Amputations and Phantom Pain

This week marks a very “American” week.

On Friday, November 11, we celebrate Veterans Day — honoring men and women who served, fought and sacrificed to protect our rights. Because of their bravery, we are free to participate this week in one of our greatest American privileges, voting. (Election Day is Tuesday, November 8.)

So, to the veterans among us, my entire team and I say thank you!

Veterans have sacrificed in countless ways, but some have paid the incredible price of losing limbs to gunshots, bombs, shells and IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices). Losing a limb should have been a high enough price to pay, but some amputees also experience the added agony of phantom pain in their missing limbs.

Specific triggers, such as a weather event or even the anniversary of the injury, can worsen the pain. The sufferer generally feels helpless. Sadly, despite the reality of the pain, there is no longer an existing limb to manipulate or massage to alleviate it. Conventional medicine offers little, if any, assistance. Even the Mayo Clinic website says, “Finding a treatment to relieve your phantom pain can be difficult.”

However, I’ve dealt with this devastating condition in my practice. Homeopathy — as it always does — offers hope where other paradigms fail. (Perhaps, we should call it “hopeopathy!”)

If you’ve been following me for any length of time, you may already be contemplating a remedy. If you guessed Hypericum perforatum 200, congratulations! You’re learning!

Indeed, Hypericum is a capital choice for nerve pain. However, for the unique condition of phantom pain, Hypericum would be my second choice.

Why? Well, because homeopaths through the ages have recorded their successes and a quick glance in our repertory (Dr. Robin Murphy’s “MetaRepertory,” Fourth Edition) guides us to an even more effective homeopathic medicine. But right there on page 2082, under “AMPUTATION, pain, phantom,” we see that in addition to Hypericum, Calendula officinalis is written in all capitals, bolded and underlined, indicating that it’s an even more highly noteworthy medicine.

So, with Calendula highly emphasized as the primary medicine for phantom pain in amputees, who am I to argue?  I've made the mistake of counting on Hypericum alone when the better choice was instead Calendula officinalis 200, twice daily, until the pain is very much relieved.

My friends, do you see how we do this? We don’t reinvent the wheel at every opportunity. No, we stand on the shoulders of the homeopaths who came before us. Their collective clinical experience and wisdom are right there in the repertory. So, whenever we do not possess a protocol for a specific condition, we refer to the repertory!

And let’s say there are multiple medicines listed that could fit the bill. Then we open our materia medicas to read about the nuances of each suggested remedy to inform our choice better.

However, by utilizing capitals, bold font, and underlining, Dr. Robin Murphy did everything in this case but circle Calendula in red and put arrows and stars beside it! So, Calendula is a most prudent place to start. I have certainly seen success with it in my practice. But I'll admit that it wasn't until I'd witnessed a few of these situations that it became super clear to me. 

Now, because of the upcoming day of remembrance, I have focused this blog post on sufferers who are veterans. But phantom pain can affect amputees from various parts of the population. For instance, individuals with diabetes or circulatory issues can also eventually lose limbs, often leading to this very same torment.

However, Practical Homeopathy® is not limited by the “why” behind the condition. Instead, we deal with the diagnosis. Phantom pain is phantom pain, whether the missing limb results from war, accident or health complications. And I might add that a good diagnosis from an M.D. is a valuable piece to the puzzle.

Before I close, let me thank you again, Veterans. We appreciate your sacrifices — from great to small. You stood in front of us to protect us. This week, we stand beside you in support.

My dear reader, if you know someone — veteran or civilian — who could use this information, as always, I encourage you to pass on the good news of homeopathy!

Warmly,

P.S. Have you ever wondered what you’re missing by not participating in a Gateway to Homeopathy study group? Let me tell you, you’re missing a LOT! Over 15,000 mothers and others — just like you — have joined our study groups.

That’s a lot of people honing their homeopathy skills, meeting other like-minded people and having fun doing it. I began my journey into homeopathy via a study group. So, I can guarantee you will never regret creating or joining one yourself.

But allow me to let you in on a little secret: your study group companions will assist you in much more than just homeopathy. You’ll make lifelong friends with whom you can confide and share information.

So, start on the path of finding your new best friends on my dedicated Facebook page: Joette’s Study Group: Find Your New Study Group Friends.