Pulsatilla pratensis Anhang 3

 

[David Lilley]

ulsatilla is so intimately connected with the archetypal patterns of our collective unconscious that its image has been invested with mythological and symbolic meaning. These are significant to our understanding of the remedy’s dynamic influence.

The myth of Adonis the beautiful young man beloved of both Aphrodite (Venus), goddess of love, and Persephone, goddess of the underworld, who bitterly contended with each other for his company and love, provides a triangle of possessive and obsessive love, jealousy, seduction, selfishness, guile, vindictiveness – two amorous, insatiable women and a compliant, dependent, effeminate toy boy. The muse Calliope who was called upon to arbitrate in this sensitive matter decreed that Adonis should spend one third of the year with Aphrodite, one third with Persephone and, in order to recuperate, the rest by himself. Aphrodite however did not play fair and won the day (and night) by constantly wearing her irresistible magic girdle, causing Adonis to give not only his third of the year to her, but also Persephone’s. The myth ends with Adonis being gored to death, whilst out hunting. His attacker was Aphrodite’s enraged lover Ares (Mars), the god of war, in the guise of a wild boar. It was a scheming, green-eyed Persephone who had told Ares of Aphrodite’s infidelity. From the earth soaked with Adonis’ blood, anemones sprang to life. However there are those who say that they sprang from the tears of the goddess of love herself, when she witnessed his death.

This legend is replete with Pulsatilla emotions, behaviour and situations, So many young girls of the Pulsatilla type fall precociously under the power of the goddess of love, become sexually active at an early age, easily persuaded and lead by beautiful young men (Adonis) or by the macho, swaggering male (Ares), and are such easy victims for seduction, abuse and date rape. Remember that even in modern idiom Pulsatilla is from Venus, her lover is from Mars. The male Pulsatilla is often an Adonis, beautiful rather than handsome, of a gentle, timid, sweet disposition, easily lead and persuaded, with a rather immature, girlish, androgynous appearance.

So much of Pulsatilla’s nature and disposition can be predicted in the appearance and growth habits of this small plant which prefers growing on sunny hillsides, usually in great numbers or at least in small clusters, rarely solitary. Here it is exposed to the winds, and the rich carpet of gently hanging flowers yields to the slightest breath of air, which passes through it like a rippling wave, changing direction continuously with the vagaries of the wind. In this attractive scene we are made aware of a small, uncertain ego, uneasy when alone, needing the support of others and the confidence this can bring; an indecisive, fickle nature bending to the whims of circumstance, opinion and demand, but also a temperament both supple and guileful, able to compromise, yield and go with the flow.

The common names of a plant are often valuable, revealing the impression it made upon the community, or giving us information about how it was used, medicinally or otherwise. The Greek name anemone is derived from anemos, the wind, and Pulsatilla comes from the Latin pulsare to pulsate, as indeed the carpet of flowers does, to the rhythm of the wind. The folk name “windflower” describes the same characteristic. Its love of windy hillsides emphasises the type’s strong need for fresh open air and dislike of stuffy, close conditions that intensify both the emotional and physical symptoms. The preference for a sunny aspect reveals sensitivity to the cold, which is often forgotten in Pulsatilla. “Chilly but craves the open air.” This chilliness is increased if they are unwell or in pain.

The bell-shaped flower has deep purple petals and a rich golden centre. Before it opens fully, it inclines its head gently and bashfully, as if in timid submissiveness and resignation. Another folk name for the plant is “shamefaced maiden”. These are strong characteristics of the Pulsatilla child and young woman. The temperament is mild, gentle, shy and reserved. They are reluctant to speak up for themselves or express an opinion. Often they are very attractive and know all too well how to use their natural assets in subtle and seductive ways to captivate and influence others, and to fulfil their desires, through the solicitation of tears, coyness, flirtation and appealing helplessness. Invariably Pulsatilla gives that she may receive. The entire plant is seductive, its stem, branches, leaves and even the inflorescence being covered with fine hairs which give it a fluffy, cuddly appearance which invites contact and cherishing. In human terms Pulsatilla is soft, sensual, inviting and tactile – a true daughter of Aphrodite.

Habitat can also furnish us with clues and even reveal medicinal relationships. Pulsatilla generally grows best in sandy soil, which provides good drainage. This favours the plant because it requires very little water. Homeopathically Silicea, sand, is Pulsatilla’s closest relation. They follow each other well and Silicea children often develop infections or conditions that respond to treatment with Pulsatilla. It is interesting to note that the Pulsatilla patient is rarely thirsty, even when suffering from fever. But as we have seen in its response to the wind, Pulsatilla is fickle and changeable by nature, and some species prefer a lime rich soil, showing the plant’s close relationship to Calc carb.

This beautiful, purple and gold anemone bears a mysterious affinity for the immature, vulnerable and dependent state of the human psyche. As such it is one of the most fundamental remedies of

the materia medica, frequently indicated in homeopathic paediatric practice. As a species homo sapiens are completely helpless and unable to fend for themselves at birth, our lives being characterised by a prolonged period of dependency, even extending into the third decade of life, a highly developed interdependent social structure, and frequently closing with a period of enforced dependency in old age. Dependency runs like a thread through the Pulsatilla mental picture revealing itself as a need for support, security, shelter, sympathy and love, motivating the behaviour and even influencing physical development and hormonal function.

Blood and tears are related to Pulsatilla. Sometimes it is the remedy for the blood and tears of life experience, so often in the role of victim; sometimes it is simply for those who are naturally weepy and possibly anaemic, with scanty, pale menstruations that are unnaturally delayed. Both copper and iron are essential for blood formation. Cuprum like Pulsatilla is a remedy for severe cramping pains at the menstrual period, and also for the ill effects of suppressed or delayed menstruation, which can occur due to swimming in cold water or getting the feet wet. Both remedies are indicated for the persisting anaemia and detrimental effects resulting from excess iron tonics ­that is, for the abuse of iron, and by symbolic extension for the abuse of the chauvinist or misogynist Mars – for the abuse of the lover, father, brother, son, be the abuse emotional, physical or sexual.

The Pulsatilla adult

The changeableness of the plant, and therefore also of the remedy and the patient, is made even more apparent when we consider the great number of naturally occurring subspecies there are, and the vast array of colours that are represented. There is no doubt that changeability and capriciousness are as important Pulsatilla traits as is dependency. Pulsatilla must always be thought of when symptoms are always changing and unpredictable. Likewise their emotions and moods are unstable and swing from one extreme to the other, even during the course of a day. They may appear mild and pleasant, and then after a while, seemingly without reason, become irritable, peevish and tearful. In matters of friendship and romance they may prove fickle, going where they think they will benefit most rather than being influenced by loyalty and commitment. They are also extremely indecisive, wavering and uncertain, quite dependent on the opinion, advice or support of others.

The physical symptoms reveal the same variableness – when one set of symptoms comes on another vanishes, discharges are forever changing their colour, consistency and amount, no two headaches, no two periods, and in diarrhoea no two stools, are the same. Pains, especially joint pains, are not fixed, tending to wander from one part to another.

The inflorescence broadcasts a strong message through its vivid colours – purple and gold. The purple petals point to a powerful influence upon the venous system. The veins of the hands, forearms, feet and legs are full and prominent. It is a remedy for varicose veins, piles and inflammation of the veins – phlebitis. Venous drainage from the legs is sluggish. Symptoms are worse from permitting the limbs to hang down. In hot weather and when travelling, especially during flights, the legs tend to swell and deep venous thrombosis (DVT) can be a threat. Chilblains are common, but even without such definite lesions, the extremities may appear reddish-purple, inflamed and swollen in cold weather. Heat aggravates the chilblains causing them to itch and burn. Inflamed parts tend

to take on a bluish or purple hue rather than appearing red.

The striking contrast between the colour of the petals and the gold of the reproductive organs indicates a marked affinity for the generative sphere and hormonal function of both male and female. Many problems develop at puberty, during pregnancy, after childbirth or at the menopause, and pre-menstrual aggravation of the emotional or physical condition is common. Yellow and yellow-gold show Pulsatilla’s connection to the third or solar plexus chakra and therefore with the stomach, gall bladder, liver, pancreas, and spleen. These patients often complain of being liverish. They feel much worse after eating, and suffer all manner of indigestion, heartburn, flatulence, distension and heaviness, especially after rich foods, fatty food, ice cream, pastries, pork and eggs. The combination of purple and gold, and therefore of veins and liver, indicates a remedial action upon the portal circulation.

Pulsatilla sprang to life from blood and the central core element of haemoglobin, the respiratory pigment of blood, is iron. Small wonder that in her weakness, “anaemia”, she longs for Adonis/Mars, “iron”, that to attain him she is manipulative and seductive and that when she wins him her love is dependent, desperate, obsessive, smothering, possessive and jealous and that when she loses him she weeps inconsolably and declares that she cannot live without him. But she is also the windflower, able to sway and yield to life’s gusts and buffeting without snapping. Soon she will shift her dependency to the arm of another. She is a survivor!

 

[Keith Souter]

Pulsatilla nigricans is one of our oldest and most useful homeopathic med­icines. It was proved by H. in 1805 and was extensively used by him to treat many hun­dreds of patients. He said that: “this very powerful plant produces many symptoms on the healthy, which often correspond to the morbid symptoms commonly met with.”

In that single sentence he describes the principle of homeopathy, which he famously summed up as “similia sim­ilibus curentur”, or “let likes be treated by likes.” Yet Hahnemann was quite clear about when homeopathy worked best. Talking specifically about Pulsatilla, he wrote that “this, like all other medicines, is most suitably employed when not only the corporeal affections correspond but also when the mental and emotional alterations peculiar to the drug encounter similar states in the dis­ease to be cured, or at least in the tem­perament of the subject of treatment.”  Essentially, you get the best results when the physical, mental and emotional symptoms match those of the remedy profile. Further, the remedy profile is so distinct, that a definite Pulsatilla tem­perament can often be discerned.

The weathercock remedy

Dr William Boericke (1849­1929) became one of the most successful homeopathic physicians of his era and was appointed as the first professor of Homoeopathic Materia Medica at the University of California, a post he held for 30 years. His main work, The Pocket Manual of Homoeopathic Materia Medica probably rests on the desk of most professional homeopaths.

Begins his entry about Pulsatilla with the words: “The weather­cock among remedies”. This image is worth focusing on, for it sums up many of the attributes of this medicine. A weather­-cock or wind­-vane is an instrument that is usually put on the highest point of a building to show the direc­tion of the wind. The traditional design is for a cockerel, hence the name. If you observe one you will be aware that they change position with the wind, some­times being wildly changeable depend­ing upon the weather. And of course they are only of use outdoors. The key features of the Pulsatilla profile mirrors both this changeability and the need or desire to be outdoors. The changeability is as unpredictable as the wind itself.

The windflower

The homeopathic medicine Pulsatilla nigricans, usually just referred to as Pulsatilla, is made from the whole meadow anemone, also known as the pasqueflower or windflower. This perennial plant is

a member of the Ranunculaceae or buttercup family. It grows in clumps on sandy well­drained soil in sunny meadows, pastures and fields. It is soft and beautiful with pendulous bell­shaped flowers, purple petals and a gold heart.

The Pulsatilla profile

Pulsatilla is predominantly a female remedy. It is classically thought to suit blonde, blue­eyed females of a mild, shy and tearful disposition. Yet there is often much more to these fair types, for they are usually quite paradoxical in virtu­ally all areas of their life.

The image they project often belies what they feel inside. Although they tend to be good­natured yet they can hide their indignation about some slight they may have received. They tend to bottle things up and hold onto emotions. On the other hand they can certainly be weepy. Indeed, they will tend to weep when they describe their symptoms and their upsets, but they will also be moved to tears when listening to music, watch­ing a romantic film or even seeing distressing news on the television. They can be hopeless romantics and will prob­ably be moved to weep when shown kindness or given a present. The emotions they hold onto can also be very negative ones. They can hold grudges and classically they feel peeved. They can become quite jealous, quite sorrowful, depressed and very anxious.

They can also hold firmly to their views, in that they can be deeply religious, or dogmatic about things that they hold dear. Their views can be held so rigidly that any slight personal mis­demeanour, especially if of a sexual nature, can be regarded as a great sin and they hold onto guilt. And figura­tively speaking they can beat themselves up with this guilt, just as they can with any of the other negative emotions. Pulsatilla types are full of fears. They can fear the dark, illness, death, ghosts, doctors, dentists and appointments. Sympathy always helps them. A cuddle or a hug may make them weep, but it will usually help. It is that touch, that comfort that is important.

Easily upset

Pulsatilla types may often be slightly plump, which in itself is a bit of a paradox, since they are so easily upset by food, especially any food that they feel is too rich. Fatty foods such as butter and cheese upset them, as does pork. Their preference is for cold food, since hot food can also upset them.

Their environment can have a deep effect on them. They like their sur­roundings to be comfortable and homely. Yet they cannot bear a stuffy room. They will open the windows or better still, seek the open air. When they can they like to be outside in the garden, in the fields or on a walk.

Although they are chilly, cold usually makes them feel better. Yet it has to be dry cold. Wet cold upsets them. Being caught in the rain, getting their feet wet may bring on a chill, a cold, sinusitis, catarrh or even cause a flare­up of asthma. Almost certainly it will provoke chilblains.

A great polychrest

Dr Samuel Hahnemann first used the term polychrest in an essay about the medicine Nux vomica. By this he meant a medicine that had a great many uses. Pulsatilla was one of his polychrests and it remains one of the most useful medicines.

Night terrors

Jenny was a seemingly happy little six year­old when she started to experience night terrors. These were more than simple nightmares. She would wake up screaming, needing her mother to hold her tightly until she settled. These had become very frequent and Jenny had become anxious about going to sleep. She needed the light on and had to be surrounded by a mass of cuddly toys.

Strikingly, Jenny’s mother described her as always needing reassurance that she was loved. When she did sleep she always had her hands above her head, a characteristic of Pulsatilla. Accord­ingly, Pulsatilla 30c cleared the night terrors up immediately.

Grief and bereavement

Pulsatilla is one of the main medicines indicated during bereavement. The pat­tern is usually of someone who tries to bottle their emotions up, yet who is weepy and in need of consolation. They need someone to talk to, someone who will listen to them and if possible some­one who will put their arm about them.

Nancy lost her husband a week after he retired. They had been planning to spend their retirement travelling about the country in a camper van when he tragically died from a heart attack. They had no children and apart from her small dog, Nancy was alone. Walking her dog and cuddling him were the only things that helped. She had refused the offer of an antidepressant. High potency Pulsatilla made a terrific difference, she felt. Within three months she had joined a walking group and formed a close friendship with another bereaved lady.

Hormones

Pulsatilla is often indicated when a woman describes being “never well since” one or other of the key times in her reproductive life.

Painful periods

Sally was eleven when she started her menstrual periods. She hated and dreaded them because they were so painful that she couldn’t do anything for the first day. They caused painful spasms which sent her into floods of tears. Only hugs from mum and rub­bing her tummy helped. Here again, Pulsatilla 30c on a monthly basis helped dramatically.

Premenstrual syndrome (PMT)

I generally find that there are about a half dozen homeopathic medicines that cover most cases of PMT. The Pulsatilla pattern is characterised by shifting moods, peevishness and extreme weep­iness. Alison, a 37 year-­old secretary, had such a pattern. She also experienced premenstrual headaches that were eased by going out for a stroll at lunchtimes. This is again in keeping with the Pulsatilla profile and once again, monthly Pulsatilla helped her to deal with her problem.

Discharges

The general “holding on” of Pulsatilla and the lack of thirst and perhaps slight dehydrating effect that results seem to account for the tendency to produce thick mucus discharges. These can occur anywhere that mucus membranes pro­duce a discharge. There is often a ten­dency to conjunctivitis, styes and blocked tear ducts. Similarly, catarrh and its results can be a big problem.

Laura was a 40 year­-old teacher who was plagued by recurrent sinusitis and catarrh. She would have at least three episodes per term, usually requiring a couple of courses of antibiotics for each one. A sinus washout had made no dif­ference. She described the discharges as being highly variable day to day. Sometimes they were yellow, sometimes green, but always profuse and stringy. This is

a Pulsatilla feature and the remedy in 30c potency transformed her life.

Menopausal flushes

Hazel had been on HRT for ten years, but had been disappointed to find that her hot flushes returned when she finally had her HRT stopped. Her libido had always been quite good, but it disappeared when the flushes returned. This irritated her greatly although her partner was very supportive. The interesting features about her flushes were that they were completely unpredictable

in timing, intensity and sensation. Some­times she felt hot, other times cold and chilly and at other times, just clammy. Pulsatilla gave her control of her life and some return of her libido. Vaginal discharges are also common. As with the catarrhal symptoms, peo­ple in need of Pulsatilla often describe the variability in the quantity, and appearance of the discharge. It usually burns and itches quite markedly. When the overall pattern fits Pulsatilla, then help is often at hand.

Venous problems

Congestion is the keynote here. The piles feel sore, may burn, but will feel better for a cold application or compress. So too do chilblains and varicose veins. Indeed, when chilblains are bad, or varicose veins are troublesome, then even the heat of the bed may make them worse and the covers have to be thrown back.

Wandering pains

This is such a characteristic feature of Pulsatilla. Pains flit from joint to joint, or muscle pains wander.

Rosalind was 53 when she was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Her pains were never the same two days running. She was fatigued, peevish and never thirsty. Pulsatilla did not cure her, but it helped her to cope.

It is not only women

I have talked about bias in homeopathic prescribing before. It is perfectly possible to practice homeopathy with a small number of the polychrest remedies. One of the old adages reduces this to the somewhat cynical view that all men are Sulphur and all women are Pulsatilla. That is clearly so simplistic and restric­tive that you would reduce your chances of success considerably. Yet there is also a tendency to be biased against the polychrests, since they often seem to cover so many conditions. And it is also possible to be biased against a medicine such as Pulsatilla when considering a male. To use gender as an eliminating factor is not sensible. If the overall pattern fits Pulsatilla then there is a good chance it will be the right medicine for the individual.

Pulsatilla often works well when men have a problem with their testicles. On several occasions in my career I have prescribed Pulsatilla for males with mumps orchitis, which occured in up to 40%

of males after puberty before the MMR vaccine was available and which could potentially cause fer­tility problems. On each occasion the condition swiftly resolved.

 

[Deborah Olenev]     

I did not intend this article to be a  comprehensive materia medica of Pulsatilla nigricans when I began writing it, but it grew in scope as I did research for the article. Initially I wanted to present the pointers to the remedy that I carry with me in my mind, and which inspire me to think of the remedy when I hear my clients say them. The pointers are contained here, but I am also including information about the affinities of the remedy and the mental symptoms, as well as a quote from James Tyler Kent and three Pulsatilla cases from my practice..

Modalities and General Symptoms:

A warm remedy (Sulph.). Both remedies can uncover their feet in bed. (can be aggravated by any form of heat. Chilliness is also in the remedy, but the < from heat is a guiding symptom.

Can be < from wearing a lot of clothing. They want to dress lightly even in cold weather. Skin can also be irritated by wearing wool and flannel (Sulphur).

Complaints often > by cold or ice cold applications (Ledum/Secale).

< by wet cold, like getting the feet wet while walking in a cold rain.

Loves to keep the windows open in the house and loves the fresh air.

> walking in the open air, and can be > by gentle motion and walking slowly in the open air.

Can be very restless and frantic when trying to keep still. < during rest and > by slow, moderate activity.

< in the twilight hours when the sun is setting, like 18 – 19 h. It can  be < morning and night-time.

Sleeps on the back with hands over the head.

Can have wandering pains. Arthritis or rheumatism jumps from one joint to another; neuralgic pains fly here and there. Inflammations go from gland to gland.

Can have symptoms on ½  of the body, while the other side is unaffected. For example, they can have one foot hot and the other cold (Lycopodium), or perspirtion only on one side of the body.

Food and Drink: thirstless, but the presence of thirst should not discourage you from prescribing the remedy, if the overall picture fits. Parents often have a hard time to get child to drink water.

< rich, fat and creamy foods (ice cream/pastries) can also crave these things. Child can get a stomach ache after eating birthday cake. Can be < rubbing creams and ointments on the body.

They cannot tolerate fat internally or externally.

< hot food. This is what Kent says, “Cold foods are digested while hot foods make the body warm from which symptoms are worse”. < pork.

Digestion can  be disordered by butter, coffee, fats, fruit, meat, onions, from overeating and from the simplest food.

Affinities:

Often indicated in the ear aches of children (Cham.). The earaches may come on at night or during the twilight hours. < heat, > open air, and the child is weepy and wants consolation, and may want to be carried and walked gently about. The ears have the characteristic discharges: thick, bland, yellow, green, bloody, or purulent. (Mercurius and Hepar are main remedies for ruptured eardrum).

A well-known women’s hormonal remedy, and is often indicated during pregnancy and labor, menopause and for menstrual disorders where the ° characteristics are present. Nervous manifestations can be present with the menses, such as fainting spells, or spells of blindness, and twitching.

Headaches associated with the menses. It can have violent headaches and one-sided headaches. Headaches can be > cold applications.

Listed in italics for varicose veins. They can be painful, distended and engorged (Hamamellis). Ulcers surrounded by varicose veins are common in this remedy.

The stomach is the seat of many disturbances. They can have slow and weak digestion, and can feel < after eating.

Affinity for the eyes, and has catarrhal affections of the eyes. It can form styes about the eyes, and have inflamed eyelids.

Hayfever when the picture is present.

Puls.: Often an acute remedy for children who need Silica or Calcarea carbonica constitutionally.

Catarrhal affections. ° colds are often characterized by thick, bland, yellow or green nasal discharges (the ripe cold). ° can also have chronic nasal discharges with the above characteristics. They can have stoppage of the nose at night.

Acrid discharges wherever there are mucous membranes, such as acrid leucorrhea. The discharges thick, yellow, green bloody, purulent and copious.

Emotional Symptoms:

On the emotional level ° children and adults can be shy or timid (Sil. Bar-c. Lyc.).

Known for its weepy disposition, and being easily moved to tears. Their tears can inspire sympathy in others and a desire to console them. The weepiness does not have to be present if other symptoms fit the case.

Can have changeable moods: crying one moment and laughing the next.

Loves consolation, and is affectionate by nature, but they can have difficulty giving consolation or affection to others.

For forsaken feeling, or the feeling of being unloved (Mag-c.).

Emotionally sensitive and can have ailments from: shock, grief, in a crowd, disappointment, excitement, fright, grief or sorrow, indignation and jealousy, mortification, the rudeness of others, sexual excesses, and mental work.

Mild and yielding disposition (Silica), and the desire to please. Anger, is however, not a stranger to °. It is listed for anger at trifles, sudden anger, temper tantrums, and they can be indisposed to talk when angry. This side of ° is often not mentioned in the materia medicas, so people may overlook this remedy if they see anger in the patient.

Rigid mind set, and be fanatical in their religious beliefs.

Here are some of the other emotional symptoms of listed in Roger van Zandvoort’s Repertorium Universale:

Affectionate children: kiss and caress

Alcoholism

Amorous disposition

Anguish, Anxiety, Confusion, Restlessness, Sadness – all < from heat, ameliorated walking in the open air, < in bed, or driving them out of bed.

Answers no to all questions, monosyllabic

Anorexia nervosa,

Anxiety: must loosen clothing and open a window

Anxiety: hypochondriacal, mania to read medical books

Avarice: wants all for himself.

Aversion - to everything/to men/to certain objects/persons, to: unaccountable dislikes/to (opposite) sex/to women/to answering.

Blackmail, emotional, says, “you do not love me,” when refused.

Boaster, braggart: squanders through ostentation

Capriciousness in children

Carressed, desire for being.

Carried: desires to be: carressed, and

Change, desire for.

Childish behavior

Clinging to mother

Clinging: grasps at others: bystanders

Coquettishness

Deceitful, sly

Eccentricity: Religious

Effeminate

Fears: in the evening at twilight, in a crowd, driving him from place to place, with a desire to escape, before examinations, in a warm room, lifelong fears, overpowering fear with panic attacks, agoraphobia, fear of being alone, fear of animals, fear of the dark, fear of dogs, insects, snakes, fear of apoplexy, fear crossing a bridge, fear of death, fear of delivery, parturition, fear of going to the dentist, fear of being taken by the devil, fear of disaster, impending disease, fear of ghosts, fear of homosexuality, fear of high places, fear of insanity, fear of girls in men, fear of mirrors, fear of people, fear of poverty, fear to lose his lucrative position, claustrophobia, fear of suffocation, fear of trains and closed plaes, fear of boys in women,

Feigning sickness

Flattery, gives everything when flattered

Frivolous

Greed, cupidity

Harshness, rough; affectionate, yet

Helplessness, feeling of.

Hide, desires to: pregnancy during

Homesickness

House < in.

Marriage, to

Religious horror of the opposite sex.

Religious fanaticism

Relgious: affections; narrow minded in religious questions

Rocking >

Runs about streets at night in insanity

Servile, obsequious, submissive

There are hundreds of mental and emotional symptoms listed for ° besides the ones that I have listed above. ° is one of our great polychrest remedies, meaning remedy of many uses.Introduced into homeopathy by Samuel Hahnemann.

 

Quotation from James Tyler Kent’s Lectures on Homeopathic Materia Medica:

Patient is an interesting one, found in any household where there arc plenty of young girls. She is tearful, plethoric, and generally has little credit for being sick from her appearances; yet she is most nervous, fidgety, changeable, easily led and easily persuaded. While she is mild, gentle and tearful, yet she is remarkably irritable, not in the sense of pugnacity, but easily irritated, extremely touchy, always feels slighted or fears she will be slighted; sensible to every social influence. Melancholia, sadness, weeping, despair, religious despair, fanatical; full of notions and whims; imaginative; extremely excitable. She imagines the company of the opposite sex a dangerous thing to cultivate, and that it is dangerous to do certain things well established in society as good for the human race. These imaginations belong to eating as well as thinking. They imagine that milk is not good to drink, so they will not take it. They imagine that certain articles of diet are not good for the human race. to marriage is a strong symptom. A man takes it into his head that it is an evil thing to have sexual intercourse with his wife and abstains from it. Religious freaks; an especial tendency to dwell on religious notions; fixed ideas concerning the Scripture; he misuses and misapplies the Scriptures to his own detriment; dwells on sanctification until he becomes fanatical and insane; thinks he is in a wonderfully sanctimonious state of mind, or that he has sinned away his day of grace. This goes on until he becomes insane on other subjects, and then the tendency is to sit day after day in a taciturn way. He will not answer questions unless hard pressed, when all he will say is “Yes” or “No,” or he will merely shake his head. Puerperal insanity in a woman who was mild, gentle and tearful, later

sad and taciturn, and then she sits in her chair all day answering nothing or merely nodding her head for “Yes” or “No.”

 

[Heike Dahl]

Pulsatilla - ein homöopathischer Vielkönner

Wenn die charakteristischen Merkmale passen zeigt diese Pflanze große Wirkung bei der Behandlung von Schnupfen (Sinusitis), Entzündungen der Nasennebenhöhlen, der Blase (Zystitis),

Augen (Konjunktivitis) und der Ohren (Otitis media). ....

Gelenkrheumatismus

Wie alle homöopathischen Arzneien wirkt Pulsatilla nicht nur bei akuten Erkrankungen. In der Behandlung chronischer Erkrankungen kann unter anderem der Gelenkrheumatismus beeinflusst werden. Auch im akuten Stadium dieser Erkrankung finden sich vor allem wechselnde Schmerzen und Schwellungen an wechselnden Gelenken.

Hormonelle Wirkung

Ähnlich wie die Arznei Sepia gehört Pulsatilla zu den homöopathischen Medikamenten, die einen starken hormonellen Einfluss besitzen. So werden beide Mittel vor allem während der Schwangerschaft und den hormonellen Umbruchszeiten benutzt (Pubertät, Schwangerschaft, Wochenbett, Stillzeit, Menopause)

Mensesstörungen

Oft angezeigt, wenn Mädchen oder Frauen Probleme mit der Menstruation haben. So kann der Zyklus verkürzt sein und die Blutung spärlich. Schmerzen und verschiedene Symptome treten vor

und während der Menses auf und verursachen starke Beschwerden.  (PMS, Dysmenorrhoe)

Die Regel kann ausbleiben, wenn "Frau" sich die Füße verkühlt.

Venöses System

Von großer Bedeutung ist außerdem die Wirkung auf das venöse System. Ebenso wie Sepia werden die venösen Stauungen durch erschlaffte Gefäße hervorgerufen. Dagegen wirken vor allem Bewegung und Kälte bzw. frische Luft positiv. Geschlossen Räume, Wärme und Ruhe verschlechtern hingegen die Symptome. Im Sommer kommt es zu Schlappheit und Energielosigkeit.

Katarrh

Formen von akuten oder chronischen Katarrhen (Entzündungen der Ohren, Nase, Augen, Bronchien und Harnorganen finden). Dabei sind die Absonderungen mild und gelblich. Schon manche therapieresistente Mittelohrentzündung konnte mit Pulsatilla behandelt werden.

Auch auf die Schleimhäute des Magen-/Darmtraktes wirkt Pulsatilla heilend, wenn die Beschwerden nach verdorbenem Essen, Durcheinanderessen oder zu Fettem-Essen auftreten, vor allem,

wenn die Beschwerden mit Aufstoßen und Frösteln einhergehen.

Leitsymptom Veränderlichkeit

Veränderlichkeit der Symptome ist eines der deutlichen Charakteristika der homöopathischen Pulsatilla. Zum Beispiel ändern sich beim Durchfall ständig Aussehen, Geruch und Beschaffenheit

des Stuhlgangs. So findet sich kein gleicher Stuhlgang hintereinander.

Symptome können verschwinden und dann wieder einsetzen. So ist Pulsatilla ein Hauptmittel, wenn die Regelblutung einen Tag während der Menses aussetzt. Wenn Kopfschmerzen einen Tag

so erscheinen und am nächsten Tag anders, kann Pulsatilla das richtige Heilmittel sein.

Auch die Gemüts-Symptome können von derselben veränderlichen Natur sein. Einmal erscheint der/die Kranke gereizt, wenig später weinerlich und dann wieder sanft und liebenswürdig.

Depressionen

Depressionen, wenn diese im Zusammenhang mit Hormonumschwüngen auftreten. (Pubertät, Schwangerschaft, nach der Geburt, vor der Menopause)  Dabei unterscheidet Pulsatilla von Sepia (die auch bei homrmonell bedingten Depressionen angewendet wird), dass Menschen, die die Kuhschelle benötigen, sich gern helfen lassen und Mut und Hoffnung durch Trost erfahren.

Zuwendung, Trost und Unterstützung

Dieses ungewöhnliche Symptom ist ein weiteres Charakteristikum dieser homöopathischen Arznei. Wenn bei chronischen Beschwerden (Sinusitis, Otitis media, Konjuktivitis, Schmerzzuständen) ein starkes Verlangen nach Zuwendung, Trost und Unterstützung vorherrscht, dann kann Pulsatilla das helfende Arzneimittel sein. Bei akuten Beschwerden (Grippe, Halssentzündung etc.) hilft Pulsatilla auch, wenn die oben genannten Symptome nicht vorliegen. Der Drang nach Bewegung in frischer Luft, Frösteligkeit mit Abneigung gegen Wärme, mild-eitrige Absonderungen sind jedoch fast immer bei den Krankheiten anzutreffen.

Durstlosigkeit

Die Pflanze Pulsatilla liebt trockenen, kalk- und kieselreichen Boden, denn sie geht bei Staunässe ein. Durch die bevorzugte Bodenbeschaffenheit versickert Regenwasser besonders schnell.

Daher kann davon ausgegangen werden, dass diese Pflanze eine Affinität zur Durstlosigkeit besitzt. Silicea (Pulsatilla liebt Kieselsäureböden) gehört zu den Komplementärmitteln der Pulsatilla.

Auch in der Homöopathie ist die Durstlosigkeit eines der bekanntesten Symptome für Pulsatilla. Hahnemann selbst fand  "Hitze des Körpers ohne Durst". Doch dieses Symptom wird oft überbewertet. Häufiger finden sich neben anderen passenden Symptomen, viel Durst!

 

 

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