Page 17 - Spring 22

cover acute inflammation and fever, but these two in practice are the most commonly indicated and successfully applied when inflammation is a prominent aspect of the acute condition. In the analysis of acute or chronic conditions, there are other aspects of the case that are important in addition to the chief symptoms. One aspect are modalities i.e. factors that affect the case, making symptoms better or worse. Such factors might include the time of day or night, seasonal conditions, noise, pressure, heat, cool – these can be very helpful when selecting a homeopathic medicine.
Next, consider the causality of the condition. One can deduct from the cause of the acute condition what homeopathic medicines may be effective in the treatment: an injury from a fall will most likely require Arnica. Concomitant symptoms (symptoms that always accompany the main symptom but have no pathological relation to the chief ailment, or a symptom that occurs along with the main problem but usually seems less significant), if available, are very useful in the medicine selection and completing the remedy picture. An example using concomitants: nausea with vomiting; and then, add in the occurrence of straining (tenesmus) with diarrhea. Utilizing all the factors available when analyzing a case is much like using a three-legged stool, or a four-legged chair. When there is a location, a sensation, a modality, and a concomitant symptom then the case has a nice stable four-legged chair for its base. We are often forced, in veterinary homeopathy to sit our laurels down on a very rickety two- or three-legged stool without the finer details of sensations that cannot be verbalized to us. In acute conditions, modalities and concomitant symptoms are difficult to determine without more time and much careful observation.
SELECTED MINI-REPERTORY OF ACUTE CONDITIONS
Some of the acute conditions treated with homeopathic
medicines are included in the list below. An attempt to prescribe based on anything but the totality of the symptoms is often futile. In acute situations one can often treat based on a more limited clinical impression, but at best this is only suggestive, and not allinclusive in nature.
1 Acute, sudden collapse and close to death, moribund, cold, possibly cyanotic, shock-like – Acetic acid, Arsenicum album, Carbo vegetabilis, Morphinum, Opium, Phosphorus, Strontium carbonicum, Camphor.
2 Excessive reaction to pain, agonizing, vocalizing, frantic with the response – Aconite, Arnica, Arsenicum album, Camphor, Chamomilla, Coffea, Hepar sulphur, Lycopodium, Nux vomica, Staphysagria.
3 Post-operative bleeding with no tissue breakdown, post-operative vomiting – Phosphorus.
4 Post-operative bleeding with tissue breakdown – Crotalus horridus, Lachesis. Note: Phosphorus can and should be given pre-emptively before surgery to decrease blood loss and facilitate a smoother recovery from the side effects of anesthesia.
5 Dog, cat, and other animal bites when given initially before an infection sets in – Ledum palustre – works better than an antibiotic, and also decreases pain, tissue bruising, and congestion.
6 Tendon injury, fascia, periosteum, with pain initially – Ruta graveolens. If Arnica doesn’t help this one will set in well.
7 Burns (These medicines will ameliorate pain, heal the skin and underlying tissues much faster than allopathic therapies). Note: there is an overlap of homeopathic medicine application between the degrees of burn designation. It is quite a miracle to see the r esults here! a) First degree – Urtica urens in potency or in tincture form with saline for the surface.
b) Second degree – Cantharis, Causticum, Picric acid. c) Third degree – Arsenicum album, with Calendula tincture or Picric acid in saline for the surface.
8 Anthrax, the disease – Echinacea.
9 Motion sickness – Cocculus indicus, Petroleum,
Tabacum, and others.
10 Malnutrition – Calc carb, Calcarea phos, Silicea.
11 Pain in surgical incisions, paper cuts, deep cuts from
sharp instruments – Staphysagria.
12 Urethral pain after catheterization or stretched
sphincters – Staphysagria.
13 Acute fevers from any cause – Arnica montana,
Aconitum napellus, Belladonna, Bryonia, Lachesis,
Pulsatilla, Rhus toxicodendron.
14 Hydrothorax – Adonis vernalis, Apis mellifica, Lycopodium. 15 Edema (dropsy) – Apis, Arsenicum album, Digitalis.
16 Gangrene – Carbo veg, Euphorbium, Lachesis, Secale
cornutum.
17 Egg bound hen, or any dystocia – Caulophyllum (better
than oxytocin), Magnesia phosphorica, Pulsatilla, Sepia (with uterine or vaginal prolapse, real or threatened), if due to ovarian cysts – Apis.
18 Intense crisis episodes of chronic disease – Aconitum, Belladonna, Nux vomica, Pulsatilla.
19 Any sudden, intense situation – use the most obvious, highest grade remedy indicated by the chief symptoms at the time.
20 Accelerating healing in:
a) Joints – Arnica, follow up in stages and as a series by Ruta or Rhus tox, then Calc carb.
b) Soft tissues – Arnica.
c) Skin lacerations –Calendula.
d) Bone fractures – Symphytum.
e) Delayed healing of fractures – Calcarea phosphorica or Symphytum.
21 Hemorrhage in general – Aconitum, Acetic acid, Arnica, Bursa pastoris, Crotalus horridus, Hamamelis, Hepar sulph, Ipecac, Kreosotum, Lachesis, Mercurius vivus, Millefolium, Natrum muriaticum, Phosphoric acid, Phosphorus, Sulphuric acid.
15