Alphabetical Repertory of Nail disorders based on Hering’s guiding symptoms of our materia medica

Alphabetical Repertory of Nail disorders based on Hering’s guiding symptoms of our materia medica

Dr Jaimin R Chotaliya

“It’s the little things that matter most”
 Human body is a wonderful creation of God, each and every part of the body has its own importance. Not only internal vital organs but external parts are also playing their own important role for healthy living. From these external parts, nail is one of the essential parts of our human body. Whenever, our body is facing any crisis at internal organ level due to various chronic disease conditions, it also reflects its disturbance on the external part. Skin and its appendages are essential medium for expressing the disturbances and from this nail and its surrounding areas are important for examination during the management of cases. So, knowledge about this appendage of skin called “nail” is necessary. As we all know that small pain at root of nail can capable to make a man mad. Knowledge of nail disorders with special emphasis on its objective signs (appearance, colour) is very important for each and every medical man. 

In homeopathy, most of the physicians are using repertories for quick and easy prescriptions. There are many repertories available to guide homeopathic physicians. But authentic and verified source is always become the first choice for use. Guiding symptoms of our materia medica by Dr. C. Hering is one of the most popular and reliable sources for reference. One of the most authentic repertory based on this materia medica is Knerr’s repertory. Due to its exhaustive material, most of the practitioners and students are afraid to getting familiar with it. 

So, this nail repertory is a small effort to explore verified symptoms of guiding symptoms of our materia medica and modern supplementary work to Knerr’s repertory. This quick and handy reference in form of repertory will be a good helper to crack cases of nail disorders quickly with verified data and useful guide to learn objective signs of nail with their corresponding homeopathic medicines.

Repertory is divided into 2 parts:

1. Nail examination and its terminology
2. Repertory proper

NAIL EXAMINATION AND TERMINOLOGY ^{[1, 3]}

Some important signs about nails: – 

1. Colour: (colour changes with associated conditions))
   1. Blue – cyanosis, anti-malarial, haematoma  
   2. Blue green – pseudomonas infection 
   3. Brown – fungal infection, staining from cigarettes, chlorpromazine, gold, Addison’s disease
   4. Brown longitudinal streak – melanocytic nevus, malignant melanoma, Addison’s disease, racial variant 
   5. Red streaks (splinter haemorrhages) – Infective endocarditis, trauma  
   6. White spots– Trauma to nail matrix (not calcium deficiency)
   7. White/brown ‘half and half’ nail – Chronic kidney disease
   8. White (leukonychia) – Hypoalbuminemia e.g. associated with cirrhosis
   9. Yellow – Psoriasis, fungal infection, jaundice, tetracycline
   10. Yellow nail syndrome – Defective lymphatic drainage-pleural effusions may occur

2. Texture: 
   1. Pitting: fine or coarse pit on nail (conditions- lichen planus, psoriasis, eczema)
      1. Thimble pitting- a particular type of fine regular pitting, as seen on a thimble (Condition- alopecia areata)
      2. Coarse pitting – larger irregular pits in the nail plate (condition – eczema) 
   2. Ridging
      1. Transverse (across nail) (conditions- Beau’s lines, eczema, psoriasis, tic dystrophy, chronic paronychia
      2. Longitudinal (up/down) (conditions- Lichen planus, Darier’s disease
   3. Koilonychias: spoon shaped depression of nail plate (conditions – Iron deficiency anaemia, lichen planus, repeated exposure to detergents
   4. Combination changes: Longitudinal ridges and triangular nicks at the distal nail (Darier’s disease)

Nail’s terminology: – 

1. Onychatrophia/onychatrophy – atrophy of nails 
2. Onychauxis/onychogryphosis– simple hypertrophy of nail without deformity. Also called hyperonychia
3. Onychectomy– excision of a nail or nail bed
4. Onychia/onychitis – inflammation of the matrix of nail resulting in shedding of the nail. 
5. Onychorrhexis – striation, brittleness and breakage of the nail plate in a longitudinal direction.
6. Onychocryptosis –in grown toe nail.
7. Oncocyte– one of the tightly packed keratinized cells arranged in layers to make up the nail plate.
8. Onychomycosis/tinea unguium– It is a fungal infection of the toe nails or fingernails that may involve any component of the nail unit, including the matrix, bed, or plate. Called also ringworm of the nail. 
9. Onychogryphosis-long term hypertrophy of a nail, producing a hooked or incurved claw like deformity.  Also called – ram’s horn nail. 
10. Onychoschizia – splitting of nail plate, sometimes into layers, usually in a transverse (horizontal) direction at the free edge 
11. Onychotillomania – compulsive picking or tearing at the nails.
12. Onychophagia -the habit of biting the nails.
13. Onychophosis– a callus in a nail groove, such as one occurring with an ingrown toenail.
14. Onychomadesis– separation of nail plate from the nail bed and shedding distally to a groove that has formed; it may be due to systemic condition or trauma. Called also defluvium unguium and onychptosis.
15. Onychopachydermoperiostitis – periostitis in a digit with nail and soft tissue involvement. 
16. Psoriatic Onychopachydermoperiostitis– a rare complication of psoriatic arthritis in one or more terminal phalanges, with nail dystrophy, swelling of soft tissues and periostitis. 
17. Onychomalacia -softening of a nail or nails.
18. Onychoheterotopia – abnormal placement of the nail.

Nail variants:

1. Brittle nails– fragilitas unguium (fragile/ easily breakable)
2. Eggshell nail – a fingernail that is thin and curved upwards at its distal edge.
3. Half-and-half nail – a fingernail or toenail with a distinct border between a white proximal part and a darker, pink or brown, distal part, sometimes seen in chronic renal disease.
4. Hippocratic nail– the markedly convex nail seen on a clubbed finger. Called also watch crystal nail, watch glass nail. 
5. Ingrown nail– These are a common toenail problem of uncertain aetiology (tight or poorly fit foot ware, infection, improperly trimmed toenails, and heredity) where great toe is most commonly involved and lateral side is more involved than medial side.
6. Parrot beak nail– a fingernail or toenail that curves around the end of the digit and is shaped like a parrot’s beak.
7. Pincer nail– a nail, usually toenail that curves outward excessively distally and pinches the nail bed; called also trumpet nail.
8. Pitted nail – a nail with surface pits, usually less than 1 mm in diameter.
9. Plummer nail – onycholysis with discoloration of the nails in thyrotoxicosis.  
10. Racket nail– a thumbnail, or occasionally other nail that is much shorter than it is wide; this is usually inherited as an autosomal dominant trait. In the most common form, the distal phalanx is shortened as well.
11. Ram’s horn nail– onychogryphosis
12. Reedy nail– a fingernail or toenail marked by longitudinal furrows.
13. Spoon nail– koilonychias
14. Terry nail – apparent leukonychia in which discoloration affects the entire nail except for 1-2 mm at the distal margin; it is frequently seen in cirrhosis, congestive cardiac failure and certain other condition.

Plan & construction

• Rubrics – alphabetical, printed in BOLD CAPITAL
• Sub rubrics – alphabetical, printed in Bold, denoted by one indentation.
• Sub-sub rubrics – alphabetical, printed in Italics, denoted by two indentations.
• Sub-sub-sub rubrics – alphabetical, printed in Roman, denoted by three indentations.
• Sub-sub-sub-sub rubrics – alphabetical, printed in Roman, denoted by four indentations.
• Sub-sub-sub-sub-sub rubrics – alphabetical, printed in Roman, denoted by five indentations.
• Gradations – 
  • 1^st grade (CAPITAL) – is equivalent to verified and frequently verified symptoms of guiding symptoms.
  • 2^nd grade (Roman) – is equivalent to observed symptoms and old school observe symptoms of guiding symptoms.
• Medicine – alphabetical in each level.
• Cross references – given as (See…)
• Abbreviations of remedies are given according to Synthesis repertory 9.1.
• (R) and (L) indicate sides.
• (A) and (U) indicate ‘AROUND the nail’ and ‘UNDER the nail’ respectively.
• Agg. And Amel. are indicated as ‘<’ & ‘>’ respectively.
• Streamline of rubrics – sentences should be start reading from ‘;’ (semicolon).

Abbreviations

Full name	Common name	Abbreviation
Aesculus hippocastanum	Horse chestnut	Aesc.
Agaricus muscarius	Toad stool/bug agaric	Agar.
Ailanthus glandulosa	Chinese sumach	Ail.
Allium cepa	Red onion	All-c.
Alumina	Oxide of aluminum/argilla	Alum.
Alumen	Common potash alum	Alumn.
Ambra gresea	Ambergris	Ambr.
Ammonium muriaticum	Sal ammoniac	Am-m.
Ammoniacum gummi	Gum ammoniac	Ammc.
Anacardium orientale	Marking nut	Anac.
Anantherum muriaticum	Cuscus	Anan.
Anthracinum	Anthrax poison	Anthraci.
Antimonium crudum	Black sulphide of antimony	Ant-ac.
Apis mellifica	Honey bee	Apis
Apocynum cannabinum	Indian hemp	Apoc.
Argentum Nitricum	Nitrate of silver	Arg-n.
Arsenic album	Arsenic trioxide	Ars.
Arsenic hydrogenisatum	Arseniuretted hydrogen	Ars-h.
Asafoetida	Gum of stinkasand	Asaf.
Asteria rubens	Red starfish	Aster.
Aurum metallicum	Metallic gold	Aur.
Baptisia tinctorial	Wild indigo	Bapt.
Baryta carbonica	Carbonate of baryta	Bar-c.
Benzoicum acidum	Benzoic acid	Benz-ac.
Berberis vulgaris	Barberry	Berb.
Bismuthum	Precipitated sub-nitrate of bismuth	Bism.
Bufo rana	Poison of toad	Bufo
Cainca	Chiococca/brazilian plant	Cain.
Calcarea phosphorica	Phosphate of lime	Calc-p.
Calcarea sulphurica	Sulphate of lime/POP	Calc-s.
Calendula officinalis	Marigold	Calen.
Camphora officinalis	Camphor	Camph.
Carboneum sulphuratum	Alcohol sulphuris	Carbn-s.
Carbo vegitabilis	Vegetable charcoal	Carb-v.
Castor equi	Rudimentary thumb nail of horse	Castor-eq.
Causticum hahnemanni	Tincture acris sine kali	Caust.
Cinchona officinalis	Peruvian bark	Chin.
Chelidonium majus	Celandine	Chel.
Chimaphila umbellate	Pipsissewa	Chim.
China boliviana	Cinchona boliviana	Chin-b.
Chininum arsenicosum	Arsenite of quinine	Chinin-ar.
Chininum sulphuricum	Sulphite of quinine	Chinin-s.
Chloroformium	Chloroform	Chlf.
Chloralum hydratum	Chloral hydrate	Chlol.
Cicuta virosa	Water hemlock	Cic.
Cimex lectularius	Bedbug	Cimx.
Cistus canadensis	Rock rose	Cist.
Cocculus indicus	Indian cockle	Cocc.
Colchicum autumnale	Meadow saffron	Colch.
Conium maculatum	Poison hemlock	Con.
Crotalus horridus	Rattle snake	Crot-h.
Cuprum metallicum	Copper	Cup-m.
Cuprum sulphuricum	Sulphate of copper	Cupr-s.
Digitalis purpurea	Foxglove	Dig.
Dioscoria villosa	Wild yam	Dios.
Dolichos pruriens	Cowhage	Dol.
Drosera rotundifolia	Sundew	Dros.
Elaps corallinus	Coral snake	Elaps.
Eugenia jambos	Rose apple	Eug.
Eupatorium perfoliatum	Thoroughwort	Eup-per.
Ferrum metallicum	Iron	Ferr.
Flouricum acidum	Hydrofluoric acid	Fl-ac.
Graphites	Black lead/plumbago	Graph.
Gymnocladus canadensis	American coffee tree	Gymno.
Hamamelis viginiana	Witch hazel	Ham.
Hecla lava	Lava scoriae from Mt. Hecla	Hecla
Helleborus niger	Snow rose	Hell.
Hepar sulph	Calcium sulphate	Hep.
Hypericum perforatum	St. John’s wort	Hyper.
Inula helenium	Scabwort	Inul.
Iodium	Iodine	Iod.
Ipecacuanha	Ipecac root	Ip.
Jatrofa curcas	Purging nut	Jtr-c.
Kalium bichromicum	Bichromate of potash	Kali-bi.
Kalium carbonicum	Carbonate of potassium	Kali-c.
Kalium chloricum	Chlorate of potassium	Kali-cl.
Kalium iodatum	Iodide of potassium	Kali-i.
Lachesis mutus	Bushmaster or surucucu	Lach.
Lachnanthes tinctorial	Spirit weed	Lachn.
Ledum palustre	Marsh tea	Led.
Lithium carbonicum	Carbonate of lithium	Lith-c.
Lycopodium clavatum	Club moss	Lyc.
Lyssinum	Saliva of rabid dog	Lyss.
Mancinella	Hippomane	Manc.
Manganum Aceticum	Manganese acetate	Mang.
Medorrhinum	Gonorrheal virus	Med.
Mercurius corrosivus	Corrosive sublimate	Merc-c.
Mercurius solubilis hahnemanni	Quicksilver	Merc.
Mercurius sulphuricus	Sulphate of mercury	Merc-s.
Mezereum	Spurge olive	Mez.
Natrium carbonicum	Carbonate of sodium	Nat-c.
Natrium muriaticum	Chloride of sodium	Nat-m.
Natrium sulpuricum	Sulphate of sodium	Nat-s.
Nitricum acidum	Nitric acid	Nit-ac.
Nux moschata	Nutmeg	Nux-m.
Nux vomica	Poison nut	Nux-v.
Oleum animale aethereum	Dipple’s animal oil	Ol-an.
Osmium metallicum	Element	Osm.
Oxalicum acidum	Sorrel acid	Ox-ac.
Paris quadrifolia	One berry	Par.
Petroleum	Crude rock oil	Petr.
Phosphorus	Phosphorus	Phos.
Phytolacca decandra	Poke root	Phyt.
Plantago major	Plantain	Plan.
Plumbum metallicum	Lead	Plum.
Psorinum	Scabies vesicle	Psor.
Rhus toxicodendron	Poison ivy	Rhus-t.
Robinia pseudacacia	Yellow locust	Rob.
Sabadilla	Cevadilla seed	Sabad.
Sambucus nigra	Elder	Samb-n.
Sanguinaria canadensis	Blood root	Sang.
Sarsaparilla officinalis	Smilax	Sars.
Sepia officinalis	Inky juice of cuttlefish	Sep.
Silicea terra	Silica/pure flint	Sil.
Stramonium	Thorn apple	Stram.
Sulphur	Sublimate sulphur	Sulph.
Tarentula hispanica	Spanish spider	Tarent.
Tecrium marum verum	Cat thyme	Teucr.
Thuja occidentalis	Arbor vitae	Thuj.
Tuberculinum bovinum	A nucleo protein from tubercular abscess	Tub.
Ustillago maydis	Corn smut	Ust.
Veratrum album	White hellebore	Verat.
Vinca minor	Lesser periwinkle	Vinc.
Zincum metallicum	Zinc	Zinc.

Repertory ^[2]

BLOOD (AROUND), nail: Apis.

 – haemorrhage (under) – CROT-H. 

– offensive sanious discharge in onychia – LACH.

– settled under finger and toe nails with cold limbs – Apis.

BRITTLE, nail – Alum., AMBR., Castor-eq., DIOS., GRAPH., THUJ.

– fingernail – Psor., SIL.

  — brittle skin of tip of finger, with – Alum.

– lancinating pain in fingers with tendency to ulceration – Alum.

– toe nail – Castor-eq.

– soft and elastic later on – AMBR.

CRACKED, nail – NAT-M.

CRIPPLED, nail – CAUST., GRAPH., Sabad., THUJ.

 – fingers, of – SIL.

– toe, of – GRAPH., Sabad.

– toes and 2^nd finger both, of – CAUST., NIT-AC.

CRUMBLES, nail – Castor-eq., CAUST., NIT-AC., SULPH., Thuj.

– finger and toe nail – THUJ.

  — soft, discoloured and distorted – THUJ.

– partly crumbled – THUJ.

– slightest knock, on – Castor-eq.

– toes, of – Sep.

CRUMPLED, nail – FL-AC.

CYNOTIC, nail – Cupr-s.

DEFORMED, nail – Anan., ANT-AC., Ars., GRAPH.

– almond shaped – Tub.

– consumptive incurvation, of – Med.

– longitudinal ridges – FL-AC

– misshapen – NIT-AC., THUJ.

— crumbled – Sep., THUJ.

– toes, of – Ars.

– transvers depression – Med.

  — bent as if, they were – Med.

DISCOLOURATION, nail – 

– black – Ars., GRAPH.

  — black swelling of thumb nail (A) – Bufo.

  — first red than black – Ars.

– blue – Acon., Aesc., Agar., Arg-n., Aur., Camph., CARB-V., CHEL., Chinin-ar., Chinin-s., Chlf., Cic., CHIN., Cocc., DIG., Eup-r., Ferr., Ip., Jtr-c., Manc.  

  — arachinitis (arachnoiditis), in (U) – Chlf. 

  — bluish (A) – Rob.

    — cold extremities in GIT disorders, with – Rob.

    — heart disease, in – APOC.

    — lead colour, like – Apoc.

  — bronchial catarrh, in – Carb-v.

    — cold extremities, with – CARB-V.

 — cholera, in – CUP-M.

   — cholera infantum, during – CAMPH.

   — lips blue, with – CUP-M. 

  — colic, with – Sil.

   — yellow hands, with – Sil.

  — coldness, due to – VERAT.

  — cold hand, with – INUL.

DISCOLOURATION (Contd.)

  — coldness of body and nausea, with – Aur.

  — cough (spasmodic), during – Cup-m.

  — eyes, tongue, lips; cyanosis in – DIG.

  — fever, during – Acon., Ars., Aur., Inul., Inul., Ip., SIL.

   — ague, blue colour lasting two hours – Tarent.

   — chill stage – Acon., Ars., CHININ-S., CUP-M., CON., COCC., Dros., EUP-PER., NAT-M., Nux-m., NUX-V., SULPH.

      —- at 6 P.M. – PETR.

      —- blue lips, with – ARS., CHININ-S., CUP-M., IP.

      —- chilliness in back – CON.

       —– cold hands, with – CON.

       —– little coldness, with – EUP-PER.

    —- cold hands, with – Jtr-c. 

       —– icy cold hands – Merc-s.

       —– cold feet, and – Mez.

    —- intermittent, during – FERR., ARS.

    —- last one hours – Verat.

    —- shaking chill in evening proceeded by shivering – COCC.

  — grey colour – MERC-C.

  — hysteria, in – NUX-V.

    — trembling and blueness of hands, with – NUX-V.

  — livid nails – OX-AC.

— livid face with capillary bronchitis – VERAT.

   — cold extremities, with – OX-AC.

  — morning to noon – Chinin-ar.

  — pneumonia, in – Kali-i.

    — bilateral croupous, with – KALI-I.

    — coldness, with – Sang.

  — pregnancy, during – Ip., PHOS.

  — prosopalgia, in – MEZ.

  — stinging in forepart of right index finger, with – Lyss.

  — sweat stage, with – NIT-AC.

    — cold hands, with – NIT-AC.

    — perspiration, warm from right wrist to nail at 9 P.M. – Lyss.

  — tuberculosis, in – CHININ-AR.  

— typhus, in – ARG-N.

– brown – Lach.

  — tawny brown in onychia, with bluish discolouration of surrounded skin in panaritium – LACH.

– dark – Ox-ac.

– livid – COLCH., Ox-ac.

  — fingers, with – Ox-ac.

– purple –

  — croup of children with purple lips, in – Samb-n.

– spots, in – Alum.

  — white – NIT-AC., SIL.

– white, flaws – NIT-AC.

– yellow – CON., IOD., NIT-AC., Sep., Sil.

  — curved – NIT-AC.

  — jaundice, in – IOD.

  — stripes on edge of nail in whitlow – NIT-AC.

DRY (A) – NIT-AC.

ERUPTION – 

– blisters (A) – Ail.

– fleshy warts – CAUST.

ERUPTION (Contd.)

– horny growth – ANT-AC.

– Spongeous excrescence on thumb, size of a raspberry – ARS.

  — slightest touch which increases pain; very painful to – ARS.

scabs (U) – ARS., Sil.

  — suppurating scabs with itching upon toes – Sil.

– ulcers (U) – ARS.

  — fingertip with burning, on – ARS.

– ulceration (A) – Chlol., Hell., Kali-b., SIL., SULPH.

  — border of nails (A) – Chlol.

  — frequent – SIL.

  — malignant with blue border – Mang.

  — obstinate – Phos.

  — painful, in crustea lactea – RHUS-T.

    — thumb nail (U) – Kali-c.

  — roots of finger nails of both hands – SANG.

– vesicles filled with blood on tips of fingers – ARS.

FALLING OFF, nail – Castor-eq., HELL.

– exfoliation – MERC.

– hair fall out, with – HELL.

– new one already forms, with – Castor-eq.

– sensation as if – Chin.

  — scalded vesicular places of fingers and toes with – NAT-C.

GROWTH, nail – 

– horny – ANT-AC.

– hypertrophied – GRAPH., UST.

  — big toe (L) – GRAPH.

  — loss (finger nail) – UST.

– interrupted – KALI-S.

– new – Ars., Sil.

  — stimulates – SIL.

  — thin and transparent, growth of nail – Ars.

– rapid – FL-AC.

– sensation of pain as if nail would grow into flesh – COLCH., NIT-AC., TEUCR.

– slow – ANT-AC.

– splits – ANT-AC.

  — horny spots with warts like – ANT-AC.

HANG, nail – NAT-M., SIL.

HARD, nail – GRAPH.

– horn like – GRAPH.

IMPRESSION, on nail – 

– clenched fingers, so that finger nails left impressions in flesh – Par.

IN-GROWING, nail – Alum., Anan., Calen., CAUST., Teucr., Plum. 

– toe nail – THUJ.

– ulcers; in-growing toe nail causes – Calen., TEUCR., NIT-AC.

  — great toe with ulceration (R) – TEURC.

    — moving, > – TEUCR.

  — purulent discharge with unhealthy granulation – Sang.

INFLAMMATION, nail (A) – All-c., Chlol., Hep., Graph., Kali-cl.

– chronic diarrhoea, with – NAT-M.

– erysipelatous – HEP.

  — root of nail – HEP.

– matrix of – GRAPH.

INFLAMMATION (Contd.)

  — soreness throbbing and numbness, with – GRAPH.

   — water, < – GRAPH.

– onychia – FL-AC., HEP., LACH., Plum.

  — atrophied index finger (R) and fetid sanious discharge; with – LACH.

  — maligna – Plum.

  — ulceration has set; when – FL-AC.

– paronychia – Anthraci., CAUST., Chim., DIOS., Nat-s., NIT-AC., Plum.

  — terrible burning; with – ANTHRACI.

  — sloughing on – ANTHRACI.

  — disposition to – DIOS.

  — red and painful blister on last phalanx with matter under nail; with – NAT-S.

  — splinter; sensation of – NIT-AC.

   — friction of wrapping, < – NIT-AC.

  — applied in incipiency – NIT-AC.

– root of nail (A) – NAT-S.

– tendons, cartilage and bones, extends to – SIL.

– violent and extensive – NIT-AC.

INJURY, nail – HYPER., Led.

– blue border following scratching of finger nail, malignant ulcer with – Mang.

– cause of injury; when nail is – HYPER.

– consequences of nail injury; first stage of – LED.

– cut root of nail of thumb – Plant. (externally and internally)  

– matrices – HYPER.

– punctured wound, due to – LED.   

– scratching of finger causes tetter-like eruption on left cheek – carb-s.

PAIN, nail (U) – Alum., Am-m., Ars., GRAPH.

– aching – Calc-p.

  — big (great) toe – GRAPH. (L), Colch. (L), KALI-C., SIL.

    — touched; when – KALI-C.

    — stitches, with – SIL.

  — first (R) then (L) – Calc-p.

    — shoulder pain (R) extending through whole arm down to nails – Cimx.

  — index finger (R) – Dol.

  — margin of – Lith-c.

  — roots of (U) – Calc-p., Dol.

  — stepping on nail, when; running up to thigh (R) – LED.

– agonising – DIOS.

– beating – Am-m.

  — thumb (L) (U) – Am-m.

– cramp like – Chin.

  — impedes movement of first joint of thumb (L); which – Chin.

– cutting – Sil.

  — itching beneath toe; with – Sil.

– distressing –

  — nail; at root of (R) – Chin.

– gnawing – Alum.

– intolerable – Eup-per.

  — both feet; toe nail of – Eup-per.

    — intermittent fever; during – Eup-per.

– lancinating – SIL.

PAIN (Contd.)

– Piercing – Nat-s.

  — bearable than room; outdoor more – NAT-S.

– radiating – Ars.

  — thumb (U) – Ars.

– shooting – Sulph.

  — Sharp shoots as from a blunt nail, in rapid succession – Sulph.

    — nail of great toe; at root of – Sulph.

– Sticking – Fl-ac.

  — thumb nail; root of – Fl-ac.

    — thumb nail (R) – FL-AC.

– Suppuration like, in great toe – Zinc.

  — touched; when – Zinc.

– tender on touch – Berb-v., Petr.

  — bruised; as if – PETR.

– ulcerative – Calc-p., GRAPH., NAT-S.

  — nail; roots of (U) – Calc-p.

    — especially middle finger; hand (R) – CALC-P.

PANARITIUM – Am-c., Am-g., Anac., Apis., Ars., Bar-c., Benz-ac., Bufo., CAUST., CIST-C., Diosc., Fl-ac., ,HEP., HYPER., Lach., Lyc., Merc., NAT-C., Nat-m., Nat-s., Nit-ac., Sang., Sep., Sil., Stram., Sulph., Teucr.

– abuse of sulphur; after – APIS.

  — tumefaction of forefinger (R) – APIS.

  — burning – Apis., Teucr.

    — fingertip, in – Teucr.

    — stinging and throbbing – APIS. 

  — gangrenous aspect; assuming – ARS.

  — throbbing and ulceration, from splinter; assuming – BAR-C.

  — several fingers on, during pregnancy – All-c.

    — red streaks up arm and pain driving to despair – ALL-C.

– bluish filled with red or yellow fluid – LYC.

    — inflammation extending all over hand – LYC.

– index finger (L) – Sulph.

   — thick yellow pus discharge with pain on touching nail – Sulph.

– inflamed finger and deep-seated periosteal pain; with – AM-C.

– Pain – 

  — fingers first (R) than (L) – SANG.

 — hangnail; starts from – NAT-M.

 — intolerable, drives to despair – STRAM.

  –– lancinating with deep inflammation to tendon, cartilages and bones – SIL.

  — throbbing and shooting; not violent but – MERC.

  — run in streaks all the way up arm – Bufo.

  — stinging, pricking pain – LACH.

  — violent beating and stitching pain – SEP.

    — pus formation around and beneath the nail – Sulph.

    — intolerable throbbing and boring pain, night < – Sulph.

–  pulsation of finger like panaritium – AM-M., Gymn-c., Sil.

– suppuration thumb (U) followed by bluish-black colour – Bufo.

– sharp and agonizing pain; early when – DIOSC.

RIBBED, nail – Thuj.

– dry hair and epileptic vertigo, with – Thuj.

ROUGH, nail – GRAPH., SIL.

SENSITIVE, nail – Berb-v., Chlol.

– beneath, skin – ANT-C.

– border of (A) – Chlol.

– thumb (U) – ARS.

  — being cut too close in cancer of mammae – ARS.

– touch, to – APIS., Chin.

  — touch all day, to – Chin.

SENSASTIONS, nail (U) – 

– burning – Asaf.

  — finger nails (U) –SARSA.

   — itching, with – SARSA.

  — root of toe nail – Asaf.

    — big toe, over (R)- COCLH., Lachn. (L) (U)

    — prevents sleep – Asaf.

  –– surface of nail (like fire), inner – Osm.

  — swelling and stiffness of first finger joint – Vinca.

– breaking of finger nail, during every step a noise is felt – Con.

– decayed, as if – Sil.

– gnawing – Alum.

– itching– Aster., kali-c., Colch.

– loose – Apis.

– numbness – Apis., GRAPH. 

  — fingertip near and root (U) – Apis.

– pulled out – Phos.

  — feeling of rush of blood to forefinger, with – Phos.

– splinter lodge – Ars., Hydro.

  — middle toe, in (U) (L) – Ars., Hydro.

– soreness – GRAPH., Ham.

  — foot sweat with; ends of nail – Merc-s.

  — pus discharge with; after a slight knock – Ham.

  — redness and swelling with; margin of nail – Lith-c.

– stitching – Am-m., Bapt.

  — thumb nail, in (U) (L)- Bapt.,   

– tearing – Bis., Camp. 

  — beneath the thumb (R)- Zinc.

  — evening till night – Carbo-v.

    — big toe (particularly near nail) – Ol-a., Zinc.

      —- ulcerated; as if painful – Ol-a.

  — fingertip of hand (U) (R) – Bis.

  — toe nail (U) – Carb-v.

    — tips of toes; and – Camp.

    — walking, when – CAMP. 

– throbbing – GRAPH.

– tingling – NAT-S., Nux-m.

  — cold as if frozen; with hands feel – NUX-M. 

  — warm room; on entering – NUX-M. 

SOFT, nail – THUJ., ANT-C.

SUPPURATION, nail (A) (see panaritium) – Bufo., All-c. Ham, HEPAR., Eug.   

– abscess, root of little toe (R), just above – COCC. 

– pustules, root of nails – KALI-B.

  — spreading over hands to wrist – KALI-B.

– threatening – NIT-AC. 

  — vaccination after; of finger nails – Thuj.

– thumb nail – All-c., Ham., Eug. 

  — skin recedes; with – Eug.

    — chronic diarrhoea; with – NAT-M.

    — nail; root of (A) – NAT-S.

    — soreness and discharge of pus; with – Ham.

SWELLING, of nail (A) – Bufo., Lach.

– bluish swelling in panaritium – LACH.

THICK, nail – Alum., GRAPH., Sab.

THIN and TRANSPARENT, nail – Ars.

WITHLOW – Anthracin., All-c., Bov., Dios., FL-AC., Hecla., HEPAR., LACH., PHYT., SIL., Stram.

– burning

  — itching, stinging, aching in right forefinger, with – Sil.

  — pulsative pain as from whitlow on fingers – Am-m.

– finger, on – Bov.

– forefinger (L) with pus in last phalanx – Sulph. 

  — burning in whole finger with tenderness – Sulph.

    — disturb sleep, pain with – Sulph. 

    — cold water, holding arm up > – Sulph. 

    —- hot water and letting hand hang down – Sulph.

– inflamed and suppurating – All-c. 

  — pain –

    — beginning, in – Am-c.

    — occur every winter for several years – HEPAR.

    — suppuration begin, when- Calc-s.  

    — suppurating whitlow, of – Diosc.

    — violent nightly with threatened necrosis – Asaf.

    — whole arm, in – All-c.

– intense swelling on one or both sides of nail, night < – NIT-AC. 

  — on margin of skin finger nail (A) – All-c. 

– last joint of thumb (R) – Sep. 

  — throbbing, shooting, burning in, < in palmar surface – Sep.  

    — dark red and pus invisible – Sep.

– last phalanx of thumb (L) – Nux-v. 

  — increases gradually – Nux-v.  

    — throbbing pain sometime with burning- Nux-v. 

    —- warmth < – Nux-v. 

    —- letting hand hang down < – Nux-v. 

    —- evening after sunset – Nux-v. 

    —- bed in. > – Nux-v.  

– middle finger of hand (R) – HEPAR. 

– old woman, in– All-c.

– periodicity – Sulph.

Bibliography: 

1. Douglas G., Nicol. F., Robertson C., Macleod’s Clinical examination, thirteenth edition, © 2013 Elsevier Ltd, printed in China, published in 2013, page no. 72-73
2. Hering. C, The guiding symptoms of our materia medica, B. Jain Publishers (P)Ltd., reprint edition: Feb. 2005.
3. Elsevier, Dorland’s Illustrated Medical Dictionary 32^nd Edition, version 11.1.559, © 2012 Saunders, an Elsevier imprint, Play store (Google Play) 

 Dr. Jaimin R. Chotaliya (M.D. Part – II)
Department of Repertory
Dr. V. H. Dave Homoeopathic medical college and research centre, Hahnemann House, Amul dairy road, Anand, Gujarat. 388001
jaiminchotaliya@gmail.com