Encyclopedia of Homeopathy

MINOR REMEDIES• 135dull sadness, with a desire to bealone. They may sleep heavily,sometimes with persistentdreaming all night long.Classic featuresassociated with thisremedy areCENTELLAASIATICA(Gotu kola)overgrowth andhardening, which oftenmanifests itself as thickeningor hardening of the connectivetissue, or scaly, thickening skinconditions. Typical skinconditions treated includepsoriasis, withhardening and scaling of the affected area,lupus (scaly patches that leave dull whitescars), and leprosy with no ulceration. Theremedy may even be used for excessive skinthickening, swelling, and distortion, like thatoccurring in elephantiasis (a chronic diseaseof the lymphatic system).Symptoms better For rubbing the affected area.Symptoms worse In summer; at night; formovement; for pressure on the affected area;on the left side.Chamaelirium luteum syn. Helonias dioicaHELONIASCOMMON NAMES False unicorn root, devil’s bit,fairy wand, blazing star.ORIGIN Native to eastern North America.BACKGROUND The plant was long used bynative Americans to prevent miscarriage,and is still considered invaluable for manygynecological disorders by herbalists.PREPARATION The fresh, finely chopped rootand rhizome are steeped in alcohol.Remedy profileCharacteristically, those who respond toHelonias are melancholy and depressed, andhave a tendency to feel better when mentallyor physically occupied.Helonias is used primarily for women’sproblems accompanied by severe fatigue. Thisexhaustion or enervation is often caused byexcessive physical or mental exertion or is,conversely, the result of a hedonistic lifestyle.It may also be associated with the extremephysical demands of frequent pregnancies orterminations. There is extreme sensitivity to andawareness of the uterus. Problems of thefemale reproductive system that may betreated with Helonias include suppressedmenstruation, uterine prolapse with a sensationof weakness and dragging in thesacrum and pelvis, and acongested feeling in thekidneys, as if themenstrual flow has moved to thatarea. The remedy may also be used totreat edema (retention of fluid in the tissues)after uterine hemorrhage.Symptoms better For being busy; for holdingthe abdomen.Symptoms worse For fatigue; for touch; formovement; for stooping; for the pressure ofclothes; for pregnancy.Chenopodium ambrosioides var.anthelminticumCHENOPODIUMCOMMON NAMES American wormseed, Jesuit’stea, Mexican tea, Jerusalem oak.ORIGIN Native to the Caribbean and to Centraland South America, and cultivated in Chinaand the US.BACKGROUND This plant was widely used fromthe middle of the 18th century by nativeAmericans to expel worms.PREPARATION The seeds or whole, fresh plantare macerated in alcohol, or the oil from theseeds is diluted with alcohol.Remedy profileThe classic use of Chenopodium is in treatingthe effects of a stroke, particularly if theyinvolve right-sided paralysis.Typical symptoms include repeatingwords or using inappropriate words, orrepeating the same actions over and overagain. The limbs may spasm and contract,and the hands may flex. These symptomsmay be accompanied by very heavybreathing with a rattling sound, as if thereis a ball rolling loose in the trachea. Theremedy is also used to treat right-sidedmigraines with giddiness, loss of sight,roaring in the ears, and dull pain in theliver area that may extend to the rightshoulder blade.Symptoms better None known.Symptoms worse For movement.Chimaphila umbellataCHIMAPHILACOMMON NAMES Prince’s pine, ground holly,pipsissewa, umbellate wintergreen.ORIGIN Found in North America, Asia,and Europe.BACKGROUND By the 19th century thisnative American remedy for sweatingand fevers was adopted by Europeansettlers for rheumatic pain andurinary problems.PREPARATION The whole, fresh plant, or aerialparts in flower, are steeped in alcohol.Remedy profileThose who respond best to this remedy tendto feel restless and hot but seem unable tosweat. They tremble inwardly, yet areoutwardly calm and stable.Chimaphila is used chiefly for urinarytract problems such as painful urinationand obstructed urine flow. It is given forcystitis with blood in the urine and greaturging to urinate despite an empty bladder.In men it is also prescribed for an enlargedprostate, urine retention, and a feeling thatthere is a ball in the pelvis.Symptoms better For walking.Symptoms worse For cold and damp; for sittingon cold stone; on starting to urinate.See also Prostate problems, page 202Chininum arsenicosumCHINA ARS.COMMON NAME Quinine arsenite.ORIGIN Chemically prepared.BACKGROUND This compound of quinine(see page 49), arsenious acid, and potassiumcarbonate is little used outside homeopathy.PREPARATION Quinine arsenite is mixed withlactose sugar and triturated.Remedy profilePeople for whom China ars. is appropriatetend to be exhausted and drained, and to feelthat they cannot endure their state for muchlonger. They are either restless and on edgeor completely relaxed.The key symptom treated by China ars.is great fatigue, perhaps following chronicfatigue syndrome, or serious illness suchas malaria or a debilitating epileptic attack.The fatigue tends to recur at specific times,possibly with burning pains, stiff joints,and fluttering “electric” pulses in the body.The remedy may also be given to treatasthma with a sensation of suffocation,oppressed breathing, and anxiety.Symptoms better For open air; for pressureon the affected area; for bending forward;for sitting up; for yawning.Symptoms worse In the morning; formovement; for hunger.