Homeopathy offers a gentle, non-suppressive way of treating everyday first aid conditions. How many of us have had a weekend or holiday ruined by ailments such as insect bites, sprains, nausea, car sickness, colds, etc! Well homeopathy has the answer to all these and many more.

Let's walk through some common everyday conditions that are easily treatable with the correct homeopathic remedy. This list is far from complete but will still make you aware of some main remedies that work well in first aid.

Injury

Physical injuries take many forms and there is a homeopathic remedy to match many types of injury.

Arnica is usually the first remedy to consider. Arnica is a specific remedy for bleeding and bruising. It will help reduce trauma at the site of injury and restore integrity. The sooner Arnica can be given after injury the better. After Arnica has done its wonderful work you may need to follow-up with one of the remedies below if indicated.

Rhus tox has the keynote of stiffness, typical of sprained or strained muscles or joints. It has been called the rusty gate remedy because it is worse for initial movement but better for continued movement eg: stiff when first getting out of bed but better after moving for a while. Rhus tox is also better for warmth, but worse for cold.

Ruta grav is indicated in strains of tendons and ligaments. It is the main remedy for injury to both the knee and the Achilles tendon. Ruta is worse for cold and rest,

and better for movement and warmth.

Symphytum has the common name knitbone which points to its main area of action. It accelerates the healing of fractures. It is imperative that the break or fracture has been correctly set by a medical doctor before using Symphytum. Often there are pricking pains in the bone. It is also well indicated for injuries to the eyeball and socket eg: from a blow to the eye.

Cuts and Wounds

Calendula, in tincture, cream or potentized form, is an amazing wound healer. It has a double action in which it acts like an antiseptic stopping infection, but also it promotes cell granulation (growth of new tissue). Chemical antiseptics do stop infection but they can also destroy skin cells as well. I remember once reading that at one stage in the American Civil War they ran out of antiseptic in the field hospitals and started to use calendula instead. To their amazement the soldiers' wounds healed much quicker and were discharged earlier than when treated with chemical antiseptics. For simple cuts or wounds apply calendula solution (10 drops of tincture into half a glass of warm water) or apply calendula cream.

Staphysagria is indicated in clean cuts eg: from a knife injury or post-surgery. These cuts/scars are very painful and sometimes are slow to heal.

Ledum is for puncture wounds. Typically the area will be blue, cold and puffy. It is one of homeopathy's main tetanus remedies. The affected area is better for cold applications.

Hypericum (in tincture, cream or potentized form) is indicated for wounds which involve nerve pain. This is especially the case for crushing injuries, puncture wounds and the nerve rich extremities ie: fingers and toes

Travel Sickness

There is nothing worse than getting carsick on the way to your holiday destination or seasick on your long-awaited scuba-diving or fishing trip.

Cocculus is a great remedy for car sickness and if this has been your previous experience take a dose an hour before you leave.

Tabacum is for seasickness. Remember how it felt when you first tried a cigarette, if indeed you have; pale, weak, nausea with lots of saliva; if this is how you feel when you go on a boat, tabacum will be your remedy. Again if you are prone to seasickness take a dose an hour before you set off.

Vomiting

Ipecac is a great remedy for continued vomiting and nausea. Often a person will feel better after vomiting but in an ipecac picture this gives no relief. Usually the tongue will be clean and the person will produce lots of saliva. Sweating will occur freely. Often the nausea will be worse from drinking or movement.

Antimonium crudum has a nausea picture often brought on by over-eating. The tongue in this case will have a milky, white coating. The person will be irritable and worse for extremes of cold and heat. They will feel better in the open air and for rest.

Insect Bites

Which remedy you use will depend on the picture of the bite site. Here are a few common remedies for insect bites:

Apis for bee or wasp stings. The skin is red, swollen and burning/stinging. It is worse for heat and better for cold.

Ledum is good for small insect bites such as mosquitos. In this case the skin will be blue, swollen and cold to touch.

Lachesis is indicated in spider, scorpion and snake bites where again the skin becomes dark bluish or purple. If there is bleeding the blood will often be dark. The person will be worse for heat and better for open air.

Food poisoning

Arsenicum is a great remedy for food poisoning. You may eat a beautiful meal and then go home to bed. A couple of hours later you wake up and your stomach is burning and you have a strong thirst. A keynote of this remedy is that people will drink little, but frequently. There can be really bad pains accompanied by lots of anguish and restlessness. Aggravation time is often after midnight and the person is generally worse from cold and better from heat.

Carbo vegetablis is also used when the person presents as totally exhausted and prostrate. They have a weak pulse with rapid breathing and needs lots of air! The skin may be blue and cold. This remedy picture is all about lack of oxygen. There is severe bloating above the navel accompanied by belching and flatulence. Often the person will feel better after vomiting.

Headaches

There are literally hundreds of possible remedies for headaches. Fortunately, there are a much smaller number for common headaches. Once again it is important to match the symptom and remedy pictures as closely as possible.

Bryonia has the keynote worse for movement. The person will desire to keep completely still. They are sensitive to light and noise and often will desire to be in a darkened room. There is also great thirst with dryness of the mouth. The pain feels better for pressure or lying on the painful side. There is bursting pain often originating in the forehead.

Nux vomica headaches often develop from system overload! This can take various forms such as too much alcohol, stimulants, rich food, prolonged anxiety or worry. A business person living a hectic life will be a prime candidate for this type of headache. The person will be irritable and often suffer from insomnia.

Ruta grav works well for headaches accompanied by eyestrain. This may occur, for example, from sitting in front of a computer screen for too long or doing fine work. Vision will often be blurred with redness of the eys and the sensation of heat.

Gelsemium has a band of pain around the head. The person will be lethargic, chilly and thirstless with a slow pulse. Headaches are often preceded by blurred vision and improve upon urinating. The headache may be part of a flu picture or have developed after hearing bad news.

Glonoine is especially indicated in cluster headaches. The pain can come on suddenly and is throbbing, bursting and hammering. The blood seems to be pumped upwards making the head feel like it is going to burst. This remedy picture is aggravated strongly by exposure to the sun and sunstroke.