Summer Remedies

By August, summer is in full swing. I am reminded of this truth as my daughter (though tan) still comes home with occasional sunburns. My parents’ cat suffered from overheating when she was found trapped in a shed for several hours. Marcus, our dog, had an incapacitating stomachache from drinking stagnant water. The time is ripe for insects, and I am going to recommend a homeopathic remedy for gnat bites. (Homeopathically, there is a treatment. Read on . . . .)

Relieve insect bites

Many have suffered from the sharp jab of a gnat, which is often followed by a hard wheal (hive). Burning, itching and swelling spread widely.

The torment can seem unbearable, especially in this heat, and it’s hard to resist the impulse to scratch and tear at the area. Give a vial of homeopathic Cantharis 30c to anyone suffering from the effects of gnat bites. After a few doses, their suffering will be negligible, then forgotten.

Other insect bites require other remedies depending on the particular symptoms, but itching from any bite can generally be relieved by making a paste of a few tablets (not pellets) of Natrum muriaticum 6x mixed with a drop or two of water.

Cool the effects of heatstroke

My mother is an ardent fan of homeopathy and has learned how to treat problems acutely. Pet owners can imagine her reaction when she discovered that Ariel (my parents’ cat) had gotten locked in a shed on a hot day.

The cat seemed generally okay when she came out; however, my mother noticed that Ariel appeared weak and was slightly staggering, so she administered a dose of homeopathic Belladonna from her home kit while moving the cat to a cool area. Ariel recovered without developing further symptoms. This was a very fortunate situation, for heatstroke is a medical emergency that requires immediate professional treatment.

Once urgent first-aid measures have been taken, there is homeopathic treatment that will relieve symptoms and minimize any long-term effects. Belladonna and Glonoine are the two more common homeopathic remedies for individuals suffering the effects of heatstroke (sunstroke).

People needing Belladonna tend to have greater burning of the skin. The symptoms are made better by bending the head backward, sitting silently and keeping the head uncovered. Glonoine would be indicated if the symptoms were worse by bending the head backward and applying cold water (which might cause spasms), and better by being in the open air and uncovering. Both remedies cover common heat exposure symptoms, which include fever, throbbing headache, reddened face and stupor.

When treating someone suffering an acute case of heatstroke, give the remedy every 15—30 minutes the first couple of hours, then decrease to every hour or two as the person recovers. The remedy should not be required beyond 24 hours. (Constitutional homeopathic treatment can help reduce any resulting abnormal sensitivity to heat.)

Ease the pain of sunburns

It is important to remember that people can get sunburned on a cloudy day. When my daughter has underestimated the strength of the sun’s rays or she hasn’t applied her sunscreen often enough during a day at the pool or lake, a burn which wasn’t apparent during the day becomes very red and hot by evening. (A sunburn often doesn’t “show its colors” until it’s too late.)

An external application of Urtica Urens (stinging-nettle) lotion will help relieve the burn. A lotion is made by mixing one teaspoon of mother tincture with one cup of water. Apply the lotion by holding a medicine dropper over the burn or soaking a cotton ball and gently wetting the affected area.

Urtica urens can also be taken internally for pain. (An “internal” remedy means a remedy in potency, such as 6x, 12x, 30x, 6c, 12c or 30c stocked by the Co–op. A dose can be taken ever few hours for pain as needed, stopping whenever improvement continues.) Later applying Calendula (tincture, gel or spray) will continue the healing and minimize further skin damage and pain.

For second degree burns, when there is blistering and noticeable swelling in addition to pain and redness of the skin, topical Hypericum (St. John’s Wort) spray or lotion should be applied before the blisters have broken. Cantharis (yes, our “gnat remedy”) can be given internally, or, if it’s not available, Urtica urens. Small blisters will protect the burn and prevent infection, and thus, if possible, should not be broken. After the blisters have popped, apply Calendula topically two or three times a day.

Get medical care immediately for any third-degree burn, or when a second-degree burn covers an area larger than the hand (or more than 10% of the body) or occurs on the face, hands or feet, or genitals.

Pets also suffer from summer ailments

In this heat, dogs are liable to drink from any puddle they find. An owner may not know his or her dog drank stagnant water until symptoms appear.

The dog will often sit on its haunches and elbows, clearly looking uncomfortable, and groan on moving. This happened to our dog twice this summer, and both times Marcus responded with a few doses of Nux vomica.

Another dog was helped with Nux vomica for what appeared to be the same problem. One morning when Marcus and I were visiting our canine social hangout, I observed a dog sitting in the same odd position. I asked the owner about the dog, and she explained that a veterinarian had been trying to help for the past week, to no avail.

I shared my experiences with Marcus and recommended the owner pick up Nux vomica 30c at the Co–op. I heard through my pet pal person that improvement was evident overnight, and the dog soon fully recovered.

One final tip: Fox tails, those stickers from dried grasses which work their way into the skin and are the bane of animals, owners and veterinarians alike, are dislodged more rapidly with a few doses of Silica. (This goes for splinters, ingrown nails, and anything else which gets embedded in the skin.)