- Bryonia Alba is a wild creeper plant, found on forest trees and bushes.
- Its root is very poisonous and bitter.
- The root is ground in the form of a powder and then homoeopathic potencies are made from it.
- Bryonia is related to most of the vital or gans of the body in cluding the lungs, liver and heart.
- It acts more eff ectively over the outer linings of these organs (pleura and pericardium) but its effect on the liver is much more pronounced.
- Similarly, it proves very effective in the treatment of deep-seated illne sses of the lungs like pneumoniaLung infection with inflamed air sacsInflammatory condition of the lung affecting primarily the microscopic air sacs (alveoli), usually caused by infection. and its aftereffects.
- Although it is not of much use in the treatment of tuberculosis and other chronic illnesses of the lungs, it enhances the action of other profoundly acting remedies.
- In addition to its effects on the muscles, it also works on the lining of the intestines.
- A Bryoni a patient is generally constipated, but sometimes blood-mixed dysenteryIntestinal infection with severe bloody diarrheaInfection of the intestines resulting in severe diarrhea with the presence of blood and mucus in the feces. also occurs.
- Due to the dryness of the intestines, the lining ulcerates leading to a painful type of severe dysentery.
- Bryonia will be immediat ely effective in this type of dysentery, provided other signs and symptoms of Bryonia are present.
- Some homoeopathic doctors beli eve that Bryonia Alba is the homoeopathic remedy of flail, flaccid and easily fatigable muscles, but this is not right.
- In fact, Bryonia is also the best remedy for strong and toned-up muscles.
- For the proper functioning of Bryonia, the weakness of the muscle fibres is not a precondition.
- In Bryonia, generalised body ache is, as in malaria, a salient feature.
- Some people are afflicted with such illnesses that as a result they do not have the strength to move around.
- The weakness is not generalised.
- But after walking for some time, the body starts feeling heavy and this heaviness turn s into severe pain.
- The legs become lifeless.
- Bryonia is very useful in such patients, but it has to be given over a long period.
- Before going for a long walk or resorting to intense physical activity, admini stration of Bryonia 200 combined with Arnica proves to be very beneficial.
- Some women develop swelling of the leg after childbirth called white leg.
- This is probably due to clotting of the blood and slowing down of the circulation.
- When the conditio n becomes chronic and disables them, and blue and black spots develop on the legs along with the development of varicose veins, it is already too late for the treatment of this condition with Arnica and Br yonia.
- However if in addition, Aesculus 30 is administered, a better response will be expected.
- If the condition affects the left side, Arnica 200 should be combined with Lachesis 200 as well as Aesculus 30.
- When given alternately with long-acting remedies such as Sulphur and Lycopodium, Bryonia can cure chroni c illnesses as well.
- In the deep intrinsic illnesses of the liver , the following formula is very effective: Bryonia 200 once or twic e a day, Sulphur 30 three times a day and a few drops of Mother Tinc ture of Carduus Marianus mixed in water, three times a day.
- This prescription has proven very effective in HepatitisInflammation of the liverAn inflammatory condition of the liver, commonly caused by viral infections, toxins, or drugs. B, as well as in cancer of the liver .
- In my experience, I have seen patients with cancer of the liver who, following tr eatment with radiation and other medicines, the doctors had declared untreatable.
- Thinking that the patient’s end is very near, they had discharged the patient home.
- When the particular prescription mentioned above was used, instead of dying in three days, the patient started showing signs of recovery to health.
- The first hopeful sign noted in such patients was that the thirst and appetite that had completely disappeared returned.
- Many other patients of liver diseases have also benefited from this treatment and are still alive.
- Sometimes the liver diseases shift to the spleen, especially in chronic malaria.
- First, there is liver disorder and then the spleen enlarges.
- Such patients should be given Carduus Marianus as well as Ceanothus in the form of Mother TinctureConcentrated liquid raw extractA mother tincture prepared by soaking botanical, animal, or mineral raw materials in alcohol and water..
- Ceanothus is the best treatment for the spleen.
- Sometimes these pa tients develop distension of the abdomen.
- There is painful swelling and indurationHardening of body tissueThe hardening of normally soft organic tissues, usually due to chronic inflammation, infiltration, or scarring. over the spleen and the liver .
- When treated with the above combination and Ceanothus, such patients recover re markably in a period of two to three months, so much so that their abdomen reverts to normal size and there is no pain on pressure.
- In areas where malaria is common and such ailments prevail, this prescription must be put to use.
- The development of pain on every movement and worsening of the affected part of the bo dy is typical of Bryonia.
- This resembles Rhus Tox somewhat.
- Commonly, it is thought that rest increases the pain of Rhus Tox and movement relieves it; this is not exactly right.
- In Rhus Tox, when the patient walks, this increases his pain which gets somewhat better after walking a little.
- However, the pain never disappears completely.
- In fact, it becomes worse when one stops walking or resorts to rest.
- The Bryonia patient feels much relieved on resting for a few days continuously, but the pain of a Rhus Tox patient becomes worse on resting.
- For most conditions that develop in the beginning of the summer after the winter is over, Bryoni a is of great use.
- In this changing weather, pneumonia is very common.
- With the sudden onset of hot weather, the outer body feels discomfort but th e inside of the body is not ready for this change.
- Therefore when the warm clothes are taken off, various kinds of ailments overtake wh ich are not the direct result of the heat but are due to e xposure to the cold in warm weather.
- For this kind of seasonal pneumonia , Bryonia is the best.
- The kind of pneumonia that occurs in Bryonia usually affects the right lung and does not shift from the right to the left.
- The pneumonia in Lycopodium starts on the right side and then also affects the left where it settles.
- In Bryonia, th e symptoms travel from above downwards and gradually settle in the lower part of the lungs.
- Bryonia is not a chronic remedy as suc h.
- Therefore, in such an illness other remedies need to be given.
- Kali Carb is an important remedy in this condition, acting on the lower pa rt of the lungs.
- Arsenic Iodide and Kali Iodide are also useful.
- If due to tuberculosis, spots a nd cavities develop in the lungs , the combination of Merc sol and Kali Carb is very useful.
- Once a woman had developed cavities in the lungs and in the view of the doctors it was incurable.
- When she was treated with Merc sol 200 and Kali Carb 30, she completely recovered within a few months.
- When the x- rays on the chest were done in the hospital, no cavities were found.
- The doctors did not believe that the x-rays belonged to the same patient who previously had the cavities in their lungs!
- Homoeopathic remedies can work miraculously, showing that Allah Almighty has blessed our body with great defensive power that the doctors of today do not fully unders tand in spite of their extensive research.
- This great defensive power is deeply related to the chemistry of the body.
- For example, the liver is given a message to produce an appropriate chemical for a particular ailment and so it happens.
- This can never happen due to a blind evolutionary type of reaction.
- How is it possible that this profound mechanism could develop by sheer chance, as a result of long evolutionary process in the form of a strong interrelated defence mechanism of the body and then work with such precision, and this effect remain in the body indelibly?
- If the general health of a person is good, there is no need for any kind of formal treatment because the defence mechanism of the body will automatically overcome the illnesses, but when the body defences are at fault they have to be activated by homoeopathic treatment.
- Simple, hard-working people usually do not suffer from the complicated illnesses of the rich, because their body has a sound defence system against those diseases.
- This is in spite of the fact that they live in the same environment and area where other people are overcome by many diseases.
- The defence system of the body points vividly to the existence of God a nd His magnificence.
- This system must be well remembered by homoeopa thic physicians.
- It is this system which makes the working of homoeopathic remedies more conspicuous, bringing it to the limelight.
- The joint pains of the Bryonia patient subside by heat.
- The cough becomes aggravated generally by movement and noise, resembling Belladonna with one difference, that in Bryonia there is no suddenness of the symptoms.
- The Bryonia symp toms start gradually and then become more and more severe, till every movement sound and noise becomes troublesome, so much so that the patient does not even like people visiting him, and in fact is vexed on their arrival.
- The reason for the anger and vexation is that every movement bothers him.
- The movement of his own lips to talk also bothers him and he does not like to speak.
- He feels weak.
- If su ch a patient develops pneumonia or headache, he should not even be asked to talk.
- He remains in the state of drowsiness.
- When the ailment prolongs, he may become permanently unconscious.
- Movement and speaking are of no avail to him at all.
- The headache of a Bryonia patient feels better in cold.
- The headache is usually on the back of the head or on the forehead.
- Intense thirst is a characteristic symptom of Bryonia.
- The patient likes to have very cold water as it offers him relief.
- Soon afterwards he feels awfully thirsty again.
- Intense thirst remi nds one of Bryonia.
- But in certain situations, the thirst may be to tally absent.
- The stomach gets inflamed, the mouth becomes dry and the tongue is dry hard, but there is no thirst.
- There are yellow depos its on the tongue.
- Primarily, this is the particular symptom of Gelsemium, which occasionally may appear in Bryonia.
- In his book, Dr.
- Kent has also written that in Bryonia, sometimes the thirst may be totally absent.
- Feeling dizzy in a Bryonia patient may be due to some problem in the ear or with movement .
- Dizziness and associated nausea are commonly present in motion sickness, in a motor car or a ship.
- For such patients, some ready prescrip tions may be put into use and are very useful.
- Generally, it is not possible to ask everybody individually about the symptoms.
- This prescription includes Bryonia, Cocculus, Nux Vomica and Ipecac.
- Co cculus is also related to the vertigoSensation of dizziness or spinningA feeling of movement or spinning of oneself or the surroundings when there is no actual movement. associated with ear problems.
- In fact, this is the most effective remedy for this purpose.
- As a ma tter of fact, Bryonia and Cocculus are very similar in this respect.
- In the tubes of the middle ear (semi- circular canals), there is a fluid.
- When one’s head is tilted, it sends an impulse through the nerve giving the sensation of balance or imbalance.
- Rapid change in the position can cause vertigo.
- When the vertigo is due to rapid movement or an ailment of the ear causing hypersensitivity of the internal ear, this can be tr eated with Bryonia and Cocculus.
- There is a slight di fference.
- In Bryonia, it is the inflammation of the ears that causes vertigo, whereas in Cocculus, it is the irritability of the nerves that causes vertigo.
- When there is vertigo but no apparent problem in the ear, Cocculus is useful.
- In the case where there is infectio n of the ear causing vertigo, Bryonia would be better.
- Bryonia is also useful in the treatment of glaucoma, but if there is no associated thirst, Gelsemium would be the most appropriate treatment.
- Gelsemium is also a good remedy for vertigo due to irritation of the nerves.
- But Bryonia is more widely e ffective, as it is able to work on the internal membrane of the ear as well as the nerves.
- Glaucoma is mostly related to the nerves.
- When Calcaria Phos 6X and Kali Phos 6X are given along with Bryonia and Gelsemium, the effect is more pronounced.
- Sometimes after the admi nistration of Bryonia, the thirst disappears.
- At that time Gelsem ium may be given and both Bryonia and Gelsemium may be used altern atively.
- These remedies are good for headaches also.
- A Gelsemium headache gets worse in cold air and a Bryonia headache feels relieved in the cold.
- However, the effect of cold or heat does not always hold good in Gelsemium, because when the headache becomes severe, neither cold nor heat has any effect.
- A Bryonia headache essentially settles in the nape, forehead or the eyes.
- When it settles in the eyes , the headache becomes very severe in the form of waves and undulations .
- Sometimes, when joint pains are controlled with a strong medication, the eyes may become the centre of severe pain.
- The slightest movement of the eye feels as if somebody is being poked with a knif e.
- This particular feeling may be related to Bryonia as well as Berberis.
- Gelsemium headaches radiate down the back of th e head, in addition to the entire head, neck and then along the arms.
- Gelsemium headaches may also be related to a change in the daily routine of a person.
- If the planning for retiring to bed or taking th e food gets disturbed, the person develops headache which will respond to Gelsemium.
- A Bryonia headache is more closely related to the generalised joint pains, stomach upset or fever.
- Bryonia is very effective in the treatment of both malaria and typhoid.
- In Bryonia, when the body hurts headache must also be present.
- In the state of fever, sometimes the headache may lead to deliriumAcute state of confusion and disorientationA sudden, severe state of mental confusion, anxiety, and disorientation, often accompanied by hallucinations. and the patient becomes absu rd and meaningless in his conversation.
- Otherwise, the Bryo nia patient does not talk much in simple delirium i.e without fever.
- The delirium associated with Hyoscyamus, Stramonium, Sulphur and Belladonna is much more severe and results from the toxic or poisonous products of the feverish conditions.
- By making a proper dia gnosis of the headache, one may easily diagnose the nature of the sickness.
- The Belladonna kind of headache caused by typhoid or some other sickness would be of sudden onset.
- In addition to the headache, the face would be flushed, even if the patient were anaemic.
- The patient is not frightened but tends to be aggressive instead .
- In spite of physical weakness, the patient reacts with unusual strength and it becomes difficult to control him.
- In Hyoscyamus, when the patient is delirious, his talk is so obviously obscene that not only the fa mily but also the doctor feels embarrassed.
- This does not reflect immorality on the part of the patient but is simply due to the inflammation of the sexual organs which disturbs the mind also.
- All these symptoms together produce a state of severe delirium.
- Anot her point of recognition for the Hyoscyamus patient is that he keeps on pinching his body and picking his clothes.
- This does not happen in the case of Bryonia.
- One sign of Bryonia is that there is fissuring at the corners of the mouth, scabs form on the lips which when attempted to be removed by the patient, start bleeding.
- This also happens in Natrum Mur.
- Natrum Mur is chronic of Bryonia.
- When the excretions or discharges of a Bryonia patient get blocked, they cause significant discomfort.
- The sweating becomes a source of blessing to the patient.
- In the Bryonia cough, the expectoration is very dry, sticky and difficult to expel .
- To help get rid of dry and sticky sputum, Hepar Sulph and Coccus are also very important remedies in addition to Bryonia and Ipecac.
- In Bryonia, when the lungs get diseased, the inner linings of the lungs tear and ulcerate causing light bleeding, which mixes up in the sputum.
- The sputum appears rusty.
- This is typical of Br yonia.
- Bryonia works as a useful adjuvant to Phosphorus in the treatment of can cer of the bone.
- It should be used in potencyStrength level of a remedyThe dilution and succussion scale of a remedy (e.g., 6C, 30C, 200C, 1M), indicating its energetic concentration. 30, alternating with Phosphorus.
- In women, Bryonia can be useful in the treatment of diseases of the right ovary.
- For the lumps in the breast glands which are firm and hurt on movement, due to cancer or otherwise, the first remedy to be used should be Bryonia.
- The Bryonia patient with pneumonia of the right lung usually sleeps on the right side, because lying down on the same side helps minimise the movement of the chest wall during breathing.
- Sometimes during sleep, the patient wa kes up with sudden jerking of the body.
- In homoeopathy, there are th ree terms used for fever, as follows: 1.
- Continuous fever which once it starts, will either prove fatal, or when it subsides will never return.
- 2.
- Remittent fever is the one which shows peaks.
- Sometimes it is low and sometimes high, but does not subside completely.
- 3.
- Intermittent fever which can totally subside but returns.
- Malaria is one such example.
- Typhoid fever is of remittent type which may subside but does not go.
- Bryonia may be useful in the treatme nt of remittent and intermittent fevers but not in continuous fever.
- Often it is needed in the treatment of malaria but is also useful in the treatment of typhoid.
- The diseases of the glands in Bryonia begin very slowly and then intensify to become chronic, like in Causticum.
- In Causticum too, the illnesses progress gradually but cont inuously, and involve the fibrous and glandular tissues.
- Th e toxic material settles in the glands.
- When the glands become chronically inflamed and their appearance changes, Bryonia may be the remedy.
- Bryoni a should be remembered in relation to Arnica as well.
- In regard to the diseases of the glands , Bryonia also resembles Phytolacca.
- In both, the glands swe ll.
- Phytolacca should be used if Bryonia does not work to satisfaction.
- In the chronic diseases of the glands, the effective prescription is Kali Mur, Silicea, Ferrum Phos, Calcarea Phos, Calcarea Flour, et c., mixed together and given repeatedly.
- An infectious fever originating from the infection of the throat may prove to be very chr onic and dangerous because the infection settles in the deeper pa rt of the glands not effectively accessible to the blood circulation, so the protective materials cannot reach the affected part either.
- If the above combination does not show beneficial effect in the first two to three days of the sickness, more effective, appropriate remedies should be considered.
- Sometimes, there is high fever due to infection of the tonsils and it keeps on increasing everyday, and in particular shows a high peak in the latter part of the night.
- One should not take its relative subsiding in the morning as a sign of recovery.
- The family or the doctor would become somewhat carefree towards the treatment.
- The next evening, the fever becomes still more elevated and so on Two to three such episodes of high fever may even prove fatal.
- Therefore, the high fever of infection of the tonsils must not be taken lightly.
- The allopaths commonly prescribe antibiotics for it.
- The fever subsides but tends to recur again and again.
- In fact, a new bout of feve r sets in right after the previous one subsid es.
- More and much stronger antibiotics have to be used.
- These destroy the liver function, resulting in the loss of appetite.
- The sick child becomes a skeleton devoid of flesh.
- The tonsils enlarge in size with every su ccessive episode of fever.
- As a word of caution, antibiotics should be avoided as much and as long as safely possible.
- Sulphur and Pyrogenium 200 are generally very beneficial in controlling infection.
- Similarly, Silicea in high potency may also prove very useful at times.
- If all these prove ineffective, a combination of Belladonna, Phytolac ca, Calcarea Flour, Ferrum Phos and Baptisia in potency 30 repeat ed frequently may control the sickness in one night.
- In add ition, the mixture of Ferrum Phos, Silicea, Kali Mur, Calcarea Phos, Mag Phos 6X may be administered 6 to 7 times a day to a significant benefit.
- The fever will gradually subside in two to three nights if not on the first.
- Like Nux Vomica, if Bryonia is used more than necessary, it causes headaches.
- The antidoteNeutralizing substance or remedyA remedy or substance that stops, counteracts, or neutralizes the action of a previously taken remedy. for both is Gelsemium.
- In Bryonia, the illness presents two patterns.
- Firstly, when the discharges or sweating stop, the suffering worsens.
- With the treatment the excretions begin again.
- The inner linings of the organ become moist and the normal perspiration starts from the skin.
- Secondly, when there is cessation of periods in women, they suffer nosebleeds .
- By administering Bryonia, the condition is relieved.
- The thick sticky expectoration may block the main air passages temporarily causing a state of asthmaChronic respiratory disease causing difficulty breathingA condition characterized by spasms in the bronchi of the lungs, causing difficulty in breathing, typically from an allergic reaction or hypersensitivity. .
- Repeated coughing is needed to expel it out of the air passages.
- If the sputum is like a thread, Coccus definitely is the best remedy.
- If the cold deteriorates and deep infection sets in, the expectoratio n becomes greenish, showing further deterioration.
- In Bryonia, the symptoms progress gradually but it does not mean that they take many days to become ev ident.
- If the Bryonia patient is exposed to cold in the morning, by the evening he will start showing symptoms of cold, and by the next morning the sickness is in full swing.
- The pain in the joints and muscles becomes severe and chronic.
- Bryonia behaves the same way in acute illnesses also.
- The Bryonia symptoms become more inte nse by 9 o’clock in the evening and persist all night.
- The symptoms of Chamomilla and Natrum Mur are at their peak at 9 o’clock in the morning.
- There is no definite explanation of the periodicity and punctuality of these symptoms, but this is how it has been designed by nature.
- Like Chelidonium, Bryonia is the remedy for the illnesses of the right side.
- It is deeply related to liver disorders .
- Its discharges are yellowish in colour, including the sputum from the lung.
- In Chelidonium, the liver pain radiates towards the back like the pain of the gall bladder, getting wo rse on movement.
- When a pregnant woman becomes exhausted or there is danger of aborting following heat stroke , Bryonia should be administered.
- If combined with Arnica 200, this will also pr event against the aftereffects of physical exhaustion.
- In the cas e of trauma, Bryonia and Arnica together prevent the danger of abortion.
- It is very useful for this purpose and should be administered at once and better still with Aconite.
- Adjuvants: Rhus Tox, Alumina Antidotes: Aconite, Chamomilla, Nux Vomica Potency: 30 to 1000