Dioscorea Villosa

Burt, who made a heroic proving of this remedy, says: "The grand sphere for

the use of Dioscorea is among neuroses of the bowels and stomach; where the cceliac and

umbilical plexuses are in a state of great hyperzesthesia, the pain and spasm being unbearable."

Hale considers as characteristic: "A constant pain, aggravated at regular intervals by paroxysms

of intense suffering." Any kind of colic or neuralgia with these characteristics may indicate

Dioscor., which stands in the highest rank among stomach and abdominal remedies, with

important actions in many other spheres. Dioscorea causes pain in the bowels; spasmodic;

twisting; writhing; drawing; lancinating; pulsating; burning. Pains radiate upwards and

downwards. Frequent sharp, darting pains from one part to another. Pains spread, especially from

• ▸abdomen to distant parts.
• ▸Great faintness at stomach.
• ▸Morning diarrhoea.
• ▸Pains < at meals; >

moving about; cannot sit still. Seminal emissions (passive) with weakness of knees. According to

Cushing's proving the primary effect of Diosc. was to cause strong-smelling perspiration of the

genitals; constant excitement with strong and frequent erections day and night; amorous dreams

with emissions. Afterwards came relaxed genitals, absence of desire, and emissions without

erections. In the female sphere it has frequently cured dysmenorrhcea, uterine colic, and after-

• ▸pains; also gastric disorders during pregnancy and the menses.
• ▸J.
• ▸B.
• ▸Bell has pointed out how

closely the throat symptoms of Dios. resemble the initial stage of a cold when it has attacked the

fauces and before it has spread to the nose or chest. Peculiar sensations are: As if top of head

• ▸was lifted off.
• ▸As if temples were in a vice.
• ▸As if head tied with a band (also neck).
• ▸As if sticks,

• ▸&c.
• ▸, in eyes; as if hot air streamed out of them.
• ▸As if tongue burnt.
• ▸As if a stone were in stomach.

In small spot in abdomen sensation as if drawn forcibly upward and backward to spine. Diosc.

resembles Coloc. in colicky pains, but differs in the Conditions: whilst Coloc. has > bending

double and < by motion, Diosc. has > by stretching out and by moving about. Some of the

symptoms of Diosc. are <, others are > by touch and pressure. Many symptoms appear, or are <

• ▸in early morning from 2 a.
• ▸m.
• ▸onwards; on awaking; 8 a.
• ▸m.
• ▸(cough).
• ▸Symptoms generally > in

open air. Pains are remittent and paroxysmal. It is one of the first remedies in whitlow; and in

biliary and renal colic. Suited to persons of feeble digestive powers, old or young, with flatulence

after meals, in stomach or bowels, unattended with liver or bowel derangement, who from some

excess in eating, or from fasting, or from some error in diet, as eating old cheese, or uncooked

fruit, pastry, &c., especially if they are great tea-drinkers, may be suddenly seized with violent

colic.

Calls things by the wrong name.

Calls things by wrong names; writes down r. arm or leg when he means 1——Aversion

to company.—Irritable; feels cross and troubled.—Great depression of spirits.

Restless, trembling, faint feeling —Languid, tired feeling —Rheumatic pains <

night and early morning.—Chorea; with seminal emissions.—Itching of various parts of the body

and limbs.

Dull pain in both temples; better pressure, but worse afterwards. Buzzing in head.

Vertigo and dizziness; goes to r. while walking; inclined to fall backward.—Faintness

< sitting up in bed; numbness < lying down.—Vertigo from onanism.—Vertigo with heat in head;

with sharp pains in r. side of forehead extending to ears; a remittent pain < by pressure.—Fulness

in head speedily followed by spasmodic pains in abdomen.—Head feels as if tied with a

• ▸band.
• ▸—Headache in vertex and down to both shoulders.
• ▸—Dull pain in head and temples.
• ▸—Pain in

forehead, extending into nose, with nausea and coryza.—Pain as if lifted up in forehead and

temples.—Digging, cutting pain in the temples; in occiput; over eye.

Eyes weak, sore, and smarting; (r. <); seems as if hot air streamed out,

• ▸evening.
• ▸—A gglutination of the lids mornings.
• ▸—Sharp pain from r.
• ▸eye to occiput.
• ▸—Feeling as of a

round or large smooth substance, or as if dust, sticks, or lashes in eye.—Lachrymation, hot tears,

eyes fill in open air, smarting, wants to keep lids closed.

Dull, pressing pains in front of both ears—Sharp pain in front and behind the

ears.—Small balls of wax drop out of r. ear almost daily —Both ears feel suddenly stopped up and

• ▸are sore to touch.
• ▸—Pains in ears, < blowing nose or coughing (8 a.
• ▸m.
• ▸).
• ▸—Itching in internal ears (<

r.).

Irritation of nasal passages with much sneezing; dry, or watery discharge.—Discharge

of bright-red blood from 1. nostril; followed by a dark clot; while sitting writing.—Soreness of the

nostrils.—Frequent or constant bad smell in the nose; like bilious-fever patients; any bad smell

remains in nose a long time.

Dull, grinding, drawing, digging, or sharp darting pains at angle of 1. lower

jaw.—Spasmodic closing of jaws, biting tongue when neither eating nor drinking.—Little pimples

with black heads.—Lips dry; commissures sore.

Heavy brown coating on the tongue mornings.—Sides of tongue sore as if burnt.—Tip

• ▸of tongue sore.
• ▸—Mouth very dry, bitter, and clammy in the morning (on waking 4 a.
• ▸m.
• ▸).
• ▸—Mouth

dry, but full of sticky mucus; no thirst—Soreness of gums and roof of mouth.—Saliva runs out

while asleep.

Irritation, burning, and smarting in throat and fauces.—Fauces rough, dry; frequent

inclination to swallow; but it causes nausea and shudderings.—Belching gas, but throat so dry it

prevents escape of gas.—Constricted feeling as from something tight about neck; makes

• ▸breathing difficult.
• ▸—Itching in |.
• ▸tonsil——Stitches in tonsil up to ear.
• ▸—Constricted

feeling.—Soreness and sharp aching pain in both parotid glands.

• ▸Mouth dry and bitter in morning, tongue coated, no thirst.
• ▸Belching of large quantities of offensive gas.
• ▸Neuralgia of stomach.
• ▸Sinking at the pit of the stomach; pyrosis.
• ▸Pain along sternum and extending into arms.
• ▸Eructations of sour, bitter wind, with hiccough.
• ▸Sharp pain in epigastrium, relieved by standing erect.

Sour or bitter eructations—Belching of large quantities of tasteless wind

momentarily relieving the distress at the stomach.—Nausea.—After eating: nausea, faintness,

distress, burning at stomach; dull, heavy pain > by belching; tastes food eaten; > of

• ▸symptoms.
• ▸—Faint, uneasy feeling at stomach.
• ▸—Headache < after dinner.
• ▸—Constant distress at

stomach, with frequent sharp pains; had to unfasten the clothing.—Distressing pain at epigastrium

relieved by raising sour, bitter wind.—Burning at the stomach.—Sharp, cramping pain in pit of

stomach, followed by raising, belching, and gulping enormous quantities of tasteless wind,

followed by hiccough and discharge of flatulence from the bowels.—Sharp, cutting pains in

epigastrium.—Faintness at epigastrium.

• ▸Pains suddenly shift to different parts; appear in remote localities, as fingers and toes.
• ▸Rumbling, with emission of much flatus.
• ▸Griping, cutting in hypogastric region, with intermittent cutting in stomach and small intestines.
• ▸Colic; better walking about; pains radiate from abdomen, to back, chest, arms; worse, bending forwards and while lying.
• ▸Sharp pains from liver, shooting upward to right nipple.
• ▸Pain from gall-bladder to chest, back, and arms.
• ▸Renal colic, with pain in extremities.
• ▸Hurried desire for stool.

Sharp pain in |. hypochondrium.—Dull, heavy, grinding pain in region of liver,

• ▸worse evenings.
• ▸—Cutting pain in region of liver; (r.
• ▸lobe).
• ▸—Hard, dull pain in region of gall

bladder.—Constant distress in the umbilical and hypogastric regions, with severe cutting, colic-

like pains every few minutes in stomach and small intestines —Griping, cramping pains in the

umbilical region.—Rumbling in the bowels, and passing large quantities of

flatulence. —Flatulence after meals; wind colic, but with little or no hepatic

derangement.—Discharges of offensive flatus——Twisting and sharp cutting pains in the

bowels.—Bowels sore and tender on pressure.—Pain in inguinal regions extending to the testicles.

Haemorrhoids, with darting pains to liver; look like bunches or grapes or red cherries; protrude after stool, with pain in anus. Diarrhoea (worse in morning), yellowish, followed by exhaustion, as if flatus and feces were hot.

Itching in the rectum.—Heemorrhoidal tumours as large as red cherries,

with pain and distress in anus.—After stool: prolapsus ani; weak, faint feeling in abdomen;

colic.—Frequent urgent desire for stool.—Very offensive flatulence —Diarrhcea early in morning,

driving out of bed.—Just before and during a stool, severe pain in sacral region and bowels, of a

writhing drawing character; the pains radiate upwards and downwards, until the whole body and

extremities become involved in spasm.—Very profuse, thin, yellow stool in the morning;

followed by a very weak, faint feeling, without relieving pain in bowels.—Loose stools with

much straining.—Stools slimy; dark-coloured; bilious; very offensive; light mushy.—During

pregnancy, alternate constipation and relaxation.

Writhing, with dry and crampy pains, with passing of renal calculus

(r.).—Spasmodic stricture of urethra, with pain about navel > by pressure; pressure on rectum,

paroxysmal colic.

Uterine colic; pains radiate from uterus. Vivid dreams.

Dysmenorrheea; spasmodic uterine colic; pains suddenly fly to

• ▸distant parts.
• ▸—A fter-pains.
• ▸—False pains.
• ▸—Cramps in fingers and toes alternating with uterine

pains.

• ▸Relaxation and coldness of organs.
• ▸Pains shoot into testicles from region of kidneys.
• ▸Strong-smelling sweat on scrotum and pubes.
• ▸Emissions in sleep, or from sexual atony, with weak knees.

Constant excitement of genital organs, with frequent

erections.—Genitals cold and relaxed.—Strong-smelling perspiration on scrotum and

pubes.—Diminished sexual desire—Emission of semen during sleep.

Tight feeling all along sternum. Chest does not seem to expand on breathing. Short-winded.

Hacking cough from irritation and tickling low down in the

throat —Sharp cutting pain from 1. axilla to nipple and down side deep in lung.—Cough with pain

in region of umbilicus and temples, brown tongue, weak knees.—Dull, aching, or sharp cutting

pains in both lungs, from front to back, or vice versa.

Angina pectoris; pain back of sternum into arms; labored breathing; feeble action of heart. Especially with flatulence and pain through chest and tightness across.

Dull pain in back of neck; stiffi—Back lame in morning.—Back in region of

liver so lame it is almost impossible to turn in bed; > by motion.—Severe backache.—Sharp deep

• ▸pain in lower portion of 1.
• ▸scapula, followed by sharp pain through centre of r.
• ▸lung.
• ▸—Itching

over r. scapula.—Drawing pains in sacrum: in sacro-iliac joint—Spinal hypereesthesia—Spinal

cord feels bruised all the way up and down.—Sharp pains in the back.

• ▸Pain in |.
• ▸shoulder.
• ▸—Grinding in elbows.
• ▸—Hard aching pains in bones of

• ▸forearm, and in wrist and hands.
• ▸—Numbness of |.
• ▸hand.
• ▸—Panaritium, early stage; pain, pricking,

sharp, agonising.—Paronychia.

Hard, dull, or tearing pains in the hip.—Pain in r. leg from point of exit of

sciatic nerve, felt only when moving the limb, or when sitting up.—Knees lame, weak, and

painful; trembling. —Hard, dull, or sharp pains in leg.—Ankles weak and painful.

• ▸Lameness in back; worse, stooping.
• ▸Aching and stiffness in joints.
• ▸Sciatica; pains shoot down thigh; worse, right side; better, when perfectly still.
• ▸Felons in beginning, when pricking is first felt.
• ▸Nails brittle.
• ▸Cramps in flexors of fingers and toes.

Panaritium, early when pains are sharp and agonising, or when pricking is felt; nails

brittle —Little pimples with black heads.

Many symptoms are < after sleep: bitter mouth; pains in bowels; hard beating of

• ▸heart.
• ▸—Restless after 2 a.
• ▸m.
• ▸; must move, yet it hurts, he is so sore.
• ▸—First sleep late; wakes early.

• ▸Abdomen, distended.
• ▸Acne.
• ▸Angina pectoris.
• ▸Biliousness.
• ▸Cholerine.
• ▸Chorea.
• ▸Colds.

• ▸Colic.
• ▸Constipation.
• ▸Cough.
• ▸Cramps.
• ▸Diarrhoea.
• ▸Dysentery.
• ▸Dysmenorrhoea.
• ▸Dyspepsia.

• ▸Enteralgia.
• ▸Flatulence.
• ▸Gall-bladder, affections of.
• ▸Gastralgia.
• ▸Hemorrhoids.
• ▸Headache.
• ▸Knee,

• ▸pain in.
• ▸Legs, pain in.
• ▸Liver, disorders of.
• ▸Lambago.
• ▸Mind, affections of.
• ▸Neuralgia.
• ▸Paronychia.

• ▸Parotitis.
• ▸Pregnancy, pyrosis of.
• ▸Renal colic.
• ▸Rheumatism.
• ▸Sciatica.
• ▸Side, pain in.
• ▸Spinal

• ▸irritation.
• ▸Spleen, pain in.
• ▸Smell, disordered.
• ▸Spermatorrheea.
• ▸Tea, effects of.
• ▸Toothache.

Whitlow.

• ▸Compare: Bism.
• ▸, Bry.
• ▸, Nux (stomach); Cham.
• ▸, Coloc.
• ▸, Ip.
• ▸, Kali bi.
• ▸, Pod.
• ▸, Rhus,

• ▸Rum.
• ▸, Stan.
• ▸, Sul.
• ▸(abdomen and stool); Aésc.
• ▸, Alo.
• ▸, Collin.
• ▸, Nux (hemorrhoids); Sarsap.
• ▸(urinary

• ▸symptoms); Calc.
• ▸c.
• ▸, Can.
• ▸i.
• ▸, Gels.
• ▸, Calad.
• ▸, Agn.
• ▸c.
• ▸, Nux, Phos.
• ▸(sexual organs); Act.
• ▸r.
• ▸, AEsc.
• ▸,

• ▸Alo.
• ▸, Bry.
• ▸, Nux (headache); Sil.
• ▸(whitlow).
• ▸Ver.
• ▸, Caps.
• ▸(pain in ears on coughing).
• ▸Tamus

• ▸belongs to the same N.
• ▸O.
• ▸Ver.
• ▸relieved pain in r.
• ▸temple.

Antidotes: Chamom; Camph.

Compare: Colocy (differs in modalities); Nux; Cham; Bry.

Tincture, to third potency.