Abies canadensis - Olsen

My first book called, Trees and Plants That Heal is the proving of five new remedies with cured cases. The German edition can be ordered from Karl-Joseph Muller. My second book called, Arbor Medica will be published later this year. For these books in English contact me at: stn@direct.ca

 

Summary

Her first consultation was in December 1997. Her symptoms included neckpain and stiffness, headaches, arthritic pains in her fingers, knee painson squatting, eczema on her hands, asthmatic breathing, anemia, eye strain, fatigue and anxiety. During the next year and a half she received Rhus toxicodendron, Ruta, Natrum muriaticum, Calcarea carbonica and Calcarea iodata, which helped some of her symptoms temporarily. Then in July 1998 I gave her Abies canadensis, which had an overall curative effect.

 

July 23, 1998

Her neck is sore and stiff (3). The neck pain is ameliorated by a hot shower and aggravated by sitting for too long. It is worse in the winter. This started following a car accident with whiplash fifteen years ago. She has frequent headaches, migraines (2), usually once a week, worse before her period.

 

She had a headache yesterday after working out at the gym. She gets daches from exertion. (2)

 

Her body feels stiff when sleeping. (2) She used to clench her teeth. Eye strain. (2) Her eyes feel sore and tired, with a burning, stinging

sensation from working at the computer. Her left eye twitches. (2)

Arthritic nodules in her fingers with pain in the joints. (2)

She hurt her shoulder; can’t rotate it behind her back. (2) Ache in deltoid.

Her knees hurt if she squats. (2)

Eczema on her hands, especially the fingers (2). Dry skin with itching. Worse in the spring. She has had this since she was two years old.

She has occasional asthmatic breathing, with wheezing. She easily feels short of breath.

Her appetite is too strong (2); she eats too much and feels hungry at night. She snacks frequently on sweets and chips. She sometimes feels hypoglycemic.

She feels very tired, exhausted. (3) She takes iron pills for anemia. (2)

She chews her lips a lot. Metallic taste.

Frequent urination.

She sometimes has PMS, with weeping and irritability, but not always. She has headaches, cramps, and bloated fingers and feet with menses, and occasional pain in the breasts before menses.

She has soft nails that break easily. (2)

Her scalp is dry, itchy and flaky. (2)

Anxiety (2); she worries easily, tenses up, has anxiety attacks. Anxiety from being overwhelmed at work.

Sensation of a fist in lower abdomen.

Sometimes can’t get to sleep till 1 a.m., and wakes often at night.

Fear of big dogs (1), closed spaces (1), and heights (2); fears she might jump.

Sensitive to cold. (2) Aggravated by heat on her face and being in stuffy rooms.

Aggravated by too much heat in bed at night, but doesn’t uncover feet.

Aggravated by being in the hot sun for fifteen minutes, especially if the sun is on her face. Headaches from the sun.

Thirst for tea, coffee, diet coke, cold water; three to five drinks per day.

She craves sweets (2) and has an aversion to liver and chicken gizzards.

She likes milk.

She feels sick from drinking tea late at night, i.e., stomach aches. Aggravated by coffee, which makes her feel sleepy and tired, but no stomach aches from coffee.

Chronic tonsillitis as a child.

She works almost full time, in her own software company. She is under a lot of stress, and doesn’t get any help from her husband. She has two young children, with a nanny to help. She feels happy most of the time. Her husband upsets her when he is under stress.

„I am influenced too much by my husband’s moods. Then I feel sad or depressed, and wonder what’s the point? He doesn’t eat with the family. He’s cranky and yells at me. I don’t like to be talked to that way. Once I told him to leave. He doesn’t like his work any longer. It’s hard to communicate with him.“ She sometimes over-reacts with anger (2), i.e. copies him, but worse. She can be assertive with him, and sometimes ignores him. She feels angry that he’s not helping enough at home.

She feels guilty about the children. (2) She wants to be perfect. (2) „I am always trying to do the right thing with people.“ Her mother-in-law upsets her easily. „Then I have to set limits, and I feel bad about it.“

 

Plan: Abies canadensis 30c, every three days for one month

 

August 27, 1998 (5 weeks later)

She feels better overall, with more energy, although she still often feels overtired. Her appetite is more normal; she is not as obsessed about food and is exercising four to five times a week.

She had a headache yesterday from painting the day before.

The stiffness is better overall. Her body used to feel stiff while sleeping; this is better now. Her shoulder also feels better. Her twitching left eye is better. Urination is less frequent. Her mood is much better. She falls asleep faster, but sometimes wakes at night. „When I was a child, I felt there was something wrong with me. I was afraid to look inside to see who I was because I was afraid I wouldn’t like myself. I felt out of sync with myself as a child. Eight years ago I went to a treatment center about this, to become comfortable with myself and more confident.“

She was a sensitive child. „I was shy, didn’t have friends, wasn’t confident, felt separated and alone. I needed acceptance. People had to reach out to me first. I had a big fear of rejection. If anyone came forward to me, I would go with them. I did not believe I deserved to have a really nice person to be my friend. Usually I would get hurt by people. But if a person crossed the limit, then I would walk away.“

„When I felt isolated, I would sleep more, read to escape, and always have the radio or TV on when I went to sleep.“ As a child, she felt close to her mother and was protective to her. She tends to sacrifice herself. She is afraid of losing people, including her husband, so she tries to make them happy, tries to avoid conflicts. Aversion to fights and arguments.

 

Assessment: correct remedy

Plan: Abies canadensis 30c, twice a week for five weeks

 

October 2, 1998 (8 weeks later)

Overall she feels better, happier, with more energy. She had a headache before her period, took Ibuprofen and it was better within an hour. „It’s been hard to get to sleep the last little while. I think too much. I don’t feel like going to bed. Then I get sleepy in the middle of the afternoon, around 3 to 4 p.m.“

She still has a strong appetite. She is working out four to five times a week.

Still feels a bit stiff in mid-back area. (1) Her body used to feel stiff while sleeping; now this is more intermittent and not as bad. Her shoulder is fine now, with full range of motion. Her neck feels a lot less stiff. She still feels a bit stiff if she sits for too long. Urination is less frequent. Her fingers hurt less. No cramps with her period, and no bloating, swelling, or breast pain. No crying or irritability before her period. Eczema is much better, a tiny bit left on one hand. Her eyes feel better, no pain or burning and less strain. Allergic asthma is better overall; no wheezing.

Fear of dogs is better. Fear of heights is better.

Less anxiety. She seems calmer.

„I’m more clear about which problems are mine and which are my husband’s. I feel less responsible for him, less co-dependent. I’m getting more assertive. I say what I need to say. I feel less guilty about not meeting other people’s expectations. I still feel I’m not doing enough for my children, but less so than before.“

Assessment: correct remedy

Plan: Abies canadensis 30c, every five days for six weeks

 

October 29, 1998 (4 weeks later)

She has been having headaches almost every day. (2)

She has had a cold for three weeks with a sore throat. (2) Dry mouth. She feels weak.

Her scalp is flaky and itchy, with papules. (1)

Lower back pain (2) – a new symptom. Some stiffness in lower back after sitting.

 

Assessment: possibly repeated remedy too often

Plan: one coffee

 

November 18, 1998 (3 weeks later)

She felt better after drinking the coffee – both the cold and the headaches were better. She felt a lot of stress because of home renovations; felt out of control. Then her sore throat came back. Lower back pain is fine. Middle back feels a bit stiff. (1)

Plan: Abies canadensis 30c, one dose

 

January 8, 1999 (7 weeks later)

She felt better after the last dose of Abies canadensis. Her headaches were fewer and less painful. Then a month later the headaches returned, but then improved again.

She has the flu with coryza, and feels cold, achy, sore. She had diarrhea, then last night had a cramp at the top of her stomach. Headache and cold sweats with the flu. She feels sensitive to both heat and cold. Not thirsty. Aversion to eating. She feels fatigued. She feels her mind is slow and becomes confused easily.

Plan: Abies canadensis 30c, one dose

 

January 18, 1999 (10 days later)

Her cold got better the day after taking the remedy. „Overall I feel pretty good.“ Right shoulder feels stiff when moving it behind the back, painful when trying to extend it or raise it. (2)

Pain or stiffness in middle and lower back when lying down. (1)

She had a headache during menses for two days.

Her scalp is still flaky. She has some eczema on one hand – itchy and dry.

She feels happier, more peaceful, more confident and better able to deal with things as they come up. She is able to speak her mind now. Headaches, shoulder pain, back pain are all better overall. She has more energy and is sleeping better overall. Knee pain is 95% better. Finger joints don’t hurt as much. No asthma now. No anemia now; she forgets to take iron pills now. Her eyes still hurt at times and are hard to focus, but overall they are better. She still chews her lips. Less fear of dogs, heights, or closed spaces. She still has some cramps and bloating with menses and some PMS, but this is better overall.

She feels less obsessed about eating, and has less need to find fulfillment from food. Now she only eats when hungry and doesn’t eat as much. Takes five drinks a day.

No anxiety now. She’s easier on herself, doesn’t have to be so perfect. Her relationship with her husband is better.

Assessment: correct remedy

Plan: Abies canadensis 200c to be taken when needed

 

February 25, 1999 (5 ½ weeks later)

Emotionally she feels much better. She has a stronger sense of identity; she likes and accepts herself better. She feels more confident, outgoing, less hard on herself, more secure, stronger, assertive. She used to over-react to her husband and attack him; now she feels more even, and tells him things in a calm way. Anxiety is much better. She feels calmer, more at peace, more content. She has more vitality and drive now. Her eyes are less fatigued. Her neck pain is much better. Headaches are better by 80%. Knee pain and pain in finger joints is better. The eczema gets worse and then improves. Asthma is better. Appetite problems are better. PMS is better.

She still has some pain in mid-back and lower back; it improves and then comes back again, sometimes because her dog jerks and pulls her about when she’s taking him for a walk.

She has always been sensitive to cold, but lately she feels warm, and has had hot flushes.

Assessment: correct remedy

Prescription: repeat Abies canadensis 200c when needed.

January 18, 2000

 

Had an accident and injured her lower back. Took some Arnica, continues to do well overall.