Ledum Palustre: Homeopathic Medicine – Its Use, Indications And Dosage

Ledum Palustre is a natural homeopathic medicine derived from plant ‘wild rosemary’, also known as ‘marsh tea’. It belongs to family ericaceae. The dried small twigs and leaves of this plant collected after flowering begins undergo potentization process. Its medicinal properties are extracted and intensified and as a result we get a highly valuable homeopathic medicine Ledum Palustre. This medicine is of great benefit in treating joint pains, insect bites, bee stings and injuries (mainly punctured wounds caused by sharp objects).

The ‘Ledum Palustre’ Constitution

Ledum Palustre acts best on persons who suffer from joint inflammation. It suits people who feel cold and chilly most of the time. Lastly, its use is prominently indicated for those having history of alcohol abuse.

Drug Action

The main action of this medicine is on joints, tendons and skin. Rest of the body parts where it manifests its action includes eyes and face.

Clinical Indications

Joint complaints, gout, ankle sprain, ankle swelling and pain, insect bites, bee stings, injuries, punctured wounds, bruises, ecchymosis, whitlow, felon, carbuncle, black eye and facial eczema.

Scope As A Homeopathic Remedy

1. For Joint Pains/Ankle Sprain

Ledum Pal is a magnificent medicine for managing joint complaints. It has shown great clinical improvement in cases of joint pain. The characteristic feature to use it is joint pain starting in the lower limb and then ascending upwards. The joints are swollen, hot, and tense and look pale. Stinging or drawing type of pain occurs in joints. It gets worse from movement and warmth in bed. Pain also increases in intensity in the evening and night. Ice water application relieves pain. Ledum Pal is also successfully used for treating gout (inflammation of joints due to high uric levels). It works well mainly for pain in foot, toes, and hands and in small joints. It is attended with cracking in joints. Nodes are present on joints with high uric acid levels. Next, it has marked action where it is extensively used for ankle pain and swelling or ankle sprain (overstretching, twisting or tearing of ligaments which are cords of tough fibrous tissue that connect one bone to another). Cases with tendency of easy spraining of ankles can be handled wonderfully with this remedy. It can also be given for shoulder joint pain. Mainly it is indicated for stitching pain in shoulder, it gets worse by raising the arm. Pressure is felt with pain in the shoulders that increases with any kind of motion. Its action is well marked on knee joint as well. There is knee pain and soreness if touched. Tearing, sticking, tensive knee pain is felt which gets worse from motion or walking. Additionally, the knee is swollen, stiff and there is cracking in knee.

Key indicating features

Joint pain that begins in lower limb and then ascend upwards

Joint pain gets worse from motion, warmth of bed, in evening and night

Joint pain better from applying ice water

Ankle pain, ankle swelling, ankle sprains

 2. Skin (Insect Bites, Stings, Ecchymosis, Bruises Whitlow, Felon, Carbuncle)

This medicine also manifests its action on skin. Here it is well indicated for managing insect bites, stings, ecchymosis, bruises, whitlow, felon and carbuncle. Ledum Pal is ranked as a top grade medicine in homeopathy for insect bites and bee stings. It is also indicated for wasp stings and mosquito bites. (NOTE: In case of bee stings or insect bites, this medicine is indicated only for mild to moderate cases with localised symptoms on skin. In case of a severe allergic reaction or anaphylaxis presented with features like swelling in throat, tongue, sudden drop of blood pressure, dizziness, rapid pulse, unconsciousness, its use is strictly not recommended as these are life threatening conditions requiring urgent help from conventional mode of treatment). Next it is highly recommended for ecchymosis and bruises cases. Ecchymosis refers to blue or purple spots on skin occurring from leakage of blood from injured capillary under the skin. Bruises refers to black, blue or purple skin discoloration from damaged blood vessels under skin resulting in pooling of blood underneath skin typically resulting from an injury, a fall or bumping into something. When skin discoloration lasts for prolonged time after injection, vaccination or some injury, then Ledum Pal can be used with excellent results.  Its use is also suggested for cases of felon and whitlow. Felon is an infection of soft tissue resulting in pus-filled pocket on finger tips. Felon resulting from a needle prick, splinters and punctured wounds can be treated effectively with this remedy.  There is redness, swelling and throbbing pain. Whitlow is an infection of fingers caused by herpes simplex virus. For cases of carbuncles too this medicine proves helpful. Carbuncles are clusters of swollen, painful boils (hair follicle infection with pus collection under skin) connected together under skin. Initially carbuncles appear as red bumps with pain which then fill with pus.

Key indicating features

Insect bites, mosquito bites, bee stings, wasp stings

Black, blue or purple skin discoloration in case of ecchymosis and bruises

Prolonged skin discoloration after injection, vaccinations or some injury

  3. For Injuries

It is a brilliant homeopathic medicine for managing injuries. It is of great value in cases of punctured wounds, these are injuries caused by sharp pointed objects like pins, needles, nails, splinters, insect bites etc. In cases needing it, the injured parts usually feel cold to touch. There is relief by cold application on wounds. Its use is highly appreciable to help cases of bruises. It can be really useful for discoloration of skin after an injury or at injection site. Next it gives promising results in case of black eye (bruise around the eye from an injury to face or head) and ankle sprain. Lastly, it can deal with cases of panaritium (an inflammation with formation of pus on the area surrounding the nail plate) caused by an external injury.

Key indicating features

Punctured wounds caused by sharp pointed objects like pins, needles, nails, splinters, insect bites

Bruises (black, blue, purple skin discoloration) and black eye

Ankle sprains

4. Eyes (Black Eye, Pus Discharge, Eye Watering)

With its action on eye it mainly helps to manage black eye caused by injury. Next it is valuable for ptosis (drooping of upper eyelids) cases from injury. It can be used for management of pus discharge from eyes. Last indication for its use is eye watering that cause soreness of lower lids and cheeks.

Key indicating features

Black eye from an injury

Droopy eyelids (ptosis) after an injury

5. Face (Acne, Eczema)

Ledum Palustre can be used for acne (pimples). It is indicated when acne mainly occurs on cheeks and forehead. Next complaint where it can be given is facial eczema. Besides,it helps when there are crusty eruptions around mouth and nose. It is attended with itching, burning and smarting.

Key indicating features

Pimples on cheeks and forehead

Crusty eruptions around mouth and nose with itching, burning and smarting

Modalities

Worsening factors: Complaints worsen from heat of bed, warmth, evening, night, joint movement and injury

Relieving factors: Relief by ice water application and cold bathing

Dosage

Depending on the case presentation it can be used from low to high potencies. In general, it can be repeated often in low potencies. Frequent repetition is usually not advised when using its high potency.

Relationship With Other Remedies

Antidoted by: Camphor and Rhus Tox

It antidotes: Apis Mellifica

Followed well by: Aconite, Belladonna, Sulphuric Acid, Nux Vomica, Pulsatilla, Rhus Tox and Sulphur