Homeopathic Healthcare: More Homeopathic Articles
George Guess, MD
Home Treatment of Fevers
Homeopathic medicine can play a significant role in the relief of acute fevers. While any very high or protracted fever (e.g., beyond 2-3 days in duration) requires medical attention, often timely homeopathic intervention will eliminate such need, rapidly reducing the fever as well as correcting its cause. Especially in the wee hours of the night, when one's child awakens burning hot, homeopathy can be a Godsend.
One homeopathic remedy above all invites comparison when treating fevers — Belladonna. It is by far the most commonly indicated remedy for fever, and its symptom image is quite distinct. Several other remedies can appear similar, however. The information below will help the reader differentiate these important medicines.
Dosage: When treating fevers, the suggested frequency of repetition will vary with the intensity of the fever. Sudden, high fevers should be treated aggressively; e.g., one dose (30C potency) every 15 minutes or so. Milder fevers should receive the indicated remedy every 3-4 hours as needed. In the absence of a prompt, complete alleviation of the fever and associated symptoms, please seek medical attention.
Belladonna: Fever of sudden onset with flushed, red face, throbbing pulse, dilated pupils, and intense heat of the skin. Often there is increased thirst for large quantities. There may be a desire for lemonade or lemons. Frequently there is blunted mental acuity, dullness, with delirium during high fever. Absence of perspiration during fever is typical of this remedy.
Aconite: This remedy is also of quite sudden onset, and the patient's appearance is quite similar to that of Belladonna, though the pupils are constricted in this remedy. The mental state contrasts markedly though: in Aconite there is less delirium and the patient is agitated, frightened (of death), and restless.
Apis: This remedy can have red face, hot skin, indifference to surroundings and delirium. Apis is mentally more alert. The patient is often miserable, whiny, and his face is of rosy hue versus the. bright redness of Belladonna. Thirstless during fever, an unusual symptom, is a keynote. Apis also shows a tendency to puffy swelling.
Bryonia: Occasionally this remedy can have a red face and hot skin. Bryonia is very thirsty; its complaints are worse from motion, and the patient is irritable. Bryonia's complaints are almost always of slower onset (after 1-2 days).
Ferrum phosphoricum: The appearance of the patient is very similar to that of Belladonna, including the intense heat, but Ferr-p is very alert, lacking the delirium of Belladonna. Flushing alternates with pallor. There is circumscribed redness of the cheeks while in Belladonna the entire face is red. It is indicated more in the latter stages of an illness, such as when an ear infection has been present for a while.
Phosphorus: That which characterizes Phosphorus often is a relative normalcy of behavior despite high fever; children especially can be quite alert and aware of all that goes on around them, as well as affectionate and desirous of sympathy. Thirst can be extreme for cold drinks (if an upset stomach accompanies the fever, the cold drinks may be vomited after becoming warm in the stomach). There is also a propensity to rapid dehydration with chapping of the lips. Fear of the dark, of being alone, and of what the doctor will do may be present.
Nux vomica: This remedy can appear similar to Belladonna. When the resemblance is quite close, the best differentiating point is Nux vomica's inability to bear being uncovered due to chilliness and it's irritability.
Pulsatilla: This remedy presents with red face, heat, delirium. Its choice is made on the mental and general physical characteristics — weepiness, changeable moods, touchy at times, desires (absorbs) affection and sympathy; worse from heat, warm rooms, desire for open air, thirstlessness during the fever.
Sulphur: Sulphur may appear quite similar to Belladonna at a glance, but the case won't have many Belladonna characteristics. The pupils are of normal size, the skin heat less. Often there are very few symptoms to prescribe on, and that characteristic alone tends to indicate Sulphur. The remedy can have circumscribed redness of the cheeks, red lips, recurrent facial flushing. The patient may want to uncover his feet at night because of heat.
Baptisia: Similar to Belladonna — rapid onset, red face, hot skin, and maybe delirium. Baptisia's appearance is dusky, with a besotted look. Drowsy, confused. He feels scattered about the bed. The bed may feel hard.
Dr. Guess, a family physician, has practiced classical homeopathic medicine for 25 years. He is the editor of the American Journal of Homeopathic Medicine. He practices in Charlottesville. 434-295-0362. Web page: www.doctorguess.com
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Dr. George Guess
2776 Hydraulic Rd, Suite 101
Charlottesville, VA 22901
office: 434-295-0362
fax: 434-295-0798
email: gguessmd@earthlink.net
website: http://www.doctorguess.com/
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