Colocynthis coloc.

NERVES (large): TRIFACIAL. ABDOMINAL. Spinal. SCIATIC. DIGESTIVE TRACT (NAVEL). INTESTINES. Ovaries. Kidneys. Left side.

EMOTIONS. VEXATION. Chagrin. Anger. Lying on painless side. Night, in bed. Drafts. Taking cold.

HARD PRESSURE. Coffee. Heat. Rest. Gentle motion. After stool or flatus.

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 (Ign. Lyc.). Lightning-like pains. CUTTING, pinching, clamping, gnawing or boring pain; then numbness. Parts seem too short. Constriction. Neuralgia.

Anger; easily vexed; < pains. Tearing head pains, < moving eyelids. Faceache (l); with eye symptoms or alternating with cœlialgia. Distorted face. Persistent bitter taste. Gas colic (flatulent colic). WAVES OF VIOLENT CUTTING, GRIPING, GRASPING, CLUTCHING OR RADIATING ABDOMINAL COLIC DOUBLE HIM UP; > HARD PRESSURE; < least food. Cutting in bowels; at navel. Pressure > at first then <. 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, > pressure (Bry.). Lumbar ache, > pressure. Cramps in hips. Screwing, band-like or shooting sciatic pains; < least motion, rotation or night, > lying on painful part. Limbs drawn up like a hedgehog. Urinous sweat.

Complementary: Caus. Antidote: Op. Related: Stap.

Agonizing pain in abdomen causing patient to bend double, with restlessness, twisting and turning to obtain relief; > by hard pressure (> by heat, Mag. p.). Pains: are worse after eating or drinking; compel patient to bend double (Mag. p. - < by bending double, Dios.); menses, suppressed by chagrin, colic pains. Exteremely irritable, impatient; becomes angry or offended on being questioned. Irritable; throws things out of his hands. Affections from anger, with indignation - colic, vomiting, diarrhoea and suppression of menses (Cham., Staph.). Vertigo: when quickly turning head, especially to the left, as if he would fall; from stimulants. Sciatica: crampy pain in hip, as though screwd in a vise; lies upon affected side. Shooting pain, like lightening-shocks, down the whole limb, left hip, left thigh, left knee, into popliteal fossa.

Complemenatary: Merc. in dysentry, with great tenesmus. Compare: Graph. intense pain along right sciatic never, darting, cutting, from right hip joint down to foot; < lying down, motion, stepping; > by sitting. Compare with Staph. in ovarian or other diseases from bad effects of anger, reserved indignation or silent grief.

Anger and indignation; mortification caused by offense (Staph., Lyc.); cheese < colic.

From doubling up; hard pressure.

The strongest characteristic, calling for the use of this remedy, is an agonizing pain in the abdomen, cawing 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 made worse after eating or drinking the least amount. This pain may occur alone, or in the dysentery, cholera etc. The doubling over of the patient and pressing on the abdomen, is the chief characteristic. In morbus coxalgia, where there is a sensation as of being encircled with an iron band, screwed up tightly.

Urine viscid; looks like, and has the consistency of thin glue; sediment in the urine; complaints before passing, also after.

Affections of the right upper extremity, also right lower extremity; right eye, right side of the chest; general symptoms on right side; inner abdomen in general. Sensations, as though stones were being ground together in the abdomen, working upon the soft parts; of muscles being shortened. Of tightness in outer parts.

From mental troubles; anger with indignation; mortification caused by offence; lying on the painless side; before urinating, and after.

Lying with the head bent forwards.

Pulsat., Bellad., Bryon., Nux vom., Mercur., Chamom., Spigel.

Staphis.

Severe colicky pains, mostly around the umbilicus, has to bend double, worse in any other position, great restlessness and loud screaming on changing position, worse at intervals of 5 or 10 minutes, discharge of stool or flatulence affords temporary relief. Colic so distressing that they seek relief by pressing corners of tables or heads of bedposts against the abdomen. Dysentery-like diarrhoea, renewed each time after taking the least food or drink. Urinates small quantities with frequent urging, fetid, thick, viscid jelly-like urine. Intense boring or tensive pain in the ovary causing her to bend double with great restlessness.

Bitter Cucumber

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 (Hyper). Urinous odor of perspiration (Berb; Nitr 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.

Extremely irritable. Becomes angry when questioned. Mortification caused by offense. Anger, with indignation (Cham; Bry; Nux).

Vertigo when turning head to the left. Lateral cutting headache, with nausea, vomiting. Pains (better pressure and heat), with soreness of scalp. Burning pains, digging, rending, and tearing. Frontal headache; worse, stooping, lying on back, and moving eyelids.

Pains sharp, boring, better pressure. Sensation on stooping, as if eye would fall out. Gouty affections of eyes. Violent pain in eyeballs which precede the development of glaucoma.

Tearing, shooting, and swelling of face; left side great soreness. Get relief from pressure (China). Neuralgia, with chilliness; teeth seem too long. Sounds re-echo in ears. Pain in stomach, always with pain of teeth or head.

Very bitter taste. Tongue rough, as from sand, and feels scalded. Canine hunger. Feeling in stomach as if something would not yield; drawing pain.

Agonizing cutting pain in abdomen causing patient to end over double, and pressing on the abdomen. Sensation as if stones were being ground together in the abdomen, and would burst. Intestines feel as if bruised. Colic with cramps in calves. Cutting in abdomen, especially after anger. Each paroxysm is attended with general agitation and a chill over the cheeks, ascending from the hypogastrium. Pain in small spot below navel. Dysenteric stool renewed each time by the least food or drink. Jelly-like stools. Musty odor. Distention.

Boring pain in ovary. Must draw up double, with great restlessness. Round, small cystic tumors in ovaries or broad ligaments. Wants abdomen supported by pressure. Bearing-down cramps, causing her to bend double (Opium).

Intense burning along urethra during stool. Vesical catarrh, discharge like fresh white of egg. Viscid (Phos acid) fetid; small quantities, with frequent urging. Itching at orifice. Red, hard crystals, adhering firmly to vessel. Tenesmus of bladder. Pains on urinating over whole abdomen.

Contraction of muscles. All the limbs are drawn together. Pain in right deltoid (Guaco). Cramp-like pain in hip; lies on affected side; pain from hip to knee. Spontaneous luxation of the hip-joints. Stiffness of joints and shortening of tendons. Sciatic pain, left side, drawing, tearing; better, pressure and heat; worse, gentle touch. Contraction of the muscles. Pain down right thigh; muscles and tendons feel too short; numbness with pains (Gnaphal). Pain in left knee joint.

Worse, from anger and indignation. Better, doubling up, hard pressure, warmth, lying with head bent forward.

Antidote: Coffea; Staphis; Cham. Colocynth is the best antidote to lead poisoning (Royal).

Compare: Lobelia erinus (violent cork-screw-like pains in abdomen). Dipodium punctatum (Writhing. Twisting like a dying snake. Intractable insomnia). Dioscor; Chamom; Coccul; Merc; Plum; Magn phos.

Sixth to thirtieth potency.

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 diarrhœa; renewed after least food or drink, often with the characteristic colic pains.

Frequent urging to urinate, scanty; urine sometimes thick, fœtid, viscid, jelly-like.

Crampy pain in sciatic nerve, from hip down posterior portion of thigh; > from hard pressure and from heat; < in repose, driving patient desperate.

Tendency to painful cramps, with all pains.

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 Homœopath 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 diarrhœa, 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, Mercurius, 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 especially in colic in children. They both have the cramping pains, but the pains of Magnesia phos. are most relieved by hot applications like Arsenicum. Both Colocynth and Magnesia 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 phos. leads. Remember the modalities, for upon the individualization depends the choice between them. 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 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 phos. Staphisagria is also a remedy for colicky children, with disposition like Colocynth and Chamomilla. In such children the teeth grow black and decay early. Again the Staphisagria child is often troubled with sore eyelids. In such a case there is chronic tendency to colic and Staphisagria is sometimes the only remedy. 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 the forehead. Bovista has colic relieved by bending double, after eating.

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, with walls retracted), and, unlike Colocynth, the pain is aggravated by bending forward and relieved by straightening the body out. 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 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 diarrhœa all the time. Both colic and diarrhœa 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 homœopathic 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 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 phos. In sciatica, the pain of Colocynth extends from the hip down the posterior portion of the thigh into the popliteal fossa (> lying on painful side, Bryonia). Phytolacca, the pains run down the outer side of the thigh. These two remedies, with 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, 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. 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.

Modalities: < evening, anger; after eating; > from coffee, bending double and hard pressure.

Aversion to talk ; disinclined to answer questions. Inclined to be angry and indignant. Delirium, with eyes open and desire to flee. Disinclined to occupy oneself, even averse to visit his otherwise well-like friends.

Easy intoxication (from drinking beer). One-sided headache, with nausea and vomiting, (5 P.M.). Pressing and heaviness in the forehead ; aggravated when stooping and lying on the back. Pressing pain in the forehead and root of the nose as coryza would appear. Profuse perspiration on the head, itching, smelling urine (also on the hands thighs and feet) ; worse night, in bed ; relieved after rising and walking in warm room. Biting, burning pain in the scalp.

Sensitive pressure in the eyes, especially when stooping. Burning and cutting in the eyes. Secretion of acrid tears from the eyes. Stitches in the eyes (and forehead). Obscuration of the sight.

Pulsation and rushing in the ears.

Coryza, fluent ; worse in the open air ; better in the room.

Face pale and relaxed, with sunken eyes. Dark redness of the face. Prosopalgia, left side ; tearing or burning and stinging pain, extending to the ear and head. Cramp-like sensation in the left malar bone, extending into the left eye. Swelling of the face, with redness and heat of one cheek.

Burning at the tip of the tongue. Sensation as if the tongue had been scalded by some hot fluid. Tongue coated white or yellow. Burning of the under lip. Feeling of constriction in the throat, with empty eructations and palpitation of the heart.

Bitter taste of all the food and drink. Vomiting of food ; greenish vomiting. Pressure in the stomach, with sensation of hunger. Canine hunger ; intense thirst, without hunger. After taking the least nourishment, diarrhœa and vomiting. Pain in the abdomen when walking (navel). Bruised feeling in the abdomen. Feeling in the whole abdomen as if the intestines were being squeezed between stones ; tympanitis. The (colic) pains in the abdomen compel one to bend double worse in any other position. Colic, with great sensitiveness of the abdomen, after anger, with cramps in the calves of the legs. Pain in the abdomen, cutting as with knives. Sensation of increasing constriction in the intestines. Rumbling in the bowels. The colic and abdominal pains are relieved by bending, double, by violent exercise, by coffee and tobacco ; every other food or drink causes an aggravation.

Constipation, and evacuations retarded (during pregnancy). Diarrhœa ; stools frothy, smelling acid and putrid. Dysentery ; discharges of mucus and blood, with tenesmus. Constriction of the rectum during stool. Discharge of blood from the rectum, with stinging, burning pain in the small of the back and anus (daily).

Frequent tenesmus vesicæ, with but small discharges. Urine fœtid ; it soon thickens ; is viscid and like jelly. Abundant micturition. Urine (like that in dropsy after scarlet fever) of a faint flesh color, with a white-brown, flocculent, transparent sediment, depositing on the chamber small, red, hard, solid crystals, which adhere firmly to the vessel. Itching at the orifice of the urethra, with desire to urinate. Burning in the urethra after micturition.

Men. Retraction of the prepuce behind the glans, during sleep. Impotence. Women. Stitches in the ovaries. Lochia suppressed ; puerperal fever after vexation.

Constriction in the larynx, which induces frequent deglutition, with oppression of breathing ; better in the open air. Nightly attacks of oppression, as if the chest were constricted. Cough caused by smoking tobacco. Dry cough from tickling in the throat.

Pain in the shoulder-blades and back, extending into the neck, with tension. Great weakness in the back, especially the small of the back, with pressing headache (morning).

Upper. Swelling and suppuration of the axillary glands ; subsultus of muscles. Pain in the palms of the hands, as if the muscles were contracted and the hand and fingers could not be opened ; worse when at rest. Hands feel stiff. Lower. While in motion, pain in the right thigh, as if the psoas muscle were too short ; on stopping it ceased, but began again when he commenced to walk. Cramp-like pain in the hip, from the kidneys to the thighs, with sensation as if the hip joint were fastened by iron clamps. Stitches in the knee joints. The knees feel stiff, preventing one from stooping down. Sensation of coldness in the knees (in the morning). The feet go to sleep (first the left, then the right foot). Swelling of the feet.

Tension and constriction in external and internal parts. Stiffness of the joints. Twitching of the muscles. General shortening of the tendons. All the extremities are contracted. Faintness, with coldness of the extremities. Stitches extending along the body. Swelling of various parts, with oppression of breathing. Pulsations through the body. Burning pains.

Sleep restless, disturbed by dreams. Sleeplessness after anger. Very wakeful and sleepless.

Pulse full, hard and accelerated. Strong pulsation in the arteries. Coldness and chilliness of the body, frequently with heat of the face. Coldness of the hands and soles of the feet, while the rest of the body is warm. External dry heat. Internal heat, with attacks of flushes of heat. Perspiration at night, smelling like urine, causing itching of the skin. Perspiration, principally on the head and on the extremities.

The skin of the whole body scales off. Carbuncles, with continuous burning pain. Small ulcers, with itching and burning.

The pains are often accompanied by stiffness and retarded motion of the affected parts ; they often affect the hip joints ; the pains are generally worse during rest, except those affecting principally the joints ; they are also much worse from motion ; the painful tearing (rheumatic pain) in the limbs is relieved by discharge of flatus. Bad effects from anger with indignation and silent grief.

Citrullus colocynthis. Cucumis colocynthis. Bitter Apple. N. O. Cucurbitaceæ. Native of Turkey. Tincture of pulp of fruit.

Cataract. Ciliary neuralgia. Colic . Coxalgia. Diabetes. Diarrhœa. Dysentery . Dysmenorrhœa. Glaucoma. Headache. Hoarseness. Menstrual colic. Neuralgia. Ovaries, affections of . Paraphimosis. Peritonitis . Rheumatism. Sciatica . Toothache. Tumours. Uterus, pains in. Vagina, pains in.

"The strongest characteristic calling for the use of this remedy 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 < 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 Mag. Phos . comes nearest to it in colic and neuralgic affections. Cham . is also very close, both having colic from disturbing emotions, but the Cham . child does not double up, it tosses about. The Staph . patient is likely to have black or decayed teeth and sore eyelids, and there is chronic tendency to colic. Verat . has colic > bending double, but it has also cold sweat. Dioscorea has wind colic, but is > 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 , with which it should be compared. Both have the same general features — pain in muscles, nerves, and joints, gastro-enteric disturbance, and the same condition in regard to rheumatic joints, < by movement. Both have great irritability and ailments from mental emotion, though the latter feature is more marked in Colocynth . Arthritis and gouty headaches with ophthalmia, facial neuralgic pains extending to eye.

Coloc . has diarrhœa from grief, indignation or chagrin. Suppressed lochia from indignation. Diabetes with milky, gelatinous, or colloid urine. The characteristic griping of Coloc ., forcing the patient to bend double, may be accompanied by cramps in other parts, which may occur with or without stool; if a stool occurs it gives immediate relief ( Nux the opposite); any attempt to eat or drink < . 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 < by motion; many neuralgic pains are > by rest. Abdominal pains are > by violent exertion. > Lying with head bent forward. Rheumatic pain in the limbs is > by discharge of flatus. Touch < , and pressure > many of the pains. Warmth > most pains. < Evening and night. Coloc . has, like Lyc., Helleb ., and 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.

Coloc. is antidoted by: Camph., Caust., Cham., Coff., Op., Staph. Large doses are counteracted by tepid milk, infusion of galls, Camph., and Op. It antidotes: Caust., Magnes. Compatible: Staph., Cham. Complementary: Merc. (dysentery) with much tenesmus). Compare: Bry. (nearest analogue), Elater., Cucurbita pepo. Diosc. (griping, tearing, cutting, spasmodic pains in body, but > stretching body and motion); Dig. (paraphimosis); Caust. (Joint rheumatism; follows Coloc. in colic); eyes feel hard, Can. ind.; Canth., Cham., Chel.; Chi. (beer intoxicates easily); Coccul., Gamb., Lyc., Merc.; Nux; Plumb. (inclination to assume strange attitudes in bed). Staph. (anger with vexation, abdominal pains, neuralgia — they follow one another well); Verat.; Pul. (hoarseness 4 p.m.). From emotions, Cham., Bry., Gels., Pho. ac. Ign.; stiffness of knee-joints and all joints, Colch.; stiffness after acute rheumatism, hinders squatting, Graph. Compare also Guaiac.; Crot. tig.

Anger. Indignation. Chagrin. Grief. Catching cold.

Mental dejection with taciturnity. — Aversion to talk; disinclined to answer questions. — Inclined to be angry and indignant. — Lachrymose humour. — Anxiety and inquietude, with an inclination to run away. — Want of religious feeling. — Disinclined to occupy oneself, even averse to visit his otherwise well-liked friends.

Easy intoxication (from drinking beer). — Vertigo, which occasions falling, on turning the head quickly, with tottering of the knees. — Headache, as from a draught of air, which is dissipated by walking in the open air. — Compressive pain in the sinciput, aggravated by stooping, or lying on the back. — Pressing pain in the forehead and root of the nose, as if a coryza would appear. — Attacks of semi-lateral headache, drawing and cramp like, or pressive, with nausea and vomiting, sometimes daily, towards five o'clock in the afternoon. — Pain in the forehead and in the eyes, as if proceeding from the outside inwards. — Headache with violent pains, which do not permit a recumbent posture, and occasion cries or weeping. — Attacks of headache, followed by suffocation. — Congestion in the head. — Burning pain in the skin of the forehead, and the scalp. — Heat in the head. — Profuse perspiration on the head, itching, smelling like urine (also on the hands, thighs, and feet); worse at night in bed; relieved after rising and walking in the warm room.

Sensitive pressure in the eyes, esp. when stooping. — Obscuration of the sight. — Great white light at side of and below r. eye. — Shimmering circle with rays before r. eye. — Inflammation of the eyes. — Burning and incisive pains, and shootings in the eyes (and forehead). — Eyes feel hard. — Aching in upper and outer portions of r. eyeball in evening, < by rubbing it with finger; it feels harder than usual there; this aching lasted some days. — Smarting in eyes; painfulness of eyeballs. — Pressive feeling in orbits, towards root of nose. — Painful pressure in eyeballs, esp. on stooping. — Pains in eyes, sharp cutting in r. eyeball. — Stitches as with knives in r. eyeball, extending to root of nose. — Pain as from pressure on both eyelids from above downward. — External strabismus of r. eye, with smarting lachrymation. — Dryness; burning; smarting; lachrymation. — Discharge of acrid serum from the eyes.

Warmth in r. ear. — Obstruction before l. ear. — Itching, sticking deep in ear, extending from Eustachian tube to tympanum; > by boring in ear with finger. — Crawling within ear > by boring. — Difficult hearing; everything heard is accompanied by a roaring noise. — Constant roaring and throbbing in both ears, esp. l.

Fluent coryza. — Severe burning above the nose. — Throbbing burrowing pain in nose extending from l. side to root.

Pale and wasted face, with downcast (sunken) eyes. — Tensive, tearing, burning or shooting pains (prosopalgia) in the face, often on l. side only, and extending to the ears and into the head. — Cramp-like sensation in the l. malar bone, extending into l. eye. — Scabs on the face. — Face of a deep red colour (during the fever). — Face puffed, with heat and redness of l. cheek, and tearing pains.

Pains in the teeth, as if the nerve were pulled or stretched. — Pulsative pains in the teeth on l. side. — Burning at the tip of the tongue. — Sensation as if the tongue had been scalded by some hot fluid. — Roughness of the tongue. — Tongue loaded with a white or yellow coating. — Cramps in the gullet, with empty eructations and palpitations of the heart.

Diminished appetite, without thirst, though accompanied by a strong desire for drink, with a sickly taste in the mouth. — Constant nausea with risings. — Bitter taste in the mouth, and of all food and drink. — Colic and diarrhœa, however little is eaten. — Pains in the stomach sometimes after a meal. — Vomiting of food, or of greenish matter. — Vomiting, with diarrhœa. — Painful sensitiveness of the epigastrium to the touch. — Violent pressure on the stomach (with sensation of hunger), and in the precordial region.

Inflation of the abdomen, as from tympanitis. — Feeling in the whole abdomen as if the intestines were being squeezed between stones. — Cramp-like pain and constriction in the intestines, esp. after a fit of anger. — Excessively violent colic, with incisive, cramp-like, or contractive pains, which compel the patient to bend double ( < in any other position), with restlessness in the whole body, and with a sensation of shuddering in the face, which seems to proceed from the abdomen. — Pain in the abdomen when walking (navel). — Colic, with cramps in the calves of the legs. — Colic, as if from a chill. — Colic after a meal. — The colic and abdominal pains are relieved by bending double, by violent exercise, by coffee and tobacco-smoke; every other food or drink causes an aggravation. — Pinching, and sensation of clawing in the abdomen, mitigated by violent exertion. — Cuttings and shootings in the abdomen, as from knives, with shiverings and tearings along the legs. — Great sensibility, soreness, and sensation of emptiness in the abdomen. — Grumbling in the abdomen. — Inguinal hernia.

Constipation. — Constipation, and evacuations retarded (during pregnancy). — Loose evacuations of a greenish yellow, frothy and of a sour smell, putrid or mouldy. — Slimy diarrhœa. — Sanguineous evacuations. — Dysenterical evacuations, with colic. — During the evacuation, contraction in the rectum. — Painful swelling of the hæmorrhoidal tumours of the anus, and of the rectum. — Discharge of blood from the rectum, with stinging, burning pain in the small of the back and anus (daily). — Hæmorrhage from the anus. — Paralysis of the sphincter ani.

Tenesmus of the bladder, with but small discharges. — Diminished secretion of urine. — Abundant discharge of urine of a bright colour, during the pains. — Urine (like that in dropsy after scarlet fever) of a faint flesh colour, with a white-brown flocculent, transparent sediment, depositing on the chamber small, red, hard, solid crystals, which adhere firmly to the vessel. — Fetid urine, which soon becomes thick, gelatinous, and glutinous. — Itching at the orifice of the urethra, with desire to urinate. — Burning in the urethra after micturition.

Sensation as if everything were flowing towards the genital parts, from both sides of the abdomen, occasioning a discharge of semen. — Excitement of sexual desire, as in priapism. — Complete impotence. — Retraction of the prepuce behind the glans.

Cramp-like pain in l. ovary; in uterus; as if parts were squeezed in a vice. — Ovarian cyst, paroxysm of acute pain in abdomen, sacrum, and hip, > by flexing thigh on pelvis. — Metritis; metrorrhagia; suppressed catamenia, with cramping pains > by bending double; or caused by indignation or chagrin. — Stitches in the ovaries. — Lochia suppressed; puerperal fever after vexation. — Painful nodosities in the mammæ.

Small dry cough, excited by irritation in the larynx, or by tobacco smoke. — Constriction in the larynx, which induces frequent deglutition with oppressed breathing; > in the open air. — Fits of asthma at night.

Oppression of the chest, as if it were compressed.

Palpitation of the heart. — Stitches in cardiac region.

Tension in the neck and shoulder-blades. — Drawing pains in the back, as if the muscles were stretched. — Great weakness in the back, esp. in the small of the back, with pressing headache (morning). — Congestion and suppuration of the axillary glands; subsultus of muscles.

Bruise-like pain in the joint of the shoulder, esp. after a fit of passion. — Aching, pressive, and shooting pain in the arms. — Cramp-like pain in the hands, which with difficulty suffers the fingers to be opened; < when at rest. — Pulling in the tendons of the thumbs.

Pain in the coxo-femoral joint, as if it were fastened with an iron clasp, the pelvis and sacral region, with pains extending from the lumbar region to the legs. — Tensive lancination, in the lumbar region and of the hips, esp. when lying on the back. — Pain (in the r. thigh) while walking, as if the psoas muscles were too short; on stooping it ceased, but began again when he commenced to walk. — (Spontaneous dislocation of the coxo-femoral joint.). — Want of flexibility in the knee, which prevents the bending of it. — Cramps in the legs. — Shootings in the legs, esp. during repose. — Stitches in the knee-joints. — Sensation of coldness in the knees (in the morning). — Great heaviness and trembling of the legs. — The feet go to sleep (first the l., then the r. foot). — Swelling of the feet. — Tearing in the soles of the feet during repose.

Semi-lateral pains. — Painful cramps, and cramp-like contractions, in the internal or external parts. — Sensation as though stones were being ground together in the abdomen, working upon the soft parts. — Contraction of the tendons in some parts only, or throughout the body, with a drawing up of all the limbs. — Twitching of the muscles. — Stiffness in all the joints. — Tearing shootings, traversing the whole body longitudinally. — Physical depression while walking in the open air. — Fainting, with coldness of the external parts. — Swelling of various parts, with oppression of breathing. — Pulsations through the body. — Burning pains.

Troublesome itching, with great restlessness in the whole body, esp. in the evening in bed, followed by perspiration. — Desquamation of the skin over the whole body. — Carbuncles, with continuous burning pain. — Small ulcers, with itching and burning. — Eruptions which resemble scabies. — Skin hot and dry.

Disturbed sleep at night (by dreams). — Sleepiness, alternately with delirium, with the eyes open. — Sleeplessness following a fit of indigestion. — Very wakeful and sleepless. — Lying on the back when asleep, with one hand under the occiput. — Frequent vivid and lascivious dreams.

Cold and shivering, with heat in the face, without thirst. — Coldness of the hands and soles of the feet, while the rest of the body is warm. — Pulse hard, full and quick. — Strong pulsation in the arteries. — External dry heat. — Internal heat, with attacks of flushes of heat. — Nocturnal sweat, of the smell of urine, on the head, hands, legs, and feet, causing itching of the skin. — Perspiration principally on the head and on the extremities.

Weak memory.
Confusion in left side of head, with pressing, burning pain in left orbit, temple and nose, on dorsum nasi, and in upper teeth.
Delirium alternating with sopor, with constant desire to escape, eyes half closed. θ Abortion.
Depressed and joyless ; disposition to cry and weep.
Complaining bitterly day and night.
Screaming from pain. θ Peritonitis.
Walks about the room in great anxiety. θ Headache.
Disinclined to talk, to answer, or see friends.
Extreme anxiety.
Extremely irritable and impatient ; nothing seems right ; gets angry on being questioned.
Morose mood ; becomes offended at everything.
Anger, with indignation and extreme irritability ; throws things out of his hands.
Indignation, with silent internal grief.
Affections from anger, with indignation, particularly vomiting and diarrhœa, also suppression of menses.

Giddiness, with slight delirium and deafness.
Vertigo : when quickly turning head, as if he would fall ; tottering of knees ; from stimulants.
Intimations of vertigo and nausea.
Dulness of head and giddiness, at beginning of colic.
Confusion of head : in frontal region, with pressure in orbits ; in left side of head.

Violent shooting or stitching pain in forehead and eyes, from out in, sometimes lessening for a few minutes, but returning afterwards harder, day and night.
Sudden sticking pain in forehead, towards nose.
Rheumatic inflammation, with terrible burning, cutting pains, which extend into head, particularly into forehead.
Drawing pain in whole brain, becoming pressive in forehead, < on moving eyebrows.
Tearing or pressing pain in forehead and root of nose ; as if a coryza would appear.
Pressive frontal headache, < stooping or lying on back.
Sensitiveness of head, during whole day, as though it was compressed ; especially in forehead and temples.
Tensive pain in forehead.
Aching in forehead, < by bending forward.
Heaviness and stupefaction of forehead.
Pressure in both temples.
Boring stitches in right temple, disappearing on touch.
Severe burning, boring pain on right side of forehead.
Boring and drawing in right side of head, in forehead.
Pressing and dull throbbing in left temple, grows gradually acute and cutting.
Pulsation in left temple with violent pressure.
Tearing in left side of forehead.
Periodical tearing, stitching, jerking headache, occurring daily, half an hour after rising, in left side of forehead.
Hemicrania, pains extending particularly towards forehead and left side of head, with nausea and vomiting ; attacks come in afternoon towards evening.
Constant horrible, gnawing pains in head. θ Arthritic ophthalmia.
Painful tearing-digging through whole brain, becoming unbearable when moving upper eyelid.
Intense pain through whole head, < by moving eyes.
Painfulness of whole head and eyes, very much < by bending forward.
Severe pressing, tearing headache, causing her to cry out ; she must sit up, is unable to remain in lying position ; bends herself double ; with subsidence of pains, attacks of suffocation, constriction of chest and anxious gasping for air ; hands clenched ;
attacks recur every hour or half hour.
Intermittent headache in those of a rheumatic, gouty, or nervous diathesis ; the pains are violent, semilateral, tearing, drawing or crampy ; aching, compressive sensation in forehead, with great anguish and restlessness, obliging one to leave the bed.
Severe headache with sweat on head and body, smelling like urine, with copious watery urine during pains, or scanty fetid urine between paroxysms.
Pain, tearing and screwing together.
Congestion to head, with constant tearing pain. θ Arthritic ophthalmia.
Violent periodical or intermittent headache.
Bilious, gouty or nervous headaches, of excruciating severity.

Continue in Hering 43 more passages →

The principal feature of Colocynth is its severe, tearing, neuralgic pains; so severe that the patient is unable to keep still. Sometimes they are > by motion - at least it appears that they are worse during rest- > by pressure and sometimes > 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.

Painful, tearing, digging through the whole brain, becoming unbearable when moving the eyelids. Intense pain through the whole head; worse from moving the eyes. Severe, pressing, tearing headache, causing her to cry out.

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.

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.

The faceache is especially important, because Colocynth is one of the most frequently indicated remedies for neuralgia of this region.

There are some remedies which are indicated in faceache more often than any others, Belladonna, Magnesia phosphorica and Colocynth.

The 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 are on the right, and are caused by cold.

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.

Aversion to food. Violent thirst. Colic brought on from drinking while overheated; from eating indigestible things, from high living; colic from eating potatoes.

Potatoes and starchy foods disagree with the Colocynth patient like 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.

Similar pains occur lower down in the abdomen, but they are still better from hard pressure, and from doubling up which amounts to pressure, come on in paroxysms of increasing severity, until the patient is nauseated and vomits, and are associated with great restlessness and faint, sinking feeling at the pit of the stomach.

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.

Confusion in the left side of head, with pressing burning pain in the left orbit, temple and nose, on dorsum nasi and in the upper teeth.
Greatly affected by the misfortunes of others as well see as her own.
Depressed, joyless; disinclined to talk, to answer, to see friends.
Extreme irritability; nothing seems right to him; extremely impatient; every word provokes him.
Anger with indignation; also bad effects therefrom particularly vomiting and diarrhœa.

Vertigo, when quickly turning the head, as if he would fall, tottering of the knees.
Dulness of head and giddiness, at beginning of colic.

Pressive frontal headache, worse while stooping, or lying on the back.
Painful tearing through the whole brain, becoming unbearable when moving the upper eyelid.
Severe burning pain, on right side of forehead.
Tearing in the left side of forehead.
Pressure in both temples.
Boring stitches in the right temple, disappearing on touch.
Pressing and dull throbbing in left temple, growing gradually more acute and cutting.

Roots of the hair painful.
Smarting, burning on the scalp, left side.

Vision obscured.
Painful pressure in the eyeballs, especially on stooping.
Sharp cutting in the right eyeball, with pain in the eyes.
Smarting in the eyes.
Discharge of acrid fluid from the eyes.

Roaring and throbbing in both ears, especially the left.
Crawling; itching; stitching; cutting or aching in the ears, relieved by putting the fingers into the ear.

Fluent coryza, worse in open air than in the room.
Beating and digging pain, from left side of nose to glabella.

Face: dark red; or pale, with relaxed muscles and sunken eyes.
Tensive tearing pain, with heat and swelling, especially of left side; worse from touch or motion, better in perfect rest, and from external application of warmth.
Left-sided tearing, or burning and stinging pain, extending to the ear and head; tearing in the cheeks.
Constriction and pressing in the left malar bone, extending into the left eye.
Transient stitches in the upper jaw recurring frequently.

Drawing and twitching toothache.
Beating toothache, first in one, then in another tooth of left side.

Taste: bitter of food and drink, less frequently offensive or metallic.
Tongue: coated white, or yellow; rough; burning on tip.
Scalded sensation of the tongue.

Dryness; rawness; roughness; or scraping in throat.

Canine hunger, with longing for bread and beer.
Aversion to food, with scraping in the throat.
Diminished appetite, without thirst, still great inclination to drink; succeeded by a putrid taste in the mouth.

After the least food or drink, diarrhœa.
Potatoes cause bellyache; coffee relieves the colic.

Nausea arising from the stomach.
Vomiting of bitter tasting, yellow fluid.

Feeling of emptiness in the stomach.
Burning pain in the stomach.
Feeling of fulness in the epigastric region.
Griping in the epigastrium, after each meal, worse toward evening.
Cramp in the stomach at night, relieved by belching.
Pit of stomach very sensitive to touch.
Violent cutting, tearing pains, which from different parts of chest and abdomen, concentrate in the pit of stomach, better from hard pressure and bending double; brought on by vexation and indignation.

Transient stitches in the hepatic region.

Abdomen distended and painful; tympanitic.
Incarcerated flatus.
Cramp-like pain in both sides of abdomen, worse after pressure or leaning with belly on a table.
Collection of fat in abdomen since her first confinement.
Severe colicky pains, mostly around the navel; has to bend double, being worse in any other posture; great restlessness and loud screaming on changing position; worse at intervals of five or ten minutes.
Colic so distressing that they seek relief by pressing the corner of a table, or head of bed post, against abdomen.
Colic-like, spasmodic pain after vexation.
Colic spreading from the navel, better from frequent discharge of flatus.
Isolated, deep stitches, sometimes in felt, at others in right flank, apparently connected with the ovaries.
Pain in the groin, like from hernia, and on pressure, sensation as if a hernia were receding.

Chronic watery diarrhœa, mornings, with pain in sides of abdomen.
Dysentery-like diarrhœa, renewed each time by the least food or drink.
Bloody diarrhœa, with violent pain in the bowels, extending down into the thighs.
Frequent urging to stool, with sensation as if the anus and rectum were weakened by long continued diarrhœa.
Stools: copious fecal diarrhœa, 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, saffron-yellow, of musty odor; slimy, bloody, like scrapings of the bowels, with tenesmus during stool; relief of pain after stool.
Constipation, stools hard; also when caused by cheese, painfully swollen hemorrhoids, in rectum and at anus.

Sudden violent pressure upon the bladder, which was full, passed off suddenly on the emission of flatus.
Abundant urine; frequent desire to pass water, with burning in bladder and stitches; alternating with stitches in the rectum.
Frequent tenesmus vesicæ, with scanty emission.
Urine: fetid; brown; viscid; deposits copious sediment which becomes jelly-like; faint flesh-colored, with light brown, flocky, unequally translucent sediment and depositing small, hard, reddish crystals, which adhere to the vessel, and are not easily removed by water.

Sexual desire strong; with erections.

Cramp-like pain in the left ovarian region, as though the parts were squeezed in a vice.
Intense boring or tensive pain in ovary, causing her to draw up double, with great restlessness.
Deep stitches, worse in left ovary.
Suppression of the menses, caused by chagrin.
Dysmenorrhœa, cramping pains, must bend double, sometimes worse after eating or drinking.
Swelling of labia, with dragging pain and heat to vagina.
Metritis, from indigestion, colicky pains bend her double; cutting, as from knives, in the bowels, great distress, distention of the abdomen; feeling as if the intestines were being squeezed between stones.
May be indicated in some cases of very painful cancer.

During pregnancy, frequent attacks of colic, which draws the patient nearly double.
Suppression of the lochia; with violent colic; from anger of indignation; with tympanitic swelling of the abdomen and diarrhœa.

Frequent tickling and irritation in the larynx.

Asthmatic attacks at night, with slow, difficult breathing, which provokes cough.
Oppression of chest, worse evenings and before midnight.

Titillating cough, frequent during the night.

Stitching pains in right or left side of chest.

Stitches in the cardiac region.
Pulse: generally full, hard and accelerated; less frequently, small and weak.
Strong throbbing in all the blood-vessels.

Feeling of stiffness in the muscles of the nape, when moving the head.
Drawing in the nape.
Violent tensive drawing in the left cervical muscles, worse on motion.
Pressure in left side of nape, worse from turning.
Drawing pain, internally, in region of right scapula, as if the nerves and vessel were made tense.
Tensive stitches in the right loin, felt only during inspiration, and most violent when lying on the back.
Painful lassitude in small of back and lower extremities, in the evening.
Pain in the small of the back.

Swelling and suppuration of the axillary glands.
Drawing, lancinating in left shoulder from the face and neck.
Rheumatic pains through the arms.
Pains in the palms, as if the muscles were contracted.
Tearing in joint of left hand.
Tensive pain in left thumb, impending motion.
Violent drawing pain in left thumb, like in the tendons, beginning in the ball and passing off at the lip.

Crampy pain in the affected hip, as though the parts were screwed in a voice; lies upon the affected side, with knee drawn up.
Drawing, twitching, with dull throbbing in region of left hip, and right loin.
Pain as if the hips were screwed together.
Shooting pain, like lightning, down the whole limb.
Pain in right thigh only when walking, as if the psoas magnus were too short.
Dancing in inner side of left thigh, afternoons.
Drawing pain in right thigh, down to the knee.
Drawing in external condyle of right femur.
Continuous pain left knee-joint, impeding walking.
Cramp in the left calf.
Drawing, aching in the left foot.
Left foot "goes to sleep".

Tearing or drawing pains in all limbs.

Rest: 8. Walking: 33. Motion: 8, 31. Moving the head: 31. Turning the head: 2, 31. Moving the upper eyelid: 3. Stooping: 3, 5. Bending double: 17, 19, 23, 24. Bending the knee: 33. Lying on back: 3, 31. Lying on effected side: 33.
Motion generally relieves drawing, tearing and burning pains.

Great tendency of the muscles of all parts of the body top to become painfully cramped.
Sensation of weakness, of faint feeling.

Yawning and sleepiness.
Sleeplessness and restlessness, with the pains.
Dreams: disturbing sleep; vivid; anxious.

Morning: 20, 26. Afternoon: 33. Evening: 17, 26, 31. Night: 17, 27, 40. Before midnight: 26.

Warm applications: 8. Warmth of bed: 20. Open air: 7.

Chill and coldness of the whole body, frequently with heat of the face.
Coldness of hands, of soles, of the feet, rest of body warm.
Chill and shivering, with the pains.
External dry heat.
Internal sensation of heat, with external flushes.
Sweat at night, smelling like urine, causing itching of the skin.
Sweat principally of the head and extremities.

Increasing gradually: 3.

Right: 3, 5, 18, 19, 26, 31, 32, 33. Left: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 19, 23, 28, 29, 31, 32, 33.

Rheumatism, with all sorts of pains, with formication and numbness.

Touch: relieves pain in temples: 3; in ear: 6; increases faceache; stomach sensitive to it: Hard pressure relieves: 17, 19. Pressure relieves, but after is worse.

Itching; prickling; crawling; formication.
Desquamation over the whole body.

Coloc. antidotes Caustic.
Antidotes to Coloc.: Camphor., Coffea, Staphis.
Large doses are counteracted by tepid milk, infusion of galls, Camphor., Opium.
Staphis. is very similar with regard to mind symptoms and pains in abdomen.
Smoking relieves pain in bowels.
In aggravations of colic, give a cup of coffee to palliate, and repeat Coloc. if necessary.

A tincture is made of the dried fruit (deprived of its rind and seed) of Cucumis colocynthis, L. (Citrullus colo. Shrader).

A violent hydragogue cathartic, producing also terrible colic. ▶ It also causes violent pains in nearly all the nerves of the body, almost always relieved by pressure.

Bry., Magnesia, Cupr., Diosc., Berb., Puls.

Increased secretion of mucus. ▶ Inclination to painful cramp in muscles of all parts (Cupr.). ▶ Spasms. ▶ Sticking in various parts; with drawings, itching, burning, biting; tearing S. lengthwise in whole body, head back, abdomen and limbs. ▶ Pressure in different parts, agg. posterior joint of right middle finger and right great toe. ▶ Anguish. ▶ Pains frequently repeated at 5 P.M. ▶ Pains jumps from one part to another (Puls.); and change quickly from one kind to another; wandering P. agg. sitting. ▶ Paroxysmal pressure and drawing in posterior joint of right great toe, in ankles, knees and bones of left pelvis, agg. walking. ▶ Drawing pain on outside or right thigh, with pain in left upper molars. ▶ Drawn in posterior joint of left thumb, right great toe, in right knee and on left side of neck, agg. turning head; in left trochanter in forenoon, then drawing pressing in left metatarsus, then drawing in teeth; after rising, quickly changing its location, in legs, ankles, shoulders, sticking, now here, now there, in morning after waking. ▶ Sensation of general contusion, agg. walking with tired feeling. ▶ Internal oppression towards evening.

Sensitiveness to damp weather. ▶ Pulsation in whole body, agg. in back and left side of chest; in whole body when lying still. ▶ Discomfort in evening, agg. in lower limbs, with weakness; D., he demands much. ▶ Uneasiness in afternoon, agg. digestive organs. ▶ Lazy, gloomy, listless, almost pusillanimous. ▶ Weakness; in afternoon; at 5 P.M., with shivering, thirst and rapid pulse; in evening; in evening before sleep and waking next morning, amel. moving about; in evening when walking; on going out; when at rest; from slight exertion in walking; with sweat which made his limbs struck through him like a cold creeping; from watery diarrhœa, with pallor; general W., with bruised sensation in small of back. ▶ Faintness; amel. holding hands before eyes; with external coldness.

Some pains appear only when walking, for example, the painful drawing in muscles of calves and thighs, preventing motion. ▶ Symptoms appear in groups, agg. evening and rest. ▶ Aggravation when sitting; symptoms more severe in evening than in morning. ▶ Amelioration when sitting; when walking, but symptoms are always felt in evening after considerable exertion and are connected with weariness in lower limbs; A. from black coffee after dinner.

It is a valuable neuralgic remedy, not simply for colic but for neuralgic pains in various parts of the body; the pains are usually sharp cutting or boring, nearly always amel. pressure (Bry.).

He could not find his way about the room and it was difficult to get rid of the idea that he was not in his own rood. ▶ Anxiety. ▶ Disinclination to talk. ▶ Morose, offended at everything. ▶ Irritable; he asks for many things. ▶ Impatient. ▶ Despondent. ▶ Absent-minded. ▶ Confused by the beer drunk in the evening. ▶ Could not pursue any train of thought. ▶ Not inclined to search after and grasp objects of interest. ▶ Indolent in morning, woke late and dislike to get up. ▶ Memory weak.

Continue in Allen 67 more passages →

A violent hydragogue cathartic, producing terrible colic.
It also causes violent pains in nearly all the nerves of the body, almost always relieved by pressure.

Tearing pains throughout all parts of the body.
Cramplike pains and contractions of internal and external parts.
Stiffness of the joints.
Muscular twitchings.
Contraction of tendons.
All the limbs become drawn up.
Weakness.
Faintness, with coldness, external.
Weakness, with bruised sensation in small of back.
Most of the symptoms are > motion, the pains > pressure.

Tearing digging pains through the brain, < on moving the eyelids or bending forward, with pain in the eyes.
Pressing down in the forehead, < stooping and lying on back.
Attacks of violent, one-sided, pinching headache, with nausea and vomiting every afternoon at 5 o'clock.
The pains in the head are generally confined to one side, are > hard pressure, and are nearly always a sharp cutting or boring.

Cutting pains in the eyeballs.
Burning pains in the eyes.
The eye pains are < stooping, > pressure.

Throbbing, burrowing pains in the nose.
Fluent coryza.

Tearing pains in the face, especially in one side and in the left malar bone, extending into left eye, > pressure.
Sticking, neuralgic pains in the upper jaw.
Face usually pale and relaxed, with sunken eyes.
Rarely dark redness of the face.

Neuralgic toothache on one side, recurring daily, pains extending over the side of the face to the ear and head.
Burning pains in the tongue.
Scalded sensation.
Taste bitter.

Drinks much, without thirst.
Unnatural appetite for bread.
Empty eructations.
Vomiting of yellow, bitter liquid.
Griping in the stomach always after eating, especially towards evening; sometimes followed by soft stool.
Pinching in the pit of the stomach, with constriction; sensitiveness; tolerates no covering.
Cramp in the stomach, > eructations.

Clinical:
Violent gastralgia; cutting and sharp pains, which seem to center in the pit of the stomach from other parts; ameliorated by hard pressure and bending double, though the spot may be sensitive to the touch.

Distention; sensitive.
Flatulent colic of the most violent sort, cutting, pinching, griping, etc.
A feeling as if the intestines were squeezed between stones; the pains sometimes worse below the navel, always obliging the patient to bend over; always > hard pressure, sometimes > after stool.

Clinical:
Colic of the most violent character, ameliorated by hard pressure, sometimes with nausea and vomiting, sometimes with diarrhœa, sometimes with discharge of great quantities of gas; pains often extend into chest and pelvis, and may be caused by suppressed perspiration, as from drinking ice water when heated, or they may be brought on by fits of anger; the patient always doubles up with the colic.

Ineffectual urging to stool, frequently followed by sudden stool.

Stool mostly liquid, < after eating, preceded by terrible colic; evacuation thin, frothy, or with much mucus.
Occasionally indicated in most obstinate constipation, with very hard, nodular stools.

Clinical:
Diarrhœa as the result of anger, or from fruit, with colic; the evacuation preceded by the characteristic colic of Coloc. as an important indication.
Dysentery, bloody and mucous; stools always after eating or drinking, preceded by colic.

Sudden pressure on the bladder, > evacuation of gas from the bowels.
Frequent urging to urinate, scanty discharge, or with copious, clear, watery urine.
Urine like brown beer, becoming turbid as soon as cold, with copious sediment; or thin, whitish color, depositing a light brown, flocky, translucent sediment, with hard, solid, reddish crystals, adherent to the vessel.

Clinical:
Suppressed menses with characteristic colic.
Dysmenorrhœa, with violent pain, ameliorated by hard pressure.
Ovarian tumor.
Cysts in the broad ligament.
Many cases of cystic tumors in the ovaries or broad ligament have been cured by Coloc., especially if the tumors are round and small, associated with pain or with general discomfort, ameliorated by pressure; the patient always wants the abdomen supported by a bandage, and has periodic attacks of severe pain.
Inflammation of ovaries, with great soreness, ovarian colic, etc.
Chyluria; urine is white like milk, coagulates in cold.

Tickling cough at night.
A feeling of constriction of the larynx, > open air.
Oppression of the chest.
Pains in the intercostal muscles.

Drawing pains in the cervical muscles, < motion.
Pressing pain in the left side of the neck, like rheumatism, < turning.
Stiffness in the nape of the neck on moving it.
Drawing pain in the region of the right scapula.
Tensive and bruised pain in the small of the back.

Rheumatic pains in the joints.
Drawing pains in the extremities.
Sticking or tearing pains, especially in the joints of the wrist and hand.
Occasional tight pains in the thumbs and fingers.
Violent drawing, twitching pains in the region of the left hip, or sharp pains in the region of right hip, suddenly appearing and disappearing when walking, > sitting, with heat and sensitiveness of the part; pain better in the warmth of the bed, but returned after a time.
Pain along the course of the sciatic nerve as far as the hollow of the knee.
Pain as if the psoas muscles were too short.
Drawing pain in one or the other thigh as far as the knee.
Violent sticking or tearing pains in the toes and foot, simulating gout.

Clinical:
Sciatica; pain extremely violent, tearing, shooting, boring, aggravated by heat, pressure and by flexing leg on abdomen.

Chilliness over the body, usually with pains.
Heat, especially of the upper part of the body.
Sweat over the whole body towards morning.

COLOCYNTHIS. 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. Camphor, causticum, crude coffee and 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 ; violent colics, especially after vexation ; grumbling in the abdomen ; inguinal hernia ; long-continued diarrhœa ; pain as from a bruise in the shoulder-joint after vexation ; ill consequences and troubles springing from indignation and embitterment, or internal, gnawing mortification over the unworthy treatment of himself or of other persons who excited his pity ; e. g., cramp in the calves and the intestines ; cramp-colic, bilious colic, bilious fever, insomnia, etc. ; pains in the hips, 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, i. e., tonic spasms, with squeezing pressive pains, and then staphisagria is the antidote. Also the drinking of coffee and camphor antidote its injurious action. The abbreviations of the names of my fellow-provers are : Aeg., Dr. Aegidi ; Fr. H., Dr. Friedrich Hahnemann ; Hbg., Hornburg ; Gtm., Gutmann ; Lgh., Dr. Laughammer ; Stf., Medical Counsellor, Dr. Stapf ; Rt., Dr. L. Rueckert. [*].

[] The proving of Colocynthis appears in the Materia Medica Pura, 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. -Hughes*.

Dejected, joyless, indisposed to talk. [Gtm.].

Indisposed to speak, the whole day. [Lgh.].

Moroseness ; he takes everything ill, and is unwilling to answer. [Rt.].

Extreme peevishness ; everything is amiss ; he is extremely impatient ; every word he has to answer, vexes him, and embarrasses him painfully ; everything vexes him, even things the most harmless.

[5] Uncomfortable ; he wishes and desires many things. [Rt.].

Great anguish. [HOYER in Misc. N. C. Dec. III., ann. 7, 8. Breslauer Sammlungen, 1727, p. 48.] [*].

[] Note to Hoyer. "From decoction," and to reference add O. 178. To Bresl. Samml. note : "Nothing about Colocynth is found here." -Hughes*.

Obtuseness of the head, especially of the sinciput. [Gtm.].

Continue in Hahnemann 291 more passages →

Colo. / The Colonel.

Colocynthis,-Thine the hand,
That constricteth like a band.
And with griping colic rent,
Holds the body double bent.
Thine a purging bowel with pain,
Thine a dysenteric drain,
Thine a pain neuralgic, spread
O'er the thigh, face, eye and head.
Stitches, with a cramp-like squeeze
Note thy idiosyncrasies.
Thine a stiffness of a sort,
As if caused by tendons short.
Thine a fetid urine, too,
Almost like a gelly glue.
Better after wind goes through,
And from drink and coffee, too.
Worse from water, and from food,
And when in an angry mood.

>>>>>

The Colonel,-Has a Sense of constriction.

Colonel Cato Plu-phos, the Masonic Knight, is with Ana Plat.

The Colonel,-Who is subject to colic, bending him double,- Calls on the squaw, Maggie Rhen, for ice.

Sense of constriction: Colo., Cact., PB., Pho., Mer., Sul., Arg. n., Ana., Plat.

Colic- double bent: Colo., Caul., Cimi., Mag. c., Rheum, Chin. (See Colic, general.)

Indicated in neuralgic affections (sciatica with relief from hard pressure and lying on affected side; in ovarian pain (dysmenorrhoea); in rheumatism; particularly valuable in intestinal affections (colic, dysentery), with severe colicky pain causing him to bend double and press against some hard substance of relief. There is always present much irritability and protestation of great suffering. Useful in troubles caused by anger or indignation.

Vertigo as if he would fall when quickly turning head to the left.

Neuralgia, better from motion, chilliness.

Violent colic, making him bend double, occurring in paroxysms every few minutes, with restlessness and whining, better for a short time from emission of flatus and stool.

Colic better from hard pressure upon chair, table or other hard substance.

Pain in the whole abdomen as though the bowels were squeezed between stones; as though stones were being ground together in the abdomen, working upon soft parts; intestines feel sore and bruised.

Pain in the left temple, left malar, left cheek and shoulder; digging, tearing, pulsating.

Cramp-like pain in the hip, vise-like; lies on the affected side.

Boring pain in the ovary, better from presure.

Diarrhoea (dysentery) of bloody, slimy stools, worse from food or drink.

Urine viscid, like thin glue.

Worse on the left side; from anger (colic, dysmenorrhoea); from mortification.

Better from hard pressure; from bending double.

Anxious depression with surliness and disinclination to talk. Anxiety and restlessness. Tearfulness. Inclination to concealed grief or vexation with indignation. Inclination to escape.

Head.

Pressive ache in forehead, worse stooping and lying on back. Attacks of gouty unilateral squeezing pain, with nausea and vomiting, daily about five PM

Burning cutting in. Acrid tears.

Pale and flaccid, with sunken eyes. Dark red. prosopalgia, tearing, crampy pain in one - half of.

Spasm in pharynx, with empty eructations and palpitation.

Pressure, with feeling of hunger.

Appetite: Great craving for water, without thirst.

Taste: Flat, in mouth after every drink. Bitter, of all food.

Extraordinary, colicky, crampy pain in, necessitating bending double, with anxiety and restlessness. Constriction of intestines. Frequent, violent, squeezing or cutting as with knives in, with tearing extending into thighs and chill. Tympanites, with pain in belly, as though' intestines were squeezed between stones. Bruised feeling and great sensitiveness of. Violent motion, coffee and tobacco better the abdominal pains, but all other foods worse them.

Constipation, with retarded stool during pregnancy. Diarrhoea: Foamy, sourish, and offensive, dysenteric, of mucus, and blood with tenesmus of anus. Diarrhoea and vomiting after all food. Diarrhoea with bellyache.

Painfully swollen hemorrhoids, and in rectum. Paralysis of sphincter ani.

Diminished secretion. Intensely offensive, it quickly becomes thick, gelatinous and sticky. Ineffectual urging to urinate. During pain there is profuse, watery urination.

Complete impotency. Retraction of foreskin behind glands. (Priapism.)

Nightly attacks of shortness of, r. as from compression of chest.

Dry hacking, from irritation in larynx. Smoking tobacco immediately excites a persistent cough.

Painful nodes in female mammae.

Tensive pain in, and in scapulae, extending into throat.

Swelling and suppuration of axillary glands. Crampy pain in hands and fingers.

Sciatica, tensive pain in hips, extending from kidneys down into thighs, with a sensation as if hip joint were fastened in iron clamps. Pain in thighs, as if psoas muscles were too short, where walking. Stiff knee, which hinders crouching down.

Tearing stitches lengthwise though' entire body. Crampy pain in contraction of internal and external parts. Stiff joints. Muscular twitchings. Shortened tendons. The limbs are drawn up so that he resembles a hedgehog. Fainting, with cold external parts. Stiff joints. Muscular twitchings. Shortened tendons. The limbs are drawn up so that he resembles a hedgehog. Fainting, with cold external parts. After effects of chagrin and indignation combined with silent internal grief. Worse:Night, in bed. Better: After rising, gentle motion in warm room.

Painful swelling and suppuration of glands.

Itching over entire body, with great restlessness, especially in evening in bed, followed by sweat. Desquamation, over whole body.

Pulse: Generally full, hard and accelerated, seldom small and weak, Strong throbbing in all blood vessels. Chill, And coldness of entire body, often with heat of face. Either cold hands or soles of feet, with warmth of rest of body. Chill and shuddering with the pains. Heat: Dry external Sense of internal, with attacks of external overrunning heat. Sweat: At night, of a urinous odor, causing itching of skin. Especially on head and extremities.

Allied Remedies: Bell., Bry., Conn., Caust., Cham. COFF., Mag-c., Merc-c., Phyt., Rhe., Sec-c., STAPH.

Inclination to become angry and indignant.

Constrictions and contraction of internal and external parts.

All the limbs are drawn together.

Shortening of the muscles.

Twitching of the muscles.

Stiffness of the joints.

Tearing pains longitudinally.

Colicky pains in the abdomen compelling one to bend double with great anguish and restless constriction in the bowels or pain as if cutting with knives, or pain as though the bowel was pressed between two stones.

Pain in the hip and when walking a sensation as if the psoas muscle was too short.

Bad effects, either from mortification caused by an offense, or else from anger with indignation.