Homeopathy for Seasonal Allergies

Lorri Anderson, CCH

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!  Certified Classical Homeopath (CCH) !  Private classical practice since 2005 !  Master of Science degree in homeopathy from

American University of Complementary Medicine !  Post graduate work & study with the Texas Institute

for Homeopathy !  Wrote a winning short story for the first international

homeopathic short story contest !  Published in a major homeopathic text

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!  A safe & effective system of wholistic health care developed roughly 200 years ago

!  Based on the application of scientific principles and evaluated by the effects

!  Individualized

!  Homeo = similar + Pathy = suffering

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!  Homeopathy = Similar Suffering

!  The Law of Similars, one of the main principles on which homeopathy is based

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!  Always a remedy for the person, rather than a remedy for the problem

!  Almost never a question of if there is a remedy for your health concern, but rather a question of which remedy (for the health concern) is the right remedy for you

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!  Make the best match possible, based on the totality of symptoms

!  Match a full, well-rounded picture of a remedy to !  (Match) a full, well-rounded picture of an individual

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How can we talk about all these problems (like seasonal allergies)?

!  A little Classical Cheating !  Common problems still represent a totality of

symptoms !  An Executive Summary or Five Minute Answer

approach !  Focus on main remedies only; the simillimum for any

single case could actually be one of dozens or hundreds of remedies

!  Relief during the seasonal crisis while planning for deeper healing between seasons

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!  Know your audience !  Recognize when to get professional help

!  Dose: only when symptomatic !  Potency: 30C or less !  Stick with the winners; leave the losers - Change

remedies – if NO effect after 4 – 6 doses

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!  Hypersensitivity reaction to (generally) benign influences !  Bites & Stings !  Itches & Rashes !  Food & Drug Responses !  Seasonal Allergies – inhaled substances, usually

pollens, but also dust, danders, some molds !  Anaphylaxis

!  Severe, systemic allergic reaction !  THIS IS A LIFE-THREATENING MEDICAL

EMERGENCY – CALL 911 – NOW!!! !  Not appropriate for home care

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!  Anaphylaxis or anaphylactic shock is the name given to the type of severe, systemic, allergic reaction which can result from various allergens, and certain other causes. !  The first thing to do is call 911. !  If you know you are seeing an allergic reaction, you

should ask the 911 operator to send advanced life support, if available, rather than basic life support.

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!  Common signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis include: !  Swelling of the lips, tongue or throat !  Wheezing, stridor, chest tightness, coughing, difficulty

breathing !  Anxiety !  Abdominal cramps !  Skin flushing, itching, redness or hives !  Respiratory failure !  Fainting !  Cyanosis (blueness) especially around lips or nails

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!  After help is on the way, you may also need to: !  Protect the victim’s airway. !  Perform CPR and/or rescue breathing. !  Determine if the person has an “Eppie” shot or oral

medication which can be administered. !  Prevent loss of body heat.

!  Again, after help is on the way and the above have been initiated, you may choose to give a homeopathic remedy. !  This can be a life-saving measure, literally maintaining

a victim until the professionals can take over.

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!  Seasonal allergies – allergic rhinitis – reactions to inhaled allergens, primarily pollens and other similar influences

!  Homeopathic remedies made from most of the allergens, the offenders !  Technically isopathy

!  The non-remedy homeopathic solution: local honey !  Commercial combination products

!  Isopathic !  Symptomatic

!  Single remedies

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! Designed to increase the chances of including the right remedy

! Easier for a population who has no language to describe symptoms

! Helpful when the sufferer is too overwhelmed to describe symptoms

!  Isopathic, Symptomatic, Sarcodes, Some of All ! Some are better than others ! Too much is still too much; many contain known

antidotes ! Using well requires vast knowledge

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!  BioAllers product line – the consumer version of the Complimed products; allergen-related ingredients

!  Professional Health Products – allergen-related groupings with glandular/hormonal ingredients

!  Adrisin*, Sabadil**, other combination tablets – largely symptomatic groupings

!  Allergena – Allergen- and/or geographic- related ingredients

!  The one(s) that work for you & yours !  If it works, then it is homeopathic to the case

*Heel product, **Boiron product January 2015 16

! Symptomatic relief NOW! !  Start an allergy diary, if possible !  Be as detailed as possible

! Deeper healing for next year !  Constitutional homeopathy !  Not homeopathy, but . . .

!  Other alternative health modalities !  At least a whole body cleanse

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The heavy-hitting single remedies all include lots of itching, stinging, burning, dripping, drying, red, sneezing, mucus-y Sx: DDx –

!  Allium Cepa – feels like you’ve been chopping onions; burning nasal discharge with profuse, bland tears

!  Euphrasia – lots of tearing and eye Sx; may include loose cough and/or wheezing; discharges opposite of above

!  Sabadilla – primary complaint is sneezing; itching in the nose & red, runny eyes; urge to swallow

!  Histaminum Muriaticum – dryness & constriction; all Sx of the skin and mucus membranes in allergies

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If mild wheezing is also part of the presen-tation, consider Euphrasia (previous page) or: DDx –

! Arsenicum Album– discharge burns the skin, other burning sensations; nose is running freely but feels stopped up; not relieved by sneezing

! Nux Vomica – Sx come on slowly, starts dry, tickling, stuffy; Frequent sneezing, especially in the morning; stuffiness & runniness alternate

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Lesser-known allergy remedies with a lot to offer DDx –

! Galphimia Glauca– Sneezing, bronchial asthma, hypersecretion from nose and eyes; recurring herpes, edema of the eyelids

! Kali Iodatum– Thick yellow or green discharges; pain through the face and especially at the root of the nose; burning & inflammation

!  Arum Triphyllum – Excoriating nasal discharge, mainly on the left side; tingling of nose & lips; wants to bore finger into nose; mouth breathers

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Other red & itchy remedies to think of DDx –

! Apis Mellifica – Itching, stinging or burning; red, puffy swellings

! Rhus Toxicodendron – Itching; eruptions; worse first exertion and from over-exertion; better very hot bath

!  Urtica Urens – Stinging or burning; painful itching; primary affections in the skin

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Might be worth a minute

! Arundo (itching inside the ears, palate & eyes) !  Juniperus Virg (the most allergic of the junipers) ! Medusa (made from the jellyfish) ! Mezereum !  Wyethia

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! Symptoms as if chopping onions ! Profuse bland tears ! Profuse burning nasal discharge ! Nasal discharge may be watery, “like a faucet” !  Itchy, burning, tickling sensations ! Sneezing ! Condition better in open air, worse in a warm

room

!  (If no other remedy is clearly indicated, try this one.) January 2015 23

! Main symptoms in the eyes and nose ! Excessive burning tears* ! Copious bland nasal discharge* ! Condition worse in open air* ! Some wheezing may be present !  Loose cough with much mucus in upper airways

(not usually deep or severe) ! Cough worse during the day or only during the

day

!  (*Each of these is the opposite of Allium Cepa, previous.) January 2015 24

! Persistent, violent and/or incomplete sneezing ! Nose dry, with tickling (which spreads) ! Red, burning eyelids, with tears ! Constant inclination to swallow; empty

swallowing ! One nostril stuffed; fluent nasal discharge ! Worse from the smell (or thought) of flowers ! Asthmatic breathing, with itching skin/nose/anus

! Violent coughing attacks, with tears !  Itching of the soft palate January 2015 25

! One of those three remedies will work for a great many of you

!  Broad idea, recurs in many disciplines, subjects !  In homeopathy, roughly – 80% of the cases will be

resolved by 20% of the remedies !  Unfortunately, the remaining 20% of cases may be

somewhere within the remaining 80% of remedies

!  In case one of the big 3 isn’t your answer . . .

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! Any Sx of skin & mucus membranes in allergies ! Dryness of the mucus membranes ! Feelings of constriction ! Redness, heat, itching & burning ! Yellow secretions ! Edges of eyelids red ! Nose blocked on one or both sides ! Sneezing & inflammation ! Generalized itching ! Painful dryness January 2015 27

! Discharges burn the skin ! Various burning sensations ! Burning pains relieved by heat ! Nose is running freely but feels stopped up !  Irritation in nose not relieved by sneezing ! May include dull, throbbing headache in forehead

! Overall picture of Arsenicum may be present – restless, chilly, worse at/after midnight

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! Sx begin slowly, with dry, tickling, scraping sensations in nose

!  Initially, nose is dry & stuffy ! Eventually discharge begins, w/frequent

sneezing ! Stuffiness & runniness often alternate ! Fluent in the morning and in warm rooms but

stuffy at night and outdoors ! Overall picture of Nux Vomica may be present –

fastidious, over-achiever, irritable, chilly, ineffectual urges, craves stimulants January 2015 29

! Allergic afflictions of the nose ! Sneezing ! Bronchial asthma ! Overactive secretions from nose and eyes ! Swelling of the eyelids ! Recurring herpes ! Oversensitive to weather changes ! Allergic types with hay fever, asthma and/or

sensitive skin January 2015 30

! Allergic inflammation of the nose ! Burning & inflammation ! Thick yellow or green discharges ! Pain through the face and especially at the root

of the nose ! Burning inside the nose, worse w/each inhalation ! The allergy is better in warm rooms, but the

person feels worse

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! Profuse, excoriating/acrid nasal discharge, mainly on the left side

! Tingling and itching of the nose and lips; will pick until they bleed

! Child will (adult wants to) bore finger into nose ! Painful soreness, raw & burning !  Irritation of nose & throat ! Raw feeling of roof & palate ! Corners of mouth sore & cracked ! Redness and irritation of the face

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! The best way to dose in homeopathy !  Literally, as needed

!  Take a dose !  Feel relief !  When the relief goes away (also known as when the

symptoms return) OK to redose !  Whether it’s been 10 minutes*, 10 hours, 10 days, 10

years !  Discontinue doses when symptoms abate

!  Ideally, the doses will naturally spread themselves further and further apart as healing improves

! With allergy, quantity of allergen plays a part *Only for 5 or 6 doses please – very short-term January 2015 33

!  30C potency (or lower) !  3 – 5 pellets at a time, or 4 – 6 drops !  Leave the remedy if no improvement after 4 – 6

doses; choose again ! Discontinue doses when symptoms abate

! Know your audience ! Recognize when to get professional help

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!  Store closed containers in a cool, dark place, away from strong energies

!  Only open one container at a time !  Do not return any un-used quantities to the original

container !  Whenever possible, do not touch the dose between

the container and the site of administration !  Nothing in the mouth for 10 minutes before or after !  Any strong influence has the potential to knock out a

remedy, BUT

! Everybody’s Guide to Homeopathic Medicines, Cummings & Ullman

! Homeopathic Medicine at Home, Panos & Heimlich

! Websites to consider: http://www.nationalcenterforhomeopathy.org/; www.hpathy.com/library; http://world4homeo.blogspot.com/2012/03/homeopathic-books-you-can-read-online.html (read free); www.homeopathic.com (articles); www.austinhomeopath.com

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! Self care & home care for seasonal allergies ! Symptomatic relief vs. deeper healing ! Overview of combination remedies ! Almost 20 single remedies ! By-response dosage ! Dose, potency & usage ! More information

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