Homeopathy II - First Aid - Practical Applications Flashcards
Practical Applications
The following section explores the use of different homeopathic remedies in a range of first-aid / acute scenarios.
Shock: Mental shock
Aconite 200C― single dose, or repeated hourly until symptoms subside.
Shock: Physical shock
Arnica 200C― single dose, or repeated depending on the trauma.
Shock (Bach flowers)
Bach flowers can be given alongside or as an alternative to homeopathic remedies in emergency situations.
Key remedies:
* Strong pain: Impatiens (4 drops every 2 hours).
* Shock; is absent mentally (needs grounding): Clematis.
* Panic: Rock Rose (heart beating fast).
* Total despair: Gorse.
* After shock: Star of Bethlehem.
Childbirth for the mother:
- Caulophylum 30C― indicates where labour has started but is slow, where the cervix is not dilating fast enough, particularly when the mother is apprehensive / anxious about the process. Can be used to facilitate birth. Take 3 times daily, 1 week prior to due date. Widens the birth canal, strengthens contractions. Helps to deliver the placenta after the birth.
- Coffee―last stages of labour, a sip of coffee or just the smell of it can support the final contractions.
- Arnica 200C given straight after the birth (or a termination), reduces bruising and helps the uterus return back to normal. Decreases potential side effects of narcotics and reduces thrombosis risk.
- Ledum 200C single dose straight after an epidural (puncture wound) to reduce risk of trauma or infection at the site.
- Hypericum 30C taken 3 x daily for 4 days post-delivery, helps nerves of the pelvic floor and possible nerve trauma during epidural.
Childbirth for the baby:
- Aconite 200C as a single dose after birth for mental shock. This helps avoid jaundice and get all body organs into full function by getting the body out of the mental shock state.
- Arnica 200C for any traumatic birth e.g., forceps delivery, give 1 dose daily for 3 days.
- Opium 200C if baby is very lethargic, especially after a traumatic birth where mother was given lots of drugs e.g., pethidine, epidural.
- Naval: Apply calendula cream / solution if there is an open wound. Leave the umbilical cord to dry in the open air and detach naturally when ready.
Colic and teething:
- Flatulence in babies / colic ― chamomilla 30C. Infant stretches and arches backwards. Massaging the back improves the pain. Better for rocking. Colic not relieved by chamomilla, use dioscorea 30C or colocynthis 30C. Better for pressure on the abdomen. Should help within minutes and only repeat as needed. Stop taking if there is not a dramatic improvement!
- Teething: Chamomilla 30C—stool resembles chopped spinach with rotten egg odour.
Bone fracture:
- Aconite 200C― mental shock.
- Arnica 200C― bruising and inflammation around the fracture.
- Ruta 30C― pain on periosteum of bone (has a rich nerve supply).
- Symphytum 6C / 12C― to help knit the bone together (ensure bone has been set before using).
- Calc. phos. 6C― helps strengthen and promote healing of the new bone (often used with symphytum).
- Staphysagria 30C― if surgery was conducted on bone.
- Hypericum 30C― shooting nerve pain.
(periosteum= sheath around bones that supplies them with blood, nerves and cells
that promote bone growth and repair.)
Surgery:
- Arnica 200C―for trauma and bruising of tissue.
- Hypericum 30C/ 200C―spinal surgery, dental surgery.
- Millefolium 30C―suspected internal haemorrhaging due to surgery.
- Nux. vomica 30C―aids recovery from anaesthetic. Helps establish bowel function after abdominal surgery (also opium 200C).
- Staphysagria 200C―any emergency surgery or infections at the site of a surgical incision.
Head injury:
- Aconite 200C― mental / emotional shock related to head injury.
- Arnica 200C― for bruising and reducing risk of cerebral haemorrhage.
- Hypericum 30C/ 200C― damage of cranial, spinal or facial nerves, or meningeal irritation.
- Nat. sulph 30C/200C― headache after head injury, or ‘Never Well Since’ head injury e.g., headaches, visual disturbances.
Eye injury:
- Aconite 30C― infection due to a foreign object in the eye. Eye red, inflamed, dry and hot. Feels as if sand in them.
- Arnica 200C― trauma to the eye, rupturing of blood vessels, bruising.
- Ledum 200C― contusions where discolouration around the bony orbit is greenish to yellow.
- Symphytum 30C― trauma to the eyeball. Eye aches. Fracture to eye socket.
- Staphysagria200C― cuts around the eye.
- Hypericum 30C― shooting pain (nerve pain from eye trauma).
Flying:
- Aconite 200C― fear and anxiety of flying.
- Belladonna 200C― pressure in the head as if it would burst, pulsating / throbbing pain in head and ears when landing and taking off. Take one dose just before take-off and landing.
Jet lag
Jet lag - ‘not being in present time, but in the past.’
* Get into the rhythm of the new time zone as soon as possible.
* Arnica 30C―repeat during flight and as needed on arrival. Reduces physical tiredness, aching body, feels bruised.
* Consider:
- Cocculus 30C (dullness, dizzy or slow, headaches)
- Coffea 30C (racing, active thoughts, can’t sleep).
Sea sickness / motion sickness:
- Tabacum 200C― vomiting with the least motion, increased salivation, < smell of tobacco. Feels sick from the ‘up and down’ motion when sitting in the back (seasickness).
- Cocculus 30C―nausea and vomiting from car, bus, boat travel. Feels faint with nausea. Gets sick when not able to follow the motion outside, can’t read while in motion. Are okay if they drive.
- Nux. vomica 30C― great sensitivity to the slightest motion. Don’t want to talk or to be spoken to. The nausea can be set off by strong odours in the vehicle. They become very irritable.
Burns, sunburn, heatstroke:
General:
* Follow the principle ‘treat like with like’ and do not apply cold as it is a shock to the body and slows down the healing process.
* Use room temperature or slightly warmer applications e.g., heatstroke ―move the person into the shade, give them something at room temperature to drink; burns ―apply tepid water.
* Cool the body down slowly!
- Belladonna 30C― best for heatstroke, and to help with pain of sunburn (30C every hour for 4 hours and then 3 x daily until heat and redness has subsided).
- Nat. mur. 200C― heatstroke where one has become dehydrated and lost electrolytes. Feels weak from sun exposure (200C, 1 dose daily for 3 days).
- Cantharis 30C― lots of small blisters, with stinging and itching. > cold applications (30C, 1 dose 3 x daily until stinging and itching has subsided).
