Case 3. Miss S., aet. 20, brunette, tall and slender, nervo-bilious temperament, occupation topographer. She was taken suddenly with acute pain in right side of the face, the pain involving the supra- and infraorbital region, paroxysmal, of a darting, tearing character. Magnesia phos. cured promptly.
“The above case have been taken from my note-book and are illustrative of the action of this remedy in neuralgia of the fifth nerve and its branches. I have also cured one case of neuralgia of the stomach where the characteristic pains were present. I have relieved colic in young children with the same remedy when Chamom., Nux vomica and Coloc. had failed.”
Case of prosopalgia of several weeks’ standing, relieved by warm cotton and aggravated by cold. Magnesia phos. 12x cured in three weeks. – Allg. Hom. Zeit., vol. 88, p.46.
Dr. H.C. Allen reports a case of right facial neuralgia with sharp, quick, spasmodic, lightning-like pains, sensitive to touch, relieved by heat and pressure, accompanied by prostration and night-sweats, cured by Magnesia phos.200 after several other remedies had failed to give permanent relief.
Also, another case cured by the same remedy and potency where the pains were intermittent, darting, lightning-like, suddenly appearing and disappearing, relieved by heat and pressure; at the same time an annoying constipation disappeared.
Prompt curative action of Magnesia phos. by Dr. Goullon: “On April 13th a patient wrote me that for nine days she had been in bed without medical help, suffering from a maddening pain. Through catching cold she got a severe trouble in the ear and then a prosopalgia on the left side, affecting the lower maxillary bone, also the frontal, and involving the whole left side of the head, back to the nape of the neck. She went to an apothecary for Bryon., but he advised Bellad., which didn’t help. Deep within the ar an abscess developed, which broke two days ago, discharging pus and now water, which is quite irritating, for it has produced an eruption wherever it touched. The ear still pains; the prosopalgia remains as before. The pain is maddening, and there is high fever with sleeplessness; she doesn’t sleep at night and only one or two hours in the day. She perspires freely, which is unusual with her. Yesterday she had a severe pain in the right hip, resulting from a bath. I was unable to see the patient, as she, at that time, lived at Leipsic, and yet she needed help at once. What should I give her? Silicea? The nightly aggravation would suit this remedy, but the abscess in the ear was gone, yet the facial pain remained. Spigel? There were indications for it, as I already knew she had a tendency to heart trouble. She had formerly had pains in the articulation of the hand, in the arm and side, most severe at the heart. She described it as if the heart would be twisted out, with a throbbing as if something were unwound. Perhaps it was a rheumatism, located in the face, but even here Spigel. would be called for. Then there is Arnica, which has lately been extolled as a specific. Further, I had some reliance on Stannum, which had cured for me many neuralgias that even the great nerve remedy, Quinine, had left untouched. The embarrass de richesse still increased. Chamom. ought to be given for the unbearable pain. Again there was Mercur. on account of the tendency to sweating, and Arsenic. on account of sleeplessness.
“Yet in preference to all these remedies I selected Schussler’s Magnesia phos., moistened a powder of milk sugar with the 6th dilution and directed it to be dissolved in half a wineglassful of water, a teaspoonful to be taken every three hours. On April 17th, I had the satisfaction of reading the following lines: “My hearty thanks for your kind and quick assistance. I had immediate relief, and I am happy and thankful. The horrible pain is gone from my face; the scalp is still sensitive, and one place which is certainly connected with the ear still pains. The ear itself pains somewhat and runs yet.'” – Pop. Zeit. f. Hom., XVII, 13 and 14.
Right facial neuralgia, jerking, cutting pain, teeth sensitive worse after going to bed. Mercurius gave no relief. Magnesia phos. in water gave prompt relief, and as acted equally well twice since. This remedy given in another case of left-sided neuralgia did no good. It produced, however, profuse sweat, with dread of uncovering. (W.P. Wesselhoeft, M.D., From Hg).
Chas. M., aet. 47, has for a week or two a severe tearing, gnawing pain in region of right scapula, extending into the right upper arm, and down the forearm into the thumb, with numbness, particularly of the thumb, but without loss of motion or use of arm. The pain comes in paroxysms, and is only relieved by hard rubbing and pounding of the flesh, troublesome as well daytimes as nights. Has taken several remedies, principally Rhus tox., and had electricity each day for a week or more, without benefit. After taking Calcarea phos. 6 for a few days, the pain and numbness were much relieved, and being continued, the trouble was cured in about three or four weeks. Any return of it would be at once relieved by this remedy.
A similar case in a young lady, aet. 20, was cured by the same remedy, though she had almost complete paralysis of the hand. (C.T.M).
Neuralgia. Pain supra-and infraorbital, extending to all the front teeth of right side, intermittent, stabbing, nipping, lightning-like and extremely sensitive to touch, relieved by heat and pressure; coming and going suddenly and attended by prostration and night-sweats. Magnesia phos.209 promptly gave relief. – Medorrhinum Advance, Dec., 1889.
A lady of healthy appearance suffered since several weeks with faceache, radiating over one-half of the face, lasting five or six hours. Warm wadding relieves. Worse when body gets cold. Magnesia phos. 12, every three hours, removed the pain in three days.
Lady, aet. 30, suffered since several weeks with pains in face and teeth, right side, changing locality. Appears every two or three hours and rushes about like lightning. Magnes. phos. 12, dose every three hours, relieved in two days.
Lady, aet. 42, with a hectic appearance, catamenia scanty, often omitting. Since two years, boring over the right eye, after a few minutes spreading over the whole right side to the lower jaw, driving out of bed. Stool torpid, little appetite. Magnesia phos. overcame all complaints in four days. This remedy regulated the catamenia and all subsequent attacks. (A. Plate, M.D).
Kali phos. 12 cured a case of neuralgia in the right side of the face, proceeding from hollow teeth, relieved by cold applications. Magnesia phos. given at first did not relieve probably because there was no relief from warmth. Unlike Phosphor. or Kali, but similar to Pulsat. (W.P. Wesselhoeft, M.D).
Miss Margaret S. suffered from neuralgia, true nerve-fibre pain, darting through her head along the nerves. She had suffered intermittently for three days. Two doses of Magnesia phos. cured her completely. (M.D. W. From Schussler).
A severe case of neuralgia in the head. The lady had come sixty miles to attend a musical entertainment, and was compelled to go to bed on account of the pain. After suffering for several hours, I was called, and relieved her completely in an hour with Magnesia phos. 6x, a dose every ten minutes. (E.H.H).
Ada D., a healthy robust child, aet. 8. Her only symptom was a severe pain at the lower part of the sacrum, coming on after stool and lasting the entire day, until she goes to bed, when it ceases. The pain is so severe as to prevent her walking or even standing. Calcarea phos. gave immediate relief. (R.T. Cooper, M.D).
Magnesia phos. relieved a case of ciliary neuralgia involving the left eye extending downwards into neck, with lightning-like pains, relieved by pressure and heat. This case presented a symptom similar to Mezereum, namely, sensation as though a stream of cold air were blowing on the eye. (G.P. Hale, M.D).
Mr. S., a small, undersized man, with dark complexion, dark hair and very dark eyes; a hard worker, and not very well nourished. Presented himself at the office, complaining of a very agonizing pain in his face, on the right side, seemingly involving the malar bone. While waiting for me he had a severe paroxysm, and the suffering of the man was intense. He described it as boring, like an auger, and after that came pains that he could not describe, except that they were like shocks. Mag. phos., 30x, was given, and he went to work the next day and has not been troubled since.
Miss C., a tall slender woman, inclined to angularity; brown hair, and somewhat sallow; unmarried, and about 35 years old. She has a severe attack of neuralgia in the inferior maxillary of the right side, this being very common with her. The face is swollen and very hard; sensitive to the touch, and very susceptible to the cold air. the pain is sharp, darting, piercing, and changing from one part to another; can get some relief from hot, dry applications. I gave her Mag. phos. 30x, and called to see her next day. The pain was all gone, the swelling very much reduced, and a marked improvement was manifest. The treatment was continued, and the external conditions were all removed. She complained of a tooth that gave her some trouble, saying that it was very loose, and when she pressed down on it there was a throbbing sensation, with a sore feeling. The patient was given Silica cm., and this removed all the remaining trouble, and she has since remained free from all neuralgic attacks.
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.