Iritis

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==================================== IBIS

Definition:
Infection of the iris. It is also called anterior uveitis when it involves both the iris and the ciliary body (cyclitis), which is how it typically presents.

Etiology:
The causes are many and are rarely identified. Iritis/uveitis is associated with many other diseases: keratitis (infection of the cornea); Reiter's disease; Behcet's syndrome; herpes simplex infections; sarcoidosis; tuberculosis; syphilis; collagen vascular diseases; as well as corneal ulcers and ocular trauma. It may be granulomatous or nongranulomatous.

Nutrition:
eating principles: • elimination/rotation diet, rotation diet, rotation diet expanded

therapeutic foods: • foods rich in Vitamins A and C

fresh juices: • carrot (Walker, p. 136) • carrot and spinach (Walker, p. 136) • carrot, beet, and cucumber (Walker, p. 136) • carrot, celery, endive, and parsley (Walker, p. 136)

avoid: • food intolerances

Botanicals
• Anemone pulsatilla (toxic): internally (Weiss, p. 340) • Atropa belladonna (toxic): acute inflammation with congestion; atropine sulphate 1% solution locally to prevent adhesions between the iris and the lens (Mitchell, p. 31) • Bryonia spp. (toxic): rheumatic iritis (Harper-Shove, p. 41) • Echinacea angustifolia: detoxifies blood, recommended by Ellingwood • Euphrasia officinalis: soothes irritation (Bastyr) • Physostigma venenosum (toxic): external adhesions caused by inflammation (Ellingwood, p. 189) • Pilocarpus jaborandi (toxic): clears inflammation, adhesions, rheumatic iritis (Ellingwood, p. 466; Harper-Shove, p. 41) • Saxifrage pennsylvanica: iritis, alternative in affections of the eyes (Mitchell, p. 54)

Chinese Formulae
• Gardenia and Vitex C.: Liver Fire Blazing Upward: strong constitution: pain, inflammation (Hsu, 1980, p. 599; Dharmananda, 1986, p. 227) • Lycium, Chrysanthemum and Rehmannia F. (Qi Ju Di Huang Wan); Shi Hu Ye Guang Wan (patent): Liver Yin Xu (Deficiency): swelling and pain, photosensitivity, blurring of vision (Lycium: Hsu, 1980, p. 598; Yeung, p. 164; Dharmananda, 1986, p. 173; Bensky and Barolet, p. 264; Shi Hu Ye Guang Wan: Zhu, p. 295) • Schizonepeta and Siler F. (Jing Fang Bai Du San): Wind-Damp Cold: pain, itching, profuse tears, photophobia, blurred vision, redness (Hsu, 1980, p. 609; Yeung, p. 140; Bensky and Barolet, p. 54)

Acupuncture
after assessing the person and palpating, consider these patterns: Liver Fire Blazing Upward; Liver Yin Xu (Deficiency); Wind-Damp Cold; Shi (Excess) of the Yang Qiao Mai (Yang Motility Vessel) and/or Xu (Deficiency) of the Yin Qiao Mai (Yin Motility Vessel)

» illustrative combinations: • LI-14, UB-1 and St-1 for eye diseases (Shanghai, p. 228) • UB-2, UB-1 and GB-41: clear Heat and brighten the eyes (Finkelstein, p. 37) • UB-2 and St-8 for eye pain and headache (Ellis, et al, 1988, p. 196) • Lv-3 and Lv-8 to clear Liver Fire (Finkelstein, p. 74) • UB-62 and SI-3: open the Yang Qiao Mai (Yang Motility Vessel) which transports Yang, moistens the eyes, and controls the opening and closing of the eyes, and for which eye conditions are a Shi (Excess) symptom • Kd-6 and Lu-7: open the Yin Qiao Mai (Yin Motility Vessel) which transports Yin, moistens the eyes, and controls the opening and closing of the eyes, and for which eye conditions are a Xu (Deficiency) symptom

Homeopathy
• Aconitum napellus: traumatic; first stage or sudden reappearance; ciliary injection marked; pupils contracted; severe beating and throbbing pain especially at night; great heat and dryness of eyes; fever • Arsenicum album: < night; serous iritis with periodic burning pains; < at night, after midnight; > by warm application • Asafoetida: more applicable to females; syphilitic iritis or after abuse of Mercurius solubilis; pains severe in eye, above it, in temples, of a throbbing, pulsating, pressing, burning and stitching character, and tend to be periodic; pains from within outwards, relieved by rest and pressure; soreness of bones around the eyes; > pressure on the eyeball • Aurum metallicum: syphilitic iritis, after overdosing with Mercurius solubilis or potash; pain deep in the bones surrounding the eyes; tearing, pressing, often extending into the eyeballs, with burning heat esp. when opening eyes; pain from above downwards and from without inwards; < touch; mental depression, bone pains in other parts of body; > by warmth • Belladonna: traumatic; early stages, caused from cold, with much redness and throbbing pain in eye and head; congestion of conjunctiva, ciliary neuralgia, photophobia • Cinnabaris: syphilitic iritis; condylomata on iris and lids; pain commences at inner canthus and extends across the brow and even passes around the eye; shooting pain through the eye into the head, especially at inner canthus or soreness along the course of the supra-orbital nerve and corresponding side of head; < night • Clematis: with adhesions; much heat and dryness of eye, great sensitivity to cold air, to light and bathing • Colchicum: rheumatic cases, with great soreness of the eyeballs • Colocynthis: sharp cutting pains in the eyeballs and then extending up into the head; eye on stooping feels as if it would fall out; profuse acrid tears • Euphrasia: rheumatic, with constant aching and occasional darting pain in eye, always worse at night; ciliary injection, photophobia, aqueous humor cloudy, and iris discolored and bound down by adhesions; iris reacts very tardily to light; the pains are burning, stinging, shooting in character, with acrid lachrymation • Hepar sulphur: kerato-iritis, ciliary body involved; pus in anterior chamber from rupture of a condyloma; pressing, boring, and throbbing pains, > by warmth, < from motion, eye very tender to touch; photophobia, great tenderness of conjunctiva, lids red, swollen, spasmodically closed • Kali bichromicum: is indicated later, when has been exudation posteriorly between iris and crystalline lens, causing adhesions of structures to each other; characteristic is indolence; little or no photophobia and not a very decided redness attending the inflammation • Mercurius solubilis: night aggravates, with hypopyon; all forms of iritis; pains severe, tearing, boring, cutting, worse at night and in damp weather; much heat around eye and soreness of corresponding side of head; acrid lacrimation; pupil contracted and overspread by a thin bluish film, with great tendency to formation of adhesions to the lens; iris discolored, ciliary injection; lids red, swollen, spasmodically closed • Mercurius corrosivus: < night, with adhesions, with hypopyon; burning, agonizing, pains, with most excessive photophobia and profuse excoriating lacrimation, making the cheeks sore, almost taking the skin off; tearing pains in the bones around the eye; ulceration of the cornea with tendency to perforation • Nitric acid: with adhesions; suppressed syphilis; gonorrheal keratoiritis; pressing, stinging pains, < by change of temperature, at night • Rhus toxicodendron: < night, rheumatic, traumatic; idiopathic, rheumatic iritis, from exposure to wet; suppurative iritis of traumatic origin, as after cataract extraction; lids edematous, spasmodically closed, upon opening them tears gush out profusely; chemosis, photophobia, varied pains, < after midnight and in damp weather; vesicular eruptions on corresponding side of face; more often attacks right eye, and the pus is thinner; rheumatic iritis, pains darting from the eye through to the occiput, with great deal of restlessness • Sulphur: < night; adhesions; chronic iritis in scrofulous persons; after suppression of eruptions. • Terebinthina: with adhesions; rheumatic iritis, urinary symptoms; suppressed foot sweat • Thuja occidentalis: with hypopyon; syphilitic, marked by condylomata on iris; severe, sharp, stitching pains in eyes, < night, warmth; heat above and around eye; tearing, dull brow ache, as if a nail were driven in.

Subtle Support
• notes: A#, B, C, D#, E, G, G#

• chords: diminished 8th, C Major, D# Major, G# Major (Gimbel, p. 116)

Mind/Body
• Inflammation: fear; inflamed thinking; seeing red; anger and frustration about seeing conditions in one's life. (Hay, 1984, p. 170-1) • Inflammation of the eye involves not wanting to see a conflicted situation. (Dethlefsen, p. 108)

• Liver ~ Gan is the home of the Hun (Ethereal Soul); it relates to decisiveness, control, and the principle of emergence; stores and cleanses the Xue (Blood); maintains smooth flow of Qi and Xue (Blood); controls the muscles, ligaments, and tendons, especially the contractility of the muscles and moistening of the sinews; opens into the eyes; and reflects emotional harmony and movement. » Healthy expressions are kindness, spontaneity, and ease of movement. » Liver Xu (Deficiency) signs include impotence; frigidity; pain in thighs, pelvic region, and throat; ready tendency to "the blahs" (Seem, p. 28); timidity; depression; irritability; vertigo; pruritus; dry eyes, skin, and/or tendons; asthma; aching at the waist; hernia; and difficulty raising head up and down. Liver Yin Xu (Deficiency) predisposes to the Shi (Excess) conditions of Liver Wind, Liver Yang Rising, and Liver Fire Blazing. » Liver Shi (Excess) signs include discontent; anger; pain in lumbar region and genitals (Seem, p. 28); muscular tension; excessive sex drive; insomnia; moodiness; excitability; genital diseases; red, tearing eyes; compulsive energy; and bitter taste in the mouth. Chronically suppressed anger can implode and give rise to Fire in the Liver and Gall Bladder with symptoms of irritability, bitter taste, headaches, etc. » Liver Wind derives from Liver Yin Xu (Deficiency) and/or Liver Xue Xu (Blood Deficiency) and their subsequent inability to embrace the Yang, and can manifest as joint stiffness, dizziness, tremor, paralysis, convulsions, rashes, itching, and neurological problems..
 * Chinese psychophysiology:**