Mirza Tahir Ahmad James Tyler Kent
Guaiacum is a profoundly effective and very powerful remedy. However, homoeopathic doctors rarely use it. Only a few experienced doctors have used it and even then once in a while, otherwise, the drug has remained unknown. Usually, it is used for the treatment of rheumatic pain and gout. If the symptoms of hereditary tuberculosis are found in a patient, Guaiacum must be kept in mind for the treatment of such a patient. In a patient of Guaiacum, there is a tendency towards diarrhoea. Furthermore the white ropy structures called tendons, which attach the muscles to the bones, become contracted and then shrink, resulting in the contracture of the joints, meaning that they cannot be fully stretched, and hurt on such an attempt. There is a feeling of pain and tiredness over the muscles of both the shoulders. Guaiacum is useful in treating this condition.
The symptoms of Guaiacum aggravate with heat while they ameliorate in cold. From this point of view, it is similar to Ledum, Pulsatilla, Lac Caninum and Iodum. However, there are clear-cut symptoms of each of these remedies, by which they can be distinguished; a proper diagnosis can be arrived at and the optimal treatment may be given.
Due to the multiple joint pains, the patients of Guaiacum stoop forward while walking. Their knee joints become weak, and the hands and feet become stiff. The person may become completely disabled physically. Besides Guaiacum, these symptoms can be treated with Colchicum. The significant feature of Colchicum is that the pain starts at the big toe. The salient sign of Guaiacum is that the affected area is hypersensitive to any kind of touch. The symptoms become worse with the application of heat. The swelling of the joints may lead to the formation of ulcers and abscesses. Guaiacum is deeply related to the bones as well. The bones become soft, bend and become porous like a sponge (osteoporosis). This condition often reminds one of Calcarea Carb. However, if there is the tendency towards joint pains, Guaiacum will be found more effective. Another sign of Guaiacum is the feeling of extreme tiredness. On the slightest movement, the patient feels weak. The weakness then involves the nerves leading to further physical weakness. The body then starts wasting.
Guaiacum is very useful in the treatment of tuberculosis in its early stages. If the tuberculosis bacteria are present in the blood and the patient suffers from rheumatism along with the tendency to development of boils, and there are generalised body aches, then Guaiacum will be found very effective.
Guaiacum is also an antisporic remedy i.e. it is very effective against skin diseases related to psoriasis and leprosy. Sulphur and Psorinum are also top class antisporic medicines. The nature of Sulphur is hot whereas that of Psorinum is cold. However, Sulphur and Psorinum alone cannot cure all types of psoriatic diseases. When such diseases have afflicted the mucous membranes also, several other medicines need to be used. If the developing condition is of eczema, the appropriate analogous remedy will need to be given according to the type of the eczema. If a condition develops out of psoriasis and the appropriate remedy administered, but the recovery stops after a little beneficial effect, then it will become necessary to use other antisporic drugs in high potencies. If the associated symptoms can be directly linked to a particular remedy, then certainly that alone will be the most effective. Sometimes the picture is not clear. In this condition, they will serve as a general cure for psora facilitating the beneficial effect of similar homoeopathic remedies.
There is many a kind of skin conditions, which require to be treated with their constitutional remedy. If the drugs selected after careful thinking, do not benefit the patient, then it becomes necessary to use antisporic drugs. They will reduce the aggressiveness of the sickness so that it becomes responsive to the overall treatment. Besides Sulphur and Psorinum, these medicines include Merc Sol, Tuberculinum and Syphilinum. Similarly, Guaiacum is also antisporic.
Guaiacum is also related to facial neuralgia. In Guaiacum, there is a pinching type of pain on one side of the face. It is very annoying. Spigelia is more effective in the treatment of facial neuralgia on the left side while Silicea and Mag Phos are more useful on the right side.
In Guaiacum, the eyes become swollen, the pupils are dilated and the eyelids are contracted. Small boils appear around the eyes. Once in a while, the ear also hurts. This, however, is not due to any infection or epidemic disease. Apparently, there is no swelling or external redness. When the pain in the ears is about to disappear, the patient feels pinpricks over the head. If a patient is suffering from severe cold along with a runny nose and feels pain over the nasal bones, he can get relief with Guaiacum. With this kind of cold, the patient feels pain in the jawbones. Eupatorium Perfol is famous for the treatment of bone pains. However, its effectiveness is limited. It has commonly been found useful in the treatment of influenza like fever. There is a small insect called “kutri”, found in the dry areas. Its bite produces severe burning sensation and inflammation. It causes Dengue fever, associated with severe bone pains. Eupatorium Perfol is very useful for the treatment of this fever. The aches and pains associated with Guaiacum are precisely timed. The bone pain, especially the pain in the roots of the teeth, often gets worse at night. Pains starting at six o’clock in the evening and continuing up to four o’clock in the morning, should be treated with Guaiacum. In the presence of its other symptoms, Guaiacum will be found effective and fast. Along with the joint pains and gout, there is a tendency of contracting sore throat. With the sore throat the entire body starts hurting. Sometimes, toothache can also cause severe body aches. In allopathy, the doctors usually advise the extraction of the tooth or the surgical removal of the tonsils, but the aches and pains may still persist. Timely treatment with Guaiacum will obviate the need for such surgery.
In Guaiacum, the patient has a constant urge to pass urine, but cannot ease himself. The repeated fruitless effort makes him restless. There is a kind of piercing sensation at the end of urination.
Women suffering from rheumatism develop permanent inflammation inside the uterus. They may develop complete cessation of the periods or other conditions due to uterine dysfunction. There is a feeling of hissing over the mammary glands. The overlying skin shrinks and small pimples develop over it.
Rapid heartbeat is also a symptom of Guaiacum. Furthermore, a dry cough and fever develop. Sometimes, rheumatic types of pains develop in the muscles of the chest wall, which become worse in winter. There is a feeling of pain over the heart. If the rheumatic fever and the associated joint pains are suppressed with some strong medication, the toxic material of the infection will afflict the valves of the heart (rheumatic carditis). The patient feels discomfort over the heart, like joint pain. When the heart gets afflicted secondary to the suppression of flu, this will be best treated with Spigelia. Spigelia is also of use to treat the aftereffects of the forcefully suppressed gout. However, Guaiacum is more useful for treating the gout as well as its deleterious effect on the heart. These pains may be on the back of the neck and when associated with tightness and stiffness of the neck; Guaiacum should be remembered. Guaiacum is also useful in the treatment of the pain over the upper arms, thighs, as well as the finger joints.
In Guaiacum, the patient may also suffer from kidney problems. Usually, the patients sweat a lot, which in fact is beneficial to them. As long as the patient perspires, the symptoms of kidney dysfunction do not appear. As soon as the patient stops perspiring, kidney symptoms will ensue. If such a patient develops renal pain in the winter, he will benefit from sweating induced by heat treatment. It simply means that the sweat, as well as the kidneys, helps eliminate similar kinds of toxic materials from the body. Guaiacum helps in elimination of these toxic materials and the salts from the body to keep their balance in the blood.
The symptoms of Guaiacum aggravate with movement, heat, pressure and on touch. The symptoms ameliorate on the application of external pressure.
Antidotes: Nux Vomica and Sepia
Potency: 30 or sometimes higher potency.
by Mirza Tahir Ahmad
GUAIACUM
This is a very deep acting remedy, even deep enough to cure the symptoms of and turn into order a constitution that is rheumatic, gouty, and has inherited phthisis.
Rheumatism: These patients are subject to diarrhoea; the tendons are too short, or they have abscesses, catarrhal troubles, bronchitis. Drawing, tension and contractions of muscular fibre. Sore swollen joints.
The rheumatic joints are more painful from warmth (Lac c., Led., Puls) and more comfortable when cool. Gouty abscesses of joints. The bones become spongy, or suppurate. The leg and ankle bones are especially affected. Sensitive periosteum.
Stitching pains are characteristic, and burning is as marked as in Arsenicum. Limbs contracted and stiff. The excretions are all offensive. Drawing, tearing pains. His cold settles in the limbs, and the joints become sore and the muscles draw. His suffering is increased by the slightest motion or exertion.
Gradually increasing exhaustion. Progressive emaciation. In the first stage of phthisis it is a wonderful remedy, when the symptoms agree. The progressive character of the sickness, the weakness of mind and body, and such symptoms as belong to deep constitutional troubles. In psoric cases complicated with syphilis and mercury and other violent drugs we find use for this most neglected remedy. It is closely related to Causticum, Sulphur, and Tuberculinum.
Absent minded in the morning. Indolent, and low spirited. Obstinate; fretful, and forgetful.
Vertigo on rising.
Rheumatic pain in one side of the head, extending to the face. Gouty headaches. Sensation of looseness of the brain. Stitching in the head. Pain in forehead, occiput, and deep in the brain. Tearing pain in the head. Sensation as if blood vessels were distended. Neuralgia on left side of face and head.
Pulsating pain, ameliorated by pressure and walking; aggravated by sitting and standing. This is an exception to the general rule, as most symptoms are aggravated by motion. Perspiration on head and face, when walking in the open air.
Sensation of protrusion of the eyes. Swelling of the eyes. Dilated pupils.
Tearing in left ear. Paroxysmal pain in ear.
Pain in the bones of the nose. Nose swollen. Fluent coryza.
Pain in the bones of the face, nose and teeth. Face red and swollen, spotted. Heat in the face in the evening. Sharp pain in right malar bone. Paroxysmal pain in face, head and neck, every day at 6 P.M., lasting until 4 A. w. Dull ache in left side of jaw. Tearing, stitching in teeth. Pain in teeth when biting jaws together. Inflammation of the tonsils, worse from drinks, and there is much burning. Perverted taste. Tongue coated thick white, or brown.
Burning in throat. Tonsillitis; it prevents suppuration.
Aversion to food, to milk. Much thirst.
Vomits a mass of watery mucus, followed by exhaustion. Nausea from sensation of mucus in throat.
Burning in stomach and abdomen.
Constrictive sensation in stomach, with anguish and dyspnea.
Much flatulence in abdomen.
Morning diarrhoea (Sulph.). Stools watery. Constipation, with hard, crumbling, offensive stool.
Urging to urinate, even after micturition. The urine is profuse, and foetid. Cutting in urethra while urine flows.
Stitching in neck of bladder after ineffectual urging to urinate. Emissions without dreams. Discharge from urethra.
Chronic inflammation of ovaries. Menses absent. Membranous dysmenorrhoea. Shuddering in mammae, with gooseflesh.
Spasms of larynx. Difficult breathing. Palpitation.
Dry, hard cough with fever, finally relieved by expectoration. Copious, putrid expectoration, like pus. Expectoration of blood.
Rheumatism of the muscles of the chest, with great pain on motion. Stitching pains in chest from motion and breathing. Stitching pains seem to be in the pleura. Chronic bronchial catarrh with putrid expectoration, when rheumatism extends to chest. Phthisis pituitosa in rheumatic and gouty patients. Chest pains after riding in open air.
Palpitation of the heart. Rheumatism of the heart; frequent weak puke.
Rheumatic stiffness of back of neck and back. Stitching in neck and back. Drawing pains in back between scapulae. All pains aggravated from motion and ameliorated during rest; aggravated from heat.
Drawing, tearing, stitching pains in upper limbs. Rheumatic pains in upper arm and shoulder. Pains in finger joints, and then in whole band. Hot bands. Stitching in right thumb. Pains all aggravated from motion; aggravated from heat.
Shortening of the hamstrings. Pain in thighs extending to knees. Tearing, drawing pains in legs. Pains in the tibia. Gouty abscess of knee. Shooting pains in legs from feet to knees. Softening of tibia and ankle bones. The knee is flexed from the contraction of hamstrings. The right leg swollen and drawn close to the thigh. Pains in all the limbs, aggravated from motion and heat. Weakness of arms and legs. Numbness of lower limbs.
Stiffness of limbs. Weakness of limbs after exertion. Rheumatism of joints, aggravated from heat and motion. Pain in limbs after taking cold.
Restless sleep. Sleeplessness. Wakens from sleep as if falling. Nightmare while lying on the back. Unrefreshing sleep.
Chilliness followed by fever in the evening. Burning fever. Hot hands. Night sweats. Copious perspiration.
The provers that perspired had no urinary symptoms.
by James Tyler Kent