Homoeopathy — Page 543
Opium 543 An Opium addict loves to eat. He is ever hungry but continues to feel weak. In spite of overeating, he is thin and lean. The patient vomits frequently after injection of morphine. With homoeopathic Opium treatment, the patient feels better. Opium can also be a good remedy for vomiting during the pregnancy untreatable otherwise. In Opium, the patient continues to feel hungry even when nauseated. However, soon after taking the food he throws up. Due to a slow- down of the digestive system , the food stagnates in the stomach, causing nausea and vomiting. Later on, the appetite is completely lost. The patient cannot eat any more and becomes very weak. In this particular situation, Chamomilla may be found as effective as Opium in controlling the vomiting. Seasickness can be effectively treated with Chamomilla or Opium used alone or in combination. In Opium, the patient feels cramps in his head, hands and feet. The hands are shaky and numb. Tonic convulsions / spasms of the extremities are not uncommon. The limbs may also shake. The pupils of the eyes become dilated and show no reaction to light. In an Opium patient, the headache begins at the nape of the neck , which then spreads downwards to both sides of the neck. The entire head feels numb and heavy. The patient becomes intolerant to the slightest movement like the blinking of the eye. Therefore, he remains lying down completely still with his eyes closed. The sudden spasm of muscles , wrenching of the hands and feet and convulsions of all types may be treated with Opium if other symptoms of Opium are also present. Opium plays a very important role in treating meningitis , which usually affects children severly. A timely use of Opium can save the child from serious sickness. In this condition, it is difficult to make the correct diagnosis based on the apparent symptoms alone. A good homoeopath should be well conversant with these remedies beforehand for their effective use. If, out of fear a patient starts suffering from spasm of the muscles , wrenching of the hands and feet or starts having hysteria or epilepsy- like fits , then Opium should be given in high potency.