Colocynthis - General symptoms
Bitter Cucumber, Colocy, Colocynth, Coloc.Have you ever used Colocynthis? Yes No
Below are the main rubriks (i.e strongest indications or symptoms) of Colocynthis in traditional homeopathic usage, not approved by the FDA.
GENERAL
General
(Morning), The symptoms.
dullness, etc. soon after breakfast, when walking rapidly, symptoms of vertigo.
early, dullness of head.
early, in bed, headache.
at about 8 o'clock, headache, etc.
after rising, pain in forehead.
early headache in temples.
early, mist before eyes.
coryza. empty eructations.
pain in stomach. soon after rising, colic, etc.
early, in bed, rumbling in abdomen.
abdomen felt caved in, etc.
on waking, colic, etc.
whistling in chest. after rising, pains in wrists, etc.
after rising, pressure in joints.
drawing, etc., in shoulder-joint.
pains in forearm. after rising, drawing in legs, etc.
soon after waking, pains here and there.
on waking, and after rising, itching.
after rising, shivering, etc.
after rising warmth of face, etc.
on waking, sweat of legs.
(Forenoon), At 10 o'clock, shimmering before eye.
at 10 o'clock, boring in maxilla.
towards noon. sensation of nausea.
feeling in gastric region.
towards noon, movements in abdomen, etc.
towards noon, cutting through abdomen.
after moving about, colic.
towards noon. when walking, symptoms of colic.
towards 11 o'clock, burning on right chest.
pain in right chest. drawing in trochanter.
when walking, stitches on thigh.
drawing in knee-joint, etc.
towards noon, when walking, drawing, etc.
in knee-joint. heaviness of feet.
(Afternoon), Commencing about 1 o'clock, all symptoms, especially colic, fever, etc.
confusion of head, etc.
toward evening, heaviness, etc., in forehead.
at 1 o'clock, pain in left forehead.
at 2 o'clock, boring in temple.
pain in all teeth. towards evening, aversion to food, etc.
towards evening, griping in epigastric region.
at 4 o'clock, abdominal pains.
at 4 o'clock, griping in umbilical region.
sensitiveness in abdomen.
pain in groin, etc.
twitching, etc. towards evening, sensitiveness of larynx.
pressure, etc., on chest.
towards evening, stitches in side.
stitches in right chest.
towards evening, drawing in limbs.
aching in shoulders. towards evening, pains in lower extremities.
drawing in thigh.
about 6 o'clock, boring in knees.
pressing in toes, etc.
lassitude. towards 5 o'clock, universal lassitude.
uneasiness. towards evening, oppressed sensation.
at 5 o'clock, pains frequently repeated.
(Evening), The symptoms.
on sitting down, vertigo.
headache. tearing in forehead.
boring in temple. feeling in eyes.
boring in maxilla. loss of appetite.
at 10 o'clock, during a walk, after supper, pain in pit of stomach.
pains about navel. movements in abdomen.
pain in bowels. pain on thorax.
oppression of chest, etc.
towards 8 o'clock, oppression of heart.
on going to bed, stitches in cardiac region.
lassitude, etc. pains in wrists etc.
at 9 o'clock, pains in joints.
stitches in humeri. tearing in knee.
pressing in knee. drawing along tibia.
when sitting, sensation in foot.
pain in foot. tearing in metatarsus.
when going upstairs, feeling in toes.
weakness, unfitness for occupation.
when walking, sensation of failing strength.
discomfort, etc. in bed, itching.
itching on abdomen. cold hands.
cold feeling in upper arm.
(After dinner), Confusion of heat.
almost giddy. feeling in head.
insipid taste. stomachache.
stitches in hepatic region, etc.
sensation in umbilical region.
immediately, pain in the umbilicus.
colic, etc., about navel.
movements in bowels, etc.
immediately rumbling in abdomen.
discharge of flatus, etc.
pain in abdomen.
aching in hypogastrium.
cutting in lower abdomen, etc.
pappy stool, etc..
(Sitting), The symptoms.
throbbing in lumbar region.
drawing, etc. in joints.
sensation in knees, etc.
pressing in shoulders.
pains in wrists. pain in lower extremities.
pains in muscles of thigh.
stiffness in knee. feeling in knees.
boring, etc., in knees.
drawing, etc. pains in knees.
bruised feeling in knees.
drawing in legs, etc.
drawing in calf, etc.
pressure, etc. in ankle.
sensation in feet. all pains.
itching on gluteal muscles..
(Walking), Drawing, etc., in head.
pains in forehead. sensation in temple.
sensation about navel.
pain in umbilical region.
colic. discharge of flatulence.
pain in bowels.
griping, etc. in bowels.
colic. painfulness of abdominal integuments.
cutting in lower abdomen.
pain in lower abdomen.
stitches in upper chest.
sensation in chest. drawing in extremities.
pain in leg. drawing in muscles of calves, etc.
pains in feet. pains on dorsa of feet.
sensation in great toe, etc..
I observed several days since on the skin of the left upper arm a small vesicle filled with pus (my skin is usually remarkably free from eruptions), in the beginning without any pain.
it is now surrounded by a red hot border, burns even when not touched, and is painful on motion.
the swelling of the upper arm increases, becomes redder and more painful, with drawing in the whole arm (eighteenth day).
the swelling is harder, larger, and more painful, extending upwards to the axilla, and down to the fingers during the night the pains in the furuncle keep me awake (twentieth day).
the furuncle begins to ripen, with increase of pains all over the arm (twenty-first day).
it begins to discharge some pus (twenty-second day).
is in full suppuration (twenty-fifth day),.
While walking, an unpleasant sensation about the navel, as after taking cold, with urging to stool, which he was obliged to attend to immediately, as the sphincter seemed to have no resisting power. The discharge was thing, orange-colored, and pappy (after five hours). After walking for half an hour a renewed and increased sensation about the navel, as though he had been chilled.
more violent tenesmus, to which he was obliged to give way, with a result similar to the former.
after a quarter of an hour, during which he was incessantly walking, the same unpleasant sensation returned below the navel, with still greater violence.
it increased to a drawing cutting, which darted repeatedly from behind forwards and upwards in a curve to the navel.
this ceased on the occurrence of urging to stool, which became exceedingly pressing, and the evacuation ran in a watery stream out of the sphincter, which seemed paralyzed.
it contained part of the contents of the soup eaten at the noon meal, still undigested. This was followed by ineffectual urging, which, when repressed by an effort of the involuntary muscles, gave rise to a pressing tension in the lowest part of the abdominal parietes, and an acute pressure at the inferior angle of the right scapula, with tensive pain extending thence downward.
on the cessation of the long-continued tenesmus a free, protracted discharge took place, the sphincter standing wide open, as if paralyzed,.
Seized with terrible, contractive, twisting pains in bowels, immediately about umbilicus, spreading afterwards over the whole upper part of the abdomen, leaving the lower portion perfectly free from pain.
this lasted about an hour, when there was a copious evacuation of the bowels, and an immediate relief from pain, which was, however, only temporary, as the pains soon came back again, followed by a copious discharge with temporary relief, succeeded for a third time by a paroxysm of pain, followed by a discharge and partial relief, for the pain kept on, more on less, during the whole night (after four hours). Abdominal pains came on again, at 4 P.M., with the same results keeping up all the evening, chasing her out of bed twice during the night, and early the next morning (second day). Same abdominal symptoms came on again, but in a far slighter degree, although lasting the whole evening (third day). This state of things kept up for six days, wearing off only gradually,.
First griping (drawing hither and thither) in the umbilical region, gradually subsiding, then returning, and rapidly changing into cutting, as if by a large chisel thrust deep into the upper abdomen, thence passing in a curve backwards and downwards into the pelvis, and then cutting its way upward again, at 4 P.M.
at 4.30 P.M., the cutting in the hypogastrium several times took the direction from behind forwards and upwards, and was always relieved by a forcible discharge of flatus. It was also relieved by straining and the consequent expulsion of a long train of slippery bubbles of wind, with a small quantity of bland mucus.
it returned in the same fashion at intervals of from five to fifteen minutes. Finally, towards 5 P.M., a very painful expulsive pressure ensued, and in a short time a quantity of thin faeces passed involuntarily through the sphincter at a single impulse.
it was perfectly bland, causing not the slightest burning or smarting at the anus, which was rather protected all about by the slippery mucus, of which a great portion of the passage consisted.
the pains in the abdomen all disappeared with this passage,.
The pain in the abdomen became worse after dinner, gnawing and boring, and obliged me to sit down, or lie and bend forwards.
violent tenesmus came on at first, with pappy, copious, strong-smellling stools, which, an hour later, were watery, scanty, yellow, and almost inodorous. The colic diminished somewhat, after taking black coffee, at 4 P.M., but became much more painful again after supper, accompanied by confusion of the head, and aching in the forehead, aggravated by bending forwards,.
Moderate tension in the region of the anterior-superior spine of the ilium of the left side, in the evening.
the next day this sensation, hitherto a tensive feeling confined to one point, changed into a violent drawing, extending from the spine of the ilium to the inguinal region and the upper third of the inner surface of the thigh.
it continued pretty violent all day, and did not disappear until the next day,.
The stool, which showed for several weeks a tendency to diarrhoea, is in the evening more constipated (second day).
a soft stool of dark-brown color, at 8 A.M. (third day).
soft in the morning, fluid, light-yellow, at 3 P.M., fluid, dark, 6 P.M. (fourth day).
soft yellow in the evening (fifth day).
hard, dark about noon (sixth day).
small, yellow, consistent at 9 A.M., copious, soft light-yellow, with flatus at noon.
fluid, light-yellow, preceded by great gurgling in abdomen, at 2 P.M.
fluid, light-yellow, preceded and accompanied by a great deal of colic (seventh day).
fluid, light-yellow, at noon (eighth day).
light-yellow, soft at noon (ninth day).
small, hard, dark, at 9 A.M. (tenth day).
hard, dark-green after rising.
firm, dark, in the evening (eleventh day).
hard, dark (twelfth day).
hard, dark in the forenoon, soft, dark in the evening (fourteenth day).
hard, dark in the morning, and in the evening another (fifteenth day).
hard, dark in the morning.
during last days the hard, dark stool consisted mostly of hard knotty pieces, at 2 P.M.
soft, light-colored, mixed with hard knots (sixteenth day).
light-colored, soft at 6 A.M.
small, hard, knotty towards evening (seventeenth day).
hard, lumpy, with copious flatulency (nineteenth day).
towards morning, dark, small, lumpy.
soft, dark-green in the evening (twentieth day).
towards morning, small, dark-green, lumpy, with flatulence (twenty-first day).
dark, soft in the morning (twenty-third day).
two soft ones (twenty-fifth and twenty-sixth days).
two soft ones, mixed with lumpy faeces and great flatulency (twenty-seventh day).
two soft ones (twenty-ninth day),.
Contractive pain in the right hand, which constantly increased until a similar one occurred in the left malar bone (in a quarter of an hour).
the pain in the right hand then spread over the forearm as the facial pain decreased, and again grew milder when the facial pain and some pain in the bowels occurred,.
Dull stitches in the region of the right hip, suddenly appeared and just as suddenly disappeared, during a walk of some hours.
they were so severe that I was obliged to cease walking for several minutes at a time, and became so frequent that I was obliged to cut short my walk and return home.
while sitting there was some relief, but instead of the stitches there was a sensation as of a heavy weight in the lumbo-dorsal region, somewhat relieved by lying upon the left side, with some increase of the temperature and sensibility of the part affected.
on rising and walking about this latter sensation disappeared, while the stitches returned.
the pain disappeared at night in the warmth of the bed, but awoke me from sleep about 4 A.M., when it had changed its character, insomuch that it was now throbbing and almost boring, but persistent in this locality.
the origin of the trouble lay in the sacral region, corresponding to the position of the plexus ischiadicus, thence it extended through the incisura ischiadica major towards the hip-joint, down the posterior portion of the thigh into the fossa poplitea,.
Drawing sticking in the joints of both feet, lasting for a minute, often recurring, and not interfering with walking.
it becomes worse after coffee and wine, and is accompanied by boring pain in the bones of the lower limbs.
these pains continued the whole day, with inconsiderable remissions, but in diminished intensity. The upper extremities are similarly affected, in the afternoon,.
A constant, dull, pressing, cramplike pain, as if in the periosteum, on the dorsum of the right foot, in the scaphoid and internal cuneiform bones.
the skin was not discolored or tense over the painful spot.
a swelling on the right edge of the tarsus, soft, pale, painless, clearly circumscribed, and as large as a pigeon's egg, appearing like a common lymphatic tumor, lasting six months.
the same pain in the left foot as in the right, and in the same spot.
sometimes, also, in the second joint of the great toe, but less severe, and accompanied by no swelling,.
Pressing in the posterior joint of the left great toe, as if the boot were too tight, only perceived when quietly seated, disappearing when walking about.
throbbing in the same spot, likewise vanishing on motion.
heaviness of the feet, most troublesome in the forenoon, as though he had made a great journey on foot.
constant sensation in both feet, when sitting, especially in the left, as if they were going to sleep,.
GENERAL SYMPTOMS.
Objective.
Entire relaxation, to a most remarkable degree, for a whole hour, during which he was entirely unfitted for either bodily or mental labor,
Unusual inclination of the muscles of all parts of the body to become painfully cramped,
Colocynthis seems to increase the mucous secretions to a considerable degree,
Lassitude in the afternoon,
In the afternoon, great lassitude (perhaps from the warm weather),
Great lassitude towards evening,
General lassitude, and painful weariness in the small of the back,
Towards 5 P.M., universal lassitude, with chills, violent thirst, and accelerated pulse; this febrile excitement lasted for about half an hour,
Weakness for several days,
Weakness, fulness, prostration all day long, probably in consequence of the diarrhoea (although there were only two motions during the day); they were, however, quite watery,
Great weakness and relaxation,
Great weakness on going out,
He was very weak in the evening,
Great debility and weariness,
Very much debilitated, but only when at rest,
Strength completely prostrated,
Faintness,
Faintness, with coldness of external parts,
Subjective.
He became exceedingly sensitive to the damp weather,
Severe action on the muscles and sinews,
Disinclined to exertion of either body or mind, even to visiting his nearest friend,
Lazy, gloomy, and listless, almost pusillanimous,
Unfitness for every occupation in the evening,
Unusual weariness,
He felt very weak and debilitated in the evening before going to sleep, and also on waking the next morning, but it soon disappeared on moving about,
Sensation as if all his strength saw failing, when walking in the evening,
Felt faint, tired, and weak the whole day,
Some symptoms similar to syncope, but I was always able to check their progress by holding the hand before the eyes,
Uneasiness throughout the body, especially in the digestive organs, in the afternoon (second day),
Discomfort; he desires and demands much,
Discomfort and weakness of the whole body, especially of the lower limbs, in the evening,
Pains all over, jumping from point to point, and changing quickly from one kind to another (twenty-second and thirty-first days),
Drawing in the legs, ankles, shoulders, forehead, in the muscles of the thighs, in the wrists, knees, migrating and quickly changing its location, after rising (sixteenth day),
Transient drawing in the posterior joint of the left thumb and right great toe, in the right knee, and on the left side of the neck, especially when turning the head,
Sticking-drawing pains, now here, now there, in the morning soon after waking,
Transient sensation of pressure in different parts of the body, especially in the posterior joint of the right middle finger, and right great toe,
Sticking pressure in various parts of the body,
Internal oppressed sensation towards evening,
Transient stitches, drawings, itching, burning, biting in various parts of the body,
Tearing stitches in the whole body lengthwise, the head, back, abdomen, and limbs,
Feels bruised and tired (tenth day),
Sometimes a sensation of general contusion, with tired feelings, passing off during a walk (twenty-seventh day),
Pulsation in the whole body, most perceptible in the back and left side of the chest,
While lying still he feels the beating of the heart and bloodvessels through the whole body,
All pains frequently repeated during the day, and are worse when sitting than during motion (eleventh day),
All the pains frequently repeat, jump from one part to another, remain nowhere very long, but return easily to the affected part; cold or heat appears to be without any influence to increase or diminish them (twelfth day),
During the whole day the pains wander about, especially when sitting, but some of them appear only when walking, as the very painful drawing in the muscles of the calves and thighs, preventing motion (seventeenth day),
Each time after taking the medicine, he perceived a remarkable aggravation,
It was particularly observed that the symptoms appeared in groups, and were aggravated in the evening and during rest,
Pains frequently repeated, at 5 P.M. (first day),
The sitting posture was easy, and ameliorated all the pains,
Symptoms somewhat ameliorated while walking, but always perceived in the evening after considerable exertion, and connected with indescribable weariness in the lower extremities,
Heat or cold atmospheric changes made no difference in the increase or decrease of pain,
All symptoms disappeared gradually just as they appeared,
GENERAL SYMPTOMS.
1, Hahnemann, Chr. Kr., III; 2, AEgidi, ibid.; 3, Fr. H-n, ibid.; 4, Hornburg, ibid.; 5, Gutmann, ibid.; 6, Langhammer, ibid.; 7, Stapf, ibid.; 8, Rückert, ibid.; 9, Alibert, in Med. Nat. Zeit., 1799 (not obtainable), ibid.; 10, Bresl-Samml., 1727, p. 48 (nothing about Col. here), ibid.; 11, Hoffmann, Eph. Natrum Carbonicum Nat. Cur., X, 0, 30 (poisoning by a whole apple), ibid.; 12, Hoyer, Misc. Natrum Carbonicum Nat. Cur., Dec., III, Ann., 7, 8, 0, 178 (from decoction), ibid.; 13, Kölpin, Hufel. J., III, 577 (critical phenomena in a rheumatic paralysis, getting well under Coloc.), ibid.; 14, Orfila, Toxicologie (from apples taken to cure chronic gonorrhoea), ibid.; 15, Plater, Obs. III, 858 (poisoning), ibid.; 16, Salmuth, Obs. III, 2 (poisoning), ibid.; 17, Schenk, Obs. med., lib. VII (in a case of apoplexy, where Col. had been injected), ibid.; 18, Schneider, Annal. d. Heilk., Apr. 1811 (from Coloc. given in apoplexy), ibid.; 19, Stalpaart von der Weil, cent. I., 0, 41 (poisoning), ibid.; 20, Tulpius, Obs., lib. IV, 25 (poisoning), ibid.; 21, Valentine, Eph. Natrum Carbonicum Nat. Cur. Ann. III, 0, 78 (not found); 22, Zacutus Lusitanus, in Schenk, VII, 4 (effect of an enema containing Coloc.), ibid.; (23 to 44, Austrian provings, OEst. Zeit. f. Hom. I); 23, Arneth, repeatd doses of tinct., 1 to 80 drops; 24, same, provings with 2d, 3d, and 4th dils.; 25, Böhm, took tinct., repeated doses, 2 to 12 drops; 26, Fleischmann, tinct., 5 to 15 drops; 27, Fröhlich, 5 to 60 drops of tinct.; 28, Amalie Ph., aged 22, took 3d dil.; 29, Caroline Ph., aged 24, proved the same; 30, Gerstel made several provings with single doses of tinct., 15 to 80 drops; 31, Hausmann, 30 to 100 drops of tinct., and once a drachm at a dose; 32, Maschauer, 5 to 30 drops of tinct.; 33, Puffer took 3d dil. daily for six days; 34, Reisinger began with 10 drops of tinct., increased to 25, then decreased to 1st trit.; 35, Rothausl took 3 to 35 drops of tinct.; 36, Wachtel took 1 to 10 drops of tinct.; 37, same, took 10 grains of 1st dec. trit.; 38, Weinke, 12 to 60 drops of tinct; 39, Wurstl, three provings with tinct., doses, 1 to 10 drops; 40, Wurm, tinct., 1 to 60 drops; 41, same, provings with 1st dec. and cent. trits. and 1st dil.; 42, Watzke, proving with 1 to 95 drops of tinct.; 43, same, 1st dec. trit.; 44, same, with tincture applied externally to abdomen; 45, J. O. Muller took 4th dil., Z. f. V. Hom., AEzt. OEst. I, p. 43, 1857; 46, Krumbholz, repeated doses of tinct., Martin's provings, Hom. V. J. S., 10, 77; 47, Martin, 2 to 10 drops of tinct., ibid.; 48, Mayer, 1 to 3 drops tinct., ibid.; 49, Runge, 2 to 30 drops tinct., ibid.; 50, Lembke, repeated doses of tinct., 5 to 10 drops, N. Z. f. H. Kl., 15; 51, Caroline Le Beau, provings with 200th dil., A. J. H. M. M., 1870, and N. Am. J. of Hom., N. S., 1, 61; 52, Hechenberger, "Colocynthology," 1840, provings with 1 to 8 drops of tinct. daily, in the morning, fasting (from original); 53, effects of a teaspoonful of tincture in a pregnant woman, ibid.; 54, Caron D'Ancey, effects of 2 glasses of infusion taken for dyspeptic symptoms, Orfila, Toxicologie; 55, Goodno, symptoms produced by Col. 200th (F.) on a girl aged nine, A. J. H. M. M., 4, 83.
Often indicated in the transition season when the air is cold, but the sun is still powerful enough to heat the blood. Develops most of its symptoms in the abdomen and head, causing intense neuralgias. It is especially suitable for irritable persons easily angered, and ill effects therefrom. Women with copious menstruation, and of sedentary habits. Persons with a tendency to corpulency. The neuralgic pains are nearly always relieved by pressure. Cramps and twitching and shortening of muscles. Constrictions and contractions. Cystospasm following operations on orifices ( Hypericum Perforatum Hyper.) Urinous odor or perspiration (Berberis Vulgaris Berb.; Nitric Acid Nit-ac.) Agonizing pain in abdomen, causing patient to bend double, is most characteristic. Sensations: Cutting, twisting, grinding, contracting and bruised; As if clamped with Iron Bands.
Colocynthis acts on digestive tract, then longer on spinal nerves
SUDDEN, ATROCIOUS CRAMPINGS, gripings, tearings, etc, making him TWIST, turn or cry out in pain; with nausea or diuresis
Convulsive jerks or constrictions during pain (Ignatia Ign)
Lightning-like pains
CUTTING, pinching, clamping, gnawing or boring pain; then numbness
Parts seem too short
Constriction Neuralgia
Anger; easily vexed; worse pains
Tearing head pains, worse moving eyelids
Faceache [left]; with eye symptoms or alternating with coelialgia
Distorted face Persistent bitter taste
Gas colic (flatulent colic)
WAVES OF VIOLENT CUTTING, GRIPING, GRASPING, CLUTCHING OR RADIATING ABDOMINAL COLIC DOUBLE HIM UP; better HARD PRESSURE; worse least food
Cutting in bowels; at navel
Pressure better at first then worse
Intestines feel squeezed between stones Pains alternating between ovaries
Ovaralgia
Vomits from pain
Yellow, frothy, watery, shreddy, sourish or gelatinous stools; with colic and gas Dysentery
Slippery bubbles escape from anus
Gelatinous, sticky or stringy urine
Heart feels pushed up by a distended stomach
Pain under r
scapula, better pressure (Bryonia Bry)
Lumbar ache, better pressure
Cramps in hips Screwing, band-like or shooting sciatic pains; worse least motion, rotation or night, better lying on painful part
Limbs drawn up like a hedgehog
Urinous sweat
Citrullus colocynthis. Cucumis colocynthis. Bitter Apple. N. O. Cucurbitaceae. Native of Turkey. Tincture of pulp of fruit.
"The strongest characteristic calling for the use of Colocynthis is an agonising pain in the abdomen causing the patient to bend over double. Relief is obtained by motion, such as twisting, turning and wriggling around, and the motion is kept up steadily while the pain lasts.
the pain is agg. by eating or drinking the least amount. This pain may occur alone, or in the dysentery, cholera, &c. The doubling over of the patient is the chief characteristic" (Guernsey). The patient bends double or presses something hard against the abdomen. He leans over chairs, the table, or bedposts to get relief. According to Nash Magnesia Phosphorica Mag. Phos. comes nearest to it in colic and neuralgic affections. Chamomilla Cham. is also very close, both having colic from disturbing emotions, but the Chamomilla Cham. child does not double up, it tosses about. The Staphysagria Staph. patient is likely to have black or decayed teeth and sore eyelids, and there is chronic tendency to colic. Veratrum Album Verat. has colic amel. bending double, but it has also cold sweat. Dioscorea Villosa Dioscorea has wind colic, but is amel. by stretching out. The Stan. child wants to be carried with the abdomen on the mother's shoulder. The nearest analogue to Colocynthis in its entire action on the human body is its botanical congener Bryonia Bryonia, with which it should be compared. Both have the same general features.
if a stool occurs it gives immediate relief (Nux Vomica Nux the opposite).
any attempt to eat or drink agg. Cramps occur in the legs, uterus, and ovaries. A sensation as if clamped with iron bands is very characteristic in (coxalgia; dysmenia, &c.). Dragging in uterus and vagina. Griping, cutting, tearing, and spasmodic pains in the body.
burning pains. pulsations through the body.
sensation as of hard stones or potatoes in the body. Easily intoxicated by stimulants. Affections of right side generally. The pains are often accompanied by stiffness and retarded motion of the affected parts.
often affect the hip-joints.
pains affecting joints are much agg. by motion.
many neuralgic pains are amel. by rest. Abdominal pains are amel. by violent exertion. amel. Lying with head bent forward. Rheumatic pain in the limbs is amel. by discharge of flatus. Touch agg., and pressure amel. many of the pains. Warmth amel. most pains. agg. Evening and night. Coloc. has, like Lycopodium Lyc., Helleborus Niger Helleb., and Causticum Caust., a 4 p.m. aggravation. One prover had "At 4 p.m. the colic came on, six days in succession." This has been verified clinically. Coloc. is suited to blondes.
persons of choleric temperament.
and those liable to cramps and colic, from fruit, lead-poisoning, or excessive venery.
BITTER CUCUMBER.
When preparing the medicine from the colocynthis, it is best to take a grain of the dried fruit of this cucumber-like plant (Cucumis colocynthis) and triturate it with sugar of milk for three hours, in the manner indicated at the end of volume I., so as to get the millionth potency.
this is then dissolved and brought to the decillionth potency, so that we can use it in all its various grades of dynamization according to the nature of the circumstances of the disease. When well prepared it is of enormous virtue even in the smallest dose.
Camphora Camphor, Causticum causticum, crude coffee and Staphysagria staphisagria are used as antidotes of the bitter cucumber.
It has proved itself especially efficacious in the following ailments Anxiety.
lack of religious feeling.
porrigo in the face. toothache.
stomachache, also after eating.
, especially after vexation.
grumbling in the abdomen.
inguinal hernia. long-continued diarrhoea.
pain as from a bruise in the shoulder-joint after vexation.
ill consequences and troubles springing from.
, cramp in the calves and the intestines.
cramp-colic, bilious colic, bilious fever, insomnia, etc.
, where the hip-joint feels as if it were fastened to the pelvis and sacral region as if with iron claps, attended with pains darting down periodically from the lumbar muscles into the thigh.
The chief characteristic of colocynthis is the excitation of cramp-pains in the internal and external parts, tonic spasms, with squeezing pressive pains, and then Staphysagria staphisagria is the antidote. Also the drinking of coffee and Camphora camphor antidote its injurious action.
The proving of Colocynthis appears in the , and 250 of the 283 symptoms recorded here belong thereto. The remainder are Aegidi's (from a patient, see note to Sympt. 144,) and Hahnemann's in his later manner.
COLOCYNTHIS.
Note to Hoyer. "From ," and to reference add O. 178. To . note "Nothing about Colocynth is found here."
Not accessible.
From the apples taken for chronic gonorrhoea.
From colocynth given in apoplexy.
After "HOFFMANN" for [left] c. substitute ". X., O. 30, and note "Poisoning by a whole apple."
Case of poisoning.
Case of poisoning.
Colocynthis occurred twelve hours after a drop of Colocynth 3, in a patient already suffering several times a day from agonizing pain proceeding from the left kidney down the corresponding limb. Symptoms 22, 29, and 75 came on at the same time.
Effect of an enema containing colocynth.
Effect of an enema containing colocynth.
Poisoning.
Colocynthis symptom not found.
* * * * *
For HOFFMANN read KOELPIN.
Poisoning Note. "During convalescence."
No such observation found here.
Bitter Cucumber. Hahnemann. Cucurbitaceae.
*
Stools copious fecal diarrhoea, accompanied by great discharge of wind.
fluid. after eating, with discharge of flatus and painful feeling in abdomen, better after getting warm in bed.
thin, frothy, Crocus Sativus saffron-yellow, of musty odor.
slimy, bloody, like scrapings of the bowels, with tenesmus during stool.
relief of pain after stool.
Pains The principal feature of Colocynth is its severe, tearing, neuralgic pains.
so severe that the patient is unable to keep still. Sometimes they are better by motion - at least it appears that they are worse during rest- better by pressure and sometimes better by heat. Pains occur in the face, abdomen, along the course of the nerves.
These pains are often due to a very singular cause, namely, anger with indignation. Hence persons who are haughty and easily offended or chagrined have Colocynth complaints. Anger will be followed by violent neuralgia in the head, eyes, down the spine and in the intestines.
In spite of extreme restlessness there is great weakness with the pains. It patient suffering with chronic diarrhoea, with severe colic, will sometimes become so weak that he can hardly speak. A feeling of faintness, or even fainting, is by no means an unusual concomitant of the pains. Griping occurs along the course of nerves, and in some cases numbness, pricking and tingling, like the crawling of ants in the part affected.
With many doctors Colocynth is a routine remedy for sciatica.
and only when it fails to do they take the symptoms of the case in order to find the remedy that is indicated. There is no excuse for such practice. Where the pain is better from hard pressure and from heat, where it is worse during repose and drives the patient to despair, Colocynth will generally cure.
But it is not indicated in all cases. Some remedies select the muscles and tendons, some the bones and periosteum, while others select the great nerve trunks in which to manifest their symptoms. The pains of Colocynth appear, as a rule, in the larger nerves.
The mental symptoms are not very striking. As soon as the prover of Colocynth begins to have pains a long the course of nerves he becomes irritable; everything vexes him; he is worse from vexation.
Screams with the pains. Walks about the room and becomes increasingly anxious as the pain goes on. Disinclined to talk or to answer, or to see friends. His friends irritate him and he wants to be alone. He has all he can do to stand those terrible pains.
Vomiting and diarrhea frequently come with the pains, especially if they are in the abdomen.
Colic comes on in paroxysms that grow in intensity. The patient becomes increasingly nauseated until finally he vomits and he continues to retch after the stomach is empty.
Colocynth produces a state in the nervous system like that found in individuals who have for years been laboring under annoyances and vexations. A man whose business affairs have been going wrong becomes irritable and nervous exhaustion follows.
A woman who must watch her unfaithful husband night and day to keep him away from other women gradually assumes a sensitive irritable state of mind and is upset by the least provocation. This is the state of the Colocynth prover.
You will seldom find this medicine indicated in strong, vigorous, healthy people who have suddenly become sick. It is more likely to be in the constitution just described, and those who are in the habit of overeating.
We find tearing pains in the scalp, brought on by anger; exhaustion, pains that are better from pressure and heat, and worse when not in motion. Constant, gnawing pains in the head.
Intermittent headache in those of a rheumatic, gouty or nervous diathesis. Pain tearing and screwing together. Violent periodical or intermittent headache.
Such are some of the expressions in the text. But the particular character of the pain is not as important as the circumstances that are likely to cause it and the conditions in which the patient has been living.
There are some remedies which are indicated in faceache more often than any others, Belladonna Belladonna, Magnesia phosphorica and Colocynth
The Belladonna Belladonna pains are as violent as any, and are accompanied by red face, flashing eyes, hot head, and great sensitiveness of the part to touch.
In Colocynth the pains come in waves, are better from heat, from pressure, worse if anything during rest, and are brought on by excitement or vexation.
They are generally on the left side; while those of Belladonna Belladonna are on the right, and are caused by cold.
Magnesia Phosphorica Magnesia phosphorica has tearing and pains that shoot like lightning along the nerves and are relieved by heat and pressure.
The expression of the Colocynth face is one of anxiety from the severity of the suffering. No matter where the pain is the face is distorted. Finally, it becomes pale and the cheeks become blue.
Tearing pains in the cheek-bones, or more correctly, in the infra orbital nerve where it emerges from the foramen. Sometimes this pain feels like a hot wire, sometimes like a cold nail, and sometimes it is tearing, burning or stinging.
Frequently it spreads over the face, following the ramifications of the small branches of the nerve, usually on the left side. The patient cries out and is very restless. Tearing or burning pain extending to the ear and head.
All pains are better from pressure, but this is in the beginning. After the pain has been going for several days with increasing severity, the part becomes very sensitive and pressure cannot be endured.
Potatoes and starchy foods disagree with the Colocynth patient like Alumina Alumina The vomiting of Colocynth is different from that of most other remedies .
Nausea does not appear at first, but when the pain becomes sufficiently intense nausea and vomiting begin, the contents of the stomach are ejected and the patient continues to retch until the severity of the suffering decreases.
The stomach pains are clutching, cramping and digging; as if grasped by the fingers.
The victim, bends down over the back of a chair, or over the foot-board if unable to get out of bed.
In the Guiding Symptoms we find several pages of repetitions, showing how extensively this medicine is applicable in abdominal complaints where these symptoms are present. It would be well to read them.
The pains in the lower part of the abdomen are relieved by drawing up the limbs and pressing with the fists. In the violent ovarian neuralgias of Colocynth, the woman will flex the limb of the painful side hard against the abdomen and hold it there.
The physician asks
"What has happened to give you these pains?
Her answer is likely to be
"My servant spilled some dirty water on a handsome rug, we had some words over it, and this is the result. "
Colic from anger with indignation; better from bending double and worse in the upright position, while standing or bending backwards.
Colic of infants when they are relieved by lying on the stomach as soon as the position is changed they begin to scream again,
The same symptoms accompanying the diarrhoea and dysentery, The stools consists of white mucus, are thick, ropy and jelly-like; at times bloody.
At first they may be copious, strong smelling, pappy, and later watery, yellow, scanty and almost inodorous.
Diarrhoea and dysentery from anger with indignation; the most awful tenesmus during stool; urging to stool with colic. Eating ever so little, rings on the colic, urging and stool. Watery stools after eating. Many of these cases, find relief from heat and the warmth of the bed.
Knowing the life of a patient affords much knowledge of the patient himself. The same violent neuralgic pains are found in the eye. Rheumatic iritis, worse in the evening and night. Severe, burning, cutting and sticking pains in the eye. Burning is more characteristic of the pains of the eyes than of other parts of the head and face. Sharp, cutting- stabs.
pressing pains.
Disinclined to talk, to see friends, impatient, easily offended, danger within indignation; colic or other complaints as a consequence.
Colic, terrible; they seek relief by bending double or pressing something hard against the abdomen.
Dysentery-like diarrhoea; renewed after least food or drink, often with the characteristic colic pains.
Frequent urging to urinate, scanty; urine sometimes thick, foetid, viscid, jelly-like.
Crampy pain in sciatic nerve, from hip down posterior portion of thigh; better from hard pressure and from heat.
Tendency to painful cramps, with all pains.
Modalities worse evening, anger; after eating. better from coffee, bending double and hard pressure.No remedy produces more severe colic than this one, and no remedy cures more promptly.
Dr. T. L. Brown once said to me in substance If I was disposed to be skeptical as to the power of the small dose to cure, Colocynthis would convince me, for I have so promptly cured severe colic in many cases, from a child to adults, and even in horses. Of course, every true Homoeopath can respond amen to that.
The colic of Colocynthis is terrible, and is only bearable by bending double, or pressing something hard against the abdomen. He leans over chairs, the table or bed posts to get relief. This colic is neuralgic in character, and is often attended with vomiting and diarrhoea, which seems to be a result of the great pain more than any particular derangement of the stomach or bowels. We often find it in connection with dysentery. My experience has been that it does not, as a rule, occur in the first stage of the disease, but later, when the disease has not been fully controlled by Aconite Aconite, Merc Viv Mercurius, Nux Vomica Nux vomica and that class of remedies, but has extended upward to the small intestines. The pains are of a crampy nature. The remedy that comes nearest to Colocynth for colic is Magnesia Phosphorica Magnesia phosphorica especially in colic in children. They both have the cramping pains, but the pains of Magnesia Phosphorus phos. are most relieved by hot applications like Arsenicum Album Arsenicum. Both Colocynth and Magnesia Phosphorus phos. are also equally efficacious for neuralgic affections in other localities, for instance, in sciatica and prosopalgia, and even uterine colic of a neuralgic nature, though in this latter affection Magnesia Phosphorus phos. leads. Remember the modalities, for upon the individualization depends the choice between them. Chamomilla Chamomilla and Colocynth resemble each other, in that both have colic from a fit of anger or other neuralgic affections from the same cause. Chamomilla Chamomilla succeeds in the colic of children, if there is much wind which distends the abdomen; the child tosses about in agony, but does not double up like Colocynth. Other symptoms often come in of course and help to choose between them. If both fail I have succeeded with Magnesia Phosphorus phos. Staphysagria Staphisagria is also a remedy for colicky children, with disposition like Colocynth and Chamomilla Chamomilla. In such children the teeth grow black and decay early. Again the Staphysagria Staphisagria child is often troubled with sore eyelids. In such a case there is chronic tendency to colic and Staphysagria Staphisagria is sometimes the only remedy. Veratrum Album Veratrum album also has colic, bending the patient double, similar to Colocynth, but the patient walks about for relief, or is much prostrated and has cold sweats, especially on th.
Bovista Bovista has colic relieved by bending double, after eating.
Dioscorea Villosa Dioscorea is a good remedy for wind Colic. The Pain begins right at the umbilicus, and then radiates all over the abdomen, and even to extremities (Plumbum Metallicum Plumbum, with walls retracted), and, unlike Colocynth, the pain is aggravated by bending forward and relieved by straightening the body out. Stannum Iodatum Stannum is a colic remedy, and the only way the child is relieved is by being carried with the abdomen on the mother's shoulder. I have cured a case of this kind. It was a very obstinate case of long standing in a weakly child. The usual remedies had signally failed. Jalapa Jalapa cured one of the most obstinate cases of long standing that I ever saw, the child crying almost continually day and night for weeks. There was in this case diarrhoea all the time. Both colic and diarrhoea were very quickly cured. I have lengthened out these indications for colic remedies in connection with Colocynth because there is great temptation, especially with young physicians, to give "paregoric," soothing syrups, etc., because it is not always easy to find the homoeopathic remedy. I never have to do it, and I cure my cases. Of course there are many other remedies for the same trouble, and all have their particular guiding symptoms.
Colocynth not only cures neuralgic affections originating in the abdominal region, but has been very efficacious in facial and sciatic neuralgia. The pains in these localities, like those in the abdomen, are of a decidedly crampy nature. Here also Magnesia Phosphorus phos. often disputes place with Colocynth, in the fact of its also having characteristically the same kind of pains. The relief from heat, although found under both remedies, is most marked under Magnesia Phosphorus phos. In sciatica, the pain of Colocynth extends from the hip down the posterior portion of the thigh into the popliteal fossa (better lying on painful side, Bryonia Bryonia). Phytolacca Decandra Phytolacca, the pains run down the outer side of the thigh. These two remedies, with Gnaphalium Gnaphalium, are the leading remedies for the treatment of this most distressing malady. But of course other remedies often have to be given, and the indications are sometimes found outside of the local trouble, as they are in many other diseases. One of the worst cases of sciatica I ever saw was cured with Arsenicum Album Arsenicum album, on the indications, worse at midnight, especially from 1 to 3 o'clock; burning pains. and the only temporary relief during the paroxysms, was from bags of hot, dry salt applied to the painful part.
The lady was a sister of Charles Saunders, of New York, of school reader fame, who was himself a cripple from allopathically treated sciatica. She, after suffering indescribable agony for six weeks, was cured rapidly and permanently with a dose of Jenichen's 8m of Arsenicum Album Arsenicum album. So we see again that no remedy and no particular set of remedies can be entirely relied upon, but the indicated one can. These are the chief uses of Colocynth.
Region
NERVES (large) TRIFACIAL
ABDOMINAL
Spinal SCIATIC
DIGESTIVE TRACT (NAVEL)
INTESTINES
Ovaries
Kidneys
Left side