Rhus toxicodendron

Common name: poison ivy.

It affects powerfully the skin, mucous membranes and fibrous tissues (viz., aponeuroses, ligaments and tendons of muscles.) (D.).

It affects the right side more than the left (A.).

Headache, as if a board were strapped on the forehead (as if a rubber band were stretched tightly over the forehead -Carb-Ac.) (D.).

Headache relieved by motion (Bt.).

Aching in the occipital protuberances and soreness of the scalp (D.).

Vertigo while walking (Nat-M., Nux-V., Phos., Puls.) (K.).

Vertigo, with heaviness in the limbs, in the aged (Ambr., Bar-C., Calc-P., Cup., Sin-N.) (D.).

Pain in the back on attempting to rise; rheumatic pains in the back and stiff neck from sitting in a draught; the lumbago is a condition which may not be relieved by motion and still indicate Rhus-T. (D.).

PAINS IN THE BACK COMPELLING TO MOVE CONSTANTLY IN BED (N.).

LUMBAGO, BETTER FROM LYING ON SOMETHING HARD (Nat-M.) (K.).

Lameness in the back as if strained or after straining (N.).

RHEUMATIC DRAWING AND TEARING PAINS IN THE LIMBS, WORSE DURING REST, RELIEVED BY CONTINUED MOTION.

Tension as from shortening of the muscles (Cimx., Cupr., Plb., Puls.)

Powerlessness of the lower limbs; cannot draw them up (N.).

Stiffness of the joints, worse when rising from rest.

Aching pains in the legs; must change position every moment (N.).

Tingling in the feet and other places of the body (Acon., Cocc., Kali-C., Nit-Ac., Phos-Ac., Rhos., Pub., Rhod.).

SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES FROM OVER-LIFTING IN SPRAINS AND CONTUSIONS.

Rheumatic paralysis (Caust.) (Bt.).

Nervous inflammations-a wide range in this respect.

THE PAIN AND STIFFNESS IS WORSE ON COMMENCING TO MOVE, BUT CONTINUED MOTION RELIEVES (D.).

Patients cannot bear cold air (Hep.) (D.).

Swelling around the ankles after sitting too long, particularly in travelling (N.).

SCIATICA (left side) (N.).

Swelling of the whole eye and surrounding parts (N.).

Conjunctivitis and iritis, when of traumatic or rheumatic origin, with severe pains worse at night (D.).

Scrofulous ophthalmia and orbital cellulitis (D.).

Ptosis and stiffness of the lids in rheumatic subjects (D.).

Oedematous swelling of the eyes and acrid discharge (D.).

Lachrymation on forcibly opening the eyes (Apis, Con., Ipec., Merc-C.) or when yawning (Ant-T., Calc-P., Ign., Kali-C., Kreos., Nux-V., Sabad., Staph.) (K.).

Sac-like swelling of the conjunctiva (N.).

THE LOWER JAW CRACKS ON EVERY MOTION (Am-C., Lach., Nit-Ac.) AND DISLOCATES EASILY (Staph.) (D.).

The tongue takes imprints of teeth (Ars., Chel., Merc., Sep., Stram.) (N.).

THE TONGUE IS CRACKED AND COATED, ALL EXCEPT A TRIANGULAR SPACE AT THE TIP, WHICH IS VERY RED (D.).

White coating only on one side of the tongue (N.).

Salivation during sleep (Bar-C., Carb-An., Kali-C., Lac-C., Merc., Puls.) (K.).

Sordes on the teeth (Bapt., Hyos., Mur-Ac.) (Bt.).

Epistaxis at night, during straining at stool, from bending forward, or from any bodily exertion (N.).

In typhoid fever hæmorrhage from the nose after 4 o'clock in the morning (N.).

Mumps or swelling of the parotid glands (Bell., Brom., Merc.), with sticking pains when swallowing (Phyt.) (D.).

Catamenia causes violent biting pain in the vulva (N.).

The lochia after having almost ceased, again becomes bloody and offensive (N.).

External genitals inflamed, erysipelatous and œdematous (A.).

Abortion from a strain (G.).

Pain between the shoulders in swallowing (N.).

Membranous dysmenorrhœa, in rheumatic females (G.).

It produces a vesicular eruption, accompanied by œdema, with burning, itching and tingling (D.).

Phlegmonous erysipelas (N.).

Red, shiny swellings and vesicular erysipelas (Anac., Canth., Tarant.).

ECZEMATOUS ERUPTIONS, WITH GREAT BURNING AND ITCHING, WITH A TENDENCY TO FORM SCALES (Ars., Graph., Mezer.).

Rhagades (Calc., Carb-S., Graph., Petr., Puls., Sars., Sep., Sulph.).

CUTANEOUS ERUPTIONS alternating WITH DYSENTERY OR ASTHMA (Calad., Mezer., Sulph.) (K.).

Rubbing the affected parts increases the eruption (G.).

Urticaria: In cold weather; from becoming wet; during chill (Apis, Ars., Ign., Nat-M.); during fever (Apis, Chlor., Cop., Cub., Ign., Rhus-V., Sulph.); during perspiration (Apis); during rheumatism (Urt-U.); and every spring (K.).

Hydroa on the upper lip (Ars., Nat-M.) (D.).

Blistering herpes (Canth., Rhus-V.) (D.)

Corners of mouth ulcerated (Nit-Ac.) (A.).

Typhus Fever (Bapt., Hyos., Op., Stram.).

USEFUL IN INFLUENZA, WITH ACHING IN THE BONES, SNEEZING AND COUGHING; DRY COUGH; BRONCHIAL COUGHS OF OLD PEOPLE; AND TYPHOID PNEUMONIA (D.).

Typhoid fever: Mild delirium, with desire to escape (Hyos.); great restlessness, with apparent relief from motion; answers questions slowly (Phos-Ac.); frontal headache; dry, brown, cracked or red tongue, with triangular red tip; yellowish, brown, cadaverous and sometimes involuntary diarrhœa; pains in the limbs and a tympanitic abdomen (D.).

Intermittent fever characterized by a dry, teasing cough during the chill (D.).

Easily chilled, worse from least uncovering, with pains in the limbs (B.).

Chill as if dashed with cold water, or as if cold water were in the veins (B.).

It should be given in scarlet fever, when the child is drowsy, restless and has a red and smooth tongue, œdematous fauces and enlarged glands; eruption does not come out and is miliary; great depression and weakness (D.).

Cellulitis and Carbuncle: There is formation of pus, intense pain and dark red swelling, with the general prostration of the remedy (D.).

Pains as if sprained, as if a muscle or tendon was torn from its attachment or as if the bones were scraped with a knife; worse after midnight or in wet weather (A.).

Affected parts feel sore to touch (A.).

GREAT SENSITIVENESS TO OPEN AIR; PUTTING THE HAND FROM UNDER THE BED-COVER BRINGS ON THE COUGH (Bar-C., Hep.). (N.).

Has helped many cases of small-pox with the same group of symptoms as in scarlet fever, except that there were black, bloody pustules (R.).

Putrid taste in the mouth (Puls.) (G.).

Desire for cold milk (Phos., Staph., Tub.) (K.).

After the first mouthful has no appetite (Lyc.) (G.).

Great thirst, with dry tongue, mouth and throat (A.).

Dysentery (Acon., Aloe, Ferr-P., Merc., Nux-V., Puls., Sulph.).

A bloody, slimy diarrhœa, or an involuntary stool of cadaverous odour in typhoid fever (Bapt., Lach) (D.).

DIARRHOEA, WITH TEARING PAINS DOWN THE LEGS (G.).

Great pain before stool, which is greenish, and contains jelly-like globules or flakes (Bt.).

Jelly-like stools (Aloe, Kali-B.) (Bt.).

Red and scanty urine (Berb., Canth.) (Bt.).

Discharge of urine too copious, too frequent and involuntary (G.).

Bloody urine discharged in drops (Canth., Hep., Sars.) (Bt.).

ERYSIPELAS OF THE GENERATIVE ORGANS, IN BOTH SEXES, ESPECIALLY IN THE MALE (Bt.).

Phimosis or paraphimosis (Merc., Nat-M., Nit-Ac., Sep., Sulph., Thuj.) (K.).

Sad, listless (Phos-Ac., Sep.) (Br.).

Restless, cannot stay long in one position (Ars.) (A.).

Great restlessness, anxiety and apprehension (Acon., Ars., Kali-P.) (A.).

Great apprehension at night; fears he will die of being poisoned; cannot remain in bed (A.).

Thoughts of suicide (Ars., Aur., Hep., Nit-Ac., Nux-V.) (Bt.).

Brain feels loose when stepping or shaking the head (A.).

Sensation of swashing in the brain (Ars., Bell., Carb-An., Hep., Hyos., Lyc., Nux-V., Spig., Sulph-Ac.) (A.).

Paralysis with numbness of the affected parts, from getting wet, on lying on damp ground, and after exertion, parturition, sexual excesses, ague or typhoid (A.).

Locomotor ataxia (Alumn., Gels., Zinc.) (C.).

DREAMS OF GREAT EXERTION-SUCH AS ROWING, SWIMMING, WORKING HARD AT HIS DAILY OCCUPATION, AND ROAMING OVER FIELDS (A).

Yawning, with violent stretching of the limbs (G.).

Pain in the abdomen, ameliorated by lying on the abdomen (Aloe, Bell., Bry., Coloc., Phos., Plb., Stann.) (K.).

Weak, rapid, sharp, tremulous or irregular pulse (Bt.).

Colic, compelling one to walk bent (Coloc., Nit-Ac.) (Br.).

Swelling of the inguinal glands (Bell., Calc., Hep., Iod., Merc., Sil.) (C.).

Humid eruptions on the genitals and between the scrotum and thighs (C.).

Scrotum becomes thick and hard (Sulph.), with intolerable itching (Crot-T., Graph., Sulph.) (C.).

Uncomplicated hypertrophy of the heart from over-exertion, with a sense of numbness of the left arm and shoulder (Acon., Act-R., Arn., Kalm.) (D.).

Sensation of weakness and trembling in the heart (N.).

Aching in the left arm, with heart disease (N.).

Tickling under the sternum, that excites cough (Bt.).

Terrible cough, which seems as if it would tear something out of the chest (G.).

Expectoration of brick-dust or bloody sputa, raised with difficulty (Phos.), and accompanied with high fever, in the worst cases of pneumonia (Bt.).

Sepia often quickly relieves the itching and burning of Rhus-T., the vesicles drying up in a few days (A.).

AGGRAVATION: During rest; whilst rising from a seat; when entering the room from the open air; from getting wet, especially while perspiring; during the winter season; during the night; after midnight; before storms; on beginning to move after quiet; and in wet, rainy, weather.

AMELIORATION: From continued motion; from walking; from change of position; from lying on something hard; from warmth; in dry air; and from warm or hot things; from wrapping up; and from moving the affected parts.

RELATIONSHIP: Complementary to: Bry., Calc., Mag-C., Med. and Phyt.

Inimical to: Apis (must not be used before or after).

Compare: Acon., Apis, Arn., Ars., Bell., Bry., Calc-P., Cham., Ferr., Gels., Hep., Kali-P., Lach, Merc., Nat-M., Nat-S., Rhod., Sep., Sil., Sulph., Thuj. and Zinc.