Codeinum cod.

Homœopathic Materia Medica

William Boericke · Homœopathic Materia Medica · 9th edition

Common name

An Alkaloid from Opium

General

Trembling of whole body. Involuntary twitching of muscles of arms and lower limbs. Itching, with feeling of warmth, numbness and prickling. Diabetes.

Head

Pain from occiput to back of neck. Skin of face and scalp sore after neuralgia.

Eyes

Involuntary twitching of lids (Agar).

Stomach

Spasmodic pain at pit of stomach. Eructations. Great thirst, with desire for bitter substances.

Respiratory

Short and irritating cough; worse, at night. Copious, purulent expectoration. Night cough of phthisis.

Relationship

Compare: Opium; Agaricus; Hyoscy; Ammon brom.

Dose

One-quarter of a grain doses to third trituration.

A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica

John Henry Clarke · A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica · 1st edition (1900-02, three volumes); homeoint.org / Médi-T HTML digitization

General

An Alkaloid of Opium. C 18 H 21 NO 3 .

Clinical

Blepharospasm . Chorea. Cough. Diabetes. Eczema. Gastralgia. Numbness . Pruritus. Restlessness. Spasmodic twitchings. Vomiting of pregnancy.

Characteristics

Codein possesses many of the properties of opium, from which it is derived, but it has characters sufficiently distinctive to entitle it to a separate description. Codein seems to possess in great degree the exhilarating properties some persons experience on taking opium, though it is not without strong soporific effects as well. There are many disorders of sensation, notably troublesome itching. The characteristic here is "Itching with warmth." "Itching and heat of face and head." "A sensation of agreeable warmth" is another characteristic symptom. Convulsive twitchings of muscles and limbs, and especially of orbital muscles, are very marked. Twitchings prevent sleep at night. Numbness and prickling. Codein has in many cases controlled diabetes. Headache is < in morning; restlessness and cough < at night. Symptoms in general are < by motion and > by rest.

Relations

Compare: Opium in sickness, pains in stomach and region of solar plexus, constipation, sexual excitement. Agar. (twitching of eyelids; Ars. (pains in legs, nightly restlessness); Hyo. (twitching of eyelids after reading); Lach. (sensitiveness of surface); Rhus, Sul., Sul. ac. (trembling); Culex (vertigo on blowing nose).

Causation

Fatigue and excessive mental excitement = headache.

Mind

Great exhilaration of spirits. ─ Depression with desire to sleep, frightful dreams and dull headache on awaking. ─ Increased or diminished power of fixing attention or applying mind. ─ Bewildered on waking. ─ Confusion.

Head

Dizziness on blowing nose. ─ When closing eyes objects appear to turn round. ─ Dull headache in morning, gradually diminishes towards noon when it disappears. ─ Dull headache soon after rising, < l. side, lasting about two hours. ─ Dull headache with dry lips and constant desire to moisten them. ─ Headache from fatigue and excessive mental excitement.

Eyes

Involuntary twitching of l. eyelid, sometimes > by rubbing. ─ Involuntary twitching of both eyelids whenever he attempted to read or write. ─ Pupils contracted. ─ Sudden failure of vision. ─ On blowing nose sparks before eyes.

Nose

Mucous discharge with irritation of the Schneiderian membrane. ─ Entire loss of smell for several days.

Mouth

Mouth dry. ─ Unable to articulate.

Throat

Strong pulsations in both carotids. ─ Tickling sensation in throat, in afternoons and evenings.

Stomach

Great thirst with a particular desire for bitter substances. ─ Empty eructations with acute pains in stomach. ─ Nausea and vomiting; sometimes preceded by an agreeable glow at epigastrium. ─ Tenderness in stomach with violent pulsations of heart and carotids. ─ Violent spasmodic pain at pit of stomach (solar plexus).

Stool

Constipation, with tenderness of bowels, esp. transverse and descending colon, and some flatulence.

Urinary Organs

Semi-paralysis of bladder. ─ Quantity of urine increased and saccharine.

Male Sexual Organs

Sexual excitement during the night, leading to pollutions.

Respiratory Organs

Tickling in larynx which causes a cough. ─ Short, irritating cough < during night. ─ Troublesome cough with copious mucous, and sometimes purulent, expectoration; with nervous excitability. ─ Night cough of phthisis. ─ On inspiration, pain in r. lung; pain below scapula; stitching pains in l. lung.

Heart

Uneasy feeling about heart. ─ Fluttering and oppression with great desire to walk in open air. ─ Painful pulsation when attempting to study or write. ─ Violent pulsations of heart and carotids.

Neck and Back

Neuralgic pains from occiput to back of neck. ─ Convulsions in muscles of back. ─ Sharp pains extending from stomach and chest through to back, between shoulders, < on r. side.

Limbs

Paralytic weakness in arms and legs. ─ Spasmodic twitches in arms and legs. ─ Numbness of hands and feet; prickling and numb sensation in various parts of the body.

Upper Limbs

Pains in deltoids on moving arms. ─ Jerking pain in arm. ─ Pulsating pain in l. upper arm.

Lower Limbs

In lower limbs involuntary twitchings; spasmodic jerkings; neuralgia and rheumatic pains. ─ Paralytic affections with extreme restlessness.

Generalities

Extreme restlessness. ─ Trembling of whole body. ─ Marked sensitiveness of surface. ─ Choreic movements. ─ Symptoms are periodic, paroxysmal; at times sudden.

Skin

Itchy; prickling. ─ Eczematous eruption with troublesome itching. ─ Itching with feeling of warmth.

Sleep

Sleepy and drowsy. ─ Twitchings in sleep. ─ Cough disturbing sleep. ─ Frightful dreams.

The Guiding Symptoms of Our Materia Medica

Constantine Hering · The Guiding Symptoms of Our Materia Medica · 1879–91

General

An alkaloid of Opium. C 18 H 21 NO 3 .
Provings by E. E. Marcy and others (See Encyclopædia, vol. 3 ).
"Discovered in 1832 by Robiquet in the muriate of morphia, prepared according to the process of Gregory. It exists in opium, combined with meconic acid, and is extracted along with morphia in the preparation of muriate of morphia."
The provings evolve many symptoms similar to those we find in the provings of morphia.
CLINICAL AUTHORITIES.
- Twitching of eyelids , Marcy, Hale's Therap., p. 185 ; Soreness of skin of face and scalp after neuralgia , E. E. Marcy, N. A. J. H., vol. 5, p. 414 ; Spasmodic pain in stomach , Marcy, N. A. J. H., vol. 5, p. 419 ; Diabetes , Pavy, B. J. H., vol. 29, p. 818 ; Night cough of consumptives , Hale's Therap., p. 185 ; Sudden twitchings during sleep , E. E. Marcy, N. A. J. H., vol. 5, p. 416 ; Disturbed sleep from frightful dreams , E. E. Marcy, N. A. J. H., vol. 5, p. 416.

Mind

Great mental exhilaration.
Depression of spirits with dull headache.
Inability to apply the mind.
Lascivious thoughts.

Sensorium

Confusion and heat of head.

Inner head

Heat in head.
Dull headache in morning, which gradually diminishes until noon, when it disappears.
Dull headache soon after getting up in morning, < on l. side, and lasting about two hours.
Headache from fatigue and excessive mental excitement.

Sight and eyes

Weakness of vision.
Involuntary twitching of left eyelid, sometimes > by rubbing.
Involuntary twitching of both eyelids, whenever he attempted to read or write.

Smell and nose

Entire loss of smell.

Upper face

Painful soreness of skin of face and scalp, which remained after a severe attack of neuralgia.

Lower face

Lips dry and parched, constant inclination to moisten skin.

Inner mouth

Dryness of mouth.

Palate and throat

Tickling sensation in throat, in afternoon and evening.

Appetite, thirst. desires, aversions

Great thirst, with a particular desire for bitter substances.

Hiccough, belching, nausea and vomiting

Empty eructations, with acute pains in stomach.
Nausea and vomiting.

Scrobiculum and stomach

Tenderness in stomach, with violent pulsations of heart and carotids.
Violent spasmodic pain at pit of stomach.
Gastralgia.
(OBS :) Neuralgia of stomach and solar plexus.
Affections of stomach or abdomen, dependent on disorder of solar plexus of great sympathetic.

Abdomen and loins

Extreme tenderness of lower part of abdomen.
Dull pain throughout entire abdomen.
Gastric and abdominal neuralgia.

Stools and rectum

Constipation with tenderness of bowels, especially in transverse and descending colon.

Urinary organs

Increased secretion of urine, it being lighter in color.
Semi-paralysis of bladder.
She passed five pints of urine daily, specific gravity 10.40 and sugar to the extent of 32.72 grains ; < from anxiety and overwork.
The urine previously saccharine contained no trace of sugar.

Male sexual organs

Sexual excitement during night leading to nocturnal pollutions.

Pregnancy. parturition. lactation

Nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.

Cough

Short, irritating cough < during night.
Troublesome cough, with copious mucous and sometimes purulent expectoration.
Obstinate cough with expectoration and nervous excitability.
Night cough of phthisical patients.

Inner chest and lungs

Fulness and oppression of chest.
Sharp pain in right lung on inspiration.
Stitching pains in left lung on breathing.
Severe pain in shoulder and chest on motion.

Heart, pulse and circulation

Sympathetic palpitation of heart and irregular action from derangement of ganglionic system.
Violent palpitation of heart and carotids.
Painful pulsations of heart on attempting to study or write.
Drawing pain around heart, which beats loud and full.

Neck and back

Convulsions in muscles of neck.
Convulsive movements of muscles of back and neck.
Neuralgic pains from occiput to back of neck.
Painful pulsations in left side of neck.
Sharp pains extending from stomach and chest through to back, between shoulders, < on right side.
Acute pains in region of kidneys.

Upper limbs

Spasmodic twitches in arms.
On moving arm, severe pain in deltoid muscles.
Pulsating pain in left upper arm.
Numbness of hands and arms.

Lower limbs

Sensation and power of motion impaired.
Involuntary twitchings of lower limbs.
Painful, spasmodic jerking of legs.
Neuralgic pains in thighs and legs, and subacute rheumatic pains in knee and ankle joints.
Sudden pain in knee joints, making walking impossible for a few minutes.
Paralytic affections of lower extremities, with extreme restlessness, constant desire to change position, and inability to sleep.

Limbs in general

Spasmodic twitching of upper and lower extremities.

Rest. position. motion

Motion : severe pain in shoulder and chest.
On moving arm : severe pain in deltoid muscles.

Nerves

Extreme restlessness.
Trembling of whole body.
Morbid sensitiveness of surface in nervous and hysterical females.
Frequent paroxysms of involuntary twitchings of muscles of all parts of body, indigestion and various manifestations of morbid excitability of nervous system in consequence of chronic ovaritis and suppressed menstruation.
Chorea ; sleep constantly disturbed ; unusual tendency to involuntary twitching of muscles of different parts of body.

Sleep

Sleepiness, drowsy feeling.
Sudden twitchings during sleep, so violent as to wake up the sleeper in affright. θ Chorea.
Disturbed sleep from frightful dreams, causing patients to wake in morning exhausted and unrefreshed.
Sleep constantly disturbed by severe night cough. θ Phthisis.

Time

In morning : dull headache, which gradually diminishes until noon, when it disappears ; dull headache soon after getting up, < on left side, and lasting about two hours ; awakes exhausted and unrefreshed on account of disturbed sleep.
In afternoon : tickling in throat.
In evening : tickling in throat.
During night : sexual excitement leading to nocturnal pollutions ; short, irritating cough worse.
Night cough of phthisical patients.

Attacks, periodicity

Sudden : pain in knee joints ; twitchings during sleep.
Spasmodic : twitching of left eyelid ; twitches in arms ; jerking of legs ; twitching of upper and lower extremities.
Frequent : paroxysms of involuntary twitching of muscles of all parts of body.
For a few minutes : walking impossible on account of sudden pain in knee joints.
Constant : inclination to moisten skin ; desire to change position ; disturbance of sleep from chorea ; disturbance of sleep by night cough.
Lasting about two hours : dull headache < on left side, soon after getting up in morning.
Dull headache in morning, which gradually diminishes until noon, when it disappears.

Locality and direction

Right : sharp pain in lung on inspiration ; sharp pains from stomach and chest through to back, between shoulders, < on side.
Left : dull headache < on side ; involuntary twitching of eyelid ; stitching pains in lung on breathing ; painful pulsations in side of neck ; pulsating pain in upper arm.

Sensations

Pains : in stomach ; in shoulder and chest ; in deltoid muscles ; in knee joints.
Stitching pains : in left lung on breathing.
Painful spasmodic jerking : of legs.
Drawing pains : around heart.
Painful soreness : of skin of face and scalp, after neuralgia.
Sharp pain : in right lung on inspiration ; from stomach and chest through to back, between shoulders, < on right side.
Acute pains : in region of kidneys ; in stomach.
Neuralgic pains : from occiput to back of neck ; in thighs and legs ; of stomach and solar plexus.
Subacute rheumatic pains : in knee and ankle joints.
Spasmodic pain : at pit of stomach.
Pulsating pain : in left upper arm.
Painful pulsations : of heart on attempting to study or write ; in left side of neck.
Prickling : of skin.
Dull pain : throughout entire abdomen.
Dull : headache.
Oppression : of chest.
Fulness : of chest.
Itching : of skin over whole body ; of eczema and porrigo.
Tenderness : in stomach ; of bowels, especially in transverse and descending colon.
Tickling : in throat.
Numbness : of hands and arms.
Dryness : of lips ; of mouth.
Heat : of head.

Tissues

Sensation of general warmth with itching of skin, over whole body.

Touch. passive motion. injuries

Rubbing : involuntary twitching of left eyelid, sometimes > by.

Skin

Itching of skin over whole body.
Troublesome itching of eczema and porrigo.
Prickling of skin.

Stage of life, constitution

Woman, æt. 68 ; diabetes.

Relations

Codeineum cured gastralgia, which had withstood all other remedies, Bellad . included.
Codeinum relieved cough and sleeplessness in phthisical patients after failure of Hyos., Ipecac . and Conium .
Compare : Agar . (twitching of eyelids) ; Arsen . (pains in legs and nightly restlessness) ; Hyos . (twitching of eyelids after reading) ; Laches . (superficial sensitiveness) ; Rhus tox . (chorea, nightly restlessness, pains in legs) ; Sulphur (spasmodic twitching of legs) ; Sulph. ac . (trembling of whole body).