# Ledum (HMT)

## Remedy Classification
- **Type:** Remedy
- **Alternative Names:** Marsh Tea
- **Miasm:** Tubercular Miasm
- **Temperament:** Neutral
- **Aggravation Time:** Neutral/Anytime

## Keynote Indications
Ledum is prepared from a plant, with a distinctive strong smell.  In
traditional medicine, the extract of the plant is used in the treatment of
headache, heart attack and for expulsion of phlegm from the lungs.  In
homoeopathic form, it has been found very useful in the treatment of
insect bites and joint pains.

The poisonous effect of Ledum very much resembles snake venom.
Like Lachesis, its ailments begin on the left side, are more intense in
the upper part of the body than the lower, start mostly at the feet or the
leg and then spread from below upwards.

Like Arnica, Ledum is also closely related to injuries.  Particularly,
when used along with Arnica and Hypericum it proves to be much
more effective. Ledum is of special use in the treatment of old
injuries, leaving deep residual effect, or in the treatment of injuries
caused by pointed objects  like nails and thorns, etc.  Ledum-
susceptible wounds emit a lightning type of pain, even after having
apparently been healed for years.  In this situation, if the patient
happens to get convulsions or severe muscular spasms , Ledum
proves to be the best remedy.

Horse dung is notorious for causing tetanus.  However, if the horse
itself should step on a sharp rusty nail, and sustain a deep wound in
the hoof which then happens to dig into the bone, the convulsions of
tetanus can rapidly be cured with Ledum 200.  Ledum has the
capability of curing tetanus resul ting, even after many years, from
wounds inflicted with sharp weapons.  Ledum is also very useful in
the treatment of injuries penetra ting through the surface linings of the
bone (periosteum).  However, for the associated damage to the nerve
fibres around the bone, Hypericum is much more effective.  Similarly,
if the nerves are damaged following surgery and the pain continues
then Hypericum is found to be more useful than Ledum.  Arnica in a
high potency is usef ul in treating the sprain at the heel, but not for
the residual pain due to injury to  the nerve fibres . Ruta and Bellis
prove to be of much greater a dvantage in this situation.  Persistent
swelling and chronic pain of the ankle  resulting from repeated
ligamentous sprains responds better to Equisetum.  Ledum may also
be very beneficial if the chronic sw elling is due to the involvement of
the joints.  Chronic ill effects of repeated ankle injuries  are better
treated with Ruta, Bellis and Equisetum.

Some homoeopathic remedies have  been found useful on clinical
evidence, though they have not been described in literature.  At one
time, proving had been the standard  for establishing the efficacy of
homoeopathic substances, which obviously is the best method.
However, in view of the scarcity  of conscientious and impartial
volunteers, clinical evidence has definitely played an important role in
the advancement of homoeopathic knowledge.

Sometimes, the effect of injury to the ankle  does not remain
localised.  It may also result in  the cramping of the legs, which
becomes worse on walking or excessive movement, causing severe
discomfort.  The cramps may affect the knees and hip joints.  No
ordinary treatment seems to relieve them.  Only, on specific treatment,
will the discomfort start receding to wards the original site, where it
will become localised.  The appropriate analogous therapy will
prevent the spread of discomfort from here.

The swelling of Ledum originates from the joints of the feet, like the
onset of gout.  Gout has its ow n specific nature and is easily
diagnosed, i.e. relief of discomfort  in the cold or  by pouring cold
water over the affected area, while th e discomfort increases in the hot
weather.  This kind of pain in the foot also gets better with Ledum
very quickly.  All conditions related to Ledum will be relieved on cold
applications.

Phantom pains  in which a diseased or  injured part  has been
amputated and yet the patient feels the original part of the limb
existing and continuing to hurt, is an extremely troubling condition.
For example, a person’s leg has been surgically  removed (amputated)
for some incurable condition, but he feels as if the big toe (that does
not exist any more) is hurting.  Arnica and Ledum are very effective to
relieve this condition.  If the treat ing physician comes to know of the
existing condition that required the am putation in the first place, then
he should treat that very condition.   The phantom pain is the pain
along the nerve fibres that have be en sensitized by th e sickness.  In
case the analogous treatment of the sickness is administered, the
affected nerve fibres will receive the message of reverting to their
normal state.  Arnica, Ledum, Hypericum and Symphytum, etc. can be
useful in the treatment of phantom pain , provided that the original
disease i.e. before amputation, is the focus of treatment.

The Ledum patient is cold and feels very cold both inside and out, yet
his joint pains feel better with cold applications.  They become worse
on the application of heat. It is strange, yet real in the case of Ledum.

The face of a Ledum patient, like that  of Lachesis, appears swollen.
Similar symptoms are also found in heart patients.  The face of a
Ledum patient is somewhat bluish.  The legs and feet also, are
swollen (oedematous) and bluish in colour. The Ledum patient is
generally stout and well built.

Ledum may also be useful in the treatment of chronic pain of the
knee joints, in addition to the ankles, pr ovided the pain seems to be
relieved with cold applications.  As in Gelsemium, the patient passes
plenty of colourless urine freely.

In female patients of Ledum, periods are frequent, excessive and of
deep red colour.  These symptoms being present, Ledum will cure the
uterine dysfunction also. Remember however, that symptoms of
Ledum subside with cold applications.

One symptom is common to Pulsatilla and Ledum yet it is not difficult
to differentiate between the two. In Ledum the limbs that become the
seat of chronic pain, graduall y become weak, contracted and
shrivelled, in comparison to the non-affected side.  The clear
distinction is that a Pulsatilla patient feels hot and gets relief with
cold, while the patient of Ledum feels cold yet gets relief with cold.
Moreover, his ailments still get better in cold weather.

Ledum is also useful in the treatment of eye conditions.  Injury to the
eye, blood shots, and simultaneous onset of gout and cataract respond
beautifully to treatment with Ledum.  In Ledum, tiny red pimples
form on the forehead and cheeks, which are painful to touch.  Acne
appears on the nose and at the mout h.  The nose burns.  There is a
suffocating type of cough and the phlegm is mixed with blood.  The
trachea feels sore and constricted, causing difficulty in breathing.  The
innate body temperature of a Ledum patient is low (sub-normal), yet
he cannot tolerate the warmth of  the bed.  Heat aggravates his
symptoms.  Instead he likes to keep his feet dipped in cold water.

Potency: 30 to 200

## Symptoms by System