Rhus Toxicodendron

 Rhus tox. (full) 

• Source: Vegetable kingdom
• Common name : Poison oak
• Family: Anacardiaceae
• Prover: Dr. Hahnemann 
• Miasmatic : Psora
• Temperament: Irritable
• Diathesis: Rheumatic and gouty
• Thermal: Very chilly
• Side affinity : Right side

Sphere of action 

• Rhus tox predominantly acts on the muscles, tendons, ligaments and skin as well. 

Constitution 

• Adapted to Rheumatic - gouty diathesis. 
• Very chilly patient. 
• Easily susceptible to cold and aggravated by cold in general

Guiding symptoms + keynotes 

1. A/F : over lifting, sprain, stretching of single part of muscle, getting wet when heated (summer bathing), exposure to rain. 
2. It is one of the medicines from Nash's trio of restlessness, where the Rhus tox having physical restlessness, Ars. alb. Having mental restlessness, and the Aconite having the both.
3. Restlessness leads to frequent change in position, which gives relief.
4. Great sensitiveness to open air. 
5. Great thirst with Dryness of tongue, mouth and throat. 
6. Stiffness of joints especially when waking in morning and in cold environment. 
7. White coated tongue with red triangular tip.

Head

• A/F : getting wet when heated. 
• Brain feels loose when stepping or shaking the head. 
• < rising from the bed, cold in general. 
• Vertigo when standing or walking. 

Respiratory system 

• A/F : exposure to cold, putting hands outside the blanket, exposure to rain. 
• Dry teasing cough from midnight until morning, during chill or when putting hand outside the blanket.
• Hoarseness and scrapping rawness in larynx with roughness and soreness of chest.
• Haemoptysis with bright red blood.
• < waking

GIT

• Distension of abdomen after eating. 
• Involuntary diarrhoea with mucous. 
• Dysentery with cadaverous odor in stool.
• Painless diarrhoea with blood. 
• Rumbling of flatus on first rising, but disappears with continued motion. 

Extremities / Rheumatism 

• A/F : same as guidings
• Hot painful swelling of joints. 
• Location : synovial joints of right side, especially knee joint.
• Sensation : as if sprained 
• As if bones were scrapped with a knife. 
• Stiffness of joints with pain in muscles or tendons. 
• Concomitants : physical restlessness (trio of restlessness : aco. - mental and physical, ars. - mental).
• Pain between two shoulder. 
• Aggravation : first motion, getting wet and rainy weather. 
• Amelioration : continuous motion.

Skin

• Red, swollen urticarial patches.
• Intense itching and burning of skin.
• Cellulitis, burning eczematous eruptions.

Fever

• A/F : getting wet in rain, summer bathing. 
• Rheumatic, intermittent fever or continuous fever like typhoid. 
• Fever with chill and dry cough. 
• Great restlessness during fever, cannot stay in one position, must change position often to get relief.
• Low muttering delirium. 

Modalities 

• Aggravation : getting wet in rain, first motion, especially in morning, summer bath.
• Amelioration : warm in general, continuous motion, wrapping up.

Relations

• Rhus tox and bryonia complements each other. 
• Inimical to apis, Especially in skin disease.