Accidents and Emergencies

Transcription

1 Accidents and Emergencies Melanie Creedy Homeopathy is a traditional medicine. It may be used in conjunction with other medicines. For any ongoing chronic condition, it is important to be assessed or examined by your healthcare professional or specialist. Always seek medical advice in emergencies. The information in this article does not constitute medical advice. It is referenced from the texts approved by Therapeutic Goods Administration and is for information only. If in doubt as to the appropriateness of a treatment seek advice from your homeopath. While a visit to the emergency department is usually required for serious accidents and injuries such as broken bones, extensive wounds or burns, homeopathics can still be utilized in the recovery phase and can speed up the healing process considerably, as well as avoid ongoing issues. These are situations where single remedies are often king! There are quite often specific remedies for specific situations and getting to know them so you are familiar in an emergency is important if you want to use homeopathy in all areas of your lifecare. Remedies are also useful to help with healing in those minor incidents that can so often happen in the home. What I have included here is a list of the most often used remedies and their applications and then a mini repertory which shows a situation and the likely remedies. I suggest you print this list off and store with your first aid kit. Potency: 30c is generally fine for accidents and injuries. If you have a 200c then this can be really useful for the first few doses when things are very intense. If you need to continue doses for a few days then 30c can be given 3 or 4 times or 200c once a day. Repetition of remedy: usually we say to give the remedy until the symptoms abate and then wait until they reappear. Since this can make for a bumpy ride in the treatment of acutes my recommendation is to give your doses quite frequently to start with hourly or even every 10 minutes for up to 5 doses depending on the severity of the incident. Once things settle down you can reduce to 2 hourly and then 3 or 4 times a day. For bruising or broken bones you may need to repeat remedies like Arnica for a few days up to a week or more. Nil by mouth: if you have a situation where you suspect the patient may need surgery and should have nil by mouth then drops can be a better option. You can put the drops on the pulse points, top of the head or around the lips if you would prefer to give nothing at all by mouth. If you have pilules you can put 1 or 2 pilules in ¼ glass of water, stir vigorously then do the same. Melanie Creedy

2 Remedies Aconite - Ailments after a mental shock eg bad news, witnessing an accident Shock, fright and anxiety are prominent often with great fear (sometimes of dying) and restlessness. Panic attacks after fright. Palpitations. Symptoms are sudden, acute, intense and painful. Heart attack, stroke. Snake bite. Very high fevers with dry burning heat or drenching sweat with unquenchable thirst. Useful at first sign of cold, cough, earache etc especially after exposure to cold dry wind. V thirsty for cold drinks. For heart attack, stroke, snakebite - give while waiting for ambulance to reduce damage to cardiac system and to calm patient. Cause: after exposure to cold dry wind, heat of sun, injury, shock. Better open air. Worse around midnight. Apis Mellifica - Sting of bees, wasps, jellyfish, etc, with much heat, stinging and swelling. Skin may appear rosy red and shiny. Allergies, reactions to stings, certain foods or medicines, hives and inflammation. Anything with a lot of swelling, heat, stinging - cystitis, shingles, puffy or red eyes, earache or tonsillitis, fluid retention. Patient is often fearful, tearful, excitable, touchy. May not want to be touched - especially children. Aversion to drinking. Worse heat, touch, pressure. Better cool drinks/packs Arnica - First remedy after accident or injury to reduce shock, haemorrhage and bruising. For swelling, soreness, broken bones (follow with Symphytum 200c and Calc Phos 6x), slipped disc, spinal injury (follow with Hypericum 200c). For shock, trauma, violence to mind or body, bleeding of small wounds. Sprains, strains, over-exertion. Useful following surgery to assist with bruising and bleeding. Sore, bruised, aching pain. Don't want to be touched or assisted. Will often say they feel fine despite serious injury. Very restless. For fish hooks and similar wounds (with Hypericum) especially those which require stitching. Threatened abortion from a fall, soreness of body during pregnancy. Worse touch, being jarred. Better lying down. If in doubt, always use Arnica as your initial first aid remedy. Arsenicum Album - Extremely anxious and restless. Fears being alone, anxiety about health, fussy and difficult to please. Very thirsty for frequent sips. Burning, cramping pains and discharges - vomiting and diarrhea, abdominal distress. Food poisoning, headaches. Sometimes works better in 6c for V&D. Worse midnight to 2am, cold food and drink. Better heat, hot drinks and food, company, fresh air (headaches). Belladonna - Sudden onset with throbbing, sharp, cutting or shooting pains, burning radiating heat, very high fever, bright redness, restlessness and dilated pupils. Lethargic or hyper, delirious, striking and biting. Sunburn, heat stroke with headache and fever, minor burns. Headaches which are hammering, bursting, from too much sun. First stage of ear infection with red, hot ear, sore throats, fever. Usually no thirst. (Aconite - more anxious and fearful of death, more thirsty). Worse touch, light, noise, being jarred, draughts to head, night. Better warmth Calendula Useful for treatment of laceated and suppurating, raw, open and inflamed wounds. Known for its antiseptic powers. May help control bleeding from a wound and soothe wound pain. Promotes healthy healing of wounds and ulcers and helps resolve scar tissue. Can be used alongside antibiotics if required. Wounds that don t heal. Cantharis Burns with blistering, bites and stings with blistering. May help the severe pain following a burn and help promote healing. Sunburn, insect bites all with blisters. Burning pain in the affected area with other symptoms. Worse movement, drinking, urination Better lying down, warmth, night Melanie Creedy

3 Carbo Veg known as the corpse reviver this remedy acts upon the venous circulation assisting with oxygenation of the blood. Useful in collapse states where the patient is almost lifeless;, air hunger, drowning. Wants to be fanned. Worse from warmth Better being fanned, elevating the feet, loosening clothing. Hepar Sulph - Over-sensitive is a keynote on all levels. Very painful, inflamed wounds. Can use alongside antibiotics etc. Good for inflammation which is slow to resolve - wounds, abscess, etc. Angry, irritable, speedy - very difficult when sick. Very chilly. Splinter-like pain (anywhere), as if swallowed a fish bone or pin. Better warmth of bed, heat, wrapping up. Worse getting cold, at night, touch, pressure. Hypericum - "Arnica for the Nerves" Crush injuries, lacerations of fingers, tips; painful penetrating wounds; may have spasms from the injury. Shooting pain along the nerves. Wounds which are excessively painful. Surgical pain, forceps delivery, dental work. Falls on spine or coccyx, concussion, episiotomy. Bites or stings (snakes, spiders after Aconite), wounds caused by nail or splinter with pains as above. May require a 200c potency. Worse movement, touch, cold air Ignatia Acute emotions after death of partner, relative or friend, stillbirth, ending a relationship or disappointment of some sort. Patient may be hysterical or silent with sighing, trembling or tears. May present physically as spasmodic, cramping pains or contradictory symptoms. Worse cigarette smoke, coffee, guilt, worry Better eating, keeping busy, walking Ipecac Persistent nausea and/or vomiting on its own or with other conditions. Migraine headaches with severe nausea and vomiting. Vomiting does not relieve. Morning or travel sickness. Bleeding especially uterine hemorrhage or heavy periods. Worse food, smell of food, cold Better warmth, lying with eyes closed Ledum 30c - known as the anti-tetanus remedy. Puncture wounds, eg rusty nails, insect stings, animal bites; bruises, eye injuries especially where infection is a risk. Feel intensely cold, as does injured part, but better by cold applications and does not want to be covered. Pain tends to travel upwards. Affinity for capillaries (bloodshot, bruised or black eyes). Parts become blue, purple and puffy. Weakness, numbness or twitching of part. Always seek medical care for an open wound. Worse warmth, at night Better cold applications Phosphorus Wounds which bleed freely (internal or external), gush bright red blood; blood noses. Electrocution. Acute fear where Aconite does not help, especially of thunderstorms. Use following surgery if there is bleeding or a reaction to anaesthetic with dizziness. Vomiting especially when given cold water. Very thirsty. Anxious, excitable, fearful (being alone, dark, death, storms). Wants company. Irritable and sluggish when ill, apathetic, energy flares up and subsides to exhaustion again. Better after sleep, cold drinks, massage. Worse cold, change of weather. Rhus Tox Following accidents and injuries especially to the back or from overuse of a limb which is stiff on first movement and better for continued motion. Usually restless. Abscesses, boils, sprains and strains to fibrous tissue and joints, hot painful swelling of joints. Better for warm applications, hot baths, movement Worse cold wet weather, before a storm, at night, getting chilled or wet after being hot Ruta Grav Good for damage to periosteum or tendons. Useful in connective tissue problems. Horrible stiffness and soreness felt in muscles and tendons. Injuries to connective tissue, tendons and periosteum (covering of bones), from Melanie Creedy

4 strains or twisting of joints. Acute bursitis and tendonitis, often with effusion. Injuries to forehead, shins; bones close to surface. Patient is usually restless. Often used with or after Arnica. If you cannot choose between Ruta and Rhus Tox you can alternate or better still use RRA (Rhus Tox, Ruta, Arnica 30c combination) Worse over-exertion, touch, cold, damp. Better lying down, warmth, motion Silica Injuries that are inflamed and often full of pus. Can be used alongside antibiotics if necessary. May help to expel foreign objects such as splinters by producing pus and then erupting, abscess, boils, styes. For wounds that are slow to heal. Ailments after immunization. Patient is very cold. Worse drafts, open air, storms, vaccination Better wrapping up warmly Symphytum Cartilage or bone injuries, periosteal injuries, fractures which fail to heal (with Calc Phos). Use for broken bones and fractures but do not use until the bone has been set as it has a reputation for being very fast acting. Use in 200c and accompany with Arnica for bruising and bleeding, and Calc Phos 6x (twice a day for one month or more) to assist with calcium uptake to the break and rebuilding of bone tissue. Helpful for bone pain. Affinity for eye pain following a blow. S.O.S. - Similar to Rescue Remedy but more appropriate for the experiences of the 21st century. Useful for shock, trauma, after accidents, or for hyper, excitable children. Anxiety before an event, such as the dentist or exams. Apply in drop form to bites, stings, bruises, etc. Choose a first aid remedy This is a brief list of first aid applications. You may find that more than one remedy is required from this list. Either alternate the remedies or add your selection to a water bottle, shake and take a sip as the dose. Also consider remedies such as Ouchy and RRA which are combinations of the most indicated remedies for first aid situations. Abortion, threatened - Arnica Abscess Ledum, Hepar Sulph, Silica From a bite Ledum Very painful to touch Hep S Suppurating injury Silica, Sulphur Accidents, general Arnica, Hypericum Allergy to bee sting and similar Apis Anaesthetic, following - Phos Anxiety - Aconite, Ars Alb, Phos, SOS Back injury - Arnica, Hyper, Rhus Tox Bee stings - Apis, Ledum Bites, puncture wounds; animal - Ledum, Hyper From poisonous animals Aconite then Ledum or Hyper Black eye Symphytum, Hyper Black eye, bruising Ledum Arnica Bleeding - Arnica, Phos Blood nose Aconite, Phos, SOS Bones (broken, fractured, pain) Symph, Calc Phos Bruising - Arnica Burning pains Apis, Cantharis Burns - Aconite, Belladonna, Cantharis Chilblains Rhus Tox Collapse Carbo Veg, SOS Cuts Calendula, Hyper Diarrhea - Ars Alb Electrocution Phos Eye strain - Ruta Falls Arnica Melanie Creedy

5 On coccyx - Hypericum Fever with great heat & little thirst Belladonna Fever with great thirst - Aconite Food poisoning - Ars Alb Foreign objects Silica Fright, fear, panic Aconite, Phos, SOS Fear of thunderstorms, loud noises Phos Gastric symptoms Ars Alb, Nux Vom Grief Ignatia Heart attack - Aconite Heat rash Belladonna Hemorrhage Ipecac, Phos Gushes, spurts, bright red Aco, Arnica, Phos Hives Apis Hypothermia Aconite, Carbo Veg Inflammation, infection - Hep S Inflammation, joints Ruta Injury especially to soft tissue Arnica Bleeding, bruising Arnica Lacerations Arnica, Hyper Painful Arnica To eyes Arnica, Ledum, Symph To feet Arnica, Ledum To head Arnica then Hyper and/or Nat S To nerves or parts rich in Hyper To periosteum - Ruta Itchy, hivey rash - Apis Jellyfish stings Apis Nausea not relieved by vomiting - Ipecac Needle stick injury - Ledum, Hyper Nerve pain - Hyper Puncture wound Arnica then Ledum, Hyper Rashes Apis Rat poison, ingestion of Aconite followed by Ipecac Restlessness Aconite, Ars Alb, Rhus Tox Shock - Aconite, SOS Physical shock from injury Arnica, Carbo Veg Snow blindness - Aconite Spinal Injury - Arnica, Hyper Sprains & strains Arnica, Rhus Tox, Ruta Stiffness, worse beginning to move, better continued movement Rhus Tox Stroke Aconite Sudden onset Aconite. Belladonna Sunburn Bell, Cantharis Sun stroke Amyl Nit, Belladonna, Glonoine Surgery, following Aconite, Arnica, Phosphorus, Bellis P (deep abdominal surgery), Sulphur or Surgery Combination Swellings (tight, red, shiny) Apis Tendonitis, bursitis Ruta Tetanus, risk of Ledum, Hyper Vomiting Ars Alb, Phos Worse after cold water - Phos Wounds - Arnica, Hyper, Ledum Infected Hep S Puncture wounds Ledum, Hyper That won t heal Calendula, Silica To forehead, shins, periosteum Ruta Always seek medical help in an emergency. Melanie Creedy