Carduus benedictus
Cnicus benedictus · Plant · Asteraceae
Carduus Benedictus has a strong action on the eyes (twitchings, visual disturbances, feeling of enlarged eyeballs), the respiratory tract (contracted trachea, hoarseness, cold inspired air), and the digestive system (bitter burning in stomach, dysphagia). The running thread through the proving is a sensation of contraction in many parts. Burning and varicosis of veins are also notable features.
Key symptoms
- Twitchings and disturbance of vision; flickering fiery stars before eyes
- Eyeballs feel larger; blackness before eyes transiently
- Sensation of contraction in many parts, especially trachea and buccal cavity
- Bitter burning in the stomach as if greatly deranged
- Pain in the trachea as if inflamed; inspired air feels cold
- Cracking and aching in joints with difficult motion
- Aching and slight swelling of veins
Worse (aggravation)
- Motion and walking
- Touch and pressure
- Stretching the limbs
- Stooping (vertigo and head pressure worse)
Better (amelioration)
- After eating (buccal contraction sensation improves)
Cnicus benedictus. Centaurea benedicta. N. O. Compositæ. Tincture of whole plant when in flower.
Clinical
Amaurosis. Diarrhœa. Eyes, affections of. Fever. Headache. Joints, cracking of. Œsophagus, stricture of. Varicosis. Vision, affections of.
Characteristics
The proving of Card. ben. shows a strong action on the eyes: twitchings, and disturbance of vision; flickerings; muscæ volitantes. The prover had "blackness before eyes for a short time." Eyeballs feel larger. "Burning" is a symptom which runs through the proving. There is a "bitter burning" in the stomach, as if it were much deranged; burning in hands after sweat; burning in the arms on exerting them. The gastro-abdominal disturbances of Card. mar. are observed, in less degree, in Card. ben. There is disordered taste, dysphagia; yawning and hiccough; cutting pains in abdomen, vomiting and diarrhœa. The respiratory sphere is strongly affected and there is pain and contractive sensation in the trachea with hoarseness. Inspired air feels cold. Other …
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