Learn how to unlock the benefits of homeopathic medicine Belladonna for managing high temps.
As an Amazon Associate this post contains affiliate links. This means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.
When our little ones are feeling poorly and their foreheads feel slightly warm, what do we do? Often we immediately reach for the thermometer. As we see the temperature rise above 98.6, our anxiety as a mother rises with it. But should it?
My hope is that by the end of this article you will:
- Have less fears surrounding fevers
- Learn and understand the benefits of fevers
- Feel empowered with alternative medicine options
Why Fevers are Beneficial for the Body
First off, lets just clear the air. Fevers are a wonderful thing! They are a brilliant working of the body, designed by our Creator to kill off the foreign invaders that are disturbing our body. There has been a lot of fear created surrounding fevers with the solution offered being an abundance of drugs to suppress the body’s natural immune response. However there are more effective and safer options to help manage high temps.
Options to Manage High Temps
The first and best option is to do nothing. If your child or person you are caring for is not extremely uncomfortable it is best to let the fever run its course. During this time it is important to prevent dehydration by making sure the patient is consuming enough liquids. Dehydration should be our main concern when someone is sick with a fever.
Dr. Robert Mendelsohn shares some enlightening information around fevers. We often correlate the height of a temperature with the severity of the illness but this is a myth. Someone can be just as sick with a low grade fever as with one that is 105 degrees. Another myth about fevers is that we must suppress them because if they get too high they will cause brain damage. This also isn’t true. The body will not allow its temperature to reach this level. The only way a fever can reach the level where brain damage can occur is if some type of substance such as a poison has entered the body or because of heat stroke. To read more myths about fevers like the ones I’ve just shared check out Dr. Robert Mendelsohn’s book – How to Raise a Healthy Child in Spite of Your Doctor.
Another important thing to remember when dealing with a fever is don’t suppress it with fever reducing drugs if at all possible. There are a variety of homeopathic remedies that can help aid a person with a fever by signaling to the body to return to its homeostasis state.
Homeopathic Medicine for High Temps
There are many different types of homeopathic medicines that can help when someone has a fever. However the top and most well known homeopathic medicine for very high temps is Belladonna.
What is a High Temperature?
Usually when considering the remedy Belladonna for a fever the temperature of the person will be 103 degrees or higher.
I know that when a fever reaches this level it can often cause anxiety in the caregiver but in these times it’s important to remember that most fevers are caused by viral and bacterial infections and our bodies were designed to be able to handle most of these types of fevers without medical intervention.
A lot of the information I have shared regarding fevers is a paradigm shift in our thinking for many of us. We have been taught the wrong things concerning fevers for so long that it’s hard to change our mindset. It’s important to remember that fevers are our immune system at work.
How Was Belladonna Used Historically?
Historically Belladonna was used as a hallucinogen and as a beauty remedy. It’s been told that the berries of the bush are what Juliet consumed at the end of the love story of Romeo and Juliet.
Over 200 years ago, Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, the founder of homeopathy, used the medicine belladonna to treat scarlet fever. Like we mentioned, one of the keywords to associate with this remedy is fierce heat and this is definitely one of the symptoms when dealing with scarlet fever.
Just an interesting tidbit of information for all of my fellow book lovers out there. In the novel Little Women, when Beth came down with scarlet fever the doctor treated her with none other than the remedy Belladonna.
What is Belladonna Made From?
Belladonna is derived from the plant Deadly Nightshade. In it’s natural form this plant is extremely toxic but when prepared as a homeopathic medicine it is curative for a variety of conditions, one of which is extremely high temperatures in the body.
What Symptoms Does the Remedy Belladonna Help With?
The type of fever that the medicine Belladonna is known to help with is one that involves
- Redness
- Fierce Heat
- Glassy Eyes
The reason we associate these words with this homeopathic medicine is because when a person needs this remedy their temperature is usually extremely high, with heat radiating from their body. There is also often some type of redness on the body. This could present as red cheeks from a fever, a red ear from an ear infection or maybe a very red eye because of pink eye.
Another trait to look for in a patient needing belladonna is that their eyes are glassy and their pupils are dilated. The person will often request or want to be propped up because this seems to make their symptoms feel slightly better.
My Personal Experience Using Belladonna
Recently my youngest child developed a fever. When I took his temperature it was slightly over 103 degrees. I will be honest, I was slightly anxious. This was the first time my youngest had been sick but I stayed calm and recalled the knowledge I have gained by studying homeopathy.
Because his fever was high and I could fell the heat radiating from his body I chose to give him the homeopathic medicine Belladonna. After administering the remedy his temperature did reduce slightly making him more comfortable which was what I was hoping for.
I continued to monitor him through the night and the next day and paid attention to how he was acting. Like I mentioned earlier, dehydration is one of the main concerns with fever. He continued to nurse strongly, had wet diapers like normal and never seemed extremely lethargic. I knew that was on his way to healing and that the remedy Belladonna had help his body along the way.
Where to Learn More
Belladonna is an essential remedy to keep on hand in your medicine cabinet for high temps. I encourage you to study more about this remedy and learn all that you can about homeopathy and how it can help you as you care for your family. Check out my article First Aid for Kids- Homeopathic Remedies that Every Mom Needs
Homeopathy is an investment in your health…and one that you won’t regret!
This information is for informational purposes only. I am not a medical doctor or certified homeopath. No material is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen. Please never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this correspondence.
Leave a Reply