Aconite

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Aconite is a really useful homeopathic remedy, and it is certainly one to keep in the medicine chest.

** What is it? **

Aconite is more commonly known as Monkshood or Wolfsbane. The raw plant is actually very poisonous, but that is not a problem for us, as homoeopathically the remedy is diluted so much that there is virtually no material dose of the plant left.

In homeopathic terms, ...
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Keynotes of Aconite include:

Sudden onset
Worse for dry cold air
Restless
Anxious
Pains intolerable
Ailments from anxiety, shock or fright, or becoming chilled
Worse at midnight

Aconite can be very useful in the treatment of colds and flu. Below I’ve listed some of the symptoms that will help you decide if Aconite is the correct remedy to use.

Colds:
more

As winter is fast approaching, I thought I would start writing about some homeopathic remedies, which can help to alleviate the causes and symptoms of colds and fever, so you don’t have to resort to potentially powerful and harmful drugs.

I have thought long and hard about doing this, as I thought it might end up being a bit of a list!! To me it is more important that I can give you information about a credible, safe alternative to mainstream drugs (I can’t remember the last time I went to the Doctor and in fact I don’t even know my Doctor’s name, so it must work!) and then hopefully you can make an informed choice (Homeopathic remedies are also cheaper than your average prescription charges)

One thing you need to be aware of is that in homeopathic prescribing, we look at the actually conditions, so if you are hot – that is no real use, but if you are hot and like to wrapped up warm we can work with that!

Aconite is a really useful homeopathic remedy, and it is certainly one to keep in the medicine chest.

** What is it? **

Aconite is more commonly known as Monkshood or Wolfsbane. The raw plant is actually very poisonous, but that is not a problem for us, as homoeopathically the remedy is diluted so much that there is virtually no material dose of the plant left.

In homeopathic terms, a remedy can have a number of “Keynotes” these are symptoms which are almost specific for the remedy.

Keynotes of Aconite include:

Sudden onset
Worse for dry cold air
Restless
Anxious
Pains intolerable
Ailments from anxiety, shock or fright, or becoming chilled
Worse at midnight

Aconite can be very useful in the treatment of colds and flu. Below I’ve listed some of the symptoms that will help you decide if Aconite is the correct remedy to use.

Colds:
Sneezing with a fluent discharge like clear hot water.
A bright red throat, that is burning or stinging and dry.
Very thirsty for cold water – everything else tastes bitter
Aching, burning eyes, which are sensitive to light.

Coughs:
Dry, short irritating cough
The cough can be worse at night often accompanying fever.
Tight chest

Fever:
1st stages of high fever
There is a strong hard pulse
Burning hot with alternate chills
Cheeks flushed, alternating with pale
Staring, glassy eyes
The senses are heightened.

High fevers with intense, dry, burning heat that is internal, external and ascending, and alternating with coldness and chills, succession of chills followed by heat with sweat, waves of chills along the spine, with thirst.

Continual, relapsing and intermittent in recent cases; with a desire to uncover, there can be profuse sweating. One cheek is red and hot, the other pale and cold..

The fever symptoms are worse in the evening, at night, and in bed, and better from sweating

** What else? **

Aconite as a remedy has many other uses. The main sphere of action is the nervous and vascular systems, be they acute or chronic. Generally for the immediate conditions and early stages of illnesses that come on rapidly, or sudden conditions of anxiety, fear, or apprehension. Aconite should be taken immediately in acute disease, after exposure to very cold winds while warming, or from a frightful experience.

If I have been walking on the hills, I always have Aconite in my first aid kit. Once I come off the hills if it has been very windy, I will take one dose of Aconite 30. I have never had a cold from hill walking!

Acute and Sudden Illness:

Early Stages when the patient is hot, thirsty, shivery, and can have high fever, pounding pulse, with anxiety and impatience; symptoms come on after exposure to sudden cold, dry, frosty, windy weather; head colds, red sore throat, earache, bronchitis, influenza.

** I’m scared! **

Aconite can be a very useful remedy to take if there is great fear and anxiety.

Anxiety/Fear/Phobias:

Anxiety- that comes on suddenly from the shock and fright during an accident, robbery, mugging, earthquake; feeling "beside oneself" with anxiety; anxiety can be with restlessness, palpitations, anxious respiration, vomiting, head congestion, headache, moaning, discouraged, depression or sadness, and many ailments from anxiety; from pressure on the chest; when in company, in a crowd, during a chill, from pain, during urination, after vexation, during pregnancy, and also in children and infants; anxiety is relieved by a cold drink like water, and movement.

Fears- of people, of crowds, of ghosts, of fainting, of vertigo, of the dark (sleep with the lights on), of travelling in a car and aeroplane, of imaginary things, during labour and pregnancy
There can be a fear of suffocation and sudden death, of heart attacks and stroke, fear that the heart will stop beating or explode.
It is a great remedy to use if there is anxiety from an injury, accidents or surgery, animal bites, and illness. Aconite can be used if the anxiety causes fever and diarrhoea.
Medical anxiety- great fear and anxiety on going to the dentist, doctor, or medical tests, MRI, CAT scan, and surgery; during dental pain.

Aconite can be a useful remedy to use in the treatment of Asthma, the indications for its use are many, but I’ve just listed the most basic one below. As in most diseases Asthma can have many causes, and as a homeopath I would want to look at the whole person, rather than just use the label Asthma.

Asthma:
Comes on suddenly after exposure to cold dry weather or cold winds. It can be from catching cold, after a cold, or with anxiety after emotions, during sleep, and after midnight.
Asthma with bronchial symptoms and sensation of breathlessness. After suppression of an acute rash.
The main symptom I would be looking for here is the fear. If there is no fear then the chances that Aconite is not the correct remedy are quite high.

Eye and Vision Problems:
Acute disorders from cold or sudden inflammation. Eyes are inflamed, with red swollen lids; profuse tearing worse from light. Eyeball injury; a black eye; irritation from something foreign in the eye. Itchy from acute irritation. Acute conjunctivitis. Acute tearing or dryness. .

Emergencies and First Aid:
Aconite can be used until medical help arrives to prevent death caused by freezing, hypothermia, asphyxia, asphyxia in a new born baby, carbon monoxide poisoning. It is the fear aspect again. I would give a dose every 2-3 minutes, as well as using correct First Aid procedures in these situations.

** My head hurts **
#Aconite can be very useful in the treatment of headaches, forget the Neurofen, lets sort it once and for all!!
I’ve listed the tyoe of headache that Aconite can help to alleviate. AS before in homeopathic terms it is not good enough for us to hear “I’ve got a headache” We need to know some characteristics of the headache to help differentiate the remedy to use.

Headache:
Violent, throbbing, and tormenting with vertigo and nausea. Throbbing pain especially temples, burning pain, boiling sensation. Pain comes on suddenly; like a tight band is around head, front of head can feel nailed up, or pushed through forehead; worse in cold draft.

** The rest of me hurts! **
Again Aconite can be used in many other situations, which many people have no idea that homeopathic remedies can help in.

Joint, Muscle and Nerve Problems:

Pain- shoots down limbs; in back is worse from exposure to cold; in hip on moving, better walking in open air; hot stitching pain in toes; shooting pain in finger joints; in legs as if tricking drops of water.

Sciatica- with anguish and restlessness, congestive symptoms and red face; symptoms are worse: morning, ascending, and better rubbing. Numbness- loss of sensation in lumbar and lower limbs; in legs after sitting; in toes while walking; in gouty legs; with tingling in limbs and heavy feeling in joints; pins and needles in fingers while writing; with tingling, one sided; of face, extremities.

** Can’t Sleep? **

Sleep Problems:
Aconite is a great remedy to be used in cases of Insomnia- where there is restless tossing and startled waking from anxious dreams and nightmares that may be caused by fear, fright, and anxiety.
Also Aconite can be useful if you keep waking from a cough.

** Can’t travel? **

Travel and Motion Problems:
Aconite is the remedy to use if you suffer from anxiety- from fear of disaster, accident and death. Claustrophobia on aeroplanes, altitude sickness- with hyperventilation and panic.

** Anything else we need to know?**

Modalities:
Are the very important modifying influences and circumstances which aggravate (make worse), or ameliorate (make better) the person and their symptoms, so as a means of differentiating the various remnedies, we use modalities to ensure the correct remedy is selected.
So the modalities of Aconite include

Worse from Cold, being chilled, cold weather with cold wind, dry cold, stuffy warm room, heat and warmth, becoming over-heated, very hot weather, sudden weather changes; sun exposure; motion; sitting; lying affected side or part; right-side; touch, pressure; tobacco smoke; music, noise; violent emotions; 12-4 a.m., 10 p.m.-4 a.m., evening and night, before midnight, twilight to midnight; rising up in bed; breathing; vinegar, sour acids, beer, butter, fat, pork, alcohol.

Better from Open, fresh air; rest, lying on back, repose, while sitting still; discharges from vomiting, diarrhoea, perspiration, after perspiring, warm sweat, movement, milk, coffee, cold drinks.

** How do I take it? **

The remedies can be in liquid form, or the ones I use mostly are in pillule form. They can be sucrose or lactose based.
If we use the generally example of the 30C potency (which is the strength) You would perhaps take 1 pill every 15 minutes if the symptoms were really intense. Otherwise you might take 3 a day for up to 5 days.

They came in a really handy dispenser, which you push the so you get one pill in the cap, you then put this under your tongue and let it dissolve.

** Where do I get them? **

Most chemists will sell homeopathic remedies. They are in the “Alternative” section. A lot of chemists are now learning about homeopathic remedies. So if you need any advice on a very BASIC level, they should be able to help you.

The remedies in the chemists cost about £5 for that you get the dispenser containing about 100 pills.

Note:

If you have a condition, that you feel is beyond the scope of a simple “Acute” remedy, then you should consult a professional homeopath. The Homeopath will advice you accordingly.

The other point to remember is that if you are on medication from your GP, and you want to use homeopathic remedies, then it is perfectly safe to do so. If you have concerns, then discuss it with them. Also if you are on prescription medication, do not just stop it!! Again discuss this with your GP.

Thanks for reading this, and sorry if it seems to be a bit of a list. If you feel you want to rate this then please do!! I was wondering if I should write an opinion on homeopathy in general. Would that be of use? Also should I do some ops on other “winter remedies?” Let me know in either my Guest Book, or the comments to this op (if you write any!)

Thanks again

Larry
 

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