In Pulsatilla, the mental and physical symptoms keep
interchanging. The Pulsatilla patient
is very mild natured, weeps easily and is a coward. This temperament is more
common in women. Therefore, this remedy is known as a ladies’ medicine. The
pulsatilla patient is kind towards everyone, starts crying over minor things,
remains still and silent, and is very sensitive to trivial matters. When the patient
thinks that his ego has been hurt, he feels very insulted and gets irritated.
The patient has a very suspicious nature and is extremely sensitive with regard
to self-respect. He gets perturbed over petty matters. He always suspects that
someone is insulting him. Yet, the patient is neither aggressive, nor violent
rather, he becomes very sad, depressed and dejected. He cries a lot and becomes
superstitious. Such patients may become
religious fanatics.
In particular women suffer from such type of fanaticism. Since women keep
suppressing their anger, their emotions ultimately turn into religious
fanaticism that is evident from their thoughts and their conversation. For example,
they may strongly believe that a particular food is harmful for human beings and
it is the cause of their downfall. Such imagination is typical of Pulsatilla.
Pulsatilla is an antidote for the symptoms resulting from the bad effects of
Lycopodium, which make a person so shy that he is afraid of his own shadow. Often, Pulsatilla women hate to get married. When
a woman hates marriage without any evident psychological reason, she should be treated
with Pulsatilla.
Pulsatilla is also related to the disorders of the stomach.
The patient cannot digest oily food laden with fat. Eating a little bit of
cream or butter can upset the stomach. Either these patients develop a strong dislike
for fatty food or they will simply not be able to digest it. This symptom is
also found in Carbo Veg and some other remedies.
In Pulsatilla, the patient
does not feel thirsty; however, drinking cold water soothes the
patient. The patient likes to eat cold food. The stomach problems aggravate in
the morning and the mental anguish in the evening. Usually fits of depression and sadness begin
in the evening. The evening time is hard on these patients. A cold breeze and
light movement comfort the patient. The discomfort increases on entering a
heated room. The feeling of cold inside becomes more pronounced by going into a
heated place. This is very strange but interesting to note that apparently the
patient’s body is warm but deep inside the patient feels very cold, and on
entering a heated room, the feeling of cold further aggravates.
Sulphur acts as an antidote to Pulsatilla. Other than the
symptoms of a burning sensation in the hands and feet, the symptoms of
Pulsatilla are dissimilar to those of Sulphur. Over treatment with Sulphur
should be treated with Pulsatilla and the overdose of Pulsatilla should be
treated with Sulphur.
For psoriasis
appearing in the form of circular sunken brown specks, Pulsatilla is
very effective. In Pulsatilla, the veins may become distended and engorged with
blood, over any part of the body. The blood may also clot inside. A spider web of
small veins is formed, which may become inflamed (phlebitis). Usually, this
problem appears in the calves of the legs during pregnancy. The subject of varicose
veins has already been discussed under Aesculus. If, in addition to the above
symptoms, a patient also has the tendency to develop varicose ulcers, then
Pulsatilla will prove to be very effective.
Pulsatilla is also very effective in the treatment of catarrhal diseases. Pulsatilla
cures chronic catarrh and diseases of the inner linings. Chronic catarrh
usually involves the chest producing thick phlegm. The treatment with
appropriate remedies can cure this problem fast, by the grace of Allah. Since
the catarrhal diseases resemble each other very closely, it is very difficult
to differentiate between them. If the nose
becomes blocked, one immediately thinks of treatment with
Pulsatilla. However, several other remedies also, have this symptom, as already
detailed in different chapters of this book. Despite the blockage of the nasal
passage, the nasal discharge continues to some extent. Nux Vomica and Coccus
are also useful for the treatment of this condition. One should always be on
the lookout for a remedy according to the constitution of the patient. Like Calcarea Phos, Pulsatilla is also very
important in the treatment of girls reaching adulthood. Pulsatilla is very
effective in the treatment of complete cessation or delayed onset of girls’
periods resulting from submerging their feet in cold water.
Pulsatilla women hope
for the periods to commence every month, but do not have them. Pulsatilla is also stated to be very useful in
the problems associated with the menopause.
When used in combination with Lachesis or Belladonna, Pulsatilla produces
excellent results. At menopause, usually, the patient feels as if hot air is
being blown onto her face. The face
becomes red. In women suffering from anaemia,
excessive menstrual bleeding dilutes their blood further, i.e. they become more
anaemic. Pulsatilla being the best treatment for blood deficiency, when it is
given to anaemic women it will stop their periods. However, after a few months when the blood deficiency has been corrected,
normal menstrual periods resume automatically. Pulsatilla will not let the
periods start unless the anaemia is corrected. Even in the absence of anaemia,
Pulsatilla can offer immediate cure for dark, scanty menstrual bleeding.
In Pulsatilla, the patient feels pain in the shoulders and
the back. A strong local pressure reduces the severity of the pain. Similarly, sleeping
on a hard surface also relieves the back pain.
In Pulsatilla, the headache
is like migraine. The pain is usually on one side, over the temple
and the same side of the face. A special symptom of Pulsatilla is that one side
of the body is warm while the other side is cold. The difference in temperature
on the two sides can be easily felt by touch of the hand. The face is red hot
on one side while it is cold and blanched on the other side, as if devoid of
blood. This prominent symptom makes the
diagnosis of Pulsatilla very easy. Therefore,
besides other features of headache, this may be a leading symptom of
Pulsatilla. However, this symptom is not a must in every pain. Even if this
symptom is not present, Pulsatilla can still be used provided that its other
symptoms are present. In Pulsatilla, the symptoms related to eyes are very common,
such as multiple
styes. Pulsatilla works very well on the styes. The discharge from the eyes is very thick. Eyelid margins become
swollen and sticky. In young children, “pink eye” develops. There
is
swelling of the conjunctiva and symptoms related to the
nose and throat appear like Natrum Mur. Natrum Mur is the chronic of Pulsatilla,
so if the symptoms happen to be of Pulsatilla but the patient does not respond
to Pulsatilla, then Natrum Mur may be used instead. Pulsatilla is also the best treatment
for ear diseases, such as the infection of the ear, discharge of
sticky and stinky material from the ears and hardness of hearing. Once the
nasal cold has affected the ear, the Pulsatilla patient tends to torment
himself furthermore and starts crying due to pain to the extent of complete
helplessness and despair. However, if
the earache is associated with anger, then the patient should be treated with
Chamomilla instead of Pulsatilla. In
chronic nasal catarrh, there is a feeling of dryness
inside the nasal passages. The secretions become dry and encrusted
causing a constant mild pain. Pulsatilla relieves this condition. In Pulsatilla initially the nasal secretions
are whitish but soon become yellowish and offensive. The sense of smell either decreases
or is completely lost. In the morning, coughing brings out a lot of sputum. It turns into a dry cough by the evening. In chronic catarrh,
the nose may also bleed.
Nosebleed is also related to menstruation. If menstruation stops and the nose
starts to bleed, then Bryonia should be used instead of Pulsatilla.
If the nose bleeds during menstruation, then Pulsatilla should be used.
In Pulsatilla, the symptoms of allergy become severe in the evening. However, in Natrum Mur, the situation is
just the opposite. In the morning, particularly around nine o’ clock in the
morning, the allergy becomes much more severe. If sneezing ensues when the
patient goes from a cold to a warm room, the remedy is Pulsatilla. However, if sneezing
ensues after going from a warm to a cold room, then Sabadilla, Silicea or
Natrum Mur should be used. The
Pulsatilla patient suffers from insomnia and has difficulty in sleeping.
Furthermore, the patient has feeling of shortness of breath and suffocation. If
the disease is not properly treated, it can turn into asthma. When the allergy changes into asthma,
then Pulsatilla can also be the effective treatment. Silicea is the chronic of
Pulsatilla. In case a fever does not subside with Pulsatilla and the patient
feels hot, or similarly, if certain infections do not respond to treatment with
Pulsatilla despite their symptoms being of Pulsatilla, then in this situation,
the patient should be treated with Silicea. In my experience, Silicea has often
been effective. In the beginning, I did not treat such patients with Silicea;
then I realised that since Silicea is the chronic of Pulsatilla, it is possible
that Silicea may be effective even though the disease has not responded to
Pulsatilla.
Pulsatilla is an excellent treatment for mumps. It prevents the migration
of the diseases to other sites. If not treated appropriately, the disease may
seriously afflict the reproductive organs. Such patients are then rendered
sterile forever. In such cases, the first treatment of choice is Abrotanum. If
Abrotanum is ineffective, Pulsatilla should be used. One similarity between
these two drugs is that the aches and pains keep shifting from one location to
another. Abrotanum pains keep shifting
all over the body. However, the Pulsatilla pains migrate in a particular
direction i.e. either from left to right or from right to left. This symptom is
also found in Lac Caninum, whose pains migrate rapidly. In Abrotanum, it is
mostly the nature of the disease that changes into another disease. For
example, if lung cancer spreads
into the bone then the remedies of a migrating nature should be considered,
Abrotanum being one such remedy. However,
the most effective remedy is Phosphorus. Whether the cancer has started in the bones or has spread
to the bones from somewhere else, in both cases Phosphorus is the best. In Pulsatilla, stomach ailments such as irritation, sour
belches and distension of the abdomen with gas, etc. start within a few hours
of eating food. In Nux Vomica, the ailments aggravate on an empty stomach. The
patient finds some relief on taking food, but the discomfort returns in an hour
or so.
The Pulsatilla patient has a dry mouth yet does not feel
thirsty. The liver produces an excessive amount of bile, which regurgitates
into the mouth with nausea. Oily food causes distension of the abdomen and diarrhoea consisting of
greenish, watery stools (more so at night). Soft stools, yet constipation,
are typical of Pulsatilla. Despite the repeated urge of going to the lavatory, the patient does not
feel fully relieved. There is a similar feeling in Nux Vomica also.
However, in Nux Vomica, the stools are hard like stone. In women, the constipation
sometimes resembles that of Graphites. In this case, the stools are like large
hard masses. Like Pulsatilla, Graphites also is famous for alleviating a
deficient menstrual flow. However, Graphites suits the cold constitution, while
Pulsatilla suits the hot constitution patients. If the constipation reaches the
point where it cannot be relieved by Pulsatilla, then it can often be relieved
with Silicea. In case Silicea also fails, then Veratrum Album could be effective.
Patients who suffer from constipation often develop piles.
The piles are often very painful. However, if the pain over the piles is
relieved by lying flat on a hard surface, it is a specific sign of Ammonium
Carb and it is not a symptom of Pulsatilla. If there is severe burning on the
piles, then Arsenic and Kali Carb are better than Pulsatilla. Paeonia is very
famous for the treatment of continuously painful type of piles. However, when
the constitutional symptoms are those of Pulsatilla, then only Pulsatilla will
be effective. If a person feels like
urinating, but urinates very little and there is a burning sensation and
irritation, then Pulsatilla may be useful. In Pulsatilla, sometimes the urine
is mixed with blood. One of its symptoms is that while sleeping on his side,
the patient may not need to get up to pass urine throughout the night. However,
if he sleeps flat on his back, he gets up frequently for urination during the
night. Such children who happen to wet
their beds at night may be helped by tying a big knot in the
waistband of their pyjamas, preventing them from sleeping on their back. This
tactic works mostly in the Pulsatilla type of patients. Moreover, Natrum Mur
and Kali Phos 6X combined are also very useful for treating this condition in
children.
For the treatment of involuntary passage of urine during coughing,
sneezing
or laughing (stress incontinence), Pulsatilla is very useful. In case the patient wets the bed soon after
going to sleep, then Causticum 200 or Sepia 200 are better. If a person cannot
manage to ease himself while sitting for however long but urinates immediately on
standing up or walking (due to sudden pressure on the bladder), then this is
typical of Bryonia. In Rhus Tox, the patient feels like passing urine while
sitting, but as soon as he gets up and walks the feeling is gone. In short, all
these remedies function within their own spectrum of symptoms.
The Pulsatilla patient feels comfort on movement. From
this point of view, Pulsatilla partially resembles Rhus Tox. Functioning in the
presence of dampness is similar in both. Both Pulsatilla and Rhus Tox are
useful in the treatment of
catarrhal conditions developing due to careless exposure to wet
weather. Besides other remedies, Dulcamara is also well known in the treatment
of conditions related to changing weather, especially so if the change in the
weather includes dampness. Pulsatilla
is also very useful in the controlling the tendency
to abort in women. Often instead of a foetus, a lifeless lump of
flesh grows in the uterus. Pulsatilla dissolves this lump of flesh. In this
condition, there is severe abdominal cramping during menstruation. If such pain
is only occasional then Pulsatilla is useful. However, if the episodes are
frequent, then Natrum Mur should be given preference, as it is the chronic form
of Pulsatilla. Young girls experiencing this type of pain in their early
adulthood can benefit from Calcarea Phos also.
Pulsatilla is also very useful in the treatment of the downward sagging tendency of the
uterus (i.e. prolapse). For this, there are several other useful
remedies, whose symptoms would of course need to be identified.
Some women develop milk in their breasts in the absence of
pregnancy or delivery of a child. Pulsatilla is very useful for treating this
condition. Besides Pulsatilla, Mercurius and Cyclamen are also very useful.
Pulsatilla often benefits mothers who suffer from a shortage of milk production in their breasts.
If after the delivery, the placental remains and blood are not fully excreted,
then Pulsatilla helps in their expulsion from the uterus. Pulsatilla is a strong clearing agent of the uterus.
However, the remedy benefits only if it is used before the development of the
puerperal fever. Once a fever develops, then only Silicea or Sulphur and
Pyrogenium will be effective.
Pulsatilla 200 is reknowned for correcting the position of the child
inside
the uterus. It also invigorates the labour pains during the delivery
of a child. Some doctors routinely start giving Pulsatilla at the beginning of
the ninth month of the pregnancy. This has produced significant results.
However, after the onset of the labour pains, a combination of Mag Phos and
Kali Phos works much better than Pulsatilla in facilitating the delivery. The
tablets are dissolved in water and then sipped at intervals.
Pulsatilla is very useful in the treatment of crookedness of the vertebral
column (scoliosis) as it strengthens the muscles around the spinal
column and equalizes their tone and strength on both sides. In children, the
spinal column can become crooked giving the appearance
of hunchback and loss of height. Pulsatilla is useful in correcting
this deformity and dwarfism. In a Pulsatilla patient, the painful limbs start
to contract and become weak. For example, if there is a chronic pain in the
leg, the leg becomes short and slender.
Similarly, the painful leg and the arm start to shrink. During an attack
of malaria, if the patient exhibits the stomach symptoms of Pulsatilla, Pulsatilla
will work very well. The Pulsatilla patient often does not feel thirsty. However,
during malaria, the patient feels unusually thirsty before the onset of severe
chills and then the thirst disappears as soon as the fever develops. In the presence
of this symptom, the patient must be treated with Pulsatilla. In Pulsatilla, there is a neuralgic type of
pain on the right side of the face. The lower lip becomes thick due to
swelling. These symptoms usually become worse during the evening. The patient
also develops a dry cough in the evening and at night.
The problems of Pulsatilla aggravate with heat and on
eating oily food. The symptoms are relieved on movement, in the open air and on
eating cold food. When the hands burn hot and the feet are very cold and
vice-versa, then Pulsatilla could well be very useful.