Encyclopedia of Homeopathy

MINOR REMEDIES• 143hay fever, or conjunctivitis. Itmay also be prescribed if eyesymptoms occur after an injury.Symptoms better For open air; forblinking; for wiping the eyes.Symptoms worse For warmth; for wind;for sunlight; for being indoors.See also Conjunctivitis, page 220;Hay fever & allergic rhinitis, page 224Euspongia officinalisSPONGIAEUPHRASIAOFFICINALIS(Eyebright)COMMON NAME Common sponge.ORIGIN Traditionally gathered fromwaters of the Mediterranean, nearSyria and Greece.BACKGROUND It is thought that roastedsponge was first used as a remedy inthe 13th century, by the alchemistArnold von Villanova as atreatment for goiter.PREPARATION Sponge iscarefully cleaned ofsand, then toastedin a metal drumbefore being powderedand triturated.Remedy profileSpongia is most appropriate forthose who have a marked fearof heart disease and of death,particularly by suffocation.They may feeluncomfortable in clothes.There is a strong focuson the heart with this remedy.Typical physical symptoms treatedinclude palpitations and an uneasy feelingin the area of the heart. There may becongestion, with a sensation as though bloodis rushing into the chest and face. A fear ofsuffocation and a sense of the heart being forcedupward out of the chest can disrupt sleep aftermidnight. There is great exhaustion and thebody feels heavy, so that even the slightestexertion causes complete prostration.Spongia is also prescribed for upperrespiratory tract infections that tend to settlein the larynx, such as a dry, hollow, barking,croupy cough. There is typically a feeling ofdryness in the mucous membranes, andinflammation, enlargement, and hardening ofthe glands, especially the thyroid gland. Theremay be a sensation as if there is a plug in thelarynx, which may feel very sensitive to touch.Pain in the larynx typically becomes worse forswallowing, singing, or talking.Symptoms better For lying with the head low;for bending forward; for eating small amounts; forwarm foods and drinks.Symptoms worse For dry, cold winds; forwaking up; at midnight.EUSPONGIA OFFICINALIS(Common sponge)Fagopyrum esculentumFAGOPYRUMCOMMON NAME Buckwheat.ORIGIN Native to central and northern Asia, andcultivated in temperate regions, especially in theUS and eastern Europe.BACKGROUND This major grain crop may havebeen brought to Europe during the Crusades ofthe 11th and 12th centuries. Medicinally, theleaves were used for high blood pressure,chilblains, and frostbite.PREPARATION The aerial parts are picked afterflowering and before the fruits ripen, thenchopped and macerated in alcohol.Remedy profileConfusion and alternating states of mind aretypical in those for whom Fagopyrum is bestsuited. These people also tend to be depressedand irritable.Fagopyrum is generally associated witheczema and itching skin, possibly on thegenitals, scalp, eyelids, and ears, or in the foldsof the skin of infants and the elderly. The insideof the nose may become sore and crusted. Foulsmellingsecretions may accompany itching.Heart complaints associated with visiblypulsing arteries, either with or withoutconcurrent skin conditions, may also be treatedwith Fagopyrum. Other symptoms linked to thisremedy include a rapid, irregular pulse and astrong sensation of oppression in the heart area.Symptoms better For cold compresses; forpressure on the affected area; for coffee.Symptoms worse For sunlight; for scratching;for movement.Ferula assa-foetida syn. Narthex assa-foetidaASAFOETIDACOMMON NAMES Asafetida, devil’s dung.ORIGIN Native to Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.BACKGROUND In the 7th century BCE the CharakaSamhita, an Ayurvedic medicine book,advocated this foul-smelling plant for bloatingand flatulence, for which it is still used in Indiaand the Middle East.PREPARATION Gum resin from the living roots ismacerated in alcohol.Remedy profilePeople who respond best to this remedytend to be in a rather nervous, hysterical,hypersensitive, and hypochondriac state.This nervous state extends to the physicalsymptoms, which generally focus ondigestive disorders and on nervoustwitching. The stomach may feel as if it ispushing upward so that everything willburst into the mouth, or there may be asensation as if a lump in the stomach isrising upward into the throat.Symptoms better For open air; for movement;for pressure on the affected area; for scratching.Symptoms worse At night; for rest; for sitting;for touch.Fraxinus americanaFRAXINUSCOMMON NAME White ash.ORIGIN Native to eastern North America.BACKGROUND In Norse mythology the ash treewas considered sacred. In Europe its nutritioussap has traditionally been used as agentle laxative.PREPARATION The bark of the tree is chopped andmacerated in alcohol.Remedy profileA need to talk is common in those whorespond best to this remedy, and they tendto be depressed, nervous, and anxious. Illnessmay be accompanied by uneasy sleep andfrightening dreams.Fraxinus is chiefly used for uterine problems.Typical symptoms include a uterus that isrelaxed in tone, or possibly prolapsed, with awatery, non-irritating vaginal discharge and aheavy, painful, bearing-down sensation. Theremedy is also given for heavy, painfulmenstruation, and for fibroids andother tumors.Symptoms better None known.Symptoms worse For injury; for sprains;for lifting.See also Fibroids, page 199