• Venous congestion, haemorrhages and varicose veins
• Painless haemorrhoids bleeding profusely
• Varicose Veins

Source: Vegetable kingdom
Synonyms: Witch-hazel
Family: Hamamelidace
Prover: Dr Constantine Hering
Duration of Action: 1 to 7 days
Diathesis: Haemorrhagic

Introduction and History: The deep red of the tincture of Hamamelis may be taken as the ‘doctrine of signature’ of its therapeutic action. No remedy has a wider sphere of usefulness in cases of haemorrhages and disordered blood vessels. Dr C. Hering who learned its properties from Mr Pond of ‘Pond’s Extract’ fame (Pond was a patient of Hering), made the first proving and introduced the remedy into homeopathy. He defines its position between Aconite and Arnica. ‘Pond’s Extract’ is an aqueous distillate prepared from the leaves of the shrub. A number of interesting superstitions are associated with the shrub; it’s shoots are used as ‘divining rods’ for discovering water and metal.

Habitat: USA. The shrub flowers from September to November; when the leaves are falling, the shrub flowers. The seeds mature the following summer.

Preparation and Parts Used: The tincture is prepared from the fresh bark of twigs and roots.

Constitution and Physiognomy: It is suited to venous constitutions.

Physio-pathological Changes (Pathology)

Through the spinal nerves it acts upon the venous system and upon the generative organs of men and Women.

It acts on the venous system producing venous congestion, varicosis and haemorrhage.

It also acts on the generative organ of men where it produces the most intense neuralgia, inflammation of the testicles, amorous dreams with nocturnal emissions, great prostration of animal passions, profuse cold sweat on the scrotum, with great relaxation of genital organs and varicosis of the spermatic cord.

It acts on the generative organs of women where it produces great irritation, congestion, inflammation and neuralgia of the ovaries, passive haemorrhage from the uterus and irritation of the venous capillaries of the mucous membrane of the vagina and uterus.

Ailments From: Burns, injuries.

Seat of Action (Pharmacodynamics): It mainly acts on veins, capillaries, liver, portal system, rectum and reproductive organs.

Characteristic Mental Symptoms (Psychology)

1. Patient is forgetful, no desire to work. Irritable.
2. Haemorrhage with a tranquil mind.
3. Wants ‘the respect due to me’ shown. Feels unappreciated.
4. Depression in mind, also after emissions with a regretful mind.

Characteristic Physical Guiding Symptoms

Wounds: Useful for incised, lacerated, contused injuries from falls. It stops the haemorrhage and removes Soreness and pain.

Haemorrhages: Profuse, severe haemorrhage. Bad effects from loss of blood. Haemorrhage is venous in nature, occurs from every orifice of the body – nose, lungs, bowels, uterus, bladder. Is dark, profuse, grumous from ulceration of bowels.

Bruises: Bruised soreness of affected parts, articular and muscular rheumatism

Traumatic conjuctivitis: Indicated in traumatic conjunctivitis in which there is extravasation of blood into the chambers of eye, from severe coughing, intense Soreness.

Epistaxis: Passive, profuse, long lasting, non-coagulable flow of blood in between menses, during childhood, in idiopathic cases and traumatic cases.

Haemoptysis: Tickling cough, with taste of blood or sulphur which occurs without any effort on coughing, lasts sometimes for months or years.

Haemorrhoids: These bleed profusely with burning, soreness, fullness, heaviness, as if the back would break, urging to stool.

Stool: Stools are bluish; anus feel raw and sore to touch.

Prostration: Severe prostration occurs after haemorrhage, out of all proportion to blood loss; due to haemorrhage from piles.

Venous congestion: Passive congestion of skin and mucous membranes.

Varicose veins: It is useful for phlebitis, varicose veins, ulcers with stinging, pricking pain. Patient is subject to varicose veins, taking cold easily, especially in warm, moist air. Varicose veins during pregnancy. It is the Aconite of the venous capillary system.

Uterine haemorrhages: Active or passive after a fall or rough riding; vicarious menstruation, no mental anxiety.

Bearing down: Bearing down pain in the back.

Menses: Flow is dark and profuse with soreness in the abdomen after a blow on the ovary or a fall, worse during menstruation.

Important Characteristic Features

Haemorrhages: It is a striking remedy for venous congestion and haemorrhages. Veins are distended in all parts. Varicose veins, especially of lower limbs, marked Soreness of the varices. It is also useful for purpura haemorrhagica. Dusky purplish appearance of the skin, with full veins. Varicose veins about ulcers that bleed dark blood. Ulcers are dark, even black, and discharge black blood. Sore, bruised feeling all over the body. Veins are very sensitive to pressure. There is much weakness with or without bleeding prostration, out of proportion to the loss of blood. Vicarious haemorrhages. The patient is tired mentally and physically, aversion to mental work, he forgets the word when talking; is irritable, depressed and stupid with recurrent haemorrhage.

Epistaxis: Epistaxis of dark blood recurring frequently, with menses and also when menses fail. Epistaxis sometimes copious, clotted and very dark.

Piles: Copious, dark blood from piles. Constipation. Ulceration of the intestines, rectum and anus. Portal congestion and haemorrhoids with much bleeding. Haemorrhoids that protrude, pulsate and bleed much, also painful. Anus contracts spasmodically with intense burning pain. Itching of the anus.

Female reproductive organs: It is a useful remedy for uterine haemorrhage. There is tenderness in the ovaries and uterus. Paroxysmal pain in left ovary. Acute vaginitis with contractions and bleeding. Tenderness of vagina during coition. Spasms of the vagina. Uterine haemorrhage which is active or passive in nature with copious bleeding, dark clots; sometimes with bright red blood. Vicarious menstruation from nose, stomach and lungs. Subinvolution with much uterine tenderness and occasional bleeding. Menstrual flow copious, dark, clotted. Recurrent haemorrhages in pregnant women. Haemorrhages occurring during parturition. Varicose veins during pregnancy.

General Modalities

Aggravation: From injuries, bruises, pressure, warm moist air, open humid cold air, jar, touch, during day, rainy weather.

Amelioration: Rest.

Remedy Relationships

Complementary: Ferr.

Antidoted by: Arn, Camph, Chin, Puls.

Comparison

Haemorrhage from tooth extraction: Bov, Ham, Kreos.

Contused wounds: Arn, Ham, Mill.

Non-coagulable blood: Ham, Crot-h.

All sufferings worse at menstrual period: Cimic, Ham, Puls.

Prostration out of all proportion to the amount of blood lost from piles: Ham, Hydr.

Hastens absorption of intraocular haemorrhage: Arn, Calen, Ham.

Profuse nosebleed ameliorates headache: Ham, Mill.

Dosage: Mother tincture to 3c. External application of mother tincture.

Repetition: Bears frequent repetition well.

Therapeutic Value: Bruises, Burns, Cancer, Chilblains, Enteric fever, Epistaxis, Gastric ulcers, Haematemesis, Haematuria, Haemorrhages, Haemorrhoids, Leucorrhoea, Orchitis, Phimosis, Phlegmasia alba dolens, Purpura haemorrhagica, Rheumatism, Scurvy, Smallpox, Tuberculosis, Varicocele, Varicose veins, Wounds.