Bamboo

www.britishhomeopathic.org /bhacharity/howwecanhelp/medicineaz/bamboo/

AnexcitingnewremedyforrheumaticdisordersandmenstrualproblemsisprofiledbyRaymondSevar
In1997BerndtSchusterconductedaprovingofaspeciesofbamboo,Bambusaarundinacea,whichisemerging
asanimportanthomeopathicremedyforawidevarietyofclinicalconditions.Thisisalargebamboowhoseshoots
growrapidlytoeightmetres.Itisatenderplantandneedsheattosurviveitwilldieifthetemperaturefallsto
50C.Itlivesmanyyears(oftenoveracentury),flowersonlyoncebutformanyyearsandafterfloweringitdies.
Theremedyismadefromatinctureofbambooshootsandcontainsphytooestragensandishighinsilica.
Bamboohasbeenusedmedicinallysinceancienttimesincancer,leprosy,tuberculosis,menstrualproblemsand
disordersofthespine.
BamboohasgreatsignificanceinChinesemedicineandculturesymboloflaughter,oldage,elasticityand
endurancethestemsbendinthewindbutneverbreak,theleavesmoveinthewindbutneverfallbendand
yieldbutneverbeuprooted,emergefromthestormunbroken.Thesethemesarebroughttolifeinthesymptoms
oftheproving.
Theproving
Aviewofthecomplexheartofthisfascinatingremedyisseenintheproving,richinsensationsasif:
deserted,forsaken,aloneintheworld
sheispoorandhelplessintheworld
everythingisinsecure,meaningless,wrongandeverythingwillfail
heldcaptivebyalifesituation
desireschangeandsupport.
Thesensationasifdeserted,forsakenandaloneintheworldissimilartothesensationattheheartofthe
Pulsatillastate.ThesensationthatbodypartsareweakandcannotsupportthebodyisreminiscentoftheSilica
state.ThesensationofinsecurityissimilartoArsenicumalbum.Bambooseemstoberelatedtoseveralwell
knownpolycrestremedies.
ThethemeofsupportappearstobecentraltotheBambooremedystate.Thepatientdesiressupportfromothers.
Theyfeelresponsibleforeverythingandnoonehelpsthem.Theydesirechangeandfreedombutfeelhelpless
andstuckintheirlifesituationandbecomeirritable,jealous,restlessandsad.Afterprolongedanxietyand
sufferingtheyeventuallybecomeoverwhelmedbydespair.
ThemindsymptomsofBamboogiveotherinsightsintotheremedystateandhighlightsimilaritiestoothermore
wellknownremedies.Thereareailmentsfromwoundedhonourandsuppressedanger(likeStaphisagria),and
ailmentsfromanticipationandforeboding.Thereisgreatirritabilitytowardshusbandandchildrenworsebefore
mensesandworsefromreproaches(likeSepia).Thereisanxietyofconscienceandanxietyaboutthefuture
whichisfeltwithinthechest.Thefearsareof:herconditionbeingobservedbyothers(likeCalcareacarbonica),of
poverty(againlikeSepia),ofimpendingdisease,ofcancer,ofmisfortuneandafearoflosingselfcontrol.
ThekeyphysicalsensationasifisofstiffnessandBambooisemergingasamajornewremedyforrheumatic
disorderswherestiffnessisthemaincomplaintofthepatient.Thestiffnessispainful,profoundandprolonged
likewoodoraheavyweightfeltinthebones,inthejointsandinthemuscles.Thispainfulwoodenstiffnessis
verymuchworseafteranightinbedandeasedbyappliedheatahotshowerorbath,aheatpad.Thestiffness
ismuchworsefrombecomingcold,coldweather,beforeandduringmenstrualperiodsandduringaheadache.In
Bamboothestiffnessmainlyaffectsthespineandjointsneartheaxisofthebodyshouldersandhips.Bamboois
emergingasamajorremedyinankylosingspondylitis(Case1)anautoimmunedestructiveinflammatory
conditionofthespinewithexcessivestiffeningandcalcificationofthespine(thecommonnameofthediseaseis
bamboospine!).Withpainfulneckstiffnessthepatientoftenwantstosupporttheneckbyrestingthechinontheir

hands.
ThiskindofaggravationfromrestandcoldandhelpedbyheatissimilartoRhustox.TheRhustoxpatientisusu
allyphysicallyrestlesstheywanttomoveandarebetterforiteventhoughthefirstmovementshurtandthey
aremuchworsefromcold,wetweather,whilethepatientintheBamboostateisnotrestlessandisworsefrom
changesinweather.
Thiscarefuldifferentiationbetweensimilarpatternsofsymptomsisimportanttodifferentiatebetweensimilar
medicinesinthehomeopathictreatmentofsignificantrheumaticdisorders.
Otherphysicalsensationsasifare:ofloosenessandweaknessandcannotsupportthebody(theoppositeof
stiffness)andofpulsation.TheBamboopatientisusuallyverychillyacoldfeltdeepinthebonesandmade
lesspainfulwithheat.Theydesireopenairandfeelbetterintheopenairbutareworsefromadraftofairona
sorestiffpart.Thereisadesirefor:chocolate,cheese,spices,sweets,sour,alcoholandwarmdrinksbefore
menses.
Bambooisalsoemergingasanimportantremedyfordisordersofthemenstrualperiodsincludingendometriosis
(Case2).Themensescanbe:painful,heavy,brightredandgushing,lateandclotted.Therecanbepaininthe
ovariesbeforetheperiodsandpaininthewombbefore.
Bamboohassimilaritiestoseveralwellknownremedies:Silica,Pulsatilla,Rhustox,Sepia,Carcinosin,Calcarea
carbonica,Belladonna,PhosphorusandTuberculinum.
Case1ankylosingspondylitis
IbegantreatingJane,a26yearoldwhohadsufferedwithankylosingspondylitisfortenyears,in1999.She
walkedinaverystiff,waddlingwayandwasalmostweepingfromtheseverepainshewasindespitetakingeight
cocodamolandthreeibuprofendaily.HerdescriptionofthenatureofhersufferingillustratestheBamboostate
veryclearly.
TheworstthingisthetremendousstiffnessinmybackitssostiffallthetimeItrytoputabravefaceonit
mybackgetshotthepainisworseinthemorningandlastthingatnightmylefthipisverypainful.Igetvery
angrywithmyselfbecauseIcantdothings.Iamworseinwinterbutsomuchbetterinahotjacuzzifromtheheat
andthebubblingmassage,muchbetterinahotbathandbetterwithahotwaterbottleorinahotroomorcloseto
ahotfire.Iammuchmorestiffwhenitiscoldandwetandrainingandabitworsewhenitsnows.
Thestiffnessandpainwakemebetween3and4amandIhavetogetupandputontheheatedpadandthat
helps.IturnalotinbedbutIdontfeelrestlesssittingisOK,IdontgetstiffbutIamsoverystiffinthemorning
andhavetohaveahotbathorshowertoloosenupenoughtogotoworkeventhenthestiffnesslastsforone
andahalfhoursafterwakinginthemorning.
EvenaftersuchacleardescriptionIwasdistractedawayfromBamboobywhatshesaidnext.
IgetveryirritableandsnappywhenIamstiffandsoreIjustsnapatmyhusbandifhetouchesmeIsay
somethingtoreallyhurthimsothathewillstopno,Ihavenointerestinsex.Shebeginstoweep.
IfeelsosorryafterIsnapathimandIfeelguiltyfornotwantinghimtotouchmeyes,Icanapologiseafter
wards.
ThisisverysimilartotheSepiastatebothSepiaandBamboofemalesareirritablewiththeirhusbands,thedif
ferenceseemstobethatapatientinBamboostatecanapologisemoreeasilyafterwards.Shealsohadagreat
desireforexerciseandbecameafitnessfreakinherlateteenstoloseherpuppyfatandgotagreatbuzzfrom
exercise,likeSepia.
IbeganhertreatmentwithSepiainascendingLMpotencieswhichforsixmonthsproducedagoodimprovement
inhermoodandenergy,irritabilityandlossoflibidobutonlyalittleimprovementinherstiffnessandpain.Then
shehadabadflareupofherankylosingspondylitisandterriblepaininherlefthip.Theawfulstiffnesscameback
worsethaneverandthepaininherhipwasalmostunbearabledespitemuchstrongerpainkillersandanti
inflammatories.IthenprescribedBamboo30cdropsforthreedaysandonbaddaysand6cpillstwiceadayfor
OKdays.TheimprovementwassodramaticIwillletherdescribeitinherownwords.

Therelieffromthedropswasveryfast,Ifeltmuchbettertwohoursafterthedropsandthepaininmyhipbegan
toberelievedaftertwohours.Ifeelsomuchbetter.Icancopemuchbetter.Ihavemoreenergy.
IammuchlessstiffIamstillabitstiffinthemorningbutonlytillaftermyshower,thenitisfineIstillhavethe
samerangeofmovementinmylumbarspine,butmyneckmovesmucheasierandfurtherthanitusedto.Ican
turnitfurthertothesidesandputmyheadbackfurtherIstillgettheoddtwingeofpaininmyhipsandlower
back,butmuchlessthanbeforesometimesIdontevenrealisethatIvegotasorebackatall.
IhavenottakenanycocodamolforsixweeksandhavenostomachproblemsIcanwhizzfastaroundthe
houseandmakeamealforsixfriends,insteadofpanickingandcryingandjustnotbeingabletodoanythingI
havestoppedworryingabouttheankylosingspondylitisIhavejuststoppedthepill,andamnotafraidtobecome
pregnantnow,ifIdoitisfine.
Shecontinuedwellforayearthequalityofmylifewastransformedherstiffnessresolvedandshedeveloped
moremovementofherwholespine.Thenshehadarelapseaffectingonlyherlefthip,notherspine.TheMRI
scanshowedthedamagealreadydonebyherdiseaseseveredestructivejointdamageandsherequireda
totalhipreplacementoperation(thereisalimittowhatthebodycanheal).
Case2endometriosisanddepression
IbegantreatingTina,a29yearoldwhodhadendometriosisforsixyears,in2003.Herdescriptionofthenature
ofhersufferingalsoillustratestheBamboostateveryclearly.
Thepaininmypelvisisterribleanditfeelsasifthewholeofmyinsideisfallingout.IhavenocontroloveritI
cantstopthepain.Igetmassivecontractionsandhavetoliedown.Thecrampsareexcruciating,theytakemy
breathawayandImustsitorliedown.Thebleedingisveryheavyandthickandlastssevenoreightdays.Ihave
lotsoffloodinganditsfrightening.Ifeelasifmywholeinsideisleavingme.
Thecrampsbeginbeforemyperiodandcarryonthroughthebleeding.WhenIwas13myperiodsbeganand
theywerealwaysheavyandverypainful.Iwasprescribedsometabletswhichgavemeaterriblerashonmyface
andthenlaterIwasgiventhecontraceptivepilltotryandcontrolmyperiods.Istoppedthepillsixyearsago.
WhenIwasonthepillIwasveryirritablewitheveryonebeforemyperiods.Istillamalittlebutmuchlessthan
before.IhavenopatienceandIsnapatpeopleespeciallymymotherandmyhusbandbutevenatmy
grandmotherandsheisonlybeingkind.
Likethefirstpatient,TinaalsosnapsirritablyatthoseshelovesinasimilarwaytoSepia.Nextshedescribesakey
symptomofBambooarisingfromthesensationasifofloosenessandcannotsupportthebody,whichinTina
manifestsasadesireforsupportinherlife.
IhavehadsuchalotofworryinthelastfewyearsandIhavehadnosupport.Myhusbandhasbeenillandnot
workedforthreeyearshehasnevergivenanysupporttomeeventhoughheexpectsmysupport.Ihavebeen
tryingtolookaftermygrandmotherwhoisveryold.Iwasbroughtupbymygrandmotherfromageoftwoto12
tobestrong,tokeepgoingwhateverhappensandIhavealwaysgivensupporttoothers.Shealwayslooked
aftermeandsupportedmeandnevercomplained.Atthispointsheisweepingopenlyandisverydistressed.
ThereisnosupportformeIfeelsouncaredfor.Mygrandmotherneedshelpandsupportfrommebecauseno
oneelsewillsupporther.
Herfatherisobsessive/compulsiveandhasankylosingspondylitishermotherisacontrolfreak.Herhusbandis
repeatedlyunfaithfulandhasgivenherchlamydiainfectionandgenitalwarts.Tinaisoverwhelmedbycaresand
hasreachedastateofdesperation.Shefeelsdeserted,forsakenandherhonourhasbeenwoundedbutmostof
allshedesiressupport.
ItreatedherwithBamboo30cdropsasrequiredforayearandthen200c.Allherpelvicpainandexcessive
bleedingresolved.Sheleftherhusband,movedtoadifferenttownandenjoysdancingsalsaandtango.
RaymondSevarBScMBChBDCHMRCGPFFHomisDeanoftheFacultyofHomeopathyanda
homeopathicphysicianinprivatepracticeinCarlisle,Cumbria.Healsoteacheshomeopathytodoctors
andotherhealthprofessionalsintheUKandabroad.