Berberis
Berberis vulgaris · Plant · Berberidaceae
The Berberis patient is pallid, sickly, prematurely old and wrinkled, with a low economy and anaemic constitution too feeble to determine gouty deposits to their proper joint locations. There is persistent forgetfulness, weak memory, and terrifying apparitions in twilight. The patient suffers from wandering pains throughout the body that radiate in all directions from their point of origin, associated with urinary and hepatic disturbances.
Key symptoms
- Radiating pains from a fixed point (kidney, liver, joint) in all directions
- Wandering stitching burning tearing pains constantly changing location
- Severe soreness in lumbar region intolerant of jar or pressure
- Renal colic with pains shooting down to bladder and spermatic cord
- Pale earthy face with sunken cheeks and hollow blue-ringed eyes
- Urine dark turbid with copious sediment alternating copious and scanty
- Gallstone colic with stabbing pains in liver radiating in all directions
- Fistula in ano with stitching pains
Worse (aggravation)
- Jarring and riding in a carriage (kidney region)
- Morning in bed (backache)
- Sitting or lying (backache in kidney region)
Generalities
When we have finished the study of Berberis we will see that it is not a very extensive remedy, but it is a very important one.
Like Benzoic acid, it fits into the gouty and rheumatic sphere. It corresponds to such gouty conditions as do not determine to their proper places.
A low state of the economy is present; anaemic condition; feeble constitution; pallid and sickly, old and worn out; prematurely old and wrinkled men and women.
They are too feeble to determine the gouty deposits to the finger joints, where they naturally belong, and the trouble is yet, as it were, wandering around through the economy.
Wandering pains in the nerves, and nerve sheaths. The wandering, stitching, tearing, twinging pains that run through Berberis are found in old gouty constitutions, and that is where we get the greatest benefit from Berberis.
Abdomen
Pressure or sticking pain in region of liver.
Anus and Stool
Fistula in ano with sticking in the parts, particularly if complicated with cough.
Urinary Organs
Renal or urinary troubles with sticking, cutting pain from left kidney following course of ureter into bladder and kidney.
Urinary Organs
Pains radiating from renal region; extending to thighs.
Neck and Back
Backache extending to pelvis and posterior portion of thighs.
Neck and Back
Bruised pain, with stiffness and lameness in small of back; rises from seat with difficulty.
Neck and Back
Backache in region of kidneys; worse while sitting or lying, and in the morning in bed.
-
Stitching, digging, tearing or pulsative pain in region of one or the other kidneys; violent stitching cutting pains from kidneys to bladder and urethra.
-
Pains in loins and hips while urinating.
-
Dragging or lancinating pain in spermatic cord, extending to the testicles.
Classical texts are in the public domain. Educational reference only — not medical advice.
