Homoeopathy — Page 71
Apis Mellifica 71 Apis Mellifica (The Honey Bee) Medicinally, bee venom is used in several diseases. In ancient times, it was used to treat insect bites and stings. Apis is especially useful in the illnesses caused by honeybee stings and like ailments. The typical pain of the Apis patient is fraught with burning and piercing sensation. Cold application relieves the pain while heat aggravates it. The symptoms usually begin on the right side and then spread to the left. The skin feels sore and cannot tolerate any pressure. Even the touch of cloth is unbearable. The patient feels intense heat in the blood and is relieved by exposure to the open air. He is worse for heat (feeling heat). Apis is very useful in every kind of inflammation and swelling aggravated by exposure to heat or heat application. This is the best remedy for Meningitis also. When used promptly, it also prevents the subsequent development of epilepsy whereas even if Meningitis is cured by conventional treatment, some long-term complications persist, one of which is epilepsy. If cold, rather than warmth, worsens the symptoms, Apocynum should be used instead. In the later part of pregnancy , some women develop convulsions (Eclampsia). The general perception is that in such a condition, a patient gets relief from a hot bath. However, if the patient’s constitution is that of Apis, a hot bath leads to severe convulsions to the extent that due to constriction of the cervix, the baby can die in utero. If not treated immediately, the mother may also die. Similarly, small children, of Apis temperament, can also fall into a state of convulsions with a hot bath and these convulsions can result in their death. It is extremely important to know if the symptoms worsen with heat or cold. If heat aggravates the symptoms, Belladonna 1000 and Aconite 1000 should also be added to Apis and repeated 2 to 3 times within 15 minutes. If the condition is aggravated by cold, Mag Phos should be administered. Apocynum is the ideal remedy for a cool disposition and Apis, that of a hot disposition. If a child does not like to be covered but kicks the cloth off, this shows that he does not like heat.