Encyclopedia of Homeopathy

42 •MAJOR PLANT REMEDIESBryonia albaBRYONIAKEY SYMPTOMS pain upon the slightest movement • dry mucous membranes• great thirst • anxiety about financial security • irritabilityDioscorides, the famous Greek physician of the 1st century CE,advocated bryony for gangrenous wounds, and the ancient Greeks andRomans also used it for epilepsy, vertigo, paralysis, gout, and coughs.In 17th-century England the herbalist Culpeper found bryony usefulfor phlegm, coughs, and shortness of breath. In 1834 Hahnemannproved the homeopathic remedy, which is used mostly for slowstartingailments accompanied by pain on the slightest movement.REMEDY PROFILEBryonia is mainly used for people who arehighly irritable when ill. Often clean-living,meticulous individuals, they can be contraryand capricious if ill, wanting things that,when given, are promptly rejected. Theymay feel tired, taciturn, languid, and angryif disturbed. Anxiety is common, especiallyabout financial security.The chief physical symptom treated byBryonia is pain felt on the slightest movement.It is often accompanied by infrequent spellsof great thirst, and dry lips, mouth, and eyes.Illness sets in slowly, typically afteroverexposure to heat or cold. Bryonia isuseful for chest inflammation, pneumonia,bad headaches, and rheumatic pains. It mayalso be taken for some forms of constipationand breast pain.Dry coughsSYMPTOMS Great dryness in the mouth, throat,chest, and mucous membranes, with a ticklycough and sharp chest pains. Pressing thechest during a coughing fit may alleviate painin the head, chest, or rib cage, as may lyingstill and breathing gently. Coughs may belinked to colds, pleurisy, or bronchitis.Symptoms better For rest; for lying still;for pressure on the chest.Symptoms worse For warm rooms; in themorning; for deep breathing; for movement;for eating and drinking.Colds & influenzaSYMPTOMS Red, sore, swollen nose, a hoarse,constricted throat, and a dry cough (seeabove). The lips are often cracked and itchy,Fresh root can causesevere skin irritationand the mouth is dry, with a white-coatedtongue. Sharp, shooting ear pains maydevelop, as may sore eyes with sensitivityto movement and heavy eyelids. There maybe an intense, aching headache (see below),raging thirst, and copious perspiration.Symptoms better For rest.Symptoms worse For bending forward;for movement.HeadachesSYMPTOMS Bursting, splitting headache overthe forehead or left eye, so that even movingthe eyeball hurts. Pain extends to the back ofthe head, then the whole head, often lastingall day. The mouth may be dry, and there maybe great thirst.Symptoms better For cold compresses; forpressure on the head; for closing the eyes.Symptoms worse For eye or body movement;for drinking while hot; for overeating.Joint painSYMPTOMS Joints and muscles are hot, swollen,stiff, and prone to stabbing pain, usuallydue to gout, tenosynovitis, or arthritis, orafter an injury.Symptoms better For heat; for pressure on theaffected area.Symptoms worse For cold compresses; for theslightest movement; for jarring.ConstipationSYMPTOMS Large, hard stools that look blackor burned. The rectum may be particularly dry,SOURCE DETAILSORIGINGrows mainly in hedges and woodlandsof southern England, and in centraland southern Europe.BACKGROUNDUsed traditionally for shortness of breath,coughing, and the clearing of phlegm fromthe chest.PREPARATIONThe fresh root is unearthed beforethe plant flowers, chopped, pulped,macerated in alcohol for ten days,diluted, and succussed.COMMON NAMESBryony, white bryony, wild hops.WHOLE ROOTBRYONY The root of thisplant, which is a memberof the gourd family, hasa bitter taste and unpleasantsmell. In excessive amounts, itcan cause death within hours, usuallyfrom inflammation of the digestive tract.with burning pain after passing a stool. Rumbly,colicky pains in the abdomen are common.Symptoms better For rest.Symptoms worse For hot weather; in themorning; for movement; for cold drinks.Breast problemsSYMPTOMS Breasts are pale, hard, and hot, withsharp pains, particularly in women who arepregnant or breast-feeding. Milk supply maybe excessive.Symptoms better For heat; for rest.Symptoms worse For movement.See also Breast problems, page 201; Bronchitis, page 228; Coughs, page 228; Constipation, page 238; Breast pain, page 258