Acute Homeopathy Study Group thread

[WuWei]

Curious about acute homeopathy? Me too!

Add links or share stories about effective homeopathy. (debate and naysaying and doubting thomas challenges are not cool, thanks!)

If you are wondering 'How can that possibly work?' as I did, all I can say, is I trust MY OWN EYES more than "scientific research" which indicates it has worked.

Got a situation where you're wondering which acute remedies to consider, post your inquiry. No guarantees, just learn along with us.

Found this old thread: Homeopathic 1st Aid


Pat

[Panserbjorne]

I'm in!

[changingseasons]

Perfect timing!!

DP started having some eye pain last night and thought he scratched it. Went to the doctor today, turns out he had something in it. He has a bunch of drops and things... but he's in a decent amount of pain still. He took some arnica this morning and said it didn't help, but I thinking that's because it's more for muscles and things, no? Is there a better acute remedy for eye pain from an injury?

He describes the pain as a dry, burning- like when you have something stuck in your eye. Also some stabbing pains that come and go. His eye is sensitive to wind/air and light. Let me know if I need to ask any more specific questions.

[springmum]

I'm in!

My mum just let me borrow her "homeopathy bible" by Ambika Wauters.

I see an Nd whom I trust as well.

Can we start with the difference between an acute remedy and a constitutional remedy?

[Panserbjorne]

CS, is there still something in it? Is it a scratch or is something stuck in it? What does it look like? Does he want anything on it compress wise? Would he rather have cold or warmth?

I would personally do a wash with calendula and hypericum (1:10) in the eye.

Belladonna has redness associated with it, and heat. It will actually feel hot to the touch. Generally the eye will appear bloodshot and will tear. Pain will be throbbing in nature and light will aggravate. This is great for scratches to the cornea.

Euphrasia is another eye remedy. Lots of tearing here too...but here the tears burn. Eye feels as though there is sand or dust in it.

Apis is another to think about if hte eye is red and hot where cool brings relief. There will be lots of swelling and tears will be hot as well.

Those are the biggies that are easily accessible that involve scratches...most others are blunt trauma or eye strain, neither of which you described. However there are other remedies for later stages of scratches, but I doubt you are there yet. If something is still lodged in it...I may go a different route though.

[changingseasons]

Originally Posted by Panserbjørne

CS, is there still something in it? Is it a scratch or is something stuck in it? What does it look like? Does he want anything on it compress wise? Would he rather have cold or warmth?

I would personally do a wash with calendula and hypericum (1:10) in the eye.

Belladonna has redness associated with it, and heat. It will actually feel hot to the touch. Generally the eye will appear bloodshot and will tear. Pain will be throbbing in nature and light will aggravate. This is great for scratches to the cornea.

Euphrasia is another eye remedy. Lots of tearing here too...but here the tears burn. Eye feels as though there is sand or dust in it.

Apis is another to think about if hte eye is red and hot where cool brings relief. There will be lots of swelling and tears will be hot as well.

Those are the biggies that are easily accessible that involve scratches...most others are blunt trauma or eye strain, neither of which you described. However there are other remedies for later stages of scratches, but I doubt you are there yet. If something is still lodged in it...I may go a different route though.

There was something in it, but the doc pulled it out (said it looked like a little piece of plastic or something.)

He says that cold sounds like it would help, but he hasn't tried either. He's open to whatever (compress), but has already used the rx drops so really is just looking for pain relief I think.

The belladonna sounds closest to what he's describing, except he also has the feeling of sand in the eye like the euphrasia. And he says it's not a throbbing pain, it's more stabbing. His eye is definitely bloodshot. He said it felt hot to the touch, but I felt it and don't think it does... There is no swelling and the tears are not hot (bummer, because I actually have some apis here. ) hmmm....

I just looked again- the eye is not swollen at all. It is red and a little teary (not as much since he used the drops.) But he can't keep it open more than a couple seconds- he has to blink- because it's sensitive to the light and air.

I guess belladonna still sounds the closest. Maybe I will run get some. Should I go for the 30C?

[Panserbjorne]

Originally Posted by springmum

Can we start with the difference between an acute remedy and a constitutional remedy?

To oversimplify....an acute remedy is for a condition that is quite new, and finite in nature. By strict definition (sorry, it's kinda harsh!) if you don't treat it it's either going to resolve on it's own or you are going to pass on. It doesn't drag on. If it does it has become chronic. In acute situations homeopathy can lessen the discomfort and hasten the recovery. Examples of acute situations are: injuries, colds, flus, food poisoning, bites, scrapes, migraines, cramps, contact rashes, extreme fright, shock etc. You can treat a chronic issue acutely, but it's not a great idea as that does tend to be suppressive.

A constitutional remedy is one that is designed to fit your entire being. It takes everything into account: family history, birth, early years, likes, dislikes, cravings, temperature, physical appearance, chronic ailments etc. Since it looks at all of who you are it should address almost everything that comes up. So, for instance under constitutional care you would just about always take your remedy first should an ailment surface. You would not look for an acute remedy for a cold, flu, migraine, digestive issues etc.

Acute remedies are almost always given in lower doses than constitutional remedies-though that will depend on the vital force of the individual as well as the primary concern. Some homeopaths will give lower potencies for primarily physical issues and higher potencies for emotional issues. There are many different ways of prescribing though so that is an over-generalization.

You can pretty easily and effectively find an acute remedy for yourself, but a constitutional remedy requires a trained homeopath. So for this thread we are looking primarily at acute ailments and ways of treating them (though they are often an indication of a chronic imbalance so if you find yourself treating often please find a practitioner.)

Something that might be super helpful would probably be talking about what remedies to have on hand and why. Some of us have kits, but for those just starting there are some that are must haves that you can experiment with and watch the magic yourself!

[changingseasons]

The last question in my last post leads me to another question...

The remedies that are easy to find locally (Boiron's) always come in 6C and 30C. When dealing with acute stuff, when do you use the different potencies? I always tend to get the 30C, but of course I have no idea if I actually should always be going for the more potent. Are there certain (acute) situations when you would choose one over the other?

[tanyalynn]

I have a couple basic questions, would love to have a bit of discussion at the beginning of the thread for newbies like me.

1--dosing for an acute remedy, any guidelines? I was confused about how often to dose my daughter's canker sores, the natrum muriaticum worked great, but at first I think I was using it too infrequently for fear of overdosing. But something like a goose egg on the head from a fall would be more frequent dosing than a canker sore, right?

2--good brands/companies, places to order, I know the stuff I've gotten at the HFS is not the best kind, though it worked. The ledum for the ant bites a while back helped noticeably (apis, my first guess, seemed to make them worse), thank you PB, it helped me feel like I was doing something to help the poor kid who had FIFTY ant bites on his hand.

[springmum]

Pb - the explanation about the differences was very helpful - thank you.

I definitely like the idea of a kit to have on hand. My Nd was going to sell some premade customized ones, but she hasn't made them yet.

I would like my kit to be designed for toddlers as my 1 year old will probably require it more than I will (not that I won't need anything, but want stuff ready for all his bumps, bruises and illnesses)

So far I have

- belladonna
-arnica
-camamilia
-ferrum phosphorus
- also have some homeopathic creams

I would also like to know dosing and potency guildlines to keep in mind. From the Homeopathy Bible, it recommends using the minimum dose to stimulate the vital force. The reason being is that too much medicine would cause the vital force to not have to work to restore balance, instead becoming dependent on the medicine to fix the problem.

Does this mean that 30c is too much at once though, or that you would just give 30c once instead of over a period of time? (is that a confusing question?)

For example, I have arnica for my little guy since he is the king of head bumps. I have a 6c dose. So he bumps his head, I give 6c. What do I look for to know whether to stop or give more?

Would a constitutional remedy ever have a use as an acute remedy?


I'm full of questions- this thread is great!

[lil_miss_understood]

Subbing.
Going to post in Homeopathy support now though.

[Panserbjorne]

I'm holding back as I don't want to take over the thread! Pat! Come back!

Anyway, yes rule of thumb is ALWAYS minimum dose. However what that is will vary from person to person and even in one person will vary over time. It sounds like a simple directive, but it's not.

Will a constitutional remedy ever have a place as an acute? Do you mean will sulphur-a great constitutional-ever be used as an acute? Yes! Will YOUR constitutional ever be used as an acute for you? Perhaps.

IN terms of dosing-it's a hot topic, even amongst professionals. For acutes I tend to use 30C because it's a good middle of the road potency. I will occasionally use 12C as well, depending on the situation. How I dose depends on the nature of the situation for me. For a bump or bruise I throw the first dose in the mouth of the person and then put the rest in water. This changes the potency ever so slightly. I think in general it's good practice to not give the *same* potency over and over again so this sidesteps that. This way, if I succuss in between it's slightly different each time and gives the body the message to move forward with healing.

I tend to give a dose and wait unless I know it's not going to be enough. In an illness I give a dose and wait. How the person responds tells me what to do next. IF they burn through it fast I repeat. I think of this in terms of water on a hot day. If it's really sweltering out there and you are working hard (the person is in a crisis and seeking balance) then they will be drinking more water. When the water is gone the glass needs to be refilled. When a person's vital force is really working hard then more frequent dosing is needed. They "burn through" the remedy faster.

So if a child is teething and in pain, cranky, demanding, and screeching I'd give chamomilla at 30C. IF they totally chilled out and an hour later were screaming again they burned through it. Then I'd put it in water, shake it up with impact (on the palm of the hand is fine) and give a teaspoon. Then I'd watch. IF this lasted another 2 hours, I'd do it again. For me if this pattern went on for too long (more than a day) I'd up the potency to a 200C, given once and that should do it. The thing you don't want to do is give any remedy too often. IN this case the 200C would have been the minimum dose *if it corrected the problem.*

Remember that in homeopathy the minimum dose is a higher number. 30C is less than 6C even though it's action is deeper.

IN your example for the head bumps I use a higher potency, I administer it immediately and if the screaming doesn't stop right away I may dose again within the half hour. The way I was taught is that you can do this for up to 6 doses. Then back down. However you should see improvement long before those 6 doses are up.

Anyway these are my answers, but different schools of thought think of it in different ways and we all go on our personal experience too. Hopefully we can get some more mamas here to share!

[Panserbjorne]

my favorite place to go for remedies is Helios, but I have several kits by www.homeopathyworks.com that I adore. www.hahnemannlabs.com is also great. Tanya and CS, hopefully the previous post helped answer your other question?

[tanyalynn]

That helped, yes.

One more question, I don't mean to direct all my questions at you, PB, and anyone else who's seen ups and downs, or seen how this has worked in their own situations, I'd love to hear it, but it's about the vital force, and my ability to evaluate it for me, and moreso for the kids.

I'll throw out my impression and expect several people to correct me. I get the impression that vital force can manifest in different ways, partly in ways that look just physical, not so strong if someone is getting sick very frequently, but also in terms of happiness and energy, vitality. At one end of the spectrum it seems clear, when you're basically happy with life and where you are and rarely ill, that would imply a strong vital force, wouldn't it? And weak vital force for the opposite. Am I totally off in my understanding of this?

I don't know how to apply this to my son, who's a darn cheerful, enthusiastic little person, but who gets (used to get? I can hope) sick an awful lot. Especially for trying to use acute homeopathy for him when he gets sick (vs, say, that goose egg on the head) it seems like I could do better if I understand this.

Anyone with thoughts on this vital force business, share.

[WuWei]

I just ordered the Top 100 Remedy Kit from Washington Homeopathics. They have it on sale through the end of the month! http://www.homeopathyworks.com/jshop...d=505&xSec=104

They have a fascinating and comprehensive "Flu Kit" also. http://www.homeopathyworks.com/jshop...=8308&xSec=104


Pat

[WuWei]

Washington Homeopathics also has the following premade kits:

Animal Rescue Remedy Kit Contains 18 Remedies in 1/2 dram vials. For any animal. Acon. 30c, Fear, shock; Apis 30c, Stings, allergic reaction; Arnica 30c, Shock, trauma; Arnica... $54.00



Birthing Remedy Kit Contains 18 Remedies in 1/2 dram vials. For just before, at labor, and right after birth. 30 c potency. Aconite 200c, Ant. Tart 30c, Arnica 200c, Arse... $54.00


Children's Remedy Kit Contains the twelve combinations: Children's Tonic, Colic, Constipation, Cough, Diarrhea, Earache, Fever, Hives, Insomnia, Motion Sickness, Teething, ... $48.00


Urgent Care Remedy Kit Eighteen 1/2 dram vials of 30X homeopathic medicines. Aconite, Apis, Arnica, Arsenicum, Belladonna, Cactus, Cantharis, Carbo V, Chamomilla, Cocculus, ... $54.00


Pat

[WuWei]

Originally Posted by Panserbjørne

I'm holding back as I don't want to take over the thread! Pat! Come back!

I'm clueless, almost. I'll post my cheat sheet and you can amend it. I'm wanting to make up an acute "First Aid" kit recommendation guidelines. But, I just saw that WH already has an Urgent Care kit premade!

I just need instructions, 'For this, give this'. Otherwise, I google and cross-reference. But, the MM just totally overwhelmed me.


Pat

[changingseasons]

Originally Posted by WuWei

I just ordered the Top 100 Remedy Kit from Washington Homeopathics. They have it on sale through the end of the month! http://www.homeopathyworks.com/jshop...d=505&xSec=104

Oh man... I should have asked for THAT for Mother's Day!

[tanyalynn]

Pat, the 1/2 dram vials... are the remedies liquid or solid? I feel silly asking, but I'll do it anyway. And if you have any of their stuff on-hand, do you know anything about the sucrose/lactose issue for their stuff?

[WuWei]

Originally Posted by TanyaLopez

Pat, the 1/2 dram vials... are the remedies liquid or solid? I feel silly asking, but I'll do it anyway. And if you have any of their stuff on-hand, do you know anything about the sucrose/lactose issue for their stuff?

The Washington Homeopathics kit I received are slightly larger than "sand sized" pellets, not tablets. But, I stay out of the sucrose/lactose issue. I just have a mental block about remembering which has which.


Pat