Rhus Tox

This morning my local public radio station ran a story about Poison Ivy. I listened to it two or three times because the program is re-un each hour. Since I'm up and at work before dawn, you can understand why I tire of it after I've heard it one.

On about the third time the story played I listened again with more intent because I wanted to know if there was mention of homeopathic treatment for this nasty stuff.

To me its nasty because I react to it and it is not fun.

Of course, no homeopathic suggestions from NPR, now that it hasn't been as independent as it had been years ago.

So if in case you'd like to know what you can do that may help prent and treat the nasty stuff, here's some information.

From one of my very favorite magazines - Countryside & Small Stock Journal:
January 1, 2005
By Becky Rupert
COPYRIGHT 2005 Countryside Publications Ltd.

As with any medication, do your homework and ask around for other opinions before embarking on a medication course you are not familiar with.--Ed.

Whenever we go out to cut up wood, my husband (like many others) has to deal with poison ivy. Now, luckily we have homeopathy to care for the itchy rash. We find that we can prevent poison ivy by using a remedy before we go out, or if he forgets, it can be quickly dispatched by the proper remedy. Thankfully, I am not allergic to the plant, it seems that most of the ladies in the family are immune, but the guys suffer horribly!

I've been using these methods for years, with great success, and I hope you find them useful.

And from a good homeopathy resource - the #1 single remedy for Poison Ivy

Rhus tox - Poison ivy for poison ivy? That's it. With a dose of this absolutely safe, non-toxic, homeopathic dilution of poison oak, your body gets just the stimulus it needs to fight off the effects of contact with poison ivy, oak or sumac. For all the itching frustration poison ivy inflicts, its remedy cures a lot more- especially stiff achy joints and rheumatic pains. For skin irritation,

Rhus tox works best for red blistering rashes that feel better the hotter the water you wash them in.

And a bit about case taking for poison ivy, oak, sumac

Treating poison oak homeopathically is much the same as treating anything with homeopathic remedies. The goal is to match the symptoms of the rash with the symptoms of the remedies. Aside from having a well developed materia medica, understanding the case clearly and correctly is the most important part of the process.

To facilitate this process of understanding the materia medica, I have organized the relevant remedies into a hierarchy. The first five remedies--Anacardium, Croton tiglium, Graphites, Rhus tox, and Sulphur--are essentially "rhus polycrests."

Taking the case involves considering appearance, severity of the rash, severity of the itching, discharge, sensations, the affects of scratching, ameliorations or aggravations, general affects on the person, previous history and previous intervention that may have changed the appearance or course of the case.

Potency: the most appropriate prescribing requires matching the potency to the case. The main considerations for potency are: clarity of symptoms for a remedy, and the severity of symptoms. A clear severe case will greatly benefit from a 1M potency, or 200C at least once a day. On the other hand, a mild case can take 12C every 2 hours or 30C a few times a day.

After giving the remedy, if there is improvement, the most useful instruction for the patient is to wait until it seems necessary to repeat. In other words, see how long the remedy works, then repeat. With a lower potency, repetition will be necessary more often. If the remedy makes the rash worse, stop taking it.

And yes, wash the exposed area, as the public radio report suggests, before the blisters appear.

But plan ahead and be prepared with you homeopathic remedy friend, Rhus tx.