{"id":13676,"remedy_name":"Lachesis (HMT)","remedy_type":"Remedy","alternative_names":[""],"miasm":"Tubercular Miasm","temperament":"Neutral","aggravation_time":"Neutral\/Anytime","keynote_indications":"(The Venom of the hooded cobra\ncalled \u201cSurucucu\u201d)\n\nThe Surucucu is a very  poisonous huge and long snake. Its skin is of\nreddish colour, with dark grey co loured spots.  The homoeopathic\nremedy prepared from the venom of this snake is called Lachesis.  The\nvenom of this snake has been subjected to homoeopathic proving on a\nvery large scale.\n\nThe venoms from different kinds of snakes are not too dissimilar from\neach other.  Broadly speaking, thes e venoms can be divided into two\ngroups.  One group affects the circul atory system, while the other one\naffects the nervous system.  The ki nd that affects the nervous system\nalso influences the blood circulatio n, although its main function is on\nthe nervous system.  It paralyses th e nerves as well as afflicting the\nheart directly.  Similarly, the kinds of venoms affecting the circulatory\nsystem also affect the heart indirec tly.  They clot the blood within the\nblood vessels and thus affect the functioning of the heart.\n\nThe Snake venom as such is not dangerous if taken by mouth.  The\npoisons derived from all animals cons ist of large protein molecules.\nThey are completely harmless when taken by mouth.  That is the\nreason why the treatment of snakeb ite has traditionally been the\nimmediate suction of the poison from the snakebite by mouth.  As\nlong as there is no open wound inside the mouth, the venom has no\nharmful effect because it is not ab sorbed into the blood circulation\ndirectly.  The human body reacts vi olently against the entry of a\nprotein directly into the blood.  Th e blood itself is a mixture of so\nmany proteins.  These prot eins are classified into different groups and\neach group is named separately.  During the transfusion of blood,\nthese groups have to be kept in vi ew.  Human blood is also a kind of\npoison, like snake venom, or it may prove to be even more dangerous.\nOn the transfusion of an unmatched blood group, the recipient may die\nimmediately.\n\nThe proteins of snake venom accumulate in the glands inside the\nmouth of the snake.  With the passage of time, they become more and\nmore concentrated.  The system of the snakebite is not a mere\ncoincidence but it has been well planned and devised by the Almighty\nGod.  It is impossible that this sy stem could have evolved on its own\nor that it could be the result of a mere coincidence.\n\nAlong the canine teeth of the snake,  there are two additional curved\nteeth (fangs) that have a very thin hole in them, connected to the\nglands containing the venom.  When  the snake bites, the venom does\nnot enter the body immediately.  However, when the snake retracts his\nhead to pull the teeth out, the venom from the glands squeezes out\nthrough the minute holes in the additional teeth (fangs) and then enters\nthe blood.  Further reaction is the re sult of entry of the venom in the\nbody.\n\nOut of all kinds of snake venoms, L achesis is the most important for\nhomoeopathic use.  No other venom or poison has been put to use like\nLachesis and it has been found extremely beneficial.  According to Dr.\nKent, Lachesis has been found useful all over the world.  The evil and\nacrimony of the Lachesis venom is also found in all malefactors and\npeople of wicked mind and bad charact er.  Intense jealousy, mischief\nand trouble making in a severe  form are found in Lachesis.   Thus,\nLachesis may be called the unive rsal poison.  The snake venoms\nbecome more concentrated in th e spring.  In winter, the snakes\nhibernate and during this peri od, their venom becomes more\nconcentrated and dangerous.  The spring season is the time when the\nsnakes come out of their holes a nd places of hibernation. In this\nseason the snakebite is extremely dangerous.\n\nThe timing of the symptoms of sn akebites happens to be very\nprecisely punctuated.  In whiche ver season the snakebites, the\nsymptoms and bad effects recur exactly in the same season the\nfollowing year.  If a person is bitte n by a snake in the spring season\nand happens to survive, then he has to face the symptoms of snakebite\nin every spring season.  Patients may presume that they have probably\nbeen bitten by the snake again.  This is especially so because the\nwound of the previous snakebite also becomes swollen and congested.\nIn other seasons also, the symptoms of snakebite can recur but not that\nseverely and the patient does not feel that he has been bitten again.\n\nThe sudden onset of a violent type of sneezing in the spring season\nis also a sign of Lachesis.  I ha ve tried Lachesis 1000 on the patients\nwho suffered from hay fever for ma ny years.  A single dose relieved\ntheir problem forever.  About te n percent of such patients got\nsignificantly better like this, just with one dose of Lachesis 1000.\nOnce the allergy becomes controlled a nd then recurs, in that case it\nshould be repeated after two weeks or a month.  If  Lachesis fails, then\nNatrum Mur and Sabadilla also work well.  So the proper diagnosis of\nthe patient should be arrived at carefully.\n\nFor any such patient who is predisposed to fall sick as a result of\nmoving from the cold to a relative ly warm temperature, due to the\nchange of weather or a geographic ch ange of place, Lachesis must be\nkept well in mind for his other ailm ents also.  However, Dulcamara is\nthe only one remedy that can be used in treating sneezing in any\nseason. Bryonia is also of great use during the change of cold weather\ninto warm weather.\n\nA peculiar symptom of Lachesis is that its ailments definitely get\nworse after sleep.  Most of the pati ents bitten by snakes exhibit the\nsame feature, but Lachesis is the most prominent of all snake venoms.\nAlthough it proves to be beneficial fo r the treatment of such patients\nwhose ailments aggravate after sl eep, it does not mean that every\npatient who shows this symptom must have been bitten by a snake.  It\nsimply means that it is a comm only shared symptom in which\nLachesis is certainly useful.  If in deed a person has been bitten by a\nLachesis kind of snake and then goes to sleep, he may not wake up\nand thus will be untreatable.  Every physician must remember that\nwhenever he is called upon to see a patient bitten by a snake, he must\nmake sure that the patient be kept awake under all circumstances, even\nif he has to be repeatedly slapped on his face.  Once he remains awake\nor can be made to wake up, the chances  of his survival become bright.\nThe symptoms of a patient of Lachesis keep aggravating during sleep\nin which he observes scary dreams and by the morning, his illness has\nbecome very severe.  He is extrem ely restless in the morning his head\nfeels warm and hurts.  His heart beat s fast.  Besides that, he becomes\nbadly stricken with grief, which is typical of Lachesis.  A patient of\nGelsemium also wakes up with a he adache but he sleeps comfortably\nat night without seeing any fright ful dreams.  In Gelsemium, the\npatient develops a headache if due  to some reason, his routine of\nwaking up in the morning or his timing for breakfast changes.  In a\nheadache of this kind the proper treatment is Gelsemium and not\nLachesis.\n\nThe patient of Lachesis is very cold  especially his feet are ice cold.\nHowever, hot water aggravates his symptoms especially the headache.\nThe pressure of the blood rises inside the head.  The patient feels as if\nhis head might explode.  In Lachesis like Belladonna, the rush of\nblood is more on one side.  In Belladonna, the rush of blood may be\ndirected to any part of the body wh ile in Lachesis, this tendency is\nonly limited towards the head.  There is rush of blood towards the\nhead while the feet become cold.  The person feels riveted due to pain\nas if somebody has tightly tied a cloth over his head.  Patients showing\nthe symptoms of Lachesis may also sometimes faint while taking a\nshower with hot water.\n\nAnother prominent symptom of Lachesis is that purple or darkish\nspots form on the body, much more so on the face.  Similar spots are\nexhibited by the patients who experience severe heart attack.  Such\npatients who have the tendency to  develop such spots should be\nperiodically, treated with Lachesis.  Lachesis prevents the clotting of\nblood in the circulation and potential heart attack.  Lachesis is the best\nremedy against such happening.  For this purpose, when given along\nwith Arnica, it is much more effective.\n\nLachesis is also proved to be very useful in the treatment of swollen\nlymph glands.  The wounds bleed severely; the colour of the blood\nis dark  and it clots in the form of gr ass weeds.  In Lachesis, like\nKreosotum and Phosphorus, there is a tendency towards copious dark\nbleeding.  In Kreosotum, slight pressure can cause bleeding.  The\ngums, which apparently look health y, will start bleeding with finger\npressure or when there is a minor ailment, the local application of\npressure will start bleeding.  In Phosphorus, the bleeding is brisk and\nof red colour.  In Secale Cor and in Lachesis, the blood is darkish is\ncolour and the configuration of th eir wounds is also similar.  In\nLachesis, like Secale, there is a tendency towards the formation of\ngangrene over the wounds .  Dark blood keeps on oozing from the\nwounds.  The margins of the wounds become swollen.  The\nsurrounding skin shrinks and become s dark and wrinkled.  However,\nother symptoms of Lachesis are quite  different from those of Secale.\nIn Lachesis, the patient is very cold and feels severe cold, while the\npatient of Secale feels intense h eat and gets relief with cold\napplications on the affected areas.\n\nAnother symptom of Lachesis is the formation of Varicose Veins (the\nveins become engorged and tortuous).  The blood clots inside the\nveins and makes lumps and bumps that may rupture. Varicose Veins\nare a serious and troublesome illness.  In general, it affects women\nduring pregnancy or after their deliv ery, involving the legs and feet.\nSometimes, it is so severe that walking around becomes difficult.\nLachesis alone is not effective agains t the varicosity of the veins.  In\nsuch a condition, other symptoms of the patient must also be observed\nto arrive at a proper dia gnosis and to devise the optimal treatment.  If\nthe proper diagnosis cannot be esta blished, then Ar nica and Lachesis\ntogether may be given routinely to ge t some relief.  However, the best\nroutine treatment is Aesculus.\n\nFor the so-called piles of the eyes, in which the eyes become intensely\nred and swollen, Aesculus is very usef ul.  It is also effective in the\ntreatment of the piles, which become  purple and cause severe pain.  A\ncharacteristic symptom of Aesculus  is that although it seems that the\nwounds will soon mature, form pus and then rupture, they neither\nsuppurate nor burst.  The constant pr esence of these non-healing piles\nis a great menace.  Aesculus is well known to offer cure in this painful\ncondition although it does not succeed alone.  It has to be\nsupplemented with Arnica, Lachesis and similar adjuvant remedies.\nOne must constantly examine one\u2019s feet to control this problem at the\noutset.  The appearance of bluish marks over the ankles and the heels\nis indicative of impending varicosity of the veins.  The blood can clot\nin them.  Once the veins become swollen and tortuous, the disease\nmay get out of control.  Blood clots can form within the tortuous\nveins, which can dislodge themselv es and lead to heart attack by\nembolism.  In the early stage of this condition, Arnica and Lachesis,\nby God\u2019s Grace, are very effectiv e for the prevention of serious\nconsequences.\n\nIn Shingles, as already mentioned in various chapters the remedies\nArnica, Ledum Pal, Lachesis and Natrum Mur happen to be very\nuseful.\n\nIn Lachesis, the hands and feet of the patient become cold and patient\nsuffers from weakness of the heart.   The head feels warm and the\nveins pulsate.  During a headache, the patient cannot rest his head on\nthe pillow because whichever side he lies on, the head starts throbbing\ndue to excessive rushing of blood.\n\nLachesis affects the emotional stat e as well.  On hearing sudden sad\nnews or due to some other emoti onal upset, the heart sinks, the body\nsweats and the head becomes warm but  the feet become very cold.\nWhile the feet are cold  and the usual symptoms of Lachesis are also\npresent, a single dose of Lachesis will offer magical relief.  The\npatient, previously shivering with cold and covering himself in layer\nafter layer of quilts with the feet feeling unbearably cold, will notice\nin just a few minutes after admini stration of this remedy, a sudden\nflow of heat waves emerging fr om the upper part of the body\nspreading downwards.  I infer from this that Lachesis disperses the\nexcessive blood from the head towards the rest of the body, resulting\nin the warming up of the feet in no time.  Psorinum also possesses this\nquality, though with some difference.   The patient of Psorinum is\nalways cold all over.  Even in the summer, he keeps himself covered.\nHis skin becomes dark in colour and the body discharges are\noffensive.  However in Lachesis th ese signs are absent due to stress,\nsudden shock or sometime for no apparent reason, his body may\nsuddenly turn cold yet the head remains warm.\n\nIn the case of Lachesis, the ailment attacks the left side  though it\ndoes not remain localised there.  It shifts towards the right side of the\nbody after some time.  This is a very clear symptom, which, if\nassociated with worsening of the condition at nigh t, definitely\nwarrants the use of Lachesis.\n\nLachesis is also very us eful in the treatment of conditions related to\nthe ovaries.  If the discomfort or pain begins in the left ovary and then\nshifts towards the right ovary, it will  respond best to L achesis.  If the\ncondition originates in the right ovary, Lycopodium and Tarentula will\nbe more beneficial.  In Lachesis, throat conditions also begin on the\nleft side and then migrate towards the ri ght side.  In Lycopodium the\nsituation is reversed.  In Pulsatilla, the pain radiates in any direction\n(migratory) as found in Lac Caninum.\n\nIn Lachesis, the headache also starts on the left side  and then\nspreads over to the nape of the ne ck.  The temple feels under heavy\npressure, while the lower jaw may also be involved.  Gelsemium may\nalso be very useful in the treatment  of such a he adache although the\nheadache typical of Gelsemium desce nds from the nape of the neck\ntowards the shoulder blades in the muscles of the back.  In other\nwords, it is not confined to the nape alone.\n\nAnother characteristic of Lachesis is that its pain tends to change sides\nwhen it originates in the upper body and then migrates to the lower\nbody.  For example, if the patient has pain over the heart or feels\npressure over the left side of the chest then this pain may travel to the\nright hip or groin, or some times it may affect both sides\nsimultaneously.  Many a time, the pain  remains on the left side from\ntop to bottom, especially when associated with paralysis.  However,\none thing is sure that the sensation of pain and muscular stiffness in\nthe upper part of the body must be a ssociated with similar discomfort\non the right lower body.  This is typical of Lachesis.\n\nSymptoms of Lachesis include large swelling of the tongue and\nnumbness over the lips resulting in a difficulty to speak properly.  Any\npatient with this symptom, w hose head remains warm and who\ndevelops purple spots on the skin , should ideally be treated with\nLachesis.  In fact, the swelling of  the tongue and numbness of the lips\nindicate the onset of paralysis insi de the mouth and throat, which, if\nnot promptly treated with Lachesis, will definitely result in the\nparalysis.\n\nAnother salient symptom of Lachesis is the feeling of tightness\naround the neck , so much so that the patient cannot even tolerate a\ncollar.  In Glonoine, there is a simila r feeling with the addition of the\nfeeling of tightness around the head and intolerance to wearing a cap.\nThe feeling of being st rangulated is indicative of Hydrophobinum.  In\nLachesis, the patient feels tight and constricted at the upper part of the\nneck but cannot say for sure, if it is from within or from outside.  In\nHydrophobinum and Hyoscyamus, there is a feeling of  constriction\ninside the throat while in Lachesis, there is no such feeling of internal\nconstriction.  He just cannot tolerate anything around the neck.\n\nLachesis patients by nature are extremely suspicious.  They believe\nthat everybody is talking against th em or that their food has been\npoisoned.  They distrust even their near relatives.  The symptoms then\ngradually become worse.  Such patie nts must be treated with Lachesis\nand soon.  In my experience, Lachesis benefits to some extent, but not\nfor long.  Other remedies must be sought after the psychoanalysis of\nthe patient.  Lachesis will offer cu re only if the other basic symptoms\nof Lachesis are also present.\n\nA Lachesis patient has the constant f ear of bleak future for himself, or\nof having committed a sin which is unforgivable, or having been\npossessed and being manipulated by a superpower.  Once a small girl,\nwho was similarly sick and who ha d the habit of stealing was brought\nto me.  On being asked, she woul d reply that she did it under divine\ncommand.  Such patients should be treated with Lachesis.  Those who\ndisobey God on \u201cHis command\u201d will start obeying Him on the\ncommand of a snake i.e. Lachesis.  The women of Lachesis\ndisposition have a constant fear of  being chased by someone or they\nmay become religious fanatics.  Both these symptoms are\ncharacteristic of Lachesis.  The situation becomes worse when they\nstart thinking of killing somebody w ith the firm belief that God wants\nthem to do it.  Such patients may in  fact kill somebody, or will at least\ntry to do so.  If they are religious  fanatics, they become extremely\ntalkative.  They are disorganised and impatient in all matters and do\nnot even talk properly, changing the topic halfway through and fail to\nconvey what they intended to say.   They themselves may yell and\nscream at full volume but cannot tolerate external noise, which stuns\ntheir nerves.  They tend to th ink of committing suicide, though\npractically are very afraid to do s o.  They feel like jumping from a\nhigh place but dare not do so.  When  a patient becomes frightened at\nthe thought of high places, he may be nefit from Arsenic or Argentum\nNitricum.  In general, Lachesis works well on such kinds of mental\npatients.  It must be given in at least potency 200.  In my practice I\nhave found it much more useful in  potency 1000.  Many times, I have\nused it in potency CM and found it definitely effective.\n\nA Sore throat contracted in winter is a peculiar symptom of Lachesis.\nIn Psorinum too, the patient catches co ld right at the onset of winter.\nPsorinum is useful in the treatment of sore throat as well, though it is\nmore useful in the treatment of col d.  Another peculiarity of Psorinum\nis that when the nasal discharge stops, a headache sets in i.e. the\nheadache and runny nose alternate with  each other.  Such is not the\ncase in Lachesis.\n\nAnother sign of Lachesis is the extreme skin sensitivity , so much so\nthat the patient may not even tolerate touch with a light cloth.  The\nsimultaneous presence of discomfort in a particular area and extreme\nsensitivity of the overlying skin, causing severe restlessness and\nworsening of the headache, is ch aracteristic of Lachesis. This\nsymptom is also found in Kali Car b. Strong pressure is soothing,\nwhile light touch hurts.  Light touc h causing severe discomfort is well\npronounced in Lac Caninum.  If the fingers seem to hurt, the patient\nkeeps the fingers open (straight).  On bending the fingers, he cries out\nwith pain.  In case the armpits ar e extremely sensitive to touch, the\npatient keeps his arms away from his sides.\n\nLachesis is also deeply related to jaundice.  For jaundice, I usually\nprescribe the combination of Sulphur, Bryonia and Carduus Marianus,\nwhich by God\u2019s grace have been ve ry successful.  In the case of\nfailure, one can use Chelidonium, Lachesis, Berberis and Lycopodium\netc., all being very usef ul in the treatment of liver diseases , though\nthey need to be used with extrem e caution.  Phosphorus is also related\nto liver disorders, especially liver cancer .  Its repeated use in high\npotency, or its unnecessary use, can bring about dangerous\nconsequences.  Sometimes, the jaun dice becomes chronic.  This will\nrespond very well to Lachesis.  The jaundice of Lachesis is\nassociated with nausea  similar to Chelidonium.  Ipecac may be of\nsome use in some cases of jaundice but it is not deep-acting remedy.\nHowever, it works in certain cases.  Lachesis would be ideal in\ntreating jaundice and stones in the gall bladder  provided the patient\nalso exhibits general symptoms of Lachesis.\n\nGenerally, a mild soreness of the throat  causes severe pain in the\neyes when pressed locally. The examination of the ear with an\ninstrument provokes cough, showing th at the ear, nose and eyes are\nvery much interconnected.  When a ny one of these is disturbed, the\nother may also be affected.  La chesis, specifically, can by God\u2019s\ngrace, relieve the ailments pertaining to all three.\n\nSometimes, the glands of the eye th at make tears (lacrimal glands)\nbecome painfully sore.  Lachesis w ill cure this condition also.  Here\nLachesis will be recognised by an  eczema-like condition of the face,\nswellings and blisters.  Probably this  facial condition is transferred to\nthe eyes. Eyesores alone are not diagnostic of Lachesis.  In the\npresence of facial symptoms, Laches is would be the best treatment to\ncure eyesores.  It is the topmost remedy of the fistulae of the eye , as\nis Kali Bichrome.\n\nIn Lachesis, the nose bleeds during the symptoms of cold.  The correct\ndiagnosis is only made by the proper scrutiny of symptoms.  In\nPsorinum and Lachesis both, the  nasal discharge  is very offensive.\nThe cold may lead to eczema of the scalp , which becomes covered\nwith a thick shell under which germs fl ourish.  When this shell bursts,\nit emits an offensive smelling discharge.  When the eczema is\nforcefully suppressed with some lo cal treatment, a severe form of\nresistant nasal catarrh develops.  In such conditions, Mezereum is\nmuch more effective than Lachesis and Psorinum.   Once a child was\nbrought to me who had a severe cold of a resistant nature.  It did not\nrespond to any kind of treatment.  The nose smelt awful.  It just so\nhappened that just then I had read about Mezereum.  I gave him\nMezereum and it cured the cold immediately but he developed eczema\non the scalp, which by the grace of  God also cleared with Mezereum\nin a few days.\n\nLachesis and Psorinum are both anti-psoric.  Lachesis is the best\nremedy for blisters containing blood  i.e. haemorrhagic blisters.\nThis kind of skin condition occurs on  and off.  Generally in Lachesis,\nlike in Arnica, the bleeding is of a darkish colour.  However, the\nblood-filled blisters on the face are related only to Lachesis.  The\ngums bleed.  The tongue becomes dr y and leathery in consistency.\nThe mouth is dry yet there is no th irst.  The dryness of the mouth and\ntongue is like Gelsemium.  So the di agnosis of Lachesis will be made\non the basis of its other symptoms.  In Lachesis, sputum resembles\nsoap-lather in appearance but not in taste.  Sometimes, the saliva\nexudes like thick hard threads of yello wish colour.  This sign is more\npronounced in Kali Bichrome.\n\nIn Lachesis, fluids tend to get stuck in the throat , especially hot\nfluids.  Almost all snake venoms cause constriction of the throat,\nresulting in difficulty of swallowing  food and water.  In Lachesis, hot\nfluids make this condition still more difficult while cold drinks offer\nsome relief.  This symptom is contradictary to the usual nature of\nLachesis i.e. the body of the Lachesis patient is cold and he cherishes\nheat.  Regarding the constriction of the throat , Lachesis resembles\nBelladonna in which the suffering gets worse in heat, while cold offers\nrelief.  Apis ailments also become  worse with heat and get better in\nthe cold.  This symptom is common to Lachesis, Belladonna and Apis.\nHowever, in Lachesis, a cold drink relieves the condition.  In fact, the\npatient likes cold drinks, though nausea immediately follows.  This is\ntypical of Lachesis.\n\nBelladonna also relieves a dry cough like that of a Lachesis patient.\nThe cough resulting from the misuse of  Lachesis or in a patient bitten\nby a Lachesis kind of snake, who luck ily survives but is left with a\npersistent cough, will significantly benefit from Belladonna.\nBelladonna is not a very long acting remedy but is considered to be an\nintermediate kind of re medy. Nonetheless, it cure s the persistent type\nof cough, following the misuse of Lachesis.  Likewise, Lachesis\nannuls the bad effects of Belladonna.\nLachesis is also useful in the treatment of gas in the abdomen\n(flatulence).  The abdomen become s distended with gas.  Once the\nconstitution of the patient is recognised, it becomes so much easier to\nfind the appropriate cure.  If the patient is very cold in cold weather\nand his abdomen is full of gas, then Psorinum will be useful.  It will\nrestore the expulsion of the blocked up foul-smelling gas.  In Lachesis\ntoo, the passage of flatus softens the belly, though the flatus is not\nvery malodourous.\n\nAdjuvants:   Lycopodium, Hepar Sulph, Nitric Acid\nAntidotes: Arsenic, Mercury\nPotency: 30 to 1000","modalities":"","symptoms_by_system":[],"schema_version":"1.0","api_provider":"Allahshafi"}