Aches and pains

If you travel to areas where no osteopaths or chiropractors are to be found, you can buy or hire a small electronic device which will get rid of many simple neck, back or muscle pains. Transcutaneous electrical neural stimulation (TENS) reduces or eliminates pains by bombarding nerve endings with weak, adjustable, high frequency electrical stimuli through adhesive electrodes placed on the skin. These appear to be received by the brain in place of the pain stimuli (Lewith GT, Horn S, Drug Free Pain Relief, Wellingborough, Northants: Thorsons, 1987: 18, 25, 56-61).

Appendicism

Although acute appendicitis is nearly always a surgical condition, appendicism is a symptomatic discomfort in the region of the appendix. The routine emergency treatment for this is Iris tenax 2 every two hours.

Bruising

Apply Arnica montana tincture or oil to the area if the skin is unbroken. If the skin is broken, use a lotion of Hamamelis macrophylla (20 drops of tincture to 50 ml of distilled water). Also, take Arnica montana 3CH internally.

If you’ve bruised the bones, apply a lotion of Ruta graveolens (20 drops to 50 ml of distilled water) and take Ruta graveolens 3CH internally. For bruising of nerve rich areas like fingers, toes or spine, make up a lotion of equal parts of Hypericum perforatum tincture, alcohol fortis (95 per cent v/v alcohol) and distilled water, and rub it onto the injured area (if the spine) three times daily, or apply it onto cottonwool, then daub (if the extremities).

Burns and scalds (first degree)

Add 12 drops of Urtica urens to 50 ml of distilled water, or make up a lotion of Hamamelis macrophylla (20 drops to 50 ml of distilled water), then saturate a sterile gauze or dressing and place it over the burn. Moisten it again (in place) whenever it begins to dry out.

If you don’t have this tincture to hand and you’re out in the countryside, a lotion made by pouring boiling water onto freshly picked stinging nettles will do as well. Blisters should not be opened or drained.

Another possibility is to apply Echinacea angustifolia as a cleansing wash and then as a moist dressing.

Cold injuries and frostbite

Lie on your back. Initially, very gently rub the affected area with snow (forceful massage or compression is harm ful) and follow this by applying some room temperature (not icy) water to warm up slowly. This prevents your body from making vascular changes too suddenly, resulting in thickening of the blood. Only after you’ve taken this step should you move on to rapid rewarming using moist heat, keeping the water temperature like that of bath water (between 31-37 degrees C).

After rewarming, paint the affected part with Benzoin (Lindera). If frostbite occurs in the feet and hosiery is stuck to the affected limb, rub olive oil over the Benzoin tincture. The best next step is simply to expose the body part to air at room temperature (21-24 degrees C). Avoid using the affected part until the extent of any damage has been determined by a health professional.

Dysentery (with fever)

Stay in bed, keep warm and drink lots of water or fennel tea. If the condition is acute, take five to ten drops of Cuphea viscosissima; for a chronic condition, take ten drops of Vaccinum myrtillus every eight hours. As soon as you can, have yourself checked out for parasitic intestinal infection.

Electric shock

(including lightning stroke)

Make sure the current is switched off. If this is impossible, free the person from the source of the current while using an insulating material such as heavy duty insulating gloves, something made of wood or rubber, or even a folded newspaper. You can even use the victim’s clothing, so long as it is absolutely dry and you don’t touch his skin. If his breathing is failing or has stopped, begin resuscitation immediately.

Phosphorus 6CH is the homoeopathic drug of choice for the effects of lightning and electric shock.

Haemorrhage

The patient should be reassured and put to bed, avoiding any excitement and all stimulants. For external haemorrhages, apply pressure (20 minutes) and sterile cellulose alginate, a seaweed compound which is absorbed without causing local irritation (available from a pharmacy). Give Acalypha indica 6CH (or Achillea millefolium 3CH) and also possibly menadione (vitamin K3).

Hiccoughs

(persistent, severe and rapid)

The best homoeopathic remedy for hiccoughs that won’t go away is 60 drops of Scutellaria lateriflora 3DH repeated every two hours, or a single dose of Moschus moschiferus lCH. Stramonium 6CH (Datura) is another possibility. If none of the above is to hand, one foolproof method is rebreathing using a paper bag. Another is to have the victim drink a glass of water while using the fingers to press down just in front of the tragus, the little flap of cartilage at the opening of the ear, on both sides of the head.

High blood pressure

To help lower both systolic and diastolic blood pressures, take Spartium scoparium lCH three times a day. For dangerously elevated blood pressure, try to find a qualified acupuncturist, as classical acupuncture procedures are known to reduce high blood pressure speedily.

Insect bites or stings

Apply tincture of Ledum palustre to the sting. If you don’t have it on hand, you’ll get equally quick results from tincture or cream of Arnica montana, Calendula officinalis or Urtica urens.

Supplement this by taking two 15 drop doses of Grindelia robusta 10 minutes apart. For extremely red inflammation with excessive sensibility to touch or pain, gently massage the area and take a single dose of Cantharis vesicator 30CH. For a sting on the tongue or in the mouth, take one tablespoonful (15 ml) of Calendula officinalis tincture, pour it into the mouth and keep it there for as long as possible. The mother tincture of Pyrethrum parthenium applied to the skin will relieve the discomfort and hot sensations produced by stings or bites. An added advantage is that it repels insects.

Jellyfish sting

Rub on Acidum aceticum 1x to any affected areas.

Nausea and vomiting

Where no form of food is tolerated, the remedy of choice is 10 drops of Amygdalus persica or ucurbita pepo, or Zingiber officinale lx as an alternative. As soon as you can, investigate the possibility of parasitic infection if pregnancy or a hangover is not the obvious cause.

Septic conditions

Take 20 drops of Echinacea angustifolia in bottled or mineral water every two hours. The tincture can also be used locally as a cleansing and antiseptic wash.

Sunstroke or heatstroke

Take Glonoinum 6CH every two hours until you get relief from the bursting, pulsating headache, which cannot bear motion. Also apply a solution of Calcarea chlorinata (one part to ten of

distilled water) to any sunburnt skin.

If you don’t have that remedy to hand, a mixture of equal parts of freshly squeezed lemon juice and bottled or mineral water applied twice a day will minimize the ill effects. Stay in a cool, shady room. In severe cases, use whatever means are available to lower temperature, such as tepid sponging and constant vigorous massage of the extremities to promote circulation of the blood, which will cool the affected areas. The goal is to reduce rectal temperature (measured by a rectal thermometer) to 39 degrees C.

Wounds

For lacerated wounds, apply a lotion of Calendula officinalis (20 drops to 50 ml of distilled water) locally. Also, take Calendula officinalis 3CH internally every two hours.

For incised wounds, apply a lotion of Hypericum perforatum (20 drops to 50 ml of distilled water) and take Hypericum perforatum 3CH internally every hour.

Finally, for puncture wounds, apply a lotion of Ledum palustre (20 drops to 50 ml of distilled water) locally and take Ledum palustre 6CH internally every hour.

!AHarald Gaier

Harald Gaier is a registered osteopath, naturopath and homoeopath.

(Copyright is retained by the author.)

Although it’s a very common therapy, it’s also a very dangerous one, as the case notes from the burns unit of one Dublin hospital can testify.

They had to treat seven serious cases of scalding following steam inhalation over a six-month period in 2002. Six children had facial burns after direct contact with the water or hot water, and two children had burns caused by the bowl tipping over onto their chest or lap.

Four of these children will have permanent scarring.

One mother said her family doctor had recommended the treatment. So what’s a safer approach? Sit in the bathroom with a very hot shower running, put your child on your lap, and read him a story.

(Source: British Medical Journal, 2004; 328: 757).

The MRI machine uses a powerful magnet to take electronic pictures of you while you are lying down inside of a massive cylindrical magnet, which can weigh up to 500 tons and is large enough to envelop the entire body. As the cylinder fits rather closely to the body, some people experience claustrophobia while being scanned. The noise made by the scanner is so loud that patients are given ear protection during the procedure, which can last from 20 minutes to one hour.

While you are enclosed within the magnet, a quick pulse is applied, creating a magnetic field that is some 50,000 times stronger than that of the earth (BMJ, 1991; 303: 205). The effect of this is to excite the nuclei of the atoms making up the cells of the body. These hyped-up atomic nuclei produce radio-frequency echoes, which are translated into images through a computer.

Is it accurate?
MRI is supposed to be fairly accurate for detecting multiple sclerosis. In one study of MS patients, MRI scanning was able to detect the disease with 95-99 per cent accuracy (Radiology, 1991; 178: 447-51).

But other studies paint a different picture. According to a medical textbook on CT and MRI screening, many of the early reports that MRI gave more detailed images than CT were ‘overly optimistic’. The initial fanfare for MRI, which came from individual cases, was not confirmed by larger subsequent studies (BMJ, 1991; 303: 205).

Lately, MRI has proved to be less than accurate in detecting early prostate cancer (Lancet, 2002; 359: 1643-7) and coronary artery disease.

It is now thought that MRI is better than CT for visualising the brain and spine, as it can take views from the top of the head and front of the skull, and is better able to detect subtle changes. In contrast, CT scans appear to be better for studying the bones and calcium deposition, and any sorts of trauma – such as blows to a body part.

Is it safe?
Radiologists maintain that MRI is far safer than an X-ray and that no adverse reactions have ever been reported.

Unfortunately, this is not true. Accidents, injuries and even deaths have occurred during MRI procedures. In one poll of 10 departments of radiology across the US, the overwhelming majority of serious injuries linked to MRI were burns (Am J Roentgen, 1994; 162: 189-94). The heating effects can also cause future fertility problems in men, as sperm are rendered sterile when heated up to body temperature (Am J Roentgen, 1990; 154: 1229-32). Four separate studies also suggest that MRI can cause memory loss (J Magn Res Imag, 1992; 2: 721-8).

The most serious injury reported with MRI occurred when an oxygen tank near the magnet struck a patient in the face (Am J Roentgen, 1990; 154: 1229-32).

Before undergoing the procedure, it is vital that you tell the radiologist if you have any metal devices in your body, such as a pacemaker, metal prosthesis, implants or surgical clips. You must also remove any metal objects you may be wearing, such as jewellery, watches, rings and glasses; even zippers or metal buttons on your clothing could become a hazard. You are also advised to remove any credit cards from your wallet as the magnetic strip can be wiped by the magnetic field.

Most technicians fail to mention that many cosmetics, such as some eyeshadows and lipsticks, also contain metallic substances.

A Dentists still regularly use sodium hypochlorite for canal irrigation because it is an effective antimicrobial agent. It is the irrigating solution of choice in dentistry, and the conventional view is that it is safe, and no more an irritant than the usual saline solution, provided it is handled with care.

There are dentists who use it with hydrogen peroxide which, they believe, neutralises any dangers. But this might be just wishful thinking. Sodium hypochlorite is the chemical name for household bleach (NaOCl – one atom each of sodium, oxygen and chlorine).

Not surprisingly, some dentists regard it as toxic and dangerous. Common reactions to it include gastrointestinal irritation with nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea, but usually only if the solution is swallowed. A high-concentration solution of sodium hypochlorite can result in corrosive burns to the skin or gums, and eye damage.

However, inhalation of sodium hypochlorite can cause burning in the throat and coughing due to the chlorine gas. High exposure can lead to swelling and obstruction of the airways. Congestive heart failure and pulmonary oedema are rare reactions, but can occur from just inhaling the solution.

Dentists should immediately check a patient’s lung function and carry out a chest X-ray if there is even a moderate reaction to the solution.

Extraordinarily, some dentists inject the solution into the gums. One website warns dentists: ‘There generally is an immediate severe burning sensation often accompanied by very rapid gross swelling.’

The wound should be held under the cold tap while a bowl of cold water and lotion is prepared. Dr Bach’s Rescue Remedy should be given for shock and distress. For severe burns, it may be necessary to keep the affected area in the solution for a couple of hours. It stops the pain, and prevents blistering and scarring. A dressing can then be applied with either more of the lotion or Combudoron Ointment.

It’s also useful to know that any good, unheated, clear honey will prevent and treat infection. There is no need for antibiotics. – Helen Jarvis, Ilkeston, Derbyshire

To keep working, you need to maintain a cheerful frame of mind and have plenty of energy. Hot flushes are indeed trivial, but depression and tiredness (partly from waking at night from hot flushes) may stop you working when you can’t afford a career break. Modern women must continue to earn a living and it’s not a trivial matter. When they are at risk of not doing so, ageism can be unforgiving.

Chinese medicine was very effective for energy and cheerfulness – probably because of the unmeasured amounts of phytoestrogens – more so than NHS HRT, but was hopelessly expensive. – Anna Rahman, Brighton

WDDTY replies: The relative risk of cancer is, at best, a crude yardstick derived from the number of cases across the whole population, although cancer is highly influenced by lifestyle. But breast cancer is the leading cancer in women, with more than 38,000 new cases in the UK each year, and one in four women will die of it. So, a 30 per cent increase is cause for justifiable worry.

The risk of HRT, in our view, is magnified by the fact that there are many safe and inexpensive alternatives. Aside from phytoestrogens, you might consider homoeopathy or acupuncture, both of which have evidence of success against menopausal symptoms.

There is no reason to endure uncomfortable symptoms or expose yourself to the proven dangers of an unnecessary drug.

If your cataract is at an advanced stage where it obstructs your vision and significantly impacts on your quality of life, cataract surgery may be the only solution. However, what many doctors don�t tell you is that it is possible to prevent early developing cataracts from getting worse and, if caught early enough, it can even be reversed.

What are cataracts?
Cataracts are described according to the site of the opacity. A �nuclear� cataract, commonly associated with ageing, affects the centre of the lens and causes a gradual loss in distance vision. A �cortical� cataract develops from cortex, or outside, of the lens towards the centre. These have little initial effect on vision but, as they grow towards the centre of the lens, light may be seen surrounding objects, especially shiny ones. �Posterior subcapsular� cataracts typically start near the centre of the lens and tend to advance rapidly, causing major vision loss within months.

What doctors tell you
Up to some 10 years ago, cataract surgery involved making a small (11-12 mm) cut into the lens to remove the cloudy nucleus. A clear artificial lens – an intraocular lens (IOL) – was then inserted and the incision sutured.

This has now been replaced by phacoemulsification, in which a special probe uses high-frequency ultrasonic waves to break up the lens into fragments, which are simultaneously vacuumed away through the hollow probe. This technique involves a much smaller incision (2-3 mm) and no stitches are required. Healing is also much faster, with patients regaining clear vision after only a day or two.

Given these technological advances, cataract surgery is now thought to have low complication rates and better outcomes. This has led to many patients being operated on earlier than before, as there is no longer any need to wait for the cataract to �ripen� as they would have done in the past.

What doctors don�t tell you
Nevertheless, no matter how much the technology moves on, there is still room for error. Although the new-generation phaco systems can improve the outcome of cataract surgery, high levels of skill and concentration are required to use these tools. And surgeons, being only human, can still sometimes make mistakes.

�Phaco surgery is an unforgiving procedure because each step relies on the success of the previous one,� says David Spalton, a consultant ophthalmologist at St Thomas� Hospital in London. One badly performed incision at the start of the operation, for example, can make the whole procedure much more difficult and, indeed, jeopardise the whole operation, he continued (Optometry Today, 2001, Sept 7: 28-33).

Among the various complications that can arise during cataract surgery, one of the most serious is �posterior capsular rupture� (PCR), whereby the bag-like capsule that surrounds the lens is inadvertently torn. Although the incidence of PCR is considered to be a �low� 3-4 per cent, the consequences can be serious. Patients who sustain a capsular tear during surgery are more likely to go on to suffer further complications such as retinal detachment, significant macular oedema, increased pressure within the eye and difficulties in positioning (centring) the artifical lens (Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging, 2004; 35: 219-24).

These problems, in turn, can lead to a marked reduction in eyesight. According to a study by a team of ophthalmologists in London�s Moorfields Eye Hospital, eyes that suffered PCR were nearly four times more likely to be below average in visual acuity (Br J Ophthalmol, 2001; 85: 222-4).

Another complication seen with phacoemulsification – especially when older-generation machines are used – is burns wounds to the cornea. The high-frequency ultrasound beam is concentrated to break up the cataract, but the downside is that the energy generates a lot of heat and, if the surgeon is not careful, this heat can cause thermal injury to the cornea, resulting in visual distortions, or astigmatism.

Another well-known postoperative complication is �posterior capsular opacification� (PCO), also known as a �secondary cataract�. This happens in approximately 20 per cent of patients within the first five years following cataract surgery. PCO is caused by cells accumulating on the backside of the lens capsule, which then becomes increasingly cloudy and begins to interfere with eyesight in the same way as the original cataract did.

To get rid of this secondary cataract requires eye laser surgery, a procedure that, in itself, opens up a gateway to yet another set of problems.

Burns are classified according to their cause – thermal burns are caused by flames, hot oil, steam, and hot objects like irons and stovetop burners; scalding is due to boiling or hot water or other liquids; chemical burns are due to exposure to acids and alkali (drain and oven cleaners, strong bleach); electrical burns are from touching ‘live’ electrical sources – and according to the severity of tissue damage. A first-degree burn causes superficial redness and swelling, and usually heals in 3-5 days with little or no scarring; a second-degree burn has redness, swelling and blistering, extends deeper, affecting sweat glands and hair follicles, and takes around 7-10 days to heal – and can leave some scarring; a third-degree burn, or ‘full-thickness burn’, causes damage down to and including the fatty subcutaneous tissue layer, and also muscles and bone. This has a high risk of infection, and skin grafts are required.

What doctors tell you
Only first- and minor second-degree burns are considered self-treatable. Severe second- and third-degree burns require medical attention as they lead to a greater risk of complications such as skin and systemic infections, fluid loss and shock. Electrical and chemical burns should also be seen to in a hospital.

Minor burns are usually treated with topical antimicrobial creams, the standard being silver sulphadiazine cream. Applied to the affected areas, it prevents and treats the bacterial or fungal infections that may occur.

Reported adverse skin reactions to silver sulphadiazine include hypersensitivity reactions, allergic contact dermatitis and erythema multiforme (where the skin erupts into symmetrical, circular, raised lesions). With prolonged and excessive use, the silver can be absorbed through the wound and deposited in large amounts throughout the body, including the skin, labial mucosa, gums, kidneys, liver and cornea (Clin Chem, 1995; 41: 87- 91; Ann Dermatol Venereol, 2002; 129: 217-9). The result is ‘argyria’, where the skin has a bluish-grey appearance, and there is organ dysfunction due to silver toxicity (J Am Acad Dermatol, 2003; 49: 730-2; Burns Incl Therm Inj, 1985; 11: 197-201; Burns, 1992; 18: 179-84).

Tina Tan

* St John’s wort used as a cream or oil can speed the healing of burns. It is anti-infective, as shown by its ability to fight free radicals (Life Sci, 2001; 69: 181-90). In a study where second- and third-degree burns were treated with St John’s wort cream, the wounds healed three times faster than with conventional methods – and without scarring (Ger Offen, 1975; 2: 406-52).

* Calendula extract topically applied to burns wounds markedly stimulated cell regeneration – at least in rats – possibly by boosting the utilisation of certain proteins for cell growth (Acta Physiol Pharmacol Bulg, 1982; 8: 63-7). It is also anti-inflammatory, as seen in another animal study (Phytochemistry, 1996; 43: 1255-60).

* Gotu kola (Centella asiatica) contains asiaticosides, which stimulate the fats and proteins needed for healthy skin, and glycosides, which help in wound-healing and anti-inflammatory activities. Laboratory and animal studies have shown its beneficial effects on cell reproduction and collagen synthesis at the site of a wound (Indian J Exp Biol, 1996; 34: 1208-11; Connect Tissue Res, 1990; 24: 107-20).

* Moist exposed burns ointment (MEBO), an oil-based ointment developed by the Chinese as an alternative to conventional silver-based creams, contains beta-sitosterol (anti-inflammatory), berberine (antimicrobial), sesame oil and small quantities of other plant ingredients. MEBO provides effective pain relief for burns (J Burn Care Rehabil, 2003; 24: 289-96), and is just as effective at wound-healing as silver sulphadiazine, but more convenient to use; it also creates less unwanted sloughing during healing (Ann Acad Med Singapore, 2000; 29: 7-10).

* Boiled potato peel, used by doctors in a Bombay hospital instead of gauze dressings, proved effective for burns wounds (Burns, 1990; 16: 137-43). When tested on full-thickness skin lesions in rats, the skin and wounds were completely repaired within 14 days (Burns, 1991; 17: 323-8). However, potato peels would mainly be used as an adjunct to topical medication.

The basic principle of homeopathic medicine is that a small dose of a substance will help cure that which it causes in overdose. Although this principle may be a bit confusing at first, it actually makes a lot of sense. Modern day physiology and biology are confirming a basic premise of homeopathy which recognizes that symptoms are efforts of the organism to adapt to stress or infection. Symptoms are therefore understood as the way the “bodymind” is trying, although not always successfully, to re-establish homeostasis or balance. Since symptoms are the best efforts of the organism to attempt to heal itself, it is best to avoid treating or suppressing specific symptoms, and it is preferred to aid and stimulate the body’s defense and immune processes.

The homeopathic medicines are able to stimulate the defense system, since they, like conventional immunizations and allergy treatments, give small doses of what causes a condition in order to stimulate the immune system. Homeopathic medicines, however, are distinctively different from immunizations and allergy treatment, since the homeopathic medicines are more individually prescribed to people, given in much smaller and less toxic doses, and used for both prevention and treatment of a person.

Homeopathic medicine developed much of its popularity in the United States and Europe because of its success in treating people with cholera, scarlet fever, yellow fever and other infectious diseases that were ravaging populations. More recently homeopathic medicine has developed a reputation of suc-cessfully treating people with various chronic complaints. What many people do not know about homeopathy is that it also provides many valuable medicines in treating people who suffer from accidents and injuries. When these medicines are used in conjunction with conventional first aid procedures, the risk of long-term damage from an injury can be significantly decreased and the healing process can be noticeably enhanced.

One must study homeopathic medicine for many years in order to learn how to prescribe the correct medicine for people with chronic conditions. One can, however, learn to use the medicines for first aid very easily. Whereas treatment of a person’s acute or chronic disease requires strict individualization of the person’s total physical and psychological state, treatment for accidents and injuries does not require such individualized presciption. The reason for this difference is that people with acute or chronic diseases have distinct or subtlely different symptoms and causes of their condition, and thus need a different medicine to begin their curative process. People with injuries tend to experience very similar symptoms and usually need a similar metabolic stimulus to heal their complaint. Basically, when different people cut themselves, get burned, break a leg or injure themselves in some other way, they all tend to need a similar stimulus to heal their injury.

Homeopathic medicines for first aid and sports injuries are very easy to prescribe and are usually very effective in reducing pain of the injury and speeding the healing process. It is thus no wonder that many superstar athletes have heard about homeopathy and have begun to benefit from its use. Football superstar O.J. Simpson, tennis player Boris Becker, New York Knick coach Pat Riley, ex-Yankee pitcher Jim Bouton, and pro golfer Sally Little are but some of the athletes who spell relief with H-O-M-E-O-P-A-T-H-Y.

The following medicines are used to treat people in first aid situations. There are other homeopathic medicines that can also used, but these are the most commonly used medicines for the conditions described.

NOTE: Homeopaths use the latin names for their medicines since a similar nomenclature is needed to converse with homeopaths throughout the world.



ARNICA (mountain daisy)

ARNICA is mentioned first because it is a medicine par excellence for the shock or trauma of any injury. It is necessary to treat an injured person for shock first unless the injury is very mild or unless the person is bleeding so profusely that stopping the bleeding should be attended to immediately. Since ARNICA is the first medicine prescribed in numerous types of injuries, it is the most common medicine used in first aid. It helps reduce shock, relieve pain, diminish swelling, and begin healing. ARNICA is a great medicine for injuries to muscles, especially when there is pain from overexertion.

ARNICA is also an excellent medicine before or after surgery since the body experiences a state of shock from these medical procedures. It is used as well before and after dental surgery, and before, during, and after labor to help the mother and infant deal with the shock and stress of birth.

Common conditions for use: Shock or trauma of injury; surgical shock; muscle injuries.



HYPERICUM (St. John’s Wort)

HYPERICUM is an excellent medicine for injuries to nerves or to injured parts of the body which are richly supplied with nerves (fingers, toes, the spine). Generally, such injuries have sharp or shooting pains, and the injured part is very sensitive to touch. HYPERICUM is also good for old injuries to nerves which still seem to both the person.

King George VI of England was so impressed by the effectiveness of HYPERICUM that he named his prize racehorse after it.

Common conditions for use: Injuries to nerves.



URTICA URENS (Stinging Nettle)

As you might have predicted from learning about the law of similars, URTICA URENS is the medicine of choice for burns (stinging nettle, as you may know, causes a burn upon contact with the spine of the plant). URTICA URENS in external application is also helpful in diminishing the pain of the burn and in promoting healing. Such application should be diluted approximately one part of URTICA URENS with ten parts water.

Common conditions for use: burns.



LEDUM (Marsh Tea)

LEDUM is the best medicine for puncture wounds, whether it be from a needle, a nail, or other sharp object. Deep punctures or punctures from rusty nail should receive medical attention, but this should not delay you from taking LEDUM which has no side-effects and which can be helpful in healing wounds and preventing tetanus. LEDUM is also commonly prescribed for insect stings and animal bites. It’s applicable as well to people with severe bruising (black eyes or blows from firm objects), especially if the affected part feels cold and yet feels relieved by cold applications.

Common conditions for use: puncture wounds; insect bites.



RHUS TOX (Poison Ivy)

Although some people cringe when they even hear someone mention poison ivy, it is an obten prescribed homeopathic medicine (in non-toxic homeopathically prepared dose!). It is a great medicine for certain types of skin conditions (since it causes them!) as well as for numerous other conditions which homeopaths have found it causes in overdose. One of the conditions it causes in overdose is the rupturing of ligaments and tendons. Because of this, it is the most common medicine prescribed for sprains and strains, especially the type of sprain and strain that is worse upon initial motion but that is better upon continued motion. It is also a medicine given for dislocated joints. ARNICA is another medicine to condition for dislocations.

Common condition for use: Sprains or strains.



RUTA (Rue)

RUTA is the medicine given for severe sprains where the person has a torn or wrenched tendon, split ligament, or bruised periosteum (bone covering). It is also the most common medicine prescribed for recent or old injuries to the knee or elbow. As such, it is one of the medicine prescribed for “tennis elbow.”

Common conditions for use: Severe sprain; injury to the bone.



SYMPHYTUM (Comfrey)

Homeopaths, like herbalists, use SYMPHYTUM for fractures. Homeopaths, however, give their medicine in potentized dose rather than in teas and poultices as done by herbalists. Although one must go to a physician to have the fracture re-set and placed in a cast, SYMPHYTUM will relieve pain and promote rapid healing of the fracture. Besides its application in fractures, SYMPHYTUM is a great medicine for injuries to the eyeball, bones around the eyes, and the cheekbones.

Common conditions for use: Fractures; facial injuries.



External Applications


Some homeopathic medicines are used externally,* including:



CALENDULA (Marigold)

CALENDULA TINCTURE (in an alcohol base), GEL, SPRAY, and OINTMENT are invaluable external applications in treating cuts and abrasions. CALENDULA is known to have antiseptic properties due to its organic iodine content. CALENDULA helps stop bleeding, inhibits infection, and promotes granulation of tissues to help heal wounds and burns. CALENDULA TINCTURE should not be applied directly on a cut since its alcohol content causes stinging pain. It is best to dilute this tincture with a little water. If you’d like to avoid this effort, you can instead directly apply CALENDULA GEL, SPRAY, or OINTMENT.

Note: CALENDULA works so rapidly in healing the skin that it is not recommended for use in deep cuts. In deep cuts CALENDULA sometimes can close and heal the outside skin before the tissue underneath is completely healed.

Common conditions for use: Cuts, abrasions, burns.



HYPERICUM (St. John’s Wort)

HYPERICUM TINCTURE is recommended as an external application in treating deep cuts since it helps heal internal structures as well as the skin. It also has the ability to close open wounds and thus sometimes prevents the need for stitches. HYPERICUM is also used for septic (infected) wounds (CALENDULA, in comparison, is primarily good for clean uninfected cuts). HYPERICUM TINCTURE, like other external applications which have an alcohol base, should be diluted prior to application.

Common conditions for use: Deep cuts, infected cuts.

General Rules for Determining Dosage


People who are beginners in homeopathy should primarily use the 6th potency (written on the bottom as “6x” or “6c”) or the 30th potency (“30x” or “30c”). The 6x is a dose of the medicine that has been diluted 1:10 six times with vigorous shaking between each dilution, while the 6c has been diluted 1:100 six times. Only homeopathic practitioners who have a great deal more knowledge of homeopathy should use the higher potencies (200x, 1000x, or higher). It is important to remember that homeopathic medicines are more powerful the more they experience “potentization”–the pharmaceutical process of dilution and shaking. Higher potencies thus should be used with great care.

Homeopaths have found that injured people tend to need more frequent repetition of doses shortly after injury. One may need to prescribe a medicine every 30 to 60 minutes immediately after severe injury. After a couple of hours, the frequency of doses can diminish to every other hour or every fourth hour, depending upon the severity of pain. Doses every four hours or four times a day are common when a person has a non-severe injury. A person will generally not need to take a medicine for more than two to four days, except in fractures or severe sprains where one to three doses daily for five to seven days are common.

The basic principle of how to determine dosage is: The more severe the condition, the more often will its repetition be necessary.

It is important to remember that a medicine should only be taken as long as the person experiences pain. Do not continue taking the medicine unless there are still symptoms. The basic idea is to take as little of the medicine as possible and yet enough to lessen pain and stimulate one’s healing powers.



Administration of the Medicine


The medicine should be taken into a “clean mouth.” Food, drink, tobacco, toothpaste, and other substances should not be put into the mouth for at least 15 minutes before or after the dose. It is generally best to place the medicine underneath the tongue.

Homeopaths have found that some substances can neutralize the effects of the homeopathic medicines. Although there is some controversy around which substances are implicated more than others, it is best to avoid the following substances for at least 48 hours after taking the final dose: coffee, camphorated products (including lip balm, counter-irritant muscle relaxing cremes, Tiger’s balm), strong herbal teas, mentholated products, cough drops, and mouthwash.

Care and Storage of Homeopathic Medicines


Special handling and storage of the homeopathic medicines are needed in order to avoid possible contamination. When the medicines are correctly handled and stored, homeopaths have found that they can last for several generations. Since it is very difficult to determine if the medicines have been contaminated, one should take the following precautions to prevent potential problems.

–The medicines should be kept away fraom strong light, from temperatures higher than 100 degrees, and from exposure to strong odors like camphor, menthol, mothballs, or perfumes.

–The medicines should always be kept in the container in which they were supplied and never transferred to any other bottle which has contained other substances.

–The medicine shold be opened for administration of the medicine for the minimum time possible. One should be careful not to contaminate the cap or cork before replacement.

–If, by accident, more pills than the number specified in the prescribed dose are shaken out of the bottle, do not return them to the container; throw the excess away to avoid possible contamination.

How do I Learn More About Homeopathy?

The best source of homeopathic books, tapes, home medicine kits, and software is:

Homeopathic Educational Services

2124B Kittredge St.

Berkeley, CA 94704

(510) 649-0294

(510) 649-1955 (fax)