Hamamelis Virginiana — Complete Homeopathic Materia Medica

Common Name: Witch Hazel
Family: Hamamelidaceae
Proving: Dr. Herring (1845), Dr. Williamson (1850), Dr. Herring (1854)
Parts Used: Fresh bark, leaves, and root of the shrub

1. Source and Description

Hamamelis virginiana is an indigenous North American shrub, sometimes called Winter Bloom, Snapping Hazel Nut, or Spotted Alder. It grows in damp woods across the United States, flowering from September to November when the leaves are falling. The shrub reaches 10–12 feet in height with several crooked, branching trunks covered with a smooth, gray, and spotted bark. The bark and leaves are used in medicine and have a pleasant, aromatic odor with a bitter, astringent taste.

The deep red color of the tincture of Hamamelis is said to be the "signature" of its therapeutic action — no remedy has a wider sphere of usefulness in cases of hemorrhage and disordered blood-vessels.

2. Constitution and Temperament

Suitable Patients: Very nervous, sensitive, and excitable patients. The remedy suits individuals who are tired mentally and physically, with an aversion to mental work. They forget words while talking and feel irritable, depressed, and stupid, especially with recurrent hemorrhages.

Constitutional Type: No obvious constitutional type, but the remedy centers on the venous system with extraordinary weakness of the vein walls. The patient is often sensitive to cold and cold air.

3. Mental and Emotional Symptoms

·       Anger and Irritability: Marked anger and irritability. Aversion to company and to being spoken to.

·       Depression: Gloomy, depressed mood. Restlessness and irritability accompany the physical complaints.

·       Aversion to Work: Strong aversion to mental work. Absorbed and buried in thoughts, constantly thinking about his ailments.

·       Forgetfulness: Forgets words while speaking. Abundant ideas in the morning after a night of restless sleep.

·       Sad Dreams: Frequent waking with sad dreams full of graves.

4. Physical Symptoms — General

The main pathology of this remedy centers on the circulation with extraordinary weakness of the veins. Venous congestion and hemorrhages of a slow, passive type are the hallmark.

Key General Characteristics

·       Venous Congestion: Veins are distended in all parts, or only in single parts. Varicose veins of many parts, with marked soreness in the varices.

·       Hemorrhages: Bloody discharges from all mucous membranes. Purpura hemorrhagica has often been cured with this remedy. Dark blood flows from any part; bright red fluid blood is the exception.

·       Bruised Soreness: Sore, bruised feeling all through the body, not only in single parts — similar to Arnica. Veins are especially sensitive to pressure.

·       Weakness: Much weakness with or without bleeding, out of proportion to the loss of blood.

·       Vicarious Hemorrhages: A strong indication. Hemorrhage from suppressed menses — from nose, stomach, or lungs.

·       Dusky Purplish Skin: Dusky purplish appearance of the skin, with full veins.

·       Inflammation of Veins: Phlebitis of any part, especially lower limbs and anus.

5. Physical Symptoms — By System

Head

·       Crowding fullness in the head and neck, also in the forehead.

·       Feeling as if a bolt was passed from temple to temple and tightly screwed.

·       Passive congestion or venous stagnation.

·       Bursting headache in the morning on waking, worse when stooping.

·       Headaches are connected with venous congestion in other parts.

·       Pulsating pain over the left eye.

·       Ecchymosis with extreme tenderness of head, eyes, or face.

Eyes

·       Painful inflammation of the eyes with excessive congestion.

·       Sore pain in the eyes. Eyes feel as if forced out.

·       Congested veins of eyes with oozing blood.

·       Inflammation and ulceration of eyeballs.

·       Conjunctivitis from burns or from a splinter in the eye.

Nose

·       Epistaxis (nosebleed) with a feeling of tightness at the bridge of the nose.

·       Profuse epistaxis, idiopathic or vicarious. Passive, venous type.

·       Epistaxis of dark blood recurring frequently.

·       With the menses, also when the menses fail. Sometimes copious, clotted, and very dark.

·       Oozing of very dark blood from the nose in a hemiplegic old man.

Mouth and Throat

·       Dryness of the mouth; tongue feels as if burnt.

·       Blisters on the sides of the tongue. Tongue coated white with flat taste.

·       Bleeding from the gums; gums bleed easily and are very vascular.

·       Hemorrhage after extraction of teeth.

·       Dry, thirsting feeling of the throat, not relieved by water.

·       Fullness in the neck; patient has to sleep with the neck free of any covering.

·       Throat is dark red, chronically congested, and covered with varicose veins.

·       Tonsils covered with varices. Soreness in the throat with oozing of dark blood.

·       No thirst and aversion to drink.

Stomach and Abdomen

·       Nausea, vomiting blood, tenderness in the stomach.

·       Pulsating in the stomach. Vomiting black clots.

·       Burning in stomach and abdomen.

·       Varicose veins over the abdomen, tender to touch.

·       Pains in the umbilical region.

·       Portal congestion and hemorrhoids with much bleeding.

Rectum and Anus

·       Bleeding Hemorrhoids: One of the top remedies. Copious dark blood from piles.

·       Hemorrhoids that protrude, pulsate, and bleed much; also after confinement.

·       Anus contracts spasmodically with intense burning pain. Itching of the anus.

·       Ulceration of intestine, rectum, and anus with copious dark blood.

·       Constipation is a usual condition.

·       Dysentery when the stool is much blood rather than scanty, bloody, mucous stool.

Urinary Organs

·       Much blood in the urine every day for weeks — cured at once.

·       Much urging to urinate.

Male Generative Organs

·       Much sexual excitement. With dreams and emissions; pain down the spermatic cord to the testes.

·       Varices in the spermatic cord.

·       Stitching pain in testes extending to stomach.

·       The great field of action is on the organs of generation of man and woman.

Female Generative Organs

·       Uterine Hemorrhage: With copious dark clots; sometimes with bright red blood. Active or passive uterine hemorrhage.

·       Paroxysmal pain in the left ovary. Tenderness in ovaries and uterus.

·       Vicarious menstruation from nose, stomach, or lungs.

·       Subinvolution with much uterine tenderness and occasional bleeding.

·       Menstrual flow copious, dark, clotted.

·       Menses dark, copious with soreness in the abdomen.

·       Metrorrhagia occurring between menstrual periods.

·       Acute vaginitis with contraction and bleeding. Tenderness of vagina.

·       Threatened abortion; varices in pregnant women.

Respiratory and Chest

·       Oppression of the chest; chest is painful during fever.

·       Hemoptysis (blood from lungs) in vicarious menstruation.

Back and Extremities

·       Back feels as if it would break.

·       Pain low down in the back after heavy work, so severe one does not want to move.

·       Varicose veins on lower limbs; sprains.

·       Aching and tiredness in different parts of the body.

·       Articular rheumatism with swollen and painful joints — some physicians consider Hamamelis of the greatest advantage here, especially as a local application.

Skin

·       Itching eruptions; dry eruptions; eruptions of burning vesicles.

·       Steatoma; hot swelling; swelling of the parts affected.

·       Purpura hemorrhagica. Ecchymosis.

·       Ulcers are dark, even black, and discharge black blood.

·       Varicose ulcers that bleed dark blood.

Sleep

·       Somnolence with dreams.

·       Frequent waking; sad dreams full of graves.

·       Restless at night.

Fever

·       Intermittent fever, principally before noon; cold followed by heat, with sweat.

·       Shivering with flushes of heat; horripilation in the affected parts.

·       Sweat principally when eating or after having eaten.

·       During fever: anxiety, forgetfulness, pain in the eyes, coated tongue, desire to vomit, oppression of the chest.

6. Modalities

Aggravations (Worse)

·       Touch — veins are especially sensitive to pressure

·       Warm moist air

·       Movement — from motion

·       Exertion — physical efforts

·       Milk

·       15:00 (3 PM)

·       Stooping — headache worse

·       Night — restlessness

·       Pregnancy — hemorrhoids and varices worse

·       Menses — hemorrhoids worse

Ameliorations (Better)

·       Covering up warmly

·       Leaving the bed

·       Cold applications — for some joint pains

·       Rest — from physical exertion

7. Clinical Applications

·       Hemorrhages: Passive, venous type. Epistaxis, hematemesis, hemoptysis, hematuria, uterine hemorrhage, bleeding hemorrhoids. Vicarious hemorrhages.

·       Varicose Veins: Painful, sore, bleeding, stinging, inflamed. Varicose ulcers.

·       Phlebitis: Inflammation of veins, especially lower limbs.

·       Hemorrhoids: Bleeding, protruding, painful. Post-partum hemorrhoids.

·       Threatened Abortion: With varices and bleeding.

·       Bruises and Injuries: Bruised soreness all through the body. Acts like Arnica for veins.

·       Burns and Scalds: Empirical use. Local application.

·       Rheumatism: Articular rheumatism with swollen, painful joints.

·       Purpura Hemorrhagica

·       Epistaxis: Recurrent, dark blood, especially in children and the elderly.

·       Conjunctivitis: From burns or foreign bodies.

·       Dysentery: With much blood in the stool.

·       Diarrhea: With blood.

·       Burns of the First Degree

8. Relationships

Complementary Remedies

·       Arnica — Hamamelis acts as a "union of Aconite and Arnica" for the veins. Used externally in almost all conditions where Arnica is used, when Arnica cannot be tolerated.

·       Calendula — Similar local application for wounds and injuries.

·       Aesculus — For venous congestion and hemorrhoids.

·       Collinsonia — For hemorrhoids and pelvic congestion.

Antidotal Remedies

·       Camphor — antidotal to ill effects of Hamamelis

·       Arnica — antidotal

·       China — antidotal

Similar Remedies (Differential)

·       Lycopus — allied in hemorrhages

·       Trillium — allied in hemorrhages

·       Pulsatilla — nearest analogue; allied in hemorrhages

·       Ipecacuanha — associate in haemostatic virtue

·       Millefolium — associate in haemostatic virtue

·       Belladonna — similar sensitivity to jar, but Hamamelis is sensitive only in inflamed and swollen muscles and veins

Follows Well

·       After Arnica in injuries with venous involvement

·       After Aconite in inflammatory conditions with venous congestion

9. Dose and Potency

Common Potencies:

·       Mother Tincture (Q / MT): For local application on wounds, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, bruises, burns.

·       1x, 2x, 3x: For hemorrhages, varicose veins, and venous congestion.

·       6C, 12C: For general venous complaints and hemorrhoids.

·       30C: Common for acute bleeding, epistaxis, hemorrhoids, and injuries.

·       200C: For chronic venous insufficiency and constitutional treatment.

Dosage Guidelines:

·       Adults/Children: Dissolve 5 pellets of 30C under the tongue 3 times a day until symptoms are relieved, or as directed by a physician.

·       Local Application: Cloths or cotton-wool wet in the dilute tincture applied constantly to affected parts for rheumatism, varicose veins, and injuries.

·       Acute Bleeding: A dose every hour till relieved, then reduce frequency.

·       Tincture Drops: 1–10 drops, 1–3 times a day (oral solution).

10. Keynotes Summary

1.    Venous congestion and passive hemorrhages — the remedy of the "injured vein"

2.    Dark, passive bleeding from any orifice; blood is dark, clotted, and non-coagulable

3.    Bruised soreness of affected parts, like Arnica, but focused on veins

4.    Varicose veins — painful, sore, bleeding, inflamed

5.    Bleeding hemorrhoids — one of the top remedies

6.    Vicarious hemorrhages — nosebleed, hematemesis, hemoptysis when menses are suppressed

7.    Weakness out of proportion to blood loss

8.    Sensitive to touch and pressure over veins

9.    Worse from warm moist air, movement, exertion

10. Better from covering warmly, rest, leaving the bed

 

Source and References:-