APIS

The oedema of Apis, characterised by burning and stinging, will naturally be aggravated by
heat and touch
. You cannot aproach the bee, and the Apis person definitely does not like to be touched. The Apis patient
does not want to be touched
in painful areas, whether physical or psychological. Additionally, the heat of a room, or the radiant heat of a
fire
, or a
warm bath
with its hot vapors not only can aggravate pre-existing pathology, but can also provoke it. The
aggravation from touch
is quite a strong feature of this remedy. For instance, in cases involving an inflammation in the abdominal area, touching the abdomen is likely to provoke stiffening and tightening of the abdominal muscles.

Whether acting upon the skin or the mucous or serous membranes, Apis' tendency is to create o
edema
, effusions, retention of water within the tissues. Water appears to be entrapped in certain parts and cannot be eliminated via natural avenues. This pronounced tendency may lead to general anasarca. "The face is greatly swollen at times, the
eyelids look like water bags
, the
uvula hangs down like a water bag
(emphasis mine), the abdominal walls are of great thickness and pit upon pressure, and the mucous membranes in any part look as if they would discharge water if they were punctured," writes Kent.

Apis Mel

Useful for:

Key Symptoms:

BEE STINGS

Swelling, itching, redness

HIVES

Hives, small or giant. Itchy
Stinging, burning pains

INSECT BITES

Burning & stinging with all complaints, Hives

URINARY PROBLEMS

Painful, scanty urination

This being said, it is understandable that this remedy should have
no desire to drink water
. It is one of the most
thirstless
remedies of the materia medica because there is retention of water in the tissues; any more water would simply aggravate the situation. However, in cases involving dehydration resulting from the pathology, such as cholera infantum, typhus, diarrhea, ulcerative colitis, even abscesses, etc., we may see the opposite -
insatiable thirst
. When there is retention of water in the organism, there is a notable thirstlessness, but where we find loss of fluids due to the pathology, we may see excessive thirst.

The o
edema
or the
effusions
of this remedy are not minor, accidental events, but the
main pathognomonic manifestation
of its pathology. As mentioned, this remedy has a great preference for collecting and retaining water in certain areas. Acting upon cellular tissues like the eyes, face, throat, uvula, ovaries, etc., it causes edema. Acting upon the membranes covering the heart, the brain, or the lungs, it causes effusion. Kent writes: "The outer part of man is his skin and mucous membranes. When we are dealing with man from centre to circumference, we think of the innermost as the brain and heart and internal organs that are vital, while their coatings and coverings are external. Apis affects the things that are external, it affects the
envelopes
, the
coverings
(emphasis mine). You notice how frequently it affects the skin and the tissues near the skin, and it also affects the envelopes, the coverings of organs; for example the pericardium. It establishes serous inflammations with effusion thus we see that the coverings are especially affected by Apis, viz., the skin, the mucous membranes and the coverings of organs."

Another interesting characteristic of Apis in women is the easy development of
cysts in the ovaries
, or enlargement of the ovary, especially on the right side. The cyst can be enormous and can develop in a considerably short time. When you have a case of an ovarian cyst in a sexually frustrated woman which has developed in a short time, is enormous in size, and is soft, as if full of serum, then most probably you have a case of Apis.

Ailments
originating
from jealousy
may be seen.

Apis, however, is the only remedy in the materia medica that
suffers so much after the rage has passed
. After such an explosive release of uncontrolled emotion, they feel ill for quite sometime. Women erupt in red patches around their face or external throat and may suffer headaches, etc.; men might develop a fear of having a heart attack or a brain stroke. The rage seems to induce a surge of blood to the head, hence the subconscious fear.

We will also observe intense
excitement
reaching states of
delirium
in a very short time in cases of congestion or inflammation in the brain; e.g., meningitis or meningoencephalitis; excitement in hydrocephalus. The delirium becomes most prominent at night during sleep and is at its worst after midnight;
loquacious delirium
; "sexual delirium." There is all this activity at night, but the next morning she is depressed, apathetic, and totally uncommunicative. The midnight aggravation is a characteristic of the remedy.

Allergic conditions that come suddenly, unexpectedly, and with violence and which cover the entire body are seen in Apis. Even
anaphylactic shock
is possible.

Thirstless
when there is retention of water in the body, thirsty when there is loss of fluids. Thirstless in ascites, in kidney insufficiency, in cerebrospinal meningitis, in hydrothorax etc. Violent thirst, would like to drink all the time (during typhus, or in severe diarrhea).

The abdominal walls are very
tender
and sore, they feel almost
bruised
not only in all kinds of inflammations of the intestines, or the peritoneum but also in ascites, very tensed or tight and
sensitive
to even
light pressure or touch
.

This remedy has
diarrheas with vomiting
making it a good remedy for cholera infantum or for severe cases of gastroenteritis.

Apis has a profound effect upon the genito-urinary organs. Its main action is the
retention or suppression of urine
. The urine is scanty, coming in drops. Much straining but only a few drops are passed. Must press a long time before urine starts (prostatitis); dribbling a little hot urine. Urine scanty in heart diseases. The whole
urinary tract is irritated
; burning, smarting, soreness, constriction of urethra; agony in voiding urine; uneasy feeling in cords.

The uterus swells up. There is
hypertrophy of uterus
, a sensation of fullness, weight with downward pressing and
stinging
pains in uterus.
Cysts
, tumors,
indurations
, enlargement of ovaries more on the right side. Prolapse of uterus with tenderness in the area. Menses suppressed at puberty. Menses too scanty, lasting but one or two days.

Keynote Summary:

Burning, Stinging pains,
Swelling, Hard welts

Better from
:cold application
motion, open air, uncovering affected area

Worse from
: heat application, closed heated room, warmth of bed
pressure worse on right side after sleeping