Homoeopathy — Page 146
Bryonia Alba 146 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 knife. This particular feeling may be related to Bryonia as well as Berberis. Gelsemium headaches radiate down the back of the 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 the 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 delirium and the patient becomes absurd and meaningless in his conversation. Otherwise, the Bryonia 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 diagnosis 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 family 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. Another 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