Hi Carol
An irritant is inhaled through the nose, so you sneeze to get rid of it. A bacteria enters through an open wound, and the immune system is brought into action. You eat some food that is off, and vomit it up. These are normal defence mechanisms, not to be confused with chronic or acute disease.
Of course in each instance, the underlying chronic state predisposes the person to be more vulnerable to certain stressors. So an Ars. alb patient might very well have violent reaction to food that is the slightest bit off. Everyone else is fine, but they end up with major vomiting, gastro, weakness, dehydration etc. Or persistent hayfever of a debilitating nature, or septicaemia with associated symptoms. In each instance the reaction is over and above the normal defence reaction intensity, there is hardly recovery but most importantly there are characteristic symptoms which clearly point to Ars. alb.
So if you see symptoms that are defence symptoms, that are not characteristic of a remedy and the patient is not in a critical state or on a downward path, it is best to wait. Support the patient (rehydrate, acidophillus, medicinal charcoal, a bucket, a tissue, clean the wound with calendula, whatever). If a remedy is needed it will usually show itself and the case won’t be clouded by hasty incorrect prescribing.
Never confounding the symptoms of the patient – is the characteristic symptoms. The ars alb. symptoms e.g. thirst for cold drinks which are vomited – better by warm drinks, a chill in the body but better with warm application to the head etc.. The defence mechanism symptoms, vomiting, sneezing are expected and could fit any number of remedies. So it’s about looking for the characteristics.
Regards,
Paul
From: Carol Orr
Sent: Monday, January 09, 2012 7:11 PM
To:
minutus@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Minutus] defense mechanisms
10. Never confound the dynamic symptoms of the patient with those related to
defense mechanisms.
Can someone give me an example of defense mechanisms?