Fieber Anhängsel
Repertory:
Intermittent fever with chill always at the
same hour with thirst only between the chill and heat - Sabad.
Vomiting between the chill and heat with bitter
vomiting, "As bitter as gall“ - Eupat-per.
Between the chill and heat, sour vomiting;
"Sour as vinegar“ - Lyc.
Fever after use of a catheter: Acon.
Fever commencing with vertigo: Cocc.
Fever without thirst – Gels. Puls.
Apis. Calad. Acet-ac. Vario.
Fever with yawning and stretching: Rhus-t.
Dr. Sunirmal Sarkar: Mental insanity coming on after suppression of
intermittent fever - Elat.
[Cummings and Ullman]
Fever and influenza
Fever is not a disease, but it so commonly accompaning many kinds of
illnesses that we have covered it separately here. Influenza, on the other
hand, is a specific type of
viral infection.
Fever can accompany almost every type of infection and occurs in other
illnesses as well. Fever may be the only apparent symptom of an illness (early
stages).
Don't be frightened by the fever itself, fever is usually a beneficial
phenomenon. Not only is it a valuable warning that an infection is taking
place, but the fever is itself
part of the body's defence against the infection.
Ancient physicians (Hippocrates and Celsus) considered fever a means by
which the body "cooks," separates, and eventually eliminates the
disease. In more scientific terms, the ability to increase body temperature has
come to be understood as a basic defence shared by all organisms that can
regulate their own internal temperature. Fever may
help fight infection in various ways.
Simple elevation of temperature reduces the growth of or even kills some
disease-causing organisms. More indirect effects of fever include enhancement
of such innate immune defences as increasing the production of interferon (a
substance made by the body that inhibits viral reproduction) and increasing
white blood cell mobility and activity. Fever, indeed, is an important positive
response of the body.
Fever is defined somewhat arbitrarily as a rise in body temperature to
above 99.5° F (measured orally). Actually, normal body temperature varies from
person to person and
for each person, with time of day, activity level, and other factors.
The traditionally normal reading of 98.6° F (37°C) is only an approximate
average; your own temperature may range from a little higher than 96° F to
about 99°F when you're perfectly healthy. Also, temperature elevations (as high
as 103° F in children) can occur after exercise or from being overdressed.
The body's regulatory mechanisms limit fevers to a maximum of 105° F to
106° F during simple acute illnesses in normal individuals.
Higher temperatures can be harmful, but unless there is something else
complicating the acute illness, a fever rarely gets so high that it threatens
health. Dehydration that
results from fever can be dangerous (children/elderly), but it can be
prevented by making certain that extra liquids are consumed.
High fevers also sometimes cause seizures in children. Such
"febrile seizures" usually occur while the temperature is rising
rapidly, and end once it has reached its peak.
They are most likely to occur in boys between 6 - 24 months old. In
children who are otherwise healthy, the seizure tends to affect the whole body,
not just one part or one side, and to last no more than twenty minutes, usually
much less. Any deviation from this pattern may indicate an underlying
neurologic disorder. Although all children
who have seizures during a fever need to be medically evaluated, simple
febrile seizures tend to happen only once or twice and cause no lasting ill
effects. They are not uncommon and generally do not represent a serious health
problem.
What all this means is that the fever accompanying an acute illness is
not ordinarily a cause for concern. Instead of worrying about the fever, you
should pay attention to
the illness responsible and try to aid the healing efforts of the body.
So long as it is not too high, the fever is best left to continue its work as
part of the body's effort to heal.
Rest and plenty of liquids (to replace the body fluid lost due to
sweating) are still important in the care of a person with a fever. It is
normal for fever to be accompanied by
a diminished appetite, so don't force-feed the patient. Since heat is
dissipated through the skin, allow for good air circulation in the room and
make certain the patient isn't heavily covered or dressed - clothing should be
the minimum necessary to prevent chilliness.
Often these steps are all that's necessary to relieve a mild fever. We
don't recommend treatment with either conventional or homeopathic medicines for
minor fevers.
Sometimes bringing the fever down is a worthwhile goal in itself - if
the temperature is 103.5°F or higher for more than an hour, if at any time it
climbs above 105° F, if the patient is a child who has had febrile seizures, or
if the fever simply has lasted long enough to be exhausting or really
uncomfortable. But remember, fever is a protective response, and you should
consider suppressing a fever only for the reasons just mentioned.
Although there is some controversy about its efficacy, sponge bathing is
recommended by many clinicians as an effective, drug-free way to bring down
fevers of mild or moderate illnesses - and should be used immediately if the temperature
rises to 106° F or if the patient becomes delirious or has a fever-related
seizure. If the patient can
put up with some discomfort, sponge bathing works more quickly than
conventional medicines. Actually, research shows that sponge bathing works best
in combination
with acetaminophen given to reset the body's "thermostat"
about ½ hour before - but if you've decided to use conventional medicine, you
probably won't need to bother
with a sponge bath.
In any case, here's the technique: Just have the person sit in a basin
or tub in waist-deep, lukewarm water (don't use alcohol). Gradually lower the
water temperature by
letting a little cold water run into the tub. Use a wet sponge or
washcloth to bathe all exposed skin, including the face, and get the hair wet
as well. Continue for 10 - 15 minutes. Then pat-dry the largest drops of water
and allow the skin to air-dry in a cool room, protecting the person from
drafts.
When fever is too high, too uncomfortable, or has lasted too long, and
if the homeopathic medicines are not working rapidly enough, you may want to
use medication such as acetaminophen (= paracetamol), aspirin, ibuprofen
(Motrin, Advil), or naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn). All these drugs work to reduce
fever, but keep in mind that there is good scientific evidence that they also
interfere with the body's own immune defenses. Each has its pros and cons and
should not be used with any other. In general, we prefer acetaminophen if one
of these drugs must be used. In any case, you must be absolutely certain they
are stored in a safe place so accidental poisoning cannot occur.
Seek medical advice before giving any of these medicines to a baby
younger than two.
When used correctly, acetaminophen is safe and rarely causes side
effects, and it is easier to give to children because it is available in a
liquid and in suppositories.
However, overdoses can cause serious poisoning with potentially
irreversible liver damage. Be especially careful to follow package directions
when using the liquid forms
of acetaminophen. The drops meant for babies are much more concentrated
than the liquid intended for older children, which has led to poisonings when
parents confused
the two forms.
Aspirin should not be given to children or teenagers because it has been
implicated in Reye's syndrome, a rare but often fatal disease covered more in
detail at the end of
this chapter. Aspirin also can produce side effects and allergic
reactions in relatively low doses. Still, it's inexpensive and time-tested, and
a good choice for adults who
are not allergic to it.
The newer over-the-counter drugs ibuprofen and naproxen work much like
aspirin and share its most serious side effects, although less likely to cause
ringing in the ears.
Their effects last longer than acetaminophen's, so you can take them
less often - but this is a disadvantage when you're trying to minimize your
interference with the body's natural healing process.
Character of the symptoms:
• Did the symptoms seem to begin after a
particular stress? For example, from exposure to cold air or wind, loss of
sleep, or overindulgence in food or drugs?
• How recently did the fever start? Within the
last 12 hours, or earlier than that?
• How quickly did the symptoms begin?
• Is the face flushed?
• What is the person's mental condition - is he
dull or confused, delirious, restless and anxious, irritable, or clingy and
tearful?
Modalities:
• Does the person feel warm or
chilly? How do external heat and cold make him feel?
If you decide that the illness should be treated and fever is the only
obvious symptom, consult the homeopathic information in this chapter for help
with choosing the right medicine. If there are other symptoms as well (sore
throat, earache, and so on), consult the appropriate chapter for relevant
homeopathic medicines.
Generally, the ill person will recover quickly or at least after one
night's rest. If the fever isn't gone or much lower by the next morning, you'll
probably want to try another medicine.
Bell. and Acon. are the best medicines to try during the first stages of a
sudden fever.
Bell. by far the most commonly given medicine for people with simple
fever. It's the medicine to give first unless another is clearly indicated.
Bell.: fever includes a red flushed face, intensely hot skin, reddened
mucous membranes, and glassy eyes with dilated pupils. The skin can be so hot
that you notice the
heat lingering on your hands after you touch it. Although Belladonna
patients are mentally dull and may not fully comprehend what's going on around
them, they may
well be restless and agitated. Children may even hit, bite, tear at
things, or exhibit strange behaviors such as speaking incoherently about scary
or violent hallucinations.
Of course, most people who need Bell. don't have these extreme symptoms.
Still, they often do show some nervous excitability and their senses often are
more acute.
As the illness progresses, they may develop muscle twitching, which,
like many of the Belladonna symptoms, comes and goes suddenly.
Acon.: fever comes on suddenly and the patient is
anxious, restless, and fearful (begin after exposure to dry and cold air or
wind). Mentally alert – like Bell. - but frightened, and he may toss in his
sleep or throw off his covers or clothes. In the classic case, he has dry skin,
dry mouth (perhaps with unquenchable thirst for cold drinks), and a dry cough.
The pupils may be constricted.
Ferr-p.: early in the course of a fever. Symptoms
develop gradually, rather than all of a sudden as in Belladonna and Aconite.
Ferr-p. also when Belladonna seems indicated but doesn't work after 2 - 3
doses.
Nux-v.: ChiLLY. Chills < uncovering (slightly moving the blankets - can't
move under the covers without setting off a wave of chilliness). Begin after
overeating, going without sleep,
or using too much alcohol or drugs of any type. The person also may have
various digestive symptoms, such as constipation or nausea, and may have a sensation
of heaviness of the head. <: in the morning/in open air; Irritability is
typical.
Puls.: often used when there are clear symptoms of
a cold or ear infection, you can give it when fever is the only symptom.
Characteristic mental and general symptoms of
this medicine are evident: weepy/clingy/craving affection. Moods are
changeable. May be irritable, whiny not angry or strong. Intolerant of external
heat/feel << warmly covered or in warm rooms. Begin after the patient has
eaten too much rich or fatty food, and tend < at night. Classically, the
Pulsatilla isn't thirsty, even with a fever.
Though illnesses such as colds, digestive upsets, and other maladies are
often called "the flu," technically influenza is an acute infection
of the respiratory tract associated with a particular group of viruses.
Practically speaking, the diagnosis is influenza if acute respiratory symptoms
like runny nose or cough are accompanied by marked fever, general weakness, and
muscular aching. The person with the flu looks and feels more ill than he would
with just a common cold.
Though uncomfortable, influenza ordinarily lasts only 3 - 5 days in most
healthy people. However, the severity of the illness varies from person to
person and from year to year. Even the milder strains can lead to
life-threatening disease among young children, the elderly, and those
debilitated by chronic illnesses - because severe bacterial infections such as
pneumonia can develop when the system is weakened by the flu virus (ear and
sinus infections also may occur). Also, the flu viruses mutate rapidly, and
some strains have been much more virulent than others.
Home treatment for people with influenza is the same as for those with
fevers and colds. Avoid aspirin, especially when treating children under
nineteen, as its use is associated with Reye's syndrome, as discussed in more
detail at the end of this chapter. Antibiotics are unnecessary and actually can
be harmful; they should be avoided unless a secondary bacterial infection has
developed.
CASETAKING QUESTIONS FOR INFLUENZA
Character of the symptoms:
• Which are the more bothersome
symptoms—tiredness, a heavy feeling, or aches and pains? (If fever is a
predominant symptom, see the previous section; if there is significant runny
nose or cough
• Is there a headache, and if so, where is it
located and what sort of pain does it cause?
• Does the person have chills?
• Is the person restless, or does she prefer to
lie still?
Modalities:
• How does moving about affect the pains?
• How do heat and cold affect the body aches,
and do they make the person feel better or worse in general?
HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINES
One of the great success stories of homeopathic medicine concerns its
superb treatment of epidemic influenza during the 1917—18 flu season. Records
maintained by government medical officers at the time show that proportionally,
far fewer patients treated homeopathically died from the flu or its
complications than those who received conventional medical treatment.
Among appropriate flu medicines covered in other chapters are Acon.
Bell. Ars. Puls. Nux-v.
In many ways, the symptoms of Gels. represent the classic picture of flu
- this is the medicine to give if you can't find a better fit.
Gels.: Mainly feels tired, weak, heavy, and sick.
Generally wants to be left alone, not because they're especially irritable, but
simply because it's too much work to interact
with people.
They don't feel restless, and although motion isn't painful, the patient
just lies still because she's so weak. The eyelids look heavy and droopy, and
the face may appear dull
and lacking in expression.
Gels. flu is characterized by chills, which often
run up and down the back. Typically, there is little thirst in spite of the
fever. The nose may be runny and the throat may
burn. Headaches are common, usually in the back of the head and
extending to the top or forehead. More striking symptoms, however, are general
weakness and tiredness.
Bry.: irritable with aversion to company, and physical aggravation from
motion. If either or both of these are present, give Bry.
Compare:
Gels. with Bry.
Bry. doesn't want to be disturbed and is truly irritable. May snap when
asked questions or refuse to answer them altogether. May be preoccupied with
worries about business/ordinary affairs. < Motion; > lying still. Likely
to have generalized muscle and joint aches that are definitely more painful
from motion. Lies still because it hurts to move, not just because he's too
tired (headache < with motion (walking, or even from moving the eyes/light
touch, eating, stooping, and talking also may make headaches worse, while
applying firm pressure and lying
still may relieve them). < in warm rooms and > in the cool air.
They may have an intense thirst for cold drinks. A dry, hacking, often painful
cough may accompany the flu symptoms. Constipation.
Rhus-t.: restless. Muscles stiff and achy if the
patient lies still for any length of time. Paradoxically, her pain feels most
severe when trying to move after a period of rest, but it improves as soon as
she moves about and limbers up. She may be unable to sleep, because it's so
uncomfortable keeping still. Chilly and feel < in cold, wet weather,
improving in warmth and with applied heat.
Exposure to damp weather or overexertion may have brought on the illness. Thirsty, sometimes
only for sips of water at a time, and may sweat profusely. Mentally, she may be
anxious, apprehensive, irritable, or depressed. Dry mouth and lips, dry sore
throat, and hoarseness often accompany the general symptoms.
Eup-per.: Severe aching and pain that feels as though
it comes from deep inside the bones. Bruised soreness all over the body, and
the bones (back), feel as though they would break. Symptoms that confirm the
choice of this medicine—but that aren't necessarily present—include a sudden
nasal discharge with sneezing and redness in the eyes preceding the onset of
the body aches. Chills (morning between 7 - 9 h. Typically they have great
thirst for ice-cold drinks, but liquids may cause digestive disorders. A dry, hacking
cough that shakes the body also is characteristic.
Osc.:
‡ Folgendes hat
anthroposofische Einschlüße ‡
[Philip Incao] M.D. medical practioner in
Q. Pediatrician Daniel Alexander, MD (
A: This question raises an important point. The answer requires us to
look at the process of acute inflammatory illness more closely. Every feverish
illness proceeds in a rhythmical course with alternating cycles in which fever
takes hold of us, then lets go, takes hold, lets go, etc. This is a primal
biological process of contraction and expansion, like in-breathing and
out-breathing.
As fever takes hold, a child contracts and concentrates her forces
inward. She usually loses interest in play, food and drink and wants to curl up
under the covers. As the body temperature rises,
the child perceives its surroundings growing colder relative to its
warming body and she starts to feel chilled or even shiver.
As the "Father of Western Medicine" Hippocrates rightly
understood, this inward concentration of heat into the depths of the body
betokens a cooking, digesting and ripening process which he named pepsis in
Greek. During this phase of inner contraction and cooking the child may be
slightly dehydrated yet instinctively refuses to drink or eat, because her
bodily energy is fully concentrated and engaged in the inner work of digesting
of the illness. If a child is induced to eat or drink during this phase of the
illness, she often vomits.
When the fever peaks or breaks and starts to come down, this signals the
expansion and relaxation phase of the illness process. The child feels warm,
may sweat and then, having perked up somewhat and thrown off the blankets, may
announce that she's thirsty and hungry, and may need to go to the bathroom.
This is the out-breathing phase, in which the waste products of the previous
cooking-digesting phase are eliminated through sweating and mucus discharge as
well as through the usual channels of bladder and bowels.
Hippocrates called this phase of the illness the catharsis, meaning the
active throwing off and release of poisons from the body. Having detoxified
somewhat, the child now feels better and may want to play and become active.
Often however, the catharsis is merely a hiatus and not the end of the illness.
After some hours the fever starts to rise again as the child, feeling unwell,
draws her energy inward for the work of further digesting the illness.
The inner work of digesting an inflammatory illness is much easier for a
child if its stomach and colon are relatively empty of food. A child will often
have vomiting and/or diarrhea at the very beginning of an illness, and these
will often abbreviate the illness or even prevent it altogether.
The various complications of an inflammatory illness, including
dehydration, usually result from the incomplete digestion and/or the inadequate
catharsis of the illness, causing the child to become "toxic."
Anti-inflammatory drugs [acetaminophen (Tylenol)/ibuprofen/aspirin work]
by interrupting the cooking-digesting phase of the inflammatory process, thus
lowering the fever prematurely before the body is ready and ripe for a
cleansing catharsis. This explains why such anti-inflammatory, fever
suppressing drugs may increase the risk of toxic complications in an
inflammatory illness. Reye's syndrome from aspirin and the invasive bacterial
complications reported two years ago in New Zealand after ibuprofen treatment
of children with chicken pox are examples. I would argue that dehydration is
not caused by the fever itself, but by the inner toxicity which results when
fever is unable to do its job.
In 30 years of treating children's feverish, inflammatory illnesses in
the home, I have never recommended fever suppressants like Tylenol for fevers
below 106 degrees and I have never seen dehydration as a problem, Nor have I
ever seen dehydration result from judicious bowel cleansing with suppositories
or Milk of Magnesia in toddlers and children.
To be sure, infants are vulnerable to dehydration, especially with
repeated vomiting and diarrhea. I do not recommend Milk of Magnesia for infants
under one year old. Using a glycerin suppository in a healthy feverish infant
who hasn't had a bowel movement in the past 8 hours has always proved helpful
in making the infant more comfortable and less restless, in my experience, and
I believe it also helps the infant in getting over the illness. When infants
under six months old become ill for any reason, I always recommend checking
with your doctor.
[]
Fieber: Wer lange keines hatte, wähnt sich zu Unrecht als besonders gesund. Denn Fieber ist eine zentrale Immunantwort unseres Körpers auf pathogene Keime in unserem Körper. Bleibt also die physiologische Reaktion unseres angeborenen Immunsystems aus, ist das ein Zeichen für eine Immunschwäche.
Uwe Hobohm, Professor für Bioinformatik an der FH Gießen, hat nach einer wissenschaftlichen Erklärung für die immer wieder vorkommenden Spontanremissionen bei Krebserkrankungen gesucht. Er analysierte hierfür die entsprechende medizinische Literatur der Jahre 1918 – 2004 – und entwickelte hieraus zwei interessante Thesen:
1. Menschen mit einer Vorgeschichte mit vielen fieberhaften Infekten erkranken signifikant seltener an Krebs.
2. Spontanheilungen bei Krebskranken stehen häufig in Zusammenhang mit einem schweren, fieberhaften Infekt.
Uwe Hobohm nimmt an, dass eine Erklärung in der Hitzeempfindlichkeit von Tumorzellen liegen könnte. Weiterhin wird durch die Erhöhung der Körpertemperatur die Ausschüttung von Antigenen angeregt, die Tumorzellen erkennen und vernichten können.
Ein Grund für das dauerhafte Fehlen von Fieber bei Erwachsenen liegt oftmals an Dauerstress: Ein permanent hoher Stresslevel führt zu einer dauerhaften Ausschüttung
von Cortisol, eines Stresshormons, das -ebenso wie das künstliche Cortison- Entzündungen unterdrückt. Menschen, die dauerhaften Stress empfinden, leben also oft
in einer dauerhaften Unterdrückung ihres Immunsystems.
Insofern sollte jedes moderate Fieber von ansonsten gesunden Menschen seinen guten Dienst leisten dürfen, ohne durch fiebersenkende Arzneien – und hierzu zählen selbstverständlich auch homöopathische Arzneien! – willkürlich unterbrochen zu werden. Gestressten Eltern, die die schlechte Laune oder gesteigerte Anhänglichkeit ihrer fiebernden Kinder nicht länger ertragen wollen, verschreibe ich bei den Fiebererkrankungen ihrer Kinder aber immer gern eine Arznei, die sie wieder gelassen stimmt, um auch die dritte Nacht mit häufigem unfreiwilligen Besuch im Kinderzimmer ohne fiebersenkende Mittel zu überstehen.
[Elaine Lewis]
A fever is a temperature of over 100° F
Most of us believe that a fever is the worst thing that can happen to
us! It must be stopped immediately before it spirals out of control, causing
convulsions or even death!
When it’s our kids who are sick, we are even more freaked out and can’t
abide even the lowest temperature imaginable! We will jump right in with
Aspirin or Tylenol, even before the fever reaches 100°! If we bring the fever
down to normal with our toxic interventions (also called “medicines”), we are
really proud of ourselves! We CURED the case! We think. Yay!!!!
This hysterical over-reaction to, and misunderstanding of, fever
actually brings harm with it! Basically, everything you thought you knew about
fever is wrong! The body has a way to protect itself from excessively high
temperatures. Most parents don’t know this and believe that temperatures will
just keep climbing and climbing, going up and up and up until we’re finally
faced with coma or death; but, in fact, a normal child’s temperature will not
rise out of control. It is exceedingly rare for a child’s temperature to exceed
107°F during a routine infection.
Most of you think the fever is part of the illness; and therefore, if
the fever is gone, the illness is gone! Seems logical, but, in reality, the
fever is part of YOU–your defense system. Here’s what happens: A virus, or gang
of thugs (bacterial low-lifes), enter your body and, in response, your immune
system releases its gang–cytokines–which signal the hypothalamus to turn up
your body heat! For what? Why? Why is this happening? Not only because the heat
ramps up the production of antibodies, but also for the most obvious reason in
the world: germs cannot survive in intense heat anymore than you can survive in
the desert!
Can’t you just hear them now? “What happened??? It was so nice when we
checked in -through the nose- so comfortable, temperate, so balmy and relaxing…
Now we’re sweltering!
We’re all gonna die! (I’m melting…..melting…..)”
But then, here you come to the rescue with your Children’s Tylenol and
Baby Aspirin! But, who are you rescuing?
“Oh! Wait a minute, wait a minute! Hold up, everybody! The weather is
changing! The heat wave is breaking; I think we’re gonna be alright! OK, let’s
get to get to work, we’ve got a lot
of cells to occupy!”
Now, I know that regardless of how much sense I may be making, it’s all
going to go right out the other ear as soon as your child gets a sniffle!
That’s why the topic for today is…
For instructions on how to dose in acute cases, see my article “Dosing
in Acute Cases”, which is right here:
http://hpathy.com/homeopathy-papers/dosing-in-acute-cases-how-often-to-take-the-remedy-and-in-what-potency/
Belladonna
This is our most common childhood fever remedy. What illnesses do we see
Belladonna in? Ear infections, sore throat, the flu, appendicitis, mastitis,
headache, meningitis, rabies, strokes, boils, measles, mumps, etc. but
remember, the symptoms have to match!
Belladonna has high fevers that come on suddenly! Don’t panic when you
see this! Children are very healthy and THAT is why they put out such high
fevers, because that is what a healthy body does in the presence of harmful
germs! A high fever is going to make fast work of those invaders and in short
order! An article titled “Adverse Effects of Aspirin, Acetaminophen, and
Ibuprofen on Immune Function…” in The Journal of Infectious Diseases found that
these fever-lowering drugs suppressed the immune system! They interfered with
antibody production and prolonged the illness! 2/ So remember, parents, drugs
that lower fevers aren’t necessarily doing anybody any favors! A child who can
put out a strong Belladonna fever is a really healthy child who’s going to get
better fast–and especially because now you know to give Belladonna which is
going to seal the deal! Oh, and one more thing. You know what else suppresses
the immune system? SUGAR! So, no sweets, no sodas, no ice cream when your child
is sick!
OK, back to Belladonna. You can feel the heat from the Belladonna
child’s body just by putting your hand near the skin! Usually, in Belladonna,
it’s a dry heat, the face is red, the head feels congested; there’s a rush of
blood to the area -usually to the head and face- with throbbing; and the
patient is very much < noise/motion/light/exertion/being jarred/bumped and >
hard pressure;
The child’s hands +/o. feet are usually cold. He will not want to lie
flat but will prefer sitting up or standing. His eyes are glassy and pupils are
enlarged. Bell. tends not to be thirsty.
Also in Belladonna, you will feel a sense of “urgency” about the child,
this is the message you’re picking up from him, that the case is intense; he is
somewhat frantic, perhaps
a bit delirious, and you’ll be thinking, “I have to act fast!” With this
feeling of urgency, think of Bell.
Gels.: not frantic and intense, it is very
passive, unconcerned, disinterested, dull, lethargic, dizzy…they may not even
tell you they’re sick! You just walk in the room and find them in bed asleep,
it’s all they want to do! They may have wanted to tell you how sick they were,
and how they wanted another blanket or something for their headache, but
they’re just too dull and apathetic to speak up or call out! You try to
question them, and they can’t even complete a sentence! It’s like all they want
to do is sleep. They tend not to be thirsty but they may be quite cold and they
usually have a headache in the back of their head along with body aches and
heavy limbs. Their eyelids are quite droopy and they have a besotted look about
them.
As a matter of fact, I have to tell you about one of Shana’s illnesses.
I went into the bedroom to see why she still hadn’t gotten up, and there she
was, wide awake, lying in bed, obviously unwell, looking unrelaxed and
uncomfortable, and the fact that she never called me and never complained made
me think instantly of Gelsemium! I gave Gelsemium 200C and within no time she
was fine as if nothing had happened, and we even went out that day! Well that’s
how it is with homeopathy if you act fast and don’t let the case linger and
worsen. Often you see a Gelsemium state forming due to stage-fright or effects
of receiving bad news; also, look for Gelsemium in flus, colds, sun-headaches,
measles, meningitis, etc.
Gels.: not so fearful or anxiety-ridden like our next patient, the ever
UNpopular…
Ars.: You can’t miss Arsenicum! They probably have a bad flu or other virus,
though it could literally be anything from food poisoning to asthma to malaria
to the common cold. In a serious case, they are quite clingy, anxiety-ridden,
scared, desperate, begging for help, pleading for you to stay with them…you’ll
feel quite cornered and trapped! Everything has to be on their terms, they will
not listen to reason, they do not care that you have to go home, that you have
children waiting; they will refuse to go to the hospital even though that’s
where they belong; they may even refuse to go home with you–which you offered
out of desperation! They tend to be restless, tossing back and forth, moaning
and groaning; they may be pacing; they may be nauseous, may have diarrhea, will
probably ask for water and they will take frequent sips from the glass, not
gulps. They may say they have burning pains or sensations, but they are better
for heat, hot drinks like tea, and hot compresses. They are very cold! They
crave sympathy and consolation but it never satisfies them, they simply have an
insatiable need for company, attention, reassurance and they may also seem
critical and negative about every minor little thing! Charming people.
Puls.: another clingy remedy but they are actually better for reassurance
whereas Ars. won’t believe you, it doesn’t matter how many times you say,
“You’re going to be fine!” it’s never enough! Puls.’s clinginess doesn’t make
you feel trapped, your heart actually goes out to them, as they project a
piteous picture, making you want to help; with Ars. you just want to get away!
Not surprisingly, most Pulsatilla cases are children’s cases (colds,
flus, chicken pox, measles, conjunctivitis, ear infections, ailments from
creamy foods or fatty foods, like too much pizza
or too much ice cream…) I know that every time Shana is sick and she
starts to cry, she just looks so sad, I go right for the Pulsatilla without
even thinking about it! It doesn’t matter what the illness is, it could be
anything–menstrual cramps, a headache or whatever–it doesn’t matter; the
Pulsatilla look is unmistakable! They’re sad, they’re pitiful and better for
attention, hugging and reassurance.
See my article “The Pulsatilla Child” for more information on this
often-used remedy in childhood:
Compare this with our next remedy…
Cham.: the exact opposite of Puls., nothing makes the Cham. child feel
better! Oh, except for one thing–brisk carrying! And how long can a parent keep
up with briskly carrying a sick child before collapsing? At some point the
child has to be put down, and here comes the crying and screaming again, their
bodies stiff, practically beside themselves! The parents are frantically trying
to pacify them and nothing is working–not toys, not anything that might be
handed to them or even things they asked for! They throw them down as soon as
they get them! Why are they behaving this way? Well, it’s usually because
they’re in pain. It could be an ear infection, a stomach ache or teething, who
knows, but your clue is the ceaseless, angry, crying and their unending demands
to be picked up and carried.
Merc.: The actual name is Mercurius vivus or
Mercurius solibilis. Either one is fine. So here’s the Mercury person with a
fever: They’re hot, then they’re cold. They’re hot again, then they’re cold.
The blankets are on, then they’re off. The windows are opened, then they’re
closed; opened, closed. They have a well-known narrow range of temperature
tolerance! The minute the thermometer strays from 72° or 75° F, as the case may
be, they’re uncomfortable and have to do something about it, just like a human
thermometer! And what are thermometers made of? Mercury!!! The Mercury patient
is almost always in bed because they are so weak and exhausted. Their illness
has been around for a long time, they don’t get better. There’s a lot of
sweating which seems to make them worse; plus, drooling, salivation and bad
breath. They’re thirsty. They’re worse at night, may have bone pains, swollen glands,
sore throats. Ask to see the tongue as it will probably show the imprint of the
teeth around the edges and is probably coated, slimy or mapped. There’s the
famous “never-get-done” feeling after stool. Stools can be bloody or slimy in
dysentery. Frequent urging to urinate and urinates more than what has been
drunk.
Acon.: Fever comes on suddenly. You may have gone
out without your hat on a brisk, windy, March day, and the next thing you know,
you’re in bed with a high fever, red face (which turns pale on sitting up) and
an unquenchable thirst! In fact, it may look an awful lot like Belladonna with
skin being red and hot, but Belladonna is thirstless, has dilated pupils,
glassy eyes and cold extremities while Aconite is thirsty with tiny pupils.
Aconite is well known for “ailments from cold dry winds”. It might just as
easily be known as “ailments from aggressive air conditioning!” Shana once had
a headache after I picked her up from school. I gave her Bryonia and it did
nothing. I said, “Where were you when you got the headache?” She said, “Sitting
in math class next to the air conditioner.” I gave her Aconite and she
recovered right away! If your patient is fearful, restless with a bounding
pulse and a need for fresh air and cold water, give Aconite, especially if it
follows a fright! Arsenicum is also fearful and restless but Aconite has more
energy compared to the weak and prostrated Arsenicum. Think of Fear, Fright,
Sudden Onset, Ailments from Cold Dry Winds and a 12 h. aggravation time.
Nux-v.: Speaking of air conditioning, Nux-v. can’t stand air conditioning!
In fact, they are so cold, they can’t bear the smallest draft when they’re
sick. And you don’t have to worry about them being clingy like Ars. because
they will surely, rudely, throw you out of their room if you keep bothering
them! They can’t stand your incessant questioning, the draft of air you create,
the light that’s shining in from the hallway, the noise from your television
set; in fact, you are really getting on Nux-v.’s nerves! Nux-v.’s nerves are so
frayed, his senses so acute, that noise, odors, light, almost all incoming
impressions, are too intense for him! And by the way, he is very impatient so
if he asked you for something, you better bring it fast! He feels very toxic,
probably has a pounding headache, probably has constipation
with frequent urging and nothing to show for it or a bladder infection
with frequent urging and, again, nothing to show for it; so, he is very
irritable; just please get out and leave him alone before
he starts cursing!
Bapt.: I’d be willing to guess that no one has
this remedy, but, that would be a big mistake since this is a somewhat common
“septic flu” remedy. And what do I mean by “septic”? Bad odors, bad breath,
high fever, lethargy, confusion, sleepiness, besotted appearance, muscle aches,
sensation that the bed’s too hard and can’t get comfortable, feels sore and
bruised. This is our number-3 “sudden onset” remedy but easy to differentiate
with Aconite and Belladonna as Bapt. looks very much like Gels. only with a
higher fever, “sicker” appearance -and thirsty- and the case comes on suddenly,
not slowly as with Gels.. Think of it as Gels., only worse! Like Gels., they
will be quite apathetic, dull, not asking for what they want, quite stuporous,
not able to answer or finish a sentence and falling asleep while spoken to or
in mid-sentence.
Pyrog.: This is another one I’m guessing you don’t have. Order it! You’re
going to need it for post-surgical fevers, plus it’s another septic flu remedy
like Baptisia. I actually had a Pyrogen flu once, and Shana had a Pyrogen strep
throat, so, don’t think it can’t happen! Again, think of it when the bed feels
too hard and the patient feels sore and bruised making him very restless in an
effort to get comfortable. Pyrogen, like Baptisia, again, is known for bad
odors and bad breath, confusion, delirium and prostration. Baptisia appears to
have more thirst than Pyrogen, which may have no thirst at all. In fact, for
Baptisia, the materia medica says “constant desire for water…great thirst”
(Murphy). They say a keynote of Pyrogen is that when the fever is high, the
pulse is slow; but, when the fever is low, the pulse is fast - completely the
opposite of what it should be. I didn’t have that, but I did realize it was
Pyrog. when I heard myself say, “The bed feels too hard!” Shana’s prescription
was based on bad breath and Mercury didn’t work. In fact, you may have a hard
time distinguishing Mercury and Pyrogen. Both can be cold, then hot, and
sweating. I don’t think Mercury is restless though, and I don’t think Mercury
is confused or stuporous. Pyrogen is also a great remedy for dental abscesses
(so is Mercury, come to think of it), I wouldn’t want to be without Pyrogen!
Rhus-t.: You went camping and slept out on the cold,
damp ground; came home, and woke up with a fever and possibly a sore throat.
Or, you were out exercising on a very hot day, got all sweaty, and then jumped
into a cold swimming pool! You can probably gather that Rhus-t. illnesses come
about from being exposed to cold and damp, cold water and cold and rainy weather.
Or being hot during the day and then being exposed to cold night air. In any
case of fever, you always have to find out the cause, the precipitating factor,
if at all possible, because that might very well determine the correct remedy.
How can you tell a Rhus-t. illness?
The patient feels stiff, is very restless, needs to stretch, cannot
remain still, and is much better for a hot bath, hot shower or hot compresses
and worse at night and worse cold, being still and worse in the morning after
being still (sleeping) all night. Worse on first motion, better on continued
motion. These better/worse things are called “modalities” and you always have
to ask for them in order to land on the right remedy. You should be like a
broken record with, “What’s the modalities? What’s the modalities?” Symptoms
have no meaning to a homeopath without the modalities. “I have a sore throat
that’s better for swallowing hot liquids, worse inside the house, better
outside the house, worse in the morning on waking, worse at night, better in a
hot shower…” This is the way we need to hear a symptom. And we need to hear the
sensation too. “I have a sore throat with a burning sensation.” This is how you
talk to a homeopath.
Bry.: The opposite of Rhus tox. While Rhus tox must stay in motion, must
keep moving or else he stiffens up, Bryonia must hold perfectly still, not even
daring to breathe! Why? There is always some terrible, usually sharp, pain in
a Bryonia case that keeps him from moving the least little bit. It could
be a broken bone, it could be an extreme headache or lower back pain or
sciatica; or a cough that’s so painful, he dares not cough or has to hold his
chest while coughing. Whatever it is, when you walk in the Bryonia patient’s
room, he is lying perfectly still! If you ask him to get up, he can’t! If he’s
nauseous, even lifting his head off the pillow makes him worse. Bryonia tends
to be very thirsty. They will drink the whole glass but at infrequent intervals
because they hate to move in order to drink. They like firm, hard pressure. For
instance, for their headache or backache, they will be better if you press on
the area very hard. They may want an ace bandage wrapped tightly around their
sprained ankle. Their mucus membranes are dry, they are constipated, and they
will not want to talk to you; so, unless you’re bringing water or offering to
give hard pressure, just go away and leave them alone, they’re very irritable.
Phos.: Often associated with the lungs; so, your Phosphorus patient
probably has bronchitis, pneumonia or a bad dry cough which may have started as
a simple cold but went to the lungs. “As if a weight on their chest”, <:
open air/cold air/lying on left side; longs for cold food like ice cream, and
ice cold drinks like water or soda. In fact, if you think you see a Phosphorus
case, but there’s no longing for ice-cold drinks, you probably have the wrong
remedy. Often so thirsty, and drinks so much water, that they can’t keep it
down. Cough < laughing and talking. Blue circles around the eyes. The voice
may sound hoarse. Oh, and Phosphorus wants sympathy, company, reassurance,
consolation and is better for it.
Arn.: A non-descript flu, except the patient may say, “I feel like I’ve
been run over by a truck!” Which explains why this is our chief injury remedy!
Always have Arn. 200C in your pocket! Bed feels too hard, can’t get
comfortable.
Ant-t.: Loose cough. Lungs full of mucus, hard to breath; bronchitis.
Pneumonia. Tongue thickly coated white. Rattling cough but no expectoration is
possible; phlegm can’t be raised. Rattling respiration. Face cold, blue, pale,
covered with cold sweat. Worse warm room, better cold, open air, better sitting
up, lying on right side. Drowsiness, inclination to sleep. Thirst for cold
water, little and often. Nausea, > vomiting.
Influenzinum, Oscillococcinum
These two are given as prevention in flu season, just pick one. Take it
once or twice during flu season instead of that God-forsaken flu shot (which
contains mercury, by the way). Shana did have a flu once where Oscillococcinum
was the remedy and I had a flu once where Influenzinum was the remedy. You pick
these when nothing else works or you have nothing, no clear remedy picture, to
go on. They’re general flu remedies.
Ferr-p.: Take this at the start of any cold in the
30C potency and it could nip the illness right in the bud! I keep Ferr-p. next
to my bed and if I get a sore throat in the middle of the night, I take a dose,
go back to sleep, and that’s the end of it!
[Manfred von Ungern-Sternberg]
1.3 Rolle des Fiebers
Die unheilvolle Doppelrolle des Fieberthermometers hat Fluch und Segen in der Medizin gespendet: Segen, weil objektive Messbarkeit entstand. Fluch, weil die Angst vor dem Fieber den Griff zu Anti-pyretika, Fieberzäpfchen und Antibiotika zum Reflex werden ließ. Dabei sei keineswegs dem unkontrollierten „laissez faire – laissez aller” gegenüber dem Fieber das Wort geredet, obwohl oft auch hohes Fieber bereits am nächsten Tag ohne jede Arznei alleine überwunden sein kann, wenn Ruhe- und Schonbedingungen eingehalten werden. Mit dem homöopathischen Mittel aufgrund der wahlanzeigenden Symptome überwindet der kranke Organismus im Allgemeinen das Fieber tuto, cito et jucunde, d.h. sicher, schnell und angenehm, soweit die Unannehmlichkeiten einer akuten fie-berhaften Erkrankung das erlauben. Der hohe Krankenstand beweist, dass die allgemein gebräuchliche Unterdrückungstherapie zum Nachteil der Patienten ist. Es kann keine wirklich stabile Im-munität aufgebaut werden. Verstimmung der Lebenskraft
Eine Erklärung, wie Fieber wirkt, finden wir im Organon der Heilkunst von Hahnemann. Er beschreibt in den §§ 9–18 ausführlich sein Lebenskraftmodell und stellt diesem in den folgenden Paragrafen die Kraft der Arzneien gegenüber, um das Menschen-Befinden zu verändern, und gibt an, wie man dieses durch Erfahrung, d.h. letztlich durch Versuche am Gesunden, erkennen kann. Im krankhaft gestörten Organismus ist die natürliche Ordnung verändert. Die gesetzmäßige Ordnung der Naturbewegung der Arzneien ist wieder erkennbar und zur Findung des ähnlichsten, d.h. heilenden Mittels identifizierbar. Doch bleiben wir beim Begriff der Lebenskraft:
„Im gesunden Zustande des Menschen waltet die geistartige, als Dynamis den materiellen Körper (Organismus) belebende Lebenskraft (Autokratie) unumschränkt und
hält alle seine Teile in bewunderungswürdig harmonischem Lebensgang in Gefühlen und Tätigkeiten, sodass der uns innewohnende, vernünftige Geist sich dieses lebendigen, gesunden Werkzeugs frei zu dem höheren Zwecke unseres Daseins bedienen kann.”
Nur die immaterielle Lebenskraft verleiht dem Organismus Empfindungen und bewirkt seine Lebensverrichtungen. Wenn der Mensch erkrankt, ist ursprünglich nur diese geistartige Lebenskraft durch den lebensfeindlichen Einfluss eines krankmachenden Agens verstimmt. Nur die zur Anormalität verstimmte Vitalkraft kann dem Organismus die widrigen Empfindungen verleihen und ihn so zu regelwidrigen Tätigkeiten bestimmen, die wir Krankheit nennen. Die krankhafte Verstimmung äußert sich
in Gefühlen und Tätigkeiten durch Krankheitssymptome (§ 9 Organon). Der Begriff der Vitalkraft und Vitalkraftverstimmung ist in der heutigen Medizin, außer in der Homöopathie, nur noch in der Psychiatrie gebräuchlich. Aber die Äußerungen dieser Vitalkraft sind jedem Beobachter erkennbar, denn was lässt eine Wunde nach der chirurgischen Versorgung heilen? Was sorgt für die Regeneration nach Verausgabung? Was lässt Kinder wachsen? Und warum erkrankt der Mensch nur dann
(§
31), wenn der
Organismus eben dazu disponiert und aufgelegt genug ist,
verstimmt zu werden? Auf- und Abbauprozesse als physiologische Vorgänge Gefühle
und Tätigkeiten werden im Organismus über das sympathische und parasympathische
Nervensystem gesteuert. Abbauprozessen im Organismus stehen Aufbauprozesse
gegenüber, die über Blut und Lymphe zu den Organen transportiert werden. Wie
die Chinesische Medizin es
ausdrückt, wird unreine
Energie ausgeschieden, damit
reine Energie für
den Aufbau verwendet
werden kann. Die
der Erbenergie zugeführte
Energie ist dreifach:
Nahrungsenergie,
391.3 ROLLEDES FIEBERS kosmische (Atem- und Umweltenergie) und Partnerenergie, d.h. seelische und geistige Einflüsse. Alles muss abgebaut und verarbeitet werden, was auf den Organismus einwirkt. Bei Irritation und Fehlfunktion der Abbauprozesse durch erbliche Belastung, mechanische Ursachen, besonders auch anhaltende Fehlernährung, Dysbakterie, Schädlichkeiten äußerer Art und Aufregungen werden die nicht ausgeschiedenen Schlackenstoffe, die „unreine Energie”,
im Bindegewebe des Organismus als Mülldeponie abgelagert. Das sind die Zunder der latenten Psora, von denen Hahnemann spricht. Zunächst sind sie noch keine Belastung der ernährenden Ströme. Langfristige Folgen Kommt es durch irgendwelche Schädlichkeiten zu fieberhaften Reaktionen, bedeutet das Ansteigen der Kerntemperatur zweierlei: Durch Laborversuche ist allgemein bekannt, dass Bakterien sehr empfindlich sind und nur bis zu einer Temperatur von 37,5° C unter
optimalen Bedingungen im Brutschrank gezüchtet werden können. Das Fieber verhindert also eine Ausbreitung der pathogenen Keime. Gleichzeitig verbrennen die Schlackenstoffe im versotteten Ofen
Rolle des Fiebers bei akuten
Entzündungen Akute Entzündung
401 VORBEMERKUNGENZUR HOMÖOPATHIE
Antifebrile Maßnahmen löschen zwar das Fieber, unterhalten jedoch einen Schwelbrand und verdichten das Mülldepot. Der Organismus wird zwar durch die
Vitalkraft wiederholt versuchen, sich von den Schlackenstoffen zu befreien, aber neuerliche suppressive Maßnahmen gegen das heilsame Fieber lassen ihn allmählich ermüden. Das sind die besten Voraussetzungen für chronisches Siechtum. Die Impfungen gegen bestimmte Erkrankungen belasten den Organismus zusätzlich. Oftmals versucht der Abwehrapparat mittels Fieber sich der Belastung des Lymphsystems zu entledigen.
Dann geht das Spiel von vorne los. Zudem entstehen jene in den §§ 41, 74, 75 beschriebenen Krankheitskomplikationen, welche durch das zweckwidrige ärztliche Verfahren, nämlich langwierigen Gebrauch nicht angemessener Arzneien oder ihre anhaltende Wiederholung, zuwege gebracht werden
Vorwort/Suchen Zeichen/Abkürzungen Impressum