Equisetum hyemale

by Adolph von Lippe — Keynotes and Red Line Symptoms of the Materia Medica

Common name: scouring bush.

Dull pain in the region of the right kidney, with urgent desire to urinate (C).

Burning in the urethra when urinating (Canth., Merc., Sulph.) (N.).

CYSTIC IRRITATION WITH TENESMUS (Apis, Bell., Canth., Dulc., Ferr-P., Merc-C., Nux-V., Puls., Sep., Thuj.) (Bl.).

Pain in the bladder, as if distended, not relieved by micturition (C.).

Much inclination to urinate (Canth., Merc., Tereb., Thuj.) (N.).

Nocturnal enuresis (Apis, Benz-Ac., Caust., Ferr., Graph., Kreos., Lac-C., Mag-P., Nat-M., Puls., Sep., Sil., Sulph.) (Bl.).

PAIN AND TENDERNESS IN THE REGION OF THE BLADDER (Bell., Canth., Lach., Merc-C., Tereb.) (C.).

Dysuria following confinement and during pregnancy (Arn., Canth., Lyc., Nux-V., Puls.) (Bl.).

CYSTITIS (Bell., Canth., Con., Gels., Staph., Thuj.) (D.).

Sharp, burning, cutting pain in the urethra while urinating (Canth., Merc-C., Tereb.) (A.).

Urine shows great excess of mucus after standing a short time (C.).

Paralysis of the bladder in old women (Con., Gels., Kali-P.) (Bl.).

FREQUENT AND INTOLERABLE URGING TO URINATE (A.).

Constant urging, with scanty discharge (C.).

Severe pain at the close of urination (Berb., Nat-M., Sars., Thuj.) (N.).

URINE HIGH-COLOURED AND SCANTY (Acon., Apis, Berb., Lyc., Sep., Tereb.) (C.).

Dribbling urine (Canth., Clem., Lil-T., Merc., Merc-C., Nux-V., Plb., Puls., Sidph., Tereb.) (B.).

Much blood and mucus in the urine (Canth., Merc-C., Tereb.) (C.).

RELATIONSHIP: Complementary: Sil.

Similar to: Apis, Berb., Canth., Dig., Ferr-P., Gels., Hep., Kali-B., Lyc., Merc., Merc-C., Nat-M., Puls., Sep., Tereb. and Thuj.

Equisetum hyemale across the other classic books

Equisetum hyemale appears in 8 of the 13 classic books on Similia. Each was written to do a different job — here is what each adds on this remedy, with the opening of its entry.

Allen HC — The keynotes that separate this remedy from its nearest neighbours.
“Scouring Rush. (Equisetaceae.) Sever dull pain in the bladder, as from distension, not > after urinating. Frequent and intolerable urging to urinate, with severe pain at close of urination (Berb., Sars., Thuja). Constant desire to urinate; large quantity of clear, watery urine, without > (scanty, a few drops, Apis…”
Allen TF — The raw proving record — symptoms as the provers reported them, unedited.
“Equisetum hyemale, Linn. Natural order , Equisetaceæ. Common name , Scouring Rush. Preparation , Tincture of whole plant. Authorities. Provings of Hugh M. Smith, M.D., Thesis, N. Y. Hom. Med. Coll., 1876. Very irritable and easily fatigued (fourth day), 1b. Confusion and Vertigo. Heavy and confused feeling in head at…”
Boericke — The quick clinical read — keynotes, modalities and the conditions it is actually prescribed in.
“Scouring-rush (EQUISETUM) Principal action on the bladder. A remedy for enuresis and dysuria. Severe, dull pain and feeling of fullness in bladder, not relieved by urinating. Frequent urging with severe pain at the close of urination . Urine flows only drop by drop. Sharp, burning , cutting pain in urethra while…”
Boger (Syn) — Generals and modalities in a short analytical portrait rather than a symptom list.
“GENITO-URINARY TRACT. At close of urination. Pressure. Aching, full, tender bladder. Cystitis. Prickling, burning, or cutting in urethra. Dysuria. NOCTURNAL ENURESIS; with irritable bladder. Dribbling urine. Mucus in urine. Complementary: Sil. Related: Canth.”
Clarke — The widest entry — sources, provings, clinical uses, relationships and antidotes in one place.
“hyemale. Scouring Rush. A rush growing in damp soil in Europe and America. N. O. Equisetaceæ. Tincture of fresh plant chopped and pounded to a pulp. Cystitis / Dropsy / Enuresis / General paralysis / Gleet / Gonorrhœa / Gravel / Hæmaturia / Urine, retention of The chief effects of Equisetum are found in the urinary…”
Hering — Graded symptoms, each weighted by how often provers and practice confirmed it.
“Scouring Rush. Equisetaceæ. A rush, growing in damp soil in Europe and North America. The tincture is prepared from the fresh plant, chopped and pounded to a pulp. A popular remedy for dropsy, suppression of urine, gravel, hæmaturia, gonorrhœa and gleet. Proved by Smith, De Korth, and Chapin. See Allen's Encyclopædia…”
Nash — The comparisons — the remedy set beside the ones it is most often confused with.
“This remedy is sometimes successful in cases which are not relieved by Cantharis. There is as much inclination to urinate as with Cantharis, and there is pain in the bladder, as if too full of urine, which must be voided in order to get relief from both pain and pressure, but urinating does not satisfy and he must…”

Equisetum hyemale in Kent's Repertory

Kent's Repertory lists Equisetum hyemale in 121 rubrics. These are the ones where it carries the highest grade — the symptoms Kent treated as most characteristic. Most of them sit in BLADDER (28), BACK (18), URINE (13), SLEEP (9), URETHRA (9).

BLADDER - URINATION - dysuria - painful,child cries before urine starts - urination,after,agg.
BLADDER - URINATION - involuntary - night (incontinence in bed) - tangible cause except habit,when there is no
BLADDER - PAIN - pressing,pressure in - urination, - after
BLADDER - PAIN - sore,tender
BLADDER - FULLNESS,sensation of
BLADDER - INFLAMMATION
BLADDER - PAIN
URINE - SEDIMENT - mucous
BLADDER - URINATION - involuntary - night (incontinence in bed)
BLADDER - URGING to urinate (morbid desire) - constant
URINE - COLOR, - dark
URINE - SCANTY
BLADDER - URGING to urinate (morbid desire) - frequent - desire increases as the quantity of urine diminishes
BLADDER - URGING to urinate (morbid desire) - forenoon - 10 a.m.
MALE GENITALIA - PAIN - sore,burised - Testes - extending up spermatic cord
BLADDER - PARALYSIS - old people,in
URETHRA - PAIN - biting - urination, - after
BLADDER - RETENTION of urine - confinement,after
URETHRA - PAIN - biting - urination, - during
BLADDER - PAIN - aching

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