Gaultheria procumbens
Plant · Ericaceae
Gaultheria Procumbens is suited to individuals with inflammatory rheumatic conditions and neuralgic pains, particularly sciatica, pleurodynia, and ciliary or facial neuralgia. The patient may experience acute gastric disturbance with inordinate appetite yet inability to retain food. Renal inflammation and undue sexual excitement accompany the rheumatic picture.
Key symptoms
- Inflammatory rheumatism with neuralgic pains
- Sciatica and pleurodynia
- Acute gastritis with severe epigastric pain and prolonged vomiting
- Intense erythema of the skin with smarting and burning
- Uncontrollable appetite with irritable stomach
- Cystic and prostatic irritation with undue sexual excitement
Worse (aggravation)
- Worse from cold bathing (skin erythema)
Better (amelioration)
- Better from olive oil applied locally
- Better from cool air blowing on the part
Wintergreen (GAULTHERIA)
Inflammatory rheumatism, pleurodynia, sciatica, and other neuralgias, come within, the sphere of this remedy. Cystic and prostatic irritation, undue sexual excitement, and renal inflammation.
Head
Neuralgia of head and face.
Stomach
Acute gastritis, severe pain in epigastrium; prolonged vomiting. Uncontrollable appetite, notwithstanding irritable stomach. Gastralgia from nervous depression (Give five drops of 1x of Oil).
Skin
Smarting and burning. Intense erythema, worse, cold bathing; better, olive oil and cool air blowing on part.
Relationship
Compare: Spiræea. Gaultheria contains Arbutin. Salycyl acid. Methylium salicylicum (an artificial Gaultheria oil for rheumatism, especially when the salicylates cannot be used. Pruritus and epididymitis, locally). After Cantharis in burns.
Dose
Tincture and lower potencies.
Gaultheria procumbens. Wintergreen. N. O. Ericaceæ. Tincture of fresh leaves. Oil obtained from leaves. An evergreen trailing vine found in cool, damp woods. The oil contains methyl salicylate, and is one of the sources of Salicin.
Clinical
Gastritis. Neuralgia. Pleurodynia. Rheumatism. Sciatica.
Characteristics
Several cases of poisoning with the oil have been recorded in which symptoms of acute gastritis appeared: prolonged vomiting, set up afresh by the least thing taken, as a cup of water; severe pain in epigastrium, slow, laborious breathing, insensibility and hot skin. Inhalation of Ammonia aroused the patients from stupor. B. F. Lang (H. R., ix. 214, 340) has related his experience with material doses in─ciliary neuralgia; facial neuralgia; gastric, ovarian, uterine, and menstrual neuralgias; sciatica; and inflammatory rheumatism.
Classical texts are in the public domain. Educational reference only — not medical advice.
