Rhus tox

This remedy is useful for strains and sprains. It helps after any overexertion. This can be anywhere on the body so will be helpful for sprained ankles, back strains from heavy lifting and exertions of the vocal cords leading to hoarseness.

There is stiffness in all joints, especially neck and lower back.

One of the keynote symptoms is that on beginning to move, there is more pain and as the part warms up and the person has moved around for a bit, the pain is less. So it is also useful for chronic pains such as those associated with arthritis. A cute euphemism often referred to in homœopathy, is that this remedy is known as the “rusty gate remedy”.

Other symptoms to look out for are restlessness, better with warm applications, worse from cold and damp, worse at night. This remedy may help restless leg syndrome if other symptoms match. The restlessness may also be manifest in the mental sphere which may lead to sleeplessness.

Rhus tox is also very useful for skin complaints. The symptoms will be intense itchiness and redness. After scratching, there maybe yellow, serous fluid coming out of the small red pimples. This can sometimes be seen after scratching itchy insect bites. I have found it useful for the irritation of sand fly bites and scrub itch from grass ticks. It can help relieve skin symptoms in some conditions such as chicken pox and shingles although more than one remedy is required to treat the latter.

Keynotes

• Stiffness

• restless, cannot find a comfortable position to rest in

• Burning itching and redness of skin

• Strong desire for cold milk, may drink litres a day

Modalities

The modalities are very similar to Tuberculinum, if Rhus-tox fails to act, look at this remedy.

Worse – beginning to move

– cold and wet

– at night

Better – warm applications

– warm food and drinks,