An injury, whether superficial or deep, sets panic that needs immediate attention. Injury refers to physical harm or damage to body from an accident, a fall, a blow, or a weapon. A common term heard along with injuries is wounds. Wounds refer to injuries that cause a break in skin or body tissues (like scratches, cuts). All wounds are injuries but all injuries are not wounds. Timely administration of some homeopathic medicines not only helps in relieving pain but also cuts short the healing time preventing further complications.

Wound

Homeopathic Management

Homeopathic medicines are highly effective in treating minor injuries. These medicines help to relieve pain, reduce swelling and lessen healing time and prevent complications. Homeopathic medicines work wonders in treating minor injuries. Few doses of Arnica 30C taken soon after injury can really prove right the proverb ‘a stich in time saves nine’. Right from drawing someone out from a state of mental shock of injury, to pain relief to healing of injured tissues, Arnica works on every aspect of healing. Homeopathic medicines for treating injuries are selected keeping in mind the nature of injury. For managing moderate injuries, use homeopathic medicines along with allopathy. In case of serious injuries or emergency, help from conventional mode of treatment should be sought right away. It is strictly to be noted that homeopathic medicines are not a substitute for allopathy where immediate first aid is required urgently.

Homeopathic Medicines For Managing  Wounds And Injuries

1. Arnica – Top Grade Medicine For Injuries With Closed Wounds (Where Skin Is Not Split Open)

Arnica is a must-have in the first aid box to deal with injuries. It is the best bet for cases of injuries, specifically closed wounds in which the external skin shows no visible sign of harm. Any homeopathic physician will instantly recommend this medicine for such type of injuries. Injuries caused by a fall, a blow or a bump against something, being hit by something, blunt instruments or equipment are best dealt by with this medicine keeping in mind that external skin is intact and no external wound is present. This medicine in the first place brings relief in pain, soreness and swelling in the affected part. Secondly, it heals the injured tissues. It is also a wonderful medicine for treating bruises (blackish, bluish or purplish discoloration on skin after injury from damaged blood vessels below the skin). This medicine is also recommended to treat after-effects of injuries suffered long time back.

When and How to use Arnica?

It is a precious gem in homeopathy for treating injury cases. It is an irreplaceable medicine when it comes to treat injuries resulting from a fall, a blow or a bump against something, being hit by something, blunt instruments when external skin is not broken in any form. Use it as first aid in such type of injuries and it will often prove a stitch in time here. Take Arnica 30C three to four times a day after injury occurs. Once pain lessens, soreness gets better and swelling reduces, you may decrease the dose to just twice a day.

 2. Rhus Tox – For Overuse Injury And Sprains, Strains

Though at the second place, it does not mean Rhus Tox is a less important medicine than Arnica. It is equally important and as effective as Arnica but prescribed for different kinds of injuries. It is a perfect remedy in case of overuse injury, sprain and strain. Overuse injury means injury occurring from repetitive use of a body part for certain movements as in some sports activity. Sprain means overstretching or tearing of ligaments. Strain refers to overstretching or tearing of muscles or tendons. A person suffers from intense pain, stiffness or swelling.

When and How to use Rhus Tox?

It is a commendable medicine for injury cases to be used in those who have pain, swelling or stiffness from overuse of a body part by excessive physical activity or from sprain or strain. It can be used in different potencies ranging from 30C, 200C to 1M and 10M. In 30C potency, one may take it three to four times a day. If using 200C potency, its use should be limited to once or twice a day. In higher potencies like 1M and 10M, use it in infrequent doses as per intensity of problem. Do not use 1M or 10M potency without consulting a homeopath.

3. Calendula – For Open Wounds Where Skin Is Broken

It is a natural medicine prepared from leaves and flowers of plant ‘pot marigold’. Calendula is the most widely used medicine for cases of open wounds where skin is broken. Some examples include abrasions (wounds caused by rubbing of skin against rough surface), cuts (tear in skin caused by sharp objects like knife) and lacerations (open wound caused by blunt objects). It is a great healing agent with marked antiseptic properties. It aids pain relief besides promoting healing of injured tissue. It reduces sharp, stinging pain in wounds and redness. Additionally, it has great potential in preventing pus formation. It heals wounds by first intention means quick healing, no pus formation and very minimal scarring. It is also recommended to use this medicine before and after any surgical procedure for efficient healing along with conventional medicines.

When and How to use Calendula?

It is a specific medicine used as a first line of treatment in case of open wounds where skin is broken. It works extremely well to reduce pain, swelling and promote healing of wounds. Its use is recommended as local application over the injured area. For this, Calendula Q (in mother tincture form) needs to be diluted in water and applied over injured area soon after injury, and for twice or thrice a day afterwards. At the same time, pills of Calendula 30 C potency need to be taken orally (from mouth). Calendula 30 C can be taken three to four times a day for the initial few days. As healing progresses, the dose should be reduced to twice a day.

4. Hypericum – For Nerve Injury, Tail Bone Injury, Spine Injury, Whiplash Injury

When it comes to manage nerve injury, no medicine is equivalent to Hypericum. Being sourced from plant St John’s Wort, it is a natural remedy. It proves highly effective in managing nerve pain that follows injury to nerves. Though it can be given for injury to any body part, primarily it is indicated for nerve injury occurring in fingers, toes, palms, soles and body parts that are rich in nerves. For example, fingers might get pressed in the door causing intense nerve pain for which Hypericum is the most suitable medicine. It is also well indicated for nerve pain that follows any dental procedure. It is the best medicine for tail bone (coccyx) injury from a fall. Pain radiates up and down the limbs from the tail bone along with inability to walk. Further, its use is highly recommended for injury to spine. Here it can be used along with conventional treatment for relieving pain and tenderness. Lastly, it is highly beneficial for cases of whiplash injuries — neck injury that occurs when head moves backward and forward suddenly and forcefully, commonly suffered in rear-end car accidents.

When and How to use Hypericum?

This medicine should be considered as a first aid remedy for any sort of nerve injury. Most preferably, it is used in 30C potency repeated three to four times a day, though some cases require administration of high potencies, like 200C and 1M. High potencies are not given in very frequent doses. As a general rule, the higher the potency, lesser the frequency of dosage.

5. Symphytum – For Broken Bones (Fracture)

Prepared from plant Comfrey also called ‘knit bone’, Symphytum is a top-ranked medicine for managing fracture. Undoubtedly, it is the best medicine for promoting healing of fractures. It enhances the activity of fibroblast cells which speeds up healing. Along with bone repair, it also provides relief in pain. Other than this, its use is indicated for managing cases of black eye (bruise around eye after bleeding from ruptured blood vessels in skin area around the eye caused by a blow or punch). It appears as blackish bluish discoloration around the eye.

When and How to use Symphytum?

Anyone who is familiar with homeopathic medicines knows that there can be no other medicine that matches Symphytum when it comes to bone healing. Its use should be considered in every case of fracture. The medicine can be started after the setting of the broken bone in the cast. It gives the best results in mother tincture (Q) form. In beginning start with Symphytum Q , 5 to 7 drops diluted in half a cup of water three times a day for about two weeks. Gradually decrease the dose to twice a day, followed by once a day.

6. Ruta – To Treat Sprains And Strains

It is a herbal medicine prepared from ‘garden rue’ plant. It has marked action on ligaments, tendons and muscles. It can effectively handle cases where ligaments are overstretched or torn (sprains) and when muscles/tendons are overstretched or torn (strains). It will offer relief in pain and reduce swelling at the affected site.

When and How to use Ruta?

This medicine can be used in cases of sprain and strain to promote healing of injured ligaments, tendons or muscles as well as for pain relief. Initially, take Ruta 30C three to four times a day, reduce to once or twice a day when healing has begun. In case recovery is slow, one may switch to Ruta 200C once or twice a day.

7. Cantharis – ForBurnsAnd Scalds

Cantharis is a leading medicine for treatment of burns and scalds. This medicine gives relief in pain and reduces burning pain in damaged area. It reduces redness and inflammation and aids healing of burns. If used immediately on the burnt area, it prevents blister (water-filled bumps) formation. Other than burns and scalds, it can treat sunburns as well.

When and How to use Cantharis?

Each and every case of burns and scalds requires Cantharis in the first place without wasting time. While applying on burns, apply it externally by diluting its 1X or 2X potency in water twice a day. Simultaneously, start taking Cantharis 30C tablets twice a day.

8. Ledum Palustre – For Punctured Wounds

This medicine is obtained from plant ‘wild rosemary’. It is a wonderful medicine to treat punctured wounds from sharp pointed objects such as needles, pins, iron nails, injections, etc. Besides, it is effective in managing wounds arising from insect stings.

When and How to use Ledum Palustre?

It is the most commonly prescribed medicine for cases of punctured wounds and wounds from insect stings. One may take it in 30 C potency two to three times a day.

9. Natrum Sulph – For Managing Head Injury

It is one of the best medicines to treat head injury. It can be used along with conventional medicines. It plays an effective role in managing headache, depression or epilepsy that may follow a head injury.

When and How to use Natrum Sulph?

Natrum Sulph is a specific medicine for treating head injury. As it is a serious injury, it is advised to consider its use along with conventional medicines. If you are taking this medicine a long time after sustaining a head injury, its independent use can be thought of. It can be used in various potencies like 30C, 200C and 1M. Use this medicine only as advised by a homeopathic physician.

Note Use of the above medicines is recommended only for minor wounds and injuries. In case of serious and severe injuries, immediate help from conventional mode of treatment is advised.

Types of injuries

Some of the common injuries include:

1. Bruises: It refers to blackish, bluish or purplish discolouration of skin after injury due to damaged blood vessels under the skin. The affected area can be painful, tender and swollen. It may happen from reasons like hitting of a body part against some object like chair, door, bed, etc; sprains; and car accidents.

2. Sprain and strain: A sprains refers to overstretching of ligaments (band of tissue that connects bones together in a joint). The most common location of sprain is ankle and wrist. Strain refers to overstretching of muscles or tendons (band of tissue that attaches a muscle to a bone). Strains are common in the back.

3. Overuse injuries: It is an injury from repetitive physical activities of a certain kind over a period of time rather than a single time injury. It could affect the muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, joints, nerves from repetitive stress.

Abrasion

4. Abrasions: It is a type of wound which involves breaking of skin that happens on rubbing of skin against a rough surface, for example when one falls on hard rough surface. It is not a deep wound. Elbows, knees and ankles are some of the areas commonly affected.

5. Cuts and Lacerations: Cut is a wound with direct tear in skin caused by sharp objects like knife, broken glass piece, etc. Lacerations refer to torn or jagged open wounds with irregular margins caused by blunt trauma.

Laceration

6. Punctures wounds: It is a deep wound when a sharp pointed object penetrates the skin like a needle, pin, iron nail.

7. Incised wounds: A straight clean cut wound resulting from a sharp object like knife, blade, incision wounds during surgery are referred to as surgical wounds.

8. Fractures (broken bones): A crack or break in the bone

9. Burns and scalds: It is a result of skin or tissue damage from heat. Burns happen from dry heat (fire, hot iron) or chemicals, electricity, radiation, or sunlight. Scalds, on the other hand, are caused by moist heat like hot water, hot oil, steam, etc.

10. Animal Bites and insect stings

11. Concussion (traumatic brain injury): It is a brain injury from trauma like a fall, blow on head that affects the functioning of brain. It can cause headache, loss of concentration, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, dizziness, confusion and memory loss.

Signs And Symptoms Of Injuries

The signs and symptoms differ according to the type of injury and its severity. Among all types, head injury and spine injury are the most serious ones.

Some of the signs and symptoms include pain, swelling, reduced mobility of affected part, bleeding, cuts, scraping on skin, and skin turning red, blue or black.

Some serious signs and symptoms include uncontrolled heavy bleeding, breathing problem, bluish lips or fingernails, chest pain, changes in consciousness levels, abnormal pupil size, pupils getting non-reactive to light, paralysis, vomiting of blood, etc.

Passing undigested food in stool once in a while is usually nothing to worry about. When undigested food in the stool is attended with some other signs and symptoms like diarrhea, weight loss, blood in stool, loss of bowel control, it may indicate a medical issue that needs to be diagnosed and treated.

Homeopathic Management

Homeopathy can be very helpful in managing cases of undigested food in stool arising from medical conditions. Without any side effects, homeopathic medicines give excellent results by targeting the cause behind it. Homeopathic medicines for managing it are prescribed on an individual basis based on the signs and symptoms. It is advised to take any homeopathic medicine for managing it under supervision of a homeopathic doctor, who can give suitable medicine and dose after detailed case evaluation. In cases where severe signs and symptoms accompany like excessive weight loss, excessive blood in stool, severe nutritional deficiency due to malabsorption, severe anaemia,  independent use of these medicines should be avoided. However, in such cases, these may be taken as supportive help for symptom management along with conventional mode of treatment.

Homeopathic Medicines For Undigested Food In Stool

1. China – For Undigested Food In Stool, Frequent Stool, Gas

It is a natural medicine prepared from dried bark of a plant Cinchona Officinalis, also known as ‘peruvian bark’. It is a very effective medicine for cases having undigested food in stool and frequent stool. Along with this, there is excessive gas and abdominal bloating. Stool is profuse, loose in cases needing it. Stool can be frothy too. It is attended with passage of much gas. Stool has an offensive, putrid smell. Excessive weakness can occur along with the above symptoms.

2. Arsenic Album –  For Cases Of Stomach Infection

It is a prominent medicine for managing cases of stomach infection. It is useful when there is watery stool mixed with undigested food particles.  The stool has an offensive, rotten smell. Green mucus may sometimes be present in it.  Burning sensation can be felt around the navel. Weakness may be felt along with these symptoms. Lastly, vomiting can occur with above symptoms.

3. Phosphorus – For Long-Term Diarrhea With Undigested Food

This medicine is well-indicated for cases having long term diarrhea (loose stool) with undigested food in the stool. Those needing it may have yellowish, greenish, brownish or greyish stool. It may have green or white mucus in it in some of the cases. Stool has a sour smell, sometimes blood is also present in the stool. Before stool gets passed out, rumbling and colic may be felt. Diarrhea may alternate with constipation sometimes in cases that require it. In few cases, stool passes involuntarily.

4. Lycopodium – When Gas And Abdominal Bloating Are Marked

It is prepared from a plant Lycopodium Clavatum, commonly known as ‘club moss’. Persons who need it complain of undigested food particles in the stool and marked abdominal gas and bloating. Stool is yellow, watery with fetid odour. Sometimes stool is pale or brown and mixed with hard lumps.

5. Colocynth – When Attended With Abdomen Cramps

This natural medicine is prepared from pulp of fruit Citrullus colocynthis, also called cucumis colocynthis and ‘bitter apple’. This plant belongs to family cucurbitaceae. This medicine works well when stool has undigested food and there is marked abdomen pain and cramping. Stool is copious and accompanied with passage of excessive gas. Stool is thin, frothy, yellow or greenish yellow. It has a musty odour. Sometimes it is slimy and blood-stained also. The abdomen pain worsens by eating or drinking. Bending double (bending upper part of body forward and downward), pressing or lying on the abdomen bring relief in pain.

6. Podophyllum – For Profuse Gushing Diarrhea With Undigested Food Bits In Stool

It is prepared from root of a plant Podophyllum peltatum, having common name ‘may apple’. It is a very beneficial medicine for those suffering from profuse gushing diarrhea with undigested food in stool. They have frequent, profuse, watery, greenish or yellow, pasty and foul-smelling stool. Abdominal soreness may attend it. Weight loss can be present with the above symptoms.

7. Merc Sol – When Stool Is Loose With Mucus And Blood

Use of this medicine can be done when the stool is loose along with mucus and blood. Undigested food particles are present in it. Stool can be yellowish or greenish. It is sour smelling. The intestines can be inflamed where it is required.

8. Calcarea Carb – For Undigested Food In Stool With Either Hard Or Thin Stool

It is a useful medicine when undigested food passes in stool and the stool is either hard or thin. In some cases, the first part of stool is hard, then pasty followed by liquid. It can have an offensive fetid smell or sour smell.

What Are The Reasons Behind It?

It can simply be arising from eating fast without chewing food properly. Properly chewed food is easy to break by gastric enzymes and easy to be digested. If food is not chewed properly, the digestive enzymes have to work hard to break it down and digest it, and the chances of food passing undigested increase. The food eaten fast increases the speed at which food passes down the gastric tract resulting in incomplete breaking of food and passing it partially digested.

Next reason is taking high-fiber diet or food having hard external shells (like seeds, corn) that are difficult to digest. The digestive enzymes are unable to break down such food completely which is not absorbed in the digestive tract. As a result, it passes as such in the stool. Additionally, fiber diet leads to increase in speed of bowel movements and the time period for which the food remains in the digestive tract is shortened that increases the chance of some food to pass undigested. Some examples of food that are partially digested by the gastric enzymes and have high chance to pass as such in stool are beans, peas, skin of tomato, grains like quinoa, seeds and nuts.

Other than this, eating overcooked food can be a reason. This is because chemical composition of food changes by overcooking which makes it difficult to digest.

Apart from these reasons, there may be some medical reasons behind it that need to be diagnosed and treated.

1. Crohn’s disease: It is one of the two inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) of autoimmune origin in which inflammation in any part of the gastrointestinal tract can occur from mouth to anus. It can result in undigested food in the stool along with other symptoms like diarrhea, abdomen cramps, weakness, blood in stool, weight loss and malnutrition.

2. Celiac disease: It is also of autoimmune origin in which eating gluten (a protein found in wheat, barley and rye) triggers an immune reaction in the small intestine resulting in damage to its lining. This damage prevents proper absorption of nutrients from the diet. Its signs and symptoms include diarrhea, fatigue, gas, bloating, foul-smelling stool, undigested food in the stool, weight loss and anaemia.

3. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): It is a very chronic disorder affecting the large intestine. Its main signs and symptoms include diarrhea, constipation, or alternation between diarrhea and constipation, abdomen cramp or pain, gas and abdominal bloating.

4. Lactose intolerance: It is a condition in which the sufferer is not able to digest the sugar (lactose) in the milk completely due to deficiency of an enzyme called lactase. It can cause symptoms including diarrhea, gas and bloating after consuming dairy products.

5. It may also happen in case of acute gastroenteritis in which there is irritation and inflammation of the stomach and the intestines from a bacterial or viral infection. It can cause undigested food to pass in the stool along with diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, stomach pain/cramp and fever.

6. Next reason can be small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). This condition arises from an abnormal rise in the overall bacterial growth in the small intestine. Diarrhea, abdomen pain, loss of appetite, bloating, malnutrition and unintentional weight loss are some of its signs and symptoms.

7. Lastly, it may arise in cases of pancreatic insufficiency. The pancreas doesn’t make enough enzymes that help in breaking food and absorption of its nutrients.

What Other Signs And Symptoms Can Attend it?

It can be attended with other signs and symptoms depending on the cause behind it. Some of these include diarrhea, constipation, gas, bloating, offensive smell from stool, abdominal cramps, greasy stool, light-coloured stool, blood in the stool, weight loss and fever. Undigested food in the stool may also indicate that the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals are not getting absorbed properly in the digestive tract. In case of malnutrition, there may occur tiredness, weakness, weight loss, irritability and depression.