Impetigo, also known as ‘school sores’, is relatively in check within the western world due to hygiene practices. While its spread is relatively controlled, rapid transmission is still possible, especially in communities and schools.
Symptoms and Characteristics:
Impetigo manifests as small sores that progress into crusty lesions, typically found on the face, neck, and extremities. It can often be confused with cellulitis, which I will talk about another day. These lesions can be painful, itchy, and accompanied by individual concomitants such as burning sensations, nocturnal exacerbations, and characteristic odours.
Conventional and Naturopathic Approaches:
Conventional treatment often involves antibiotic therapy, complemented by naturopathic interventions such as topical calendula application and immune support through Vitamin C supplementation and echinacea.
As always there are a couple of main acute remedies to consider out of your first aid kits.
Ant-Crud – is great for recurring cases and is generally the most common remedy to think of at the onset of impetigo. The sores become crusted and cracked and eventually thickened and can often ooze a honey-like discharge with a little bit of an offensive smell.
Graphites – Is the remedy to think of when the sores are weeping and often occur in the fold of the skin. there is often an insatiable itching with Graphites that is worse at night.
Merc – Is for more moist sores that have a marked redness and inflamed base. The pustules burst and then leave a greenish crust.
Individualised Care:
Each case of impetigo may require a unique approach based on individual symptoms. As some of you would be aware, from reading many of my posts, constitutional care plays a vital role in strengthening the immune system and addressing underlying susceptibilities.
The good news is that there is an alternative to antibiotics – it’s all in the choosing of the simillimum remedy. In this way homeopathy aims to support the body's innate healing abilities and restore balance naturally.