‘Forest Fires’ Emergency Help

Tags

anxiety, Fear, Forest fires, fumes, homeopathy, smoke, trauma

Homeopathic Remedies to the rescue!

**ALL COMPLAINTS SHOULD BE GIVEN PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ATTENTION ASAP**

1^st AID MUST HAVE HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES

Aconitum napellus (C200): This remedy is indicated for all events that are sudden and shocking. All situations and events that come as a surprise or have not as such been experienced call for this remedy. Any event that happens without a warning calls for Aconitum. There is great anxiety and fear. Fear for life even. This can be the case where there has been an accident, a sudden injury, a forest fire, an earthquake. The individual is tense, greatly nervous and anxious, restless, overwhelmed, excited and irritated. There is a disposition to want to walk away from the situation or the place of anxiety.

Sulfuricum Acidum (C30): This is one of the go to remedies for complaints of intoxication with smoke of fumes. In forest fires, the inhalation and exposure of ‘too much’ fire smoke can cause symptoms of tension & pressure in the eyelids with irritation and cutting pain in the eyes. The headache is one of a compressed pressure. There may also be vertigo.

Dryness, roughness and a sore feeling of the throat may be present. If there is a cough, this may produce a slimy expectoration.

The person needing this remedy may be nervous, irritable, anxious, confused, hurried and may exhibit symptoms of exhaustion, lethargy, loss of vigor and bodily strength, headache, cold sweats, trembling.

Grindelia (C30): This is a remedy that may help where much fumes and smoke have been inhaled and have caused difficulty breathing/dyspnoea. This remedy acts on the pulmonary circulation. There may be wheezing and oppression in the lungs with a foamy, profuse and tenacious expectoration that is difficult to detach. The normal breathing has interruptions that may even prevent sleeping. The individual cannot breath lying down and must sit up, and may start from sleep and gasp for breath. The individual is greatly exhausted.

SPECIFIC HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES for complaints that may arise following the exposure to fires: Read more here (PDF available)

Some homeopathic remedies for Anxiety, Trauma and Fear

Tags

anxiety, Clever Homeopathy, Fear, fright, grief, homeopathy, trauma, worry

 

Anxiety, aside of the occasional state of anxiousness that everyone can experience ever now and then, can be a serious state of health. Termed ‘Anxiety disorder’, a number of mental conditions define the distress that prevents people from living a normal life. Characteristic for this anxiety syndrome are persistent, overwhelming states of worry and fear. These phases can be disabling, and may appear unmanageable. Panic, phobias, compulsion, and depression may combine, leaving the individual unable to lead a normal life.

 

Homeopathy with its holistic approach to healthcare can provide means to alleviate of the symptoms, and can assist the recovery from an anxiety disorder.

 

Some homeopathic remedies and their anxiety profile:

 

Aconitum:

This is a remedy that treats great fear and anxiety that comes suddenly. The individual has premonitions and fears the future. There is a tendency to start accompanied by physical and mental restlessness and anguish.

 

Gelsemium:

This is a remedy for the bad effects of fright, fear or emotional excitement. Physical ailments develop as a consequence of such triggers. There may be drowsiness, dizziness, dullness and trembling.

 

Ignatia:

This is a highly emotional remedy. The need for it is triggered by worry and grief, shock and disappointment. The individual is easily excited, is nervous, erratic. There is silent brooding, sadness and melancholy, sighing and sobbing.

 

Opium:

In need of this remedy is someone who demonstrates a lack of vitality, is sluggish, delirious. There may be scary imaginativeness.

 

Verratrum album:

This remedy is characterized by weakness, collapse. There may be shrieking, cursing and frenzy. There is melancholy, mania and stupor. The individual is indifferent.

 

 

 

Reference:

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

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

 

 

 

 

 

Iberis amara – a remedy picture

Tags

anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, anxiety, cardia, Iberis amara, IBS, tachycardia

 

 

Iberis amara is a homeopathic remedy with major characteristic symptom expressions that make it specific for particular affections of the heart. It affects the muscle of the heart, the coronary arteries, the conduction system of the heart and the peripheral circulation. As such Iberis is indicated for cardiac and coronary insufficiency, arrhythmia (tachycardia), angina pectoris, hypertrophy, myocarditis and endocarditis.

 

The particular heart symptomatology includes palpitation that is instigated by the slightest of physical exertion. Closing a window, coughing, laughing, or turning over in bed may suffice to produce accelerated, irregular beating of the heart. During this episode the individual may experience the sensation of dull heaviness and dragging pressure in the region of the heart, and marked shooting, darting pains that are experienced as stabbing or stitching. These symptoms promote great anxiety in the patient and may cause associated feelings of fear and nervousness. There may be marked coldness of hands and feet, while the face may be flushed with a sensation of fullness about the head and neck. Cold sweat may develop on the face. The patient desires to sigh or draw long breaths.

 

The heart beats faster and stronger and the actual pulsation is visible over the cardia-thoracic area. The pulse is erratic or intermittent, tremulous and not well-defined while being full and strong. The hearts action may at first be weak and is then succeeded by an increased full and strong, irregular pulse rate of +/- 100.

 

Concomitant to the cardiac symptoms there may be anxiety, increased salivation, dyspnea, and shortness of breath, the feeling of constriction and oppression, as well as vertigo. The patient may experience persistent eructation and bloating with an increased frequency of passing soft stool from the ingestion of food and there may be associated digestive weakness. A choking sensation may be felt in the dry throat and there may be the feeling of pressure and pain in the region of the liver. Soreness, lameness and trembling may be felt in the extremities, particular in the upper left arm and hand.

 

The patient feels worse for turning or lying on the left side, at night or upon rising in the morning. Altering the resting position or placing a hand on the chest above the heart does not ameliorate symptoms.

 

Following such an ‘attack’ there may be an increased urge to urinate only scanty quantities, and the patient may feel a general soreness and lameness throughout the body.

 

An interesting aspect of the therapeutic picture of Iberis amara is its association with gastro-intestinal issues. While this is not an integral part of the homeopathic remedy picture, it is so of the Materia Medica as a phyto-therapeutic agent. Iberis has been found to have antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, anti-flatulent and calming properties, which it exerts on the mucous membranes of the digestive tract. As such it has found inclusion in herbal complex preparations aimed at treating an irritable stomach, functional dyspepsia or the colon irritable, the syndrome known as IBS, and ailments of the digestive tract associated with abdominal discomforts such as cramping and pain, motility disruption, diarrhea or obstipation. One such complex preparation is ‘Iberogast’, which in some countries is known by the name ‘STW 5’, and contains a combination of 9 different herbs. Research however has come to conclude that it is in particular the combination of the 9 herbs together that promote the efficacy of the complex. Iberis amara alone has not been found effective for the above mentioned gastro-intestinal issues.

 

 

 

References:

Allen, T. (1877) The Encyclopedia of pure Materia Medica . Internet Archive [Online]. Available at: https://archive.org (Accessed: April 2017).

 

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

 

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

 

DHU (1994) Homöopathisches Repetitorium  Karlsruhe: Deutsche Homöopathie Union.

 

Hale, E. (1897) Materia Medica and special therapeutics of the new remedies. Internet Archive [Online]. Available at: https://archive.org (Accessed: April 2017).

 

Hering, C. (1879) The guiding symptoms of our Materia Medica. Internet Archive [Online]. Available at: https://archive.org (Accessed: April 2017).

 

Madisch, A., Holtmann, G., Plein, K. & Hotz, J. (2004) ‘Treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with herbal preparations: results of a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, multi-centre trial’, Aliment. Pharmacol. Ther., 19(), pp. 271-279 [Online]. Available at: doi:10.1111/j.1365-2036.2004.01859.x (Accessed: April 2017).

 

No name (1997) ‘Expertengespräch anläßlich der 51. Tagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Verdauungs- und Stoffwechselerkrankungen mit Sektion für Gastroenterologische Endoskopie’, Aerztezeitschrift für Naturheilverfahren, 38(2), pp. 146-149.

 

Rahimi, R. & Abdollahi, M. (2012) ‘Herbal medicines for the management of irritable bowel syndrome: A comprehensive review’, World Journal of Gastroenterology, 18(7), pp. 589-600.

Must have … ‘homeopathic’ Rescue remedy

Tags

anxiety, Edward Bach, Flower remedies, homeopathy, Rescue, Rescue remedy

It is the most widely known remedy of the Bach flower essences, the Rescue-remedy. A complex preparation of 5 different flower remedies: Impatiens, Star of Bethlehem, Cherry Plum, Rock Rose, and Clematis. This combination is an emergency formula intended to provide relief, and enable immediate treatment in cases of crisis, trauma and stress [1].

The constituents are aimed at treating:

Impatience, Frustration & Agitation, Shock, Fear, Panic & Terror [1]. Anticipated fear. Nervousness, tension, tantrums. Detachment from reality, loss of focus, confusion, withdrawal [2]. Trauma, PTSD, fear of loosing control. Suicidal thoughts [3].

As such, Rescue has been a valuable companion to many, and has done a good service relaxing, calming, lowering stress, revitalizing, reconnecting and strengthening persons needing this little helpers assistance.

Only very recently has a homeopathic proving been conducted of a homeopathic remedy derived from the Rescue remedy complex. It is, among others, indicated for [4]:

– Anxiety attacks, chest pain with anxiety.

– Anticipatory anxiety, palpitation, restlessness.

– Adrenal burnout.

– Emotional compromise.

– Pressure. Need for release of internal pressure. Suppressed emotions.

– Lack of confidence.

– Disconnection.

– Loss of connectedness.

– Recurrence of trauma / injury.

– Anxiety, vulnerability.

– Morbid thoughts.

– Dyslexia.

I was introduced to this remedy as a homeopathic medicine, some 15 years ago when there was not yet a proving of this as a homeopathic substance.

I have used it for the fear and anxiety that rocks the foundations, for example after an earthquake; sometimes instead of Aconitum in anxiety, trauma and stress; for palpitations with restlessness and anxiety, and nervous angina pectoris.

I remember a cattle farmer telling me that she regularly lost new born calves that were weak and frail following their birth. When she had resorted to potentised Rescue, she had not lost any. In previous seasons always 5 to 7.

Homeopathic Rescue remedy is one of those remedies that I always have in my bag and definitely in my home-kit. My use over the years has shown that the experienced effects are, most of the time, stronger than those of the unpotentised Rescue. That may be subjective, or down to the nature of what was treated, and of course its not a cure-all, but if and where indicated invaluable as a homeopathic potency.

 

The full proving is downloadable at [4] below:

 

References:

[1] The Bach centre (n.d.) Home of Dr. Edward Bach and the Bach flower remedy system [online] last accessed 27 October 2014, available at: http://www.bachcentre.com

[2] Bachflower.org (2014) Bachflower reference guide [online] last accessed 27 October 2014, available at: www.bachflower.org

[3] Bachflower.com (2013) The original Bach flower remedies [online] last accessed 27 October 2014, available at: www.bachflower.com

[4] Teleosis (2014) HomeoRescue: The homeopathic proving of Bach Rescue remedy [online] available at: http://www.homeocollaborative.org/THC%20Website%20pdfs/HomeoRescue%20Proving%20Details.pdf.