ACONITE

The first sign of anything, give aconite. That’s my motto

Aconite is a premier remedy for when illness first starts. Wherever there is sudden appearance of symptoms. This could be fever, earache, sore throats, colds, URTI, even influenza. Generally it is advised for use within the first 24 hours of an infectious illness.

There is redness, swelling and heat or burning sensation. This can be anywhere on the body. Except in fever which is characterised by coldness, cold waves pass through him, sensation of coldness on the back. The fever is a dry heat. There is restlessness during fever and great thirst.

It is a first prescription for early stages of croup. The cough is dry with the sound like a seal barking as the cough is coming from in the larynx. Often the illness starts after becoming chilled.

It is also a useful remedy for shock or sudden panic. This is associated with anxiety and fear. The patient may be scared by bad news; ailments that come after fright or worry e.g. anticipation of an event leads to acute illness. Panic attacks that are associated with a fear of dying, palpitations and tightness in the chest which may cause the person to hyperventilate.

I used this remedy a lot when my son was little, it worked so well I was scared he would refuse to take my remedies anymore! So now and again I would let him stay home from school even though he wasn’t sick, as aconite had nipped his illness in the bud before his illness was fully fledged. But at least I had him home and not sick as apposed to home and having to nurse him.

What I noticed in my son, was that if there was anything unusual to happen the next day, e.g. a school outing or a sports day, he would get sick. This fear brought on an acute illness. Aconite is a useful remedy where fright is part of the state of the patient. Once I recognised this, I switched his remedy to Lycopodium, which is indicated in anticipation anxiety. This stopped the cycle of getting sick every time something new happened at school.

When deciding whether this remedy will be useful you need to look for

• sudden onset

• restlessness

• thirst

• hot

• red

• swelling

• anxiety

Disclaimer: This information is supplied for educational purposes only. Sources include published literature and anecdotal experiences of myself and other men, women and animals. The information is not intended for the treatment of any particular individual person or disease. If you are suffering any particular complaint please consult professional help.