Opium
Remedy of torpor, painlessness, and absence of reaction. Complete insensibility to pain. Drowsy, stuporous, dark red face, stertorous breathing. Hot, sweating. Constipation without any urge. Ailments from fright. Complaints are painless when they should be painful.
Source
Prepared from the dried latex (opium) of Papaver somniferum (Papaveraceae).
Available Potencies
Get Personalized Safety Info
Sign in and complete your health profile to see safety warnings personalized to your age, sex, medications, conditions, and allergies for this remedy.
Keynote Symptoms
Complete absence of pain despite serious pathology — painlessness. Stupor, drowsiness, deep sleep with stertorous breathing. Dark red, bloated, hot face. Constipation — absolutely no urge, round hard black balls. Ailments from fright where the fright remains. Retention of urine after surgery. Constricted pupils.
Mind & Emotional Symptoms
Stuporous, torpid, dreamy state. Feels frightened — the fright never goes away. Ailments from fright. Ecstatic state. Overactive imagination, vivid fantasies. Loquacity or complete unresponsiveness. Delirium with wide-open eyes. Complete apathy.
General Symptoms
Absence of pain and complaints. Torpor. Worse from heat, during and after sleep, from fright, from alcohol. Better from cold, constant walking, coffee.
Physical Symptoms
Head
Vertigo, heaviness. Stupid, confused. Head hot, heavy. Stroke apoplexy.
Eyes
Pupils contracted to pinpoints (classic opium sign). Half-closed eyes. Glassy, staring.
Face
Dark red, bloated, hot, sweating. Twitching of facial muscles. Hangs down, relaxed, stupid expression.
Mouth
Dry. Tongue black, paralysed. Bluish. Foam at mouth.
Stomach
Nausea, vomiting with colic. Fecal vomiting. No appetite.
Abdomen
Hard, bloated, tympanitic. Lead colic. Intussusception.
Rectum
Obstinate constipation — no desire to stool at all. Stool in round, hard, black balls. Involuntary stool from fright.
Urinary
Retention of urine after surgery, childbirth, or fright. Bladder full, no urge.
Respiratory
Breathing slow, heavy, stertorous. Irregular. Cheyne-Stokes respiration. Suffocative attacks during sleep. Deep snoring.
Sleep & Dreams
Deep, comatose sleep. Stertorous breathing. Cannot be woken. Bed feels so hot, must move to find a cool spot.
Fever / Chill / Perspiration
Hot, sweating. Burning heat with stupor. Body burning hot.
Modalities
Better From
Cold, constant walking, coffee, uncovering
Worse From
Heat, during and after sleep, fright, alcohol, stimulants, emotions
Constitutional Type
Persons with history of narcotic use or fright. Dark complexion. Those who develop painless, torpid conditions.
Clinical Indications
Shock from fright, post-surgical retention, constipation (absolute), stroke, coma, snoring, sleep apnea, painless conditions, ileus
Comparative Materia Medica
Nux vomica also has constipation with ineffectual urging (but HAS urging, unlike Opium). Gelsemium has drowsiness and paralysis from fright but with trembling. Arnica has stupor after injury but says he is well.
Safety Information
Strong black coffee (most important), Chamomilla, Ipecac, Nux vomica, Belladonna, Plumbum, Sambucus.
Opium is a controlled narcotic substance. Contains morphine, codeine, and other alkaloids. Causes respiratory depression, coma, and death in overdose. NEVER use material doses. Only high potencies (30C and above recommended). Legal restrictions apply.
Find the Right Remedy
Not sure if Opium is the best match? Our Remedy Finder can help you compare remedies based on your specific symptoms, modalities, and constitutional type.