I would like to share with you the case of a 68 year old man who had been suffering from chronic Eczema for over 6 years whom I was able to cure with my favourite remedy Arnica. This patient had been prescribed and had used virtually every drug known in the Pharmacopea for Eczema with no permanent relief. He had then consulted Ayurvedic physicians and he had obtained some relief but this was not permanent. He came to me when he was feeling very low in spirit in the hope that I could help him as he had been compelled to spend most of his time in bed with his legs suspended higher than his body to help control the swelling.

When I saw him, both his legs were one mess of weeping Eczema which he had to cover with loose bandages to keep his trouser legs from touching and irritating the lesions. He was unable to stand for over 10 minutes at a time as otherwise his ankles would swell up with painful results. Walking was also very restricted.

The remedy that I used is Arnica 6c, Dose 2 balls taken twice daily. He reported relief in 3 days after he started on the therapy when the lesions dried up and the scratching stopped and they dried up in a week. I maintained him on the remedy in a reduced dose taken once daily for about 6 months and is now fully cured and is no more on the remedy.

I would like to mention here that I had never used Arnica in this manner nor had I read about its use for Eczema in any Repertory or other text book that I have. I used it on an experimental basis in this case of chronic Eczema as I had been successful in helping another 77 year old lady who was having recurrent bouts of Cellulitis which her doctors had treated with powerful antibiotics for about 2 years, including Augmentine and Steroids which caused other major problems for her. The infection would react favourably to the drugs but would return within about 6 months after she was released from hospital and this cycle was repeated 3 times after she first came down with this ailment. I gave her the same remedy, Arnica 6c and she is now completely cured. I have recommended that she takes just 2 balls of Arnica 6c every night as it also helps her to sleep soundly while providing what perhaps may be called prophylactic cover to prevent cellulitis which is an infection of the fat in her legs in the future. Arnica has also helped her with her chronic insomnia as she was only able to sleep about 3 hours every night. She now needs an alarm clock to wake her up in the morning.

I believe that the Arnica works by promoting the flow of blood in the capillaries under the skin, thereby permitting the skin to recover and to overcome the causative factors for both the cellulitis and the eczema.

As to how it acts to promote deep sleep, I cannot understand but this has been reported by many who are taking this remedy on my advice.

__________________
Joe De Livera
Colombo
Sri Lanka

Hi Joe,

Whatever my reservations about an "arnica for everybody" approach :-), I am finding these really interesting! I'd find it especially fascinating if we could tell whether or how the remedy has any connection with the greater body of each case--for instance, do you know whether any physical or emotional trauma was a factor?

But also, arnica might be another example of a remedy that's well-known for a limited scope, but whose broader and deeper picture is not developed.

Arnica does have a scope that goes far beyond the bruising and sprains that it's best known for. Looking thru its rubric extraction in MacRep, I see *tons* of skin symptoms, including excoriation, dryness, itching, pain, swelling, and a great deal more. It can be indicated and needed in a really diverse set of situations, both acute and chronic. It looks like arnica would be a great remedy for us to study more thoroughly.

I assume you are also using remedies other than arnica, and I assume there have been cases/situations where you have given arnica where it *hasn't* been effective? Could you share any observations with us about just what you consider the scope of arnica to be, in your experience?

I also want to add--I feel it's important that if you are advocating to untrained people to experiment via self-treatment with remedies, that you should also explain certain of the "safety net" guidelines, such as:

- do not repeat the remedy so long as progress is continuing--you're more apt to mess it up than speed it up.
- do not repeat the remedy if you've already tried several doses and nothing has happened--homeopathy is not cumulative the way that some nutrients and drugs can be.
- do not repeat if the prior dose has caused any uncomfortable effects.
- And do not continue to use the remedy if your *overall* health has worsened since you began using it. Altho most likely the remedy and your new problems are unrelated; but occasionally, excessive use of a remedy can cause problems. Iif new symptoms are caused by aggravation or suppression, they should soon disappear once the remedy is stopped. (We've heard a strange and sad story or two of someone whose "faith in homeopathy", or simple "hope", caused them to continue inappropriate overdosing with a remedy as the situation worsened, because they thought the "getting better" part would follow on the "getting worse" part--sometimes that *does* happen, but it's not a situation that should be self-managed by someone without proper understanding of the situation or the issues.)

Homeopathy is a beautifully safe and forgiving system, but as with *any* tool, there are guidelines and precautions that should be followed.

Shannon

It’s funny to read this. Some time ago, a friend of mine – a homeopath – heard about my child’s birth, very long and complicated, and gave me Arnica 30c, in a single dose, saying it would clear out any physical “memories” of the trauma. I took them, and had no particular reaction. But, since them, my legs and waist have lost a lot of cellulites, and to this day I couldn’t figure out why… My skin looks much more de-intoxicated.

Hi, Silvia!

That would be a great story (brief ones are much appreciated) for the (U.S.) National Center for Homeopathy magazine **Homeopathy Today**, if you would be willing to write it up for them. They don't pay for stories, but it helps publicize the miracle of H!

I have known/used Arnica 200c to work to relieve psychological trauma, but have never heard of a single dose of 30c doing so.

I'd love to help you write your experience up (I am a volunteer editing assistant for HT) or you could send me the story and I could forward it to the managing editor as is, or you could send it to Joe Lillard at homeopathyworks.com. He offers a discount on H products to anyone who submits a personal story for HT.

All the very best, Teresa (Kramer, in VA, USA)

Hehe. It is not really a story, Theresa – it’s just what I wrote before… I took the single dose, never related it to the fact that I started losing some fat in my body (but could never explain it either), and now read this post about Arnica and cellulites… and thought this could be an explanation. That’s all, and no more (ok., but no less, either).



Silvia

Hi Shannon,

I am glad that you commented on my post where I recorded 2 more unbelievable cures that my favourite remedy Arnica was responsible for.

I believe that you are aware that I have been involved in Homeopathy for about 30 years and although I did not have the time to obtain any formal Diploma in this Science as I was had to fulfill my duties as the CEO of our family owned business I did study the subject with a wide array of books that I got from B Jain many years ago. Homeopathy to me has been a hobby and will remain so and I treat all my patients free of charge. I cannot practice homeopathy on a regular basis as this involves a responsibility to the patient especially those who live here in Sri Lanka for which I do not have the time to be constantly on call. My posts on the homeopathic forums are done whenever I am free as there are others who can help if I am not immediately available to do so.

I discovered that the classical approach to Homeopathy stipulated in the texts seemed to me to be rather restrictive in its method of healing as it usually involves a long process of questioning the patient to elicit the information necessary to identify the remedy. I have recently got Radar 9 and discovered that after the process has been gone through the remedy that it indicates is sometimes different to the remedy that I feel should be prescribed. I have used the Radar prescription and discovered in a few cases I recently treated that the remedy did not help. I then used the remedy that I felt should be used which I had already used in similar cases previously and as expected the patient recovered very quickly.

Arnica is not listed as a remedy for both Eczema and Cellulitis in Radar 9 and perhaps also not in MacRep but this remedy worked almost like magic in my first Eczema case in just 3 days while in the case of 2 patients who are both senior citizens it is helping even today to keep away any recurrence of the Cellulitis which they were both suffering from for some time.

I have recently recommended Arnica 6c to be used for Eczema to a patient and he confirmed that in just 4 days his eczema suddenly dried up.

You can read all about it on:
http://www.abchomeopathy.com/forum2.php/26818/

I believe that as a result of my not having followed a course of classical homeopathy I have up to recently used the allopathic approach of 'this remedy for that ailment'. The main point is that my method seems to have had the desired effect in effecting the cure and I am beginning to wonder if this long process of case taking specified in classical homeopathy is essential in arriving at the remedy. Radar is a help but the few times that I used it I was not always successful.

You have inquired about my use of other remedies. I have a stock of just about 500 remedies which I have collected throughout the years which I have used up to now on the basis of my own methods of diagnosis. It is Arnica that I have had the greatest degree of success in its usage and this is no wonder as I seem to be discovering many more uses for it that are not listed in curing many ailments. As you know, it is a very safe remedy to be used in the low potencies and I have never used it unsuccessfully so far. The highlights of the use of this remedy are the 82 year old whom I cured of a creeping paralysis with the 1M wet dose and the Eczema and Cellulitis cases.

I have used Arnica for many ailments that are not listed in the Repertories and I would request you and others to use this versatile remedy for at least the ailments for which I have used it and I feel confident that you will achieve the same results that I have obtained. I note that you have advised me to use some care in the use of this remedy but as far as I know it is one of the safest remedies to be used even daily, which is frowned upon as not being the accepted routine for use of remedies. I have often indicated how in my case and in the cases of many that I have advised its usage, the results have been outstanding in improving the quality of life of those who use it in this manner. I refer especially to those senior citizens who like me used it to keep the waterworks flowing and in other cases as a remedy to overcome incontinence which affects many who have undergone TURP surgery. Quite frankly I cannot understand how this remedy can keep the prostate relaxed to ease the flow pre surgery and how in the case of those who have had TURP surgery, to help with incontinence.

I shall at a later date share with you the many ailments that I have cured with Arnica and I hope that future Repertories and MM's will list some of the ailments that I have 'discovered' as being helped with Arnica.

Joe

__________________
Joe De Livera
Colombo
Sri Lanka

Hi Joe,

First I should say, your lack of "formal" training bothers me not the least; to me a much more important consideration is what your level of overall understanding of "the bigger picture" has been, and of that I am eager to get a better understanding! If I at any point seem nosy or critical, please understand that I am only trying to fit your observations and experiences into the "larger context" that *I* need, to make my own evaluation. (And we *all* have to make our own evaluations of any new information if we are to gain a deep and accurate understanding--whether of homeopathy or anything else!)

Below:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe I discovered that the classical approach to Homeopathy stipulated in the texts seemed to me to be rather restrictive in its method of healing as it usually involves a long process of questioning the patient to elicit the information necessary to identify the remedy.

For most chronic cases, yes. That's because we are aiming to heal deeply and (so much as possible) permanently, and for a chronic case, that (at least so far) seems to necessitate a deep understanding of the person as a whole, and their situation. To find how to cure deeply, we first need to understand deeply.

In some cases, of course, this type of questioning is *not* needed--e.g. acutes; cases with clear causation and (esp.) recent origin, and some of those blessed cases where the patient sort of walks up to you with a "This Is My Remedy!" sign hanging above their head, so to speak.

Also, we have the specific goal of managing specific symptoms *in a context of increased overall health*, and that necessitates *seeing* what the overall health is (not just the specific symptom), so that we can *tell* if subsequent changes are moving in the right direction or not.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe I have recently got Radar 9 and discovered that after the process has been gone through the remedy that it indicates is sometimes different to the remedy that I feel should be prescribed.

Oh, yes!
Sometimes the suggested remedy(s) might be "better" than the one you have in mind, but it's equally likely--but not necessarily at all. Computers have a real problems with GIGO (Garbage In, Garbage Out)--if you ask the wrong questions, you will get the wrong answers. E.g., there's a real art to good analysis, good rubric-picking, and (worst of all for me), knowing when to just toss most of your rubrics and READ materia medica. Or when you have to "just know" the remedy, because it's not well represented in the rep. Yuk...

I'm not familiar with RADAR, but assume it shares at least most of the possible pitfalls of MacRep, which I use.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe I have used the Radar prescription and discovered in a few cases I recently treated that the remedy did not help. I then used the remedy that I felt should be used which I had already used in similar cases previously and as expected the patient recovered very quickly.

Great! Yup, the repertory can only suggest; confirmation comes from (materia medica and) experience.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Arnica is not listed as a remedy for both Eczema and Cellulitis in Radar 9 and perhaps also not in MacRep

Actually in Complete Millennium it is a (1) for cellulitis (with 24 others), referenced to Boericke. But that alone would certainly not *lead* to the remedy, and in fact if the rest of the case said "This Remedy!" but you couldn't find it in the rubrics, often you'd be well justified in giving the remedy anyway; to quote one of my teachers, "The repertory is completely incomplete."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe but this remedy worked almost like magic in my first Eczema case in just 3 days while in the case of 2 patients who are both senior citizens it is helping even today to keep away any recurrence of the Cellulitis which they were both suffering from for some time.

That is terrific. Are they being cured (soon the recurrences will stop, they'll need no more arnica for it, *and* will be in an overall healthier, more vital condition than they were before) or is it palliating? I'm not averse to palliation in some circumstances, and don't assume that it's inappropriate in these cases--but maybe worth considering the question, anyway.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe I have recently recommended Arnica 6c to be used for Eczema to a patient and he confirmed that in just 4 days his eczema suddenly dried up.

But again, I wish we could know whether it is having an overall strengthening / healing effect, or whether it is affecting nothing at all except the eczema (unlikely, since all of our "parts" are so interconnected!), or whether it is palliating or even suppressing--in other words, whether the disorder is going to appear in a different form down the road. To use the stereotypical example--if we follow up with these folks whose eczema has gone away after using arnica, will any of them (weeks, months or years down the road) develop asthma (which has a close association with eczema) or other, deeper disorders? *That* sort of thing--trading an ailment for a yet worse one--is what we mean by "suppression", and is the big concern of classically trained homeopaths. That concern is the reason you've drawn such suspicious reaction here and there.

If you aren't doing any long-term follow-up, then you don't *know* what your overall, deeper effects are, and that, IMO, is important. Using palliative, or even "suppressive", treatments for short-term relief is sometimes okay, but if you are recommending this approach to "everyone", for long-term use, then I think you *do* owe it to yourself, us, and the people you are trying to help, to *find out* what the deeper effects are, if any.

I'm not *assuming* that these suggestions are causing long-term problems, but I *do* think that you ought to see if you can find out.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe and I am beginning to wonder if this long process of case taking specified in classical homeopathy is essential in arriving at the remedy.

Again, the "classical" casetaking approach is longer and more detailed, *because* the goals are broader and deeper.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Radar is a help but the few times that I used it I was not always successful.

Takes practice!
I think they do have training sessions and materials--you might enjoy going to some of those, if you haven't yet?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe You have inquired about my use of other remedies. I have a stock of just about 500 remedies which I have collected throughout the years which I have used up to now on the basis of my own methods of diagnosis. It is Arnica that I have had the greatest degree of success in its usage and this is no wonder as I seem to be discovering many more uses for it that are not listed in curing many ailments.

Just for fun and curiosity, would you like to give a list, and I'll see which of them I can find any reference to?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe As you know, it is a very safe remedy to be used in the low potencies and I have never used it unsuccessfully so far.

That is lovely to hear.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe The highlights of the use of this remedy are the 82 year old whom I cured of a creeping paralysis with the 1M wet dose and the Eczema and Cellulitis cases.

And those are great! I'm going to be mentally "toying" with those, since I would think those results are difficult to argue with.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe I have used Arnica for many ailments that are not listed in the Repertories and I would request you and others to use this versatile remedy for at least the ailments for which I have used it and I feel confident that you will achieve the same results that I have obtained. I note that you have advised me to use some care in the use of this remedy

Actually my concern is more over long-term use of *any* remedy, without knowing that the patient does understand the difference between "symptom relief" and "improving (or not) state of health".

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe but as far as I know it is one of the safest remedies to be used even daily, which is frowned upon as not being the accepted routine for use of remedies. I have often indicated how in my case and in the cases of many that I have advised its usage, the results have been outstanding in improving the quality of life of those who use it in this manner.

When overall quality of life is improved, that does speak volumes. Again, I'm not *assuming* this is a bad thing to do, I'm just trying to understand it in a larger context.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe I refer especially to those senior citizens who like me used it to keep the waterworks flowing and in other cases as a remedy to overcome incontinence which affects many who have undergone TURP

What does that stand for?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe surgery. Quite frankly I cannot understand how this remedy can keep the prostate relaxed to ease the flow pre surgery and how in the case of those who have had TURP surgery, to help with incontinence.

I'll read with interest!

Thanks,
Shannon

Hi Shannon,

I enjoyed reading your response to my last post and feel that it is through this frank exchange of information that we can mutually learn from the mistakes and successes of each other and thereby contribute to the progress of Homeopathy in the 21st Century. I have often felt restricted in following the classical approach that is used by some Homeopaths and the advantage that I have of not being qualified has I believe, helped me in the method that I use to diagnose and treat any ailment which was in a way responsible for my identifying the 2 remedies that I use most frequently, Arnica and Nat Phos to help those suffering from various ailments not listed in the texts.

I was very interested to note that Arnica is listed in the Complete Millenium which you mentioned was referenced to Boericke. I checked my Boericke but did not see any reference to Eczema and Cellulitis and would like to see the reference if you can copy it to me. It is good to know that I used it without any prior knowledge that Arnica had already been used for these 2 ailments. I read the reference to sleep but this was not in the context that I have used it for. As far as I know I believe that I was the first to discover the beneficial effect of using Arnica 6c to promote deep sleep which I am convinced is the real reason for my sense of wellness which I feel is not referred to in any text. I have confirmed that I have used this remedy daily since 1996 and I believe that it is responsible to maintaining my current state of health.

As for Arnica 6c 'curing' chronic Eczema I hope you have read the link that I gave you of my second cure of this ailment as this report is only a few days old and confirms that Arnica 6c can be used for Eczema successfully. I note that you have mentioned about the possibility that exists in trading the Eczema for Asthma which can occur as a result of successfully curing the former ailment. I can assure you that the patient whom I cured of his Eczema had suffered for, I believe 6 years before he saw me and had been under the whole gamut of drugs including steroids to cure his condition and later was under Ayurvedic treatment all of which only gave some relief at the time that he was under medication. He really was suffering with his ailment and I am glad that he has not shown any signs of Asthma so far. Even if he does come down with Asthma, I am sure that he will agree that it is a small price to pay for the cure of his Eczema from which he is now free for the last 3 months without treatment. It was only through some serendipitous chance that I gave the Arnica 6c only because I had had some success with using it for my Cellulitis patient, and I thought that since his condition was so far gone that the standard remedies may not have worked.

I am only too aware of the responsibilities of a professional homeopath and as I mentioned in my past post, this is the reason why I am not available to all who would like to consult me professionally as I do not have the time to be available on call. However I do try to help if anyone contacts me personally. As for follow ups, this is not a problem as Colombo is a small city where almost everybody knows each other and news does go around of my unusual approach to the problem of weight reduction for which I have quite a few people on Nat Phos 6x.

TURP = Trans Urethral Resection of the Prostate. This is a surgery which is somewhat of a hit or miss type of opening out the Urethra which is done by a roller type of cutting device which is inserted through the penis and is guided by the surgeon visually and excavates the Urethra to create a passage through the Prostate gland to promote the flow of urine. The disadvantage if that it can create a lifelong problem with incontinence if the excavation is done too deep when it can affect the neck of the bladder which in turn leads to incontinence. It is much less traumatic than the surgery that I underwent which was the classical open method referred to as Retropubic Prostatectomy which in the hands of a competent surgeon is the safest surgery where the gland is dissected around the Urethra without creating any problems like incontinence which usually follow after TURP.

The point that I wished to make is that I had used Arnica prior to my surgery for 6 years in place of Hytrin to which I was allergic and later discovered that others who consulted me after TURP surgery were helped with their incontinence as long as they used the Arnica twice daily.

__________________
Joe De Livera
Colombo
Sri Lanka

Hi Joe,

Here's what I find on a quick search into ReferenceWorks: Allen's Encyclopedia lists "eczema in its various stages of progression, general hyperaemia, paules, vesicles, excoriating and exuding surfaces, and crusts. ... itching, stinging, and burning in these parts. Scarcely any clothing could be borne in contact with the skin by day, and sleep for a few nights was almost impossible ..." and further description. This was evidently from a proving by one person, using 3x potency, several times daily. (Quite a low potency to use for an irritating plant such as arnica!)

Eczema associated with arnica is also referenced by a number of other authors, tho I can't at a glance tell what the abbrevations stand for.

Re cellulitis, I do find it referenced in Tyler's Drug Pictures as causing / curing "cellulitis and septic conditions". Boericke's repertory also lists it under Cellulitis.

It definitely looks like Arnica is a remedy that deserves a deeper / broader understanding!

Shannon

Hi Shannon,

I was interested to learn that Arnica has been listed by Allen as a remedy for Eczema. I presume that he used it on an experimental basis on his patient in the 3x potency and I too agree that this may have not been as effective as the 6c as he had to use it quite often to effect a cure. He may have been surprised how effective this remedy would have been if he used the 6c or the 30c potency to eradicate this chronic ailment which causes so much suffering to the patient. The description of the ailment fits my patient exactly and I remember that when he arrived that he was desperate for a cure. When this was established in a few weeks he was overjoyed and he told me that I had given him a new lease of life which he would otherwise have been condemned to pass in bed with his legs above his body to keep the swelling under control.

As for Cellulitis, I do not believe that Arnica can be used as the primary cure to eradicate the bacteria ingrained in the fat layers of the legs. I believe that an antibiotic usually Augmentin is necessary to eradicate the bacteria but the Arnica comes into its own after the bacteria is dealt with to prevent recurrence of this ailment.

Arnica is known to ease the flow of blood in the body especially in the capillaries and I believe that it is the lack of circulation in the legs that is the real cause for the bacterial invasion of the fat as even with Augmentin it usually takes about a 2 weeks before the bacteria responds and the swelling and lesions subside.

Arnica prevents further recurrence of the disease which is very painful to the patient and the usual treatment while on the antibiotic is for the legs to be kept above the body level to help reduce the swelling.

This is an interesting disease which neither drugs nor homeopathic remedies used alone cannot cure permanently, at least in my experience. It has to be the combination of both therapies when the antibiotic kills the bacteria and the Arnica virtually guarantees a permanent cure as long as it is taken in a minimum dosage daily at night. Both my patients swear by this remedy as they are so used to it now that they cannot sleep deeply with it.

As I mentioned in a previous post it is this exchange of information that makes Homeopathy more exciting in its application and I hope that others who read our posts will remember that Arnica can be used very successfully for Eczema and Cellulitis.

It would be wonderful if this information can be passed on to the medical profession who only use antibiotics to kill the bacteria that cause Cellulitis but do not have the equivalent of Arnica to prevent reinfection in a few months, as usually happens with patients who are senior citizens.

__________________
Joe De Livera
Colombo
Sri Lanka