Chimaphila: The ‘Umbrella' Remedy For Urinary Disorders

Individuals who present with the homeopathic Chimaphila personality have a strong disposition, for urinary tract, bladder and prostate problems, with painful urination. They also have a propensity for ‘agitated’ angst, or disquiet.

- Dr Mukesh Batra

The homeopathic remedy, Chimaphila Umbellata is made from the fresh plant of Pipsissewa — or, umbellate wintergreen. This is a pocket-sized flowering plant found growing in parched woodlands or sand-oriented soils. It sports evergreen leaves, draped with a glowing and glistening green tint. The leaves are serrated at the edges with the tendrils residing along the stalk. The leaves of this plant possess cursorily spiky margins wherein the points possess fine hair at the terminals. The plant has 4-8 joint ‘umbels’ from where the flowers emerge with stalks of equivalent dimension. In times long gone by, the plant was used by Native American Indians to ease excessive sweating and fever-states. It was, however, in the 19th century, that the early European settlers in Latin America embraced the little herb and used it expansively for managing and also treating urinary complaints and joint pains — a common ailment with such migrants.

THE URINARY REMEDY

Individuals who present with the Chimaphila personality have a strong proclivity, or affinity, for urinary tract, bladder, aside from prostate, problems, when accompanied by painful urination as well as delayed, hindered stream of urine. They also have a predisposition for ‘agitated’ angst, or disquiet. They often feel warm and hot, yet they may not break into a sweat. Such individuals complain of a certain internal quivering, albeit they are generally calm and steady on the exterior.

That Chimaphila is also prescribed widely for cystitis, or inflammation of the urinary bladder, attended by blood in the urine with a strong provocation to urinate, notwithstanding the fact the bladder may be sapped out of its wits end, is as well known as tennis ace Roger Federer’s return of serve.