Rheumatism

ARSENIC ALB.

Type: Acute articular rheumatism (rheumatic fever), Arthritis deformans. Protracted cases. Metastasis to the heart. Rheumatism and sick headache come in alternation. Sciatica.

Location: Right side. “Joints and extremities.” Elbow upto shoulder”; upper limbs. Shoulder. Upper arm. Elbow. Forearm. Wrist. Fingers. Joints of fingers. Lower limbs. Hip. Thigh. Knee. Leg. Tibia, Calf. Ankle. Heel.

Pain: Burning. Stinging. Tearing. Stiffness. Pain as from a bruise. Drawing. Stitching unbearable pains. Tension. Numb pains. Severe tearing. “Throbbing, drawing, stitching”. Beating. (all limbs). Pains worse at night even during sleep.

Character: Painful stiffness in the small of the back during the day; pain as from a bruise; restlessness and anxiety. Drawing up and down the back in the forenoon, must lie down with drawing pain between the scapulae; better by eructation. Stiffness of the nape of the neck as if bruised or from overlifting. Distortion of the cervical muscles. Drawing pains in the arms. Tearing in the arms particularly in the elbow and wrist, at night in bed. Drawing pain in wrists worse evening. Pain in finger joints on motion. Rigidity and stiffness of fingers. Pain in the arm, on the side on which he lies, worse nights.

Gout in the hips, with violent drawing tearing pain worse in the morning. Violent unbearable pain in the lower limbs, (especially the joints). Drawing tearing in lower limbs (knee, ankle joints). Tearing in knee joint, worse motion. Tearing in lower limbs from above downward with extreme restlessness, unable to lie or sit in one position. Sensation of tight bandage about the knees. Tendons feel too short when sitting and standing. Pain in knee, as if flesh was detached. Stitching pain and weakness in the knees.

Tearing pain in the tibia, he cries out with pain. Boring in right tibia. Pain in ankles when touched, when treading, when lying down, with nausea; swelling of the ankles without redness, with tearing pains, relieved by external warmth. Shining hot swelling of the feet, about ankles, with round red spots and burning pain. Severe tearing pains in the arms and lower limbs worse lying on painful side, better moving the suffering part to and fro. Beating pain in limbs. Throbbing, drawing, stitching in back, sacrum, and legs, worse at night, especially about midnight, better application of dry heat. The pains in the feet are worse by motion.

Pains in the heels. Tearing in heels. Numbness. Stiffness and insensibility of the feet with swelling and great pains. The pain in the suffering part wakes him up during the night, especially before midnight. The pains are felt even during sleep at night. Burning pains. With the outset of the pains roaring in the ears, heat of the face and the body. Pains during rest, better by motion and standing; better always by external heat, and by compressing the suffering parts. Excessive weakness and sinking of the strength with the pains. Joints stiff and immovable with severe tearing pains, stiffness of knees and feet. Contraction of limbs.

Causes: Chill in water. Eating ice. Poor diet. Fruits. Drunkenness. Effects of tobacco; of quinine; of iodine. Sea- bathing. Sea-travelling. Climbing mountains; strains; grief; fruit. Ill effects of vegetable diet, melons, and watery fruits. Cold; cold drinks. Cold food. Sea-shore. Wet weather. Exertion of body. Change of temperature. Vaulted places, milk house, cellar, cold wind of winter. Curd. Decayed food or animal matter. Sour food.

Conditions: Aggravation of symptoms every other day, by cold, during midday or midnight, better by dry heat. Burning pains in feet even during sleep. Extreme restlessness, anxiety thirst, fear of death, thinks it is useless to take medicine. Metastasis to heart. Pale swelling of joints. Sweat relieves. Extreme weakness.

Aggravation: Night especially about midnight. About midday. Cold and damp. Lying on affected side or with head low. Cold food. ice-cream. Milk, ascending. Cold place, cold drinks. During stool. When walking. Motion.

Amelioration: From heat. Lying with head high.

Similar Remedies: Rhus-t, Caust., Coloc., Lyc., Mag-phos., Merc., Sulph., Guaiacum, Sil.

Attending Symptoms: Restlessness. Burning. Prostration. Anxiety. Sad. Gloomy. Melancholy. Despairs of life. Sensitive to noise. Inclined to be frightened. Impatient. Ill-humor. Vexed at trifle. Peevish. Indifference and lack of sympathy. Loss of memory. Fear of death, thinks it is very near. Thinks it useless to take medicine. Headaches relieved by cold, other symptoms worse. Scalp very sensitive, cannot brush hair. Roaring in ears during paroxysms of pain. Hardness of hearing, cannot hear the human voice. Puffiness of the face, especially around the eyes. Blue rings around eyes. Pale face. Yellowish face.

Distorted features, death-like countenance. Lips black, dry and cracked. Sunken face. Exanthema around the mouth. Expression of agony on face. Blackish appearance about the mouth; black-spotted lips. Tongue dry, brown black, cracked. Tongue dry, clean red. Taste saltish. Bitter taste after eating and drinking. Tough, fetid, bloody saliva. Sensation of great dryness in the mouth with violent thirst but drinks only little at a time. Green, bitter expectoration, food tastes salty. Unquenchable thirst.

Aversion to butter. Desire for brandy, sour things, vinegar and water, acids and acid fruits, coffee, milk. Ineffectual efforts to eructate. Nausea with sweetish taste of mouth. Vomiting of thick, glassy mucus, of black matter. Diarrhoea after eating or drinking, worse midday (1-2 p.m) or midnight (1-2 a.m.) with extreme prostration and sunken eyes, black, putrid stools. Urine hot, colorless or turbid. Emission of prostatic juice during diarrhoeic stools. Menses too early, too profuse. Offensive leucorrhoea, cough worse after midnight, worse lying on back.

Suffocation when lying down particularly on back. Cough after drinking, Pulse more rapid in the morning (Sulph), cold hands. Body cold. Discolored nails. Formication in lower limbs. Weariness in lower limbs. Paralysis of lower limbs. Coldness of lower limbs particularly knees and feet. Emaciation of legs. Cold feet. Cold soles. General anasarca. Trembling of all limbs. The skin of whole body peels off in large scales. Dry parchment-like skin. Yawning. Talks in sleep; cold sweat.