Dioscorea villosa
The great colic remedy with pains relieved by bending backward and stretching out. Violent paroxysms of twisting, griping abdominal pain. Bilious colic. Renal colic. Pains radiate from abdomen to various parts.
Source
Tincture of the fresh root of Dioscorea villosa (Dioscoreaceae).
Available Potencies
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Keynote Symptoms
Violent, twisting, griping colicky pains — ameliorated by bending backward (straightening up, walking erect). Pains radiate to distant parts from abdomen. Bilious and renal colic. Flatulence, rumbling. Neuralgia. Tea-drinker's colic. Pains shift rapidly. Better from standing erect and bending backward.
Mind & Emotional Symptoms
Irritable. Calls things by wrong names. Dejected. Low-spirited.
General Symptoms
Violent, radiating, colicky pains are the keynote. Better by bending backward, extending body, stretching out — opposite of Colocynthis. Pain radiates from abdomen to back, chest, arms. Flatulence. Bilious conditions. Neuralgia. Tea aggravates.
Physical Symptoms
Head
Dull headache with rumbling in bowels.
Stomach
Bitter taste. Eructations of sour, bitter wind. Nausea. Sharp pains radiating from stomach.
Abdomen
Violent, twisting, cutting colic — must bend backward or walk about. Bilious colic. Rumbling and flatulence. Paroxysmal pain radiating to chest, back, arms. Umbilical colic.
Rectum
Morning diarrhea. Hemorrhoids with colic.
Urinary
Renal colic with sharp pains radiating down ureters. Frequent urging.
Chest
Sharp pains in chest from abdominal radiation. Angina-like pain. Pain from stomach to arms.
Extremities
Neuralgia of extremities. Cramps in fingers and toes. Sciatica with colic.
Modalities
Better From
Bending backward. Standing erect. Stretching out. Pressure (hard). Motion. Open air.
Worse From
Bending double. Lying. Evening and night. Tea. Downward motion.
Constitutional Type
Persons prone to colicky pains and bilious attacks. Tea drinkers. Those with irritable bowels and flatulence. Neuralgic tendencies.
Clinical Indications
Bilious colic. Gallstone colic. Renal colic. Flatulent colic. Intestinal colic. Neuralgia. Dysmenorrhea (when better straightening up). Tea-drinker's dyspepsia.
Comparative Materia Medica
Compare Colocynthis (colic but better from bending double — opposite modality), Magnesia phosphorica (colic better from warmth and bending double), Chamomilla (colic with extreme irritability). Dioscorea is uniquely relieved by bending backward and stretching out.
Safety Information
Chamomilla.
Dioscorea villosa is generally non-toxic. Contains diosgenin, a steroidal sapogenin used as a precursor for synthetic hormones. Mother tincture is well tolerated in herbal doses.
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