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Aconitum napellus…for shock, trauma, anxiety, fright and all sudden, acute infliction.

During my studies of homeopathy I was introduced to the remedy picture of Aconitum napellus by the exemplary scenario of a car accident. Our teacher described the image of traumatized individuals that he had frequently been confronted with in his profession as a medical doctor. The Aconitum state of shock made such witnesses, and participants of collisions or other traffic mishaps, walk away. They might be completely unhurt, physically, but demonstrated an incessant urge to walk. Such patients could walk for miles, across the country-side, just away from the scene, in any direction with an unquenchable urge to move away.

I have seen homeopathic Aconitum, work wonders where a nightly earthquake had caused a comparable state in a friend. She was irritable and had to keep moving around. A single dose of Aconitum 1M resolved the agitated state, calmed her down and gave her a restful sleep for the remainder of the night. Similarly, a patient, very much afraid of bees, due to a tendency to react allergically if stung by a bee, found her anxiety and fear removed with Aconitum. On seeing bees she would move about agitatedly, in an attempt to avoid any bees getting near to her. Following the administration of Aconitum she remained quite relaxed around bees in her garden.

In the materias medicae Aconitum napellus is indicated for persons that are sensitive & irritable, with an almost inconsolable anxiety that accompanies all illness and recovery [1]. It is a physical and mental restlessness that, accompanied by worry, fright and fear, arises with the affliction of disease. In such a state these individuals may have premonitions of their own demise with a precise indication of the exact day when they will pass away [1, 2, 3].

The state of Aconitum comes on suddenly and forcibly. It is ever only an acute situation or state that demands the prescription of Aconitum, never a longer standing or chronic infliction. Only at the beginning or at onset of a disease is Aconitum of curative use. The impact of Aconitum is solely on the functional level and its action lasts only for a short while [2].

It is frequently the exposure to dry, cold weather and wind that may cause health issues that demand Aconitum [2, 4].

Hedwig Immhäuser [4] describes the use of Aconitum in childhood ailments as follows:

Aconitum is indicated where an illness or disease sets in, following the exposure to cold and dry wind, where fright has caused shock or where teething causes complaints,.

Children in a state requiring the prescription of Aconitum may throw tantrums and may express a destructive anger. They are anxious from fright, restless and throw themselves around in their cots or beds. Such states are worse around midnight, and improve in fresh air and through perspiration.

Acute fever is treated with Aconitum if it begins suddenly and with high temperature, and is commonly accompanied by the patient feeling cold. There is great fear and restlessness. The face may be dark red and hot, and when the child sits upright, may become very pale. The skin feels dry and hot.

In cases of bronchitis the cough is dry and hollow, and worse at around midnight.

Sleeplessness responds well to Aconitum if it is the consequence of fright, and the child cries every night at around midnight, and tosses about restlessly.

Where diarrhoea is caused by fright or shock Aconitum may also be indicated.

References:

[1] Clarke, J. (1994) A Dictionary of practical materia medica New Delhi: B.Jain publishers Ltd.

[2] Boericke, W. (2004) Pocket manual of homeopathic materia medica and repertory New Delhi: B.Jain publishers Ltd.

[3] Boger, C. (2008) Boger Boennighausen’s Characteristics & Repertory New Delhi: B.Jain publishers Ltd.

[4] Immhäuser, H. (1979) Homöopathie in der Kinderheilkunde Heidelberg: Haug Verlag.