HOMEOPATHIC RESEARCH

-VAKIL.P
(syn : Tic douloureux) - (prosopalgia-face-ache)
Definition :
Trigeminal neuralgia is a disease characterised by unilateral, sudden,lightening-like paroxysm of pain in the 5th cranial nerve. There may be associated clonic twitching of facial muscles of the affected side and presence of symptoms like lachrymation, rhinorrhoea sialorrhoea and flushing of face. There may be trigger zones - pressure on which may start off about of pain.
Treatment :
Colocynthis
A patient comes to the physician with left sided face-ache withH/O Exposure to dry cold or damp weather or there may be history of emotional upset like anger, indignation chagrin or grief.
Pain with numbness and chilliness extending to left ear and lower jaw.
agg. Left side, motion, touch, anger, 5 p. m .
>> Rest, warmth and pressure .
In Trigeminal neuralgia, better by lying with head bent forward.
Nux vomica
Nux Vomica patient is a typical busy person used to modern city life withmental stress and strain, sedentary occupation with loss of sleep and highliving.
Such a person suffers initially from a dyspepsia which is characterisedby loss of appetite, flatulence, constipation with ineffectual urge for stooland sometimes the patient feels - If I could vomit out I would feel so muchbetter. He is a chilly and irritable patient and is hypersensitive who has developed left sided Trigeminal neuralgia as a reflex symptom due tothe above mentioned dyspepsia, after exposure to dry cold wind.
There may be H/O alcoholism.
agg. In the evening and night, cold , anger.
>> Strong pressure and warmth .
O/E Frowning look, posterior coating of tongue. Hypersensitiveness of the affected part and tenderness of left iliac fossa.
Spigelia anthelmia
[SPIGELIA]
It is a very important remedy for facial neuralgia and migraine.
Left side is commonly affected but it is also indicated for rightsided trigeminal neuralgia.
Burning needle like pain extends to eye and neck.
Pain comes at REGULAR INTERVAL.
agg. Touch, jar , stormy weather, mastication.
>> Pressure , lying on right side with head high.
Verbascum thapsus
[VERBASCUM]
One of the important causes of trigeminal neuralgia is carious molar tooth,this we find in Verbascum.
Neuralgic pain of great intensity and commonly affecting left side of the face and quite often associated with cold and catarrh and lachrymation.
Sensation as if affected parts were crushed with a pair of `tongs'.
Periodicity is marked.
Attack starts at 9 a.m. reaches its height at noon and gradually diminishesby 4 p.m.
agg. Touch, talking, change of weather , pressure.
O/E Carious tooth .
Aconitum napellus
[ACONITE]
It is useful in the acute stage of the disease and also useful in acute stage of the chronic disease.
However, in the later condition it will only relieve - may not cure.
Exposure to dry cold wind .
Suddenness .
Night aggravation and fear of death are very important symptoms inselecting this remedy.
agg. Touch, jar, night, dry cold wind.
O/E Redness and dry hot skin, tenderness on touch.
Arsenicum album
[ARSENICUM]
Facial neuralgia with burning pain on right side .
H/O Alcoholism or malaria .
Anxiety, restlessness, prostration and frequent thirst for small Quantity of water are characteristic features of this remedy.
agg. Cold, midnight .
>> Warmth (rheumatic pain) : Cald (neuralgic pain).
O/E Cachectic look, face cold and covered with sweat.
Chamomilla
The most characteristic symptom of this remedy is the pain which is out ofproportion to underlying pathology.
Hypersensitive patient.
Unbearable pain make the patient irritable and snapish.
Inclined to bend head backwards.
NUMBNESS WITH PAIN.
HOT PATIENT .
SLEEPLESS.
agg. Warm drinks, coffee , night, anger.
>> Warm wet weather, rocking .
Incidently, it is also a useful remedy for toothache.
O/E One cheek red another pale.
China officinalis
[CHINA]
A patient with past H/O Malaria or loss of vital fluids comes withleft sided trigeminal neuralgia.
Pain extends to ear and teeth.
PERIODICITY.
PAIN MAY GO FROM LEFT TRIGEMINAL NERVE TO RIGHT TRIGEMINALNERVE.
agg. Eating, night, light pressure , draught.
>> HARD PRESSURE .
Magnesium phosphoricum
[MAG. PHOS]
It is the biochemic analgesic.
Neuralgic pain of right side .
agg. Night, cold air.
>> WARMTH and PRESSURE .
Belladonna
Like Aconite it is also useful in the acute stage of the disease. It follows Aconite well.
Patient comes with right sided facial neuralgia with twitching ofthe facial muscles.
Shooting pain.
agg. Touch, jar, light .
>> Clenching teeth tightly.
O/E Flushing of the affected side, skin dry hot, tender, throbbing carotids,head hot and extremities cold.
Pupils dilated.
Quite often Belladonna is the acute of CALC-CARB. in chronic affection.
Calcarea carbonica
[CALC-CARB]
An important concomitant of this remedy is sensation of spider web lying on the skin.
Pain from right mental foramen to lower jaw and ear.
agg. Mental and physical exertion.
agg. Washing and moist air .
>> Lying on painful side.
O/E Fair, fat, flabby, sluggish patient, profusely perspiring.
Aurum metallicum
[AURUM-MET]
When there is past H/O Syphilis or syphilitic miasm working behind or H/O Mercury poisoning or H/O T.B. one may think of this remedy.
Night aggravation is characteristic.
If mental symptoms like suicidal tendency , apathy etc..., are present, do not forget this remedy.
Causticum
Commonly indicated for right sided facial neuralgia with chill.
Prosopalgia from dental fistula.
Drawing pain in right cheek, then in ear.
agg. Change of weather, fine weather .
>> Warmth, damp weather .
O/E Sallow skin, earthy hue with warts.
Cedron
Malarial neuralgia .
Left sided affection.
Pain extending into nose with scalding watery flow from eyes and nose.
Supra-orbital neuralgia after WORKING ON BLACK MATERIAL.
PERIODICAL .
agg. Warm damp weather, every day at 9 a. m .
Chininum sulphuricum
[CHINA SULPH]
Like Cedron it is also useful for Malarial neuralgia .
With marked periodicity.
agg. Touch.
>> Pressure, bending forward.
Gelsemium sempervirens
[GELSEMIUM]
Pain in temple extending to ear and wing of the nose and chin.
Making the patient dull and drowsy with drooping of eyelidsgiving rise to VERTIGO, dim vision and diplopia .
Quite often useful for post influenzal neuralgia.
agg. Bad news , damp weather.
>> Bending forward, passing urine.
O/E Ptosis, dilated pupils, crimson red face.
Natrium muriaticum
[NATRUM MUR]
Post malarial neuralgia .
H/O Taking extra salt .
Grief, emotional upset and other general symptoms of Nat-m.
agg. Sun.
>> Pressure.
O/E Oily face and mapped tongue.
Phosphorus
Although a left sided remedy it is also useful for right sided facial neuralgia.
Burning pain .
General symptoms like bleeding tendency , nervous individual agg. thunderstorm, fearful etc... guide to selection of the remedy.
>> Cold , dark.
Platinum metallicum
[PLATINA]
It is best suited to haughty and arrogant ladies who have developed right sided trigeminal neuralgia.
Pain alternates with numbness and coldness .
Pain increases and decreases GRADUALLY .
Pain as if parts were squeezed in a vice.
agg. Evening.
>> Walking.
Stannum metallicum
[STANNUM]
Cardinal feature of Stannum is weakness exhaustion of mind and body.
Compressive and cramp like pain.
Right sided supra-orbital neuralgia.
Pain gradually increasing and decreasing .
agg. Touch .
>> Pressure , walking.
Usually indicated in tubercular diathetic patient.
Sanguinaria canadensis
[SANGUINARIA]
Right sided neuralgia.
Burning and heat of face.
Supra-orbital neuralgia associated with nausea .
agg. Sun, periodically .
>> Cold.
Staphisagria
Operation on eyes leading to facial neuralgia.
Nervous prosopalgia.
Pain extending from teeth to eyes.
Toothache - Better by chewing movement and holding ice cold water.
agg. Anger , grief, tobacco, least touch .
>> Warmth and rest.
O/E Caries of teeth and pyorrhoea.
Stramonium
With cloudy vision.
Syncope.
Desires light and company .
agg. When alone, evening, dark.
>> Looking at shining object and touch.
Prunus spinosa
Ciliary neuralgia, shooting from right frontal bone through brain to occiput.
As if eye ball would burst.
agg. Lachrymation.
>> Warmth (toothache).
Lycopodium clavatum
[LYCOPODIUM]
It is selected on general symptoms like right sided affection desires to remain alone, but wants some one in the adjoining room, desire sweets , flatulence lower part of abdomen, agg. 4 to 8 p.m. ,evening, warmth.
Chelidonium majus
[CHELIDONIUM]
Pressure in forehead.
Tearing in forehead above eye extending into the lids and root of nose.
Pressive pain in right temple .
Desires WARM FOOD and DRINKS .
Sheep-dung like stool .
agg. Touch , change of weather, open air , 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
>> Rest and warmth.
Kalium iodatum
[KALI-IODATUM]
Left sided prosopalgia, after abuse of Hg. or past H/Osyphilis .
agg. Damp weather, night, warmth .
>> Cool open air.
Zincum phosphoricum
[ZINC-PHOS]
Neuralgia after suppressed eruption with great weakness physical and mental.
Forget-fulness.
>> Appearance of eruptions and menses .
Mezereum
[MEZERIUM]
Right sided neuralgia after operation on the eye or H/O repeatedvaccination and suppressed eruption and Hg. ??? poisoning.
Pain shoots down with cold feeling, burning, stinging.
agg. Touch, cold.
>> Hard pressure , wrapping the head and face.
Ranunculus bulbosus
[RANUNCULUS-BULB.]
It is particularly useful for post herpetic neuralgia.
Burning pain.
ALCOHOLISM MAY BE ASSOCIATED.
agg. Touch , motion, evening, morning. Change of temperature, stormy weather and anger.
Tuberculinum koch
[TUBERCULINUM-KOCH'S]
Dr. J.H. Clarke describes this to be an important remedy for prosopalgiaafter INFLUENZA.
Past history or family history of TUBERCULOSIS.