Nux Vomica

Generalities

Twitchings or convulsions, < the slightest touch and noise.

Spasms, with tetanic rigidity of muscles.

Opisthotonos.

Contractive pains throughout the whole body.

A general bruised feeling in the morning in bed.

Extremely impressionable ; takes cold from the slightest draft.

General inclination to sit or lie, with dread of movement and of the open air.

Alternating sensations of heaviness and lightness of the body.

A "general lean and hungry look".

Effects of the continued use of stimulants, of loss of sleep, and of sedentary habits.

General aggravation from exerting the mind, from motion and slight touch, though hard pressure sometimes affords relief.

Symptoms < morning on waking, and after eating.

Symptoms which occur in the open air and on moving about, are > in the house and during rest and vice versa.

Mind

Very irritable and ill humored ; quarrelsome, even to violence.

Hypochondriac mood, especially after eating.

Very sensitive to all kinds of impressions ; all the senses intolerant ; intolerant of noise, talking, music and singing.

Cannot endure the slightest contradiction.

Dread of mental work, especially in the morning.

Unable to think connectedly.

Easily makes mistakes.

Time seems very long.

Head

Confused pain in the morning in bed, on waking.

Head feels heavy and dizzy in the morning.

Heaviness and pressure, as if he had not slept, upon rising, < moving the eyes, getting better in the evening.

General heat in the head.

Brain feels bruised.

Headache, associated with nausea and vomiting.

One-sided headache ; < coughing.

Headache generally > walking in the open air.

Head externally sensitive to slight touch.

Vertigo, as if intoxicated, on rising up, or after eating and coffee.

Eyes

Inflammation, with photophobia, itching and biting ; lachrymation.

A smarting dryness in the inner corner of the eye in the morning early.

Margins of the lids sore as if rubbed.

Photophobia in the morning.

The lower portion of the eyeball is yellow.

Vision obscured and even lost (especially from alcohol or tobacco).

Ears

Shooting, tearing pains.

Pain on swallowing, as from outward pressure.

An irritation in the Eustachian tube compels frequent swallowing, and disturbs rest at night.

Nose

Coryza, with sneezing in the morning ; with scraping in the throat, headache, heat of the face, chilliness.

Coryza ; fluent in the morning and during the day, but stopped at night.

The nostrils internally are sensitive and inflamed.

The nostrils internally seems dry, with occasional watery discharge ; < dry, cold weather, though < in the house, and > open air.

The margins of the nostrils sore, as if ulcerated.

Face

Color often pale, yellowish, especially around the nose, eyes and mouth.

Tearing pains in the cheek bones.

Painful peeling of the lips.

Tetanic contraction of the muscles of the jaws, like lockjaw.

Mouth

Toothache like a soreness or burrowing, < mental exertion.

Tearing in the teeth and jaws, extending into the bones of the face, < cold drink and > warmth.

Gums swollen, white or bleeding.

Tongue coated white.

Painful blisters on the tongue.

Articulation and speech difficult, tongue seems heavy when talking.

Taste bad in the morning.

Sour taste, < after eating and drinking.

Bread has a bitter taste.

Dryness of the mouth, though sometimes an increase of saliva in the fauces.

Very offensive odor to the breath in the morning.

Throat

Throat feels rough and scraped, especially on inhaling cold air.

A feeling of a plug in the throat on swallowing.

Stitches extend into the ear when swallowing.

Pain extends from pharynx to pit of stomach.

Pharynx feels constricted ; swallowing impeded.

Stomach

Unnatural hunger at times, but with aversion to food, especially to bread, coffee and tobacco.

Thirst in the morning ; also with aversion to water and beer ; a desire for brandy.

Nausea and distress in the stomach from bread and acid food, though fat food is well tolerated.

A general aggravation from cold, but relief from warm food.

Sour eructations.

Uprisings of water.

Rancid heartburn, especially after acid and fat food.

Violent hiccough.

Nausea in the morning or after eating, and from smoking.

Retching and vomiting from clearing the throat.

Vomiting of sour mucus.

Vomiting of food, of blood, of bile.

Scraped, raw feeling in the pit of the stomach.

A feeling of a stone in the pit of the stomach, < walking.

Stomach feels overloaded after eating, with distention of abdomen and dyspnoea.

Cramp in the stomach in the morning and after eating, extending to the back, between the shoulders.

Burning in the stomach.

General intolerance of all drinks ; of brandy and coffee.

Clinical

In general, indigestion, with extreme distress, as if the stomach were knotted up, with bitter and sour eructations, bad taste.

Persistent nausea and vomiting ; vomiting spasmodic, with great distress, aggravated by eating.

Irritable stomach, with violent pains, aggravated by eating.

Indigestion, with pains around the sides of the chest and in the back.

Inflammation and irritability of the stomach, caused by drinks, alcoholic stimulants or coffee.

General intolerance of pressure over the stomach, though the pain is sometimes aggravated by hard pressure and vomiting.

Abdomen

A feeling of stricture around the hypochondria.

Region of the liver sore, sticking pains < pressure and motion.

Numerous flatulent symptoms, < eating and drinking.

Pain as before diarrhoea after taking cold ; the bowels feel sore on every step.

A weight as if everything would fall down, must walk carefully.

Dragging downward from the sides to the hypogastric region or uterine organs in women.

Pain in the inguinal rings, as if hernia would protrude or become incarcerated.

Clinical

Numerous indications for enlarged liver, with great soreness.

General uneasy feeling in the bowels, with desire for stool.

Jaundice resulting from anger or from the habitual use of alcoholic drinks.

General relaxation of the abdominal muscles, which favors the development of hernia, especially with constipation.

Rectum and Stool :

An ineffectual urging to stool, often with constriction, with sensation as if the stool were incomplete.

Sharp pains in the rectum after stool and after eating or from exerting the mind.

Haemorrhoids, with burning and cutting soreness.

Stools sometimes loose, dark-colored, especially in the morning and after eating.

In general, constipation, with uneasiness in the intestines as from irregular constriction.

Stool often mixed with mucus and blood.

Constipation and diarrhoea alternate.

(The diarrhoea then consists of frequent small stools, with backache and a feeling as if more were to be evacuated.)

Urinary Organs

Ineffectual urging to urinate.

Retention of urine.

Burning in the neck of the bladder during micturition, with tearing pains.

Burning and itching in the urethra when urinating.

Urine usually turbid, with a yellowish sediment or bloody.

Sexual Organs

Unnatural sexual appetite, especially in the morning in bed.

Nocturnal emissions, with lascivious dreams.

Menstruation too early, profuse, of dark or black blood, with great pain, constant desire to evacuate the bowels and bladder, irritable disposition, pain in the sacrum as if it would break.

All the symptoms are < immediately after menstruation, or new symptoms appear.

Respiratory organs :

The larynx feels rough and scraped, which provokes cough.

Cough caused by adherent mucus in the trachea, < morning on rising.

A feeling of constriction in the air passages, with mucus which must be forcibly expectorated.

Itching and scraping under the middle of the sternum, provoking cough.

Cough dry after midnight ; violent in the morning before rising, even with expectoration of blood.

Cough after motion or mental effort.

Cough, with spitting headache and bruised feeling in the abdominal muscles.

Cough dry evening and night, expectoration during the day.

Cough > warm drinks.

Hoarseness, with scratching in the throat and larynx.

Dyspnoea in the morning and evening, or at night when waking from frightful dreams.

Scraping in the chest causes cough.

Asthmatic constriction across the chest, < walking, or singing.

A feeling of rawness extends from sternum to each side of the chest on coughing and breathing.

Pain as from a weight on the chest.

Heart and Pulse :

Heart's action irregular, rapid.

Palpitation, from mental emotions or study ; or after stimulants ; after eating.

Pulse rapid and irregular, at times intermitting.

Neck and Back :

Paroxysms of tearing pain in the nape of the neck.

Drawing in the muscles of the nape.

Bruised and tearing pains in the back, < morning, extending down to the hips.

The lumbar region feels bruised and lame, < bending forward ; sometimes < night in bed.

Drawing pains extend from the small of the back into the shoulders.

Extremities

Spasmodic drawing or bruised pain in the joints, < when lying, > rising, < morning.

Tremblings.

Jerkings.

A paralytic heaviness in the shoulders.

The hands seem to fall asleep.

Lower extremities unsteady.

Stiffness under the knees as if the tendons were too short, on rising from a seat.

Tensive pains in the calves.

The gait is tottering and unsteady, the knees "knock under".

The feet feel asleep and dead.

(The feet are shuffled along when walking, and not lifted.)

Skin

Painful swellings of pimples, here and there, especially on the chin and face.

Acne of the face.

Sleep

Very sleepy in the evening, but sleepless after midnight, then falls asleep late in the morning ; is unrefreshed on waking.

Tendency to lie on the back, with the arms under the head.

Sleepiness only after daybreak, finally waking stupid and dull.

The morning sleep always aggravates the symptoms.

Fever

Chill, with backache on the slightest motion, with blue nails ; begins as early as 3 A. M. ; heat, with thirst (usually).

Heat even before the chill and during it.

Sweat rather light, but giving relief to the pains.

Clinical

Intermittent fever, anticipating paroxysms, morning chill, with blue nails, yawning, backache, even mixed with fever ; must be covered up during the fever ; perspiration light.