Ledum is a remedy which is an essential first aid kit remedy for busy and active kids and outdoors people.
The most common reason to take Ledum is a puncture wound – it is indicated for deep wounds that do not bleed much. Puncture wounds include animal bites and stings, garden wounds like thorns or prickles, other penetrating injuries like nails, and medical procedures like injections and vaccinations.
One of the keynotes of Ledum is that affected parts of the body are cool to touch. – so for puncture wounds, while the area can be swollen and puffy it will be pale and cool. Despite being cold, Ledum is better for cold and cold applications. It is a remedy for tetanus prophylaxis, and there can be twitching of muscles near the injury.
Ledum also has an affinity for the joints, with rheumatic pains and gout in the foot and toes that sends pain shooting upwards. There can also be cracking of joints and pains will be worse for the warmth of bed and better for cold.
The Respiratory tract is also affected, with a spasmodic cough from tickling in the larynx. Phlegm may be bloody, the chest feels constricted and breathing is difficult. It has been used for whooping cough.
A few other less common symptoms include vertigo when walking that makes them fall to one side, the eyes can be aching and blood filled, acne with pimples on the forehead and cheeks, and anal fissures.
They are generally cold and may feel like cold water has been poured over them, yet despite this they feel better for cold applications or cold bathing, and feel worse from heat and worse at night.
Ledum is one of those first aid remedies that is needed often at this time of year. I recently managed to sew my finger while not be careful on my sewing machine – I took a dose of Ledum as well as Hypericum (for injuries to nerve rich areas including fingers), and while I can still see the line through my finger where the needle travelled, even that afternoon I had no pain from the injury.
Do you have a Ledum story to share?
Photo credit: Qwert1234 on Wikimedia commons https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ledum_palustre_subsp._diversipilosum_var._nipponicum_1.JPG
