Lycopodium clavatum

English patient information. Some clinical wording may still reflect the German source text. Not for self-prescription.

Lycopodium is, in addition to Sulph., Calc. and some others, one of the most used medicines (Polychrest) in homeopathy. When indicated, it cures all kinds of ailments. Besonders passt es für Leberbeschwerden (chronische Hepatitis), Nieren- und Blasenleiden (Zystitis, chronische Zystitis und Pyelonephritis), Steinleiden der Niere, Arthropathien (Coxarthrose, Gicht) und für Lungenerkrankungen (z.B. Pneumonie).

What is characteristic of Lycopodium is its right-sidedness (the opposite of Lachesis). The symptoms only appear on the right side or they move from right to left. Sore throat is on the right, in kidney disease the right kidney is affected, sciatica on the right side, etc.

The time of exacerbation is also typical: no matter what the patient has, they feel worse between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Lycopodium also has a very distinctive effect on digestion. It produces a lot of flatulence. The lower abdomen is very distended and the patient cannot bear the clothing on his stomach. This is all made significantly worse by flatulent foods such as beans, cabbage or peas. Onions and oysters are also poorly tolerated and cause all sorts of problems. When you eat, your stomach is full after the first bite. There is a craving for sweet foods. The patient also craves warm foods and drinks because they are good for him (for example, a sore throat is relieved by warm drinks), but cold foods are bad for him.

The affected body parts of the Lycopodium patient are sensitive (for example, the liver area). The symptoms are better when the affected areas are covered, which is particularly true for headaches (in contrast, Sil. Headache heals better by wrapping).

Although Lyc. is rather cold and most symptoms are improved by warm applications, the patient has a great desire to be outdoors.

Just looking at the patient you can find evidence of Lyc. as a remedy: The patient is emaciated and has a bloated lower abdomen. Sometimes the emaciation progresses from top to bottom. Hair turns gray at a young age. The face looks old and wrinkled. Fan-like movements of the nostrils and frowning are typical in lung diseases such as pneumonia. Overall, in Lycopodium the mind is better developed than the body, children have well-developed, well-formed heads but small, sickly bodies.

The Lycopodium patient is sullen and angry, especially in the morning after awakening. Children then kick their feet. He is dictatorial and he is a miser.

He wants to be alone, but he is comfortable when there is someone in the next room. But there is also fear of being alone. Other fears are: fear of people, of crowds of people, of darkness, of death, of ghosts and ghosts. There is also fear of thunderstorms (as in Phos.) or the patient is particularly happy during thunderstorms. Women are irritable or sad before menses (Sep.). A special trait of some Lycopodium patients is that they cry when they are thanked.

In addition to the symptoms enumerated so far, there are many others which are characteristic of Lycopodium, some of which now follow: Like Sulph. (and some others) it cures hair loss after delivery. When sleeping, the eyes are half open. At dusk or in the dark, vision is reduced (night blindness). The earwax is greatly increased. Children suck their thumbs. The gums bleed when brushing your teeth. Lyc. heals inguinal hernias (including in children). Liver pain extends to the back. The woman's period comes too early and flows very heavily. Dry, painful cough in emaciated boys. As with phosphorus, there is burning between the shoulder blades. One foot is hot, the other is cold. Sweat everywhere except the legs, thighs or lower legs.