Local causes may be– wounds; lodgment of a foreign body in he substance of a nerve-trunk; gun-shot wounds, or other injuries, Inflammation of the sheath of a nerve; pressure from tumours, especially Cancer; spicula of bone pressing on the nerve ( an occasional cause of facial neuralgia), carious teeth or stumps. even Neuralgia from injury is aggravated by any impairment of the constitutional vigour. ( The condition of the teeth should always be specially enquired into, as pyorrhoea is a frequent source of toxaemia. Also chronic intestinal infections should be remembered.)
TREATMENT.– In many cases this must be both local and general. The first includes the detection, and if possible, the removal, of any source of local irritation of the nerve, either at its origin or in any part of its course. The second includes the medicinal and general measures afterwards pointed out. A clue to the treatment may be gathered from the causes, for, as these are various, it cannot be expected that any single drug, or any one plan of treatment, will be uniformly effective.
EPITOME OF TREATMENT.–
1.Facial Neuralgia.– Belladonna, Arsenicum, Aconite, Coloc., Spigelia, Phosphorus, Mag., Phosphorus
2. Hemicrania or Brow-Ague.– China., Nux V., bell., Ignatia, Arsenicum, Coffea, Gelsemium, Sanguin., kal-Carb., kal-bich.
3. Gastrodynia and Enteralgia.– Nux V., Arsenicum, Coloc.,
4. Neuralgia of the heart.– Bel., Cact., Spigelia, Ver-Vir.
5. Sciatica.– Arsenicum, Coloc., Aconite, Rhus. Tox.
6. Pleurodynia.– Ranunculus-bulb., Arnica, Aconite, Arsenicum, Cim., mezer., Rhus tox.
7. From loss of animal fluids.– China, Ac.-Phosphorus, Phosphorus
8. Animal mechanical injuries.– Arnica, Aconite
9. From malaria.– China or Sulph. Quin., Nat. Mur.
LEADING INDICATIONS.–
Arsenicum.– Burning or tearing intermittent pains having a tendency to periodicity; pain aggravated by the continuous application of cold; increased at night or during rest, but lessened during exercise; generally first occurs on the left side, it may be of the face involving the same side of the head, the eye, and the ear. There are generally associated with this form of Neuralgia, excessive restlessness, anguish and irritability a general exhausted or debilitated condition small pulse, cold extremities, etc. Influenza, malaria, overwork, or, more generally come constitutional cachexia, may have caused the disease. Pure Sciatica. Hemicrania in paroxysms; with coldness or soreness of the scalp; wrenching pains at root of nose, bottom of orbits, in the ear or teeth; viscid sweat; sometimes dizziness, nausea, retching, and even vomiting of bile; rheumatic or arthritic hemicrania; intercostal pain from debility. Constipation does not preclude Arsenicum
The judicious employment of this potent mineral is often attended with the most marked success in neuralgic affections. The Homoeopathic law, indeed, leads us to expect that it would be so, for immoderate doses of Arsenic cause true neuralgia. Persons who have attempted top poison themselves with it are said to have suffered excruciating pains along the course of the nerves.
Phosphorus.– in Neuralgia from debilitated conditions of the nervous system, this remedy is equal or even superior to Arsenic, especially when due to mental overwork, or if associated with Megrim.
Aconitum.– Facial Neuralgia from cold, anxiety, or night- watching, the pains are severe, recur in paroxysms, are worse at night; and are accompanied by congestion in the head, lungs, or heart. Recent acute Sciatica.
Belladonna.– Burning, creeping, cutting, tearing, lancinating, and stinging pains, or throbbing intermittent pains, with one or both cheeks flushed, and sometimes swollen; eyes red and watering, pain around the orbit, with twitching of the muscles, sometimes irritation and inflammation of eyeballs; sensitiveness to sight and sound; illusions of sight and noises in the ears; congestive (not dyspeptic) headache; throbbing pain in the head, sense of undulation in the forehead, frontal headache, worse on stooping, also tearing, boring, lancinating, and jerking pain in the head.
Tic-douloureux. Rheumatic Neuralgia. Ovarian Neuralgia, with clawing, griping pain, much thirst and vomiting. Epileptiform Neuralgia. Neuralgia of the fifth pair, and hemicrania, are the varieties chiefly curable by Belladonna in most cases the appearance of the patient strongly contrasts with that described under Arsenicum, the Belladonna habit being plethoric.
Kalmia Latifolia.– Facial Neuralgia. Pressing pain with nausea; pressing headache, top of the head feels as if bound with a cord; muscles of eyes and eyelids feel stiff; dyspnoea with palpitation. Gastrodynia, coming on suddenly in paroxysms, moving from side to side, worse from motion, relieved by sitting up (especially in females). Dr. Ockford informs us that he has relieved more cases of general Neuralgia with kalm. than with any other remedies; he mentions no special indications.
Spigelia.– neuralgia headache and faceache, especially when the eye is affected; radiating in every direction; daring through from front to back; coming and going suddenly; running from eyes and nose; twitching of facial muscles; dyspnoea, palpitation of heart, and sleeplessness, worse in cold., damp weather, and from touch and motion.
Staphysagria.– Neuralgia of lower jaw, gnawing; toothache with swelling of cheek, increased by cold; aching, throbbing in whole face from teeth to eye; teeth and mouth symptoms resemble mercurial ptyalism; nervous constrictive boring headache. Sciatica of the right leg; sharp pains during motion; constant aching of the whole limb, especially in the nates and pelvic region, while sitting; great general prostration.
Colocynthis.– Severe paroxysms of cutting pains, chiefly on the left side of the body; the lancinations are sudden violent, and often extend from the point of origin to a distance; better in perfect rest, and from warmth and rubbing, worse by motion and touch. Facial Neuralgia, Enteralgia, and Sciatica, having these symptoms are curable by this remedy.
China or Quinine.– Neuralgia from malaria, or from loss of blood or other animal fluids. Brow-auge from these causes comes within the range of this remedy.
Natrum muriaticum.– In malarial cases where Quinine has been given to excess. Left side most often affected. In patients who are inordinately addicted to salt.
Mag.– Generally right-sided, Paroxysmal pains, relieved by heat.
Rhus Tox.– Chronic Sciatica, especially if associated with Rheumatism, stiffness, and lameness; the pains are worse on first moving the affected part, and at night.
Rhododendron.– Neuralgia of the extremities.
Gelsemium.– Of little service in pure Neuralgia, but useful in allaying nervous with disordered vision, dim or double; thirst for light; dizziness; semi-stupor; periodicity. Acute myalgia from long-continued exertion. not adapted to Pleurodynia.
Coffea.- Hemicrania coming on in the morning and lasting all day; increased sensitiveness, wakefulness, and nausea. Neuralgia of lower jaw. Megrim. Mental work excites pain. See also Section on Toothache.
Mercurius.– neuralgia of the face and head; pain proceeding from bottom of orbit, m with sense of coldness round the eye; generally occasioned by carious teeth. See also Section on Toothache.
Aurum Met.– Neuralgia of the testes. Mercurial cachexia with syphilitic complications. Megrim. Great depression of spirits. Bone pains.
Phytolacca.– Prosopalgia and Cephalalgia in syphilitic and rheumatic subjects; mercurial and syphilitic toothache; rheumatic neuralgia of back and shoulders; Sciatica; Proctalgia; with pain along the penis.
Ranunculus Bulb.– True intercostal Neuralgia.
Cimicifuga.– ovarian or uterine Neuralgia. Neuralgia of limbs.
Pulsatilla.– Neuralgia with bearing-down pain; spasmodic pains in lower part of the abdomen; toothache of pregnant women; toothache from cold, with pain over the whole side of head, and especially at the ear.
Hamamelis.– Testicular and ovarian Neuralgia; pains shifting suddenly to stomach causing nausea am faintness.
Veratrum.– Neuralgia of one side of face and head, with sensation of icy coldness in the part affected; Neuralgia of fifth pair; stabbing pain in the brows; dull aching pains, worse by movement, and atonic contraction of muscles. Enteralgia, as if knives were cutting the bowels, chiefly on the left side; intense agony at very frequent intervals.
Sulphur.– To-douloureux. Intermittent pain, especially on right side; pain in maxillary region, with chilliness in the evening; followed by heat perspiration in the night, weariness, and inclination to lie down; pain aggravated at night, gradually increasing and subsiding.
Ignatia, Nux Mosch., Bryonia, Causticum, Iris., Chelid., are useful in some neuralgic conditions.
EXTERNAL APPLICATIONS.– when the pain is excessively severe, and does not yield promptly to internal remedies, an Aconite lotion, may be tried, and is often quickly successful. It is prepared by adding about a dozen drops of the strong tincture of Aconitum to four tablespoonfuls of water, and may be applied hot or cold, as found most agreeable to the patient, by means of two or three folds of linen. Or Belladonna may be used in the same way. Painting the course of the nerve from the root, or where the nerve emerges from the deep fascia, with the pure tincture of Aconite, or Belladonna is often even more prompt in its action. Plantago major O is often successful when used in the same way. Under various names they are sold as Homoeopathic nostrums for Neuralgia.
LICENTIATE OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS; MEMBER OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS; LICENTIATE IN MIDWIFERY, LONDON AND EDINBURGH, ETC. PHYSICIAN TO THE READING AND BERKSHIRE HOMOEOPATHIC DISPENSARY.
Author of "The Stepping Stone to Homeopathy and Health,"
"Manual of Homoeopathic Treatment". Editor of "The Homoeopathic World."