Syphilinum is a strong and deep acting homeopathic medicine. It is a principal homeopathic medicine to deal with many health complaints which aggravate at night. Its use is mainly recommended as an intercurrent remedy in cases of treatment of chronic diseases when response of patient is weak or nil to the well indicated remedies already given. Among the various health concerns, it is frequently recommended for cases of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), ulcers and shifting joint pain. Its use is also highly considered for cases in which there is intense weakness in morning.
Drug Action
Its major action is seen on the mind and female genitals. It also shows good results in ailments affecting eyes, mouth, male genitals and limbs.
Clinical Indications
Obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety, depression, memory loss, leucorrhoea, ovaries disorders, painful menses, ulcers, keratitis, eye pain, iritis, tooth decay, chancre, syphilis, sciatica, exostosis, joint pain, bone disorders
Scope As A Homeopathic Remedy
1. Mind Complaints (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Anxiety, Depression, Memory Loss)
Syphilinum has remarkable action on the mind. The foremost complaint where this medicine is highly recommended is OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). OCD refers to mental health condition characterized by constant unwanted thoughts and fears leading to repetitive behaviour. Syphilinum is well-indicated when the sufferer has an intense fear of germs. They have marked fear of catching an infection. They keep on washing hands very frequently out of this fear. In such cases, Syphilinum has shown great clinical improvements.
Secondly, this medicine can be used to treat anxiety, especially marked anxiety about health. There is fear of suffering and pain, and fear of death. Hopelessness is there, the person sees no hope of recovery. Next this medicine is well indicated for cases of loss of memory. Persons needing it have loss of memory but all the occurrences prior to the disease are well remembered. Memory of ongoing occurrences, names, places, dates is lost. Lastly, its use is indicated for cases exhibiting depression, along with suicidal thoughts. The sufferer experiences extreme attacks of pain. There is marked sadness, irritability and aversion to company.
Key Indicating Features
OCD with fear of germs, of catching an infection leading to frequent washing of hands
Anxiety about health with fear of suffering, pain and death
Loss of memory, but all the occurrences before the onset of disease are well remembered
2. Female Problems (Leucorrhoea, Ovarian Pain, Ulcers, Painful Menses)
This medicine shows wonderful action on female organs. The most important complaint where it proves effective is vaginal discharge (leucorrhoea). The yellow discharge is thin, watery, very profuse that runs down the heels, and has an offensive odor. It is attended with itching in genitals. The discharge also causes inflammation of external genitals. The discharge gets worse at night from the warmth of bed. Itching and inflammation reduce during periods. Pain in ovaries also occurs along with vaginal discharge. The nature of ovarian pain is sharp knife-like; pain in ovary on right side gets worse at night time.
Syphilinum is beneficial for managing cases of ulcers on vulva and labia. Ovarian pain accompanies it. The ulcers are sensitive to touch. It is helpful in managing early menses and painful menses. The menses come early in every two weeks’ time. The menstrual bleeding is pink red, bright, profuse and have putrid meat like odor. This medicine also offers help in cases of inflamed, congested ovaries and also ovarian tumours. There is sore aching in the left ovarian region that extends to the right. Pain in ovary is felt at orgasm time during coitus.
Key Indicating Features
Vaginal discharge that is thin, watery, profuse, offensive yellow with genital itching and ovarian pain
Ulcers on vulva and labia that are sensitive to touch
Early menses in every two-weeks time and painful menses
3. Eye Problems (Keratitis, Eye Pain, Iritis)
With its magnificent action on the eyes, Syphilinum gives good results in cases of recurrent inflammation of cornea (keratitis). Phyctenules (small pustules means pus-filled eruptions) appear on the cornea of the eye. It is attended with redness in the eyes, pain, excessive eye watering and sensitivity to bright light. It is very helpful when eyes are very painful at night. It is an excellent medicine to help cases of photophobia (sensitivity to bright light) and excessive eye watering (lachrymation). This medicine can manage well complaint of iritis. Inflammation of colored ring around the eye’s pupil.
Key Indicating Features
Inflamed cornea with small pustules, attended with red eyes, eye pain, excessive eye watering and sensitivity to bright light
Eye pain at night
Photophobia (sensitivity to bright light) and excessive eye watering
Iritis with sensitivity to bright light
4. Mouth Issues (Ulcers, Excessive Salivation, Coated Tongue)
By acting on the mouth, Syphilinum can handle mouth ulcers well along with marked burning and stinging. It is a prominent medicine for managing cases of excessive salivation. There is increased flow of saliva, saliva runs out of mouth while sleeping. Other than this, it is helpful for coated tongue with deep lengthwise cracks along center. It also acts on teeth and is indicated for tooth decay when decay occurs at the edges of gums.
Key Indicating Features
Mouth ulcers with marked burning and stinging
Increased flow of saliva, saliva runs out of mouth when sleeping
Coated tongue with deep lengthwise cracks along center
Tooth decay at the edges of gums
5. Male Problems (Syphilis)
If we talk of male problems, it is a leading medicine for managing cases of syphilis (a sexually transmitted infection caused by bacteria treponema pallidum). Males needing it have chancre (an ulcer on genitals that form during primary stage of syphilis) on prepuce (foreskin). The ulcers have raised edges and is accompanied with burning sensation. It can be used to manage aching in genitals when the sufferer is not even able to sit still.
Key Indicating Feature
Chancre (ulcer on genital) on prepuce with burning in syphilis cases
6. Limbs (Sciatica, Exostosis, Joint Pain, Leg Pain)
Lastly, it acts well on limbs and joints. It is well indicated to manage sciatica (a pain that travels along the path of sciatic nerve that starts in lower back and radiates down the hip, back of thigh, back of leg up to feet). The guiding feature for its use is sciatica which gets worse at night and better at daybreak. It can effectively deal with cases of exostosis (also called bone spurs, referring to growth of extra new bone on the surface of an existing bone). In cases needing it, there is soreness and pain in the overgrown bone.
Syphilinum is also very helpful for treating joint pains. There is redness, swelling and heat in joints. There is shifting of pain from one joint to another. The muscles feel like hard knots. There is shoulder joint pain; its use is considered mainly when this pain gets worse from raising arm outwards or to the front. It can also be given in cases of pain and swelling in left-side wrist and big toe, which gets worse from sundown to sunrise. Other than this, Syphilinum is recommended for cases of pain in legs and in shin bone (it is tibia bone which is the larger of two bones in lower leg). A peculiar feature for its use is when relief sets in by pouring cold water on legs.
Key Indicating Features
Sciatica gets worse at night and better around daybreak
Exostosis with soreness and pain in the overgrown bone
Shoulder joint pain worse from raising arm outwards or in front
Pain in legs, in shin bone gets better from pouring cold water on legs
Modalities
Worsening factors: Complaints get worse at night, from sundown to sunrise, from extreme heat or cold, motion, from dampness, thunderstorms, and during full moon.
Relieving factors: Complaints get better at high altitudes, mountains, during day, from heat application, and continued or slow motion
Dosage
The use of this medicine is recommended only in high potencies. It is strictly advised not repeat the dose frequently in any case.
Relationship With Other Remedies
Syphilinum can be compared with certain other homeopathic medicines having similar action like this. These includes Merc Sol, Nitric Acid, Aurum Met and Alumina.
