Stramonium: Homeopathic Medicine – Its Use, Indications And Dosage

Homeopathic medicine Stramonium is derived from the plant Thornapple. This plant belongs to the family — Solanaceae. This fresh plant undergoes potentization (process to prepare homeopathic medicines that arouse medicinal powers of its crude form) to prepare the homeopathic medicine — Stramonium. It is the best medicine to manage cases of schizophrenia and stammering.

The ‘Stramonium’ Constitution

This medicine suits youngsters mostly children very well, especially the ones who complain of mania, delirium, or chorea.

Drug Action

The most important action of Stramonium is on the mind and the brain. It also acts well on the mouth, head, eyes, and limbs.

Clinical Indications

Schizophrenia, delusions, mania, stammering, delirium, chorea, epilepsy, fears, meningitis, headache, strabismus

Scope As A Homeopathic Remedy

1. Complaints Of The Mind & Brain (Schizophrenia, Delirium, Mania, And Fear)

The foremost action of Stramonium is on the mind. It is one of the best medicines to help manage cases of schizophrenia (a mental health condition in which various hallucinations and delusions occur and that affect thinking, emotions, behavior, and decision-making quality of a person). Hallucinations mean seeing or hearing things that do not exist for real. Delusions refer to fixed, false beliefs not based on reality. It suits well cases of paranoid schizophrenia in which delusions and hallucinations are marked. Those who need this medicine have terrifying hallucinations. They see ghosts, and animals jumping sideways or running at them. Another characteristic feature is hearing voices and talking with spirits. There may occur delusions about their identity. The sufferer believes he is suddenly taller, sees himself double or some of his/her body parts go missing.  A very important indication pointing its use is religious mania. Those who need it keep praying constantly and do inspiring talk. Its use is also prominently indicated for cases of delirium (sudden change in the brain leading to confused thinking, emotional disturbance, and reduced awareness about the environment). It is used when during delirium there is excessive talking all the time that is confusing and unclear, singing, laughing, and a desire to escape. It can be given in cases of mania. In such cases, its use is indicated when a person having mania curses and gets violent, tears clothes with teeth. Besides these, Stramonium is known to help with certain fears. It is useful in managing fears including fear of the dark, of being alone, and of shining objects. It is also a great medicine in case one fears water, medically termed hydrophobia. The sight of water tends to bring on spasms in those who need it.

Key Indicating Features

Paranoid schizophrenia

Terrifying hallucinations when people see ghosts, animals jumping sideways or running at them

Hallucinations of hearing voices, and talking to spirits

Religious mania is where a person keeps praying constantly

Delirium with excessive talking all the time that is unclear, singing, laughing, and desire to escape

Mania with cursing, violence, and tearing of clothes with teeth

Fear of the dark, of being alone, and of shining objects

Hydrophobia (fear of water)

2. Mouth (Stammering, Increased Salivation, Teeth Grinding)

Stramonium acts well on the mouth. It is highly recommended for treating cases of stammering. Those who need it have to exert themselves really long and hard before they can utter a word. It helps in cases of too much salivation. In those who require it, the saliva is sticky. The person constantly spits saliva. Besides, it is beneficial in treating those who keep grinding their teeth.

Key Indicating Features

Stammering, a person has to exert to begin uttering a word

Too much salivation with constant spitting

Grinding of the teeth

3. Head (Headache, Meningitis, Hydrocephalus)

It manages well cases of headaches. It is effective in managing headache that worsens from the sun. There occurs boring pain in the head preceded by unclear vision. In some cases, there occurs throbbing in the forehead and in the right temple. Sometimes the headache occurs in both temples that shoot to the back of the head (the occipital region). Nausea and vomiting may occur with the headache. It is effective for those who suffer from a periodical headache that locates over either eyebrow on the forehead beginning around 9 am until noon. Heat is felt in the entire head. This medicine is well-indicated for meningitis (inflammation of membranes that covers the brain and spinal cord). Here it is used when the eyes are red and inflamed accompanied by dilated pupils, headache, nausea, frequent lifting of the head from the pillow, and delirium. It can be used for managing hydrocephalus cases (fluid build-up in the ventricles of the brain). In such cases, the guiding features to use it are excessive talkativeness, teeth grinding, staring look, convulsive motions of the head and frequent raising up of the head.

Key Indicating Features

Headache due to exposure to the sun

Boring pain in the head preceded by an unclear vision

Periodical headache over either eyebrow on the forehead beginning around 9 am until noon

Meningitis with red, inflamed eyes, dilated pupils, headache, nausea, frequent lifting of the head from the pillow, and delirium

Hydrocephalus with excessive talkativeness, teeth grinding, staring look, convulsive motions of the head, and frequent raising up of head

4. Eyes (Strabismus, Eyeball Pain)

Stramonium is also good for the eyes. It is an excellent medicine for treating cases of strabismus (squint). Its action in managing diplopia (double vision) is also marvellous. Its use is also considered in the case of hallucination where everything looks jumbled to the sufferer. Objects may look crooked, small, large, or black. A very peculiar feature is pain in the eyeball from the change of light, especially while going from dark to light or vice versa. There is excessive sensitivity to daylight. Visual illusions are present. When one looks at an object a person feels he sees rats, dogs, cats, or insects in continuous motion. The black colour may seem grey. The objects may seem multiplied and in different colours. Another indication for its use is excessive watering from the eyes (lachrymation) with headaches. Lastly, it is well-indicated when convulsions (fits) occur from bright light exposure, the sight of water or a mirror.

Key Indicating Features

Strabismus (squint)

Hallucinations where everything looks jumbled to the sufferer, objects may look crooked, small, large, or black

Eyeball pain from the change of light, when going from dark to light or vice versa

Visual illusions – objects may seem like rats, dogs, cats, or insects in continuous motion, and black colour may seem grey

Convulsions (fits) from bright light exposure, the sight of water or mirror

5. Limbs (Chorea, Twitching, Hip Joint Pain)

It is helpful in managing cases of chorea (involuntary unpredictable body movements from muscle contractions). There is irritability, sensitiveness, and inclination to bouts of weeping and alternate laughing before the onset of chorea symptoms. Trembling occurs in one or more limbs. Twitching occurs either in a single muscle or a group of muscles mainly in the upper body part.  When chorea triggers from fright, this medicine is of great help. There appears creeping sensation in limbs followed by violent movements. In most cases, the movements occur in the left arm and right foot.  It is also well indicated when there occurs constant motion of hands and arms as if spinning.  It is useful for managing the trembling of hands and arms. Its use is also considered to manage hip-joint pain on the left side. It works magnificently in cases of abscess (a lump containing pus) of the left hip joint with excessive pain. Stramonium is also valuable to manage creeping sensations in thighs, feet, and toes. It can be administered in cases of paralysis of lower limbs as well. Twitching in hands and feet can be managed well with this medicine.

Key Indicating Features

Chorea preceded by irritability, sensitiveness, and an inclination to both weep and laugh

Twitching in a single muscle or group of muscles mainly in the upper body part

Chorea triggered by fright

Creeping sensation in limbs followed by violent movements

Modalities

Worsening factors: Complaints get worse from looking at shining objects, the surface of water, sun exposure, fright, touch, and pressure

Relieving factors: Complaints get better from bright light, in company, and warmth

Dosage

Its use is recommended in thirtieth and lower potencies in general. The potency is selected per every individual case based on the symptom presentation.

Relationship With Other Remedies

Antidoted by: Belladonna, Hyoscyamus, Nux Vomica, and Camphor

It antidotes: Merc Sol and Plumbum Met