeopathic, but isopathic. Isopathy is “same cures same” as opposed to homeopathy “like cures like.” See Hom, not Home.

Anyway, back to bee stings and Apis… if there is burning and stinging, swelling and redness, then Apis is what you’re after.

Ledum can also be useful for bee stings, especially if the stricken area feels cold.

Ticks can be hard to spot -- be sure to check your skin carefully!

Ticks are insidious little creatures. I remember finding wood ticks on me as a kid. I even have a little piece of my ear missing from when I panicked and pulled the big, fat thing off of me when it was still attached. To my knowledge, those ticks were just annoying. Now, we have to worry about Lyme disease (and 14 other known diseases (Alton and Alton 2021)) from the ticks.

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection from ticks and is a multisystem disease which is on the rise (Ross Russell et al. 2018). Fortunately, as we have gained more knowledge of Lyme, we learn of more preventative steps which can be taken and the horrific nature of this disease can be thwarted if caught early.

How do you know if you’ve been bitten by a disease carrying tick? First off, if you find a tick on you, remove it, following the most recent medical recommendations for removing the tick. (See here or here for starters.) Once the tick has been removed, save it in a jar or a plastic bag to be submitted to your local health authorities to find out whether it is indeed an infected tick.

OK, the tick has been removed and saved for analysis. Now what? Wash and disinfect the area (and wash your hands afterward, as well as washing your clothing in hot water and drying in high heat) and keep an eye on the bite sight. If that “bullseye” rash develops, and you experience fever and chills, muscle aches, fatigue and joint pain -- seek professional treatment immediately. "In about 70% of patients, the rash occurs before the fever and starts as a bump with redness in the area of the bite. It often then develops into a red ring-like 'bulls-eye' that feels warm to the touch. Alternatively, some may present with a spreading, crusty, splotchy area of redness, a red oval plaque or a bluish rash" (Alton and Alton 2021).

Homeopathically, start with Ledum 200c, twice daily for a week. Ledum is known for its use in puncture wounds and for the ill effects of puncture wounds. Ledum can be helpful in warding off bad stuff which would result from said wound. If you had to remove a tick from your body, you have certainly been punctured by the little bugger! The Mayo Clinic (2018) says Lyme infection is unlikely if the tick is attached for less than 36-48 hours, so be sure to check yourself carefully if you’ve been out in the wilds (or, even the not-so-wilds, like just being in your backyard if you live in tick-land!)

Mosquitoes.
I have to say, I am not a fan. At all. OK, I actually don’t know anyone who does like the little bastards, but I feel compelled to complain about them.

These little suckers also carry some nasty diseases. The Survival Medicine Handbook (Alton and Alton 2021) notes that “in terms of the sheer number of human deaths, the lowly mosquito puts all the classic creatures from our nightmares to shame.” They do clarify, however, that it’s not the mosquito in and of itself that is the problem, they merely carry the microbe to the unsuspecting victim. I still don't like them, even if they haven't transmitted any diseases to me! Their bite alone is enough!

What kinds of diseases? Malaria, Dengue Fever, Zika, West Nile, to name a few. Addressing all those diseases homeopathically is far beyond the scope of this article. However, it's important to note that the first homeopathic "proving" done by Samuel Hahnemann, the father of homeopathy, was done on Cinchona or quinine -- which is the original treatment for malaria (Permin et al. 2016) and that homeopathy may help in these situations. For a quick read on this, try: The Cinchona Experiment (Homeopathy Plus 2020).

Homeopathically, again, the first place to stop for a mozzy bite is Ledum, as it’s another puncture wound, after all.

My go-to for mosquito bites is Staphysagria — it’s particularly well indicated if there is a level of anger involved with dealing with the bite.

For wasp stings, see my previous articles: here and here.

"Within the vertically oriented sheath of mouthparts below the eyes are scissor blades that slice and shred their way into the skin of tough cow or horse hide with ease. A sponge-like structure on the end of the proboscis then mops up the blood that pools on the skin".
(Sue 2014)

Blackfly or Horsefly

These guys are relentless! Equipped with the ability to cut through cow hides or horse hides, they can do a real number on humans!

I had a run-in with them a few weeks ago. I felt the first one and then I didn't feel it when they delivered the rest of their nastiness! These bites were sore and scabby and oozy and definitely good candidates for Graphites. (I still have residual marks, but the pain is gone.) But, again, Ledum could definitely have been helpful here, too.

BUG BITE PREVENTION:

In addition to bug spray and citronella candles, what else can be done?

Dr. Colin Lessell (1999) claims homeopathic Ledum begun 3 days before potential exposure to the biting insects and repeated every 12 hours “will assist in the reduction of reactivity.”

Dr. Ratera (2016) also adds Staphysagria (3-6 times a day) as well as Vitamin B12.

If you know you react poorly to bug bites, these certainly sound worth a try to me!

DON’T LET THESE GUYS FOOL YOU!

These 2 look cute and friendly and I thought they were harmless. Silly me!

Many years ago, my then-toddler got a terrible, painful rash on his cheeks and it turned out to be from a caterpillar. I know now that the best thing to do is to use sticky tape to remove the toxic hairs from the skin (Cleveland Clinic 2021). In hindsight, I would most likely have used Cantharis to help him out with the pain, but maybe Graphites as I think I remember it being a weepy rash.

Later, we were visiting out of state and while swinging on the swings we were attacked by ladybugs. Who knew?! They were painful little bites! In hindsight, I probably would have used Ledum or Staphysagria.

Back to OHM’s Sting Relief and Insect Repellent. OHM is a homeopathic pharmacy located in Texas; but, unfortunately, they do not sell to the general public. What’s in this marvelous little concoction? Equal amounts of Apis, Belladonna, Caladium, Calendula, Graphites, Ledum, Pulsatilla, Rhus tox and Staphysagria (as well as non-homeopathic bug repellent ingredients. It's a win/win -- if the repellent fails, you've got the homeopathic remedies to fix you up!)

As I have mentioned before (see: Calming the Cold, What Hurts?, Relief, Recovery from Surgery) learning the various remedies included in a combination remedy is a good place to start when figuring out what might help you, as well as just learning homeopathic remedies in general.

We talked about Apis, Ledum and Staphysagria already so let’s have a quick look at OHM’s other ingredients.

Belladonna is highly indicated in red, swollen, hot, intense conditions and there may be a “biting” quality to the pain.

Caladium may also have a “biting” pain. Bites that itch and burn intensely.

Calendula (See: I did a doozy) is a marvelously soothing remedy for things that hurt, particularly things that hurt worse than they “should.” Calendula can also be used topically.

Graphites is known to help skin conditions with honey-like oozing.

Pulsatilla skin eruptions which itch or sting, especially when scratching makes it worse.

Rhus tox for burning skin eruptions or pain after scratching.

If a stinger remains, Herbal Medic (Coffman 2021) recommends scraping “it away using a flat scraper such as the edge of a credit card. Then clean the bite or sting area well and apply the plaster or poultice.”

What kind of a poultice, you ask? Coffman recommends bentonite clay or charcoal.

Other topical options:
Calendula, Pot Marigold, is just a marvelously soothing substance. It is also known to help keep infections at bay.

Rural Sprout (Magyar 2020) has instructions for a fresh plantain poultice for bites and stings. Or, you can use a ready made Plantain tincture. I tried the tincture after my wasp sting and found it very soothing. Or, you could also use homeopathic Plantago major which is also indicated for puncture wounds.

For both Calendula and Plantago, if you have the homeopathic remedy, but not the tincture or the fresh ingredients at hand, put a pellet or 2 of the remedy in clean water and then apply the medicated water to the affected area.

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.

4/20/2022

Recovery from Surgery

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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.

3/12/2022

Springing forward

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Here we go again. We’re springing forward. Whoo hoo! Enter your own favorite sarcastic noise or eye roll here.

Why do they insist on messing with our body clocks like this? Despite the books (Downing 2009; Prerau 2006) and articles I have read about Daylight Savings Time, I still can’t make heads nor tails of why we are still engaging in this ridiculousness. Alas.

25% of the human population (in more than 70 countries), (Folyovich et al. 2020) endures this nonsense twice a year — resulting in “negative health effects, with 150,000 incidences in the US, and 880,000 globally” (Zhang et al. 2020). Even the American Academy of Sleep Medicine agrees with me, stating, “It is, therefore, the position of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine that these seasonal time changes should be abolished in favor of a fixed, national, year-round standard time (Rishi et al. 2020).

Manfredini (et al. 2019) did a meta-analysis of Acute Myocardial Infarctions (heart attacks) and Daylight Savings and found the risk “increased significantly” after the spring shift. For further sleep deprivation research, see my previous article.

If you’re like me, it doesn’t matter if you attempt to mitigate these effects by going to bed early or sleeping in… it’s when your body tells you it’s one time and you look at your clock and it tells you it’s another time. Yuck.

Well, tomorrow morning (or afternoon — whenever the painful effects of this clock tinkering kick in), I plan on taking a dose of Hyland’s Awaken*: “Natural relief of fatigue, drowsiness and irritability.”

Awaken is a little bottle of relief. Relief after a lousy night’s sleep or after having to wake early for an appointment or after a fun late night out or even as a result of travel between small distances between time zones… as well as from being compliant with this silly clock changing thing. [Is it apparent that I find this a great annoyance?]

What causes this relief?
Let’s look at what is in Hyland's formulation and why they included these homeopathic remedies (all in X potencies):

Kali Phosphoricum
Known as “one of the greatest nerve remedies” (Murphy n.d.) and is one of the original 12 Schuessler Cell Salts. Cell Salts are composed from the basic minerals that cells require (Cell Salt Tissues 2022). Kali phos is helpful for drowsiness and yawning, forgetfulness and irritability.

Mezereum link to photo
Is a pretty little flower, aka Spurge Olive — this homeopathic remedy is made from a tincture of the fresh bark just before it flowers in the spring. Mezereum can help with mental dullness, irritability, laziness, yawning and sleepiness, in general.

Natrum muriaticum
Is simply common salt and is another of the original 12 cell salts. Nat Mur (as it’s known) is notable in terms of sleepiness in the late morning, mental dullness with sleepiness and weakness from loss of sleep. Nat Mur is also an excellent headache remedy — another possible symptom following not getting enough sleep.

Phosphoricum acidum
As a homeopathic remedy is amazingly helpful in “collapsed states” (Morrison 1993). Waking up is difficult and sleepy by day, gloomy, dull and weakness with the sleepiness.

Sepia
Great sleepiness during the day as results from an unrefreshing sleep (which is bound to be the case when the powers that be have goofed with our clocks!)

Staphysagria
Sleepiness with: difficulty opening your eyes, indigestion and an inclination to lying down. Murphy (n.d.) notes “violent yawning and stretching bring tears to the eye.”

Sulphur
Headaches, even migraines, from a loss of sleep and overpowering sleepiness (specifically while working).

Thuja occidentalis
Also addresses headaches and sleepiness as well as restlessness and tossing about during sleep.

Here’s to sweet dreams. Maybe if we all concentrate really hard we can make this clock changing thing disappear!

Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath

#wellnessawaits

If you suffer regularly from poor sleep, contact me to see if homeopathy may be of help to you.

* I have no affiliation with Hylands, I just like their product.
I usually like to provide a link for remedies, but Hylands.com no longer shows it. I see it is still available on lots of other websites, though. Hmmm. I hope Hyland’s is not taking this remedy away! The good thing about homeopathy, though, is you can make your own mixture based on the remedies and even tailor it to your specific needs.

Reference list
Cell Salt Tissues, 2022. Buy Schuessler Salts | Cell Salts Tissue Salts World [online].

Downing, M., 2009. Spring forward : the annual madness of daylight saving. Berkeley: Counterpoint.

Folyovich, A., Biczó, D., Jarecsny, T., Al-Muhanna, N., Jánoska, D., Béres-Molnár, K. A., Dudás, E., and Toldi, G., 2020. Daylight saving time and the incidence of thrombolysis to treat acute ischemic stroke. Revue Neurologique[online], 176 (5), 361–365.

Manfredini, R., Fabbian, F., Cappadona, R., De Giorgi, A., Bravi, F., Carradori, T., Flacco, M., and Manzoli, L., 2019. Daylight Saving Time and Acute Myocardial Infarction: A Meta-Analysis. Journal of Clinical Medicine [online], 8 (3), 404.

Morrison, R., 1993. Desktop guide to keynotes and confirmatory symptoms. Accessed through Radar Opus. Nevada City, Calif.: Hahnemann Clinic Pub.
Murphy, R., n.d. Homeopathic Remedy Guide. accessed through Radar Opus.

Prerau, D. S., 2006. Seize the daylight : the curious and contentious story of daylight saving time. New York: Thunder’s Mouth Press.

Rishi, M. A., Ahmed, O., Barrantes Perez, J. H., Berneking, M., Dombrowsky, J., Flynn-Evans, E. E., Santiago, V., Sullivan, S. S., Upender, R., Yuen, K., Abbasi-Feinberg, F., Aurora, R. N., Carden, K. A., Kirsch, D. B., Kristo, D. A., Malhotra, R. K., Martin, J. L., Olson, E. J., Ramar, K., and Rosen, C. L., 2020. Daylight saving time: an American Academy of Sleep Medicine position statement. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine [online].

Zhang, H., Dahlén, T., Khan, A., Edgren, G., and Rzhetsky, A., 2020. Measurable health effects associated with the daylight saving time shift. PLOS Computational Biology [online], 16 (6), e1007927.

1/12/2022

Shame on you!

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We turned the page into 2022 and suddenly the acknowledgment of the shame that has been foisted upon us for the past 2 years is everywhere.

As I am writing this, a news alert popped up on my phone: “Whoopi Goldberg stunned by testing positive for COVID: ‘I’ve done everything I was supposed to do.’” Earlier this week, a friend shared an article from American Thinker titled, “Shame as a Covid Strategy.” Later that same day, I logged onto Facebook and saw a post from the Autoimmune Protocol Diet talking about shame being at the root of disordered eating (here’s some recent research to go along with that thought — Nechita et al. 2021). Another article in the same day was talking about CNN’s editor-at-large Chris Cillizza saying, “But I do think societally we unknowingly turned having Covid into some sort of judgment on your character.”

We certainly have done exactly that and we don’t yet know what the ramifications are of such a mass, unjustified shaming.

Did you know people are being put in special camps in Australia when they test positive for Covid, (Cave 2021), or have a friend who tested positive (Barkoukis 2021) or where they wait until they can prove they don’t test positive? (Dixon 2021). We, in the US, thankfully, still have the idea of innocent until proven guilty, but we no longer have healthy until proven sick.

Germs are gonna germ. Viruses are gonna virus. There is very little you can do to keep those germs and viruses from getting to you. (There are things you can do to keep those germs and viruses from taking hold of you, but that’s a whole other topic.) We don't segregate people because they may have other contagious diseases (unless they are being treated in a hospital). For the first time, to my knowledge, people are being blamed and shamed for getting cold and flu-like symptoms as a result of having contracted Covid.

Once upon a time, if you were unable to attend a social gathering because you had the flu, the automatic reaction on the other side was sympathy. That automatic reaction is now full of aspersions. I find this very sad.

Frederickson (2020) describes the difference between guilt and shame: guilt refers to a deed; shame to our being — “I am a bad boy” as opposed to “I did a bad thing”. He goes on to talk about shame being triggered in therapy sessions as a result of suffering “crippling shame over possessing universal, human desires or flaws.” This is most likely why shame has been such a useful tool to maneuver the population in regards to Covid — everybody has experienced shame and it is an easy ploy to manipulate behavior. Shame is ubiquitous. Show me someone who has never felt shame — I don’t think it’s possible to find someone who has never felt shame.

What exactly is shame? My then 3-year-old once said to me, "My body feels like it did something wrong." I think that's an excellent description of how shame feels. Technically, though, “shame” has two definitions as a noun in the Oxford Dictionary (Oxford University Press 2021): 1. A painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior. 2. A regrettable or unfortunate situation or action. As a verb: make (someone) feel ashamed.

Tell me, what, definitionally, could possibly be shameful about “catching Covid?” The shame and stigma and shunning that people have suffered over the last 2 years simply because they, or a family member, were diagnosed with or tested positive for Covid is simply shocking.

Cândea and Szentagotai-Tăta (2018) found that “external shame (perceived negative evaluations of others) seems to be more strongly associated with social anxiety symptoms than internal shame (negative self-evaluations)”.

Philosopher Jean Paul Sartes points out that a mild embarrassment in one can induce mortification in another (Lyons et al. 2018). If shame is not dealt with, it can have damaging consequences. Deep-seated shame plays an important role in many self-destructive ways. We saw above that it plays a role in eating disorders. Shame is also linked to psychotic experiences, particularly paranoia (Carden et al. 2020).

It is not my intention to equate the societal Covid shaming to the deeper shame which some people carry with them. However, we don’t know how this newest layer of shame may affect the population. When society lays a blanket of shame over huge numbers of people (especially without true justification), many will likely be adversely affected by that shaming. Again, we simply don’t know what the ramifications of these last two years will be but a recent Telegraph article may tell us a little about what may be headed our way: "Number of children admitted to hospital for eating disorders surges 70% since pandemic." Is shame to blame for this increase? We don't yet have that answer but I wouldn't be surprised to see those dots connected at some point in time.

The Lancet’s Stories of Shame notes that doctors don’t talk much about shame (Lyons et al. 2018). Psychiatrist Aaron Lazare said, “it is shameful and humiliating to admit that one has been shamed and humiliated.”

Doctors may not talk about shame, but homeopaths do. Homeopathy recognizes the destructive force that is deep-seated shame.

Referencing Murphy’s repertory (n.d.) shows us the rubric: Mind - SHAME, ailments from. Front and center in the 9 remedies listed is Staphysagria, in bold-type and underlined.

Homeopathic Staphysagria is made from a tincture of the seeds of the Delphinium plant, also known as Larkspur.

We know Larkspur from Greek Mythology. Ajax the Great was unable to live with his shame, and in anger he fell upon his sword and the Larkspur flower sprang from his blood (Greek Legends and Myths; Theoi Greek Mythology).

C.M. Boger (et al. 2008) talks about the morbidly sensitive person who is easily offended in regard to one who could benefit from homeopathic Staphysagria. Which came first? Did that extreme sensitivity result from the shaming or was the sensitive person highly susceptible to the shaming? "Sheepish, sensitive, imagines insults.” The person who could benefit from Staphysagria is worse for emotions, chagrin, vexation, indignation and quarrels. Let’s be fair here. Who is actually better for these? True, but when differentiating homeopathic remedies this person would be markedly worse for experiencing these circumstances. There are plenty of people who can roll with some embarrassment or chagrin, but the person who would most likely benefit from homeopathic Staphysagria is not that person.

Staphysagria is also known as “a great germicide” and it has been used allopathically as well as homeopathically, to treat lice (Vicentini et al. 2018; Choudhuri 2016; Farrington 2018; Tyler 2003), a condition which most certainly can historically be considered “shameful”.

Physically speaking, aside from treating lice, homeopathic Staphysagria is known to help with surgical wounds (Alecu et al. 2007). "Incised wounds, it is the best remedy … where there is a clean cut as after surgical operations" (Tyler 2003, p. 767). "Similarly, after surgery when the tissues have been 'lacerated' there is a great sense of violation … and Staphysagria is one of the first remedies to consider (Pitt 2015, p. 362).

Tying back to shame is the connection of words which can "cut deep." Humiliation, insults, shameful attacks -- they all can cut deep and have great effect on a person and their well-being.

Don’t accept the responsibility of carrying somebody else’s shame because you, through no fault of your own, contracted a highly transmissible virus. Put that silly idea away!

However, if you or someone you know is dealing with deep-seated shame, humiliation or suppressed anger, please consult and work with a professional homeopath.

Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath

#wellnessawaits

Reference list

Alecu, A., Alecu, M., Marcus, G., Brezeanu, R., and Cojocaru, A., 2007. Effect of the homeopathic remedies Arnica Montana and Staphysagria on the time of healing surgical wounds. Cultura Homeopática, (20), 19–21.

Barkoukis, L., 2021. Australia Is Throwing People Who Don’t Even Have Covid-19 Into Internment Camps [online]. Townhall.

Boger, C. M., Bradford, T. L., and Tiwari, Shashi Kant, 2008. Boenninghausen’s Characteristics Materia Medica & Repertory With Word Index With Corrected & Revised Abbrrevations & Word Index. accessed through Radar Opus software. B Jain Pub Pvt Ltd.

Buck, H., 1997. The Outline of Materia Medica and a Clinical Dictionary. accessed through Radar Opus software. B Jain Publishers.

Cândea, D.-M. and Szentagotai-Tăta, A., 2018. Shame-proneness, guilt-proneness and anxiety symptoms: A meta-analysis. Journal of Anxiety Disorders [online], 58, 78–106.

Carden, L. J., Saini, P., Seddon, C., Watkins, M., and Taylor, P. J., 2020. Shame and the psychosis continuum: A systematic review of the literature. Psychology and Psychotherapy [online], 93 (1), 160–186.

Cave, D., 2021. Australia Is Betting on Remote Quarantine. Here’s What I Learned on the Inside. The New York Times [online], August 20, 2021.

Choudhuri, N. M., 2016. A study on materia medica : an ideal text-book for homoeopathic students. accessed through Radar Opus software. Noida, U.P., India: B. Jain Publishers (P) Ltd.

Dixon, R., 2021. I finally made it home to Australia. Washington Post [online], May 22, 2021.

Farrington, E. A., 2018. Lectures on Clinical Materia Medica in Family Order. New Delhi: B. Jain Publishers, LTD.

Frederickson, J., 2020. Shame: The Disavowal of Our Shared Humanity. Psychiatry [online], 83 (1), 33–35.

Greek Legends and Myths, n.d. Ajax the Great in Greek Mythology [online]. Greek Legends and Myths.

Lyons, B., Gibson, M., and Dolezal, L., 2018. Stories of shame. The Lancet [online], 391 (10130), 1568–1569.

Marlee, S., 2022. CNN’s Chris Cillizza just discovering Covid shaming; Twitter reality-checks him hard · American Wire News [online]. American Wire News.

Nechita, D., Bud, S., and David, D., 2021. Shame and eating disorders symptoms: A meta‐analysis. International Journal of Eating Disorders [online], 54 (11), 1899–1945.

O’Brien, T., 2022. Shaming as a COVID Strategy [online]. www.americanthinker.com.

Oxford University Press, 2021. Oxford Dictionary of English. 14.1.1.47 ed. Oxford University Press accessed through mobisystems.com app.

Pitt, R., 2015. Comparative materia medica : integrating new and old remedies. San Francisco, California: Lalibela Publishing.

Theoi Greek Mythology, n.d. PLANTS & FLOWERS OF GREEK MYTH 1 [online]. www.theoi.com.

Tyler, M. L., 2003. Homœopathic drug pictures. New Delhi, India: Indian Books & Periodicals Publishers.

Vicentini, C. B., Manfredini, S., and Contini, C., 2018. Ancient treatment for lice: a source of suggestions for carriers of other infectious diseases? Le Infezioni in Medicina[online], 26 (2), 181–192.
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Further reading on shame:

Ellenbogen, S., Colin-Vezina, D., Sinha, V., Chabot, M., and Wells, S. J. R., 2018. Contrasting mental health correlates of physical and sexual abuse-related shame. Journal of Child and Adolescent Mental Health [online], 30 (2), 87–97.

McElvaney, R., Lateef, R., Collin-Vézina, D., Alaggia, R., and Simpson, M., 2021. Bringing Shame Out of the Shadows: Identifying Shame in Child Sexual Abuse Disclosure Processes and Implications for Psychotherapy. Journal of Interpersonal Violence [online], 088626052110374.

Seidler, Z. E., Rice, S. M., Kealy, D., Wilson, M. J., Oliffe, J. L., and Ogrodniczuk, J. S., 2021. Men’s Shame and Anger: Examining the Roles of Alexithymia and Psychological Distress. The Journal of Psychology [online], 1–11.

Shaughnessy, M. J., 2017. Integrative Literature Review on Shame. Nursing Science Quarterly [online], 31 (1), 86–94.

Further reading on Covid death rates:

Berezow, A., 2020. COVID Infection Fatality Rates by Sex and Age [online]. American Council on Science and Health. ‌

Ioannidis, J. P. A., 2020. Infection fatality rate of COVID-19 inferred from seroprevalence data. Bulletin of the World Health Organization [online], 99 (1), 19–33F.‌

Mahase, E., 2020. Covid-19: death rate is 0.66% and increases with age, study estimates. BMJ [online], m1327.

Salzberger, B., Buder, F., Lampl, B., Ehrenstein, B., Hitzenbichler, F., Holzmann, T., Schmidt, B., and Hanses, F., 2020. Epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2. Infection [online].
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11/4/2021

Brace Face

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I probably should have had braces “back in the day” but after watching 2 of my kids suffer these things, I’m glad I didn’t. Their mouth issues are not cosmetic, though, or we wouldn’t have gone this route. Thing One suffered terrible headaches and ringing in the ear that we suspect was a result of the braces. We swapped orthodontists for Thing Three and this ortho has a different approach — so far, so good.

Regardless of the reason someone has a mouth full of metal, the results can understandably be quite uncomfortable.

Sore, aching mouth: Like most dental work, homeopathic Arnica is a good bet for sore, aching muscles from having to hold your jaw open for the work to be done and for the actual moving of the teeth and also for any bruising that may occur. A dose of Arnica prior to the appointment and as soon as practicable following the appointment should help. If the pain persists, and the Arnica is helping, keep taking if and when the pain returns.

If Arnica doesn’t help, try Ruta.

Cuts: those painful little cuts from the wires are best met with Staphysagria or Calendula. Homeopathic Staphysagria has a good history for “cutting” pains as well as pains caused by actual cuts. Additionally, Staphysagria is a terrific remedy for humiliation and shame — perhaps as a result of name calling. I’m not sure kids today face the ridicule of old for having a mouth full of metal and that’s a good thing. But, if they do suffer some mental and emotional problems as a result of having braces, that may make Staphysagria an even better choice.

Calendula has the reputation of being “the great herbal anti-septic” (see studies below) and is very useful for cuts and lacerations, especially those that hurt more than they “should” and it is very helpful in removing the local pain and suffering.

Calendula in its herbal form can be very helpful for mouth sores, too. Here are couple of suggestions: Healthy Gums Anti-gingivitis Rinse is made with Calendula and other ingredients and is very soothing for a sore mouth**. Celebration Herbals** makes a nice tea whose only ingredient is Calendula officinalis.

Toothache: Homeopathic Chamomilla is one of the best remedies for teething children. Think of the pain of toddlers cutting teeth and the accompanying grumpiness and irritability. Teenagers (and their family members!) suffering from the pain (and grumpiness!) of braces, especially right after an adjustment will appreciate this remedy.

Anxiety before appointments: Homeopathic Gelsemium has a longstanding reputation to assist in anticipatory anxiety. A dose of Gelsemium 6c prior to the appointment should help.

Nerve pain: homeopathic Hypericum for shooting/nerve pain following adjustments or during the use of palatal expanders.

Keep on smilin’ and if you need more tailored assistance for the pain of braces, contact me here.

Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath

#wellnessawaits

** I have no affiliation with these companies, I just like their product.

STUDIES related to this article:

Calendula:
Jahdi, F., Khabbaz, A. H., Kashian, M., Taghizadeh, M., and Haghani, H., 2018. The impact of calendula ointment on cesarean wound healing: A randomized controlled clinical trial. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care [online], 7 (5), 893–897.

Khairnar, M., Pawar, B., Marawar, P., and Mani, A., 2013. Evaluation of Calendula officinalis as an anti-plaque and anti-gingivitis agent. Journal of Indian Society of Periodontology, 17 (6), 741.

Nicolaus, C., Junghanns, S., Hartmann, A., Murillo, R., Ganzera, M., and Merfort, I., 2017. In vitro studies to evaluate the wound healing properties of Calendula officinalis extracts. Journal of Ethnopharmacology [online], 196, 94–103.

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

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

Gelsemium:
Bellavite, P., Bonafini, C., and Marzotto, M., 2018. Experimental neuropharmacology of Gelsemium sempervirens: Recent advances and debated issues. Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine [online], 9 (1), 69–74.

Bellavite, P., Magnani, P., Zanolin, E., and Conforti, A., 2011. Homeopathic Doses of Gelsemium sempervirens Improve the Behavior of Mice in Response to Novel Environments. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine: eCAM [online], 2011, 362517.

Magnani, P., Conforti, A., Zanolin, E., Marzotto, M., and Bellavite, P., 2010. Dose-effect study of Gelsemium sempervirens in high dilutions on anxiety-related responses in mice. Psychopharmacology [online], 210 (4), 533–545.

Marzotto, M., Olioso, D., Brizzi, M., Tononi, P., Cristofoletti, M., and Bellavite, P., 2014. Extreme sensitivity of gene expression in human SH-SY5Y neurocytes to ultra-low doses of Gelsemium sempervirens. BMC complementary and alternative medicine [online], 14, 104.

Olioso, D., Marzotto, M., Moratti, E., Brizzi, M., and Bellavite, P., 2014. Effects of Gelsemium sempervirens L. on pathway-focused gene expression profiling in neuronal cells. Journal of Ethnopharmacology [online], 153 (2), 535–539.

Venard, C., Boujedaini, N., Mensah-Nyagan, A. G., and Patte-Mensah, C., 2011. Comparative Analysis of Gelsemine and Gelsemium sempervirens Activity on Neurosteroid Allopregnanolone Formation in the Spinal Cord and Limbic System. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine: eCAM [online], 2011, 407617.

10/27/2021

Wasp Attack! part 1

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Photo by Jonas Allert on Unsplash

I was sitting out on the patio this afternoon for what is most likely the last beautiful 80 degree day of the year, when a yellow thing with a stinger started nosing around my sandaled foot.

Long ago I learned to not hit a bee or a wasp with my negative waves, so I shooed it away gently and turned my chair the other direction and promptly forgot about it.

Until the little !?@*! swooped in the gap in my sandal and stung me under my second toe! Bam! Out of the blue! No provocation of any kind! I flew out of my seat. I dropped my computer to the ground and retreated inside, cursing and limping and wondering what the heck just happened!

Luckily for me, just inside that door is where I keep my stash of homeopathic remedies. I immediately grabbed Ledum palustre 30c and threw some pellets under my tongue. I took a dose, waited for the pain to subside (which it did quite quickly), and then I started writing this article. About 15-20 minutes later, my toe started to throb and ache again, so I repeated the remedy and will continue to do so if and when the pain returns.

Why 30c and not another potency? To be completely honest, the 30c is the first thing my hand touched and I didn’t want to take the time to think about it. I just wanted the pain gone. Had I given it any thought, I probably would have chosen 200c.

Homeopathic Ledum is the first remedy to think of for stings and bites and puncture wounds of any kind.

Other than sneaky wasp attacks, where else would we see the usefulness of a homeopathic remedy for puncture wounds? … … … (I’ll wait while you fill in the blank.) … … … Yes! You’ve got it. Not that I am trying to get noticed by the Internet censors, but Ledum is the first remedy to consider following a puncture wound that stems from the pointy end of a plastic vial filled with liquid. After all, an injection site is, in simple terms, a puncture wound.

If one is suffering general ill effects following a puncture wound from the hands of a trained professional, Ledum should be the first thing you try. If other issues arise following that injectable fluid, a more specific homeopathic remedy should be given. For this, I suggest you work with a professional homeopath.

More pokey things that Ledum can help: bites from any kind of being (dogs, rodents, mosquitoes; ticks; bedbugs); goat’s head prickers (oh, these are nasty little things!); wounds from fixing a barbed wire fence or being poked by a branch. Ledum doesn’t care how the puncture wound got there, it just wants to help you feel better.

And, don’t forget your pets — they, too, can benefit from Ledum following a flea infestation.

Another time Ledum can come in handy is if a needle biopsy is in order. In this situation, take Ledum 200c just before the puncture and again as soon as possible afterward.

Should you find you are suffering an allergic reaction from a bee sting and Ledum is not doing the job, try Apis mellifica for bites/stings that swell up, are hot and resemble hives.

If the Ledum fails to act after acting well, some remedies that might follow well and are worth a try: Hypericum, Apis and Staphysagria.

If itching is part of this experience, Arsenicum album may help.

Remember homeopathic Ledum for those sneaky wasp attacks and any other unexpected (or even expected) puncture wounds.

Julia Coyte, CHom
classicallypractical.com
#wellnessawaits

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