Actea Spicata in chronic sinusitis, sleeping problems a.o

Case
In 1991 a well-dressed 35 yr. old man came to visit me because of his chronic sinusitis for about a year (diagnosed by a medical clinical specialist) and his complaints were getting worse and worse. After a flu he had vertigo and in warm rooms and during conversations he felt stuffy and oppressed. He was a heavy smoker, but smoking aggravated him so he stopped recently. In the past year he had antibiotics 3 times, plus a correction of the nose-septum and a puncture into the maxillary-sinus with injection of medication. All these treatments without positive effect.
Now he feels blocked, cannot think any more, is very tense and has sleeping problems. He feels pain in the left shoulder regularly.
“A move, a broken relationship and tension at the workplace might be the cause of the complaints.”
The past months he is easily irritated, but not violent.
His work is very important to him, he is ambitious and gives his best. He owns a marketing-business together with a friend. He does the copy-writing and brings in new ideas. The human contact is important for him and the material benefits are convenient. In high-school he took it easy and at university it went well and smoothly.
If he has problems falling asleep he broods on his job until he takes sleep-medication. He sometimes feels the muscles around his heart contract.
His relationship broke off because she wanted a child and he did not.
“She has a child already and I could not get in touch with him. They call me egotistical, maybe they are right”.
He is a social person and sympathetic to what happens in the world. He tries to be understanding toward people if they make mistakes and rarely looses his temper. His concentration is bad and although he tries to keep his weekend free of business, his problematic thoughts do not leave him.
He used to be a night-person, now he is very tired at the end of the day, often with a headache.
He likes the diversion of the pub, drinking with friends and female company.
His hobbies are to make music, write songs and play tennis.
He asks himself how his work might go in the coming months, if he can do it. He is very unsure about it.
It is very hard for him to be alone at home. He thinks he should be harder in the business-world.
If he is nervous he talks more and feels the need to vent his problems.
Striking is that he asks me frequently in a kind of desperate tone and expecting me to give the solution; “What do you think, shall I ….. take some free days?” (for example).


Observation:
He is a man who talks easily, is friendly and easy in communication. He has a kind of ‘joy-de-vivre’ over him when he does not think of his problems. If he talks about his dating-adventures and he has a kind of naivety which is endearing, I think. He is dressed quite colorfully and elegant, almost flamboyant. It fits him well. At the opposite he has this desperate quality if problems come up. He seems convinced that he can not handle them and expects me to offer solutions.

These observations made me think of what I read in Vithoulkas’s Materia Medica Viva under ACTEA SPICATA;
….Persons who want to be in the center of attention and need someone to talk to about themselves. They are very communicative, especially with the opposite sex and they feel better, happy and pleased if they have company. But if they are alone, they feel miserable, they fear loneliness because of anxious presentiments which can evolve into a anxious state.
In general they take things easy and do not stretch themselves too much. If the tension gets too strong, physically, emotionally or intellectually he gets tired easily, becomes confused and is incapable of making even the smallest decisions. His memory becomes disturbed and at last he is convinced that he will fail in everything. He becomes desperate and you will hear him sighing all the more.



Repertory-rubrics:
Irresolution.
Company; desire for.
Fear of being alone.
Delusion, fail, everything.
Weary of life.
Desperate about trifles.

Boericke; cardiovascular spasms.
Hering; urging sensation in heart. Head symptoms after fever.
It used to be prescribed for rheumatic complaints of the small joints, especially the wrist, with as keynote;
Relatively strong swelling and pain of joints after little exertion. Worse cold and motion.


Follow-up:
After the ACTEA SPICATA 200K there was a clearing of his complaints on all levels. He took the remedy at times when he felt he needed it, especially if his sleep became worse again.
I met him after some years in town and he told me that he felt very well although he went through quite some stress. He had a steady relationship and was waiting for his child to be born in a few weeks time.


Actea Spicata is one of the Ranunculaceae. The family theme is:
Alone in the world, has to survive all the dangers and problems. Tries to find help and support or has to rely completely on himself.
Thrown out of paradise. Delusion he is doomed, is away from home. Helplessness.
Anxious,<<< Fright, shock. <<< Vexation. << Charging, emotions, fullness.
Fear: death, disease, pregnancy, parturition; evil, misfortune, animals, dangers, ghosts; of crowd, train, public, strangers, shadow; faint, insanity.
Alone, forsaken. Desire company. Homesick.
Mild, yielding, coquettish, sticky.
Flatterer. Sympathetic.
Emotional. Excited, << excitement. Neurasthenia.
Overwhelmed, by the world, emotions. Hysterical, changeable, restless.
Suicidal by drowning.
Sensitive.- Sad.- Delusion heavy black clouds.
Anger. Destructive, insulting, immoral, irritable.
Delusion great body parts.
Like a child’s feeling of dependency and need for comfort and support. They need others for protection. Not very sexual. The theme is growing into adulthood and leave the parental daily care.


R. Sankaran puts this remedy in the Ringworm Miasm.
Jan Scholten in Stage 5 (Malaria stage).
See for further information of plant-families and stages in their books and in former and next editions of interhomeopathy.org.


Anne Wirtz
Amsterdam /NL
park@annewirtz.demon.nl