Small Emergency Treatment-Petra’s Health Corner

We are all ready for Summer now, and raring to get out in the sun and fresh air.

Is your medicine cabinet up to the challenge though?  Time to throw out the pills and potions past their sell by date and check out the advice from Petra Brockman in Petra’s Corner… …

Dear Readers,

It is sunny and warm, spring has definitely begun and we all feel like spending a lot of time outside.

There are a few items we should all have in our first aid kits, as particularly with children the chances of minor injuries increase during this time of the year.

The first item I would like to mention is Arnica, a homoeopathic remedy which helps prevent excessive bruising in cases of injuries such as falling down, banging one’s head on something hard, twisting ones ankle and so on. Three globules of Arnica in the potency C 30, available free of prescription in your local pharmacy, will keep both pain and bruise at bay. It is normally sufficient to take the remedy once (globules are put under the tongue and left there to dissolve), but it can be repeated after two or three days if bruise and/or pain persist or return.

In addition to the Arnica, it is good, of course, to have a cold-pack in the fridge which can be applied right away. That will support the action of the remedy.

 In cases of grazed skin, it is helpful to apply Calendula Essence. It comes in little bottles, 50 or 100 ml, and is also available at your local pharmacy, at around EUR 11 for 100 ml. You use 1-2 teaspoons of the essence and mix that with ¼ litre of water that should have been boiled, then cooled down. Apply the mix directly to the wound, which can then be bandaged if necessary. Generally speaking, however, it is always better to let air and light get to wounds if and when there is no danger of contamination – at night, for example, wounds can be left uncovered.

 The same goes for cuts. It is good to let a cut bleed freely at first as that cleans the wound. If you then apply the Calendula Essence mix, you get an antiseptic effect as well as supporting the healing process of the wound. Repeat as required.Nowadays, a lot of people already know about Rescue Remedyâ„¢. There are drops which come in a little bottle with a squeezy top. If there has been an accident, injury or fright, it helps to put a few drops on the tongue as that has a calming effect.

 The drops can be applied externally as well. For external use, however, it is better to use the Rescue Remedyâ„¢ ointment. Use that in the same way as Arnica or Calendula Essence in an emergency, i.e. apply to the affected part.

 The latest on the market is Resuce Remedyâ„¢spray, which also comes in a little bottle with a spray top. The spray can be used both internally and externally.

All Rescue Remedyâ„¢items are available in pharmacies free of prescription, and it is good to have the drops or the spray in the handbag as the basic of basics first aid item in all sorts of different circumstances.

 So much for today. Next time, we will look at burns and what kind of first aid is possible and useful there.

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Petra’s Corner 2

Dear Readers,

I would like to continue the first aid section with burns.

First of all there are the common household burns: the iron, the oven, the barbeque.

The first thing to do is to let HOT water run over the burn. Normally, we are used to using cold water. However, experience shows that while the cold water can be applied for a long time and the pain still comes back after the cold water treatment has ceased, it is much more effective to use hot water – or at least as warm as one can possibly bear. It is an instance of the old principle of "like cures like" being at work. You start with warm water and continually add water from the hot water tap, and you will find that the pain subsides as the water becomes warmer and warmer.

Next, you can apply vinegar to the burn. Any old household vinegar will do. That, too, eases the remaining pain, and it will prevent blisters from forming.

In case of slightly worse burns, when blisters do form, a homoeopathic remedy comes in helpful again. The remedy Cantharis in the potency C 30 should be taken: put three globules under the tongue and let them melt there. The remedy is available free of prescription in your local pharmacy. Take it once and, if deemed necessary and symptoms persist with only slight improvement, repeat after two or three days.

In order to protect the wound, a light bandage may be applied, but here, the same is true as for open wounds: Light and air speed up the healing process.

As far as the sun is concerned, it is common knowledge by now that ANY KIND OF SUNBURN SHOULD BE AVOIDED, be it by covering the skin with clothing, staying in the shade or applying sun lotion. Please follow the instructions on the sun lotion bottle carefully, as extended exposure to the sun may cause sunburn even when lotion has been applied.

Care needs to be taken especially in the springtime, when we are all hungry for the sun, and when the wind and lower temperatures make the dangers of sunburn less obvious than in the middle of the summer, when it is hot and we actually sunbathe.

When the sun has been caught, you can either apply vinegar to the affected parts (as above) or you can use quark or yoghurt – either directly on the skin or in the form of a compress: You spread out a large handkerchief or a tea towel, spread the quark or yoghurt (which kind does not matter) on it with a knife, fold the four corners to form a compress and put it on the affected skin. When larger areas of skin are affected, it is easier to apply the quark or yoghurt directly. It can be washed off easily after the treatment. Both compress and direct application should stay on the skin for about 20 minutes. The treatment can be repeated every two hours until condition improves.

As first aid or for minor affections or after vinegar/quark treatment, it is good to have Aloe Vera Gel in the fridge. That cools very nicely and eases the burning. The gel may be difficult to obtain in Germany. It is widely available, however, in Holland in pharmacies and health food shops.

Lastly, Retterspitz® is a medicine which is available in pharmacies in Germany prescription-free and is also used for external application. It comes as ointment or in liquid form. To find out how to use it, follow the instructions on the package.

You are warmly invited to submit comments, questions or suggestions by e-mail: 661964@web.de

 

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Travel Sickness (Petra’s Health Corner 4)

En-route to your holiday villa, hotel, pensione, guest-house or camping site?
Petra Brockmann tells you how to get there in a state to enjoy the holiday when you arrive…

Dear readers,

Here’s another column on the subject of travelling, this time on the problems that are sometimes caused by the act of travelling itself: Travelling sickness.

This particular sickness originates in our central nervous system. Be it in a car, on a boat or on a plane, the nerves and receptors in our muscles send the information to our brain that we are sitting still. Our eyes, however, see the landscape going by – they pass on the information "moving fast". Our vestibular organ, which is responsible for our equilibrium, passes on various pieces of information, depending on how fast we drive, whether there are curves, whether the plane ascends or descends etc.. That is information which is contradictory to the initial information of "sitting still. This contradictory information can cause dizziness or nausea in our system when our brain has problems processing the different bits of information properly. That can either be due to the fact that we are not yet used to driving in a car, flying etc. – children often experience travelling sickness. Or it can be due to the fact that we are anxious for some reason, did not sleep well, or are generally not feeling a hundred percent that day.

Very small children have an inbuilt protection mechanism: They fall asleep very quickly when sitting in a moving car. After the age of around 10 months, that mechanism often does not work so well anymore. To help your children, you can cover the side windows with nappies or other devices – some shops sell little car blinds, for example. Also keep the temperature in the car rather low if at all possible.

When the children are older – and for yourself, of course – chewing gum often helps, in cars as well as on planes or on a ship. The movement, little as it may be, counteracts the relative motionlessness of sitting still. Peppermint chewing gum is especially good, because peppermint is good for an upset tummy. Be careful with the anti-travelling-sickness chewing gum you can buy in the pharmacy as that can cause sleepiness. It is therefore not recommeded for the driver!!

is another plant which counteracts nausea. You can try either candied ginger, which is available at health food shops, or ginger capsules or lozenges, which you can buy at the pharmacy (ask for "Reisetabletten mit Ingwer").

Ginger

Generally and homoepathically speaking, there are two types of travelling sickness sufferers: Those who benefit from eating something before they get in the car or on the plane, and those who benefit from an empty stomach in such a situation. Please find out which suits you or your child best and act accordingly.

One such homoeopathic remedy which benefits from eating before or even during the trip is Petroleum. If somebody suffers from nausea and feels better after having eaten, that person requires this remedy, potency Petroleum D 6.

On the other hand, people who need the remedy Cocculus will feel very weak and sometimes dizzy. They do not want to speak, cannot bear the thought or smell of food, let alone tobacco smoke. Any kind of motion aggravates. The potency again is D 6.

A third remedy, which may be indicated when the causative factor is downward motion (e.g. driving downhill or a descending plane), is Borax, the potency again being D 6.

In all cases, three globules are dissolved under the tongue after the onset of symptoms. Homoepathic remedies cannot be taken in anticipation as they are chosen because of the symptoms – if we have no symptoms yet, we cannot choose the remedy.

In all cases, the person who gets sick should sit in front (in the car). This should be taken seriously, even if it is a child – provided, of course, the child is old enough to sit in front.

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Petra’s Corner

Dear Readers

Here’s another column on the subject of travelling, this time on the problems that are sometimes caused by the act of travelling itself: Travelling sickness.

This particular sickness originates in our central nervous system. Be it in a car, on a boat or on a plane, the nerves and receptors in our muscles send the information to our brain that we are sitting still. Our eyes, however, see the landscape going by – they pass on the information "moving fast". Our vestibular organ, which is responsible for our equilibrium, passes on various pieces of information, depending on how fast we drive, whether there are curves, whether the plane ascends or descends etc.. That is information which is contradictory to the initial information of "sitting still. This contradictory information can cause dizziness or nausea in our system when our brain has problems processing the different bits of information properly. That can either be due to the fact that we are not yet used to driving in a car, flying etc. – children often experience travelling sickness. Or it can be due to the fact that we are anxious for some reason, did not sleep well, or are generally not feeling a hundred percent that day.

Very small children have an inbuilt protection mechanism: They fall asleep very quickly when sitting in a moving car. After the age of around 10 months, that mechanism often does not work so well anymore. To help your children, you can cover the side windows with nappies or other devices – some shops sell little car blinds, for example. Also keep the temperature in the car rather low if at all possible.

When the children are older – and for yourself, of course – chewing gum often helps, in cars as well as on planes or on a ship. The movement, little as it may be, counteracts the relative motionlessness of sitting still. Peppermint chewing gum is especially good, because peppermint is good for an upset tummy. Be careful with the anti-travelling-sickness chewing gum you can buy in the pharmacy as that can cause sleepiness. It is therefore not recommended for the driver!

Ginger is another plant which counteracts nausea. You can try either candied ginger, which is available at health food shops, or ginger capsules or lozenges, which you can buy at the pharmacy (ask for "Reisetabletten mit Ingwer").

Generally and homoepathically speaking, there are two types of travelling sickness sufferers: Those who benefit from eating something before they get in the car or on the plane, and those who benefit from an empty stomach in such a situation. Please find out which suits you or your child best and act accordingly.

One such homoeopathic remedy which benefits from eating before or even during the trip is Petroleum. If somebody suffers from nausea and feels better after having eaten, that person requires this remedy, potency Petroleum D 6.

On the other hand, people who need the remedy Cocculus will feel very weak and sometimes dizzy. They do not want to speak, cannot bear the thought or smell of food, let alone tobacco smoke. Any kind of motion aggravates. The potency again is D 6.

A third remedy, which may be indicated when the causative factor is downward motion (e.g. driving downhill or a descending plane), is Borax, the potency again being D 6.

In all cases, three globules are dissolved under the tongue after the onset of symptoms. Homoepathic remedies cannot be taken in anticipation as they are chosen because of the symptoms – if we have no symptoms yet, we cannot choose the remedy.

In all cases, the person who gets sick should sit in front (in the car). This should be taken seriously, even if it is a child – provided, of course, the child is old enough to sit in front.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Summer First Aid Kit (Petra’s Health Corner 2)

Homeopathic remedies for you holiday first-aid kit. courtesy of Petra Brockman…

Dear readers,

The summer holidays are just around the corner, and many of you will drive or fly off to your holiday destination soon. In today’s column I would like to introduce you to a few homoeopathic remedies which your first aid kit should contain:

Aconitum napellus (Aconite) is used when there has been some kind of shock, for example after an accident, when the person is anxious and restless.

Arnica montana is used for any kind of injury which may result in bruises: falling down, bumping into something, being hit. etc..

Arsenicum album is used in cases of food poisoning. The person will have diarrhea and vomit at the same time, be anxious, restless and chilly and feel very weak very quickly.

Belladonna is used in cases of sunstroke where the person is red and hot and very sensitive (for sunstroke see also my previous "Petra’s corner" on that subject)

Calendula officinalis is used for cuts and grazes. It acts as a disinfectant and supports the healing process (to be used internally, sometimes together with the tincture on the skin, see below).

Cantharis vesicatoria is used for 1^st and 2^nd degree burns, when vesicles form on the burned skin.

Cocculus is used in cases of travelling sickness (in cars or on ships) which manifests in the form of nausea, sometimes accompanied by vomiting and headache.

Hypericum is used for wounds which have been inflicted by sharp, pointed instruments. Also used when a finger has been caught in a door and the finger is then very painful. Exceeding pain is the leading symptom for this remedy, hence it is also used when a nerve has been injured. Hypericum is also used for headaches after concussions.

Ledum is used for bruises which fail to respond to Arnica. This is the case, for example, when a finger- or toenail is bruised and the bruise is caught, as it were, under the nail. The nail may even swell up to the size of a pea.

Rhus toxicodendron is used for sprains or strains of muscles, again often when Arnica does not really help much.

Urtica urens is used for insect bites which result in strong itching, burning and swelling of the affected part. It is also used for 1^st degree burns where there is burning and stinging pain – no vesicles (yet).

All these remedies should be used in the potency C 30, three globules under the tongue as first aid. If the symptoms get better but then return, dissolve three globules in a glass of water, stir with a plastic spoon and drink a mouthful every fifteen to thirty minutes until you can see an improvement, then stop. Don’t use the remedy when symptoms have improved. If symptoms persist, see a doctor or naturopath. Another remedy or other measures are then required.

 

In addition to the remedies metioned above, it is good to have in the first aid kit:

1 bottle of Calendula tincture (from the pharmacy) to clean and disinfect wounds – follow instructions on the bottle; alcohol (from the pharmacy) to clean wounds, gauze ("Mullbinden" in German) and bandages ("Verband" in German) to cover wounds, band aid ("Pflaster"), a pair of tweezers ("eine Pinzette"), a pair of scissors ("eine Schere"), latex gloves ("Einmalhandschuhe"), and, of course, the omnipresent Resuce Remedy®.

If you have any questions regarding the homoeopathic remedies, where to get a homoepathic first aid kit or related subjects, you can e-mail me: 661964@web.de, and I will get back to you.

Have great holidays!!

Petra

 

 

 

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Taking the heat out of Summer (Petra’s Health Corner 3)

Finally, two days in a row of sunshine.  Check out ‘Petra’s Corner’ for how to deal with the heat…

 Dear readers,

It is not only burns that can result from catching too much sun. Sunstroke is another thing that we need to think of when planning our drive to our holiday destination, our picnic, our day on the beach and the like.

Apart from covering the skin and applying suntan lotion, please remember the following: Make sure that the duration of direct exposure to the sun is limited – if necessary, take a parasol to the beach. Small – especially fair-skinned and –haired – children’s heads should be covered. When you plan your drive, try and make sure that you are on the road either in the morning or late in the afternoon – avoiding noon and early afternoon if at all possible. And, last but never least: DRINK PLENTY OF WATER!!!

If you or your children complain of the following, think of sunstroke:

 - red face (sometimes, but not always, it is hot, too)

- nausea, somtimes vomiting

- dizziness

- sleepiness

- headache, sometimes with pulsations throughout the entire body

- the skin can be dry, but the person may also sweat a lot

- particularly with small children, it is possible that they complain about a tummy ache. This can also point to sunstroke, as small children often cannot differentiate yet between the different locations of pain or complaints, and the will simply say "tummy ache", even if it is their ear that is painful.

The first thing to do in such cases is to take the person concerned to a shady place and make sure they are protected from continued exposure to the sun. If the person desires to lie down, that is okay. In order to reduce the body heat, you can put cool compresses on the person’s head or any other part of the body. Just make sure that they are cool, not really cold, as that may have an adverse effect. The aim is to lower the body’s temperature slowly, not suddenly. Now especially, it is important to drink plenty of water or light fruit tea (or fruit juice mixed with a lot of water) to counteract the dehydration which has taken place. It does not matter if the drink is warm or cold, nor if the persons drinks large amounts in a short time or small amounts over a longer period – so long as the overall amount drunk comes up to three to four litres.

There are a couple of homoeopathic remedies, of course, which may be applied if you have them in your first aid kit and if the symptoms match.

First of all, there is Belladonna. Belladonna is helpful, particularly with children, when the patient has a red face, dry, hot skin and pulsations either throughout the whole body or in the form of a pulsating headache. The person will be thirsty, rather restless and exciteable and sensitive to light and noises. Give her three globules of Belladonna C 30, and if an improvement sets in but then stops, or if symptoms come back, dissolve three globules in a glass of water, stir with a plastic spoon and have the person drink a mouthful every 15 minutes until symptoms start to subside. Then stop the treatment.

Pulsatilla may be used in the same potency and dosage when the person has a marked desire for fresh air (open window etc.), feels or actually does faint, is not thirsty and feels grumpy at the same time as clingy and weepy.

In any case, if symptoms persist for more than four to six hours after the first-aid measures described above have been taken, please see a doctor or naturopath.

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Petra’s Health Corner 1: Introduction

Naturally healthy: Naturopath Petra Brockman  offers advice on health in her own column: Petra’s Health Corner

 

"From cure to care" – in my opinion, this slogan by the World Health Organisation expresses an important shift in perception as far as our health is concerned. We need to increasingly be aware of the means we have of taking care that our bodies, our souls, receive what they need to stay as healthy as possible. Prevention is a key word in this context.

 

In recent years, the term "salutogenesis" has been emerging, illustrating this shift in perception. Instead of being fixated only on "pathogenesis", "what causes illness", we also look at "salutogenesis", "what causes health". We discover our resources and remind ourselves of the means we have to stay healthy. And equally important, we learn new ways of dealing with illness, with dis-ease, in a way that acknowledges the needs of our body and our soul.

 

We can all take care that certain guidelines and basic rules are adhered to in order to minimize the incidence of a number of ailments and complaints. A few basics about nutrition, exercise, enough rest are sometimes all that is needed.

Petra’s Corner’ is dedicated to the topic of being naturally healthy. Subjects include first aid in case of minor accidents, what to do in case of sunburn, haemorrhoids or an upset stomach, tips on healthy eating, how to counteract a headache without resorting to pain killers and many more. You will be introduced to herbal remedies, homoeopathic remedies, ointments and tinctures, compresses and a host of other techniques.

 

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Author: My name is Petra Brockmann, I am a Naturopath ("Heilpraktikerin") and practise Classical Homoeopathy in Bonn. I offer consultations both in English and German.

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Petra’s Q & A Part V

Q: I am currently undergoing desensitization treatment for my allergies. The treatment is said to last for three years, and I have had almost one year now. Is it possible to have homoeopathic allergy treatment parallel?

A: Very simply: Yes, that is possible. If you want to do that, go ahead. There are absolutely no reasons against it.

 

 

Q: People say that if you start homoeopathic treatment, you are not allowed to drink coffee or tea anymore, and you have to avoid other things as well, e.g. essential oils. How strict is that rule?

A: There are some homoeopathic remedies which are slowed down in their action when the person receiving the treatment drinks coffee.

 Other remedies/people are not affected at all. As a general rule, I ask people not to drink coffee for the first couple of weeks after they have taken the remedy to see exactly how the remedy is working. After that, the occasional cup of coffee for enjoyment is absolutely acceptable. Several cups of coffee a day every day is not really on when someobody is undergoing homoeopathic treatment, but that is not something I would recommend anyway. Tea is no problem at all.

Essential oils are different again – it depends on the remedy: Some remedies react strongly, and with these one should stay away from the oils.

Petra Brockmann

Heilpraktikerin / Classical Homoeopathy

Consultationsin English or German

Tel.0228 93299456

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Petra’s Q & A, Part III

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS ABOUT HOMOEOPATHY 

Q: My child had colds that kept coming back, she also developed a fever when she was ill. For some time, I used a homoeopathic remedy which I read about in a self-help book. The first couple of times, it worked really well, but now it does not seem to do much anymore. Does the effect of a homoepathic remedy wear off after some time?

A: No, the effect of a homoeopathic remedy does not wear off. The most likely reason why the remedy does not work anymore is that it is no longer the correct remedy.

When colds or infections recur once or twice a year, it is okay to use self-medication from a book, and usually that medicine helps quite well. Self-help books offer advice for one-off situations.

When infections keep coming back, it is no longer a one-off event, but rather a sign of a deeper process going on. In such situations, it is advisable to seek professional homoeopathic treatment as other aspects concerning the person who suffers from recurrent infections need to be taken into consideration when selecting the remedy.

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Petra’s Q & A, Part I

Q: Does the "Krankenkasse" pay for homoeopathic treatment by alternative healers?
A: Yes and no. In the context of the health reform, the "Krankenkassen" have been given the right to pay for homoeopathic treatment at their own discretion. To be on the safe side, please ask you particular "Krankenkasse" whether they do and how much of the costs they reimburse. In many cases, the "Krankenkasse" is reluctant to pay, and it can take a lot of persuasion. The private health insurances do pay for homoepathic treatment. Again, talk to your health insurance to find out how much exactly they reimburse. It may not be the entire amount.

Then, there are the so-called "Zusatzversicherungen", an insurance you take out privately on top of the normal "Krankenkasse". They pay for homoeopathic

treatment according to what is stated in your particular contract. Again, check your contract to see whether treatments by alternative healers are covered and how much your particular "Zusatzversicherung" will reimburse.

More details: Petra Brockman, Kessenicher Str. Bonn-Kessenich

661964@web.de

Tel. 0228

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