My husband whom I am separated from was going into a building to do some decorating(he is left handed). Two muggers hit him over the head with a gun and then the gun came down and hit him on the left shoulder. His head is okay. At the hospital they said all the ligaments in his left arm are severed. His arm is in a sling. If he lets it fall down there is no pain. If he tries to lift up his arm it is intense, agonizing pain. He is going to a specialist today.

Since he is dyslexic and decorating is all he knows, essentially, he thinks he will never work again. 50 years old.

What can be done?

Dear Carol,

The injury drugs are Rhus Tox, Ruta, and Arnica. They can be used in this case at this time, as the cause is injury. For the tendons to heal, Ruta is the best, continued over a long period of time, preferably in a low potency.

I usually use Ruta in 30 potency twice a day for as long as severe pain lasts.Then it needs o be tapered down to once a day and stopped if only mild pain is present.
Arnica 200 may be used in a few doses for the trauma in general. Rhus Tox, if it is indicated helps with the healing and pain, in 30 potency too.
regards,
doctorleela

[ 31 August 2001: Message edited by: doctorleela ]

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Thank you.

Doctorleela,
What about the symptoms of fear of the future, or fear he won't heal properly ? Do you take these into account too or just look at the very acute physical in such a case ?
Can you clarify this for me please ?
Claudia

Dear Claudia,

At present, the important thing is to treat the injury and immediate effects (mental or physical) of it. Once he finds he is healing , he may not have these thoughts/feelings. Besides, the shock of the incident has caused some fear reaction, which should be covered with Arnica. One must watch how things develop carefully in case he may require something more/different.

In case later, one finds that this has had a deeper effect on him, then he will require constitutional treatment based on his nature or a specific based on whatever left over effects are present. At the moment we need not worry about that!
Hope this answers your question.

Regards,
doctorleela

[ 01 September 2001: Message edited by: doctorleela ]

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Dear Carol, my husband recently severed his hand, breaking four fingers and (thankfully)damaging only one tendon. As the wound was very dirty, and it was obvious there would be some damage I gave him Hypericum 30 - I don't know if that is applicable to your case but may be worth bearing in mind. Also, Arnica 30 (you can give no matter how long ago the accident happened), I think it is important you do, if you havn't already. The biggest point I would like to make is that my first aid training tells me to think first of Ruta, which I did with Rhus Tox in the back of my mind - WELL Ruta fitted the wound perfectly but I hadn't looked at HIM. Could not see why Ruta had no effect - He is a RHUS. So, sorry Dr. MAS but the presenting symptom is not all! On the mental side, I have found that with the correct remedy it has completely dissipated, (similar position of having to use hands for work). Hope you get some inspiration Carol, and I wish you the patience of a saint on this one!!!
p.s I am repeating the Rhus every time it burns itself out (9 weeks now) and the period is getting longer in between.

Dear Fistral,

A very interesting insight....
Having to use one's hands for work requiring RhusTox.
I was thinking about physical modalities actually.
Thanks for the tip.
Doctorleela

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DrLeela, sorry did not mean to give the wrong impression - what I meant was that he was more of a Rhus in totality than Ruta. I was going along with your observation of the physical healing dissipating the mental worry in this sort of situation. I did not mean that the Rhus was helping the mental particlularly, only that the worries experienced by both men toward work was similar and that in our case the healing relieved the worry. Sorry to have given you the wrong impression!

Dear Fistral,

Did not get any wrong impression and was happy at your suggestion. Actually Rhus tox is indicated in over work, dreams of exertion and overworking. This is another aspect of the same theme. That's the insight!

doctorleela

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Drleela, you were being encouraging, thank you! The Rhus WAS more indicated for those and other reasons - I just wanted to let Carol see the similarity and not to get bogged down in the 'this is what the book says' syndrome.
Carol, I suspect you had remedies in mind when you posted and looked to the BB to provide confirmation of your choice. Hope it is all going well with your husband and you will let us know of his progress.
Fistral.