Ledum palustre

Ledum, occasionally known as marsh tea, is an herb that may be found growing in the marshlands all over the United States, northern Europe and Canada. Ledum or wild rosemary possesses an antiseptic aroma and elevated branches of this plant are covered up with miniscule brownish bristles. Many believe that the plant may have derived its name ledum from the minute bristles on these branches. Precisely speaking, the Greek term 'ledos' means a 'woollen robe'. This is a green shrub that has close resemblance to the common rosemary growing up to four feet in height. The flowers of ledum have an aroma similar to hops when they are bruised. There was a time when this herb was used as an insecticide in Scandinavia. Later, it was also used as an alternative for tea and the herb also substituted hops in beer manufacturing. However, it needs to be mentioned that consuming this herb or its extracts in excess may cause dizziness as well as an awful headache, much before the hangover period sets in. In homeopathy, administering diluted doses of ledum is considered to be beneficial for treating conditions that are likely to be accompanied by symptoms of inflammation or infection. As mentioned earlier, people in Scandinavia have been using an herbal tea, marsh tea, prepared from wild rosemary since the 13th century not only to get rid of lice, but also eliminate other pests found in the house. In 1773, when the authorities imposed tea tax in the American colonies, this herb was also used as a substitute for tea. In fact, wild rosemary was used for medicinal purpose for the first time to treat throat infections and coughs. Its initial medicinal use was primarily owing to the antiseptic properties of the herb. It has been found that ledum has an assortment of health benefits in homeopathy owing to its antiseptic properties. This is also the main reason why this medication was initially used in mainstream medicine. The effectiveness of this homeopathic medication has been established and, therefore, is very beneficial for people suffering from different conditions. To prepare the homeopathic medicine ledum, the entire wild rosemary plant is harvested when it begins to blossom in summer. Although the whole wild rosemary or ledum plant is harvested, only the aerial parts like the tips of the leafy shoots of the herb are used to prepare the medicine. Once the required parts of the plant are collected, they are dried out, pulverized into a powder and soaked in a solution comprising water and alcohol over a period of time. The end product is a very strong homeopathic medicine that is used to treat several conditions and their symptoms. In homeopathy, ledum works best for people who have a tendency to become angry or irritated and nervous quite easily. It is possible that such people will never be content with anything, even when they achieve every thing that they desire to. When such people are sick, they may even go to the extent of becoming crazy or unreasonable and, hence, they may often be very problematic as well as difficult for other people to bear with.

Uses

Owing to its antiseptic properties, ledum is useful in preventing any type of infection and, thus, is a vital component of the first-aid remedy kit. Taking this homeopathic medicine internally helps to avoid various types of contagions, particularly severe cases like infections due to any eye injury, black eyes, insect stings, cuts, grazes as well as all types of puncture injuries. It has been found that injuries or stings that have acute bruising accompanied by puffy and purplish skin as well as stinging pain can be healed effectively with ledum. In addition to the above mentioned problems, homeopaths also prescribe ledum for other conditions, such as stiff and aching joints wherein the sufferer has a hot sensation inside, while the limb that is affected is cold to touch and the throbbing is relieved by applying cold compresses; rheumatic pains that begin in the feet and subsequently travels upward; aching balls of the big toes owing to gout; as well as sore, swollen and rigid tendons. It may be mentioned here that ledum, the homeopathic medicine prepared from wild rosemary, is not only effective in providing relief from pain, but also the cold sensation that accompanies such conditions. This homeopathic medicine is beneficial for people who suffer from night sweats and discard their bedclothes when they are sick. Such patients may also have an itchy feeling in their feet and ankles. Moreover, they are inclined to have sprained ankles, may get very angry or irritated, intolerant, fearful and panicky. Usually such people like to be left on their own and cannot tolerate the company of other people when they are ill. As aforementioned, this homeopathic medication prepared from the aerial parts of the wild rosemary plant or ledum, is very effective in healing wounds, injuries and cuts that have the possibility of becoming infected easily. Such injuries or wounds include any insect stings, puncture wounds as well as deep scratches. In fact, ledum, owing to its antiseptic properties is also useful in preventing tetanus in many cases. Ledum offers a variety of health benefits. On the one hand, this homeopathic medicine is useful in defending from any type of infection, on the other, it is effective in providing relief from pains caused due to any wounds, injuries or cuts. In addition, it is also useful in reducing any type of skin discoloration, bruising as well as swelling that may occur owing to any injury. Homeopaths generally prescribe this medicine for healing all the conditions mentioned above. This homeopathic medicine is useful for treating several conditions related to the eyes. As discussed earlier in this article, ledum is useful in healing black eyes, especially the conditions that take time to heal completely. In addition, it is also effective for treating any kind of hemorrhage that may start in the eye chamber, especially following any type of procedure or interference in the area. Homeopaths generally recommend the use of ledum following an iridectomy (removal of a part of the iris in the eye by surgery). Administration of this homeopathic medicine in such cases not only helps to heal the incisions quickly, but also provides comfort to the eye.