Homepathy II - First Aid - Rhus. Tox.

Question 1

Rhus. Tox., Names

Answer 1

Poison ivy, Rhus. toxicodendron.

Question 2

Use:

Answer 2

Tendon / ligament trauma, herpes.

Question 3

Mental picture:

Answer 3

• Mentally restless.

Question 4

General picture:

Answer 4

• Stiffness (overstretched muscles, tendons, ligaments) with physical restlessness.
• Pains (usually around joints) ache and feel bruised.
• > warmth and movement (restlessness)
• < cold and first movement in the morning.

Question 5

Indications (if they fit the symptom picture):

Answer 5

• Rheumatism (> warmth).
• Joint, tendon or ligament pain that is worse on first moving (tearing, stitching pain) but eases after continued movement, providing it is not too strenuous.
• Cold sore eruptions / chicken pox / shingles.
• Other complaints affecting the skin e.g., blisters and hives.
• Eruptions are raw and weeping accompanied by compulsive scratching with no relief.

Question 6

Clinical application:

Answer 6

Injury to muscle / ligament / tendon:
* 1st arnica 200C (3 doses).
* Follow with Rhus. tox. 30C 3 x daily until symptoms improve.

Shingles:
* Rhus. tox. 200C twice daily until eruption subsides.
* Follow with hypericum 30C for neuralgia.

Chicken pox:
* Rhus. tox. 30C 3 x daily for 4‒5 days, or until itching subsides.
* Additionally, crush 5 pills into aqueous cream; apply to eruptions.

Question 7

Case example:

Answer 7

• Female client, 51 years old, developed tendonitis in her right wrist after having it in a plaster cast following a cycling accident.
• It was aggravated by several days gardening with the pain intensifying to a point that it kept her awake at night.
• The client reported that the pain was worse at night when resting and when she first tried to use her hand e.g., to write.
• Prescribed: Rhus. tox. 30C 1 tablet every 15 minutes until pain started to ease (this happened within an hour), then 1 tablet 3 x daily until resolved. Remedy was discontinued after 2 days.