Because most illnesses begin with a fever, suppression of a fever with antipyretics - drugs that reduce fevers:

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1 1 2 Healing Power of Nature William Gutman, MD wrote in The Little Homeopathic Physician All healing originates in the healing power of nature itself. (1961) Naturopathic Philosophical Principle: Vis Medicatrix Naturae - the healing power of nature. The body has the inherent ability to heal itself and is ordered, intelligent As caregivers and practitioners we need to honor this ability and augment the process with supportive not suppressive treatments. And Homeopathically, suppressing a fever at the initial stage may prevent us from observing symptoms that will help us choose a remedy for the illness. 3 Ignore the Stress to Suppress Because most illnesses begin with a fever, suppression of a fever with antipyretics - drugs that reduce fevers: prolongs the illness; decreases antibody response, doesn t give the immune system a chance to strengthen itself; increases the likelihood of disease complications; and adds more stress to the liver, have side effects and have been recalled in the past. (i.e. Children s Tylenol) 4 Hippocrates said: Give me a fever and I can cure the child 5 There is a strong tendency among most people to view fevers as a condition that much be dealt with immediately no matter what the temperature is. Although an elevated temperature does signal a disturbance, the fever itself is not the disease but a symptom of an underlying disease. A fever is a useful indicator that the body is engaged in fighting a disease or infection. Dr. William Gutman The Little Homeopathic Physician (1961) Published by Boericke & Tafel Fever is our strongest weapon in the fight of nature against all bacteria, through its influence all healing reactions are accelerated; the heart beats faster in order to carry the blood containing all healing matters quicker to all the organs; and respiration is speeded up, thus increasing the intake of the all important oxygen. 1

2 6 Fever: An Immune System Stimulant When the body temperature is elevated in fever: white blood cell production is increased rate of white blood cell release into the circulation white blood cell mobility and killing ability is enhanced production of interferon is speeded up ( Interferons (IFNs) are proteins made and released by host cells in response to the presence of pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, parasites or tumor cells.) Antibody production is increased up to 20 times F is optimal for fighting infectious disease Monitor for dehydration in higher temperatures Taken from: Lectures in Naturopathic Hydrotherapy by Wade Boyle, ND and André Saine, ND. 7 Danger Signs Always consult a medical practitioner if the following circumstances occur: ANY fever in a child under 3 months of age A fever that reaches 105 degrees (F) If the appearance is lethargic, pale skin, unresponsive, weak crying If there is vomiting, severe headache, stiff neck 8 Four Types of Fever - current Continuous - elevated all during the day Intermittent: daily fluctuations of 2 degrees or more Remittent: normal, then up again Reoccurring (relapsing): several days of normal temperature followed by several day of elevated temperature 9 Why Are We Flummoxed When Choosing a Homeopathic Remedy? Our predecessors - pre-antibiotics, vaccines, Tylenol and lab tests - had to observe clear symptoms and the progression of the fever because the pressure for them was to find a cure or the patient would die. All details of the illness were minutely considered - the timing of the fever, the pattern of occurrence of chills, heat, and perspiration, the accompanying signs and symptoms, the aggravating and ameliorating factors. Roger Morrison: Desktop Companion and Foundations of Acute Prescribing (DVD from Hahnemann College.) 10 Why Flummoxed. All these observations are reflected in the repertory in the way of thousands of rubrics in the Chill, Fever, Perspiration sections of the Repertory. In many cases, the language and meaning of the rubrics are different from modern descriptions and difficult for homeopaths to navigate. 2

3 11 Flummoxation Could Lead To Poor Prescribing Confusion and desire to help anxious patients or a sick child leads to the use of common remedies for fever like Aconite,Ferrum phosphoricum, Belladona etc. These remedies may stop a fever But remember They may prolong the illness They obscure a better homeopathic remedy later in the course of the illness 12 Use A Remedy..when there is a clear picture of the illness. If it s just a fever of up to 104and the person is tolerating the fever let the fever run it s course. Use natural home care treatments to make the patient comfortable while they are healing. If the person is really uncomfortable and sick, with other symptoms like aches and pains then the homeopathic remedy will be easier to select and probably obvious. Repeat the constitutional remedy first rather than an acute. Consider a complimentary remedy to the constitutional if indicated. ( i.e Belladonna/Calc carb.) 13 Important To Know. Historically, diagnoses were made clinically, empirical observation Diagnostic terms changed (I.e. typhus is now tic fever. Definitions now based on bacteriologic criteria Example: typhus is not tic fever 14 Fever Examples: 15 Catarrhal fever: with mucus production and inflamed mucus membranes Hectic fever: tubercular type fever with exacerbations, malar (butterfly rash) flush and night sweats Cerebrospinal fever = meningitis 16 Chill Examples Creeping chills: spreading chill or sensation of chill, spreads from central location Predominating chills: exclusively or mainly chills, without the expected phases of heat and perspiration Autumn chill: refers to every 7th day Quarten: every 3rd day Quotidian: every day Tertian every other day 17 Repertory: Timing of Fevers Chill chapter - beginning Rubric: Chill, time Fever chapter - beginning Rubric: Fever, chill absent Generalities chapter - beginning Rubrics: Daytime, Morning, Forenoon etc. 3

4 18 Remedies Will focus on pattern of fever symptoms - chill - heat - perspiration Characteristic symptoms Important mental symtoms 19 Aconite Sudden onset of fever or chills then fever especially after exposure to cold or wind Fever after a fright or shock Heat comes on during sleep, especially first sleep Chill is followed by heat and perspiration together Tremendous thirst Pupils contracted during fever, Bell. Pupils are dilated. One cheek red, other pale during fever (Cham., China) Fear of approaching death is rare during minor acutes 20 Arsenicum album Acutely - chill precedes rest of symptoms Sxs begin 12-2AM or 12noon, 1PM Pattern: - Long cold phase - Heat phase - only face and head feel hot and flushed. Patient wraps up body but wants window opened, so > cold..huddled under the blanket in a cold room. - Perspiration - fever will drop - Chill comes back - wants window closed, room hot and patient is shivering 21 Arsenicum album Thirsty for small drinks Appetite increased after chills ***Fingernails will turn blue during the chill Mental state: extreme anxiety and restlessness, feel might die, gets up paces, exhausted then pattern starts again. Feels might die, despair for recovery 22 Belladonna SUDDEN, noon ok, 3PM overwhelming fever, chills Intense Marked inflammation but no pus Flushed red face Pupil dilated, shiny, glisten R-sided HA, pulsating 4

5 Chills start in abdomen Heat = DRY burning head, very slight perspiration 23 Bryonia Almost as intense as Bell. Comes on SLOWLY Mon, ok; Tues. hmmmm, Wed, night 9PM very sick Symptoms begin in lips or fingers, toes <<< Motion 24 Bryonia Chills aggravated by anger HA usually L sided, frontal to occiput > Lying still Fever: heat alternates with chills or sometimes heat without any chills THIRST - tremendous, large quantities Mental sxs: Irritable, left alone, doesn t want to express how awful they feel If illness gets worse can go into stupor, mutters about business, money, wants to go home Face flushed, deeper color red than Bell Bell = bright red Arsenicum = pale 25 Chamomilla Chills, HEAT, perspiration Long last heat phase Burning hot, almost like Bell. ***One cheek red, other pale Chills start in thighs, upward through body One sided, even sensation of heat < 9AM Mental sxs: inconsolable, excited, over stimulated, wants to be carried/held Illnesses come on during dentition/teething 26 China Reoccurring fevers Chills begin in legs ***Heat - high fever, weird sensation with skin, pricking, oversensitivity of skin, doesn t want to be touched Uncovers during heat phase which brings on another chill Complaints < before chill (i.e. abdominal pains before chill, palpitations before chill) Irritable, oversensitivity 27 Ferrum phosphoricum Commonly used because there are no localizing symptoms There is a high fever and patient is really sick 5

6 Wait for pattern and then use when: R-sided illness Dry heat without subsequent chill Flushing during chill Note: If there are severe febrile symptoms after a head injury use Ferrum phos. Instead of Arnica. (Morrison, DVD) 28 Gelsemium Chill - very pronounced, starts low back, runs up and down back Complaints come on in summer, when it s warm Face, eye lids, drooping, sagging Sleepiness with fever Weak Trembling, tremulous, especially legs Fine tremor of hand 29 Natrum mruiaticum Reoccurring fever, fever of unexplained origins usually a chronic virus present Chill AM precedes heat phase Heat - will see fever blisters Perspiration: all complaints relieved during this phase Stoic personality so may understate degree of discomfort 30 Nux vomica CHILLS, tremendous, intense shaking Lies under blankets - if one part of body exposed chills will start Hypersensitive to any motion of air; < open air >>> Piping hot bath will relieve symptoms Heat - short, dry Chill - prolonged and deep Chill - Heat + Perspiration 31 Nux vomica Degree of irritability inversely proportional to depth of illness More irritable in body, less in mind More irritable in mind, less in body Bryonia - more symptomatic, becomes more irritable 32 Dosing Constitutional remedy If a mild case use 12C, 30C Severe or acute repeat same potency 50% of time will work satisfactory (Morrison) 6

7 Mangialavori - should work, if doesn t not constitutional remedy If on a constitutional remedy, consider a complimentary remedy if picture is clear 33 Dosing.. Consider severity of illness and clarity of the case Minor cases - 30C, three times a day More serious cases - higher potency like 200C Only trained practitioners should treat serious cases like pneumonia where higher potencies are needed 34 Pulsatilla No set succession of phases, almost any pattern This is nature of Pulsatilla - changeability Most common is heat, chill without perspiration Time: 2PM, twilight/sunset Flush: mild, gentle > open air Feeling of fullness, expanding, bursting ***crying, tearing during fever leaky,everything comes forward 35 Making the Patient Comfortable: Monitor fluid intake, should be adequate Warm sponge bath, not cold. A cold bath may bring on shivering which will just raise the temperature again. Light meals 36 Natural Adjunct Therapies Herbs, antibacterial, antiviral, immune support Vitamin C Immune boost soups Teas Lozenges 37 Desktop Guide for the Natural Treatment of Common Illnesses Available in the fall by Dr. Louise Sanchione ND, MS, MA Send your address to: Connecticuthomeopathy@gmail.com 7

8 I ll put you on my list and notify you when it is available. Thanks for participating. I hope this was helpful to you. Louise