Bellis Perennis
The Daisy.
N.O. Compositae.
Tincture of whole fresh plant.
The essential features
Bellis is an important remedy for deep traumas, whether they be of the physical body or of the psyche. It is a remedy that should be considered whenever a mistreatment or hurt has been suffered in deep parts: when the physical body has been cut up in an operation or hurt in an accident, or when the emotional body has been mistreated in an emotional conflict.
It is important for the student of homeopathy to understand that different constitutions have different predispositions. In this remedy there seems to be a predisposition for the tissues of the muscular system and the tendons to be in a precariously weak or tired state. The imposition of an injury on such an organism will almost inevitably result in a deep trauma, a chronic condition that will take a certain form. A different organism, with a different predisposition, will be much less likely to have such a reaction. For instance a Graphites or a Sulphur predisposition will not develop a similar condition after an injury.
Another condition that can generate symptoms in a Bellis patient arises when the body has been overworked and stretched beyond its capacity. Strained muscles or tendons from weight lifting or in long distance athletes such as marathon runners come into this category, as do the stiff and sore bodies of old people working as labourers or gardeners after comparatively little work. Workmen who by their profession are forced to stand and walk a lot find this remedy of use, as do those who subject their muscular system to constant physical exertion. Bellis is a better prescription in all these cases than Arnica or Rhus tox..
The Bellis perennis personality is characterized by a deep tumor in the feelings. When studying the Bellis psychology one finds bruised and sore emotions which have been mistreated and hurt by others to such an extent that a painful and hard spot has developed in the deep recesses of the patient’s feelings. The patient will never reveal this to those around him, presenting instead a happy face. In this context it is interesting to consider Clark’s apt comment on this remedy: “The daisy is a flower which is repeatedly trodden upon and always comes up smiling afterwards.”
Thus we have a person whom everybody considers to be strong, resiliant, with no great sensitivities; he himself knows the truth to be different however. He knows that there is an area in his emotions that is tremendously bruised and painful. All the hurts and shocks that the person has received in his life seem to be absorbed by this area and contained there. These patients display a kind of inelasticity or inflexibility of the emotions which does not allow them to adapt fast enough to inner shocks and which is evident in their tendency to stubborness and rigidity of ideas and emotions. Such a patient will have a fear of falling in love and will resist it, for this would involve opening up and showing their emotions, which they feel may overwhelm and destroy them. Along similar lines, the uterus may be rigid. During pregnancy a Bellis patient may find that the need for the uterus to expand causes great pains.
The Bellis woman has a deep fear of anyone showing an erotic interest in her. She feels that this would penetrate her defences and may touch the painful area she knows to be there, hidden under a show of great resiliance. If this painful spot is opened up by chance (or due to a sensitive contact by another person) an excruciating psychic soreness spreads all over her existence. The ‘bruise’ which had been kept inside for many years is now felt all over in such an intense way that the person feels she cannot stand it any more and indeed that she will not survive very long. I have treated such cases with Rhus tox. and Bryonia for several years with doubtful results but the remedy that really helped in the end was Bellis.
A Bellis pathology may also develop in another way. A man may have a very warm heart and intense feelings. While expressing these feelings he is given a cold reception by others, causing some area inside him to freeze. This feature of Bellis is particularly interesting when compared to the Bellis physical pathology: bad effects from being exposed to cold and wet when overheated. Effects of cold or ice drinks while heated. A cold drink can suppress menses, causes a stomach ache, diarrhea, backache or all of these. Yet the peculiarity of this remedy is the amelioration with local application of cold if there is an inflammation. An inflamed eruption of the skin is made worse by the heat of summer, while there is amelioration if the patient moves to a cooler climate.
When the Bellis patient suffers a hurt he may not show it to others, but inwardly a deep wound or scar develops. It is well enclosed like an encysted tumor and will never open up again or discharge, but the excruciating pain it causes will definitely be felt. The patient does not confess his trauma to anyone, he does not seek help, but tries to contain all the pain and suffering within himself without showing it. He is suffering from a “psychic tumor”.
A point which facilitates the differentiation of Bellis perennis with other remedies is this tendency to hide the feelings. In Natrum-muriaticum, Ignatia and Phosphoric acid, among others, the whole person is affected after suffering a shock, and the difference after the stress is evident to all, even though these remedies are reluctant to show their feelings. Bellis however, as mentioned above, contains the pain in an area within and is able to exhibit a happy face.
This determination to show a happy face is a result of the Bellis patient’s fear that, should this pain be left to spread all over his existence, he would not be able to survive. When such a thing actually happens the pain is really unbearable: “Unbearable pain that drives to distraction”.
A Bellis state can also be created when a person feels unloved, ignored by others, especially by parents or a lover. In such a case no complaints will be voiced openly, but inwardly the need to give and to take affection is there. They need security, they need to feel truly loved, and only then can they open up and bloom. There is a superficial resemblance to Natrum muriaticum here but the real situation is quite different.
A similar reaction to hurt or mistreatment is exhibited by the physical body. If a woman receives a physical blow on her breast and a tumor develops, this tumor will remain enclosed for years, painful but without tendency to open or discharge. The tendency of the remedy is to entrench the painful spot. Accordingly, Bellis will be indicated in an entrenched inflammation of an organ with no outlet – an inflammation that does not have the power or the force to open up an outlet and release the pressure within. Examples include inflammation of the gall-bladder where the biliary duct is obstructed and there is excruciating pain from the built-up inside pressure; enormous swelling of the teste after an injury with severe pain; cystitis where the urine can hardly pass. A keynote for this remedy is a debilitating bruised feeling which spreads all over the body from such inflamed areas. If in such a situation you can trace back to an injury you will have extra confirmation of the remedy.
The Bellis patient is prone to rheumatic affections. He suffers from stiffness and soreness of the muscles, similarly to Rhus tox. or Eup-per. He cannot find rest in bed, wakes up very early, has little sleep and is always tired. These patients feel debilitated, and worse when rising. The thighs feel especially weak even when lying in bed.
There is a constant tiredness and weakness, and an anxiety that will show by the patient waking at around 3 a.m. or later and staying awake for several hours. But as far as I have known there is no anxiety about health in the Bellis patient. On the contrary there is an indifference towards health matters and he is scornful of death.
Mentally Bellis perennis presents us with a dullness and slowness of perception. Sometimes there is a peculiar failure to recognise known localities, and the patient loses his sense of orientation when travelling from place to place. The desire for sexual contact is seldom inhibited, even though a Bellis patient’s feelings may be easily hurt. Sexual excitement is easily aroused and difficult to satisfy in a normal way, driving the patient to repeated masturbation. Such an act brings about a great tiredness and an inner discontent and restlessness. The tiredness of the brain is similar to Picric acid.
Another characteristic of Bellis perennis is to produce eruptions. We find boils all over the body, acne on face especially during menses, eruptions whenever the skin is scratched against something hard. Psoriasis erupts where the skin has been wounded or forced against a blunt instrument: a farmer working with his hand tractor will be prone to develop an eruption, usually psoriasis, at the points where his hands make contact with the tractor handles.
Other conditions for which Bellis perennis has been of service include: septic wounds of abdominal and pelvic organs after surgical operation, injuries of nerves with extreme pain much like Hypericum, injuries of the deeper tissues. It affects the muscular fibers of the blood-vessels and causes venous congestion. It is useful after injuries with extravasation of blood, much like Arnica, but Arnica is indicated with superficial injuries while Bellis should be thought of when the hurt tissues are at a deeper level and the tendency is to produce a kind of tumor.
Generalities
Ailments from exposure to cold and wet when overheated is a keynote but the peculiarity is that once the inflammation has set in, a local application of cold is beneficial to the patient.
Ill effects of cold drinks, when overheated. Can cause dyspepsia, amenorrhea, rheumatic pains etc. Ailments from injuries.
It removes the exudations due to injury.
Tumors originating from a blow.
It must be thought of in cases of cystic tumors, keloid tumors, naevus tumors, inflammation of bursae (bursitis), chronic appendicitis, neuritis, fractures of bones if the symptoms agree.
Hemorrhages after exertion.
It affects blood vessels causing venous stasis and varicose veins.
Burnett suggests it for debility following acute attacks of gout.
It causes a tired feeling with desire to lie down. Weariness during climacteric period. Lassitude. Sore, bruised pain of muscles, internally, aggravated on motion.
Excessive physical irritability.
Complaints from suppression of perspiration.
Irregular pulse.
Trembling internally.
Aversion to washing and bathing.
Faint spells with cold sweat [Carb-v.].
Left sided remedy.
Worse around 3 p.m. or 3 a.m. and for a few hours after that time is another characteristic.
Worse from cold baths, food or drinks; becoming chilled when hot; hot bath; warmth of bed; before storms; interrupted coition; physical exertion; ailments from ice, from cold wet weather.
Better from continued motion. Cold application locally ameliorates in inflamed parts. Better after eating; lying on abdomen; rubbing. Hard pressure ameliorates the abdominal pains.
Vertigo
Vertigo in elderly persons (cerebral stasis).
Head
Headache from occiput to vertex or sinciput of a cold, aching character. Shooting pain.
Headache in occiput extending to forehead.
A little giddiness in the head at times.
Brain feels as though contracted in frontal region.
Constriction of forehead.
Eyes
It has been observed to cause dilatation of the pupil when used locally.
Face
Eruptions: herpetic, allergic, acne, cystic.
Mouth
Abscess of roots of teeth.
Stomach
Effects of cold or iced drinks when heated, dyspepsia, diarrhea.
Want of appetite.
Slight nausea.
Pain while lying.
Aversion to sweets.
Desire for: meat, raw onions, vinegar.
Abdomen
Soreness of abdominal walls.
Fulness about the spleen, swelling and stitches.
Foul, painless yellow diarrhea worse at night.
Pain in abdomen after ice cream.
Pain in abdomen during inspiration.
Urinary organs
Urination difficult, involuntary while lying.
Genitalia – male
Erections wanting.
Masturbation in children. Masturbation causes great weariness. Excess of masturbation.
Genitalia – female
Severe dysmenorrhea, worse at around 3 p.m. and at 3-4 am.; ameliorated by hard pressure to the hypogastrium and by cold applications, not relieved by heat; accompanied with nausea and vomiting and throbbing in the pelvis.
General muscular aching.
Shooting from the uterus to the rectum.
Uterine colic ameliorated by flexing the thighs tightly; intense every few minutes with throbbing and streaking pains. Breasts and uterus engorged; uterus feels squeezed, sore. Small uterus.
Inability to walk during pregnancy due to venous stasis.
Varicose veins during pregnancy.
Sore, tender pain in uterus; during pregnancy.
Leucorrhea – acrid, excoriating; constant, chronic; ropy, stringy, tenacious, stains the underclothes yellow. Ailments from interrupted coitus.
Disposition to masturbate even in little girls.
Atony of uterus. Small uterus, very painful during pregnancy. Amenorrhea.
Itching in uterus.
Menses clotted. Menses copious; much worse with exertion.
Menses can be easily suppressed by exposure to cold weather, cold bathing and then followed by terrible backache. When the menses are scanty or suppressed acne or an eruption appears on the face.
Menses suppressed from cold.
Menses suppressed from having a shower.
Chest
Cancer of mammae; cancer of mammae from contusion.
Induration of mammae after contusion.
Inflammation of mammae.
Sensitive nodules in mammae.
Burning pain in chest.
Back
Injuries of the spine – coccyx.
Pain in back as from a fall on coccyx.
Pain in back on lying on abdomen.
Extremities
Pain down anterior of thigh.
Wrists feel contracted as if from elastic band. Bursae – cysts in wrist.
Pain as if sprained.
Pain inner side right (also left) forearm, as if a boil were developing.
Varices of lower limbs during pregnancy.
Weakness after gout.
Sleep
Sleeps on abdomen.
Wakes up too early, 3 a.m. , and cannot get to sleep again.
Sleep bad, disturbed.
Sleeplessness after 2 or 3 hours, or after 3-5 hours.
Waking after sleeplessness.
Waking toward morning.
Exciting dreams.
Vexatious dreams, anger in their dreams. Situation in the dreams where anger is really expressed.
Skin
Boils all over.
Ecchymosis, swelling sensitive to touch.
Small boil.
Small boil at angle of left lower jaw.
Painful pimple a little behind angle of left lower jaw.
Large boil on back of neck, commencing with a dull, aching pain; some difficulty and bruised pain in keeping head erect; began as a slight pimple with burning pain in skin, increasing until in six days it was very large, of a dark fiery purple color, and very sore, burning and aching pain in it; accompanied with headache, extending from occiput to sinciput, of a cold, aching character.
Eruptions in summer, itching, worse from scratching, better in a cooler environment.
Sensitive skin, they enjoy a gentle touch, easily arouses them sexually, but much friction on the skin causes a skin eruption to appear. Erysipelas. Herpetic eruptions.
Keloid.
Psoriasis.
Clinical
Diseases of arteries. Varicosis. Exudations. Fatigue. Gout. Masturbation in little children also. Mydriasis. Overwork. Acne. Psoriasis. Boils. Rheumatism. Sleeplessness. Stasis. Traumatism. Tumors. Fatigued uterus.
Relations
Some authors class it with Vanadium, of which it is a complement in degenerative states, as brain softening and atheroma of arteries. Compare: Arn., Rhus t., Hyperic., Con., Ars., Hamam., Vanad. In effects of fag, Pic-ac.
Dosage
From 6x to the highest.
