Ignatia Amara

1 . Nervous, hysterical women ; dark hair and complexion ; pale, wan, drawn appearance ; disposition mild but easily excited ; quick in perception, rapid in execution (ctr. Puls .).

2 . Rapid alternation of mental states (Crocus. Puls .) with underlying condition of melancholy ; moodiness ; full of silent grief, sits and sighs ; overdelicate conscience ; sometimes angry but never ill-natured (see Cham., Nux v.) ; > alone but does not resent consolation.

3 . Mental and physical exhaustion from long-concentrated grief , from worry or strain ; from disappointed love, etc.

4 . Hypersensitiveness, mental and physical ; easily offended, intolerant of pain, etc.

5 . Spasmodic affections originating in mental causes, < touch ; chorea, convulsions, etc., in children, from fright, punishment or worms : globus hystericus.

6 . Penetrating pains in small circumscribed spots, e.g. headache as of nail being driven in. > hard pressure. profuse urination, < movement.

7 . Gastro-intestinal disorders ; capricious appetite ; sense of weakness and emptiness in stomach ; dislikes stimulants ; craves sour things ; prefers cold food.

8 . Constipation with excessive ineffectual urging felt more in upper abdomen ; tendency to haemorrhoids and prolapse ; sharp stitches shoot up the rectum.

9 . Great contradictoriness of symptoms , e.g. (a) grief excites laughter ; (b) "sore" throat > swallowing especially solids ; (c) sinking in stomach not > eating ; (d) piles > walking ; (e) cough < coughing ; (f) fevers with thirst only during chill ; (g) headache > lying on the painful spot.

10 . Patient chilly < out of doors, > heat except stomach symptoms. ; < mental emotion, excitement ; stimulants especially coffee and tobacco ; all strong sensory stimuli ; pains gen. < movement.

Notes. Chronic : Natrum mur . or Zinc .

Keynotes : Contradictions.

Coffee and tobacco inimical to its action.