Homoeopathy — Page 340
Gelsemium 340 has been confined to treat diseases of limited duration. In Gelsemium, the blood rushes towards the face and head. The face becomes warm though the hands and the feet are cold. Similar is the case for Arnica. The calves feel cold or even ice cold. These symptoms are also found in Glonoine. However, the difference between Gelsemium and Glonoine is that in Gelsemium, the hands and feet become cold but there is no sweating, while in Glonoine, there is profuse sweating in addition to the hands and feet becoming cold. Due to the straining of the back muscles causing severe stiffness and spasms, the pain spreads over the shoulders and up to the back of the head. The stiffness of the neck causes great difficulty in turning the neck. The headache is mostly on the right side. Extreme spasm of the neck muscles (torticolis) at night, is better treated with Gelsemium and Belladonna combined. In case the rigidity of the neck resembles meningitis, the back does not feel cold but the hands and feet become cold. In addition to the severe muscular stiffness, the patient may become convulsive but there is no associated cyanosis. In this condition, one should not forget to use Gelsemium. In Gelsemium, the patient is restless before going to sleep. He fears that he may not be able to sleep well. The head starts hurting, while still, there is no headache, per se. The headache becomes worse on sleeping (like Lachesis), though the overall picture of the patient is still Gelsemium. He does not sleep well. By the time the patient has got up in the morning, his headache has become very severe. The one difference between Gelsemium and Lachesis is that the Gelsemium pain does not remain confined to the head; instead, it radiates down the shoulders up to the back of the head and is most often on the left side. Gelsemium is the antidote of Glonoine. Combined with Natrum Mur, it happens to become a complete immediate panacea. Gelsemium is of great value for the treatment of women. It will immediately relieve the tightness of the cervix of the uterus as well as the associated lightning type of labour pains radiating to the back. The tightness of the muscles of the back becomes released and the child is delivered smoothly. It is also of significant use in relieving the severe backache accompanying the menstrual period, as well as the chills and relentless fever due to infection.