Travel Materia Medica P - Z

Please note: No. 1 Remedy = Most frequently prescribed. to ensure your prescribing is as accurate as possible always match the symptoms as closely as possible to the medicine.

RHUS TOX No 1 Remedy for sprains and strains.
Stiffness, coupled with terrible restlessness. Pains usually around joints, which ache, feel sore, bruised. The pain gets worse on first movement, with a tearing or stitching sensation, but this eases after continued movement, provided it is not too strenuous. Patients who need Rhus Tox hate damp, cold weather. Dysentery symptoms are diarrhoea with tearing pains down back of leg. In colds, flus, fevers, a triangular red tip at the end of their tongue is an excellent confirmatory symptom.

RUTA No 1 Remedy for injuries to tendons / bone surface (periosteum).
Ruta’s action is deeper, but it has a less distinctive picture than Rhus Tox. It is less restless. The pain is worse lying on the affected part or the bone feels damaged.SILICA No.1 Remedy for forcing out splinters, etc.
In first aid treatment excellent for forcing out foreign bodies or hard plugs of ear wax (particularly after swimming), but beware if you have a pace-maker, grommets, metal pins etc. Use for painless wounds which suppurate and are slow to heal. In acute illnesses suits chilly types, who keep getting infections, which are very slow to clear up. Thirsty. Perspire easily. Better:heat. Worse: cold, damp, wet weather.

STAPHISAGRIA
Appear sweet and calm, but feel resentful. Use if "The Great British Reserve" leaves you feeling angry and humiliated in regions where queueing etc. is less popular! Feel boundaries have been violated. Very useful after cuts with sharp instruments e.g surgery, catheters and enemas. Doesn't want to be touched. Better for warmth; rest; breakfast. Worse: siesta.

URTICA URENS Useful in eruptions like stinging nettles, hives and plickly heat.
Pains are stinging, burning, itching. Helps eliminate toxins after poisonings with allergic reactions. Reduces swelling of feet/ankles (and attendant risk of deep vein thrombosis) on long haul flights.

VERATRUM
Restless both mentally and physically. Very chilly.Profuse cold sweat and watery diarrhoea.May also have vomiting simultaneously (cf Arsenicum). Desires sour fruit, and salty things. Very thirsty, desires cold drinks, but they aggravate condition. An important cholera remedy. Worse: exertion; drinking (especially cold drinks); during pain; perspiration. Better: hot drinks or food; covers; walking.