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Suits especially scrofulous and lymphatic constitutions that are inclined to have eruptions and glandular swellings. Unhealthy skin. Blondes with sluggish character and weak muscles. Great sensitiveness to all impressions. Sweating patient pulling blanket around him. Chilliness, hypersensitiveness, splinter-like pains, craving for sour and strong things are very characteristic. The tendency to suppuration is more marked, and ahs been a strong guiding symptom in practice. The side of the body on which he lies at night becomes gradually insufferably painful; he must turn.

Hepar Sulph is the medicine for abscess, for the tendency to suppuration. Every little injury suppurates. Accompanying this suppuration is shooting pain. Suppuration or pus formation can be on any part of the body. If throbbing and shooting pain accompany it, it requires a does of Hepar Sulph in a high potency of 200 and above. Hepar Sulph can abort pus formation if given at the earliest stage of suppuration. Later it will hasten the pointing and discharge and help in healing the ulcer.

Like all the carbons, this remedy is an antipsoric of great power, but especially active in patients who are rather stout, of fair complexion, with tendency to skin affections and constipations, fat, chilly, and costive, with delayed menstrual history, take cold easily.

Children impudent, teasing, laugh at reprimands. Anaemia with redness of face. Tendency to obesity.

By and large, Graphites is a skin remedy. Eruptions oozing out at thick honey - like fluid require Graphites. Such eruptions may be on any part of the body. These would be especially found on or beyond the ears, on the head, the face and the genitals or on the eyelids.

Graphites is indicated in eczema of the legs where there is a thick oozing of sticky fluid. Eczema of the eyelids, where the eruptions are moist and the margins of the eyelids are fissured, also requires Graphites.

The word GELSEMIUM is derived from Latin word GELSIMINO meaning jasmine and SEMPERVIRENS meaning ever green.

Gelsemium is one of the most effective remedies in the treatment of influenza where there is body pain, pain in the head at the base of the brain, that is, in the occiput, and where there are accompanying throat problems.

Mentally, the Gelsemium patient desires to be left alone in peace. He is torpid, sleepy and dreads movement. He is dull. He cannot think clearly or concentrate.

As indicated above, Gelsemium is one of the remedies used in the treatment of influenza where there is body pain, a feeling of chill going upwards in the spine and congestion on the occiput. The eyes burn and itch with great discomfort. The patient sneezes and experiences coolness at the root of the nose. There may be acute running nose with dull headache and fever. At times the nose is blocked. The face is hot, flushed, dark red and looks like that of fool. The skin is very hot. The temperature goes up. There is itching and tickling in the soft palate, in the throat and in the nasopharynx. The throat feels rough; it burns. At times there is the feeling of a lump in the throat, which cannot be swallowed. There is pain in the temples, in the throat, radiating towards the ear. The entire system of the ears, nose and throat appears to be affected.

CINCHON, a place where the Countess Ann, a wife of the 4^th Count of CINCHON lived. She was cured by tertian fever in 1638 by the use of cinchona bark. Its virtues were made known to Europe in 1640. The botanists identified it in 1717. This drug shows the pathway for the establishment of homoeopathy.

The key word in the prescribing of China is 'debility' or weakness caused by excessive loss of blood or other fluids from the body, through nursing or salivation or excessive and bloody leucorrhoea, menstruation or long-continuing diarrhoea or through profuse pus formation or after an attack of influenza. There may be haemorrhages from the wounds, the lungs, the bowels or from the nose, a sudden depletion leading to fainting, loss of sight, ringing in the ears or to an over all weakness of the body. China acts as a marvelous remedy in such cases. The dose should be frequently repeated in 200 potency.

The word CHAMOMILA is derived from CHAMAEMELUM and MATRICARIA from MATRIX means apple on the ground, because the plant grows to the ground and has an odour like that of apples. It has been used since long as a domestic remedy by the name chamomile.

The chief guiding symptoms belong to the mental and emotion group, which lead to this remedy in many forms of disease. Especially of frequent employment in diseases of children, where peevishness, restlessness, and colic give the needful indications. A disposition that is mild, calm and gentle; sluggish and constipated bowels contra-indicate Chamomilla.

Chamomilla is sensitive, irritable, thirsty, hot, and numb. Oversensitiveness from abuse of coffee and narcotics. Pains unendurable, associated with numbness night-sweats.

The child patient wants to be carried in the arms. His mood is very irritable and snappy. He does not know what he wants. He needs a dose of Chamomilla. Even in elders, the patient is cross, ugly, spiteful and snappish. He cannot bear others. He cannot bear pain. He wants things but on getting them throws them away. He is uncivil.

Manifests its action mainly in chronic rheumatic, arthritic and paralytic affections, indicated by the tearing, drawing pains in the muscular and fibrous tissues, with deformities about the joints; progressive loss of muscular strength, tendinous contractures. Broken down senile. In catarrhal affections of the air passages, seems to choose preferably dark - complexioned and rigid fibered persons. Restlessness at night, with tearing pains in joints and bones, and faint - like sinking of strength. This weakness progresses until we have gradually appearing paralysis. Local paralysis, vocal cords, muscles of deglutition, of tongue, eyelids, face, bladder and extremities. Children are slow to walk. The skin of Causticum person is of a dirty white sallow, with warts, especially on the face. Emaciations due to disease, worry etc. Burning, rawness and soreness are characteristic.

Causticum is indicated in the treatment of chronic rheumatism and paralysis accompanying it. Here, Causticum ranks with Rhus Tox and Sulphur.

The typical Carbo patient is sluggish, fat and lazy and has a tendency to have chronic complaints. Blood seems to stagnate in thq capillaries, causing blueness, coldness and ecchymosis. Body becomes blue icy-cold. Bacteria find a rich soil in the nearly lifeless blood stream and sepsis and typhoidal state ensues. Weakness due to excessive diarrhoea, menstruation or other debilitating diseases. The patient may be almost lifeless, but the head is not, coldness, breathe cool, pulse imperceptible, oppressed and quickened respiration and must have air, must be fanned hard, must have all the windows open. The patient faints easily, are worn out must have fresh air. Haemorrhages from any mucous surface. Indicated for persons who have never fully recovered from the effects of some previous illness. General venous stasis, bluish skin, limbs cold.

This great Hahnemannian antipsoric is a constitutional remedy. Its chief action is on the glands, skin and bones. Increased general and local perspiration, swelling of glands, scrofulous and rachitic conditions generally offer numerous opportunities for the application of Calcarea. A jaded state, mental or physical, due to overwork. Persons of scrofulous type, who take cold easily, with increased mucous secretion, children who grow fat, are large bellied, with large head, pale skin, chalky look, affections caused by working in water. Children crave eggs and eat dirt and other indigestible things; are prone to diarrhoea. Calcarea patient is fat, fair, flabby and perspiring.

In cases of deficient or irregular bone development, deformed extremities, a crooked spine, a softening of the bone, Calcarea Carb comes handy. While the Sulphur patient might be usually thin, lean and wiry, the Calcarea patient might be obese. But like Sulphur, Calcarea carb helps in easy relapses, interrupted convalescence.

The name CACTUS was originally given by Theophrastus, to a spiny plant of Sicily in Italy.

Act on circular muscular fibres, hence constrictions. It is the heart and arteries especially that at once respond to the influence of Cactus, producing very characteristic constrictions as of an iron band. This sensation is found in various places, oesophagus, bladder, etc. The mental symptoms produced correspond to those found when there are heart affections, sadness and melancholy. Haemorrhage, constrictions, periodicity, and spasmodic pains. Whole body feels as if caged, each wire being twisted tighter. Atheromatous arteries and weak heart. Congestion; irregular distribution of blood. Favors formation of clots speedily. Great periodicity. Toxic goiter with cardiac symptoms. Cactus is pulseless, painting and prostrated.

We use Cactus for constriction of the heart. It feels as if an iron band were preventing the normal movement of the heart. The pain is worse when the patient is lying on the left side.

Cactus has four leading indications, viz. haemorrhage, constriction, periodicity and spasmodic pain. The whole body feels as if it is caged, with each wire being twisted tighter.

In case of heart problems, there is a fluttering and palpitation of the heart, an irregularity in the action of the heart. The patient suffers from endocarditis, an inflammation of the layer of the epithelial cells which lines the cavities of the heart. There may be mitrial insufficiency with palpitation. There may be swelling of the left hand, of the left leg and foot. The left arm is numb. The circulation of the blood is spasmodic, irregular.

The word BRYONIA means growing rapidly, as the stem grows rapidly.

ALBA, from Latin word ALBUS means white as the roots and flowers are yellowish or white.

Bryonia affects especially the constitution of a robust, firm fiber and dark complexion, with tendency to leanness and irritability. It prefers the right side, the evening, and open air. Warm weather after cold days, to manifest its action most markedly. Bryonia acts on all serous membranes and the viscera they contain.

Bryonia gives remarkable relief in muscular pain, which aggravates on motion, in the treatment of bronchitis and inflammatory and congestive headache.

The character of the pain is "Stitching and tearing". An interesting feature of Bryonia pain is that patient feels better, ameliorated if pressure is applied to the painful part. The patient is comfortable when lying on the painful side.

The word Belladonna is derived from two Latin words Bella means fine or beautiful and Donna means lady. Its generic name ' ATROPA' comes from the Greek fate ATROPOS, 'THE INFLEXIBLE ONE'.

Think of Belladonna if you see a red surface because this medicine is associated with red, blood shot eyes, red, puffed face, red, swollen throat, red skin, which radiates heat. This redness indicates inflammation. Thus a large number of acute inflammatory diseases respond well to Belladonna.

Belladonna problems come on suddenly, with violence, run a regular course and then disappear as suddenly as they come.

When an inflammation is localized, Belladonna is the remedy in the first stage. Such inflammation comes suddenly, is red, painful and throbbing. This can be in the head, throat, breast or anywhere else in the body. This can be in the form of a carbuncle or a boil, on a hand or on a foot. Belladonna controls and aborts the problem in its first stage.

It is a deep acting remedy on every organ and tissue. Its clear-cut characteristic symptoms amid correspondence to many severe types of diseases make its homoeopathic employment constant and certain. Its general symptoms often alone lead to its successful application.

Arsenic should be thought of in ailments from alcoholism, ptomaine poisoning, stings, dissecting wounds, chewing tobacco; ill effects from decayed food or animal matter; order of discharges is putrid: in complaints that return annually. Anemia and chlorosis. Degenerative changes. Gradual loss of weight from impaired nutrition. Reduces the refractive index of blood serum (also China and Ferr. Phos.) Maintains the system under the stress of malignancy regardless of location. Malarial cachexia. Septic infections and low vitality.

The name ARNICA is derived from ARNAKIS means lambskin due to the wooly appearance of the leaf.

MONTANA from Latin word MOUNTAINOUS from the place that is grows.

History and Authority: Hahnemann introduced it in homoeopathic practice in 1805.

The part used is the entire fresh plant, including root.

Arnica is one of the most frequently used remedies in the homoeopathic materia medica. We think of it whenever injury, however remote, appears to be the cause of the trouble. The injury may be recent or remote. It may be a blow or a contusion. The patient has a bruised, sore feeling all over. Any surface on which the body lies appears to be hard. Various limbs of the body ache as if these have been beaten. Arnica is the remedy in such cases.

The word Aconite is derieved from ACONIS, a city of Bithynia (in Asia Minor). Also ACON means dart because the darts were poisoned with Aconite. Also, from Greek word ACONITUM means without soil, as this plant grows on a stony ground.

History and Authority: Master Hahnemann introduced it in homoeopathy in 1805.

A state of fear, anxiety; anguish of mind and body. Physical and mental restlessness, fright, is the most characteristic manifestation of Aconite. Acute sudden and violent invasion, with fever, call for it.

There is no medicine like Aconite Nap when a complaint is caused by exposure to dry cold weatlier or by fright or both. Aconite should be thought of as the first medicine in inflammation, inflammatory fevers, when an attack is acute, sudden and violent, when there is physical and mental restlessness and if the problem is recent and when all this is on account of exposure to dry cold weather. The parts of the body affected can be larynx, bronchi, pleura joints and even heart.

Whooping cough is highly infectious specific disease, commonly of children characterized by respiratory catarrh and a special type of cough with inspiratory laryngeal spasm producing a characteristic sound.

This is common in children below 6 years, females are attacked more. Atypical cases are sometimes seen in adolescents and adults.

The disease occurs sporadically and less commonly in epidemics. It occurs mostly in winters and spring and is more common in temperate areas. The causative organism is Haemophillus pertusis present in the upper respiratory tract, conveyed by the infected sputum droplets of the patient to the contacts during the earlier stages of catarrh and paroxysmal cough.

The incubation period is 7 to 15 days or more.

A moderate degree of laryngeal, tracheal and bronchial catarrh with peribroncholitis and acute localized emphysema of the lungs are often associated. The tracheobronchial glands are sometimes enlarged. Rarely the right heart may be dilated and there may be haemorrhage in the brain and the meninges.

As the blood returns to the heart it passes through special thin walled vessels called veins. Unlike the tough strong arteries, these vessels are easily distended. One can demonstrate by pressing the finger on a vein on the back of hand and watching it swell as the blood builds up behind it. Blood flowing from the head and upper chest flows downward toward the heart. On the other hand, blood coming from the lower extremities must flow upward. To make this possible nature has provided valves in the veins so that the blood can flow only toward the heart, never in the other direction.

In human beings there are two sets of veins. The deeper veins are located within the muscles where they are given good support. But the veins on the surface just under the skin have little support and are easily damaged. These surface veins are often subject to inflammation or phlebitis.

In some people the veins in the legs are weak and may swell easily. Varicose veins, seems to run in families. Anything that increases the pressure in the pelvis or abdomen may slow the flow of blood back to the heart from the lower extremities. One frequent cause of varicose veins is pregnancy; other is obesity. Anything that increases the pressure within the veins of the legs and thighs may weaken or break down the little valves, so that the veins become enlarged and the blood does not finds its way back to the heart as it should.

At the back of the mouth on each side there are two small lymphoid organs known as tonsils. Normally they are about the size of a Lima bean, but they can become very larger if severely infected. The lingual tonsil is located at the back of the tongue close to other tonsils. There are two more lymphoid masses of tissue behind the soft palate known as adenoids. They make protective ring at the back of the nose & throat to keep infection from spreading throughout the body. Most of the germs enter through the mouth, nose and throat.

After becoming an adult the adenoids have largely disappeared. In childhood both the tonsils and adenoids may become very large. It makes swallowing painful and breathing difficult. In childhood large tonsils are common. The main reason of infection is due to certain types of streptococcus germs. Mouth breathing, nasal speech, a chronic cough are caused by the enlarged adenoids. The patient may also have halitosis or bad breath.

It is a small mass of tissue present on either side of the trachea or windpipe. It is a very important structure that helps in the metabolism of the body.

When the basal metabolism is below normal, a person tends to be slow in his movements. He feels cold more and may have marked dryness of the skin, along with constipation and a tendency to put on weight. His hair is dry, thin, and coarse and the skin appears dry, scaly and thickened. There may be puffiness in the face, especially around the eyes. The tongue is usually large, the pulse is slow and regular, and the patient often complains of vague pains in the back and stiffness in the joints.

Hypothyroidism: It is a condition that results from the insufficient amount of thyroid hormone in the body. The trouble may also develop from pituitary deficiency, but is more likely due to some inborn error of the thyroid gland. The change usually comes gradually and involves the patients personality and also his ability to think.

Hypothyroidism is seen in both sexes, but is more common in women. Most of these are overweight and may complain of heavy flow during menstruation. The heart is often enlarged, and there is high level of cholesterol in the blood stream.

Tetanus is a specific infectious disease caused by the exotoxin of tetanus bacilli, usually growing in necrosed tissues, absorbed by the motor end plates of the peripheral nerves, carried to the central nervous system and manifested as lockjaw and paroxysmal spasmodic contraction of other muscles.

Tetanus bacilli present in the soil especially one contaminated by faeces of a horse or of a similar animal, enters through some skin abrasions and remain localized at the site. These are thereafter removed by phagocytes but if any lacerated tissue is present, more so if contaminated by pyogenic bacteria, these multiply and manufacture a highly potent exotoxin which is absorbed through the motor nerve end-plates in the muscles carried to the motor cells of the central nervous system, the sensory ones not being affected.

The posterior root ganglia act as filter preventing the toxin from entering into the spinal cord, the anterior root is thus only affected.

Stress and depression can ruin your life and affect your health. Seeking support, being realistic and planning ahead can help ward off stress and depression.

For some people, the holidays bring unwelcome guests — stress and depression. And it's no wonder. In an effort to pull off a perfect Hallmark holiday, you might find yourself facing a dizzying array of demands — work, parties, shopping, baking, cleaning, caring for kids on school break or elderly parents, and scores of other chores. So much for peace and joy, right?

Holiday stress and depression are often the result of three main trigger points. Understanding these trigger points can help you plan ahead on how to accommodate them.

Here are the three issues that commonly trigger holiday stress or depression: