Phosphorus may relieve symptoms associated with loose, dry, spasmodic coughs, hoarseness, vomiting and heartburn, nosebleeds. In the traditional literature the remedy often suits people who crave cold drinks, love company and have many fears such as of thunder, storms, twilight, the dark, ghosts and the unknown.
The emotional symptoms of Phosphorus are: they need company and reassurance, are sensitive to others and can overtax themselves with sympathy or become sad and exhausted by loss of friends and friendship.
Phosphorus – the element
Remedy picture as described in traditional homoeopathic texts.
Phosphorus settles anxious behaviour in open friendly people who are easily swept up in the excitement of a new experience. They are easily exhausted and can be prone to headaches and diarrhoea. They can be over-sensitive to stimuli of all kinds, such as sound, odour, strong emotions, and new situations. Phosphorus also suits many kinds of coughs and addresses inflamed and irritated mucous membranes.
Mental/Emotional symptoms
Nervous, excitable, affectionate, artistic, imaginative, sensitive and creative. Generally optimistic, outgoing, sociable and can be very loving. Love and crave attention, company and cuddles. Extreme sensitivity to other’s feelings, empathic and give readily of themselves; however, their enthusiasm is short lived and they may offer more than they can actually deliver. Dislike sustained study and hates homework and exams. Easily exhausted and impressionable by all sorts of stimuli. Free floating anxiety, fearing storms, ghosts and the unknown especially during twilight and in the dark. Easily angered and then suffer physically for it. When unwell or upset, they benefit from lots of sympathy. When burnt out and exhausted, they want to be left alone. Timid and irresolute.
Physical symptoms
Great sensitivity to external impressions, to light, sound, odours, touch, electrical changes or thunderstorms. ‘Human barometer’. Often tall and thin, fair and fidgety. Sudden onset of symptoms. Pain or soreness in spots, shooting or burning pain. Internal itching, tickling, or throbbing here and there.
Nose, Mouth and Throat: Burning thirst for cold water. Dryness of mouth, lips and throat. Bleeding gums. Prone to easy bleeding. Ulcers. Pain in the throat worse when coughing. Voice hoarse and low, worse in the evenings. Tickling in the throat when speaking. Burning pain, tightness in the throat. Can’t talk from the pain of a sore throat.
Temperature and Thirst: During acute illness, heat alternating with chills and a thirst for cold drinks and hunger during the chills. Sweats at night or in the early morning especially on the head, hands or feet. Exhaustion and apathy, with possible delirium.
Head and Face: Blue rings or puffiness around eyes. Sickly, waxy appearance. Headaches worse before a thunderstorm. Heavy headaches over one eye with hunger. Brain fatigue with a sense of cold in the back of the head. Swelling and pain of the jaw.
Ears: Hearing difficult, especially to the human voice.
Eyes: Photophobia. Eyeballs feel large and stiff. Eye fatigue. Visual disturbance such as letters appearing red, green halo around lights, or as if a veil or a mist were over everything. Coloured vision before migraine.
Chest: A feeling of tightness in the chest, sense of heaviness or emptiness. Hard, dry tickly cough. Can suit all kinds of coughs such as loose, dry or spasmodic. Blood streaked or rust coloured sputum. Palpitations with anxiety. Palpitations from the least excitement. Dry hot feeling in chest with cough. Breath quickened or oppressed. Nervous coughs provoked from strong odours or the presence of a stranger.
Stomach and Abdomen: Hollow sensation. Sore spot in pit of stomach. Sour taste and sour burping after meals. Flatulent, colic, worse for hot drinks. Nausea or vomiting from stress. Post-operative vomiting or nausea.
Back: Heat between the shoulder blades. Heat rising to the head.
Skin: Small wounds bleed freely. Profusely sweats on exertion or in bed. Ulceration. Mucous membranes bleed freely and often.
Female: Heavy menstrual bleeding with fatigue. Menses too early, weak and scanty but lasts too long. Weeps before menses.
Rectum: Bleeding haemorrhoids. Long, tough faeces which is hard to expel, or diarrhoea. Burning sensation in the anus, stitching pains shooting up rectum.
Extremities: Joints stiff with a little pain. Joints suddenly give way. Easily dislocated. Weak spells in joints, worse for exertion. Sensations of heat and burning. Burning palms. Can’t bear to have them covered. Restless, fidgety hands. Uncertain gait, fuzzy feeling around feet. Cold fingers or burning hot extremities. Arms and hands feel numb.
Sleep: Hunger may drive them from bed to eat. Insomnia from fears and anxiety. Feels better from sleep and short naps. Vivid dreams.
Food: Desires cold drinks, cold meats. Must eat often or faints. Hungry soon after a meal, hungry during the night. Craves salt, chocolate, sweets, sour and spicy food. Thirsty for cold water, which relieves, but when the water is warmed in the stomach it is vomited. Unable to drink water during pregnancy, even the sight of water makes her nauseous.
Temperature: Chilly but craves ice water. Chilly with sensations of burning in spots, often between the shoulders. Sense of heat may run up the spine to the head. Profuse perspiration.
Keywords
• Intense thirst for cold drinks
• Burning, stitching pains
• Bleeding, even from small wounds
• Hollow feeling
• Exhausted
• Anxiety, fears
• Ulcerates
• Fidgets
Exciting causes
• Oversensitivity to all sorts of stimuli, eg. touch, odours, light; strong emotions such as anger, fear, grief, worry; exposure to drenching rain.
Modalities
Better: Warmth; sleep/naps; company; eating; massage; lying on right side.
Worse: Lying on left side, from twilight until midnight; thunder storms; solitude; cold, damp and humidity; physical or mental exertion.
Desires: Ice; cold drinks and food; salt; ice cream; chocolate; fish; spicy food.
Aversions: Tea; fruit; warm drinks; warm food; meat; salt fish; oysters.
Compare to: Calcarea, China, Ant tart, Sepia, Lycopodium, Sulphur.
Always read the label and follow directions for use. Homoeopathic principles should be applied when using this remedy. If symptoms persist consult your health care professional promptly.
© Owen Homoeopathics
