Black and Blue

Summertime, and the livin’ is easy …

Well, at least that’s how the song goes. But it seems as though more acute conditions occur in the summertime. The kids are out and about, getting into all kinds of mischief! And that usually translates into plenty of bruises!

So, at times, the livin’ seems anything but easy!

And a rousing afternoon of horseplay is not the only cause of bruising. Has your sofa ever jumped out at you when you least expect it? Or a table? Or door?

Yep, that’s going to leave a mark!

In last week’s blog post, we discussed black eyes. But bruising on other areas of the body requires a different homeopathic medicine.

For severe bruising, we should always think of Arnica montana, in either the 30^th or 200^th potency (depending on severity), twice daily until very much better. It’s not the only homeopathic medicine for bruising, but it’s certainly our best.

Plus, Arnica creams, gels and ointments, such as Boiron’s Arnicare®, are wonderful for topical application. In fact, these Arnica topicals are often many folks' first introduction to homeopathy because Arnicare® is so widely available, and it works!

But do we address every black and blue spot just because we know the homeopathic remedy for bruises? No! This is MEDICINE, my friends. Homeopathy is not a supplement or a vitamin or herb. Knowing what to use doesn’t mean you employ it in every ever-so-slight instance. Restraint is a big part of learning how to use these medicines.

Minor bruises, from time, to time are completely natural and no cause for alarm. We save our medicines for more severe injuries or pathologies.

But remember, a pathology of perpetual bruising can be an effect of certain drugs of commerce. The elderly quite often display a patchwork of ecchymoses because, in many cases, their conventional doctors have put them on an aspirin a day or blood thinning drugs.

So, it’s good to be mindful of whether repetitive bruising is a natural occurrence or induced by an unnatural, extrinsic cause. There’s only so much help homeopathy can provide when a daily prescribed medicament is causing the issue!

Unfortunately, there can be controversy surrounding Arnica. Why? Because in its gross form, the plant Arnica montana can cause bleeding. But we’re not talking about Arnica in its gross form — that’s a completely different animal! Instead, we are talking about homeopathically prepared Arnica ­… potentized Arnica … Arnica that has been diluted and succussed until it no longer displays those undesirable properties.

Those who understand homeopathy know that whatever issues these medicines can cause in their gross form is precisely what makes them so effective in addressing similar conditions when they are homeopathically prepared.

However, with Arnica and all homeopathics, we use our medicines judiciously. Not willy-nilly. Again, this is medicine, so we stop using them when the condition becomes very much better.

We also stop using these medicines if we observe no improvement after giving them due time to work. What do we consider “due time” for a case like this? In an acute situation, we would expect to see a shift within a couple of days. If not, then it’s time to stop and move on. Just as with any medicine, we don’t use something that’s not working.

But if it’s a natural pathology (if you can consider a surprise attack from a sofa “natural”), Arnica montana 30 or 200 twice daily should return your skin to its original coloration, rather than a technicolor black and blue.

Pass on the good news of homeopathy!

Warmly,

P.S. For a deeper dive into injuries and pathologies of the skin, I recommend my course, Skin, the Ugly Truth: Safe, Effective Treatment of Skin Ailments, Chronic or Acute, with Homeopathy. In this online course, I cover over 170 conditions along with the most highly regarded homeopathic medicine and protocols.

And remember — all of my Mighties (Joette’s Mighty Members) qualify for a 10% discount on course purchases. If you need assistance getting your discount, email contact@practicalhomeopathy.com for more information.