Well, I hadn't intended to go so long without posting anything new on an acute remedy, but sometimes life has other plans! Anyways, an urgent surprise need to find a new home for myself and my children, a bit of over doing it trying to get settled, and then a scary and painful injury, have kept me away. But, now I find myself compelled to share the wonders of Arnica once more! Last Friday I came seriously close to losing half a small toe, after a piece of wood sticking out of a doorway in my new home caught hold of the fold underneath the knuckle of the toe and cut it open all the way across. sorry if that was too graphic, I'm not actually writing about this to scare or disgust anyone, just to let you know of the severity! Anyways, while screaming and heading into shock, I hopped over to my cabinet of remedies, pulled out Arnica Montana 1M (a high potency) and hopped to a chair to take my first dose. My children were now in terror as well, as they saw the damaged bleeding toe, and the blood all over the living room floor. I then proceeded to order the kids to bring me washcloths (which I bled through 3) and a glass of water to put my arnica in, and to call for help. Over the next 6 hours I waited in a crowded ER while sipping a bottle of water with the high potency of Arnica in it. All the while the toe was covered but deeply sliced through the middle, and the end of it was a scary dark purple color, and 3 times it's normal size. I was praying 'please let me keep my toe'. Eventually I was seen, and told that I came very close to losing half the toe, and then a brilliant nurse proceeded to sew back together the gaping toe for over an hour! Between the need for so many stitches (the nurse lost count), the color and size of the toe, the fear of losing it was still hanging. But, 3 days later when I went to have the wound checked to make sure it was healing, I watched a doctor and a nurse stare in awe at the amazing stitchery work, and how well it was healing! And, today unwrapping my toe to check and re-bandage it, has me in awe as well! Though the amount of sewing on such a small body part still looks quite strange (it reminds me of a Tim Burton character), I am amazed at how the coloring is almost completely normal and the swelling seems to be pretty much gone! So, while I certainly can't take all the credit for saving my toe, I am positive that Arnica was a major part of my keeping the little limb, as well as keeping me out of shock so I could instruct my terrified kids of what to do to help me! So, if you haven't already, please purchase some Arnica Montana at your local health food store, and remember it for yours or your family members' next trauma, because sometimes what you do on the way to the Emergency Room really can make a huge difference!
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Rhus-toxicodendron, which comes from the fresh leaves of poison oak, is best for relieving…..you guessed it, poison oak, and poison ivy! Rhus-tox is an excellent remedy for old injuries, and sprains to the ankles and knees that are quite stiff, but feel better after some movement. This is also a great remedy for chicken pox and shingles!
Common uses:
Some injuries can really put a damper on your summer! Don't let stiff, sore sprains stop the fun!7/29/2011 Happy Friday! Hopefully you won't need this next remedy, but if you've sprained your ankle, and arnica can't seem to relieve the stiffness and pain, then you'll be glad to have this homeopathic remedy on hand! Ruta graveolens, which comes from rue, a small, hardy, evergreen shrub, is quite helpful in relieving terribly stiff and sore injuries to muscles and tendons.
Common uses: · injury to tendons, joints, and periosteum, ankles, wrists Sprains with lameness eyestrain Physical Symptoms:
Quick help for crushed fingers and other sharp, shooting painful injuries to nerve-rich areas!7/22/2011 The homeopathic remedy Hypericum, which comes from the well known plant St. John’s wort, is commonly used for injuries to nerve rich areas, such as fingers, toes, teeth, and the spine. Pains from these injuries will be sharp, and shooting! I have both given and taken this remedy for painful smashed fingers (ow!) as well as to recover from deep nerve pains caused by dental work (or the need for it), especially a root canal!
Common ailments: · Nerve injury · Dental work · Puncture wounds · Tetanus prevention · Cuts with sharp, shooting pain · Herniated disk
Physical Symptoms:
Happy Friday! After trying to decide which ailment (and remedy) to focus on next, I had it handed right to me straight from the kitchen….ouch! Whether you’ve been rushing around the kitchen and your hand slipped, gotten a little too close to the campfire, or even accidentally overcooked yourself in the sun, Cantharis, which comes from the Spanish fly, is the go-to remedy for burns of all kinds. And…for those who are occasionally affected by UTI’s this remedy is good to have on hand for that too!
Common uses: · Burns, scalds · Urinary tract infections · Chemical burns to eyes Physical Symptoms:
This next remedy is an excellent one to have on hand this summer, for quick recovery of animal and insect bites and stings that Apis just can’t heal, as well as for deep bruises and puncture wounds. Ledum Palustre is made from wild rosemary, and is known as marsh tea. The main thing to remember with Ledum, is that the wound will feel icy cold, and yet oddly it is relieved by cold, unlike Apis, which feels burning hot! Also, the wound that needs Ledum will often be purple and puffy. Common uses:
Well, summer is definitely in full swing now, and so are trips to the beach, lakes, and watering holes of all kinds! And, along with all our water play come the BEE'S! Fear not, Apis can save the day!
Apis Mellifica is made from the common honeybee, and is the number one remedy for quick recovery after being stung (by bees as well as other insects). My mother had the unfortunate experience a couple years ago, of being stung all over the top of her feet by red ants, which caused burning and very painful swelling, but when she finally got her hands on some Apis, she healed up fast! Usually one dose is all you need for burning pains, swelling (and tears) to vanish. So, don’t let our wonderful pollinating friends wreck your summer! Common uses:
First-Aid Fridays
Bellis Perennis is a remedy made from the common daisy, and is excellent to take when arnica just can’t finish the job. Bellis is also a speedy healer for surgeries to the trunk of the body, and for other deep injuries. Common physical uses:
Calendula comes from the marigold flower, and while this is also made into a homeopathic remedy, it is most commonly used as a tincture or an ointment. The ointment is an excellent topical accompaniment to other remedies that will heal wounds quickly. Use of Calendula can prevent infection, and quickly heal defective closures of surgical wounds. Other uses:
First-Aid Friday’s
Happy Friday! With Summer quickly approaching (if not already here), so are long adventurous days outdoors, yippee! But, for most of us (especially our kids) stubbed toes, sprained ankles, bruises, cuts, puncture wounds, fractures, bee stings, poison oak, and unfortunately, many other injuries await us. So, I felt that this was the perfect time to let you all in on some wonderfully healing first-aid homeopathic remedies, that can help you and yours heal up quickly, and get back to enjoying your summer! I’m calling this First-Aid Fridays, and will post information each Friday on a different, easy to find and use, homeopathic remedy. The first remedy, Arnica Montana, is the single most important remedy for trauma. When my kids were younger they found it shocking that every household they were in didn’t have this remedy! ARNICA , is made from a plant commonly referred to as Leopard’s bane, and it is the first remedy one thinks of for all physical shocks and injuries. Common physical uses are:
· Worse from any motion of affected part, least touch, night, sleep · Better for lying down with the head low (for instructions on how to take remedies acutely, please refer to my Q&A page) |