Arnica Montana

Arnica · Clarke - Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica · John Henry Clarke · 19,602 chars · source ↗

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General

Arnica.

Arnica montana. Leopard's-bane. Fallkraut. N. O. Compositae. Tincture of whole fresh plant. Tincture of root.

Clinical

Abscess. Apoplexy. Back, pains in. Baldness.

Bed-sores. Black-eye. Boils. Brain, affections of.

Breath, fetid. Bronchitis. Bruises. Carbuncle.

Chest, affections of. Chorea. Corns. Cramp.

Diabetes. Diarrhoea. Dysentery. Ecchymosis.

Excoriations. Exhaustion. Eyes, affections of. Feet, sore.

Haematemesis. Haematuria. Headache. Heart, affections of.

Impotence. Labour. Lumbago. Meningitis.

Mental alienation. Miscarriage. Nipples, sore. Nose, affections of.

Paralysis. Pelvic haematocele. Pleurodynia. Purpura.

Pyaemia. Rheumatism. Splenalgia. Sprain.

Stings. Suppuration. Taste, disorders of. Thirst.

Traumatic fever. Tumours. Voice, affections of. Whooping-cough.

Wounds. Yawning.

Characteristics

Growing on the mountains, Arnica may be said to possess a native affinity to the effects of falls. As its German name, Fallkraut, attests, its value as a vulnerary has been known from remote times. It may be said to be the traumatic par excellence. Trauma in all its varieties and effects, recent and remote, is met by Arnica as by no other single drug, and the provings bring out the appropriateness of the remedy in the symptoms it causes.

Tumours in many parts, following injury, have been cured by Arnica, including scirrhous tumours of the breast. Nervous affections as chorea after falls. It is suited to plethoric red-faced persons; "Arnica is particularly adapted to sanguine, plethoric persons, with lively complexions and disposed to cerebral congestion.

It acts but feebly on persons who are positively debilitated, with impoverished blood and soft flesh. This may be the reason why it is eaten with impunity by herbivorous animals as Linneus remarks" (Teste). It is suited to persons who are extremely sensitive to mechanical injuries, and who feel the effects of them long after; persons easily made train-sick or sea-sick. Patients complain that the bed is hard no matter how soft it may be.

Arn. corresponds to the effects of violent cough or sneezing; the child cries before cough comes on (or with the cough) in whooping-cough. Chronic bronchitis when patients have bruised, weak aching in the chest, or great sensitiveness of the chest on exertion, or walking. Allied to wounds are haemorrhages, and Arnica causes and cures haemorrhages of many kinds: dilatation and rupture of small blood-vessels. Vomiting, coughing, purging, accompanied by streaks of blood in ejecta; extravasation of blood into the conjunctiva as in whooping-cough.

Haemorrhages into the tissues of internal organs or the skin. An odd symptom of Arnica is "coldness of the nose." A case of facial (left) neuralgia, face swollen, dark red, very painful to touch, was cured with Arnica (radix), the guiding symptom being "cold nose." Patient had bitter taste; was very excitable, and < at night. Ussher notes that the local use of Arnica produced an extraordinary growth of hair on a limb. This suggested the use of an oil mixed with Arn. 1x in a case of baldness, which was followed with marked success.

Arn. affects the left upper extremity and the right chest. There is a putridity in connection with Arnica excretions, as with Baptis., which it resembles in typhoid conditions: putrid breath; fetid sweat. With Arnica there is apt to be incessant passing of stool and urine in these states. Nash gives the following as "leaders": "Stupor, with involuntary discharge of faeces and urine." "Fears being touched or struck by those coming near him." Putrid smell from mouth." "Bruised, sore feeling in uterine region; cannot walk erect." "While answering falls into a deep stupor before finishing." "Head alone, or face alone, hot; rest of body cool." "Many small boils, painful, one after another, extremely sore." "Suddenness" is a feature of Arn. pains and action.

P. P. Wells relates a cure of double pleuro-pneumonia in a child with sudden stabbing pains on both sides of the chest almost preventing breathing. Arnica instantly caused a violent aggravation, the next instant relief was perfect, and the child fell asleep breathing naturally.

I once ran a piece of wire into the tip of one of my fingers, causing paralysing pain. I applied Arn. 1x at once, and the pain was better instantly—seeming to be wiped out from the point of injury up the arm. There is < in damp, cold weather with Arnica, which is included by Grauvogl among the remedies suited to the hydrogenoid constitution (comp. Baryt. c.).

Motion and exertion <. (Bruised, aching sensation in chest on walking.) > Lying down, and lying with head low; but < lying on left side.

Arnica should not be used externally where there is broken skin. For torn and lacerated wounds Calendula must be used locally.

Relations

Teste takes Arn. as the type of his first group, which includes Ledum, Crot. t., Fer. magnet., Rhus t., Spig. Compare: Abrot., Absinth., Calend., Chamom., Cina, Gnaphal., and other Compositae. Complementary: Acon. Similar to: Acon., Am. c., Croton (swashing in abdomen), Arsen., Baptis.

(typhoid states—Bap. "feels ill," Arn. "feels well," resents being thought ill), Bell., Bry., Cham., Chi., Euphras., Calend., Hep., Hyper., Ham., Ipec., Led., Merc., Puls., Ran. scel., Rho., Ruta, Staph., Silic, Symph., Sul., Sul. ac., Verat. Follows well: Aco., Ipec., Verat., Apis.

Followed well by: Aco., Ars., Bry., Ipec., Rhus t. Action aided by: Arsen. (dysentery and varicose veins). Injurious in: Bites of dogs or rabid or angry animals.

Antidote to: Am. c., Chi., Cicut., Fer., Ign., Ipec., Seneg. Antidoted by: Camph., Ipec. (to massive doses); Coffee (headache);

Aco., Ars., Chi., Ign., Ipec. (to potencies). Wine increases unpleasant effect of Arnica.

Causations.—Mechanical injuries. Fright or anger. Excessive venery (vaginitis in the female, impotence in the male).

Mind

Hypochondriacal anxiety with fear of dying and disagreeable temper

Declines to answer any questions

Great agitation and anguish, with groans

Unfitness for exertion, and indifference to business

Apprehension and despair

Over-excitement and excessive moral sensibility

Great sensitiveness of the mind with anxiety and restlessness

Tendency to be frightened

Quarrelsome

Combative, quarrelsome humour

Tears

Shedding of tears and exclamations of rage

Opinionated

Foolish gaiety, levity, and mischievousness

Absence of ideas

Depression of spirits and absence of mind

Says there is nothing the matter with him (in typhoid fever, &c.)

Abstraction and musing

Unconsciousness (like fainting after mechanical injuries)

Delirium.

Head

Whirling giddiness with obscuration of the eyes, chiefly on getting up after sleeping, on moving the head, or in walking

Giddiness, with nausea; when moving and rising; better when lying

Vertigo when shutting eyes

Pressive pains in the head, principally in the forehead

Cramp-like compression in the forehead as if the brain were contracted into a hard mass, chiefly when near the fire

Pain, as if a nail were driven into the brain

Dartings, pullings, and shootings in the head, principally in the temples

Incisive pain across the head

Cutting through the head, as with a knife, followed by a sensation of coldness

Stitches in the head, esp. in the temples and forehead

Effects from concussion on the brain

Pain in the head over one eye, with greenish vomiting (after a strain of the back)

Heat and burning in the head, with absence of heat from the body

Burning and heat in the head, the rest of the body is cool (night and morning, < from motion, > when at rest)

Heaviness and weakness of the head

Pains in the head, brought on, or aggravated by walking, ascending, meditating, and reading, as well as after a meal

Tingling at the top of the head

Immobility of the scalp.

Eyes

Pain, like excoriation, in the eyes and in the eyelids, with difficulty in moving them

Red, inflamed eyes

Inflammation of the eyes with suggillation after mechanical injuries

Burning in the eyes, and flowing of burning tears

Eyelids swollen, and with ecchymosis

Pupils contracted

Eyes dull, cloudy, and downcast

Eyes prominent, or half open

Fixed, anxious look

Obscuration of vision.

Ears

Pain, as of contusion in the ears.

Acute pulling in the ears

Shootings in and behind the ears

Hardness of hearing, and buzzing before the ears; from blows

Blood from ears.

Nose

Pain, as of contusion in the nose

Tingling, in the nose

Nose swollen, with ecchymosis

Nasal haemorrhage

Ulcerated nostrils

Coryza, with burning in the nose

Cold nose (A. radix).

Face

Face pale and hollow, or yellow and bloated

Heat in the face without heat in the body

Hard swelling, shining redness and heat in one cheek, with throbbing pain

Puffing of cheeks on breathing

Tingling round the eyes, in the cheeks, and in the lips

Pustulous eruption on the face, chiefly round the eyes

Dryness, burning heat, swelling, and fissures in the lips

Ulceration of the corners of the mouth

Paralysis of the lower jaw

Painful swelling of the submaxillary glands, and of those of the neck

Trismus, with the mouth closed.

Teeth

Pain in the teeth, with swelling of the cheeks and tingling in the gums

Sensation of pulling in the teeth while eating

Loosening and elongation of the teeth

Toothache after operation.

Mouth

Dryness of the mouth, with thirst

Saliva mixed with blood

Sensation of excoriation and itching on the tongue

Tongue dry, or with a white coating

Putrid smell from the mouth in the morning.

Throat

Sensation as if there were something hard in the throat

Deglutition hindered by a kind of nausea

Noise while swallowing

Burning in the throat, with uneasiness, as from internal heat

Bitter mucus in the throat.

Appetite

Taste putrid or bitter, or slimy

Bitter taste, esp. in the morning

Thirst for cold water, without fever

Longing for alcoholic drinks

Thirst for water, or desire to drink, with repugnance to all liquids

Loathing of food—principally milk, meat, broth, and tobacco

Liking for vinegar

Want of appetite, and tongue loaded with a white or yellowish coating.—(In the evening) immoderate appetite, with sensation of fulness and cramp-like pressure in the abdomen, immediately after a meal

Irritable and plaintive humour, after a meal in the evening.

Stomach

Frequent eructations, esp. in the morning, empty, bitter, putrid, as from rotten eggs

Belches after coughing

Rising of a bitter mucus or of salt water

Nausea, with inclination to vomit, chiefly in the morning

Nausea, and empty vomiturition

Retching even in the night, with pressure in the precordial region

Vomiting of coagulated blood, of a deep colour

After drinking (or eating), vomiting of what has been taken, often with a mixture of blood

Pressure, fulness, contraction, and cramp-like pain in the stomach and in the precordial region

Shootings in the pit of the stomach, with pressure extending to the back, and tightness of the chest.

Abdomen

Shootings in the region of the spleen, with difficulty of breathing

Pressure in the hepatic region

Abdomen hard and swollen, with pain of incisive excoriation in the sides, chiefly in the morning, mitigated by the emission of wind

Pain in the umbilical region when moving

Shocks across the abdomen

Pain, as of contusion, in the sides

Flatulence, having the smell of rotten eggs

Cutting, colicky pains in the abdomen

Colic with strangury

Tympanites.

Stool And Anus

Constipation, with ineffectual attempt to go to stool

Stools in the form of pap, of an acid odour

Flatus, smelling like rotten eggs

Diarrhoea, with tenesmus

Frequent, scanty, small, mucous stools

Involuntary stools, chiefly during the night; thin, brown, or white

Stools of undigested matter

Purulent, bloody stools

Haemorrhoids

Pressure in the rectum

Tenesmus

Thread-worms.

Urinary Organs

Tenesmus

Spasmodic retention of urine, with pressure in the bladder

Ineffectual attempts to make water

Involuntary emission of urine, at night in bed, and in the day, when running

Frequent micturition of pale urine

Urine of a brownish red, with sediment, of a brick colour

Emission of blood.

Male Sexual Organs

Bluish red swelling of the penis and of the scrotum

Inflammatory swelling of the testes (in consequence of contusion)

Purple-red swelling of the penis and testicles, after mechanical injuries

Hydrocele

Painful swelling of the spermatic cord, with shooting in the testes, extending to the abdomen

Sexual desire increased, with erections, pollutions, and seminal emission on the slightest amorous excitement

Impotence from excess or abuse.

Female Sexual Organs

Discharge of blood from the uterus, between the periods, with nausea

Excoriation and ulceration of the breasts

Soreness of the parts after a severe labour

Violent after-pains

Erysipelatous inflammation of the mammae and nipples

Violent stitches in middle of l. breast

Vomiting of pregnancy

Threatened abortion from fall, &c

Feeling as if foetus were lying crosswise

Tumour of breast.

Respiratory Organs

Dry, short cough, produced by a titillation in the larynx

Cough at night during sleep

Paroxysm of cough, preceded by tears, and cough with children after having wept and sobbed from caprice and waywardness

Whooping-cough; child cries before the cough comes on; and after

Cough with bloodshot eyes, or nose-bleed

Even yawning provokes a cough

Cough with expectoration of blood; the blood is clear, frothy, mixed with coagulated masses and mucus

Even without cough there is expectoration of black, coagulated blood after every corporeal effort

Inability to eject the mucus; what the cough detaches is therefore swallowed

On coughing, shooting pains in the head, or a bruise-like pain in the chest

Breath fetid; short, and panting

Excessive difficulty of breathing

Cough worse in the evening till midnight, from motion, in the warm room, and after drinking.

Chest

Respiration short, panting, difficult, and anxious

Rattling in the chest

Oppression of the chest and difficulty of breathing

Respiration frequently slow and deep

Shootings in the chest and sides, with difficulty of respiration, aggravated by coughing, but breathing deeply, and by movement; better from external pressure

Pain, as of a bruise and of compression in the chest

Burning or rawness in the chest

Sensation of soreness of the ribs

Stitches in the chest (l.), aggravated from a dry cough, with oppression of breathing;

< from motion, > from external pressure.

Heart

Beating, and palpitation of the heart

Pain from liver up through l. chest and down l. arm, veins of hands swollen, purplish; sudden pain as if heart squeezed or had got a shock (angina pectoris)

Heart strained; irritable; stitches in; from l. to r

Painful pricking in the heart, with fainting fits.

Neck And Back

Weakness of the muscles of the neck; the head falls backwards

Painful swelling of the glands of the neck

Pains, as from a bruise, and of dislocation in the back, in the chest, and the loins

Tingling in the back

Great soreness of the back

Dragging-down pain and sense of weight in loins.

Upper Limbs

Pain, as if from fatigue, and crawlings in the arms and in the hands

Pain, as of dislocation, in the joints of the arms and hands

Tingling, in the arms

Sensation of soreness of the arms

Sensation as if the joints of the arms and wrists were sprained

Darting in the arm

Veins in the hands swollen, with full and strong pulse

Want of strength in the hands on grasping anything

Cramps in the fingers.

Lower Limbs

Pains, as from fatigue or from dislocation, or acute drawing in the different parts of the lower limbs

Painful paralytic weakness in the joints, chiefly of the hip and knee

Want of strength in the knee, with failing of the joint when walking

Tension in the knee, as from contraction of the tendons

Pale swelling in the knee

Sensation of soreness in the legs

Inflammatory erysipelatous swelling of the feet with pain, and aggravation of the pain by movement

Hot, painful, hard, and shining swelling of the great toes

Tingling in the legs and feet.

Generalities

Tearing, drawing in outer parts Pricking, from without, inward Pressing in inner parts Tingling in outer parts

Acute drawing, crawling, pricking, or paralytic pains, and sensation as from a bruise in the limbs and the joints, as well as in the injured parts Pain, as if sprained in outer parts, and in the joints Pains, as of dislocation Rheumatic and arthritic pains

Restlessness in the diseased parts, which causes them to be constantly in motion Aggravation of pains in the evening and at night, as well as from movement, and even from noise Unsettled pains, which pass rapidly from one joint to the other Soreness of the whole body, with tingling

Stiffness of the limbs after exertion Muscular jerking Stiffness and weariness of all the limbs Sensation of agitation and trembling in the body, as if all the vessels were throbbing

Extreme sensibility of the whole body, chiefly of the joints and of the skin Over-sensitiveness of the whole body Bleeding of internal and external parts (vomiting of blood) Ebullition of the blood, and congestion in the head, with heat and burning in the upper parts of the body; and cold, or coolness, in the lower parts

Fainting fits, with loss of consciousness, in consequence of mechanical injuries Convulsions, traumatic trismus and tetanus General prostration of strength Paralytic state (on the l. side) in consequence of apoplexy

Dropsy of inner parts.

Skin

Hot, hard, and shining swelling of the parts affected

Stings of insects; snake-bites

Red, bluish, and yellowish spots, as if from contutions

Black and blue spots on the body

Yellow-green spots, caused either by a bruise or by disease

Bed sores; blue mortification

Miliary eruption

Petechiae

Many small boils, or blood-boils; one after another, extremely sore.

Sleep

Great drowsiness during the day, without being able to sleep

Inclination to sleep, early in the evening

Comatose drowsiness with delirium

Wakens at night with a hot head, and is afraid to sleep for fear of its recurrence

Anxious dreams about animals

Sleep not refreshing and full of anxious and terrible dreams, and waking with starts and frights

Dreams of death, of mutilated bodies, of unbraiding, of indecision

During sleep, groans, talking, snoring, involuntary stools and urine

Giddiness on waking.

Fever

Pulse very variable, mostly hard, full and quick

Chilliness, internally, with external heat

Great chilliness, with heat and redness of one cheek

Chilliness of the side on which he lies

Head alone, or face alone, hot, rest of body cool

Shivering, principally in the evening, and sometimes with a sensation as if one were sprinkled with cold water

Heat in the evening or at night, with shivering on raising the bed-clothes, even slightly, and frequently with a pain in the back and in the limbs

Dry heat over the whole body, or only in the face and on the back

Fever, with much thirst, even before the shiverings

Before the fever, dragging sensation in all the bones

Intermittent fever; chill in the morning or forenoon drawing pains in the bones before the fever; changes his position continually breath and perspiration offensive

During the apyrexia, pain in the stomach, want of appetite and loathing of animal food

Perspiration smelling sour or offensive—sometimes cold

Typhus, putrid breath and stool

Nocturnal acid sweat.