NEURALGIA
Neuralgia is defined as an intense burning or stabbing
pain caused by irritation of or damage to a nerve. The pain is usually
brief but may be severe. It often feels as if it is shooting along
the course of the affected nerve.
Different types of neuralgia occur depending on the reason the
nerve has been irritated. Neuralgia can be triggered by a variety
of causes, including tooth decay, eye strain, or shingles (an infection
caused by the herpes zoster virus). Pain is usually felt in the
part of the body that is supplied by the irritated nerve.
Homeopathic Medicines & Treatment for NEURALGIA
#Aconite. [Acon]
While in Hering's Guiding Symptoms over seventy remedies are mentioned
as applicable in various neuralgias, yet there are a few that come
to mind and use much more frequently than others. Aconite is one
of these. It is almost a specific for facial neuralgias of congestive
form. It seems to have an elective action on the trigeminus nerve,
producing painful sensations. It corresponds to recent cases in
young subjects traceable to cold drafts, exposure to dry, cold winds,
etc. The special features are the continuous pain not only in the
nerve, but in the surroundings parts; the red, swollen face, tingling,
great excitement and intolerance of the pain; patient declares that
something must be done. According to Baehr and other observers,
it acts better in the higher potencies in neuralgia. It is also
applicable to rheumatic prosopalgia, with swelling of the face.
The zygoma, cheek and articulation of the jaw are favorite seats
of the pain. Plantago major is especially applicable to sharp neuralgic
pains plying between the teeth and ears. Otalgia finds a valuable
remedy in Plantago. Chamomilla. Neuralgia with great nervousness;
pains uterly intolerable, worse at night and from warmth, accompanied
with heat of face, thirst, redness, hot sweat, very impatient, can
hardly answer a civil question. Of little use in the lower potencies.
#Colocynth.
This is also a remedy for recent cases traceable to emotions, catarrh,
or exposure, the characteristic being tearing pressive pains worse
from motion and touch and relieved by rest and external warmth.
The attacks are paroxysmal,mostly on left side, though the sciatica
is right-sided. Abdominal neuralgias of a pure nervous type, not
inflammatory. Ovarian neuralgias are often greatly benefited by
colocynth. The pains of Colocynth are better from rest and pressure,
but return as soon as pressure is removed. Nux vomica has also proved
useful in many cases. Jousset places great reliance on it in high
dilutions. Neuralgias about the abdomen, worse on left side. Stannum
pains gradually increase and gradually decrease. "Sun neuralgias."
Of great use in neuralgias of the supraorbital nerve following intermittent
fever and abuse of quinine. Rhus. Neuralgia from eating,worse in
damp weather. Spigelia. Baehr claims first place for this remedy
in the treatment of prosopalgia. The pains are rheumatic, jerking,tearing,worse
from dampness, contact, motion,touch sending a shudder through the
frame, are periodical and attended with anxiety at the heart and
restlessness or preceded by palpitation. The location of the pain
is in the nerves of the forehead,orbit and teeth of upper jaw. There
is often a sensation as if the eye were too large. Ciliary neuralgias
or leftsided prosopalgias where the pain comes up over the head
from the occiput; burning,sticking pains,worse from change of weather,call
for the remedy. It is not so often indicated in chronic cases. Colchicum
also has left-sided pains,a kind of paralytic weakness, lacking
the severity of Spigelia. Cimicifuga has supra-orbital neuralgia,
but it is usually reflex, dependent upon uterine disturbances. This
remedy produces a picture of myalgia, worse at night;prosopalgia
in nervous women, coming on afternoons and going off at night. Left
infra-mammary pains, which often indicate ovarian troubles, will
suggest Cimicifuga.
#Belladonna. [Bell]
Hartmann lays special emphasis on Belladonna for infra-orbital neuralgic,
accompanied with increase of tears and saliva. There are violent
cutting pains coming on towards evening, most violent about midnight;
the paroxysms are of long duration and there are symptoms of vascular
excitement; the pains radiate to temples, ears and nape; are worse
from noise, motion , jar, chewing, cold air, etc., and are relieved
by absolute rest and warmth. In prosopalgia the face is swollen,
bright red and the pain is particularly severe; the pains come and
go suddenly and hyperaesthesia marks the remedy. Atropine sulphuricum
3 is recommended by Kafka in case Belladonna fails. Hale also speaks
highly of Atropine in neuralgias. The indications seem to be intermittency
of the pains, appearing and disappearing suddenly. Jerking and twitching
of the muscles mark the remedy. China has neuralgic pains which
are aggravated by touching the parts, or by a draft of cold air.
A malarial basis or complication is an additional indications. Most
neuralgias that are recurrent are on an anaemic basis and here China
often finds its indications. Belladonna has a plethoric habit which
strongly contrasts with China.
#Arsenicum. [Ars]
The more purely nervous the affection the more effective is Arsenicum.
It has the well-known intermitting burning, stinging, hot needle-pain,
the distressed countenance, the restlessness and the periodicity.
It holds the first place in miasmatic neuralgias, especially of
malarial origin, neuralgias from influenza or simple debility with
great aggravation at approach of night, and relief from external
heat. The pain are severe and drive the patient from place to place.
It suits especially infra-orbital forms with a Hippocratic countenance
during the attack. Its effect is rapid, and sometimes rivals a powerful
dose of Opium. Among other remedies for malarial neuralgias are:
Natrum muriaticum. Neuralgias worse at seashore; ciliary neuralgias
worse at midday, affections from abuse of quinine. Cedron. Periodicity,
appearing every evening with clock-like regularity. Supra-orbital
pains worse on left side with burning in eyes. It especially suits
the trigeminal form due to malarial poisoning. Sulphur, China and
Chininum sulphuricum are also useful remedies in malarial neuralgias.
Capsicum has fine, acute, penetrating,burning neuralgic pains in
the right malar bone,worse by contact and by draft of air,and is
especially severe just as the patient is about to go to sleep. In
prescribing Arsenicum in neuralgia one must be careful not to give
too low a potency, even the 6th will often aggravate, as the nerves
are apt to be specially irritated. Baehr says Arsenicum quiets nervous
pain better than any other medicine.
#Platinum. [Plat]
A useful remedy where there is a constrictive pain, numbness, profuse
lachrymation, worse at night and at rest. The pains are cramping,
causing numbness and tingling; pain at the root of the nose or in
the other part of the body as if squeezed in a vise. The pains also
increase gradually and decrease gradually, as in Stannum. Mercurius.
Neuralgias from hollow teeth, worse at night. Staphisagria. Neuralgias
from hollow teeth, especially suitable to old people with a mouth
full of hollow stumps, which pain violently at times. Platinum suits
especially hysterical subjects who have profuse, thick, black exhausting
menses.
#Mezereum. [Mez]
This remedy is indicated by the spreading character of the pains,
and the aggravation from warmth; they are accompanied with chilliness
and sensitiveness. There is a stupefying pressure and the pains
are worse at the midnight hours. Especially useful in mercurial
and syphilitic subjects. After the attack there is a numbness remaining.
It is a chief remedy in intercostal neuralgia setting in with zona
or shingles. Ranunculus bulbosus is the remedy for intercostal neuralgia
with sharp stitching pains following the course of the nerves ;
stitches in chest on every change of weather , sore spot in chest.
Among other remedies having chest pains are: Gaultheria, pains in
anterior mediastinum; arnica,sore,bruised feeling; Rhus radicans,
pains shoot to shoulder blade; Senega, pain and soreness; Cimicifuga,
etc. a psoric or arthritic soil will demand as a systemic remedy
an antipsoric such as Sulphur or Lycopodium, and if of syphilitic
origin high dilutions of Syphilinum will clear the field. Mezereum
is most useful in ciliary neuralgia when there is a cold feeling
in the eye, and it is one of the best remedies for neuralgias which
are reflex from decayed teeth.
#Verbascum. [Verb]
Pressure, tensive pain in the zygomatic bones worse from pressure,
mastication and cold air. The parts feel crushed, as if squeezed
between tongs; aggravated by talking and sneezing. Kalmia has a
neuralgia brought on by exposure to cold,involving the teeth of
the upper jaw,rending pains, worse from worry or mental excitement,
worse on right side. It has cured some of the most severe and long
lasting cases. The tincture is recommended by Cowperthwaite, but
other observes find the higher potencies quite as useful. The neuralgia
is not confined to the facial nerve, but extends to the sides of
the neck and shoulders.
#Magnesia phosphorica. [Mag-p]
This remedy has an excellent clinical record in neuralgias. It is
curative in a typical facial neuralgia where the pains are intermitting,
darting and are relieved by warmth, this relief from warmth being
the guiding symptom; neuralgias involving whole of side of head
and neck. pulsatilla is one of the best remedies for acute facial
neuralgias of rheumatic origin. Allium cepa. Nueralgias of stumps
after amputation, also Hypericum. Prunus is frequently promptly
curative in severe ciliary neuralgias with agonizing lightning-like
pains, worse right side.
#Calcarea carbonica [Calc]
is especially adapted to neuralgias in those of a leuco-phlegmatic
temperament. It has pain from right mental foramen along jaw to
ear, attended with frequent urination, and relieved by warm applications.
Scrofulous constitution, disposition to grow fat, flabby muscles,
aversion to cold air, the least cold air goes through fat, flabby
muscles, aversion to cold air, the least cold air goes through and
through, feet are always damp and cold. These are valuable symptoms.
To treat neuralgias successfully one should not rely alone on the
symptoms, but take into consideration the neuralgic temperament
and the soil that produces such, whether of psoric, sycotic or some
other toxaemic basis. |