Ignatia amara
The great grief remedy. Ailments from disappointed love, grief, loss, mortification. Contradictory and paradoxical symptoms. Sighing, sobbing, lump in throat. Involuntary sigh. Highly emotional, rapidly changeable moods. Hysterical manifestations.
Source
Prepared from the seeds of Strychnos ignatii (Loganiaceae).
Available Potencies
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Keynote Symptoms
Ailments from grief, disappointed love, loss, mortification. Contradictory symptoms — sore throat better from swallowing, empty stomach feels better from eating. Frequent involuntary sighing. Lump in throat (globus hystericus). Rapidly alternating moods — laughing and crying. Cannot bear tobacco.
Mind & Emotional Symptoms
Silent brooding grief. Does not want to be consoled. Mood changes rapidly — laughing to crying. Sighing, sobbing. Ailments from disappointed love. Involuntary sighing. Introspective. Full of contradictions. Hysterical. Idealistic. Delicate sensibility.
General Symptoms
Contradictory and paradoxical symptoms throughout. Worse from coffee, tobacco, alcohol, strong odors, morning, open air, after eating, consolation. Better from changing position, deep breathing, hard pressure, swallowing, eating, warmth.
Physical Symptoms
Head
Headache as if a nail were driven in. Congestive headaches, better lying on painful side. Worse from coffee, tobacco smoke.
Face
Twitching of facial muscles. Changes color when at rest. Bites inside of cheeks.
Throat
Sensation of a lump (globus hystericus) that cannot be swallowed. Sore throat better from swallowing. Tendency to choke.
Stomach
Hunger not relieved by eating. Sour eructations. Desire for sour things, cheese, bread. Aversion to fruit, warm food. Hiccough. All-gone empty feeling relieved by deep breath.
Abdomen
Colicky griping, better from pressure. Rumbling. Throbbing in abdomen.
Rectum
Painful contraction of anus after stool. Prolapse from least straining. Stitching pain shooting up from anus.
Female Genitalia
Menses too early, too profuse, or suppressed from grief. Spasmodic dysmenorrhoea. Labour-like pains during menses.
Respiratory
Sighing respiration. Dry, spasmodic cough — the more he coughs, the more he wants to cough. Hollow, spasmodic cough.
Chest
Palpitation. Oppression with sighing.
Sleep & Dreams
Insomnia from grief. Very light sleep. Jerks and twitches during sleep. Itching of arms during sleep.
Extremities
Jerking, twitching. Cramps. Numbness of one arm.
Fever / Chill / Perspiration
Chill relieved by external heat. Thirst during chill only. Red face during chill.
Modalities
Better From
Changing position, deep breathing, hard pressure, swallowing, eating, warmth, alone, diversion
Worse From
Coffee, tobacco, alcohol, strong odors, morning, consolation, cold open air, after eating, grief
Constitutional Type
Sensitive, refined, idealistic individuals, especially women. Dark hair, pale complexion. Nervous, hysterical temperament. Romantic, easily hurt. Quick perception, rapid mood changes.
Clinical Indications
Grief, bereavement, disappointed love, depression, hysteria, globus hystericus, headache, insomnia, spasmodic cough
Comparative Materia Medica
Natrum muriaticum is the chronic of Ignatia — brooding grief held inside. Pulsatilla also weeps but wants consolation. Staphysagria has suppressed indignation but more ailments from insults and humiliation.
Safety Information
Arnica, Camphora, Chamomilla, Cocculus, Coffea, Nux vomica, Pulsatilla, Tabacum.
Contains strychnine and brucine. Seeds are extremely toxic, causing convulsions, respiratory failure, and death. Use only potentised forms.
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