Colocynthis
Citrullus colocynthis · Colocynth, bitter apple, bitter cucumber · Plant · Cucurbitaceae
Colocynthis works best on those whose symptoms are brought on by suppressed anger. These people tend to be generally restless, anxious, and reserved, but easily irritated or angered. They have a strong sense of right and wrong, and can feel humiliated if their opinion is contradicted; the humiliation then gives way to indignation. Colocynthis is prescribed if the physical complaint, such as neuralgia or a digestive disorder, is brought on by, or exacerbated by, pent-up anger.
The remedy is used chiefly for acute pain, specifically colicky abdominal pain; cramping in the hips, kidneys, and ovaries; headaches; or shooting nerve pain in the face, neck, and limbs. It may also be prescribed for gout and rheumatic pain in the neck.
Key symptoms
- conditions that are triggered by pent-up anger
- colicky pains that are relieved by pressure
- indignation
- neuralgic pains that are better for warmth
Worse (aggravation)
- stooping
- lying on back
- and moving eyelids
Better (amelioration)
- pressure and heat
- with soreness of scalp
- pressure
Bitter Cucumber
Often indicated in the transition season when the air is cold, but the sun is still powerful enough to heat the blood.
Develops most of its symptoms in the abdomen and head, causing intense neuralgias. It is especially suitable for irritable persons easily angered, and ill effects therefrom. Women with copious menstruation, and of sedentary habits. Persons with a tendency to corpulency. The neuralgic pains are nearly always relieved by pressure. Cramps and twitching and shortening of muscles. Constrictions and contractions. Cystospasm following operations on orifices (Hyper). Urinous odor of perspiration (Berb; Nitr ac). Agonizing pain in abdomen, causing patient to bend double, is most characteristic. Sensations; cutting, twisting, grinding, contracting and bruised; as if clamped with iron bands.
Mind
Extremely irritable. Becomes angry when questioned. Mortification caused by offense. Anger, with indignation (Cham; Bry; Nux).
Head
Vertigo when turning head to the left. Lateral cutting headache, with nausea, vomiting. Pains (better pressure and heat), with soreness of scalp. Burning pains, digging, rending, and tearing. Frontal headache; worse, stooping, lying on back, and moving eyelids.
Eyes
Pains sharp, boring, better pressure. Sensation on stooping, as if eye would fall out. Gouty affections of eyes. Violent pain in eyeballs which precede the development of glaucoma.
Face
Tearing, shooting, and swelling of face; left side great soreness. Get relief from pressure (China). Neuralgia, with chilliness; teeth seem too long. Sounds re-echo in ears. Pain in stomach, always with pain of teeth or head.
Stomach
Very bitter taste. Tongue rough, as from sand, and feels scalded. Canine hunger. Feeling in stomach as if something would not yield; drawing pain.
Abdomen
Agonizing cutting pain in abdomen causing patient to end over double, and pressing on the abdomen. Sensation as if stones were being ground together in the abdomen, and would burst. Intestines feel as if bruised. Colic with cramps in calves. Cutting in abdomen, especially after anger. Each paroxysm is attended with general agitation and a chill over the cheeks, ascending from the hypogastrium. Pain in small spot below navel. Dysenteric stool renewed each time by the least food or drink. Jelly-like stools. Musty odor. Distention.
Female
Boring pain in ovary. Must draw up double, with great restlessness. Round, small cystic tumors in ovaries or broad ligaments. Wants abdomen supported by pressure. Bearing-down cramps, causing her to bend double (Opium).
Urine
Intense burning along urethra during stool. Vesical catarrh, discharge like fresh white of egg. Viscid (Phos acid) fetid; small quantities, with frequent urging. Itching at orifice. Red, hard crystals, adhering firmly to vessel. Tenesmus of bladder. Pains on urinating over whole abdomen.
Extremities
Contraction of muscles. All the limbs are drawn together. Pain in right deltoid (Guaco). Cramp-like pain in hip; lies on affected side; pain from hip to knee. Spontaneous luxation of the hip-joints. Stiffness of joints and shortening of tendons. Sciatic pain, left side, drawing, tearing; better, pressure and heat; worse, gentle touch. Contraction of the muscles. Pain down right thigh; muscles and tendons feel too short; numbness with pains (Gnaphal). Pain in left knee joint.
Modalities
Worse, from anger and indignation. Better, doubling up, hard pressure, warmth, lying with head bent forward.
Relationship
Antidote: Coffea; Staphis; Cham. Colocynth is the best antidote to lead poisoning (Royal).
Compare: Lobelia erinus (violent cork-screw-like pains in abdomen). Dipodium punctatum (Writhing. Twisting like a dying snake. Intractable insomnia). Dioscor; Chamom; Coccul; Merc; Plum; Magn phos.
Dose
Sixth to thirtieth potency.
Pains
The principal feature of Colocynth is its severe, tearing, neuralgic pains; so severe that the patient is unable to keep still. Sometimes they are > by motion - at least it appears that they are worse during rest- > by pressure and sometimes > by heat. Pains occur in the face, abdomen, along the course of the nerves.
These pains are often due to a very singular cause, namely, anger with indignation. Hence persons who are haughty and easily offended or chagrined have Colocynth complaints. Anger will be followed by violent neuralgia in the head, eyes, down the spine and in the intestines.
In spite of extreme restlessness there is great weakness with the pains. It patient suffering with chronic diarrhoea, with severe colic, will sometimes become so weak that he can hardly speak. A feeling of faintness, or even fainting, is by no means an unusual concomitant of the pains. Griping occurs along the course of nerves, and in some cases numbness, pricking and tingling, like the crawling of ants in the part affected.
Citrullus colocynthis. Cucumis colocynthis. Bitter Apple. N. O. Cucurbitaceæ. Native of Turkey. Tincture of pulp of fruit.
Clinical
Cataract. Ciliary neuralgia. Colic. Coxalgia. Diabetes. Diarrhœa. Dysentery. Dysmenorrhœa. Glaucoma. Headache. Hoarseness. Menstrual colic. Neuralgia. Ovaries, affections of. Paraphimosis. Peritonitis. Rheumatism. Sciatica. Toothache. Tumours. Uterus, pains in. Vagina, pains in.
Characteristics
"The strongest characteristic calling for the use of this remedy is an agonising pain in the abdomen causing the patient to bend over double. Relief is obtained by motion, such as twisting, turning and wriggling around, and the motion is kept up steadily while the pain lasts; the pain is < by eating or drinking the least amount. This pain may occur alone, or in the dysentery, cholera, &c. The doubling over of the patient is the chief characteristic" (Guernsey). The patient bends double or presses something hard against the abdomen. He leans over chairs, the table, or bedposts to get …
Squirting Cucumber. (Cucurbitaceae)
Agonizing pain in abdomen causing patient to bend double, with restlessness, twisting and turning to obtain relief; > by hard pressure (> by heat, Mag. p.). Pains: are worse after eating or drinking; compel patient to bend double (Mag. p. - < by bending double, Dios.); menses, suppressed by chagrin, colic pains. Exteremely irritable, impatient; becomes angry or offended on being questioned. Irritable; throws things out of his hands. Affections from anger, with indignation - colic, vomiting, diarrhoea and suppression of menses (Cham., Staph.). Vertigo: when quickly turning head, especially to the left, as if he would fall; from stimulants. Sciatica: crampy pain in hip, as though screwd in a vise; lies upon affected side. Shooting pain, like lightening-shocks, down the whole limb, left hip, left thigh, left knee, into popliteal fossa.
Mind
Does not like to talk, to answer, or to see friends, or anybody.
Mind
Affections from anger; with indignation, particularly vomiting and diarrhoea.
Stomach
Vomiting and diarrhoea with colic; doubling up; from anger, with indigestion.
Abdomen
Severe colicky pains, mostly around the navel; has to bend double; being worse in any other posture; with great restlessness and loud screaming on changing position; < at intervals of five or ten minutes.
Abdomen
Colic so distressing that they seek relief by pressing the abdomen against corner of table, hands of bed posts or anything else as pressure > the pains.
Anus and Stool
Dysentery-like diarrhoea renewed each time after taking the least food or drink.
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Severe colicky pains, mostly around the umbilicus, has to bend double, worse in any other position, great restlessness and loud screaming on changing position, worse at intervals of 5 or 10 minutes, discharge of stool or flatulence affords temporary relief.
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Colic so distressing that they seek relief by pressing corners of tables or heads of bedposts against the abdomen.
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Dysentery-like diarrhoea, renewed each time after taking the least food or drink.
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Urinates small quantities with frequent urging, fetid, thick, viscid jelly-like urine.
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Intense boring or tensive pain in the ovary causing her to bend double with great restlessness.
Phatak's chapter on Colocynthis is available in the app.
Read Phatak in the appClassical texts are in the public domain. Educational reference only — not medical advice.
