REMEDY SNAPSHOT- PETROLEUM

Nur Reved

3 min read

So... lets talk about Petroleum

Before we talk about the remedy itself, I always find it interesting to know what it actually is.

Petroleum literally means rock oil (from the Latin petra = rock and oleum = oil). It is a naturally occurring substance formed over enormous periods of time from organic matter buried beneath layers of sediment. Today it's best known as a source of fuel, but refined petroleum products are also found in many things we use every day, from cosmetics and candles to food packaging, medicines and countless industrial products.

Now, before we jump into the remedy itself,

I want to let you in on a little bit of how I think when choosing a homeopathic remedy.

Since I work with many people who struggle with eczema and other chronic skin conditions,

Petroleum is a remedy that comes to mind quite often.

But—and this is important—

I don't prescribe Petroleum because someone has eczema.

There are many remedies that can help eczema.

Instead, I'm looking for a pattern. (here is my blog about building a clear symptom picture).

I often imagine remedy selection like a table. One symptom alone is like one leg of the table—it won't stand.

Two matching features are interesting, but the Table is still a little wobbly. Once three or four characteristic features begin coming together, the Table suddenly becomes much steadier.

That's when I start thinking,

"Hmm... Petroleum deserves a closer look."

If you look through most Materia Medica books (our homeopathic "remedy libraries," where we study and learn about remedies), you'll notice one thing very quickly:

The skin section for Petroleum is huge.

The skin is often described as rough, dry, thickened and leathery. As the dryness progresses, deep cracks can develop that become painful and bleed easily. The fingertips, hands and heels are mentioned again and again, especially during the winter months.

But here's something that surprised me when I first studied Petroleum.

It isn't simply a remedy for dry eczema.

The picture also includes small herpetic (blister-like) or vesicular (small fluid-filled blister) eruptions that tend to break open quite early. They may ooze a thin watery or serous fluid before later forming thick yellow crusts.

Another interesting feature is that the skin doesn't seem to heal easily.

Even small injuries may become inflamed and form pus, and the affected areas often remain rough and cracked for a long time.

SKIN

MIND

Although Petroleum is often remembered for its skin, the mental picture is surprisingly consistent as well.

One of the strongest themes is confusion.

Mental fog, losing one's way even in familiar places, forgetfulness and difficulty thinking clearly all appear repeatedly in the remedy picture.

Another recurring theme is irritability.

People needing Petroleum may become easily offended, annoyed by little things, or feel unusually vexed and short-tempered.

Then there are some wonderfully peculiar symptoms that homeopaths love because they're so characteristic.

Some descriptions include the feeling that another person is lying beside them in bed, that they themselves are somehow "double," or even, after childbirth, that there is another baby in the bed.

Of course, not everyone who needs Petroleum experiences these symptoms—but when they do appear, they can become valuable clues.

It's also one of our classic remedies for motion sickness.

Nausea, dizziness and even occipital (back of the head) headaches are described after traveling in cars, ships and—very often—carriages. Of course, many of these books were written at a time when traveling by carriage was far more common than traveling by car.

When this appears alongside the skin picture, Petroleum moves much higher up my list of possible remedies.

DIGESTION

Several descriptions include an empty, gnawing feeling in the stomach that improves after eating.

Some people feel ravenously hungry, even waking during the night because they need something to eat.

Others notice a similar empty feeling after a bowel movement.

Disclaimer: This information is shared for educational purposes only and is not intended as a guide for self-prescribing. Always seek advice from a qualified healthcare professional for diagnosis and treatment.