Rhus Toxicodendron

Eyes

Affections of the internal surface of the eyelids; strong aversion to light; blue color about the eyes. Rheumatic ophthalmia, particularly of the right eye.

Skin

Vesicular erysipelas where the vesicles are large. Exanthema on the face in general--on the chin, face, cheeks, mouth, nose, forehead, and causes much burning itching. Pustulous chilblains. Exanthema in general; burning; burning itching; pustulous; with swelling; blotches; like milk crust; moist; like nettle-rash; blue with erysipelas, scurfy; tensive or tight feeling in; pock-shaped; black; purulent; zona or shingles; petechiae; prickling; tickling; blisters which will sometimes spread up the limb, and are sometimes in a circular form, spreading with a red edge in the advance which gradually turns to a blister, the red border still keeping in advance ( if the edges be black, Arsen ); itching worse after scratching. Tetters in general. Ulcers burning; with corroding pus; with ichorous pus. Rash itches a great deal, in scarlet fever, small-pox, etc., with the peculiar restlessness. Phlegmonous erysipelas, especially where the erysipelas begins in the ankle, and moves gradually up the leg, running up in the deeper tissues, no fever.

Sleep

Yawning in general; with violent stretching of the limbs: falling asleep late; unquiet sleep; sleeplessness before midnight; lying on the back during sleep.

Fever

External coldness along the skin; coldness but does not mind cold air; chilliness and coldness in general; coldness of single parts; of one side only. Heat in general: internal; external; with thirst; of one side only. Perspiration in general; with heat; offensive.

Stool

Diarrhoea, with tearing pains running down the posterior part of the leg with every stool; painful tenesmus without stool.

Gastric.-- Want of appetite; hunger without appetite; metallic taste.

Urine

Discharge of urine too copious; too frequent; involuntary.

Sexual.-- Female : After-pains, especially where they come on one after another, lasting all night, accompanied by the characteristic restlessness. Menstrual blood coagulated.

Sensations

Pain in the chest (often rheumatic), made worse by using the arms--as in making a bed, sweeping, etc., stiffness of the nape of the neck; sensation as if the flesh were beaten off the bones, or as if a dog were gnawing it off; as if any part contracted; as if a part were increased in size; as if certain parts were grown together; of heaviness in outer or inner parts; jerking pains in outer parts; darting and rending pains; of tension of tightness in outer or inner parts; arthritic pain in the joints; trembling sensation in inner parts; dyspeptics often complain of trembling in the stomach; of scraping along the periosteum.

Generalities

For any troubles, or complaints, whether acute or chronic, resulting from a sudden and a thorough drenching by a shower of rain ; by getting wet in any way; there may be troubles of very long standing, which were so caused. Troubles in general affecting the right abdominal ring; left chest; left arm; left lower extremity; left side of the body; of the scalp, as in erysipelas when it runs up to the scalp; glands about the neck, particularly if they are swollen or inflamed with red streaks, as often are in scarlet fever; joints of the jaws, particularly when they are worse on the beginning of motion, and get better from continued motion; of the abdominal cavity in general; mons veneris, there may be a great deal of itching, sometimes a hard blue boil is found there; shoulder-blades; small of the back, as e.g. , when one stoops, his back hurts so that he cannot straighten up without help--this may result from an old sprain, or from a sudden "crick" in the back; sacrum; buttocks; forearm; shoulder; back of the hand; fingers; joints in general; shoulder-joint; elbow, wrist; bones of the arm; calves; joint of the leg; hip-joint, knee and ankle; weakness of the joints.

Coagulated blood from the nose; cough bloody, blood being coagulated; face covered like erysipelas; increase of saliva; difficulty in swallowing, as it hurts so in the back; fluent catarrh of the nose. Inability at first to move the parts affected. One is very easily sprained by lifting; palsy of the limbs; staggering when walking. Strictures after inflammation, and hence may sometimes be used for strictures resulting after gonorrhoea; swelling in general, with inflammation and without; debility; aversion to washing; wounds, with sprained muscles. Axillary glands where the swelling is very deep and hard.

Worse.-- Before a storm of rain; after midnight; in the morning; before falling asleep; froth bathing; can't bear cold water; complaints coming on in autumn; on taking a deep breath; on inspiration; from cold in general ; in cold air; in cold and wet weather; from coughing; while chewing; from drawing up the limbs; from exertion of the body; after drinking: after fatigue; on uncovering the head; from surgical injuries; from sprains; while lying down; from lifting; from cold food, cold water; anything cold; during perspiration; from wet poultices; while resting; on first rising; while sitting; while talking; after undressing; in foggy, or foggy and wet weather; from getting wet ; in winter; FROM GETTING WET WHILE PERSPIRING; women in confinement; small-pox; after effects of syphilis.

Better.-- While exhaling; after evacuation; from wrapping up the head or parts; from moving; from moving affected parts ( i.e. , gets better after continued motion , or a change of position while at rest, ameliorates for a short time); from warm or hot things; while walking; in dry weather; in clear weather; from stretching out the limbs.

Remedies following:-- Bellad., Graphit., Nux vom., Phosphor., Pulsat., Mercur., Sepia, Sulphur, Arsen., Bryon .

Antidotes

Bryon., Bellad., Camphor., Sulphur .

Rhus tox . affections appear more on the surface of the body, skin, etc., and are more superficial; Rhus rad . affects the deeper tissues of the body, and has a deeper-seated action.