The ‘genius’ of Ledum palustre, a leader in homeopathic first-aid treatment, lies in its effects on puncture wounds, animal and insect bites and certain rheumatic, or arthritic, conditions.
Yes, I want to keep this article short and sweet and just tell you about the wonderful homeopathic remedy, Ledum palustre. First, this is a good remedy to know about, as one of its uses is to help relieve painful insect bites.
Ledum palustre [Marsh Tea] is one of our leaders in homeopathic first-aid treatment. The genius of Ledum lies in its effects on puncture wounds, animal and insect bites, and certain rheumatic, or arthritic, conditions.
The most striking characteristics of Ledum are: the patient is extremely chilly, or cold, to the touch, but they want to be uncovered, or feel ameliorated [relieved] from cold application, or even desire to put their feet in ice-cold water. The chilly Ledum patient may also perspire profusely at night, but cannot bear to be covered.
Pain Syndromes
The amelioration from cold is so strong in Ledum that when the patient is suffering from stiffness, their joints will loosen up from cold bathing. Another striking characteristic of Ledum is that in rheumatic, or arthritic, conditions the pain begins in the extremities and extends upward. The pain is also much more severe in the lower limbs. In painful wounds, the pain originates at the sight of the wound and it also ascends.
The next area in which Ledum has dominance is in puncture wounds. Think of Ledum for someone who has stepped on a sharp object, or has a splinter under the nail. In such injuries there is not much bleeding at the wound, but there is a lot of pain. Dr James Tyler Kent, MD, the great homeopathic teacher, explains that we should think of Ledum “after puncture wounds when the part becomes cold and then pale, paralysed and mottled.” The amelioration from ice or cold applications has to be present. He says that Ledum is one of the remedies surgeons should know about, for just such conditions. Ledum and Hypericum are the two homeopathic remedies that you would think of to prevent tetanus, or lockjaw. Think of Ledum for a pet that has stepped on a sharp object.
Animal Bites
Ledum has to be remembered as one of our principal remedies for the effects of animal bites, from cat and dog bites to the bites of poisonous snakes. No less important is Ledum’s positive effects on insect bites, especially mosquito bites, also spider bites, tick bites, wasp and bee bites, and scorpion bites. Here the characteristics which I have already mentioned should be present to help select the remedy — such as inflammation at the site of the wound, amelioration from ice and the ascending pains. The injured part is also often swollen, purple and mottled. In serious animal and insect bites Ledum should be administered in high potency.
Ledum should also be thought of for negative local effects from vaccinations, such as induration, or hardening at the site of the vaccine.
Ledum has many other uses: one of the principal uses being its positive effects on acute and chronic arthritic, or rheumatic, conditions. As I said earlier, the guiding characteristic would be that the rheumatism begins in the feet and travels upward. For arthritic pain, Ledum runs the gamut from helping with functional pain to the pain from arthritic nodosities in the fingers, feet and other joints. Ledum is good for the pain of gout. The patient is cold, but is aggravated from the heat of the bed; the pains are worse at night. The joints are swollen, pale and hot, and the peripheral joints will be affected first. The patient will want to uncover, and the part feels better from ice or cold applications. The feet and the small joints are often affected.
Dosage. Ledum palustre 30C, 4-5 pills, 3-4 times, daily, or as prescribed, or advised, by your homeopathic physician.
Ledum: Keynotes
- Wounds that are extremely painful to the touch
- Abscesses and septic conditions that are extremely tender and relieved by cold
- Crushed fingers and toes, where the pain shoots up the limb and is better from cold applications
- Long-lasting discoloration after injuries
- Pain from spinal injuries and muscular rheumatism of the shoulders
- Ledum also helps when there is a tendency to sprained ankles, with ankle swelling, and painful soles of the feet.
Dr DEBORAH OLENEV, CCH, RSHom [NA], is a Classical Homeopath based in Mountain View, California, US. She treats people from all over the world via phone and video conferencing. Dr Olenev has had a passion for homeopathy for nearly forty years and has been in private practice since 1991. She has a vast knowledge of homeopathic Materia Medica, and integrates homeopathy with herbal medicine too. She is the owner of First Aid Cream, where she teaches about and sells homeopathic first-aid creams. She has several years of experience treating autistic children and people of all ages for all manner of health conditions.
