Colocynthis

A plant native to the Mediterranean, Citrullus colocynthis is a small gourd-like fruit with intense bitterness. In large doses, it is a violent purgative, acting strongly on the bowels and nerves.

Proved by Hahnemann; symptoms recorded in Materia Medica Pura and expanded by Hering, Allen, and Clarke.

Colocynthis is the remedy of intensely felt but suppressed emotional injury—particularly anger, humiliation, or rejection. The person internalises this emotional blow, and the body reacts with violent pain. The keynote is cutting pain relieved by pressure and bending double. It is for those who “swallow their pride” but pay the price through the abdomen or nerves. Colocynthis heals the soul by releasing the body from pain born of silence.

• Nerves – particularly the trigeminal nerve, sciatic nerve, and abdominal plexus
• Gastrointestinal tract – especially the colon, small intestine, and gallbladder
• Pelvic organs, especially in women
• Muscles and smooth muscle fibres – leading to cramping, colic, and spasm
• Mind – intense anger, mortification, and indignation followed by somatic illness

Colocynthis types suffer from violently suppressed emotions—particularly anger and humiliation. The remedy is often needed after a shock to the pride—a deep personal insult, betrayal, or wound to dignity. The individual attempts to suppress their feelings, but the result is neuralgic or abdominal pain. There is a strong desire to be left alone. The person becomes morose, silent, and curt, refusing consolation. Outbursts of fury may erupt after long brooding. There is a tendency to intense mental tension, resentment, and inability to forgive. Irritability and intolerance of contradiction are extreme. The patient is easily offended and reacts with bitterness. [Kent] notes that Coloc. is full of “wrath and violence, ready to strike.” Physical complaints often follow quarrels or emotional shocks. The mind is restless with pain but cannot be comforted.

Disturbed by pain or emotional unrest. Restless sleep with startles. Dreams of quarrels or humiliations. Sleepless after disputes or disappointment.

Dreams of being insulted, chased, or humiliated. Nightmares related to arguments or betrayal. Recurrent dreams after emotional trauma.

Sudden, cramping, and neuralgic pains are the hallmark. Worse from anger, touch, and motion. Better from pressure, bending double, and warmth. Most complaints begin after emotional suppression, mortification, or vexation. Left-sided complaints predominate. Pain is paroxysmal, cutting, and deeply felt. A remedy of crises, especially involving nerves and abdominal organs.

Fever may occur after anger, menstrual suppression, or gastroenteritis. Heat predominates, with dry skin and intense thirst. Flushed face, hot head, cold extremities.

Chilliness during colic. Alternating chills and heat. Sweating from pain, especially in face and torso. Sweat relieves symptoms only briefly.

Headaches begin in the forehead or temples, often one-sided, and may radiate to the eyes. Pains are neuralgic, stabbing, or throbbing in nature, and often linked to gastrointestinal or menstrual upset. Head feels full, heavy, or compressed. Vertigo may occur when standing, and is aggravated by motion or anger. Headache improves with pressure or lying down. Sometimes accompanied by facial pain or eye strain.

Intense neuralgic pain radiates from the temple into the eye. Eyeball feels sore or bruised. Tearing and twitching may accompany pain. Vision may be blurred during headaches or facial neuralgia. Eyes feel hot or dry. Suitable in orbital neuralgia and photophobia linked with menstrual or gastric disturbances.

Earache, often left-sided, neuralgic in character, shooting inward. Hearing may be impaired during headache. Crackling or ringing noises. Not a primary sphere, but ear symptoms may reflect trigeminal involvement.

Sneezing and nasal congestion possible in acute attacks. Nasal discharge may be thin and acrid. Not a primary area of action unless associated with facial neuralgia or colds following suppression of emotions.

Violent facial neuralgia, especially left-sided, involving the zygomatic arch, eye, and jaw. Pain is tearing, shooting, or stitching, with aggravation from slightest motion or touch [Clarke]. Expression is tense, drawn, and lined from suffering. Twitching or spasms of facial muscles common. Jaw stiffness may occur from tension.

Dryness of mouth and lips. Bitter taste in the mouth, especially after anger. Pain in the cheeks and jaw. Tongue may feel scalded or swollen. Speech may be impeded by facial pain. Salivation suppressed or scanty.

Toothache linked to neuralgia, especially in left upper teeth. Pain is sharp, comes in waves, and may radiate to ear or eye. Worse from touch or cold drinks. Gums may be sensitive or hot.

Tightness and choking sensations during emotional strain. Throat may feel dry, hot, or constricted. Swallowing aggravates the sensation. No prominent pathology unless secondary to suppressed rage.

Tightness and cramping under the sternum. Stitching pain from abdomen to chest during colic. Spasmodic cough during abdominal crises. Respiration shallow due to pain. Chest feels constricted.

Palpitations from suppressed emotion. Sensation as if heart is squeezed or bruised. Not a leading cardiac remedy but useful when neuralgic pain refers to chest.

Shortness of breath during pain. Unable to take deep breaths during abdominal spasms. Respiratory restriction due to abdominal tension.

Marked aversion to food, or food produces immediate distress. Cramping, cutting, or twisting gastric pain, often forcing the patient to double up or press on the stomach. Belching is ineffectual or bitter. Nausea may occur with anxiety or pain. Gastric symptoms arise after anger, insult, or overeating. There may be a burning sensation, or a feeling of stones in the stomach. Vomiting possible, especially of bile or sour contents.

This is the chief sphere of Colocynthis. Intense colic, described as cutting, twisting, or gripping, that forces the patient to double up, apply hard pressure, or bend forward. Pain comes in waves, worsened by the least movement or touch. Better for warmth, rest, and lying on the abdomen. Flatulence is trapped, and passing wind may relieve pain. Abdomen is sensitive, bloated, and hot to touch. Pain may be referred from gallbladder, ovaries, or pelvis. Classic in gastroenteritis, IBS, and bilious colic. Especially suited to persons with a history of emotional suppression and tension-related abdominal pain.

Diarrhoea following anger or frustration, often with colic. Stool is watery, yellow-green, with cramping and tenesmus. Worse after fruit or sour food. Urgent, painful diarrhoea in spasms. Sometimes alternating with constipation.

Urging to urinate during colic or menstrual cramps. Burning during micturition. Retention of urine in women with pelvic cramps. Urination may relieve abdominal pain. Occasionally pain along ureters or bladder neck from pelvic tension.

Craves: nothing during pain; may crave sour things after
Aversion: fruit, cold water, sour foods
Worse from: fruit, sour food, fat
Better from: warm food and drinks, fasting

Painful erections, drawing pain in spermatic cords. Orchitis with radiating neuralgia. Testicles sensitive or swollen. Seminal emissions involuntary or painful. Coition painful or followed by colic. Genitals may feel retracted during pelvic pain.

Classic remedy for dysmenorrhoea—cutting, cramping, or clutching pains in the uterus that make the patient double over. Pains radiate down thighs or into groin. Better for warmth and pressure. May follow emotional insult, quarrel, or suppression of menses. Ovarian pain, especially left-sided, sharp and neuralgic. Menses may be early, heavy, or suppressed. Leucorrhoea may follow suppression of rage.

Drawing pain in the sacrum and loins, often accompanying uterine or abdominal spasms. Lumbar pain worse from movement or cold. Pain extends from back to groin or thighs.

Cramping pains in calves, thighs, or feet—often neuralgic. Sciatica, especially left-sided, pain extending from hip to knee, relieved by pressure and heat [Hering]. Numbness or stiffness in legs after pain. Restlessness during colic.

Sensitive skin. Eruptions suppressed may result in neuralgic states. Skin may be dry or clammy during spasms. Flushed, red face or patches during crises. Sweat is hot, sticky, and sour-smelling.

• Chamomilla – Also irritable with colic, but more whiny, oversensitive, and demands things
• Magnesium phosphoricum – Colic better from warmth and pressure, but lacks the angry, indignant emotional component
• Nux vomica – Also from suppressed emotions and irritability, but more driven, chilly, and constipated
• Staphisagria – Suppressed indignation and insult, but more passive, weepy, and yielding
• Belladonna – Neuralgic, sudden, and violent pains, but more congestive and febrile; less cramping, more throbbing

• Complementary: Staphisagria, Lycopodium
• Antidotes: Camphor, Coffea
• Inimical: None well noted
• Follows well: Chamomilla, Bryonia
• Precedes well: Nux vomica, Sulphur

• Classic remedy in neuralgia, especially trigeminal or sciatic
• Go-to for dysmenorrhoea with cramping pains radiating down thighs
• Use in IBS, colic, and gallbladder colic, especially when pain is better by pressure
• Always consider after emotional suppression, grief, or mortification
• 30C or 200C often useful in acute crises; higher potencies for chronic emotional injury

Mind

• Anger, with indignation
• Mortification, ailments from
• Aversion to consolation
• Irritability from contradiction
• Silent brooding after insult

Abdomen

• Pain, cramping, bending double amel.
• Colic, after anger
• Flatulence, with colic
• Gallbladder pain, neuralgic

Extremities

• Sciatica, left-sided
• Cramping of calves
• Pain, better from pressure
• Twitching, neuralgic

Female Genitalia

• Dysmenorrhoea, cramping, bending double amel.
• Ovarian pain, left-sided
• Menses, suppressed after anger

Samuel Hahnemann – Materia Medica Pura: Original proving, especially on colic and emotional triggers

James Tyler Kent – Lectures on Homoeopathic Materia Medica: Mental picture of indignation and injustice

C. Hering – Guiding Symptoms of Our Materia Medica: Expanded neuralgias and abdominal spasm

William Boericke – Pocket Manual of Homoeopathic Materia Medica: Clinical use in sciatica and dysmenorrhoea

John Henry Clarke – Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica: Detailed symptomatology for face, abdomen, and nerves

Allen’s Encyclopaedia of Pure Materia Medica: Supplemented female symptoms and neuralgic patterns