Spigelia: Homeopathic Medicine – Its Use, Indications And Dosage

This medicine is prepared from the dried herb of plant Spigelia Anthelmia, commonly known as ‘pink root’. It belongs to family Loganiaceae. This herb is potentized according to a homeopathic formula that extracts and intensifies its medicinal properties. Then, it becomes a homeopathic medicine Spigelia which treats various health concerns like trigeminal neuralgia, eye pain, headache, and toothache.

The ‘Spigelia’ Constitution

This medicine suits weak and anemic people prone to joint problems. It is also recommended for children who suffer from worm infections, especially Ascarides.

Drug Action

This medicine has a marked affinity to treating health conditions related to nerves, face, eyes, head, teeth, gastric system and heart. Its action is more marked on the left side of the body as compared to the right side.

Clinical Indications

Facial pain, trigeminal neuralgia, headache, migraine, eye pain, glaucoma, squint, earache, tinnitus, jaw pain, toothache, worms, neuralgia, heart complaints

Scope As A Homeopathic Remedy

1. Face (Facial Pain, Trigeminal Neuralgia)

Spigelia has marked action on the face and proves to be the best medicine in homeopathy to treat facial pain. It is an infallible medicine for treating trigeminal neuralgia (sudden severe shooting or electric shock-like pain on the face from pressure over trigeminal nerve or from its damage/injury). Though it can treat both sides of the face, it is more effective in treating left-sided facial pain. The nature of pain varies from case to case. It can be burning, tearing, electric-like or shooting type. The pain spreads over the left side of the face covering the temple (side) of the head, eye, cheek, and teeth. This entire area becomes sensitive to touch. There is also worsening of pain from stooping and movement and may remain from morning till night. . Pain intensifies with noises, along with watering from eyes and redness on the face.

Key Indicating Features

Left-sided facial pain located over temple (side) of head, cheek, eye and teeth

Trigeminal neuralgia mainly left-sided

2. Head (Headache, migraine)

Spigelia helps to treat headache, migraine and supraorbital headache, especially left-sided headache. The characteristic symptom to use it is pain starting from the left side of occiput (back of head) that spreads over the head and settles over the left eye. The pain is violent and pulsating, throbbing type. Stooping and opening the mouth may increase the pain. There are many other factors that worsen pain, some of which are noise, shaking the head, eye movement, bright light, touch, etc. It may be relieved from applying pressure, taking rest and from cold washing. Spigelia can be administered for treating migraine when pain is marked above the eyes (supraorbital region) on any of the sides. Pain is intense and is throbbing or stitching type. The eye may water and become red on the side affected. Spigelia is a wonderful medicine for supraorbital neuralgia (pain in the forehead above the eyes) mainly on the left side. The pain tends to worsen at the slightest movement.

Key Indicating Features

Left-sided headache that begins from the left side of occiput (back of head) and then comes upward finally settling over the left eye

Migraine with pain located above the eyes

Supraorbital neuralgia (pain in the forehead above the eyes) on left side

3. Eyes (Eyeball Pain, Cluster Headache, Glaucoma, Pterygium, Squint)

The major complaint where spigelia helps is relieving pain in the eyeball. The pain is pressive type and turning the eyes worsens it. It is also helpful when there is sharp, stabbing pain in the eyes going backward. It treats cluster headache (earlier termed as ciliary neuralgia) in which one-sided pain occurs periodically in or around the eyes, occurring regularly for a few weeks or months followed by a pain-free period. In cases needing it, redness, soreness of the eye and excessive watering from eyes is present. Glaucoma (eye condition in which optic nerve gets damaged from increased intraocular pressure) along with pain is yet another indication for using it. Spigelia can also be given for cases of pterygium (pinkish tissue growth on conjunctiva) and squint (strabismus). It is mainly useful for convergent squint in which the eye turns inward towards the nose.

Key Indicating Features

Eyeball pain worsening from eyeball movement

Cluster headache

Glaucoma with pain

4. Ears (Pain And Noises In Ear)

This medicine manages well ear pain and noises in ears (tinnitus). There is pressive type of pain in ear with plugged sensation. It can also be used for stitching type of pain in the ear. The pain can radiate from the ear to various parts of the face like cheeks, jaw, eyes, etc. It may be attended with ear discharge. In case of tinnitus, roaring, ringing or buzzing noises in the ear may be heard. At times, there is difficulty in hearing with a feeling of ears being blocked.

Key Indicating Features

Pressive or stitching type of earache

Tinnitus with roaring, ringing or buzzing noises in the ear

5. Teeth And Jaw (Toothache, Jaw Pain)

It is a highly recommended medicine for managing toothache and pain in lower jaw. It is recommended to manage pain in decayed teeth. Pain can be throbbing, digging, tearing or burning type. It gets worse from exposure to cold air, eating, taking cold drinks and at night. It is attended with pain on the face. A person may get relief from warmth or from taking warm drinks. With its action on jaw, spigelia offers relief in pain of lower jaw. The pain extends from the jaw to the ears and even to the back of the neck. A sensation as if the lower jaw would come out of its joint can occur. Pain is of tearing type. Drinking cold water worsens this pain.

Key Indicating Features

Pain in decayed teeth

Toothache that worsens at night, from cold air exposure, eating, taking cold drinks

Jaw pain that radiates to ear or nape of neck

6. Gastric Issues (Stomach Pain, Anal Itching, Inguinal Hernia, Worms)

Spigelia is capable of treating stomach pain, navel pain, inguinal hernia, anal itching and worms. There is stomach pain that can be of pressive type, or dull stitching type. Pressure, as from hard lump in the stomach, is felt with the pit of the stomach being sensitive to touch accompanied by sour belching. For navel pain, spigelia is used when there is cutting or pinching type of pain. This may be from worm infestation. Loose stool may occur along with passage of offensive gas. The abdomen feels hard and tight. It can be given for cases of worms especially ascarides. It covers well itching, tickling and crawling sensation felt in the anus. Its use is also considered in cases of inguinal hernia (bulging of intestines of fat of abdomen into groin area).

Key Indicating Features

Pressive or dull stitching stomach pain

Cutting pinching pain in navel, especially from worms

Inguinal hernia

Itching and crawling sensation in anus

Worm infestation mainly Ascarides

7. Heart (Palpitations, Stitching Pain In Heart, Pericarditis)

This medicine has a marked action on the heart to manage complaints including palpitations, stitching pain in heart, and pericarditis. For palpitations, it is used when it occurs from bending forward, from the least movement and deep inhalation. There is stitching pain in the heart attended with anxiety which gets worse from the least motion. It is also indicated for pericarditis which is the inflammation of the lining that surrounds the heart. Here, palpitation, difficult breathing and sticking pain are marked.

Key Indicating Features

Palpitations from bending forward, from least motion and deep respiration

Stitching pain in heart attended with anxiety

Pericarditis with palpitations, difficult breathing and sticking pain

Modalities

Worsening factors: Complaints worsen from noise, touch, motion

Relieving factors: It includes relief by lying with head high on the right side

Dosage

Use of this medicine is recommended in both low and high potency. The potency is selected depending on various factors like age of person, type and intensity of complaint, duration of complaint. In low potency, one may repeat it frequently but when used in high potency, it should be taken infrequently.

Relationship with Other Remedies

Antidoted by: Aurum Met, Camphor, Cocculus Indicus, Pulsatilla

It antidotes: Merc Sol and Colchicum

Followed well by Arnica, Belladonna, Digitalis, Iris Versicolor, Kalmia, Rhus Tox, Zincum Met