One of my jeweller friends somehow ended up with a fine serrated jewellers’ sawblade right the way through her fingertip recently - ouch - which made me think that a quick guide to self-help homeopathic remedies might be useful to cooks, crafters, DIY-ers, and anyone using sharp tools, power tools or who’s prone to accidents (yes, Hannah of Hannah Louise Lamb Jewellery, I’m looking at you wink). So what are the best natural self-help homeopathic (or homeopathy) remedies for minor injuries - for things like bruises, cuts and lacerations, puncture wounds, burns, sprains, splinters, muscle overuse, and fingertip injuries?

I’ll explain below, but before we dive in, just a reminder that these homeopathic remedies are safe for adults, children, babies or animals, but please do read my important disclaimer at the bottom of this post before self-treating. In the UK, individual homeopathic remedies and useful self-help homeopathic first aid kits containing homeopathic remedies are available from Helios Homeopathy and Ainsworths, though my favourite is a 36-remedy Basics Kit from Helios that’s not on their website - you have to telephone the pharmacy to order it.

Individual remedies mentioned in italics are usually available from The Natural Dispensary - see below for the link and a discount code.

If you’re new to homeopathy, also hop over to this post for important info on how to take and store homeopathic remedies (spoiler: it’s very different to taking conventional medications) and what to expect, and please read the important disclaimer at the end of this blog post before buying or taking any remedy.

Self-help remedies for minor injuries

Shock: an accident or injury is often a shock, and the main oral homeopathic remedies to think of here are Arnica 30c and Aconite 30c. Arnica’s great where you’ve been injured yourself, whereas I tend to think of Aconite is a better choice if you’re shocked from an accident happening to someone else - or if the shock of your injury is the main thing to treat right now. Arnica may be contraindicated if you’re on blood thinners or have a blood clotting disorder, so seek a good homeopath’s advice before taking, if this affects you. My favourite flower essence support for shock is Australian Bush Flower Essence Emergency Essence, but Bach Rescue Remedy can help, too.

Bruising & bruises: Arnica 30c is my top self-help remedy for bruises (though I often recommend Ledum 30c for a black eye, especially if a cool compress makes the black eye feel better). Don’t ingest homeopathic Arnica orally without professional advice if you’re on blood thinners or have a blood clotting disorder. External use Helios Arnica cream is great gently rubbed onto bruised areas (not near eyes) but never use Arnica cream on broken skin, as it can cause irritation (Calendula cream is better where the surface of the skin’s been broken).

Crushed fingers or toes: repeated doses of Hypericum 30c are your friend here, until the immediate pain and sensitivity are improved - it’s my number one natural remedy for injury to nerve-rich areas, so reach for it if you’ve accidentally hammered, trapped, crushed or stubbed your finger or toe and you feel as though you’re in a Tom & Jerry cartoon with a giant, swollen and throbbing painful digit. Ouch!

Sprains: grab your Arnica 30c when any sprain happens, and take regularly - at least three times daily for 1-3 days, but seek professional homeopathic advice first if you’re on blood thinners or have a blood clotting disorder. If the sprain continues to hurt, try Rhus tox 30c in the same way, stopping on improvement, and stopping if no improvement has been felt after a few days. If ligaments are affected, try Ruta grav 30c instead.

Burns and scalds: the main homeopathic self-help remedy to think of here is Cantharis 30c. Causticum is sometimes better, especially if the burn causes the person to be restless, or the skin blisters - it’s a deeper remedy, best selected and used with a professional homeopath’s help. Consider a shock remedy, too, which can be alternated. Externally, Urtica urens cream or Hypercal cream can soothe minor burns once the burn area has been fully cooled and is starting to heal. Bach Rescue Remedy cream can also be helpful.

Cuts, grazes and lacerations: frequent doses of oral homeopathic Arnica 30c (unless you’re on blood thinners or have a blood-clotting disorder) may help your system stem the blood flow from a cut. Once bleeding has stopped and the wound is clean (Calendula tincture can help here), external use of Hypericum cream, Calendula cream or Hypercal cream (contains both Hypericum and Calendula) is recommended. Don’t use Calendula externally on a puncture wound or a really deep wound though, as it’s reputed to help the skin heal so fast that any foreign matter in the wound could get sealed inside before your immune system has had a chance to expel it. A jagged laceration or a cut that remains painful longer than it should may benefit from Staphysagria 30c - this remedy is known for ailments from being insulted, so perhaps it helps self-heal the ‘insulted’ body tissue?

Puncture wounds: puncture wounds are more common than you’d think for makers and crafters - anyone who’s stitched through their finger (or sawed a digit accidentally with a jeweller’s saw) won’t forget it in a hurry, but homeopathy can help. Once your puncture wound has been cleaned, try frequent doses of Ledum 30c alternating with Hypericum 30c to help speed healing and minimise the risk of infection. As mentioned above, don’t use Calendula cream or Calendula tincture externally on a puncture wound, as you don’t want the surface of the wound to heal too fast, sealing in any infective agent or foreign matter. It’s fine to take Calendula 30c internally, to encourage healing and granulation of the wound.

Splinters: homeopathic Silica 30c is the remedy to try for a splinter, though (this is important) don’t take Silica if you have a non-natural item in your body that needs to stay in place (like a stent, mesh, pin or implant), as it has a reputation for being very efficient at helping your system push things out - you have been warned! The homeopaths of old used to call Silica the ‘homeopathic lancet’ for it’s ability to speed up the pus-formation process, saying ‘Silica seeks out badness [pus] wherever it may be found’.

Important disclaimer: please use your common sense, and always seek advice from a conventionally-trained physician if necessary and where appropriate, whether you’re taking homeopathic remedies or not. Complementary remedies should be just that - complementary, not alternative. Seek the help of a professional homeopath if you have a diagnosed condition, or are taking conventional medications or herbs, or if symptoms persist or worsen. The self-help products and remedies mentioned here are some of my own personal favourites - I haven’t been paid for mentioning them, though items ordered from The Natural Dispensary using my discount code ‘Phoenix Eastbourne’ give us both 10% - use that code on registering as a customer and on checking out, and you get that as a discount on all your orders, and I get the same as commission which helps fund a clinic discount scheme for NHS and other blue light workers. And so you know - I never recommend anything unless I genuinely think it’s great. Nope. Just not going to happen.