Belladona - Generalities

Please note that you are not allowed to copy this page to your website. Check our copying policy for details.

Generalities

Any kind of sudden jar can be unbearable to these patients, in both acute and chronic conditions. Belladonna is the main remedy in conditions which are aggravated from a jar. Every jar, turning or movement of body increases the pain; the patient therefore lies immovably on his back.

Another general characteristic of Belladonna is that it is worse on lying down. This refers to headache and all kinds of inflammatory infections.

Belladonna symptoms are frequently right-sided: right-sided headaches, sinusitis, ovarian pains and even right-sided convulsions. Once the pathology begins, any kind of strong stimulus can disturb these patients; they often want to lie down in a dark, quiet room, usually lying on the abdomen; light bothers them.

The Belladonna convulsions come on from a reflected light, from a mirror, from water, or after mental exertion. The convulsions are accompanied by coldness of feet and hot head, and by stretching out parts of limbs before and during convulsions. The patient throws his body forward and backward while lying, with constant change from emprosthotonos to opisthotonos.

Tetanus, trismus, and eclampsia.
Restlessness during stool, restlessness at night; grinding of the teeth, and now and then convulsions.
Twitching more in arms and face; difficult articulation; throws head back, rolling head.
Starting on falling asleep; the feet are jerked upward and the head forward.
Semi-consciousness and loss of speech; convulsive movement in limbs and muscles of face; paralysis of right side of tongue.
Paroxysms of stiffness, and immobility of all limbs, or of single limbs only.
Noises can cause an aggravation not only of the headache but also the sciatica, gastritis, convulsions etc.
In tetanus a sudden noise, a slight touch, a jar, an attempt to speak or to move or to drink will induce a spasm. Teeth are clenched with such force that they cannot be opened.
Great irritability and impressionability of the senses; he tastes and smells everything more acutely; cannot tolerate any touch, the skin is supersensitive.
Spasms and convulsions of limbs renewed by least contact.
A lot of the symptomatology of this remedy appears around the time of menses.
Weakness and headaches mostly come on before, during and after menses, with desire to lie down.
Liability to catch colds, with great sensitiveness to draughts of air, especially when uncovering head, or after cutting hair.
Sensitive to changes from warm to cold, to damp weather, to chilling from having the head uncovered; better from being wrapped up warmly in a room.
Feels very chilly, wants warmth of a stove.
Cool hands and forehead, with much thirst, but no fever.
Shuddering, or violent chill in back, epigastrium, or arms.
Several attacks of fever in one day, during which hot stage followed cold within a few minutes to half an hour, always without thirst in either stage, and mostly with confusion of head.
Heat of forehead, with cold cheeks.
Coldness of limbs, with heat of head.
Temperature of head very much increased, of rest of body diminished.
Unconsciousness from working in hot sun.
Nervous shuddering on going to sleep, and on falling asleep an electric-like shock.
Pulsations on waking in the morning.
In general sweat occurs suddenly and quickly disappears.
It has a smoky odour, and stains the linen.
There is cold sweat after urination.
Congestion of the liver with jaundice, the liver burns.
In general the inflamed parts swell rapidly, throb, are extremely sensitive to touch, are very painful, with the sensation as if they would burst.

The inflamed parts, and very commonly the skin, are very red, but as the inflammation advances they become dusky. Belladonna can have inflammations anywhere: inflammation of nerves (neuritis); inflammation of the marrow of bones (osteomyelitis); inflammation of bursae (bursitis); inflammation of cartilages (chondritis, perichondritis) and inflammation of muscles (myositis) and all these inflammations come on suddenly.

Made worse in all complaints from motion; motion brings on convulsions, motion brings on pain, motion increases the action of the heart and brings on throbbing, motion brings on many complaints and increases the suffering.
Walking in the wind aggravates.
Better wrapped up warmly in a room. Holding the breath ameliorates.
Boring in ear and nose with fingers ameliorates.

Belladonna's influence is felt more in intelligent and plethoric persons who are jovial and entertaining when well, but violent when sick. It is therefore a great children's remedy.

The clinical application of Belladonna is so broad that one can say that it encompasses all disease-conditions and can be prescribed in all of them once the main characteristics of the remedy are present. Some pathological conditions for which Belladonna must be cosidered:

Useful primarily in chronic headaches.
It should be thought of in cases of high blood pressure with redness of the face and flushes, where the patients look as if they are about to have an apoplectic attack.
Patients with high blood pressure and diabetis melitus.
It should also be thought of in brain infections, delirium, delirium tremens, meningitis, convulsions.
One-sided paralysis, with convulsions, spasms or twitching of the well side.
Other conditions for which Belladonna is considered useful are:
Epileptic spasms followed by nausea and vomiting; epilepsy, with violent congestion to head; epileptic convulsions, followed by an apoplectic condition; epilepsy; patient clutches wildly at throat; eyes roll back in their sockets, he froths at the mouth.
Chorea during pregnancy.
Manic depression.
Puerperal mania.
Psychosis.
Ear infections, especially otitis media on the right side with excruciating pain, throbbing and redness of the face.
Peritonitis where the patient cannot endure the slightest pressure, even the pressure from the bed covers or a cloth compress is not tolerated.
Pneumonia when the main characteristics of the remedy are present.
Cholocystitis where the pain is aggravated very much on lying on the right side, even touching the area is painful.
Sore throat as if there is a coal there, or an area where the mucous membrane is raw.
Exophthalmic goitre, with extreme thyroid toxaemia.
Hydrophobia.
Catalepsy after fright.

The Belladonna fever is very high, you will seldom see a patient running a low fever, and it is remittent, not continued. Belladonna can almost be considered a specific for scarlet fever and traumatic erysipelas.

Vertigo

To summarise we can say that Belladonna produces all varieties of vertigo; perhaps as many as one quarter of all cases of vertigo will require Belladonna.

Head

Headaches may also arise from abnormal cervical spine curvature or misalignment. The headaches are of various types and may vary even in one individual case. For example, a patient may complain of frequent, minor headaches which are punctuated once a month by severe headaches which drive her to bed.

Classically the headaches begin at three p.m.; however, it is even more common to find headaches which originate at eleven a.m. to noon and which then peak at three p.m. or between two and three p.m. Very frequently the headaches may last for long periods of time; e.g., twelve or even twenty-four to forty-eight hours.

Probably the most common headache is pulsating and pounding in quality, but one also sees headaches which are felt 'as if a knife were being driven into the head.' The patient may describe a sensation as if he were being struck by a hammer in one single spot. The common element is the severity of the pain, for Belladonna headaches are the most intense in the whole of our materia medica. The patient may say that the pain is 'maddening', as if the pain will drive him mad, or he may say that the pain is so intense that, "I don't feel my head anymore." Frequently the pain is severe enough to provoke nausea and vomiting. When the headache finally subsides, it leaves the patient exhausted. Another type of Belladonna headache can be related to high blood pressure.

Here the patient may describe a sense of pressure arising from inside the head, as if the head would burst open or as if the eyes would 'pop out'. The patient presents with a red, congested face, engorged blood vessels and headache. This presentation may occur during a full-blown hypertensive crisis, accompanied by hypertensive retinopathy and papilloedema; consequently, it is imperative to monitor the blood pressure in such cases. The headaches often originate in the cervical region or the occiput. Though not mentioned in the Repertory, there are headaches starting in the occiput and radiating anteriorly which are provoked by changes in the weather. These headaches may also be located in the temples or the forehead, especially the right temple or just above the right eyebrow.

As previously stated, with the headache the patient usually wants to lie down, usually on his abdomen, in a dark, quiet room. Loud noises, light and sudden jars cause a marked aggravation of the pain. Even the jar of each step while walking can be unbearable. Also, any kind of excitement or emotional stress may precipitate or aggravate the crisis. There can also be an aggravation from stooping forward. The headaches are worse from the sun and from the heat. Sometimes during the headaches the congestion in the head is so intense that the patient may feel that he actually has a fever. He wants cold applications or even ice on the head for relief. He may also find relief from hard pressure and from binding the head very tightly. In general, the patient is better during cloudy or rainy weather; he has far fewer headaches in such weather.

Finally, Belladonna headaches may be triggered by the following: eating acid food; suppressing a catarrh; during dentition; after nursing; smoking tobacco. The headache may be accompanied by a desire for lemonade. The headaches are like many of the other pains; it feels as if the brain was going up and down, tearing and burning at every step he takes, and from every motion of the eyes, or turning of eyeballs, or going up stairs, rising from his seat, or sitting down; all motion creates violent pains; feels as if the head would burst, as if the eyes would be pressed out.

Other head symptoms for Belladonna include: Sensation as if skull were as thin as paper; as if the skull were transparent.
Boring of head into pillow.
Children tear their hair.
Brittleness of hair.

Eyes

Ears

Ear sensitive to wind; sensation of wind in ear. Heat inside ear. Heat of ear during chill. Discharges of blood from ear during cough. Sensation of distension of ear. Belladonna has a great variety of noises in ear. These include: Roaring, ringing, tingling, murmuring; fluttering sounds in the morning; humming noises in ear aggravated while sitting; humming in ear with vertigo; warbling of birds in ear. Noises in ear are heard while sitting and on waking; ameliorated while lying, while standing, while walking. Hearing is impaired after hiccup, after scarlet fever. Deafness as if a skin were drawn over ears. Hardness of hearing, owing to having caught cold. Partial deafness. Acute hearing during heat. Acute hearing during perspiration.

Nose

Frequent dry sneezing, with tickling, especially in left nostril. Tendency for epistaxis, especially nosebleeds which occur at night while asleep. Nosebleed with congestion to head; in children at night. At other times the nosebleeds occur as part of a typical syndrome; red face, injected eyes and hypertension. Epistaxis may also occur with vertigo; with numbness of nose. Sneezing after coughing. After suppressed catarrh, maddening headache. Inflammatory swelling and redness of internal and external nose. Inflammation of nose in alcoholics. Pain, as if bruised, when touching nose. Cramp at root of nose. Sudden redness of tip of nose, with burning sensation. Tip of nose red, swollen and shining, feels that with every step the tip of the nose will fall off.
Tip of nose red and hot, particularly in warm weather.
Swelling of tip of nose in warm weather.
Perspiration on nose.
Oversensitivity to odours.
Extreme sensibility of smell; odour of tobacco is intolerable.
Smell in nose as from herring brine or sour beer.
Putrid smell from nose.

Face

Belladonna is one of the main remedies for flushing of the face. This symptom can appear independently or it may be associated with other complaints such as headache, vertigo, toothache, hypertension, etc. Of course, one of the most famous symptoms of Belladonna is a hot, flushed face with cold extremities.

The flushing can cause confusion with other remedies such as Pulsatilla, especially with the timid type of Belladonna patient sometimes encountered. Also, it may resemble Lachesis, especially because Belladonna may also have an intolerance to tight clothing around the neck and because both remedies can have complaints around the time of the menses.

In general, one can see great sensitivity of the face in the Belladonna patient. In some cases one finds a marked aversion to having the face touched, not from a specific inflammation but simply because of a general sensitiveness, much like Chamomilla.

Abscesses, acne and erysipelas are the most frequent skin conditions on the face. Belladonna produces a malignant type of acne of the face and sometimes of the back. The skin becomes very red, and the pimples themselves are huge, almost small boils. When the lesions heal, they frequently leave scars on the face. The whole condition can be aggravated by heat, but an even more pronounced aggravation is caused by sunlight.

The Belladonna smallpox eruption on the face is characterised by intense pricking like a thousand needles, ameliorated by compresses dipped in boiling hot water and changed every few minutes. Eruptions may appear at the right hand corner of the mouth and inside the left side of the nose. There may be boils at margins of hair, or abscesses on upper lip. The face may have unusually thick skin.

Other conditions which may require Belladonna are:
Chronic atrophic polychondritis, a degenerative disease involving the cartilages of the nose and ears. In these cases one can see sudden, violent inflammations of the face with redness and marked swelling of the cartilaginous tissues of nose and ears.

Right sided trigeminal neuralgia with aggravation from cold applications; the condition increases gradually and ceases suddenly, or comes and goes suddenly.
Pains that cause redness of face and eyes.
Violent shooting in right maxillary joint, extending to ear, when chewing.
Extraordinary mobility of facial muscles, especially on left side.
Convulsive movement of facial muscles, with distortion of mouth.
Continual winking and trembling of eyelids, alternating with cramps of hands and feet.
Sensation as if lower jaw was drawn backward.
Clenched jaw.
Convulsive closing of jaws, and contraction of muscles of face and extremities.
Trembling of upper lip.
Numbness of affected side of face.
Paralysis of right side of face.
Hard painful swelling of jaw and glands in general.
Painful swelling of submaxillary glands.
Swelling and aching of right parotid gland.
Inflammation and swelling of submaxillary and cervical glands.
Inflammation of parotid glands with metastasis to testes.
Swelling of lips, mostly of the upper lip.

Mouth

Gums - Extremely troublesome itching of gums, with pain in throat.
Vesicle in gum below one of front teeth, with a pain as if burnt.
Pulsating pain in gums.
Swelling of gums on lower left side with stitches up to left temple.
Bleeding of gums around decayed tooth during menses.
Heat in gums.

Taste - salty; sour; bitter; offensive.
Bread tastes sour.
Putrid taste rising out of throat; also when eating or drinking, although food and drink have proper taste.
Putrid, disagreeable taste in mouth, with a clean tongue.
Acute sense of taste.
Bad taste ameliorated after eating apples; apples taste bitter.
Bitter taste at noon.
Bitterish-sour taste of milk.
Food tastes salty.
Meat tastes spoiled.
Odour as of stool.

Speech - Hasty speech; often inarticulate, confused sounds.
Stammering speech.
Inarticulate speech from hindered mobility of tongue.
Tongue dry and dislike to talk.
Loss of speech.
Paralytic weakness of organs of speech.
Paralysis of tongue which is drawn to the left.

Tongue - Paralytic weakness of internal parts of mouth.
The tongue and palate dark red; she complains of dryness of the throat, and of difficult swallowing.
Tongue: inflamed and much swollen; papillae of deep red colour; tip and edges light red.
Papillae on tongue erect.
The papillae on tongue are of a deep red colour, inflamed and much swollen.
Trembling of tongue when protruded.
Smacking with tongue.
Stiff tongue.
Feeling of coldness and dryness of forepart of tongue.
Dryness of tongue and throat becoming so great as to interfere with speech.
Tongue dry, cracked and difficult to move.
Tongue adheres to roof of mouth.
Hot tongue.
Tip of tongue burns, aggravated by touch.
Red streak in middle of tongue.
Fiery red tongue.
Milky white tongue.
White stripes on tongue.
Painful pimples on tongue.

Saliva - Salivation succeeding dryness of mouth.
Increased flow of saliva.
Salivation at night, aggravated by lying down.
Salivation with cough. Mucus and slime in morning.
Thick whitish mucus accumulates in the mouth and throat, with constant inclination to hawk and swallow. Collection of slimy mucus on tongue.
Saliva thickened, tenacious, clings to tongue like glue.

Teeth - Grinding of teeth.
Grinding of teeth during sleep.
Grinding of teeth, with foam at mouth.
Convulsive grinding of teeth.
Teeth clinched firmly.
Grinding of teeth during maniacal rage.
Sensation as if her teeth would be forced out of her head.
Numbness of teeth.
The teeth feel elongated.
Sensation of elongation of incisors.
Toothache from excitement.
Pain aggravated from jarring.
Toothache immediately after lying.
Toothache, with red, hot face and throbbing in head.
Toothache with otalgia.
Rheumatic toothache, particularly in females, especially when pregnant.
Throbbing in teeth.

Throat

The intolerance to tight collars of Belladonna has been mentioned; a subtle distinction between this intolerance and that of Lachesis is that Lachesis has a sense of constriction that is largely of psychological origin. Belladonna patients have this aversion to tight collars because of the increased heat and congestion of the head which they induce. However, Belladonna does not have a sensitivity to tight clothes in other parts of the body such as the waist as does Lachesis.
There is great dryness of the throat; sometimes there is dryness without thirst [Bry., Nux-m., Puls.;].
Dryness of oesophagus.
Troublesome continued dryness of mouth, lips and throat with a violent longing for drink, but not satisfied by it.
Great dryness of mouth and throat; desires drink but cannot swallow.
Dryness of fauces, causing excessive difficulty of swallowing and alteration of voice.
Painful narrowing and contraction of gullet.
Dryness of mouth and pharynx, with sense of constriction of throat.
The throat becomes red and inflamed and sensitive to air.
The fauces, uvula and tonsils are scarlet and shiny.
Follicular inflammation; erysipelatous inflammation.
Inflammation on right side of throat.
Tonsillitis worse right side; parts bright red, worse swallowing liquids.
Burning pains in the throat are very common; there can be a burning pain in the pharynx from the passage of air during inspiration.
Sudden and rapid onset of cervical adenitis; the glands soon swell and become hard.
There can be a sensation as of a foreign body in the throat: sensation of foreign body in oesophagus; sensation as of a lump, which cannot be removed; sensation as if a large tumour were growing in the throat and had stopped it up.
Constriction of the larynx which occurs from being touched at the throat.
An aversion to being touched at the throat or on the face.
Pain in the throat from cold air, from motion, while lying down, from speaking, ameliorated by swallowing.
Constant pressing and burning in throat.
Felt great soreness in throat, which looked very red about tonsils and palate;
soreness extended to ears.
Sore throat, which increases every hour.
Spasmodic constriction of throat.
Spasms in oesophagus.
Spasms of esophagus on swallowing liquids.
Only with difficulty and by constantly taking liquids is he able to swallow solid food.
Difficult swallowing due to convulsion.
Constant urging and desire to swallow; seemed as if he would choke if he did not swallow.
During deglutition, feeling in throat as if it was too narrow, or drawn together, as if nothing would pass properly.
On attempting to pour down liquid, tetanic closure of mouth, and regurgitation of liquid.
He swallows water with greatest difficulty, and can only get smallest quantity of it down.
Chokes easily; things go down the wrong way.
Choking on going to sleep.
Aversion to all fluids, so that she behaves frightfully at sight of them.
Aphthae on tonsils.
Pulsation of glands.
Cervical glands inflame suddenly.
Mucus like false membrane.
Glazed appearance of throat.

Stomach

The food cravings of Belladonna are for vegetables, sour things and sweets, but most characteristically for lemons and lemonade. Desire for lemons is perhaps the most important food preference; even in acute cases one can witness a craving for lemonade. One sees aversion to fat, fruit, fish, and beans or peas but strong desire for bread and butter. Also, one may see an aversion to sour, sweets and vegetables as opposed to a desire for these substances. Generally Belladonna is considered a thirstless remedy; one can, though, see very great thirst. There is also an aversion to warm drinks. During the crises, Belladonna pains can be so severe as to cause vomiting. Thus, one frequently sees violent right-sided migraine headaches with vomiting [Sanguinaria]. The differentiation from Sanguinaria rests in the fact that vomiting affords no relief in Belladonna, while marked relief from vomiting occurs in Sanguinaria.

Food and Drink - Belladonna is sensitive to food intake and patients often find their condition ameliorated by eating. The following particularities can be found:
Desire for gruel which aggravates.
Desire for bread and butter, sweets and cakes.
Desire for lemons, cider and lemonade which ameliorate.
Desire for slate pencils, earth, chalk, clay, indigestible things.
Desire for snuff.
Aversion to liquid food, to smell of milk, to smell of food, to solid food, to vegetables, eggs, broth, beer, acids, coffee and fat.
Aversion to food, particularly meat.
Ailments from eating sausages, shellfish, sugar, from drinking coffee or alcohol.
Thirst for large quantities often.
Can drink all the time, anything that is liquid.
Excessive thirst for cold water.
Desire for drinks, but refuses when offered.
Desire for drinks without thirst.
Thirst during menses.
Thirst after midnight.
Violent burning, suffocating, unquenchable thirst, with inability to swallow the least drop, or with great aversion to drinks.
Thirst during and after convulsions.
Gulping of food.
Complete loss of appetite. Appetite lacking before menses.
Diminished appetite after perspiration

Hiccup, Eructations, Nausea and Vomiting.
Crying on account of pain from hiccup.
Hiccup after perspiration which causes crying.
Hiccuping eructations; spasm composed partly of eructation, partly of hiccup.
Convulsive hiccup.
Hiccup while vomiting.
Half suppressed, incomplete eructations.
Bitter, frequent eructations, with lack of appetite and giddiness.
Sudden vomiting, vomiting mucus in the afternoon.
Vomiting after eating or drinking.
Nausea, with loathing of food.
Nausea and bitter eructations
Anxiety with and after nausea.
Passing flatus ameliorates nausea.
Unsuccessful inclination to vomit.
Vomiting impossible.
Vomiting: of mucus; of bile and mucus, or undigested food; watery, sour, bloody mucus.
Vomiting after convulsions.
Vomiting during suppressed menses.
Vomiting blood during suppressed menses.
Urging to vomit after stool.
Faecal vomiting in intussusception.
Faecal vomiting in strangulated hernia.
Tensive pressing pain in pit of stomach, particularly after eating.
Pressure in stomach after eating.
Excruciating pains about pit of stomach.
Chilliness in pit of stomach.
Feeling as if stomach would fall out.
Spasm in stomach like cramp.
Chronic spasm of stomach, always occurring during a meal.
Pain in stomach extending through to spine, between shoulders.
Sensation of burning ball in stomach.
Sensation of a hand clutching intestines.
Region of stomach sensitive to touch.
Gastritis and duodenal ulcer: the pain is aggravated before and after menses, aggravated by breathing, by jar of walking, by jolting in a vehicle, from motion, etc.
Distension of epigastrium, with tensive pain in stomach.
Distension in evening in bed.
Epileptic aura starts from the stomach.

Abdomen

Belladonna will be the remedy to be thought of in the following cases: Peritonitis, inflammation of liver or gall bladder, spastic colitis, intussusception, inflammation of inguinal hernia with vomiting, strangulated inguinal hernia, inflammation of inguinal glands, typhlitis, acute and chronic hepatitis.

Of course, Belladonna is well-known as a remedy for colitis. In colitis there is a striking tendency for complaints to affect the transverse colon, and sometimes spasms in this region will be visibly reflected in motions of the abdominal wall. I once saw a striking example of this phenomenon in an infant with intussusception. There was complete bowel obstruction, and upright abdominal X-rays showed air-fluid levels. I examined the child and saw that the face was hot and flushed. The hands, however, were quite cold.

Then I noticed spasms travelling in ripples (that were visible in the abdomen) across the transverse colon. We scrambled to find a dose of Belladonna. Meanwhile the child was being prepared for immediate surgery. We gave a dose of Belladonna 10M, and within forty minutes the child passed some stool and repeat X-rays showed resolution of the condition. Of course, the colitis pains are ameliorated by bending forward or lying on the abdomen.

The modalities of the pains in the abdomen have all the general characteristics of the remedy. They are violent, aggravated by slightest pressure, by touch, even the touch from clothes, by a jar, by sneezing, by lying on painful side, by motion.
They come quickly and disappear suddenly or sometimes may come gradually and go away gradually.
There is a strong dragging, bearing down sensation in lower abdomen before menses as if everything would be pushed out, much like Sepia. The general picture of the Belladonna patient is quite different from the Sepia one of course, the first being full of life and energy and the other lifeless.
The local symptoms however seem to be quite similar:
Pressing downward as if contents of abdomen would issue through vulva, worse mornings; often associated with pain in back as if it would break. In the morning, immediately after getting out of bed, a violent, tensive, pressing pain in the whole of the hypogastrium.
Severe pain in abdomen in cases of colitis, appendicitis or peritonitis where the patient cannot endure the slightest pressure, even the pressure from the bed covers or a cloth compress is not tolerated.
Strikes the two legs together in peritonitis so the inside of the knees are blue.
Flexing the limbs or lying on abdomen ameliorates the pain; sitting bent forwards or bending backwards makes him feel better.
In women we have amelioration of the pain once the full flow of menses has started.
There are pains from constipation and from straining for stool.
Pains like clutching with nails.
Pain in right hypogastrium worse any jarring or even breathing.
Acute pain in region of liver; pains go to the shoulder and neck.
Long-lasting painfulness of the whole abdomen, as if it were all sore and raw with chronic constipation.
Colic, as if a spot in the abdomen were seized with the nails, a griping, clutching, clawing.
Pain in inguinal region which causes urge to urinate.
Distension of transverse colon.
Sense of fullness in hypogastrium in evening.
Heat in abdomen ascending to chest.
When abdomen is distended it becomes very sensitive, even to touch.
Heaviness in hypochondria as from a load when walking.
Sensation of a lump in abdomen; spleen.
On standing the intestines seem to press outward below umbilicus; the patient feels better by pressing them back towards the genitals.

Rectum

Belladonna is also a very useful remedy for treating haemorrhoids. The veins are red, swollen, bleeding and very sensitive to touch. In these patients one can see a marked irritability after stool. The symptoms are similar to those of Aesculus: bleeding piles and back pains associated with them as if the back were breaking.

Strangulated haemorrhoids.
Haemorrhoids so sensitive to touch that he must lie with nates separated.
Touch aggravates haemorrhoids.
Diarrhoea after hair cutting, from bright light, from sudden noise.
Involuntary hard stool in bed at night.
Involuntary stool on coughing or sneezing.
Involuntary evacuation, temporary paralysis of the sphincter.
Stool in lumps like chalk.
Slimy, mucous stool.
Slimy and bloody diarrhoeic stools.
White, chalk-like stool.
Yellow granular stool.
Pressure alternating with contraction.
Spasmodic contraction of anus.
Constriction of rectum alternation with itching - with pressure.
Straining to stool; the evacuation is undoubtedly diarrhoeic, but very little is voided, and immediately after follows much-increased straining. Impossible straining.
Painful itch in rectum
Prolapse of rectum in children

Urinary organs

Belladonna is indicated in acute prostatitis where there is long hesitation before urination. It is also indicated in cases where there is very frequent desire to urinate, even if only a few drops have accumulated. Urination is difficult and retarded, the patient must wait for urine to start, then press.
Emission of prostatic fluid without erections.
Pain in prostate gland aggravated by jar.
Pyelitis or pyelonephritis.
Urine becomes turbid like yeast, with a reddish sediment.
Pain in kidneys on coughing.
Tearing pain in kidneys extending down ureters, aggravated by motion, touch, jar, sneezing and inspiration.
It is also indicated in cases of cystitis where there is pain in neck of bladder on urging to urination.
Burning pain in bladder at night.
Sore, tender pain in bladder aggravated by motion and jar.
Twisting sensation in bladder.
Sensation of worm in bladder.
Paralytic weakness of sphincter.
Weakness of sphincter.
Copious urine at beginning of menses.
Scanty urine alternating with copious flow.
Scanty urine with brain affection. Urine watery during fever.

Genitalia - male

Genitalia - female

Chest

Larynx and Trachea: Constriction of larynx during cough.
Painful dryness of larynx with aversion to drink.
Constriction of larynx from touch.
Dryness of larynx at night.
Dryness of larynx on coughing.
Pain in larynx during heat, on motion, by respiration, on touch.
Larynx sensitive to slightest pressure.
Violent scraping in larynx excites a dry cough.
Sensation as if someone constricted his larynx.
Sensation of foreign substance in larynx.
Barking voice.
Hissing voice.
Painful hoarseness.
Hoarseness, which was especially noticed when crying.
Sudden hoarseness.
Sudden loss of voice.
Now and then, while speaking, the voice, which had been weak, becomes suddenly loud and clear.

Respiration - Anxious respiration with oppression during heat. Asthmatic respiration in the evening, in warm wet weather. Respiration difficult after rising in the morning, ameliorated in cold air. Respiration difficult when bending head backwards, from coffee, with constriction of larynx, when drinking, with epistaxis, after sleep, when swallowing, on touching larynx. Respiration intermittent during sleep.
Respiration rapid and somewhat oppressed.
Moaning expiration.

Cough and Expectoration - The barking cough of Belladonna is well known, with aggravation after 3p.m. until almost midnight.
Barking cough, like a dog.
Cramps in chest from cough.
Dry cough at night aggravated by motion, on inspiration, on talking.
Cough from fright.
Grasping throat during cough.
Cough from lump in throat.
Paroxysmal cough consisting of few coughs.
Empty swallowing ameliorates cough.
Violent cough during sleep, with grinding of the teeth.
Before each attack of coughing the child is quiet, and immediately before the cough comes on, she begins to cry.
Expectoration blackish.
Bloody expectoration in the morning on coughing.
Expectoration after eating.
Expectoration with taste like that of putrid meat.
Expectoration with taste like that of wine.

Chest

Back

Extremities

Upper Limbs - Eruption of boils on shoulder.
Eruption of red spots on back of hand.
Pustules about finger nails.
Cracked skin at tips of fingers.
Dark, hot, pale or shining swelling of hand.
Erysipelatous inflammation of upper arm.
Drawing pain in upper limbs ameliorated by motion.
Painful drawing in the posterior joint of the left middle finger, as if in the periosteum.
Pulsation in forearm.
Pulsation in tips of fingers.
Hasty motion of hands.
Paralytic tearing pressure in the anterior surface of the left upper arm.
Paralytic pressure in the left upper arm, with paralytic feeling and weakness of the whole of the left arm.
Paralytic tearing in the middle joint of the right index finger.
Sensation of paralysis in upper arm.
Paralytic weakness of upper arm. Sensation as if upper limbs were too short.

Lower Limbs - Bubbling sensations are felt in the extremities, in lower limbs, moving downward towards the knee, or the foot.
Formication of foot extending upward over body.
Formication of heel extending to toes.
Redness of extremities.
Red eruption on extremities.
Ulcers in lower limbs, elevating limb ameliorates.
Pain in hip ameliorated by lying on painful side.
Pain in thigh ameliorated by walking.
Pain in foot feeling as if it were dislocated.
Gnawing pain in lower limbs ameliorated by walking.
Pressing pain on sole of foot ameliorated by pressure.
Shooting pain in lower limbs ameliorated by walking.
Perspiration of foot while sitting.
Restlessness of extremities at night.
Swelling of joints.
Tension in nates when stooping.
Trembling of knee while sitting.
Twitching in one side, paralysis of the other.
Painful twitching of leg.
Paralysis of the lower extremities, together with neck of the bladder, and the sphincter ani.
Sensation as if cold water were running from clavicle down to toes along a narrow line.
Hip seems bathed in warm water, with cold water running down to toes.
Weakness of extremities alternating with dim vision.
Paralytic weakness of leg.
Ascending weakness in calf.
Whizzing sensation in thigh.

Fever

Sleep

Frequently one finds in these patients a history of recurrent dreams of falling [Thuja]. They may see themselves jumping from a height or see themselves walking up a flight of stairs and missing a step and plummeting downward. Then, as if striking the ground, they wake up with a jerk. Thus, Belladonna is listed in capitals in the Repertory under the rubric 'starting from sleep'.

Sleep disturbed by frightful visions on closing eyes.
Delusions with sleeplessness.
Sleeplessness during climacteric period.
Sleeplessness during dentition.
Sleeplessness in psychotic people.
Sleeplessness from thoughts of business.
Frequent waking at about midnight.
She wakes in the night full of fright and fear.
In the evening, frequent starting as in a fright, when just on the point of falling asleep; the feet were jerked upwards and the head forwards.
She started as in a fright, in otherwise quiet sleep, feeling as if she were falling deep down, which caused her to shudder violently.
Waking is impossible in the morning.
Waking by jerks.
Yawning during menses.
Dreams of battles, of danger of death, of flying, of falling, of giants, of being shot, of swimming, of urinating.
Frightful visionary dreams.
Anxious and frightful dreams.

Skin

The skin can also be prone to a type of contact dermatitis. There is frequently a sensitivity to detergents or soaps, and the skin becomes irritated from washing. Sometimes even bathing in salt water can produce this eruption. Large, red patches of skin may rapidly swell up and rapidly disappear in this dermatitis.

Belladonna can be useful in skin infections. It produces erysipelas with glistening, red, dry skin. Also, Belladonna can be indicated in rapidly developing boils. The boils swell and throb with the pulse. Finally, one can see in the skin the development of erythema nodosum. Large, intensely red nodules appear which give the impression that the disease is of great intensity.

The characteristic skin of Belladonna is: 'Uniform, smooth, shining, scarlet red, so hot that it imparts a burning sensation to the hand of one who feels it.'
Redness of the whole body with quick pulse.
Redness, like scarlatina, of the entire surface of the body.
Scarlet redness of the surface of the whole body, especially of the face, with marked action of the brain.
A scarlet redness suddenly spread over the body, especially the face and limbs, with which appeared heat and exaltation of all the faculties.
Scarlet redness of skin of face and neck, followed, on the second day, by peeling off of the cuticle.
Inflamed red patches of the skin, and irregularly shaped scarlet spots over the body.
Red skin with heat.
Bluish-red spots on skin; fiery red spots; scarlet spots.
Violet skin.
Erythema of skin.
Eruption of blisters as from a burn.
Eruption of boils in the spring.
Carbuncle.
Eruptions; confluent; crusty black; flat.
Eruption of smarting pimples; of titillating pimples; of black pocks.
Suppurating pocks
Eruption of humid pustules; of malignant pustules; of pustules after scratching.
Bluish rash; fiery red rash; scarlet rash.
Red eruption like insect stings.
Scarlatina; smooth scarlatina.
Smooth erysipelas.
Erysipelas with swelling.

'The face, upper extremities, and trunk exhibited a diffuse scarlet efflorescence, studded with innumerable papillae, very closely resembling the rash of scarlatina. The eruption terminated abruptly at the wrists and flexure of the thighs, the rest of the body retaining the natural colour. The skin was hot and dry'.
Eruptions like roseola and scarlatina, with fever, sore throat, cough, headache, etc.
Sensitive eruptions.
Black smallpox.
Eruption of painful tubercles; of painless tubercles; of soft tubercles.
Urticaria in the morning.
Drinking cold water aggravates urticaria.
Eruption of urticaria during menses.
Bluish vesicular eruption.
Gangrenous vesicular eruption.
Inflamed vesicular eruption.
Painful vesicular eruption.
Erratic erysipelas.
Erysipelas in new born babies.
Medullary excrescences - fungus or cauliflower.
Pustules break out on the cheek and nose, which rapidly fill with pus, become covered with a crust.
Hot gangrene from burns or gangrenous sores.
Cutting.
Tearing itching of skin.
Tearing itching of skin after scratching.
Sensation as if the skin were hanging loose.
Miliaris purpura.
Shining skin.
Swelling on affected parts.
Cold swelling.
Swollen sensation.
Aching ulcers.
Burning ulcers at night; ulcers burn when touched.
Burrowing ulcers.
Ulcer with crusty black scab.
Ulcers with cutting.
Indurated ulcers.
Painful ulcers.
Ulcer tears on motion.
Tingling ulcers.
Ulcer surrounded by vesicles.

CLINICAL

RELATIONS

DOSAGE

Index
1. Belladona - The Essential Homeopathic Features
2. Belladona - Generalities