PHYSOSTIGMA: Early stage full of various pains, later stage painless or even numb insensibility to pain

- Tarkas P. and Ajit Kulkarni.

Region

Spinal (motor)nerves

Vasomotors(?)

Solar plexus

Muscles

Back and spine

Ocular apparatus

Mucous membranes

L.side

Worse

COLD:air, weather

bath, drink

Cold and heat

Change of weather

Morning. Noon

Touch. Injury

Lying on 1. side

Motion. Exercise

Eye strain Closing eyes

Mental exertion

Emotions. Grief

Shock

Better

HEAT. Warm room

Open air;

walk in

Change of weather

After 12 next

Rest. Quiet

Lying head level

During sleep;

spasms

Closing eyes

Leaning forward

Exerting will

Congestive.Ataxic.Paralytic

Depression Irritation Spasms

(Spinal cord) Congestion Paralysis

A depression- paralytic condition- of motor nerve termini causes local irritations resulting first in spasms of involuntary muscles (constriction in throat, cramps in stomach and bowels, tenesmus rectal and vesical, stiffness, tension about eyelids etc.) and later of voluntary muscles (tetanus). Fibrillary muscular twitchings. To the accompaniment of lachrymation, vomiting, involuntary stool and urine.

The irritation (from dynamic doses) is congestive; of every nerve of spinal origin; C. stage of spinal paralysis.

Congestion : in cranial organs (brain, eyes, nose, face, tongue), stomach, rectum, limbs; sans hemorrhage except from nose ( Onos., Spiran.). Myelitis acuta (spasms). Meningeal irritation (stiffness in muscles). A congestive stage leading later to Spinal paralysis : Depression of motor and reflex activity of the cord-loss of pain perception, and muscular prostration and relaxation (insufficiency of volition, like Hell.). Leading to decided peripheral paralyses : ocular; infantile; agitans; G. P. l. (like Agar.); unilateral (1.). P. with muscular rigidity or with unimpaired muscular contractility (impaired, Carb-s.). P. after grief.

Early stage full of various pains, later stage painless or even numb insensibility to pain. A creeping or wooden numbness (in congestion or meningismus). N. in paralysed parts. Numb cord. Early stage is quite turbulent with

An universal commotion : sighing, yawning, cramps, jerkings, startings, twitchings, tingling, fluttering, crawling, hiccough, hyperperistalsis, asthmatic spasms, wavering in brain. Occupation neuroses. Tremors: in eyes, vision, nose, teeth, heart, limbs; fibrillary (Onos., Visc.); active torso but numb and paralysed verso (back) or vice versa. Chorea (r.). Hysteria.

Epileptiform convulsions, from brain congestion (Agar.); with consciousness. Worse breeze of air. Better sleep (Agar.). Before: loquacity; fulness in stomach. After: soreness; roaring in ears.

Tetanus: idiopathic (from spinal congestion) or traumatic (e.g

Degenerations: spinal; multiple spinal sclerosis; posterior spinal sclerosis (locomotor ataxia-tabes dorsalis). Progressive muscular atrophy; contraction of the muscular fibres of blood vessels (Sec.). Fatty degeneration-heart (Stry.).

Mucous membranes: exudative diathesis (tears, coryza, saliva, stool, urine, leucorrhea, menses, sweat).

Injuries: To eyes. Railway spine. Concussions. Blows. A tetanus prophylactic like Hypr. Wounds.

Peculiarities

1. Perfect and deathly horror of cold water, avoids bathing, drinking or even touching.

2. Pains stop at proximate 12 (Sil. at 8).

3. Drinking agg. thirst.

4. Pains/sensations go to distant parts; on touching a painful part. Stomach pain ext. through chest down arm. Palpitation is felt in head, throat. Heart beat is heard in ears. Feels the pulse through the whole body.

5. A strange, indescribable, unpleasant sensation- a vague discomfort- throughout the system : face, abdomen, heart etc. during chill. Or, "extreme faint, but not unpleasant." A sort of general physical anxiety (?).

Select Particulars

Mind: Overactive, even during sleep. Thoughts persist uncontrolled. Loquacity. Sighing and moaning. Unstrung; wild crazy feeling; mischievous inclination (Tarn.); feels nothing right. Racing towards insanity or dementia. Paralytic state of body and mind after grief (Hell.).

Head: Congestive confusion, dizziness, faintness, stupor. Vertigo (<) change of position; with shakiness and daze as after wine; levitation or wavering in brain; dim vision (ocular V. and headache). Dull heaviness or pulsating shooting like lightning. Grows gradually and ceases suddenly. Amel. occupying (like Onos.). Cerebrospinal meningitis, spasmodic stage (pupils, breathing or heart, muscles); or later, in the flaccid stage. Eyes: Main target. Irritation (congestion and spasms) after over-use or uterine reflex. Irregularities of C. and D.of pupils. Nystagmus. Lagophthalmos (Incomplete closure of palpebral fissure when an attempt is made to shut the eyelids). Astigmatism. Traumatic glaucoma or cataract; prolapse of iris. Troubles after surgery (adhesions etc.). Painful stiffness; drawing, twisting , (>) closing, pressing, walking. Photophobia.

Vision: Tremulous, wave-like, muscae volitantes, multiopia, objects or letters run together, diplopia, flashes of light, or as if screened. Night-blindness.

Increasing myopia and failure of sight. Accomodation (earlier spasmodic, now) paralytic; post-diphtheritic. Asthenopia; fatigue; from spinal irritation, metallic poisoning, late result of congestion etc. Torpor of retina; of internal (or external) recti muscles causing deviation of axes. Staphyloma.

Cornea: opacity; ulceration; sloughing.

The alkaloid Eserine is more effective in eye troubles.

Ears: Congestive fulness. Tinnitus (buzzing, hissing, roaring like escaping steam). Ears overactive, acute (like Lyss., Morph.); hears arterial beats of body and of heart; every sound penetrates ears. Dulness in later stage (?).

Nose: Epistactic congestion; E. at supper. Fluent coryza, with sneezing, burning and tingling in nostrils; or stuffy with hot nose. Tremor. Twitching, and involuntary dilation of nostrils.

Face: Muscular irritation; contractive sensation (l.), or a curious (crampy or spasm- like) sensation with numbness in l. hand. Lips dry, numb and tingling. Licks lip. Submaxillary glands swollen; sore.

Mouth: Teeth feel rough; quivering or tremor in. Dentition: in nervous children (with vacillating pupils), colic on beginning to nurse but (>) continuing, (vomiting on waking). Loose skin feeling on palate. Saliva thick, leathery.

Tongue feels sore on tip; smarting, burnt or scalded feeling; tingling; is greasy or mapped; feels paralysed, with sluggishness of articulation. Taste like kreosote; metallic.

Throat : Sore throat. Enlarged tonsils. Elongated uvula. Raw, scraping feeling. Burning. Choking sensation from fluttering of heart reaching throat, from any breeze.

Hysterical : clavus; fulness in stomach ascending to throat- pit; sensation of swallowing a fishbone, a hard body or large lumps. Gone feeling in oesophagus.

Stomach : Desires cold drinks. Averse to cooked food, coffee, tobacco. Anorexia.

A nervous, uneasy, "unsettled" or weak, nauseous, sinking feeling in S. Breathlessness, shuddering, trembling, pulsation, cramp or soreness ( to pressure).

Hyperperistalsis : hiccough with dyspnea, (<) 5-8 pm, (>) rest, lying, sleep. Nausea; from music of organ; and vomiting, (<) waking. Darting (radiating) pain with paralysed feeling of l. side. Abdomen : Griping in r. hypochondrium (liver) ext. to r. scapula (Chel.). Stitches in l. side. Pain in alternate sides of groins. Soreness in hypogastrium on standing; numbness. Flatulence; in ataxia. Colic while eating, (>) stretching out. Bowels feel knotted up (Nux-v.).

Rectum : Obstipation, inactive bowels. Also paralytic (open) sphincter. Prolapse. Tenesmus. A variety of stools including black tarry. Piles hard, sensitve; sphincter sore and rigid; during childbed.

Urinary : Kidney region lame, sore, tender (Solid.), with copious urine. More phosphates and less urates in (copious) urine.

Female : Leucorrhea milky, bloody, stringy; with backache; with proportionate sighing. Numbness about uterus with backache. Menses irregular; with rigid muscles, tonic spasms, congested eyes and face, sighing, faintness, palpitation. Metrorrhagia; after labour. Climacteric; tonic spasms (Visc.).

Respiratory : Laboured breathing; dyspnea and yawning; sighing; (sobbing). Choking feeling from fresh air (with fluttering of heart). Dyspnea (>) leaning forward, sighing out.

Chronic bronchial catarrh; cough (<) talking. Stitches (or twitches) across pectoral muscles; in l. breast. Pain at apex of l. lung, (>) pressure; in sternum, (>) hard pressure.

Heart : Action spasmodic, tumultous, must lie on back, conscious of every artery pulsating. Palpitations; with a fulness and pulsations everywhere; at menses; after grief; (<) in open air, drafts, turning in bed to l. (>) keeping quiet, in warm room, closing eyes.

Fluttering, (>) recumbence. Tremulous heart, from emotional disturbance. Uneasiness, distress, dull pain, esp. nightly, restless tossing about, numbness of l. arm, pulsations. A hurry as if from heart.

Retarded action, diminished impulse (Visc.). H.B.P., L.B.P.

Back : Congestion. Myelitis; with tremor, tottering and lameness down back to legs. Spinal irritation; sensitive spine with burning and tingling (Agar., Sec.), heat down back, numbness down back to limbs, incipient paralysis, lame feeling.

Backache, twinging (>) bending forward. Crampy stitches up and down spine.

Neck stiff and tense, desire to stretch it from an uneasiness there; splitting pain.

Lumbago with a lame bruised feeling, (<) after exertion; with headache and copious urine. Sacral pain. Contractive pain in anterior surface of coccyx as if a dysentery were coming on. Locomotor : Sore, bruised, stiff joints. Crampy pains in limbs; in l. calf ( or foot) in bed at night. Jerking in limbs on falling to sleep. Heavy and weavy as if tired; gait infirm, esp. with eyes closed (Alu., Aster.); a paralysed feeling with ( a not unpleasant ) numbness, esp. l. side. Pain in upper arm and thigh (Visc.); in (r.) deltoid (>) violent motion. Thrusts down l. thigh. Pain in (r.) popliteal space.

Skin : Herpes; on prepuce. Itching absent (?).

Sleep: Comatoid sleepiness, overcomed only by exercise or volition; while riding, driving, travelling; with pains (Op.), e.g. headache; preceded by a mild numbness (as after opium or morphine).Yawning and sighing; hysterical. Nightmares. Insomnia; of insanes. Sleep relieves hiccough, vomiting, convulsions (Agar.,Hell.).

Thermic : Shuddering at every breeze of air, even bracing; on motion; stamping foot; at touch of cold water. Creeping chilly sensation in or up back (Visc.), and heat down back. Flushes of heat; in palms.

Sweat; on excitement (hands); odorous, on genitals, hands. Hot sweat on forehead, cold on hands. Chill and sweat.

State of collapse : cold extremities, cold and clammy skin, extreme but not unpleasant faintness and numbness (like Sul.).

Relations : In turbulent stage is like Agar., Bell., Cic., Cocc., Cur., Nux-v., Stry. In depressive stage like Gel., Onos., Visc.

Visc. is a version of Phys. but with emphasis on rheumatism, heart and female genital system and absence of cerebrospinal pathology. Is a cousin of Nux-v.

Is chronic continuation of Bell., Con., Op., Ver-v.

Its chronics : Alu., Zin., Zin-s.

Antidotes : Arn., Cam., Sul., Coffee.

The alkaloids Muscarine ( of Agar.), Atropine (of Bell.) and Eserine/ Physostigmine (both of Phys.) are interrelated.

Strychnine group:Ang., Cic.,(Cocc.),Car., Gels.,Ip., Lob-t., Euc., Nux-v., Op., Pit., Phys., Ver-v., Stry., (Visc.).

Antidotes : Atro., Arn., Cam., Lil-t., Sul., Coffee.

Xan. shares paralysing congestions but it has no spasms.