Summer, the season of the great outdoors is upon us and homeopaths are frequently called on to assist with acute summer injuries and ailments. With thanks to www.materiamedica.org.uk, here's some of the 10 commonly used remedies for the acute ailments of the season.



Apis mellifica (Honey Bee)
Bites and stings. Oedematous swellings. Parts feel contricted. Redness. Pains burning and stinging. Restlessness. Thirstlessness. 'Styes, also prevents their recurrence' - Boericke. Sore throat with stinging pains and swollen uvula. Better: cold applications. Worse: heat; 4-6pm.

Argentum nitricum (Silver Nitrate)
Fear of flying. Anticipatory anxiety and gastro-intestinal problems (belching / flatulence). Suits warm-blooded people with a tendency to feel hurried and impulsive. They may have a fear of failure when having to perform in public. Their fear is justified, as they often rush through things and get into a mess. (cf Gelsemium & Lycopodium). Pains splinter-like. Better: open air; walking fast. Worse: crowds; sweets (gets diarrhoea).

Arnica (Leopardsbane)
Accidents / shock / physical exhaustion. First choice for most minor accidents, falls, injuries or physical ordeals. Swelling and bruising. Patient has a fear of being touched because of the pain, and may want to be left alone. May claim to be alright when they clearly are not. Classic response of someone in shock. Upper body is hot, whilst lower is cold. Memory may also be poor. Better: Lying down. with head low. Worse: jarring; Lying on injured part.

Arsenicum album (White arsenic)
Acute food poisoning. Characterised by great physical prostration with mental restlessness. Patient does not want to be left alone and is anxious or fearful. Cant bear the sight or smell of food. Pains and discharges are burning, yet the patient feels chilly and all symptoms, except headache, are better for heat. Thirsty for frequent sips of usually hot drinks. Hayfever with watery discharge. Better: warmth; Lying down; Worse: midnight - 3am.

Calendula (Pot Marigold)
Cuts and grazes; superficial burns or scalds; ulcers; scalp wounds; after teeth extraction or childbirth. Formation of healthy scar tissue (without lumps). Use externally in cream, ointment or tincture form. Taken internally if there is suppuration (cf. Hepar sulph). Better; warmth; walking or lying absolutely still. Worse; damp dull weather; evening.

Cantharis (Spanish Fly)
Minor burns and scalds. Cystitis, where there are burning pains before, during or after urination. Urging to urinate. Intense mental and physical irritation. Onset is sudden and violent. Pains are cutting and burning. Patients have a burning, intense thirst, but are worse after drinking (especially cold drinks). Better: cold applications. Worse: touch.

Hypericum (St John's wort)
Injury to nerves especially of extremities and sensitve parts. First aid for lacerated wounds from sharp instruments or any injury to nerve-rich areas (e.g.from slamming door on fingers, toes or falling on the coccyx). Pains are extreme and shoot along the nerves. Punctured wounds, Injured nerves from bite of animals. Generally worse for motion or pressure.

Ledum pal. (Marsh Tea)
Puncture wounds and black eyes. Wounds and bites from both animals and insects. Pains are sticking, tearing and throbbing. Area is swollen, blue and cold but, strangely, feels hot to the sufferer. "Ledum is an antidote to the stings of insects' - Boericke. Better: cold applications. Worse: heat.

Rhus toxicodendron (Poison Ivy)
Sprains and strains. Stiffness, coupled with terrible restlessness. Pains usually around joints, which ache, feel sore, bruised. The pain is worse on first movement, with a tearing or stitching sensation, but this eases after continued movement, provided it is not too strenuous. During colds, fevers, flus, a triangular red tip at the end of their tongue is an excellent confirmatory symptom. Children who crave cold milk. Better: heat; gentle motion. Worse: damp, cold weather.

Ruta graveolens (Rue)
Strains and sprains of tendons. Injuries to cartilage and bone surface. It is less restless than Rhus Tox. Bone feels damaged. Injuries to wrists, knees, ankles or bones with a thin covering of flesh (e.g shins). Eye strain followed by headache. Better for movement. Worse: lying on the affected part.

The recent debate about whether doctors should recommend homeopathy, which featured this week in the BMJ has had responses from many about their views.

The debate itself is well worth a read and equally worth listening to the conversation, with some good points being made by Dr Peter Fisher regarding the practice of homeopathy and research into its efficacy. As this is written, the responses to the BMJ vote as to whether doctors should recommend homeopathy stands at 54.7% saying yes, and 45.3% saying no.

What do you think? Have you voted and had your say?

Based on their specific symptoms and personal health, a homeopath will match the most appropriate medicine to each patient.  Homeopathy is individualised medicine, looking directly at the person and how they experience their illness and unique sensations. For example, there may be 10 people visit a homeopath who experience headaches and each will get a different remedy based on how they experience the pain.

Often when people visit a homeopath for the first time, they have no idea what to expect, having never had a consultation process like it before.

One of the biggest differences is often that the homeopath takes time to listen to them - often between 60 and 90 minutes. They want to really understand how things are for that person in front of them - how the pain is felt, what emotions are there and how they are experienced, what makes them tick, and lots more! The practitioner gets as much information as they need on the main complaints and the person in general to be able to select a remedy that best fits the description they have been given.

In the short movie here The Snooks explain what happens when you visit a homeopath. Have a watch and read here for information on a typical consultation, more short movies or have a read of testimonials from patients and celebrities.