“That affection, which we shall designate acute hysteralgia, is sometimes the immediate consequence of marriage. The pains in such cases, sometimes of burning nature, are more generally attended with a sensation of pinching, and of forcible pressure in the hypogastrium and pelvic cavity, occasionally extending to the groins and loins. Like cramp and colic, they are intermittent, leaving, however, in the intervals, a tenderness and sensibility of the hypogastrium, which them liable to be confounded with slight metritis. In chronic hysteralgia, the real uterine neuralgia, the paroxysms occur without assignable cause, and without anything of an inflammatory character. It appears in paroxysms, varying in frequency and regularity. Boivin and Duges.
The causes of hysteralgia, or uterine neuralgia, may be of two kinds: First, those influences, termed provoking, which may develop a position neuralgic condition form an already existing negative state of uterine irritability or excitability. Second, those influences which are capable of developing a true uterine neuralgia where there was no pre-existing irritability. In the first class, as already mentioned, every bodily exertion, the orgasm of coition, or the molimen of menstruation, as in dysmenorrhoea, may easily induce the neuralgic sufferings. In the second class, patients of general nervous temperament, subject perhaps to what is termed “spinal irritation, may experience neuralgic paroxysms in various parts of the body upon every over-exertion. Fatigue, too severe long continued labor, or any undue exercise, in which such persons go beyond their strength, will invariably produce neuralgia. And it requires only some special, local or function influences, such as excessive coition, over-exertion while menstruating, to cause the neuralgia to be developed as an hysteralgia, rather than as a prosopalgia, a megrim, or a tic douloureux. And in either of patients there is no doubt that the local irritation unavoidable arising from displacements of the uterus and its appendages, may occasion constant or periodically recurring neuralgic sufferings, which may be felt in the womb itself, in its immediate vicinity, or developed in the epigastric or other region remote form the real and original seat of the disorder.
For the treatment of the various forms of the more painful nervous disorders of the womb and its appendages, irritable uterus, hysteralgia, or uterine neuralgia and painful coition, study and compare the following remedies.
Asafoetida. May be indicated in decidedly venous systems and nervous temperaments. Labour-like pains with cutting and bearing down. Menses too frequent and too scanty. Hysteria. Hypochondriac, anxious, sadness and apprehension of dying; paroxysms of shuddering. Fits of great joy with occasional bursts of laughter.
Asterias rubens. General feeling of distress in the womb as though something were pushing out. Twitching in the uterus. Feeling of extreme anxiety, as though some misfortune were impending; as though some bad news were about to arrive. The menses are apt to delay.
Aurum. Almost constant thought, more or less intense, of suicide.
Bryonia. The uterine sufferings are increased from the least motion. Desire for things which cannot be had, or which are refused or not wanted when offered. Frequent nose-bleed.
Calcarea Carb. Pale, leucophlegmatic; weakly, fearful persons. Fear of going crazy. Vertigo on going up stairs. Frequent spasms. Sense of weight and soreness in the uterus.
Causticum. Pains in the abdomen causing her to bend double. Fulness and pressure in the abdomen, as if she would burst. Constant but ineffectual desire to eructate. Violent increase of the after the least nourishment; or after tightening her clothes round her waist.
Chamomilla The mental state of the patient leads to this remedy. In all her sufferings there is a vein of ill-humor; she can hardly speak pleasantly; feels like scolding about every thing. She often gives vent to her ill-humor in spite of all restraint.
China. Much singing in her ears. A sensation in the abdomen as if it were packed full, which is not in the least relieved by eructation. Worse every other day.
Cocculus. Painful pressure in the uterus, with cramps in the chest and fainting nausea. Suppression of menses, or Leucorrhoea in their stead. Feels too weak to talk loud.
Coffea. This remedy also is chiefly indicated by the mental symptoms. Ecstasy. Full of ideas. Quick to act; no sleep on this account. The physical system seems exalted and almost transported by the mental exaltation.
Conium. Stitches extending from the abdomen to the right side of the chest. Vertigo when lying down, or turning over. Intermission in the flow of the urine.
Crocus. Sensation of rolling and tumbling in the abdomen. Great mental dejection. Menses suppressed, or dark and stringy.
Ferrum. The patient is weak and nervous. She suffers much, but has very red cheeks.
Graphites. Itching blotches here and there over the body. Menses delay, or are suppressed. The patient seems bloated and inclines to obesity. She is weak and irritable.
Hyoscyamus. She inclines to that kind of insanity which leads to nakedness, to throw off her dress or the bed-clothes. Uninterrupted, loud laughing at the approach of the menses. She is very much inclined to spasm. Uterine cramps with pulling in the loins and small of the back.
Ignatia. Uterine cramps with cutting stitches. Great sense of soreness at the pit of the stomach. Full of grief and sighing. Brooding over imaginary troubles.
Ipecac. Much pain about the umbilicus, extending towards the uterus. The most of the distress is about the navel, but it runs off into uterus, the real seat of the disease. One continued nausea.
Kali carb. Stitching pains about the tender uterus, or all over the abdomen at times. Always much distress in the abdomen an hour before stool.
Magnesia mur. Sleeplessness, with difficult stools, which crumble as they escape the verge of the anus. Frequent hysterical spasms. Uterine cramps with pains extending down the things.
Natrum mur. Very sad and gloomy during the menses. Much palpitation of the heart, and morning headache. Frequent dreams of robbers in the house, and on awaking will not believe to thee contrary till search is made. Great disgust for bread. Uterine cramps with burning and cutting in the groins.
Nux Vom. Much sense of soreness in the neck of the uterus on rising up or sitting down. Wishes to urinate or to defecate very often, but little at a time, attended with pain. No sleep after three A.M. No appetite. Has indulged in high living, rich food, condiments, &c.
Opium. She is nervous and irritable, and passes nothing but bard black balls from the bowels. Her bed feels so hot that she can hardly lie on it. She is sleepy, but cannot go to sleep.
Phosphorous. Sensation of great weakness and emptiness in the abdomen. Sensation of great heat in the back, running up form the coccyx. Sharp, cutting pains in the abdomen. Sexual desire almost irresistibly strong. Much flatulency.
Phosphoric acid. The uterus is distended with gas. Pain, universally, in the liver during the menses. She must often rise at night in order to pass large quantities of colorless urine, Is very weak, and indifferent to the affairs of life. Listless; apathetic.
Platina. A voluptuous tingling in the genital organs and abdomen, with oppressive anxiety and palpitation of the heart. Frequent sensations as if the menses would appear. The mons veneris and vulva are extremely sensitive, feeling cold at the same time. Menses profuse, with black clotted blood. Much anguish; she feels as if she would lose her senses and die soon.
Pulsatilla. With almost all her sufferings there are sure to be tears and cries. She weeps very easily, about this or that; she can hardly give her symptoms, for weeping. Menses suppressed or flowing intermittently. She has a bad taste in her mouth in the morning and nothing tastes good.
Rhus fox. In many cases following parturition. A vitiated discharge continues from the vagina, with shooting upwards in the parts, and with a bursting sensation in the head. Much pain continues, in the right limb with numbness from the hips to the feet, for weeks after delivery. General unhappiness of temper.
Sabina. The pain extends from the sacrum to the pubes. A alight sensation of motion in the abdomen as if something were alive. Much irritability of temper. Music is intolerable to her.
Secale corn. This remedy is often indicated in thin, scrawny individuals; and in those who are afflicted with melancholy, anguish. dread of death. A constant sensation of pressure, or bearing down in the uterus.
Sepia. Great sense of emptiness at the pit of the stomach. The uterine region is tender to the touch. Little shooting, burning pains in the neck of the uterus. Sense of weight in the anus. Must cross her limbs, as if to keep the uterus form protruding. Very sad and fearful about her health, often weeps about it.
Sulphur. Frequent, flashes of heat, which pass off in a slight perspiration with weakness. Much sensation of heat in the crown of the head. She feels badly at the pit of thee stomach from eleven till twelve in the forenoon; she is weak, empty at that, can’t wait for her dinner. Sleeps in very short naps and is easily awakened. The most of the pain is in the left iliac region and in the left side generally. Much depression of spirits; or she very happy and gay; every thing is very beautiful to her.
