Homeopathy Papers

Take Your Remedies To College

Written by Elaine Lewis

Elaine gives us a short list of homeopathic remedies that can be used for acute problems based on their indications. Easy to use, easy to carry – it’s good health on the move! Kids off at college can use them as well as the military.

Someone just wrote to me saying she was going off to college next month and wanted to know what remedies to take with her. I couldn’t help thinking that every person going off to college

                         

(Rocky and Bullwinkle seen here visiting their alma mater: Wottsamatta U.)

 — or summer camp, or the military, etc. — might be looking for the same advice.  Here we are, then — remedies to take to college:

Aconite — fright, panic attacks — may be useful before giving a report to the class; we call it “homeopathic valium”; also, the beginning of a cold that comes on suddenly and where exposure to cold windy weather may have been the cause.  High fever that comes on suddenly.  Also, eye injuries or “something in my eye”.  Thirsty.  Worse around midnight.  Any condition where fear or anxiety is also present.  Shock (sudden drop in blood pressure).

Anacardium — when the mind goes blank before an exam.  It’s also a poison ivy remedy.

Apis — bee and wasp stings (there are a lot of gardens and flowers on college campuses, as I remember), also allergic reactions like anaphylaxis and hives.  Apis is also good for burns.

Argent-nitricum — ailments from over-indulgence in sweets.  Anticipatory anxiety with restlessness and talkativeness and possibly diarrhea.  Think about it before a test or giving a report.  Compare with Gelsemium and Aconite.  Fear of flying.

Arnica — blunt trauma, concussion, injuries, bruising, dental extractions, post-op recovery, sprains, muscle aches after exertion, sore bruised feeling, car accidents, the flu.  You should carry this remedy with you.  You never know when you might slip and fall, for example, and when you think of the number of people lately who have died from complications after falls, such as Dr. Robert Atkins, these people may well have been saved by taking Arnica as soon as possible after the accident.  A 200C potency may only need to be given once, but lower potencies might have to be repeated as needed.

Arsenicum — food poisoning, bad water.  Diarrhea.  The flu.  Arsenicum mentals are: fear to be alone, MUST have company — great anxiety when alone.  Restlessness, weak, cold.  Burning pains.  Thirsty for sips at a time.  May desire cold or hot drinks.  Worse around midnight.  Desires warmth, covers.

Belladonna — complaints with a sudden onset, high fever, the skin is hot, or there’s a lot of heat involved and possibly a throbbing sensation.  Patient doesn’t want to be touched, bumped or jarred.  Right-sided complaints. Intense heat in the affected part.  Usually thirstless.  Right-sided migraine.  Worse light and noise.  Fever with delirium.

Bryonia — any condition where the symptoms are better when the person lies perfectly still because to move even slightly, even the eyes, or even to answer questions, makes him worse and consequently, he is irritable, as you are making him worse with your incessant questioning, he just wants to be left alone; even taking a deep breath makes him worse.  This could be a remedy for broken bones, the flu, food poisoning, appendicitis, sciatica, any situation where the person cannot bear to move.  There is also a dryness in this patient and he drinks much water–not often, though, because he does not like to move to take a drink.

Calendula — cuts and scrapes.  Antiseptic.  Bleeding from wounds.

Carbo veg — food poisoning with belching and bloating.

Cocculus — ailments after loss of sleep.  Take it the day after you’ve stayed up all night because of the Home-Coming Dance, which I wish I had never gone to; or stayed up all night to write a paper, or study for midterms, and your whole biological rhythm is off, making you feel nauseous, spacey, panicky, dizzy, etc.

Ferrum Phosphoricum — the beginning of a cold where you’re feeling out of sorts with vague symptoms, sore throat, onset is gradual, may wake up in the middle of the night with a sore throat.  Take at the first sign of a cold–one dose of a 30C should do it.

Gelsemium — the flu or any virus where there are chills, weakness, sleepiness, headache, shakiness, dizziness, drowsiness, muscle aches, headache, etc.  Also, for anticipatory anxiety that leaves you feeling “flu-like” — besotted appearance, droopy eyelids.  Stage-fright — having to speak before the class, give a report and you’re feeling “sick”.  It’s really just anxiety.

Hypericum — injuries to areas rich in nerves that send a sharp, shooting pains upwards; an example would be, getting your fingers caught in a door or dropping something on your toe, or stubbing your toe.  Insect bites/stings with sharp, shooting pain.  Spinal injuries, injury to the coccyx bone.  Puncture wounds.

Ignatia — a tremendous disappointment.  Lost love, rejection, hysteria, denial, emotional responses, a bad report card, your boyfriend turns out to be a big jerk, lump in the throat, acute grief.

Ipecac — vomiting, or any condition where vomiting is a concomitant — like, menstrual cramps with vomiting, headache with vomiting, etc.

Ledum — puncture wounds, tick bites, animal bites, spider bites, insect bites in general.  When patient is better from cold applications and cold bathing — opposite of Rhus tox and Mag-phos which are better from heat and hot bathing.  Bruising.  Black eye.  Pain and stiffness, better from cold applications, cold air, cold bathing.

Mag-phos. — the main remedy for menstrual cramps — better from pressure on the abdomen and heat.  Writer’s cramp.  “Charley horse” (leg cramps).

Nux Vomica — headache, stomach problems, nausea, constipation, flu — a toxic feeling, like a hang-over, too much drinking, too many drugs.  Person is irritable, angry and over-sensitive to the slightest noise, odor, talking, light, wants the room dark and for everyone to shut-up and get out!  Patient is usually chilly.

Phosphorus — colds that go to the chest.  Pneumonia.  Bronchitis.  Dry cough.  Tightness of the chest.  Worse lying on the left side.  Better for ice cold drinks.  Nose bleeds, hemorrhaging in general when the blood is bright red. Ailments from eating salty food.  Better from reassurance, sympathy and company.

Pulsatilla — food poisoning or digestive distress from fatty foods like ice cream and pizza.  (Hmm…I wonder if college students like these foods?)   Also, colds which are very mucusy and loose with yellow or green discharges.  If there are mental symptoms, they would be “clinginess”, neediness and weeping, self-pity.  Patient wants fresh air. Thirstless.  Desire for company and sympathy.

Rhus tox — really good for the college athlete—sprains, sprained back, ankle, wrist, knee, etc.  Any condition at all where the person is better from continued motion and hot applications; restless when having to be still, worse for cold damp, worse rainy weather, and better for heat or hot bath or shower — this could be the flu too, especially with stiffness and restlessness.  Also for poison ivy and fever blisters.

Veratrum alb. — food poisoning, diarrhea, vomiting, prostration, cold sweat, great thirst for cold drinks or desire for ice despite being cold.  Menstrual cramps with prostration, vomiting and diarrhea.

Most people have access to the 30C potency, as that’s what the health food stores generally sell.  My suggestion: put a pellet or 2 of the remedy into a small bottle of water.  A sip is a dose.  The pellet need not dissolve.  Always shake the bottle before each additional dose.  If you notice an improvement after the first dose, there is no need to repeat the remedy unless you feel that you are relapsing.  The improvement will continue on its own without constant redosing.

A condition that has come on recently, within the past few hours, should respond to the remedy quickly; so don’t keep taking it all day.  If there’s no response within half an hour, try another indicated remedy.

If your illness has been persisting for a week or so, you may have to take the indicated remedy three times a day for 2 or 3 days before you notice a response.

It is all relative, common sense is necessary, and with practice you will get the idea.  I would also recommend that buy a 30C emergency kit and an acute prescribing book; for example, Alan Schmukler’s Homeopathy: An A to Z Home Handbook which has remedies for over 175 ailments.  You can order an emergency remedy kit from www.homeopathic.com and other places as well.

You may be thinking, “Well, I don’t know…I’m not a homeopath….” It doesn’t matter.  Don’t think you have to be an expert to benefit from this.  Imagine being able to abort that “crashing” feeling after pulling an all-nighter with Cocculus; imagine being able to stop a hang-over with Nux vomica; imagine waking in the middle of the night with menstrual cramps, taking MAG-PHOS., and turning over and going right back to sleep!  You will soon see why people who use homeopathy would never want to be without it!

About the author

Elaine Lewis

Elaine Lewis, D.Hom., C.Hom.
Elaine is a passionate homeopath, helping people offline as well as online. Contact her at [email protected]
Elaine is a graduate of Robin Murphy's Hahnemann Academy of North America and author of many articles on homeopathy including her monthly feature in the Hpathy ezine, "The Quiz". Visit her website at:
https://elainelewis.hpathy.com/ and TheSilhouettes.org

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