Aconite. [Acon]
Very useful for the numerous phobias of neuraesthenia, fear of death, darkness, noisy people, music, crowds, fear of entering a trolley car or railway train. Anxiety as to some impending disaster has often been removed by **Aconite.
**Cimicifuga is useful for fear of death or becoming insane, cervical vertebrae sensitive, neuralgic and uterine cases. Muscular exhaustion is a prominent symptom.
Phosphoric acid. [Ph-ac]
This remedy is to nervous debility what iron is to anaemia, and it corresponds to that debility arising from continued grief, over- exertion of the mind, sexual excesses or any nervous strain on the body or mind. The remedy is characterized by indifference, apathy, and torpidity of body and mind. There is burning in the spine and limbs and the patient is inclined to be drowsy and listless. Any attempt to study causes heaviness in the head and limbs. It suits also young, rapidly growing people, and especially cases of nervous depression from spermatorrhoea.
**Gelsemium. A mainstay in this disease. Stupid, dull, unable to concentrate mind; vertigo, dull ache at base of brain. Lacks self-confidence. Sudden emotions bring on diarrhoea or indigestion.
**Ignatia. Chronic worries, fears of misfortune and startled by slightest noise.
**Kali Phosphoricum corresponds to nervous dreads, oversensitiveness to noise, restless and suspicious effect of fright, grief, fear, sleeplessness. Excessive and exhausting mental labor. It is one of the best remedies we have and is probably often indicated. All observers agree that it is the most useful of the various phosphates.
Silicea. [Sil]
Corresponds to nervous exhaustion when the patient dreads any mental or bodily exertion. He must get warmed up to his work to do anything. He is debilitated, yet hyperaesthetic. There is numbness in the toes, fingers and back, and the constipation peculiar to the drug is present. It suits cases that become exhausted after excitement; as long as the excitement lasts they feel well, when the excitement is over the wretched feeling re-appears. It especially corresponds to the troublesome and persistent aching of the neck muscles and occiput.
Picric acid [Pic-ac]
Corresponds well to the brain fag of business men who become depressed and wearied from slight fatigue. It is a mental inactivity, with a desire to lie down and rest. The great characteristic is that slight exertion brings on exhaustion and headache, incapacitating for work, and extinguishes that quality which we call grit. Even the slightest mental exertion causes heavy feelings and sensation of heat. The headache may be frontal or occipital and extended down the spine, in fact, the head symptoms seems to be concentrated in the occiput. Sexual irritability may be a prominent symptom. In the morning there is a tired aching in the lumbar region, the legs are heavy and weak with the soreness of the muscles and joints. It is of our best remedies in neuraesthenia. It acts perhaps best in the 6th centesimal potency, though Dr. Goldsbrough thinks the 12th preferable. Cartier prefers **Ferrum picricum where the weakness is prominent and in neuraesthenic dyspepsia or indigestion.
**Oxalic acid is more suitable to cases where pain is a prominent symptom as in spinal neuraesthenia and the stress of the attack falls on the digestive rather than the sexual functions.
**Physostigma. Mental and physical debility, rapid feeble pulse— especially spinal cases.
Zincum metallicum. [Zinc]
When in consequence of exhausting disease the recuperative powers are weakened, and the nervous weakness shows itself in backache about the region of the last dorsal vertebra, and excessive fidgetiness of the feet, Zincum may be prescribed. There is burning in the spine, formication in the calves and weak limbs. A combination of this and Picric acid called **Zincum picratum has been found useful when the spinal symptoms and exhaustion are prominent.
**Zincum phosphide is also a suitable remedy for brain fag of business men who become haggard, pale and sleepless and suffer from depression of spirits and worry. It is well recommended by Hale.
Lycopodium. [Lyc]
Weakness of memory, confusion of thought, sadness and depression, wants to be alone, despairs of salvation. It is frequently indicated in lithaemic neuraesthenia with hepatic troubles, weakness of memory. Psoric or arthritic symptoms are to be expected in such cases. Sleep is restless, flatulence and constipation.
Phosphorus. [Phos]
This remedy suits cases which stand on the border line between neuraesthenia and organic spinal disease, and Hart considers it essential to cure in most cases. It is indicated by irritability and weakness, over-sensitiveness to all impressions; the head is weak and the patient cannot think; there is burning in small spots, better from rubbing; the legs are weak with numbness and coldness and the sphincters are weak. There is a feeling as if the back would break on any motion. It is a splendid deep-acting remedy and noises in the ears offer an additional indication.
**Coca is useful in mental depression, disinclination to work, and general debility, the least exertion is attended with fatigue.
**Phosphorus suits best those cases where the prostration is very sudden and the nervous system becomes exhausted, fearful of death, of the future, of being alone, anxious, restless, irritable, startled by slightest noise. Vertigo is prominent.
Avena sativa. [Aven]
Weakness of nerves, tired brain, irritability, gets excited at least thing. Urine has excess of phosphates, history of sexual excesses and occipital headache. This remedy in appreciable doses of the tincture will calm and strengthen the nerves.—E. G. Jones.
Nux vomica. [Nux-v]
Useful in irritable, excited, over-sensitive patients with defective memories, loss of energy, patients with whom everything goes wrong, trifling ailments are unbearable; there is intellectual incapacity and insomnia, nightmares, and if all these conditions are associated with dyspeptic troubles the remedy is all the better indicated.
**Anacardium has weakness of memory and general feebleness of brain power; the mental incapacity of this remedy is very pronounced. It suits “borderlanders ” between neuraesthenia and insanity. Despair of recovery, fear of paralysis and death, imagines he is surrounded by enemies, fearful of walking in open air, and if anyone approaches.
**Argentum nitricum. Fear of dying when left alone, afraid to walk in streets lest he fall down in a fit or that high buildings fall upon him. Neuraesthenia with nervous dyspepsia, eructations.
**Pulsatilla vies with Nux in the neuraesthenia of men and is often neglected. It has sensations in the back as if tightly bandaged, the weary feeling in the morning. There is a general fatigue, heavy tired aching, not relieved by repose. Its general symptoms of venous stagnation will be present. **Sepia, too, should not be overlooked; its general tired paralytic state corresponds to neuraesthenic conditions. Fear of being alone, of starvation.
Natrum muriaticum. [Nat-m]
Suitable for spinal neuraesthenia; the small of the back feels paralyzed, especially in the morning on rising, the feet are heavy, there is a troublesome dribbling of urine, dryness of the mouth, sticky secretions and the skin is dry and mummified.
**Selenium has neuraesthenia from sexual excesses, dribbling of prostatic fluid.
**Helonias. Neuraesthenia with weak lumbo-sacral region; feels tired all over; better from motion or when the mind is occupied.
Professor of Materia Medica in the University of Michigan Homeopathic Medical College. Member of American Institute of Homeopathy. In addition to his editoral work he authored or collaborated on: Boericke and Dewey's Twelve Tissue Remedies, Essentials of Homeopathic Materia Medica, Essentials of Homeopathic Therapeutics and Practical Homeopathic Therapeutics.