Nux Vomica (Poison Nut)

Is the greatest of polychrests, because the bulk of its symptoms correspond in similarity with those of the commonest and most frequent of diseases. It is frequently the first remedy indicated after overdosing, establishing a sort of equilibrium of forces and counteracting chronic effects.

Nux-v. is pre-eminently the remedy for many of the conditions incident to modern life. The typical Nux-v. patient is rather thin, spare, quick, active, nervous and irritable. He does a good deal of mental work; has mental strains and leads a sedentary life, found in prolonged office work, overstudy and close application to business, with its cares and anxieties. This indoor life and mental strain seeks stimulants, coffee, wine, possibly in excess; or, again, he hopes to quieten his excitement, by indulging in the sedative effects of tobacco, if not really a victim, to the seductive drugs, like opium, etc. These things are associated with other indulgences; at table, he takes preferably rich and stimulating food; wine and women play their part to make him forget the close application of the day. Late hours are a consequence; a thick head, dyspepsia and an irritable temper are the next day’s inheritance. Now he takes some cathartic, liver pills or mineral water and soon gets into the habit of taking these things, which still further complicate matters. Since these frailties are more yielded to by men than women, Nux-v. is pre-eminently a male remedy. These conditions produce an irritable, nervous system, hypersensitive and over impressionable, which Nux-v. will do much to soothe and calm. Especially adapted to digestive disturbances, portal congestion, and hypochondriacal states depending thereon. Convulsions, with consciousness; worse, touch, moving. Zealous fiery temperament. Nux-v. patients are easily chilled, avoid open air, etc. Nux-v. always seems to be out of tune; inharmonious spasmodic action.

Mind: Very irritable; sensitive to all impressions. Ugly, malicious. Cannot bear noises, odors, light, etc. Does not want to be touched. Time passes too slowly. Even the least ailment affects him greatly. Disposed to reproach others. Sullen, fault finding.

Head: Headache in the occiput or over the eyes, with vertigo; brain feels as if turning in a circle. Oversensitiveness. Vertigo with momentary loss of consciousness. Intoxicated feeling; worse morning, mental exertion, tobacco, alcohol, coffee, open air. Pressing pain in the vertex, as if a nail was driven in. Vertigo in the morning and after dinner. Scalp sensitive. Frontal headache, with a desire to press the head against something. Congestive headache, associated with haemorrhoids. Headache in the sunshine (sunstroke) (Glon., Nat-c.). Feels distended and sore within, after a debauch.

Eyes: Photophobia; worse in the morning. Smarting dry sensation in the inner canthi. Infra-orbital neuralgia, with watering of eyes. Optic nerve atrophy from the habitual use of intoxicants (amblyopia, amaurosis). Paresis of ocular muscles; worse, tobacco and stimulants. Orbital twitching radiating towards the occiput. Optic neuritis.

Ears: Itching in the ear through out the eustachian tube. Auditory canal dry and sensitive. Otalgia; worse in bed. Hyperesthesia of the auditory nerves; loud sounds are painful, and anger him.

Nose: Stuffed up, especially at night. Stuffy colds, snuffles, after exposure to dry, cold atmosphere; worse, in a warm room. Odors tend to produce fainting. Coryza; fluent at daytime; stuffed up at night and outdoors; or alternates between nostrils. Epistaxis in the morning (Bry.). Arid discharge, but with a stuffed up feeling.

Mouth: Jaws contracted. Small aphthous ulcers with bloody saliva (stomatitis). First half of tongue clean; posterior covered with a deep fur; white, yellow, cracked edges. Toothache; worse cold things. Gums swollen, white, and bleeding (scorbutic).

Throat: Rough, scraped feeling. Tickling after waking up in the morning. Sensation of roughness, tightness and tension. Pharynx constricted. Uvula swollen. Stitches extend to the ear.

Stomach: Sour taste and nausea in the morning, after eating. Weight and pain in the stomach; worse, eating, some time after. Flatulence and pyrosis. Sour, bitter eructations. Nausea and vomiting, with much retching. Ravenous hunger, especially, about a day before an attack of dyspepsia. Region of stomach very sensitive to pressure (Bry., Ars.). Epigastrium bloated, with pressure, as of a stone, several hours after eating. Desire for stimulants. Loves fats and tolerates them well (Puls. opposite). Dyspepsia from drinking strong coffee. Difficult belching of gas. Wants to vomit, but cannot.

Abdomen: Bruised soreness of abdominal walls (Apis, Sulph.). Flatulent distention with spasmodic colic. Colic from uncovering. Liver engorged, with stitches and soreness. Colic with upward pressure, causing short breath, and desire for stool. Weakness in the region of abdominal ring. Strangulated hernia (Op.). Forcing in of lower abdomen towards the genitals. Umbilical hernia in infants.

Rectum: Constipation with frequent ineffectual urging, incomplete and unsatisfactory; feeling as if a part remained unexpelled. Constriction of the rectum. Irregular, peristaltic action; hence frequent ineffectual desire or passing but small quantities at each attempt. Absence of all desire for defecation is a contraindication. Alternate constipation and diarrhea, after abuse of purgatives. Urge for stool if felt throughout the abdomen. Itching, blind hemorrhoids, with ineffectual urging to stool; very painful; after drastic drugs. Diarrhea after a debauch; worse, morning. Frequent small evacuations. Scanty stool, with marked urging. Dysentery; stools relieve pains for some time. Constant uneasiness in the rectum. Diarrhea with jaundice (Dig.).

Urinary: Irritable bladder; from spasmodic sphincter. Frequent calls; little and often. Hematuria (Ip., Ter.). Ineffectual urging, spasmodic and strangury. Renal colic extending to genitals (renal calculi) with dribbling urine. While micturating, itching in the urethra and pain in the neck of the bladder.

Male: Easily excited desire. Emissions from high living. Bad effects of sexual excesses. Constrictive pain in the testicles. Orchitis (Ham., Puls.). Spermatorrhea with dreams, backache, burning in the spine, weakness and irritability. Hydrocele.

Female: Menses too early, last too long; always irregular, blood black (Cycl., Lach., Puls.) with fainting spells. Prolapsus uteri. Dysmenorrhea with pain in the sacrum, and constant urging to stool. Inefficient labor pains; extend to the rectum, with desire for stool and frequent micturition (Lil-t.). Desire too strong. Metrorrhagia with sensation as if the bowels wanted to move.

Respiratory: Catarrhal hoarseness with scraping in throat. Spasmodic constriction. Asthma, with fullness in the stomach, in the morning or after eating. Cough, with sensation as if something had been torn loose in the chest. Shallow respiration. Oppressed breathing. Tight, dry, hacking cough; at times with hemoptysis. Cough brings on a bursting headache and bruised pain in the epigastric region.

Back: Backache in the lumbar region. Burning in the spine (myelitis); worse 3 to 4 a.m. Cervico-brachial neuralgia; worse, touch. Must sit up in order to turn in bed. Bruised pain below scapulae. Sitting is painful.

Extremities: Arms and hands go to sleep. Paresis of arms, with shocks. Legs numb; feel paralyzed; cramps in calves and soles. Partial paralysis, from over exertion or getting soaked (Rhus-t.). Cracking in knee joints during motion. Drags his feet when walking (locomotor ataxia). Sensation of sudden loss in power of arms and legs, in the morning.

Sleep: Cannot sleep after 3 a.m. till, towards the morning; wakes up feeling wretched. Drowsy after meals, and in early evening. Dreams full of bustle and hurry. Better after a short sleep, unless aroused.

Fever: Cold stage predominates. Paroxysms anticipated in the morning. Excessive rigor, with blueness of finger nails. Aching in limbs and back, and gastric symptoms. Chilly; must be covered in every stage of fever. Perspiration sour; only one side of the body. Chilliness on being uncovered, yet he does not allow being covered. Dry heat of the body.

Skin: Body burning hot, especially the face; yet cannot move or uncover without feeling chilly. Urticaria with gastric derangement. Acne, skin red and blotchy.

Modalities: Worse, morning, mental exertion, after eating, touch, spices, stimulants, narcotics, dry weather, cold. Better, from a nap, if allowed to finish it; in the evening, while resting in damp, wet weather (Caust.), hard strong pressure.

Relationship: Nux-v. seeds contain copper, notice the cramp causing proclivities of both.

Complementary: Sulph., Sep.
Inimical: Zinc.
Compare: Stry. and Kali-c., Hydr., Bry., Lyc., Graph.
Antidotes: Coff., Ign., Cocc.

Dose: First to thirtieth potency and higher. Nux-v. is said to act best when given in the evening.

Reference: New Manual of Homoeopathic Materia Medica & Repertory with Relationship of Remedies by William Boericke