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haemamelis

What kinds of symptoms is Haemamelis used for?
Thanks
 
  tweetystone on 2005-12-24
This is just a forum. Assume posts are not from medical professionals.
Tweetystone,
Read them carefylly if you fell any difficulty ,can contact.
MIND. [1] [Ham.]
Forgetful, especially of words when talking.
No desire to study or work ; ideas confused, could not compose.
Depressed in mind ; also after emissions, with regretful mind.
Irritable ; gloomy ; depressed ; stupid.
Hemorrhages with tranquil mind.


SENSORIUM. [2] [Ham.]
Vertigo when stooping.
Swimming sensation on rising.
Nausea and vertigo, with desire to lie down.
Fulness in head.
Stupor, headache, crowding fulness in head and neck, also in forehead.
General stupor.


INNER HEAD. [3] [Ham.]
Fulness in forehead, with pressing in root of tongue.
Hammering over left eye, as if he would go out of his mind.
Feeling as if a bolt was passing from temple to temple, and tightly screwed.
Bursting headache on awaking, insupportable on bending downward.
Headache after an emission ; depressed in mind.
Headache on rising.


OUTER HEAD. [4] [Ham.]
After injury of head and face, great ecchymosis, with disposition to loose bowels and uneasy stomach ; fainting on walking.


SIGHT AND EYES. [5] [Ham.]
Eyes feel weak ; painful weakness of eyes.
Headache from straining the eyes.
Feeling as if both eyes would be forced out of head, > by pressing them with fingers, but < a few moments afterwards.
Sore pain in eyes ; eyes painful under slight pressure.
Traumatic iritis with hemorrhage into iris.
After injury to left eye, abrasion of cornea, some blood in anterior chamber, vitreous so dark from hemorrhage that fundus could not be illuminated ; there was only perception of light.
Inflammation and ulceration of conjunctiva and cornea, if caused by a blow or burn.
Traumatic conjunctivitis from burn of a flame ; excruciating pain, great photophobia, constant acrid lachrymation and great vascularity of conjunctiva.
Conjunctivitis traumatica from a piece of splinter under upper lid.
Eyes inflamed ; vessels greatly injected ; intense soreness caused by a foreign substance.
Eyes inflamed and burning, from being on the water fishing, in the hot sun.
Traumatic ophthalmia, caused by a drop of boiling sugar getting into eye.
Extravasations in whooping-cough, eyeball congested from violence of concussion, and small vessels are ruptured.
Swelling of eyeballs and lids, with bloodshot appearance of eye.
Excessive congestion of conjunctiva.
Painful inflammation of eyes.
Spontaneous eversion of upper lid during course of severe conjunctivitis.
Blepharitis granulosa ; catarrhal conjunctivitis with great pain and hyperemia.
Black eye from a bruise.


HEARING AND EARS. [6] [Ham.]
Deafness in right ear, passes off by noon.
Bleeding at right ear, also nosebleed, which clears her head, relieving her.
Buzzing, ringing in ears.


SMELL AND NOSE. [7] [Ham.]
Oversensitive smell.
Bad odor from nose.
Sneezing spells, watery, excoriating, burning discharge.
Nose feels stopped up.
Profuse epistaxis.
Epistaxis, flow passive, non-coagulable.
Bleeding of nose, which clears her head, and affords great relief.
Nosebleed > headache and tightness across bridge of nose.
Idiopathic or vicarious epistaxis.
Epistaxis ; bleeding commenced on left side ; child weak from loss of blood.
Epistaxis in morning, with feeling of tightness of bridge of nose, and considerable crowding pressure in forehead between eyes, and a benumbed sensation over whole os frontis.
Epistaxis occurring in a strong man suffering from a fever, with a miliary eruption ; hemorrhage dark ; pulse quick ; respiration oppressed ; lips and mouth dry ; conjunctivitis.
Epistaxis at irregular intervals of from six to twenty-four hours ; pale, enfeebled.
Oozing of very dark blood from nose of hemiplegic old man.
Epistaxis of childhood, passive, venous.


UPPER FACE. [8] [Ham.]
Burning in right cheek.
Occasional shooting pains along right superior maxillary to malar bone ; muscles feel sore and stiff.


LOWER FACE. [9] [Ham.]
Lips dry ; sore, cracked.


TEETH AND GUMS. [10] [Ham.]
Sharp lancinating along molar teeth, extending to malar bone ; also in temporal region.
Teeth ache, yet not decayed ; can scarcely sleep ; pains < in warm room.
Gums : sore, painful, swollen ; bleed easily ; passive, dark fluid bleeding ; hemorrhage after extraction of teeth.
Bleeding and spongy gums.


TASTE, SPEECH, TONGUE. [11] [Ham.]
Scalding sensation on tongue ; feels as if burnt.
Blisters on sides of tongue ; canker spots near tip.
Burns of tongue and lips.


INNER MOUTH. [12] [Ham.]
Scalding of tongue and mucous membrane of mouth and fauces.


PALATE AND THROAT. [13] [Ham.]
Severe stinging in uvula, as if it would break, when he coughs.
Dryness of lips and fauces ; must drink large quantitites of water to assist deglutition.
Dryness of throat not > by water.
Feeling as if something had lodged in fauces.
Tonsils and fauces congested.
Chronic inflammation of throat ; deglutition painful, even empty swallowing ; nasal voice ; dry, short cough with sensation of dryness in throat ; mucous membrane of pharynx very red and permeated by enlarged blood-vessels ; great swelling and redness of tonsils ; catarrh of upper part of larynx and vocal cords.
Varicosis of throat, the parts look bluish from distended veins, and there is more or less discomfort, with pain on swallowing, and hawking of mucus with blood.
Sore throat in those predisposed to fulness of veins ; < in warm, moist air.
Sore throat, < right side ; right tonsil more swollen, reddened, and veins enlarged, varicose.
Sore throat, preventing sleep.
Varicosis of throat in gouty subjects.
Hemorrhage from throat and fauces.
Hawks considerably.


APPETITE, THIRST. DESIRES, AVERSIONS. [14] [Ham.]
No appetite for breakfast ; considerable thirst, > by small quantities of water.
Great thirst.
Very thirsty, afternoon and evening ; throat dry.
Averse to water, makes him sick to think of it.


EATING AND DRINKING. [15] [Ham.]
Pork nauseates.


HICCOUGH, BELCHING, NAUSEA AND VOMITING. [16] [Ham.]
Eructations after a meal tasting of food.
Nausea, eructations and violent hiccough after pork, followed by burning in stomach and ©«sophagus ; later, cramp pains in stomach and chest.
Nausea and vertigo, must lie still to prevent vomiting.
Nausea ; with headache in frontal bone on awaking.
Nausea and inclination to vomit after a meal.
Nausea, from pain in testicles.
Painful, bloody vomiting.
After fulness and constant pains in abdomen with irregular chills, sudden vomiting of blood and hemorrhage from bowels ; great prostration ; profuse cold sweat ; weak, quick pulse ; restlessness ; fulness and gurgling in abdomen.
Hematemesis.


SCROBICULUM AND STOMACH. [17] [Ham.]
Burning in epigastrium ; sharp pains in stomach.
Violent throbbing in stomach.
Heaviness and pain back of stomach, along spinal column.
Cramp in stomach ; after eating.
Hematemesis, blood black ; sensation of trembling in stomach, or fulness and gurgling in abdomen ; feverish by spells ; restless ; weak, cold ; quick pulse ; profuse sweat.
Hematemesis, very profuse, dark, clotted ; slight bloody discharge from bowels.


ABDOMEN AND LOINS. [19] [Ham.]
Flatulence.
Burning in epigastrium and umbilicus.
Cramps in stomach and transverse colon two hours after a hearty dinner.
Soreness of abdomen.
Angioleucitis, surface of abdomen covered with distended lymphatic sacculi, filled with amber fluid, varying in size from pin's head to Spanish nut ; inguinal glands tender and enlarged.
Varicose veins of abdomen.


STOOLS AND RECTUM. [20] [Ham.]
From 12 to 15 stools every day with violent tenesmus, must often get up at night, stool of blood mixed with masses of mucus, entirely scentless, violent colicky pains ; some fecal lumps in stools ; only region of anus and rectum painful ; great loss of spirit. ¥è Hemorrhoidal affection.
Dysentery consisting of profuse flow of clear blood, amounting almost to a hemorrhage, with no pain or tenesmus.
Dysentery ; when amount of blood is unusual in quantity and amounts to an actual hemorrhage, generally of dark blood ; or when there are clots or patches of blood scattered through the mucus ; soreness of abdomen.
Every fifteen minutes discharge of pure blood, with severe tenesmus ; crampy pain around umbilicus before stool ; no appetite ; great thirst ; tongue coated brown and parched ; hippocratic countenance ; emaciation ; desire for sour pickles. ¥è Dysentery.
Hemorrhoidal dysentery.
Stools : costive ; hard, coated with mucus ; hard, dry, dark colored.
Discharge of blood from anus in large quantities, of a tar-like consistency.
Hemorrhage from ulceration of bowels.
Profuse hemorrhage of dark, grumous blood from bowels.
Dark, fetid diarrh©«a, large, hemorrhagic discharges of black, grumous, fetid blood ; rapid sinking ; pale and excited ; slight delirium ; fearful of death
Fulness in hypochondriac region followed by diarrh©«a ; great weakness ; pale, dark red face ; thirst ; quick pulse ; every three or four hours, thin, dark, rose-colored, offensive passages. ¥è Melena.
Hemorrhage from bowels of fluid, dark, fetid blood.
Hemorrhage from portal congestion.
Pulsation in rectum, as if piles would protrude.
Before stool difficult to defecate, anus spasmodically closed ; great pains in anus during stool ; after passage intense burning at orifice ; at times, when he had no stool for several days, heavy frontal headache, low-spirited ; thinks constantly of his ailments ; nausea after eating. ¥è Fissure ani.
Hemorrhage from piles, in which the loss of a small quantity of blood was followed by prostration out of proportion to the loss.
Hemorrhoids, with hemorrhage, more or less profuse, occurring with every evacuation for months or years, with other symptoms of piles.
Bleeding hemorrhoids in which the blood flows with a certain regularity and without much expulsive effort.
Piles : bleeding profusely ; with burning soreness, fulness and weight ; back as if it would break ; urging to stool.
Congestion of liver, with bleeding piles ; pale from constant daily loss of blood.
Tumid hemorrhoidal veins of bluish color, the anus surrounded with red erythematous circle.
Protrusion of varices, anus feels sore as if raw.
Itching at anus.


URINARY ORGANS. [21] [Ham.]
Hemorrhoids of bladder ; passive congestions.
Vesical catarrh.
Increased desire to urinate.
Ardor urin©¡ in females.
Urine clear, copious.
Scanty, high-colored urine.
Irritation of urethra, followed by a discharge and ardor urin©¡.
Catarrh of urethra, with disease of prostate gland.
Much urging to urinate, violent pains, thick mucous urine, discharge of blood from bladder, either in drops or in lumps, by the half-pint.
H©¡maturia, after blow in right iliac region ; blood bright red ; face pale ; pulse feeble ; partial shock.


MALE SEXUAL ORGANS. [22] [Ham.]
Emissions at night, without being aware of it ; headache, depression of mind.
Erections ; great desire for an embrace.
Great prostration of animal passions.
Impotence, organs greatly relaxed and constantly sweating.
Pain running down spermatic cords into testes.
Enlargement of left spermatic vein, first noticed after violent exercise ; four years previously tumor, from that time constantly increasing in size ; dull aching pain in groin, sometimes extending into back, < horseback riding. ¥è Varicocele.
For three months drawing pain in left spermatic cord, which is painful, swollen and inflamed ; left testicle painful, swollen and hard.
Dull aching ; severe drawing or excruciating pains in testicles.
Severe dull pains in testicles.
Enlargement of right testicle ; hot and painful ; following gonorrh©«a.
Severe neuralgic pains in testicles, suddenly shifting to bowels, causing nausea and faintness ; profuse cold sweat on scrotum ; capillary stasis.
Severe neuralgic pains in testicles, pains dart from testicles to stomach, < nights and during rainy weather.
Orchitis ; intense soreness and swelling ; gonorrh©«al orchitis.
Gonorrh©«al epididymitis, especially in those cases where the disease partakes of a congestive or sub-acute character rather than the inflammatory.
Varicocele ; circocele.
Varicosis of spermatic veins.
Fluid blood in hematocele.
Urethritis, with discharge of transparent mucus, with pain.
Phimosis.


FEMALE SEXUAL ORGANS. [23] [Ham.]
Ovarian soreness and painfulness.
Paroxysm of pain in right groin ; pain commences in region of right ovary and passes down broad ligament to uterus, resembling labor pains ; swelling in right groin half as large as a hen's egg, very tender to pressure ; pain in epigastrium and lumbar region ; no appetite ; tongue furred white ; quite weak ; confined to bed ; constipation ; pale, chlorotic appearance.
After a blow, ovary swollen ; diffuse, agonizing soreness over whole abdomen ; menses irregular, very painful, with exacerbation of all sufferings at catamenial epoch ; retention of urine.
Frequent paroxysm of pain in left ovary, passing down to uterus, with anemia ; every day or two ovarian region becomes much swollen.
Ovaritis, left side, following miscarriage.
Subacute ovaritis incident to pregnancy and menstruation.
Congestion and inflammation of internal genitals, after blow in region of left ovary.
Vicarious menstruation from ovarian irritation.
Gonorrh©«al ovaritis.
Chronic parenchymatous metritis after sub-involution, with lumbo-abdominal neuralgia and painful sensation of heaviness in lower abdomen when standing and walking ; uterus hypertrophied, anteverted, prolapsed and immovable ; vaginal portion blue, hard and hypertrophied with ©«dematous, pouting lips ; debility.
Uterine disturbance and tenderness, with retention of urine, tumefaction of os uteri, and diffused agonized soreness over whole abdomen, after violent blow in ovarian region.
Menses very dark and profuse, with soreness in abdomen.
Dysmenorrh©«a : from ovarian irritation ; inflammatory or neuralgic.
Amenorrh©«a ; vicarious bleeding from nose or stomach ; costive ; varices on legs.
Severe pains in lumbar and hypogastric regions and down legs when menses should have appeared ; fulness of bowels and brain, with severe pain through whole head, resulting in stupor and deep sleep lasting 12 to 36 hours, from which it was impossible to arouse her. ¥è Amenorrh©«a.
Amenorrh©«a in a girl, ©¡t. 18 ; has never menstruated, but had suffered instead with hematemesis, constant constipation and varices on legs.
Vicarious menstruation.
Active or passive uterine hemorrhage.
Profuse, bright arterial hemorrhage ; face and extremities cold and clammy ; skin shrivelled and blue, as in collapse of cholera ; said her tongue was cold, and that it felt like her hands and feet, as though it were dead ; pulse feeble, thread-like, almost imperceptible, respiration slightly labored.
Bright red uterine hemorrhage, no clots ; bearing-down pain in back.
Uterine hemorrhage, had been flowing for twenty-four hours, and lost over a quart of blood, bright and fresh, and not coagulable.
Uterine hemorrhage, with aching, boring pain in back, and sensation of bearing-down pain in either ovarian region.
Menorrhagia ; feels very weak ; "weak" pain in back ; pain in left ovarian region.
Uterine hemorrhage in an unmarried woman, brought on by jolting while riding in a heavy wagon over rough road.
Active uterine hemorrhage caused by fall.
Uterine hemorrhage ; menses regular up to three weeks ago, since when the discharge has not left her.
Menorrhagia, profuse discharge of dark-colored blood ; ceases at night, occurring only in daytime.
Metrorrhagia, passive flow ; anemia.
Uterine hemorrhage, flow steady and slow ; blood dark colored, no uterine pains.
Acute vaginitis with spasmodic action and pain, fulness of vagina.
Great tenderness of vagina, causing pain during coition ; leucorrh©«a.
Vaginismus, intense soreness ; prurigo of vulva.
Pruritus.
Profuse, persistent leucorrh©«a, with great sensitiveness of parts, vagina raw and sore during an embrace ; vulva itches ; vaginitis.
Leucorrh©«a, with much relaxation of vaginal walls ; profuse fluor albus, constituting a drain on system as severe as a bleeding.
Leucorrh©«a ; great tenderness of vagina ; flow bloody.


PREGNANCY. PARTURITION. LACTATION. [24] [Ham.]
In threatened abortion when the hemorrhage continues after uterine pains have been controlled by other remedies.
Hemorrhage of lying-in women.
Painful stiffness and sensation of swelling and weakness in left leg during pregnancy.
Varicose veins on both legs during pregnancy so painful that she could neither stand nor walk ; veins of feet appeared as if blood were dried up.
During pregnancy, varicose enlargement of veins of lower limbs with cramping pains at night, preventing sleep ; cannot move about ; three days after labor, three hemorrhoids forming a tumor as large as a child's head, of dark leaden color, painful, and very sensitive to touch.
Milk-leg, with swelling of left labium, groin and thigh ; difficulty of moving leg ; painful but benumbed sensation of limb ; swelling white and opaque, extending downwards, and in three days occupying whole of left leg.
Milk-leg, swelling commencing in ankle, with difficult motion of limb from stiffness and pain in left hip.
Two weeks after confinement, feverish, thirsty, sleepless, very weak, intensely nervous ; pain in right groin, about Poupart's ligament ; next day upper part of thigh swollen, hard, white, very painful on pressure, especially along tract of femoral vein ; the breast-milk left a faint pink stain upon a napkin. ¥è Phlegmasia alba dolens.
Hemorrhoids after confinement ; also after miscarriage, painful, but not bleeding ; great prostration from small loss of blood.
Bleeding nipples, with great soreness.
Sore nipples.


VOICE AND LARYNX. TRACHEA AND BRONCHIA. [25] [Ham.]
Hoarse on arising ; awoke hoarse.
Long-lasting affections of vocal cords.
Granulations and redness of left vocal cord with varicose enlargement of blood-vessels.
Catarrh of upper part of larynx and vocal cords.


RESPIRATION. [26] [Ham.]
Labored inspiration ; oppressive tightness of lower part of thorax, with inability to take a deep and full inspiration ; breathing impossible in recumbent posture ; crowded fulness in neck and head ; sensation of suffocation so as to prevent him lying down ; cannot take a deep inspiration when standing up. ¥è Diaphragmitis.
When lying, felt a smothering sensation.


COUGH. [27] [Ham.]
Tickling cough, tastes of blood on awaking.
Dry cough, severe in uvula, as if it would break ; stitching.
Slight hacking cough, with blood-spitting.
Cough ; h©¡moptysis, with dull frontal headache ; taste of sulphur in mouth.
Cough from a varicose condition of throat.
Expectoration thick, yellowish or greenish-gray, tasting putrid.
Spitting of blood by day without cough, with great relaxation of nerves, and weariness.
H©¡moptysis, active or passive, blood venous and comes up into mouth without coughing or scarcely any effort.
H©¡moptysis in consumption.
Hemorrhages ; blood venous, raised with little effort, like a simple, warm current, established from within outwards.
Hemorrhages from lungs, sometimes every month, for over twenty years.


INNER CHEST AND LUNGS. [28] [Ham.]
H©¡moptysis, tickling cough, with taste of blood or of sulphur ; dull frontal headache ; tightness of chest ; cannot lie down, because of difficult breathing from congestion ; fulness in head ; mind calm.
Sensation of constriction across chest, increased by a long or deep breath.
Severe pleuritic stitches with phthisis.


HEART, PULSE AND CIRCULATION. [29] [Ham.]
Palpitation.
Pricking pain in region of heart and superficial veins of both arms.


OUTER CHEST. [30] [Ham.]
Dull aching pain constantly in muscles of l. chest, < using arms, afternoon and evening.


NECK AND BACK. [31] [Ham.]
Sore pain down cervical vertebr©¡.
Small of back feels as if it would break ; tearing pains.
Severe headache all day, after an emission.
Dull, dragging pain in lumbar region.
Severe pains in lumbar and hypogastric regions, extending down legs.


UPPER LIMBS. [32] [Ham.]
Bruised feeling in upper arms and shoulders, < from motion.
Stiffness in arms shoulders.
Soreness in head of humerus extending down arm to elbow-joint ; continuing for days. ¥è Rheumatism.
Tenderness of right biceps, increased by pressure.
Dull pains in right elbow-joint.
Stiffness of elbow-joint.
Rheumatic pain, constant aching in left arm.
Lancinating in left wrist-joint.
Prickling pain from wrist to shoulder, along superficial veins.
Violent pain in back of right hand to shoulder-joint.
Hands chapped.
Thumb-nail becomes sore, pus discharges after a slight knock.


LOWER LIMBS. [33] [Ham.]
Intense aching and soreness in thighs. ¥è Muscular rheumatism.
Sore pain in right femur ; muscles of thighs sore as if bruised.
Soreness in femoral vessels to middle of thigh.
Inflammation of femoral vein, with erysipelatous spot near groin and over the vein, spreading over nearly one-half of thigh with flexure of leg ; swelling of entire leg and foot, with tension ; heat and pale appearance of limb ; scanty urine, stiffening the linen ; tympanitis ; ©«dema of whole body, limbs and face.
Great pain and swelling in right leg from knee to hip, very sensitive to touch ; cutaneous veins hard, swollen, knotty and painful, finally involving veins of abdomen ; skin erysipelatous ; pulse 120, small and wiry ; great thirst ; no appetite ; constipation ; urine red and scanty, later suppressed ; pain in kidneys, < from motion ; great debility. ¥è Phlebitis.
Varicose veins above knee.
Weakness of knees, afternoon.
Forcing feeling in varices ; veins sensitive ; dilated.
Varicose veins, very lame, great pain, can scarcely move about.
Varicose veins of legs ; varicose ulcers.


LIMBS IN GENERAL. [34] [Ham.]
Tired feeling in arms and legs.
Painful fulness of joints of legs, as if they would burst, which soon extends to all the joints of body.
Great soreness of affected parts, especially muscles ; bruised feeling in muscles of upper and lower extremities ; < from motion.
Rheumatism with great soreness of muscles.
Articular rheumatism, with swollen and painful joints.


NERVES. [36] [Ham.]
General lassitude and feeling of weariness.
Easily becomes tired.
Prostration out of proportion to loss of blood. ¥è Bleeding piles.


SLEEP. [37] [Ham.]
Uneasy, restless morning sleep.
Emissions of semen during sleep.


TEMPERATURE AND WEATHER. [39] [Ham.]
Takes cold easily from every exposure, but especially to warm, moist air ; subject to varicose veins.
Cold creeps in open air, chills run up legs, head stopped up, dull pain over orbit.


FEVER. [40] [Ham.]
Chilly on going to bed ; dreaded an attack of fever.
Chilliness over back and hips, extending down extremities.
Typho-malarial fever ; seventeenth day bloody stools, on twentieth day, profuse stool, consisting almost entirely of black, partly coagulated, offensive blood ; six profuse hemorrhages occurred on this day and night ; temperature fell ; respiration hurried ; surface circulation poor ; skin cool, pulse weak, 140 ; anxious look on face ; bruised sore feeling in abdomen and hips.
Hemorrhagic variola ; blood dark, venous ; oozing of dark blood from nose ; bleeding gums, hematemesis, bloody stools ; uterine hemorrhage, petechi©¡ ; tearing pains across small of back, with fulness of joints of legs ; typhoid condition.
Uterine hemorrhages, with or without abortion, in yellow fever.


SENSATIONS. [43] [Ham.]
Prickling stinging : veins, muscles, skin.
Bruised, soreness.


TISSUES. [44] [Ham.]
Venous congestions ; hemorrhages.
Passive congestion, or venous stagnation of skin and mucous membranes.
Venous congestion, hemorrhoids, conjunctival vascularity, ciliary neuralgia, photophobia, lachrymation.
Hemorrhagic purpura.
Phlebitis ; prickling pains.
Varicose veins and ulcers with stinging or pricking.
Very sensitive varices.
Purpura hemorrhagica with epistaxis and congestion of conjunctiva.
Incised, lacerated or contused wounds ; checks hemorrhage, removes pain and soreness and promotes healing.
Burns.


SKIN. [46] [Ham.]
Chilblains always bluish.
I think it is sufficent.
sajjad.
 
sajjadakram635 last decade
Witch Hazel
Hamamelis virginiana
Hazel Nut
Pistachio
Snapping Hazelnut
Spotted Alder
Striped Alder
Tobacco Wood
Winterbloom
Witch Hazel
Parts used
Uses
Habitat and cultivation
Constituents
How much to take
Side effects and cautions




Witch hazel is a deciduous twisted shrub or small tree which prefers damp soil to grow in. Witch hazel has gray-brown bark and grows to about 15 feet in height. The buds occur in clusters at the bases of the leaves. The flowers appear only from September to November and have petals resembling twisted yellow straps; they open after the leaves have fallen from the branches. The leaves are lopsided at the base, with shallow-toothed edges.

Witch hazel blooms in the fall, once its seeds have matured in capsules. At the same time that the flowers appear, the capsules split open, shooting the seeds as far as 20 feet from the plant. Its late flowering and explosive bursting of seed are commemorated in its other common names, winterbloom and snapping hazel.

Witch hazel is a common drugstore item and is sold in the form of a liquid tincture. It is inexpensive, safe and reliable. Tincture of witch hazel may be used externally for relieving the following conditions: skin irritations, sunburn, insect bites and stings, bruises, abrasions, poison ivy/oak rash, diaper rash, eczema and bedsores. Either soak a cotton ball with some of the liquid and apply that way, or else put on the skin directly with a spray-on bottle applicator.
A tea can be made by adding 1/2 tablespoon each of the bark and leaves to one pint boiling water; cover, set aside and steep 45 minutes. Gargle with some of this tea for relieving a sore throat or drink 2 cups for stopping diarrhea. The tea can also be used as a vaginal douche for vaginitis.

Witch hazel is a native American plant, and the topical use of its leaves or bark as a poultice to reduce inflammation was apparently introduced to early settlers by the Indians.! Various extracts were later employed both internally and externally for their astringent properties in conditions ranging from diarrhea to hemorrhoids. Then, about the middle of the nineteenth century, a very different kind of witch hazel preparation was introduced. Prepared by steam distilling the dormant twigs of the plant and adding alcohol to the aromatic distillate, it was designated hamamelis water, distilled witch-hazel extract, or just plain "witch hazel." The product was intended for local application to various skin conditions; large quantities are still marketed.

Tannin is the principal active ingredient in witch hazel; the leaves contain 8 percent, the bark from 1 to 3 percent. The tannin has been shown to consist of hamamelitannin and a number of proanthocyanidins. An important factor in the quality of witch hazel extracts is the plant part used. The bark was found to be thirty-one times richer in hamamelitannin than the leaf extract. A number of other constituents, including various flavonoid pigments are also present, but whatever astringent action the medication possesses seems to be accounted for by the tannin.

Recently hamamelitannin and proanthocyanidins isolated from witch hazel were evaluated for their mechanisms of action in reported anti-inflammatory activity. It was found that some proanthocyanidin fractions inhibit inflammatory mediators derived from arachidonic acid and inhibit the formation of platelet-activation factor, also involved in the inflammatory process. Strong antioxidant activity against superoxides, released by several enzymes during the inflammatory process, may also play a role in witch hazel's anti-inflammatory effects. A recent controlled clinical study, which compared a witch hazel distillate (tannin-free) cream against 0.5 percent hydrocortisone cream in severe atopic eczema, found that the witch hazel cream was no better than its base preparation in reducing various symptoms of atopic eczema.

In Europe, an alcoholic fluidextract of witch hazel is often taken internally to treat varicose veins. Experiments on rabbits have shown that the medication does cause constriction of the veins, at least following injection. The constituent(s) responsible for this activity remains unidentified. Interestingly enough, an alcoholic extract of the leaves was found to be much more active than an aqueous extract. Thus, anybody drinking tea prepared from the witch hazel bark commonly sold in health food stores should not expect much venous-constricting effect from it.

Extracts of witch hazel leaves and bark are the subject of a positive German Commission E monograph recognized for antiphlogistic, hemostyptic, and astringent properties for the topical treatment of skin injuries, bums, varicose veins, and hemorrhoids. It should be noted that alcoholic extracts of the leaves and bark used in various European phytomedicine products are a completely different delivery form than the tannin-free witch hazel distillate prevalent in the American market.

Witch hazel is well known as a remedy for scalds and burns, swelling and inflammation of the skin and to stop bleeding. Its main action is astringent due to the high levels of tannins that occur in the plant, making it an excellent remedy for internal and external bleeding. Witch hazel has been used traditionally to stop bleeding from the lungs, stomach, uterus and bowels. Witch hazel can be put to good effect for excessive menstruation and uterine blood stagnation, with a feeling of fullness, heaviness and discomfort around a period.

Externally either a decoction, tincture or distilled witch hazel can be applied to cuts and wounds, used as a mouthwash for bleeding gums and as a lotion or in an ointment for bleeding piles. The tannins also speed healing, reduce pain, inflammation and swelling and protect wounds against infection. Witch hazel makes an excellent remedy for diarrhea, dysentery, mucous colitis and respiratory catarrh. Witch hazel has been used for uterine prolapse and a debilitated state after miscarriage or childbirth to tone up the uterine muscles.

Witch hazel is used externally as a lotion or ointment to relieve the pain and swelling of varicose veins and phlebitis, the itching of hemorrhoids and to speed healing of varicose ulcers. A poultice or compress will relieve burns, swollen or inflammatory skin problems, engorged breasts, bed sores, bruises, sprains and strains. As a lotion witch hazel can be applied to soothe mosquito bites and stings, to relieve tender, aching muscles, as a toning skin lotion to tighten the tissues and reduce broken capillaries. Mixed with rose water it makes a refreshing eye bath. A lotion, decoction or tincture can also be used as a douche for vaginal discharge and irritation, or as a gargle for sore throats and infections.

PARTS USED
Leaves and bark.

USES
Established properties - Witch hazel contains large quantities of tannins. These have a drying, astringent effect, causing the tightening up of proteins in the skin and across the surface of abrasions. This creates a protective covering that increases resistance to inflammation and promotes healing of broken skin. Witch hazel also appears to help damaged blood vessels beneath the skin. It is thought that this effect may be due to the flavonoids as well as to the tannins. When witch hazel is distilled it retains its astringency, suggesting that astringent agents other than tannins are present.
Skin problems - Witch hazel is a very useful herb for inflamed and tender skin conditions, such as eczema. Witch hazel is mainly used where the skin has not been significantly broken and helps to protect the affected area and prevent infection.
Damaged veins - Witch hazel is valuable for damaged facial veins, varicose veins, and hemorrhoids, and is an effective remedy for bruises. Due to its astringent properties, witch hazel helps to tighten distended veins and restore their normal structure.
Other medical uses - A lotion can be applied to the skin for underlying problems such as cysts or tumors. Witch hazel also makes an effective eyewash for inflammation of the eyes. Less commonly, witch hazel is taken internally to alleviate diarrhea, helping to tighten up the mucous membranes of the intestines, and for bleeding of any kind. Wrinkles.

HOMEOPATHY
The chief use of Hamamelis (witch hazel) is to treat hemorrhoids and varicose veins where the veins are weak and inflamed, and venous bleeding that is slow to stop, such as in nosebleeds. It is good for chilblains associated with inflamed veins.
This remedy also alleviates: headaches that are better after nosebleeds; sore, bruising pain due to injury; painful, bloodshot, or black eyes; and coughs with blood-flecked phlegm.
Pain during ovulation or from heavy menstrual bleeding, with a bruised feeling in the abdomen and inflammation of the uterus or ovaries, is also eased by this remedy.
Hamamelis is useful in the treatment of depression, when the person wishes to be left alone, wants others to show respect, and feels restless and irritable, with grandiose ideas.

HABITAT AND CULTIVATION
Witch hazel is a woodland tree, indigenous to Canada and eastern parts of the US. Today witch hazel is commonly cultivated in Europe. The trees are grown from hardwood cuttings or from seed, both of which are planted in autumn. The leaves are gathered in summer and dried. The bark is harvested during the autumn and dried as quickly as possible in the shade.

CONSTITUENTS
Witch hazel is rich in tannin and gallic acid, bitters, traces of volatile oil.

HOW MUCH TO TAKE
In combination with warm, moist compresses, witch hazel extracts can be applied liberally at least twice each day (in the morning and at bedtime) to hemorrhoids. For other skin problems, ointment or cream can be applied twice a day, or as needed. For hemorrhoids and varicose veins, witch hazel is often combined with horse chestnut.

SIDE EFFECTS AND CAUTIONS
Witch hazel may cause minor skin irritation in some people when applied topically. Witch hazel is not typically recommended for internal use.
 
new2town last decade

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