Cimicifuga Racemosa: Homeopathic Medicine – Its Use, Indications And Dosage

Cimicifuga Racemosa also known as Actaea Racemosa is prepared from plant ‘black cohosh’. It belongs to the family Ranunculaceae. The roots of this plant are subjected to potentization (process of preparing homeopathic medicines) that extracts and intensifies its medicinal properties. After this process, we get homeopathic remedy Cimicifuga Racemosa which is very helpful for managing certain mind-related issues (postpartum depression) and female problems as well as neck and muscle pain.

The ‘Cimicifuga Racemosa’ Constitution

This medicine is suited well to women of nervous, sensitive nature who feel chilly and have complaint of neck or back pain. It also particularly suits women going through menopausal period. Lastly, it is highly recommended for persons prone to get joint complaints.

Drug Action

The most prominent action of this medicine is seen on the mind, female genitals mainly uterus and ovaries, neck, back and muscles. Additionally, it acts well on eyes, head, limbs, and heart.

Clinical Indications

Depression, postpartum depression, menstrual disorders, ovarian disorders, breast complaints, puerperal fever, neck pain, back pain, cramps, muscle pain, headache, eye pain, photophobia, tremors, blemishes, heart disorders.

Scope As A Homeopathic Remedy

1. Mind (Depression, Postpartum Depression)

The foremost action of this medicine is noted on the mind. It is well-indicated for managing depression. The main symptom felt by persons needing it is sadness with a feeling as if a black cloud has spread all over everything. Everything seems dark and confused. There is a feeling as if something bad is going to happen. They exhibit indifferent behavior and have no interest in household matters. There is fear of death. Fear of going mad is also present along with headache. Persons who need it are nervous, restless and anxious. They may talk a lot shifting from one subject to the other. They may be suspicious too. It is one of the best medicines for cases of postpartum depression (occurring in a woman after childbirth). Apart from these, depression that occurs during menses or during menopause is also well treated with Cimicifuga.

Key Indicating Features

Depression with sadness and the feeling of a black cloud spread all over everything

Postpartum depression that occurs after childbirth, depression during menses or during menopause

2. Female Problems (Irregular Periods, Suppressed Periods, Leucorrhoea, Uterine / Ovarian Pain, Blemishes)

Cimicifuga has a wide action on female genitals. It is well-indicated for cases of irregular menses. The menstrual flow is dark with foul odor and varies in amount from scanty to profuse. Menses are heavy and painful. In this condition, generally the more the amount of menstrual bleeding, the more the pain. Mild backache accompanies and excessive weakness is felt in between periods. It also works well in cases of suppressed menses (amenorrhoea). It can be given for cases of vaginal discharge (leucorrhoea) when attended with a sensation of weight in uterus. A very characteristic symptom for its use is pain across pelvis or uterine region darting from one hip to the other. It can be used for managing ovarian pain that goes upwards and down the front of the thigh. It also acts well on breasts where it is useful for managing burning sensation in breasts. Its use is highly recommended for inframammary pain (crease where the lower part of the breast joins the skin of chest), more on the left side. It is also an important medicine for managing cases of puerperal fever (uterine infection following childbirth). Lastly, young women having facial blemishes (discolored marks or spots) can be highly benefitted from it.

Key Indicating Features

Irregular menses with dark, offensive, scanty or copious menses

Painful menses, the more the flow of menstrual bleeding the more is the pain

Pain across pelvis or uterine region darting from hip to hip

Pain in ovary when pain goes upwards and down the front of the thigh

Infra mammary pain on left side

Facial blemishes in young women

3. Neck And Back (Pain, Stiffness, Sciatica)

This medicine acts wonderfully on neck and the back to help various related concerns. To begin with, it is very effective for managing pain and stiffness of neck. Pain is felt even when moving hands. The neck feels contracted. Stiffness is worse in cold air.  Neck is sensitive to pressure. Further action is noted on treating lower back pain. It helps when pain in the lower back gets worse from movement and is relieved by rest. The pain is dull, heavy type or in some cases, pulsations are felt. It is also indicated when the pain from the lower back goes down the hips and thighs. Weight can be felt in the lower back that may extend to the entire body. Its use is also made in sciatica cases with sharp, shooting pain radiating down the leg from the lower back.

Key Indicating Features

Pain, stiffness, contraction in the neck

Lower back pain worse from motion and is relieved by rest

4. Eyes (Eye Pain, Photophobia)

With its action on the eyes, it can be of great help in managing eye pain. It acts well, especially for shooting or throbbing sort of eye pain. Its use is highly considered when there is pain in eyeballs or behind them. The pain increases from the slightest motion and the person finds relief by applying pressure. There is eye-watering besides pain in the eyeball. It may help to manage complaints of photophobia (sensitivity to light).

Key Indicating Features

Shooting or throbbing type of eye pain

Pain in eyeballs or behind it worsening from little motion and better from pressure

5. Head (Headache)

Cimicifuga is valuable to manage headache. The prominent indicating symptom to use it is headache resulting from worries, especially over study. When headache occurs from reflux uterine disease, then also it can prove to be beneficial. Persons needing it feel better in open air. Apart from these, it can relieve pain in the back of head (occiput) that radiates to back of neck.

Key Indicating Features

Headache resulting from worries esp over study

Relief in headache in open air

Pain in the back of the head (occiput) radiating to back of neck

6. Limbs (Muscle Pain, Cramps, Trembling)

It acts well on limbs and helps to settle down numerous issues. The most striking feature for prescribing it is pain in belly (middle and widest part) of muscle usually large muscles. Pain can be cramping, stitching type. It can effectively relieve pain in limbs and soreness, bruised sensation in muscles of limbs. Muscle pain gets worse from motion. Person may find relief from excruciating pain in the arms which worsens in the evening. It can alleviate cramps in calf muscles.

Another complaint where it gives magnificent results is cases of stiffness, pain, soreness and contracted sensation in Achilles tendon (this is a band of fibrous tissue that connects calf muscle to heel bone) mostly in the evening. Besides these, it is utilized for cases in which a person is unable to walk due to trembling in legs. Additionally, its action to manage trembling of hands while writing is also noteworthy.

Key Indicating Features

Pain in muscle of the belly, usually large muscles

Stiffness, pain, soreness and contracted sensation in Achilles tendon

Trembling in legs, the person is unable to walk

Trembling of hands while writing

7. Heart (Heart Pain, Palpitations)

Its valuable action is next noted on the heart. Here it is indicated for pricking by needles like pain. For angina pectoris (heart pain occurring from reduced blood supply to the heart) too its use is mentioned in homeopathic literature. However, self-medication with this medicine should be strictly avoided. It can be used when pain spreads over the chest and back extending down the left arm. It is also helpful for managing palpitations that occur from the least motion.

Key Indicating Features

Needle pricking like feeling in heart

Palpitations from least motion

Modalities

Worsening factors: Complaints get worse from cold, in morning, during menses, from motion,

Relieving factors: Complaints get better in open air, from continued motion, from rest, from wrapping up warmly

Dosage

It works well in both low and high potencies. When using in low potency it can be repeated often depending on the complaint. But if using in high potencies, it should not be repeated frequently.

Relationship With Other Remedies

Antidoted by: Aconite

It can be compared with other homeopathic medicines including Pulsatilla, Sepia, Natrum Mur, Ignatia and Lilium Tigrinum