In addition to its effects on the muscles, it also works
on the lining of the intestines. A Bryonia patient is generally constipated, but sometimes
blood-mixed dysentery also
occurs. Due to the dryness of the intestines, the lining ulcerates leading to a
painful type of severe dysentery. Bryonia will be immediately effective in this
type of dysentery, provided
other signs and symptoms of Bryonia are present. Some homoeopathic doctors believe that Bryonia Alba is the homoeopathic
remedy of flail, flaccid and easily fatigable muscles, but this is not right.
In fact, Bryonia is also the best remedy for strong and toned-up muscles. For
the proper functioning of Bryonia, the weakness of the muscle fibres is not a
precondition. In Bryonia, generalised
body ache is, as in malaria, a salient feature. Some people are afflicted with such
illnesses that as a result they do not have the strength to move around. The
weakness is not generalised. But after walking for some time, the body starts
feeling heavy and this heaviness turns into severe pain. The legs become lifeless.
Bryonia is very useful in such patients, but it has to be given over a long
period. Before going for a long walk or resorting to intense physical activity,
administration of Bryonia 200 combined with Arnica proves to be very
beneficial.
Some women develop swelling of the leg after childbirth
called white leg. This
is probably due to clotting of the blood and slowing down of the circulation.
When the condition becomes chronic and disables them, and blue and black spots
develop on the legs along with the development of varicose veins, it is already
too late for the treatment of this condition with Arnica and Bryonia. However
if in addition, Aesculus 30 is administered, a better response will be
expected. If the condition affects the left side, Arnica 200 should be combined
with Lachesis 200 as well as Aesculus 30. When given alternately with long-acting remedies such as
Sulphur and Lycopodium, Bryonia can cure chronic illnesses as well. In the deep intrinsic illnesses of the liver,
the following formula is very effective: Bryonia 200 once or twice a day, Sulphur
30 three times a day and a few drops of Mother Tincture of Carduus Marianus
mixed in water, three times a day.
This prescription has proven very effective in Hepatitis B, as well as in
cancer of the liver.
In my experience, I have seen patients with cancer of the liver who, following
treatment with radiation and other medicines, the doctors had declared
untreatable. Thinking that the patient’s end is very near, they had discharged
the patient home. When the particular
prescription mentioned above was used, instead of dying in three days, the
patient started showing signs of recovery to health. The first hopeful sign
noted in such patients was that the thirst and appetite that had completely
disappeared returned. Many other patients of liver diseases have also benefited
from this treatment and are still alive. Sometimes the liver diseases shift to the spleen,
especially in chronic malaria.
First, there is liver disorder and then the spleen
enlarges. Such patients should be given Carduus Marianus as well as
Ceanothus in the form of Mother Tincture. Ceanothus is the best
treatment for the spleen. Sometimes these patients develop distension of
the abdomen. There
is painful swelling and induration over the spleen and the
liver. When treated with the above combination and Ceanothus, such
patients recover remarkably in a period of two to three months, so much so that
their abdomen reverts to normal size and there is no pain on pressure. In areas
where malaria is common and such ailments prevail, this prescription must be
put to use. The development of pain
on every movement and worsening of the affected part of the body is typical of Bryonia. This
resembles Rhus.Tox somewhat. Commonly, it is thought that rest increases
the pain of Rhus Tox and movement relieves it; this is not exactly
right. In Rhus Tox, when the patient walks, this increases his pain which gets somewhat
better after walking a little. However, the pain never disappears completely.
In fact, it becomes worse when one stops walking or resorts to rest. The
Bryonia patient feels much relieved on resting for a few days continuously, but
the pain of a Rhus Tox patient becomes worse on resting.For most conditions that develop in the beginning of the
summer after the winter is over, Bryonia is of great use. In this changing
weather, pneumonia is
very common. With the sudden onset of hot weather, the outer body feels
discomfort but the inside of the body is not ready for this change. Therefore
when the warm clothes are taken off, various kinds of ailments overtake which
are not the direct result of the heat but are due to exposure to the cold in
warm weather. For this kind of seasonal
pneumonia, Bryonia is the best. The kind of pneumonia that occurs in
Bryonia usually affects the right lung and does not shift from the right to the
left. The pneumonia in Lycopodium starts on the right side and then also
affects the left where it settles. In Bryonia, the symptoms travel from above downwards
and gradually settle in the lower part of the lungs. Bryonia is not a chronic remedy as such. Therefore, in such an
illness other remedies need to be given. Kali Carb is an important remedy in this
condition, acting on the lower part of the lungs. Arsenic Iodide and Kali
Iodide are also useful.
If due to tuberculosis, spots and cavities develop in the lungs, the
combination of Merc sol and Kali Carb is very useful. Once
a woman had developed cavities in the lungs and in the view of the doctors it was
incurable. When she was treated with Merc sol 200 and Kali Carb 30, she
completely recovered within a few months. When the xrays on the chest were done
in the hospital, no cavities were found.
The doctors did not believe that the x-rays belonged to the same patient
who previously had the cavities in their lungs!
Homoeopathic remedies can work miraculously, Almighty has blessed our body with great defensive power
that the doctors of today do not fully understand in spite of their
extensive research. This great defensive power is deeply related to
the chemistry of the body. For example, the liver is given a message
to produce an appropriate chemical for a particular ailment and
so it happens. This can never happen due to a blind evolutionary
type of reaction. How is it possible that this profound mechanism could develop
by sheer chance, as a result of long evolutionary process in the form of a
strong interrelated defence mechanism of the body and then work with such
precision, and this effect remain in the body indelibly? If the general health
of a person is good, there is no need for any kind of formal treatment because
the defence mechanism of the body will automatically overcome the illnesses,
but when the body defences are at fault they have to be activated by
homoeopathic treatment. Simple, hard-working people usually do not suffer from the
complicated illnesses of the rich, because their body has a sound defence
system against those diseases. This is in spite of the fact that they live in
the same environment and area where other people are overcome by many diseases.
The defence system of the body points vividly to the existence of God and His
magnificence. This system must be well remembered by homoeopathic physicians.
It is this system which makes the working of homoeopathic remedies more conspicuous,
bringing it to the limelight.
The joint pains of the Bryonia patient subside by heat.
The cough becomes
aggravated generally by movement and noise, resembling Belladonna with one
difference, that in Bryonia there is no suddenness of the symptoms. The Bryonia
symptoms start gradually and then become more and more severe, till every movement sound and noise becomes
troublesome, so much so that the patient does not even like people
visiting him, and in fact is vexed on their arrival. The reason for the anger
and vexation is that every movement bothers him. The movement of his own lips
to talk also bothers him and he does not like to speak. He feels weak. If such
a patient develops pneumonia or headache, he should not even be asked to talk.
He remains in the state of drowsiness. When the ailment prolongs, he may become
permanently unconscious. Movement and speaking are of no avail to him at all.
The headache
of a Bryonia patient feels better in cold. The headache is usually on the back of the head or on the forehead. Intense thirst is a characteristic symptom of Bryonia. The patient likes to
have very
cold water as it offers him relief. Soon afterwards he feels
awfully thirsty again. Intense thirst reminds one of Bryonia. But in
certain situations, the thirst may be totally absent. The stomach
gets inflamed, the mouth becomes dry and the tongue is dry hard,
but there is no thirst. There are yellow deposits on the tongue.
Primarily, this is the particular symptom of Gelsemium, which occasionally may appear
in Bryonia. In his book, Dr. Kent has also written that in Bryonia, sometimes
the thirst may be totally absent.
Feeling dizzy in a Bryonia patient may be due to some problem in
the ear
or with movement. Dizziness and associated nausea are commonly
present in motion sickness, in a motor car or a ship. For such patients, some
ready prescriptions may be put into use and are very useful. Generally, it is
not possible to ask everybody individually about the symptoms. This
prescription includes Bryonia, Cocculus, Nux Vomica and Ipecac. Cocculus is
also related to the vertigo associated with ear problems. In fact, this is the
most effective remedy for this purpose. As a matter of fact, Bryonia and
Cocculus are very similar in this respect. In the tubes of the middle ear
(semicircular canals), there is a fluid. When one’s head is tilted, it sends an
impulse through the nerve giving the sensation of balance or imbalance. Rapid
change in the position can cause vertigo. When the vertigo is due to rapid
movement or an ailment of the ear causing hypersensitivity of the internal ear,
this can be treated with Bryonia and Cocculus. There is a slight difference. In
Bryonia, it is the inflammation of the ears that causes vertigo, whereas in
Cocculus, it is the irritability of the nerves that causes vertigo. When there
is vertigo but no apparent problem in the ear, Cocculus is useful. In the case where
there is infection of the ear causing vertigo,
Bryonia would be better.
Bryonia is also useful in the treatment of glaucoma, but if there is
no associated thirst, Gelsemium would be the most appropriate treatment.
Gelsemium is also a good remedy for vertigo due to
irritation of the nerves. But Bryonia is more widely effective, as it is able
to work on the internal membrane of the ear as well as the nerves.
Glaucoma is mostly related to the nerves. When Calcaria Phos 6X and Kali
Phos 6X are given along with Bryonia and Gelsemium, the effect is
more pronounced. Sometimes after the administration of Bryonia,
the thirst disappears. At that time Gelsemium may be given and both
Bryonia and Gelsemium may be used alternatively. These remedies are
good for headaches
also. A Gelsemium headache gets worse in cold air
and a Bryonia headache feels relieved in the cold. However,
the effect of cold or heat does not always hold good in Gelsemium,
because when the headache becomes severe, neither cold nor heat has
any form of waves and undulations. Sometimes, when joint pains are controlled with a strong medication, the
eyes may become the centre of severe pain. The slightest movement of the eye feels
as if somebody is being poked with a knife. This particular feeling may be
related to Bryonia as well as Berberis. Gelsemium headaches radiate down the
back of the head, in addition to the entire head, neck and then along the arms.
Gelsemium headaches may
also be related to a change in the daily routine of a person. If the planning for
retiring to bed or taking the food gets disturbed, the person develops headache
which will respond to Gelsemium. A Bryonia headache is more closely related to
the generalised joint pains, stomach upset or fever.
Bryonia is very effective in the treatment of both malaria and typhoid. In
Bryonia, when the body hurts headache must also be present. In the state of
fever, sometimes the headache may lead to delirium
and the patient becomes absurd and meaningless in his conversation.
Otherwise, the Bryonia patient does not talk much in simple delirium i.e.
without fever. The delirium associated with Hyoscyamus, Stramonium, Sulphur and
Belladonna is much more severe and results from the toxic or poisonous products
of the feverish conditions. By making a proper diagnosis of the headache, one
may easily diagnose the nature of the sickness. The Belladonna kind of headache
caused by typhoid or some other sickness would be of sudden onset. In addition
to the headache, the face would be flushed, even if the patient were anaemic.
The patient is not
frightened but tends to be aggressive instead. In spite of physical
weakness, the patient reacts with unusual strength and it becomes difficult to
control him. In Hyoscyamus, when the patient is delirious, his talk is so obviously
obscene that not only the family but also the doctor feels embarrassed. This
does not reflect immorality on the part of the patient but is simply due to the
inflammation of the sexual organs which disturbs the mind also. All these
symptoms together produce a state of severe delirium. Another point of
recognition for the Hyoscyamus patient is that he keeps on pinching his body
and picking his clothes. This does not happen in the case of Bryonia. One sign of Bryonia is that there is fissuring at the corners of the mouth,
scabs form on the lips which when attempted to be removed by the patient, start
bleeding. This also happens in Natrum Mur.
Natrum Mur is chronic of Bryonia.
When the excretions or discharges of a Bryonia patient get
blocked, they cause significant discomfort. The sweating becomes a source of blessing
to the patient. In the Bryonia cough, the expectoration
is very dry, sticky and difficult to expel. To help get rid of dry
and sticky sputum, Hepar Sulph and Coccus are also very important remedies in
addition to Bryonia and Ipecac. In Bryonia, when the lungs get diseased, the
inner linings of the lungs tear and ulcerate causing light bleeding, which
mixes up in the sputum. The sputum appears rusty. This is typical of Bryonia.
Bryonia works as a useful adjuvant to Phosphorus in the treatment of cancer of
the bone. It should be used in potency 30, alternating with Phosphorus. In women, Bryonia can be useful in the treatment of diseases of the right
ovary. For the lumps
in the breast glands which are firm and hurt on movement, due to
cancer or otherwise, the first remedy to be used should be Bryonia. The Bryonia
patient with pneumonia of the right lung usually sleeps on the right side,
because lying down on the same side helps minimise the movement of the chest
wall during breathing.
Sometimes during sleep, the patient wakes up with sudden jerking
of the
body. In homoeopathy, there are three terms used for fever, as follows:
1. Continuous fever
which once it starts, will either prove fatal, or when it subsides will never
return.
2. Remittent fever is
the one which shows peaks. Sometimes it is low and sometimes high, but does not
subside completely.
3. Intermittent fever
which can totally subside but returns. Malaria is one such example.
Typhoid fever is of remittent type which may subside but
does not go. Bryonia may be useful in
the treatment of remittent and intermittent fevers but not in continuous fever.
Often it is needed in the treatment of malaria
but is also useful in the treatment of typhoid.
The diseases
of the glands in Bryonia begin very slowly and then intensify to become chronic, like in Causticum. In Causticum
too, the illnesses progress gradually but continuously, and involve
the fibrous and glandular tissues. The toxic material settles in the
glands. When the glands become chronically inflamed and their appearance
changes, Bryonia may be the remedy. Bryonia should be remembered in relation to
Arnica as well. In regard to the diseases
of the glands, Bryonia also resembles Phytolacca. In both, the
glands swell. Phytolacca should be used if Bryonia does not work to
satisfaction. In the chronic diseases of the glands, the effective prescription
is Kali Mur, Silicea, Ferrum Phos, Calcarea Phos, Calcarea Flour, etc., mixed
together and given repeatedly. An infectious
fever originating from the infection
of the throat may prove to be very chronic and dangerous because the
infection settles in the deeper part of the glands not effectively accessible
to the blood circulation, so the protective materials cannot reach the affected
part either. If the above combination does not show beneficial effect in the
first two to three days of the sickness, more effective, appropriate remedies
should be considered.
Sometimes, there is high fever due to infection of the
tonsils and it keeps on increasing everyday, and in particular shows a high
peak in the latter part of the night. One should not take its
relative subsiding in the morning as a sign of recovery. The family or the
doctor would become somewhat carefree towards the treatment. The next
evening, the fever becomes still more elevated and so on. Two to
three such episodes of high fever may even prove fatal. Therefore, the
high fever of infection of the tonsils must not be taken lightly. The
allopaths commonly prescribe antibiotics for it. The fever subsides
but tends to recur again and again. In fact, a new bout of fever sets in
right after the previous one subsides. More and much stronger
antibiotics have to be used. These destroy the liver function, resulting in
the loss of appetite. The sick child becomes a skeleton devoid of flesh.
The tonsils enlarge in size with every successive episode of
fever. As a word of caution, antibiotics should be avoided as much and
as long as safely possible. Sulphur and Pyrogenium 200 are generally very beneficial
in controlling infection. Similarly, Silicea in high potency may also prove very useful at times. If all these prove
ineffective, a combination of Belladonna, Phytolacca, Calcarea Flour,
Ferrum Phos and Baptisia in potency 30 repeated frequently may control
the sickness in one night. In addition, the mixture of Ferrum
Phos Silicea, Kali Mur, Calcarea Phos, Mag Phos 6X may be
administered 6 to 7 times a day to a significant benefit. The fever
will gradually subside in two to three nights if not on the firstLike Nux Vomica, if Bryonia is used more than necessary, it
causes headaches. The antidote for both is Gelsemium. In Bryonia,
the illness presents two patterns. Firstly, when the discharges
or sweating stop, the suffering worsens. With the treatment the
excretions begin again. The inner linings of the organ become moist and the
normal perspiration starts from the skin. Secondly, when there is cessation of periods in women, they suffer nosebleeds. By administering Bryonia, the condition is relieved.
The thick sticky expectoration may block the main air
passages temporarily causing a
state of asthma. Repeated coughing is needed to expel it out of the
air passages. If the sputum is like a thread, Coccus definitely is the best
remedy. If the cold deteriorates and deep infection sets in, the expectoration
becomes greenish, showing further deterioration.
In Bryonia, the symptoms progress gradually but it does
not mean that they take many days to become evident. If the Bryonia patient is exposed
to cold in the morning, by the evening he will start showing symptoms of cold,
and by the next morning the sickness is in full swing. The pain in the joints
and muscles becomes severe and chronic. Bryonia behaves the same way in acute
illnesses also. The Bryonia symptoms become more intense by 9 o’clock in the
evening and persist all night. The symptoms of Chamomilla and Natrum Mur are at
their peak at 9 o’clock in the morning. There is no definite explanation of the
periodicity and punctuality of these symptoms, but this is how it has been
designed by nature. Like Chelidonium, Bryonia is the remedy for the illnesses of
the right side. It is deeply related to liver disorders. Its discharges are yellowish in colour, including the sputum from the lung. In Chelidonium, the liver pain radiates towards the back like
the pain of the gall bladder, getting worse on movement. When a pregnant woman becomes
exhausted or there is danger of aborting following
heat stroke, Bryonia should be administered. If combined with Arnica 200, this will also prevent against the
aftereffects of physical exhaustion. In the case of trauma, Bryonia and
Arnica together prevent the danger of abortion. It is very useful
for this purpose and should be administered at once and better still with Aconite.