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onNervousSystem

SpotlightonNervousSystem Find
byTomWhitmarsh a
Thenervoussystemcanencompasssomuch.Neurologyhastodowithanydysfunctionofthenervous
Practitioner
system,butisgenerallynotheldtoincludethoseconditionstraditionallythoughtofaspsychiatric,suchas
depression,schizophreniaandanxietydisorderswhichcanallhavemajoreffectsontheproper
functioningofthenervoussystem.Homeopathy,ofcoursehasalargeroletoplayinthatarea,butthisis
beyondthescopeofthisarticle.IllcontentmyselfwithafewremediesorgroupsofremediesIhavefound
Find

tobehelpfulinsomeofthebetterknownneurologicalconditions,manyofwhichcanleadtolongterm
Clear

discomfortordisability.Theroleofhomeopathyinmanyoftheseconditionsisnottocurebut,onthe
whole,tohelppeoplecopebetterwiththeirdifficultiesandaqualifiedphysicianshouldalwaysbe
consulted.

Aetiology
Beforeenumeratingspecificsymptoms,itisworthcommentingonanaspectofhowpeopleperceivetheir
illness. Many patients with a chronic, unremitting medical condition, have the impression that their
symptoms all stem from a specific event in their lives. In homeopathic terms this possible aetiology is
listedintherepertoryintherubricailmentsfromPeoplemightsayforexampleIvehadtheheadache
ever since I fell off that bike and was knocked out, so the homeopathic practitioner might look up
ailmentsfrominjurytotheheadtoincludeintheiranalysisandselectionoftheremedyinaparticular
case.Theteasingoutofperceived(andactual)aetiologyisaveryimportantpartofhomeopathiccase
takingandcanbeusedinjustaboutanycondition,butitdoesseemthatthereareafewsituationsin
neurologywhereitisparticularlyimportant,forexample:

Ailmentsfromgrieforloss:perhapsthedeathofsomeoneclose,oralovedpetchildrenmovingaway
fromhomeretirementfromalongheldoccupation.Here,theremedyIgnatiaisveryuseful.Iusuallyuse
ahighpotencysuchas10M.RemediesusefularoundretirementincludeAurum(gold)andKali
bromatum.

Ailments from fright or shock: here, people might say it all began when I saw that car accident or
something similar. Whatever the symptoms or the condition, Aconite (again in high potency) is the
remedy.

Ailmentsfromastressfulperiodofnursingsomeone:thiscoversthepersonwhosesleephasbeen
disturbedeverynightformonthsastheylookedafterasickrelative.Theynowhaveaheadacheandthe
remedymightbeCocculus.

Ailmentsfrominjury:neurologically,weareusuallythinkingofheadinjuryandmanypeoplewithmultiple
sclerosis(MS)orheadachedatetheonsetoftheirsymptomsfromacaraccidentorotheraccidentwhere
theyhittheirhead.ItishardnottogiveahighpotencydoseofArnicahere,thoughotherremediessuch
asHypericumandHelleborusmightbeappropriate,alwaysofcoursedependingontheparticularitiesof
thesymptoms.Injuriesofthespinalcordcausingsymptoms(forexamplepostwhiplashheadache)are
oftenhelpedbyNatrumsulphuricum.Surgeryhastobeconsideredasaninjuryhereandtheseremedies
maybecalleduponwhenthereispainorothersymptomsafterspinalorotherneurosurgery.

Ailmentssinceaninfection:thenosodescomeinespeciallyhere.Nosodesarehomeopathicremedies
madefromproductsofdisease,orinthecaseofmicroorganisms,sometimesfromthebacteriumorvirus
itself.Itisentirelysafe,asitisusedinsuchhighdilutionsthatnoorganismsremain,justthehealing
power.Examplesinneurologymightbethepainandoutoftheirbedorwheelchair.Simplecrampsoften
respondtoadailydoseofCuprum30cor200c.MoreseveresymptomsmightrequireStrychninum
(strychnineisapoisonthatworksbyinducingseverespasminallmuscles,includingthoseofbreathing)
orthenosodemadefromthetetanustoxoid.Ihaveanumberofpatientswhofindtheirspasmmuch
lessenedbyaregulardoseofPlumbum(lead)orNuxvomica(aplantwhichcontainsalargeamountof
strychnineandsoactshomeopathicallytospasms).
Fatigue
ItisdisappointingtohavetoreportthatalthoughthisisprobablythesymptomwhichismostfeltinMSand
otherchronicneurologicalconditions,thereisnospecifictreatment.Experiencesuggeststhatfindingthe
trueconstitutionalsimilimumisthemosthelpfulthinghere.

Bladdersymptoms
Frequency,gettingupoftenatnighttogotothetoiletandmoreannoyinglyhavingaccidentswherethe
sufferercouldntgettothetoiletintimearecommoninmanyneurologicalconditions.InMS,forexample,
thereisoftenlossofcorrectsensationinthebladderandthesuffererisnotawareoftheneedtogo,so
theyholdontoolongandthentheybecomeatriskofrecurrenturineinfections.TheremediesCausticum
andEquisetumcanhelpthis.

Twitchings,jerkingsandotherinvoluntarymovements
These may be a symptom of a deeper neurological disorder, such as MS or they may commonly be
benign, with no chance of progression, but are just annoying. Either way, frequent, uncontrollable
twitchesofmusclesthroughoutthebody(forexampleintheeyelid)sometimesrespondtoAgaricus(the
poisonousmushroomflyagaric).Peoplewhomightrespondtothisremedyareverychilly,experience
burningoritchingandmighthaveadisturbedsenseofperspectivesothatmovementsareawkwardor
exaggerated.TheresemblancetowhatsomepeopleexperiencewithMSisclear.Anotherremedywith
this exaggerated way of moving (takes a great big step to get over a small object just in case) is
Onosmodium(thefalsegromwell),whichisamajorremedyincasesofMS.Itencompassesslownessof
thinkingandcomprehendingtoo.

Theremediesmadefromthespiderscanbeusefulinneurologicalconditionswithunusualmovements.
Peoplewhoneedspiderremediesseemtohaveanalteredsenseoftherhythmoflife,theyarebasically
speedierthanotherpeople.Theyfilluptheirlifewithactivity,afruitlessbusiness.Intryingtoslowdownto
thegeneralpaceofotherpeople,theyhavetoovercontroltheirnaturalspeedwhichcanresultinbizarre
patternsofmovement.Musicisveryhelpfultothemaswhentheytuneintoarhythmtheymovemore
easilyanditneedstobeloudmusicwithabeat.Thebestknownofthesespidersasaremedyis
TarantulaHispanica,butitisinterestingthatmostspiderpoisonsareneurotoxins(theyactonnerves)and
somightbeexpectedtohavearoleinhomeopathicallyhelpingneurologicalconditions.Otherspider
remediesthatmightbeusefulneurologicallyincludeMygaleandTheridion.

Restlessness
Thisisaveryfrequentlyreportedsymptomandoftentakestheformofjustbeingunabletosettledownfor
thenight,especiallybecausethelegsfeeljumpyandwanttokeepmoving,oftenforcingthesuffererto
get up and pace around to calm things down. The general nighttime restlessness can be helped by
ArsenicumalbumorsometimesbyRhustox.RestlesslegsoftendowellwithZincummetallicum.

Headache
There is a myriad of remedies where headache can be part of the picture, probably because the
occasionalheadacheisanearuniversalhumanexperience.Somespecificfeaturesareusefulthough
andonthewholearemoreimportantinprescribingthanknowingadiagnosis,although,ofcourse,there
are some headaches indicative of rare underlying disorders and these always need to be ruled out.
FeatureswhichIhavefoundtobeparticularlyusefulremedypointersincludethefollowing:

absolute need to stay completely still (not even moving the eyes during a headache attack)
Bryonia
onesided migraine headache occurring especially at weekends, relieved by a walk outside
(wanting to do anything but go to bed in the dark is an odd feature in migraine) and often
associatedwithnauseaorvomitingIrisversicolor
suddenonsetburstingpainBelladonna
rightsided pain which comes up from the back of the neck over the side of the head to lodge
behindtheeyeSanguinaria.

Otherpains
ThesocalledArnicaofthenerves,Hypericum,isappropriateforreducingpainininjurywerethereis
specificallynervedamage.ItcanevenbehelpfulinreducingthelengthofrelapsesinMS(forexamplein
boutsofinflammationoftheopticnerveopticneuritis).Illmentiontwootherspecificpains,whichare
alwayshardtotreatconventionallyandforwhichhomeopathysometimeshassomeanswers.

Peripheralneuropathy:thisisoftenaresultofdiabetes.Thenerveswhichtakesensationfromthe
endsofthelimbs(especially,atfirst,thefeet)losetheirproperbloodsupplybecauseofthesugar
imbalancesindiabetesandsosuffererscannotfeelthingscorrectly.Thisabilitytofeelisreplaced
byanastypainwhichisconstantanddeeplydebilitating.Forexample,patientsoftensaythatit
feels as if theyre walking on hot pebbles. I have had some success in this situation with the
remedyHydrophis(fromthevenomofaseasnake)andalsoNuxvomica.Incidentally,Hydrophis
(fromanotherneurotoxicvenom)isagreatremedyfortheaftereffectsofpolio.Itsmajorkeynoteis
asplitbetweenastrong,normalupperpartofthebodyandaweakabnormallowerhalf,often
thesituationwithpeoplewhoareaffectedbypolio.
Trigeminalneuralgia:thisaffectspeopleasboutsofstabsofincrediblyseverepaininthearea
suppliedbyonebranchofthetrigeminalnerveononesideoftheface.Itcanbetriggeredbya
variety of stimuli, including touch, brushing the teeth, a cold draught and talking or eating.
Suffererscanhavemany,manystabsinonedayandcangetseriouslydepressedwiththepain.
Conventional treatment relies on anticonvulsant medication taken regularly and sometimes
surgery,whichcanbeeffectiveforawhile,butthesymptomsoftenreturn.TheremediesAconite,
Verbascum,KalmiaandSpigeliaareamongthosewhichcanhelpsufferers.

Seizuresandepilepsy
Theseareverycommonwhetherpresentfrombirthorcomingonfornoobviousreasoninchildhoodor
presenting later in life as the result of strokes or other brain injury. Most people with epilepsy will be
controlledtosomeextentonavarietyofanticonvulsantmedications.Homeopathycanaddtothecontrol
butshouldnotbeusedasthesoletreatment.Remedieswhichcanoftenimprovecontrolofchildhood
epilepsy and sometimes allow reduction in medication, include Baryta carbonica, Cicuta, Belladonna,
StramoniumandHyoscyamus.Barytacarbonicaisparticularlyinterestingiftheepilepsyispartofamore
globaldelayorimpairmentinthechildsdevelopment.Itcanreallykickstartthemandbringthemback
 to a more appropriate level of function. Interestingly, it also has a role at the other end of life, in older
peoplewhoareperhapsslidingbackintheirfunctioning.Takingastroketobeabraininjury,thenitis
clearthatahighpotencyofArnicapoststrokeshouldbehelpful.IhavealsoseenhomeopathicOpiumbe
extremely beneficial in people who have bouts of somnolence and absence after strokes, probably
amountingtosmallseizures.

Speechdisorders
Peoplesspeechcanbeaffectedinneurologicalconditionsforavarietyofreasons.Thelossofnormal
fluencyandcontentofspeechmaybetransitory,asinsomepeoplewithmigraine,orlongtermandfixed,
asinsomefollowingastroke.Itiscommontohavesomeformofspeechdisturbanceafterastrokeand
this is an area where homeopathy can help. A family of remedies which has a special relationship to
speechproblemsisthatofthesnakes.ThebestknownsnakeremedyinhomeopathyisLachesis,butnot
allpeoplewhowouldbenefitfromasnakeremedywillbenefitfromthisparticularone.Theremediesare
usuallymadehomeopathicallyfromthevenom,althoughwedouseanumberofnonpoisonoussnakes
(suchastheBoaconstrictor)whereotherpartshavetobeused.

Theideathattherearefamiliesofremedies,usuallyrelatedbotanicallyorzoologicallyisverycurrentin
homeopathyandsowelooktofindthethemesofafamilyinaparticularcaseandsortoutwhichsnake
itshouldbeforthisindividual.Snakethemesmightincludeatendencytobleedingandhaemorrhages,
disorderedspeech,afeelingofcongestion,adislikeofconstrictionandafeelingyougetthattheyare
tryingtogetyourattentioninaparticularwayseduceyou(theyoftenwearveryalluringclothessnake
skinsareverybeautiful).AllofthesethemesareissuesyoumightrecogniseasbelongingtoLachesis,
butthenwecangofurtherandrealisethatweareactuallyseeinggeneralsnakethemeshere.Tryingto
sortoutwhichsnakeismostappropriateforanindividualwillthendependonparticularcharacteristics
andsymptomsofthatperson.Forexample,Naja(cobra)hasstiffnessoftheneck,Elaps(coralsnake)
expresseshimselfartisticallyandcreativelyandCrotaluscascavellaisverysuperstitiousandhasagreat
interestinmagicandtheoccult.

Narcolepsyandcataplexy
People with narcolepsy have an inherited predisposition to go to sleep at any time, day or night. The
needisunstoppableandcanhappenatthemostawkwardtimes,eveninthemiddleofaconversation.
Cataplexy sufferers have attacks in which they become unrousable and unable to communicate, so it
lookslikesleep,buttheyarefullyawareofwhatishappeningandcanrememberallthatisbeingsaid
aroundthem.Theseattacksoftenhappenattimesofheightenedemotion,solaughingorcryingcanbea
trigger(oramedicalconsultation!).Theyquiteoftensustaininjuriesintheirsuddenfallintoanattackwith
no warning and frequently end up in ambulances against their will (they are unable to resist). The
conventional treatment of these conditions involves amphetamines. I have found that the remedy Nux
moschata(nutmeg)cangivegoodreliefandavoidtheneedforhighdosesofconventionaldrugs.

Tom Whitmarsh MA MBBS FRCP FFHom is Consultant Physician at Glasgow Homoeopathic

Hospital.

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