Homeopathic First Aid

Transcription

1 Homeopathic First Aid Remedy use for the home and holidays Dr Debbie Bredenkamp Dr Karon Willson

2 Homeopathy is gentle and safe for all members of the family. It is easy to use and as you learn these remedies your confidence will grow. Accidents and emergencies can happen very quickly and at any time, often when one is away from professional care. With just a handful of remedies, and a few simple, effective advisory notes anyone can make a big difference to everyday health problems. We have put together this compact, yet comprehensive kit to assist you to Be Prepared and efficiently help yourself and loved ones. One Step at a Time: Safety First o Don t PANIC o Ensure that you and the injured or ill are safe from any further harm. Switch off electricity if shock or burn Sit injured down or lie them down to avoid fainting o If in any doubt as to the severity of the situation, summons professional help o Keep emergency numbers up to date on speed dial and available at the landline. Stabilise the injured next o Stop bleeding, apply pressure and remember your gloves! o Utilize dressings and plasters where necessary 1

3 o Stabilise fractures using a splint or sling Try and administer the appropriate remedy. Nearly everyone experiences the same symptoms with first-aid injuries so it is easy to learn which remedy to give for each situation. To help you gain your confidence we have included a list of the top 20 remedies for first-aid problems as well as a simple remedy finder. As your confidence grows, you may wish to assist with acute complaints such as coughs, colds, and headaches where it is much more important to prescribe for the symptoms of the individual rather than the cause of the complaint. Colds, for example, are quite different from one season to the next and even between individual sufferers. Because of this, the remedies that treat them will also differ. You will probably require our assistance for these ailments. We are privileged to help you. 2

4 Top 20 First-Aid Remedies REMEDY INDICATION Aconite napellus (Acon.) Apis mellifica (Apis) Arnica montana (Arn) The first remedy to think of for fever, panic, fear and shock, especially if the person is hyperventilating. Fever, comes suddenly (often between 9 and 12pm), first 24 hours of fever, red face (or one cheek red, the other pale), anxious, fearful, restless, no discharge, chilly and usually after exposure to cold. One dose every 15 minutes for 6 doses then spread to hourly. A few doses if any severe shock or trauma. Great for bites and stings with rapid swelling Beestings (with Urtica urens). Any inflammation (eg throat) resembling a bee-sting i.e. red/rosy, hot, puffy, swollen, stinging, and is better for cold application, worse for heat and touch. One dose every 15 minutes for 6 doses then spread to hourly. A good remedy for recent or active bruising, soreness of muscles and joints, and after dental work. Also helps nosebleeds from injury or on lifting heavy objects and the 3

5 early stages of a black eye. Use in the first 24 hours following a fracture to control bleeding and swelling and to promote healing. Bashes and bruises, sprains and strains (first remedy) bruised feeling in muscles. After any accident, concussion, shock or trauma. One dose every 15 minutes for 6 doses then spread to hourly. Arsenicum album (Ars) Belladonna (Bell) Cantharis vesicatoria (Canth) First remedy to think of for any food poisoning (esp from seafood and meat), vomiting and diarrhoea where person is chilly, exhausted, restless and anxious. Suits heatstroke or exhaustion. High fever, sudden, can cause delirium where person is violent. The skin is hot and red, the face flushed face, eyes glassy, pupils dilated and the head throbs. Can have discharges and at start until 72 hours into infection. Also sunstroke with above symptoms. Bladder infection or burns with lots of burning pain. Jellyfish or bluebottle stings with Urtica urens. An excellent remedy for blistering burns or scalds including sunburn, 2nd to 3rd degree burns, and wasp 4

6 stings. The pain is searing and soothed by cold compresses Calendula Chamomilla (Cham) Cocculus (Cocc) Ferrum phosphoricum (Ferr ph) Glonoinum (Glon) Natural antiseptic and disinfectant and promotes healing. Cuts, sores, abrasions. Conditions where person is very miserable, angry, wants something but when given, throws it away. Very sensitive to pain. Teething in babies. Jetlag. A key remedy for motion sickness and faintness, especially if worsened by loss of sleep. A few doses 1-2 hourly when acute, then spread doses, Early feeling of a head-cold coming on. Intermittent doses (every 2-3 hours) with any inflammation. Fevers not too extreme (up to 38 degrees). Bright red blood nosebleed. Suits heat stroke in which there is a congestive headache, surging of blood to head and heart, and pulsating pains. 5

7 Hypericum perforatum (Hyp) Ipecacuanha (Ipecac) Ledum palustre (Led) Magnesium phosphoricum (Mag phos) Nux vomica (Nux v) The main remedy for injuries to nerves or nerve rich areas such as finger tips, toes and the spine with sharp pain. Useful for wounds with shooting nerve pain, dental work with shooting nerve pain, painful lacerations, and puncture wounds. Puncture wounds or bites of any kind where pain is very sharp. Severe, persistent nausea with vomiting. Violent cough that can end in vomiting. Whooping cough. A good remedy for puncture wounds, bites and stings, and twisted or sprained joints, especially ankles. Wounds are cold and mottled, and the pain is soothed by a cold compress. Any cramping pain (gastro, menstrual, muscular) where better for bending forward, rubbing area and applying heat. More specific but vomiting with lots of nausea and retching. The main remedy for hangover or indigestion from over-indulgence. Also useful for food poisoning in which there is constant retching or urging at the toilet. Liverish headaches and 6

8 much irritability. Overindulging (food or drink) with hungover feeling (a few doses) Phosphorus (Phos) Podophyllum (Pod) Ruta graveolens (Ruta) Rhus toxicodendron (Rhus-t) More specific coughs and colds. Also haemorrhage with bright red blood (with Ferr phos). Treats many after-effects of electroshock. It is also a remedy for nosebleeds from blowing the nose. Gastro with profuse, gushing stool. Use with Mag phos if cramping. After Arnica. Bruised feeling. Tendons sore. A wonderful remedy for sprains, strains and ganglions, especially of the wrists or ankles. Eyestrain. Suitable for injuries to tendon or bone periostium, which may also arise from dental work. Muscle aches and pains, stiffness, worse on starting to move, better after loosening up, better warmth but also rashes, chickenpox. A good remedy for contact allergic reactions such with poison ivy that has resulted in red, swollen and itchy blisters 7

9 Silicea terra (Sil) More specific but to help push out foreign bodies (splinters) The homeopathic scalpel. Not to be used if pregnant or if have any form of implant. Storing your First Aid Kit Be sure to keep your kit in a cool dark place. Out of sun and heat. Keep it away from electromagnetic radiation. Quick Remedy Finder Scan the following list for the problem you want to treat, note the remedy (or remedies) indicated and then check the remedy list to see which one suits. An instruction sheet on how often to give each remedy is found at the bottom of this article. Anaphylaxis: Acon; Apis. Bites and stings: Apis; Arn; Canth; Led. Bladder irritation: Canth Blisters: Canth; Rhus-t. Bruises: Arn; Led. Burns and scalds: Canth; Urt-u. 8

10 Cuts, scrapes and puncture wounds: Arn; Calend; Hyper; Led. Dental Work: Arn; Hyper; Ruta. Diarrhoea: Ars, Pod Electroshock: Phos. Eye injuries: Arn; Led; Euphr; Symph. Fever: Bell; Ferrum-p Food poisoning: Ars; Nux-v. Fractures: Arn; Symph. Headache: Bell; Glon Headcold early onset: Ferr p Heat stroke or exhaustion: Bell; Glon. Hyperventilation: Acon. Motion sickness: Cocc; Tabac. Nosebleeds: Arn; Phos; Ferrum p Overindulgence and hangover: Nux-v Panic and Shock: Acon. Poison Ivy: Rhus-t. Splinters and thorns: Sil. Sprains and strains: Arn; Hyper; Led; Rhus-t; Ruta. Vomiting: Ars, Nux v, Ipecac 9

11 How Often to Take a Remedy The frequency with which a remedy is given depends on the intensity of the complaint the more intense the symptoms, the more frequent the dose. The golden rule of homeopathy is that once symptoms start to improve, stop taking the remedy. Only re-dose if improvement slows or symptoms start to return. This approach avoids too-frequent doses of the remedy that may cause an aggravation a temporary intensification of symptoms. While aggravations are usually mild and not harmful, they are also unnecessary and show that too much of the remedy has been taken. The following instructions provide a guide on how often to dose for the intensity of your first-aid or acute problems. The following instructions are suitable for acute (shortlived) problems only. Chronic or recurring problems usually require less frequent doses and a different approach to dosing. For best results, recurring or chronic problems should be treated with the assistance of a professional homeopath. One dose equals one pillule (pill or pellet) or ¼ dropper (5-7 drops) of liquid applied to the mucous membranes (i.e., of the mouth). 10

12 Mild Situations (Conditions for which you would probably not seek professional help.) Examples: A mildly sprained ankle, or a nuisancevalue sore throat. Dose: Every 4 hours until symptoms start to improve. With improvement, space the doses further apart, taking a dose only when symptoms start to return. If there is no improvement at all by 4 doses (after 16 hours) choose a more suitable remedy or contact your homeopath. Moderate Situations (Conditions for which you might seek professional help.) Examples: A painful and swollen sprained ankle that can tolerate some weight, or a troublesome sore throat. Dose: Every 2 hours until symptoms start to improve. With improvement, space the doses further apart, taking a dose only when symptoms return. If there is no improvement at all by 4 doses (after 8 hours) choose a more suitable remedy or contact your homeopath. 11

13 Severe Situations (Conditions for which you would seek professional help.) Examples: A painful and swollen ankle that you cannot place any weight on at all, or a sore and red throat that makes eating or drinking difficult. Dose: Every ½ hour until symptoms start to improve. With improvement, space the doses further apart, taking a dose only when symptoms return. If there is no improvement at all by 4 doses (after 2 hours) choose a more suitable remedy or contact your homeopath. Emergency Situations (Conditions for which you would phone urgently for an ambulance.) Examples: An obviously broken ankle where the bone has pierced the skin and the person is in severe pain or shock, or a painful, swollen throat that is leading to suffocation. Dose: Every 15 seconds to a minute while waiting for the ambulance. If the remedy is correct there should be a rapid improvement in symptoms. With improvement, space the doses further apart. If there is no improvement at all by four doses (after 1 4 minutes), change to another remedy. 12

14 Notes: An aggravation (a mild worsening of symptoms) can occasionally occur after the first dose of the liquid or pillule (pill or pellet) remedy as the body starts to rebalance. This is usually a positive response only seen with the first dose, and should soon be followed by an improvement in symptoms if the correct remedy has been chosen. Repeat the remedy when this improvement stalls or symptoms start to return. A small percentage of sensitive people respond so strongly to homeopathic remedies that they have a mild aggravation after each dose. These people should take subsequent doses in a liquid rather than pillule form to reduce the likelihood of these aggravations. Acknowledgements and References Compiled in collaboration by: Dr Debbie Bredenkamp and Dr Karon Willson Acknowledging input from: 13