# Pulsatilla (HMT) ## Remedy Classification - **Type:** Remedy - **Alternative Names:** Wind Flower - **Miasm:** Tubercular Miasm - **Temperament:** Neutral - **Aggravation Time:** Neutral/Anytime ## Keynote Indications Pulsatilla is prepared from a plant (wind flower), after grinding it into a powder form. In allopathic remedy, the powder has been used for eye diseases only. However, in homo eopathy, Pulsatilla is one of the most widely used remedies. In Pulsatilla, the mental and physic al symptoms keep interchanging. The Pulsatilla patient is very m ild natured, weeps easily and is a coward. This temperament is mo re common in women. Therefore, this remedy is known as a ladies’ medicine. The pulsatilla patient is kind towards everyone, starts crying over minor things, remains still and silent, and is very sensitive to trivial matters. When the patient thinks that his ego has been hurt, he feels very insulted and gets irritated. The patient has a very su spicious nature and is extremely sensitive with regard to self-respect. He gets perturbed over petty matters. He always suspects that someone is insulting him. Yet, the patient is neither aggressive, nor vi olent rather, he becomes very sad, depressed and dejected. He cries a lot and becomes superstitious. Such patients may become religious fanatics . In particular women suffer from such type of fanaticism. Since women keep suppressing their anger, their emotions ultimately turn into religious fanaticism that is evident from their though ts and their conversation. For example, they may strongly believe that a particular food is harmful for human beings and it is the cau se of their downfall. Such imagination is typical of Pulsatilla. Pulsatilla is an antidote for the symptoms resulting from the bad effects of Lycopodium, which make a person so shy that he is afraid of his own shadow. Often, Pulsatilla women hate to get married . When a woman hates marriage without any evident ps ychological reason, she should be treated with Pulsatilla. Pulsatilla is also related to the disorders of the stomach. The patient cannot digest oily food laden with fa t. Eating a little bit of cream or butter can upset the stomach. Either these patients develop a strong dislike for fatty food or they will simply not be able to digest it. This symptom is also found in Carbo Veg and some other remedies. In Pulsatilla, the patient does not feel thirsty; however, drinking cold water soothes the patient. The pati ent likes to eat cold food. The stomach problems aggravate in the morning and the mental anguish in the evening. Usually fits of depression and sadness begin in the evening. The evening time is hard on these patients. A cold breeze and light movement comfort the patient. The discomfort increases on entering a heated room. The feeli ng of cold inside becomes more pronounced by going into a heated place. This is very strange but interesting to note that apparently the patient’s body is warm but deep inside the patient feels very col d, and on entering a heated room, the feeling of cold further aggravates. Sulphur acts as an antidote to Pulsatilla. Other than the symptoms of a burning sensation in the hands and feet, the symptoms of Pulsatilla are dissimilar to those of Sulphur. Over treatment with Sulphur should be treated with Pulsatilla and the overdose of Pulsatilla should be treated with Sulphur. For psoriasis appearing in the form of circular sunken brown specks, Pulsatilla is very effective. In Pulsatilla, the veins may become distended and engorged with blood, over any part of the body. The blood may also clot inside. A spid er web of small veins is formed, which may become inflamed (phleb itis). Usually, this problem appears in the calves of the legs during pregnancy. The subject of varicose veins has already been di scussed under Aesculus. If, in addition to the above symptoms, a patient also has the tendency to develop varicose ulcers, then Pulsatilla will prove to be very effective. Pulsatilla is also very effective in the treatment of catarrhal diseases. Pulsatilla cures chronic cata rrh and diseases of the inner linings. Chronic catarrh usually involves the chest producing thick phlegm. The treatment with appropriate remedies can cure this problem fast, by the grace of Allah. Since the catarrhal diseases resemble each other very closely, it is very difficult to differentiate between them. If the nose becomes blocked, one immediately thinks of treatment with Pulsatilla. However, several other remedies also, have this symptom, as already detailed in different chapters of this book. Despite the blockage of the nasal passage, the nasal discharge continues to some extent. Nux Vomica and Coccus are also useful for the treatment of this condition. One should always be on the lookout for a remedy according to the constitution of the patient. Like Calcarea Phos, Pulsatilla is also very important in the treatment of girls reaching adulthood. Pulsat illa is very e ffective in the treatment of complete cessation or delayed onset of girls’ periods resulting from submerging their feet in cold water. Pulsatilla women hope for the periods to commence every month, but do not have them. Pulsatilla is also stated to be ve ry useful in the problems associated with the menopause. When used in combination with Lachesis or Belladonna, Pulsatilla produces excel lent results. At menopause, usually, the patient feels as if hot air is being blow n onto her face. The face becomes red. In women suffering from anaemia, excessive menstrual bleeding dilutes their blood further, i.e. they become more anaemic. Pulsatilla being the best treatment for blood deficiency, when it is given to anaemic women it will stop their periods. However, after a few months when the blood deficiency has been corrected, normal menstrual periods resume automatically. Pulsatilla will not let the periods start unless th e anaemia is corrected. Even in the absence of anaemia, Pulsatilla can offer immediate cure for dark, scanty menstrual bleeding. In Pulsatilla, the patient feels pain in the shoulders and the back. A strong local pressure reduces the se verity of the pa in. Similarly, sleeping on a hard surface also relieves the back pain. In Pulsatilla, the headache is like migraine. The pain is usually on one side, over the temple and the same side of the face. A special symptom of Pulsatilla is that one side of the body is warm while the other side is cold. The difference in temperature on the two sides can be easily felt by touch of the hand. The face is red hot on one side while it is cold and blanched on th e other side, as if devoid of blood. This prominent symptom makes the di agnosis of Pulsatilla very easy. Therefore, besides other features of headache, this may be a leading symptom of Pulsatilla. However, th is symptom is not a must in every pain. Even if this symptom is not pr esent, Pulsatilla can still be used provided that its other symptoms are present. In Pulsatilla, the symptoms related to eyes are very common, such as multiple styes . Pulsatilla works very well on the styes. The discharge from the eyes is very thick. Eyelid margins become swollen and sticky. In young children, “pink eye” develops. There is swelling of the conjunctiva and symptoms related to the nose and throat appear like Natrum Mur. Natrum Mur is the chronic of Pulsatilla, so if the symptoms happen to be of Pulsatilla but the patient does not respond to Pulsatilla, then Natrum Mur may be used instead. Pulsatilla is also the best treatment for ear diseases , such as the infection of the ear, di scharge of sticky and s tinky material from the ears and hardness of hearing. Once the nasal cold has affected the ear, the Pulsatilla patient tends to torment himself furthermore and starts crying due to pain to the extent of complete helplessness and despair. However, if the earache is associat ed with anger, then the patient should be treated with Chamomilla instead of Pulsatilla. In chronic nasal catarrh, there is a feeling of dryness inside the nasal passages. The secretions become dry and encrusted causing a constant mild pain. Pulsatilla relieves this condition. In Pulsatilla initially the nasal secr etions are whitish but soon become yellowish and offensive. The sense of smell either decreases or is completely lost. In the morning, c oughing brings out a lot of sputum. It turns into a dry cough by the evening. In chronic catarrh, the nose may also bleed. Nosebleed is also related to menstruation. If menstruation stops and the nose starts to bleed , then Bryonia should be used instead of Pulsatilla. If the no se bleeds during menstrua tion, then Pulsatilla should be used. In Pulsatilla, the symptoms of allergy become severe in the evening. However, in Natrum Mur, the situa tion is just the opposite. In the morning, particularly around nine o’ clock in the morning, the allergy becomes much more severe. If sneezing ensues when the patient goes from a cold to a warm room, the remedy is Pulsatilla. However, if sneezing ensues after going from a warm to a cold room, then Sabadilla, Silicea or Natrum Mur should be used. The Pulsatilla patient suffers from insomnia and has difficulty in sleeping. Furthermore, the patient ha s feeling of shortness of breath and suffocation. If the disease is no t properly treated, it can turn into asthma. When the allergy changes into asthma , then Pulsatilla can also be the effective treatment. Sili cea is the chronic of Pulsatilla. In case a fever does not subside with Pu lsatilla and the patient feels hot, or similarly, if certain infections do not respond to treatment with Pulsatilla despite their symptoms be ing of Pulsatilla, then in this situation, the patient should be treated with Silicea. In my experience, Silicea has often been effective. In the beginning, I did not treat such patients with Silicea; then I realised that since Silicea is the chronic of Pulsatilla, it is possible that Si licea may be effective even though the disease has not responded to Pulsatilla. Pulsatilla is an excellent treatment for mumps . It prevents the migration of the diseases to other si tes. If not treated appropriately, the disease may seriously afflict the reproductive organs. Such patients are then rendered sterile forever. In such cases, the first treatment of choice is Abrotanum. If Abrotanum is ineffective, Pulsatilla should be used. One sim ilarity between these two drugs is that the aches and pains keep shifti ng from one location to another. Abrotanum pains keep shifting al l over the body. However, the Pulsatilla pains migrate in a particular direction i.e. either from left to right or from right to left. This symptom is also found in Lac Caninum, whose pains migrate rapidly. In Abrotanum, it is mostly the nature of the disease that changes in to another disease. For example, if lung cancer spreads into the bone then the remedies of a migrating nature should be considered, Abrotanum being one such remedy. However, the most effective re medy is Phosphorus. Whether the cancer has started in the bones or has spread to the bones from somewhere else, in both cases Phosphorus is the best. In Pulsatilla, stomach ailments such as irritation, sour belches and distension of the abdomen with gas, etc. start within a few hours of eating food. In Nux Vomica, the ailments aggravate on an empty stomach. The patient finds some relief on taking food, but the discomfort returns in an hour or so. The Pulsatilla patient has a dry mo uth yet does not feel thirsty. The liver produces an excessive amount of bile, which regurgitates into the mouth with nausea. Oily food causes distension of the abdomen and diarrhoea consisting of greenish, watery stools (more so at night). Soft stools, yet constipation, are typical of Pulsatilla. Despite the repeated urge of going to the lavatory, the patient does not feel fully relieved. There is a similar feeling in Nux Vomica also. However, in Nux Vomica, the stools are hard like stone. In women, the constipation sometimes resembles that of Graphites. In this case, the stools are like large hard masses. Li ke Pulsatilla, Graphites also is famous for alleviating a defici ent menstrual flow. However, Graphites suits the cold constituti on, while Pulsatilla suits the hot constitution patients. If the constipation reaches the point where it cannot be relieved by Pulsatilla, then it can often be relieved with Silicea. In case Silicea also fails, then Veratrum Album could be effective. Patients who suffer from constipation often develop piles. The piles are often very painful. However, if the pain over the piles is relieved by lying flat on a hard surface, it is a specific sign of Ammonium Carb and it is not a symptom of Pulsatilla. If there is severe burning on the piles, then Arsenic and Kali Carb are better than Pulsatilla. Paeonia is very famous for the treatment of continuously painful type of piles. However, when the constitutional symptoms are those of Pulsatilla, then only Pulsatilla will be effective. If a person feels like urinating, but ur inates very little and there is a burning sensation and irritation, then Pulsatilla may be useful. In Pulsatilla, sometimes the urine is mixed with blood. One of its symptoms is that while sleeping on his side, the patient may not need to get up to pass urine throughout the night. However, if he sleeps flat on his back, he gets up frequently for urination during the night. Such children who happen to wet their beds at night may be helped by tying a big knot in the waistband of their pyjamas, preventing them from sleeping on their back. This tactic works mostly in the Pulsatilla type of patients. Moreover, Natr um Mur and Kali Phos 6X combined are also very useful for treating this condition in children. For the treatment of involuntary passage of urine during coughing, sneezing or laughing (stress incontinence), Puls atilla is very useful. In case the patient wets the be d soon after going to sleep, then Causticum 200 or Sepia 200 are better . If a person ca nnot manage to ease himself while sitting for howev er long but urinates immediately on standing up or walking (due to sudden pressure on the bladder), then this is typical of Bryonia. In Rhus Tox, the patient feels like passing urine while sitting, but as soon as he gets up and walks the feeling is gone. In s hort, all these remedies function within their own spectrum of symptoms. The Pulsatilla patient feels comfort on movement. From this point of view, Pulsatilla partially resemble s Rhus Tox. Functioning in the presence of dampness is similar in both. Both Pulsatilla and Rhus Tox are useful in the treatment of catarrhal conditions developing due to careless exposure to wet weather. Besides other remedies, Dulcamara is also well known in the treatment of conditions related to changing weather, especially so if the change in the weather includes dampness. Pulsatilla is also very us eful in the controlling the tendency to abort in women. Often instead of a foetus, a lifeless lump of flesh grows in the uterus. Pulsatilla dissolves this lump of flesh. In this condition, there is severe abdominal cramping during menstruation. If such pain is only occasional then Pulsatilla is useful. However, if the episodes are frequent, then Natrum Mur should be given preference, as it is the chronic form of Pulsatilla. Young gi rls experiencing this type of pain in their early adulthood can bene fit from Calcarea Phos also. Pulsatilla is also very usef ul in the treatment of the downward sagging tendency of the uterus (i.e. prolapse). For this, there are several other useful remedies, whos e symptoms would of course need to be identified. Some women develop milk in their breasts in the absence of pregnancy or delivery of a child. Pu lsatilla is very useful for treating this condition. Besides Pulsatilla, Mercurius and Cyclamen are also very useful. Pulsatilla often be nefits mothers who suffer from a shortage of milk production in their breasts. If after the delivery, the placental remains and blood are not fully excreted, then Pulsatilla helps in their expulsion from the uterus. Pulsatilla is a strong clearing agent of the uterus. However, the remedy benefits only if it is used before the development of the puerperal fever. Once a fever develops, then only Silicea or Sulphur and Pyrogenium will be effective. Pulsatilla 200 is reknowned for correcting the positi on of the child inside the uterus . It also invigorates th e labour pains during the delivery of a child. Some doctors r outinely start givi ng Pulsatilla at the beginning of the ninth month of the pregnancy. This has produced significant results. However, after the onset of the labour pains, a combination of Mag Phos and Ka li Phos works much better than Pulsatilla in facilitating the delivery. The tablets are dissolved in water and then sipped at intervals. Pulsatilla is very useful in the treatment of crook edness of the vertebral column (scoliosis) as it strengthens the muscles around the spinal column and equalizes their t one and strength on both sides. In children, the spinal column can become crooked giving the appearance of hunchback and loss of height. Pulsatilla is useful in correcting this deformity and dwarfism. In a Pulsatilla patient, the painful limbs start to contract and become weak. For example, if there is a chronic pain in the leg, th e leg becomes short and slender. Similarly, the painful leg and the arm start to shrink. During an attack of malaria , if the patient exhibits the stomach symptoms of Pulsatilla, Pulsatilla will wo rk very well. The Pulsatilla patient often does not feel thirsty. However, during malaria, the patient feels unusually thirsty before the onset of severe chills and then the thirst disappears as soon as the fever develops. In the presence of this symptom, the patient must be treated with Pulsatilla. In Pulsatilla, there is a neuralgic type of pain on the right side of the face. The lower lip becomes thick due to swelling. These symptoms usually become worse during the evening. The patient also develops a dry cough in the evening and at night. The problems of Pulsatilla aggravat e with heat and on eating oily food. The symptoms are relieved on movement, in the open air and on eating cold food. When the hand s burn hot and the feet are very cold and vice-versa, then Pulsatilla could well be very useful. Adjuvants: Kali Mur, Lycopodium, Sulphuric Acid Antidotes: Coffea, Chamomilla, Nux Vomica Potency: 30 to 1000 or even CM in certain conditions ## Symptoms by System