Thuja Occidentalis Remedy Guide – Warts, Vaccinosis & Sycotic Miasm Explained

Hi, I’m Dr. Imran Ali, and welcome back to the homeopathy materia medica series. Thuja occidentalis is a very broad-spectrum and deep-acting remedy, as we shall see. It’s perhaps the most commonly indicated remedy representing the sycotic miasm. Because of their prominence and importance, some remedies deserve more attention, and Thuja is one of those remedies. So let’s get started.

What is Homeopathic Remedy Thuja Occidentalis?

Thuja occidentalis is a remedy made from the Arbor Vitae, which is an evergreen tree. It’s also known as the eastern white cedar. It belongs to the family Cupressaceae.

Psychological Picture of Thuja

Since it’s important to understand the psychological picture of Thuja, that’s where I’ll begin. One of the main issues that Thuja struggles with is a feeling of worthlessness. Although it may appear on the surface to be an issue of low self-esteem, it usually runs deeper than that. It’s not just a garden-variety lack of confidence. This underlying feeling of worthlessness can sometimes present as a type of depression.

Why does Thuja feel worthless?

So the first question is, why does Thuja feel worthless? When asked, patients who need Thuja may admit that they feel like they don’t fit in or that they don’t belong. They feel different than everyone else. They feel alone. So then the question becomes, why do they think that they don’t fit in?

They will often say that they don’t fit in because there’s something unacceptable or unlikable about themselves. It turns out that they carry a secret within themselves, one that they don’t want the world to know about. Most often, it’s a secret feeling of shame, a concealed shame, and they will go to great lengths trying to hide that shame from those around them.

They cover up their secret and try instead to fit into the world, to appear normal. They do so by creating a persona of normalcy, one that allows him to fit in and to function in society. So he may adapt himself to different groups by projecting different images that he believes will help make him acceptable to those groups. So in a certain sense, he’s acting. He’s not being himself, at least when out in public.

What is Thuja Trying to Conceal?

So we must inquire again. Why does Thuja feel ashamed? What is it that Thuja is trying to conceal? The answer to this question tends to vary from person to person.

For example, one person says my family was poor. I grew up on the poor side of town, and I hid that from my friends at school. Another says my father was an alcoholic, and he used to abuse me. Yet another says my boyfriend gave me herpes back in high school.

I once had a patient who had several Band-Aids on her fingers. When I asked about them, she said that she used them to cover up her warts. I asked why? And she said Because they’re ugly, which brings us to the crux of the matter.

Thuja’s Secret Sense of Shame

Thuja carries a secret sense of shame about something he believes makes him tainted. He believes himself to be tainted, ugly, and unclean, and even though those around him may not agree, he feels that if it were ever revealed, it would make him unacceptable. A young girl thinks that she doesn’t meet up to the stereotypical standards of cultural beauty, and as a consequence, she feels ugly. She opts for cosmetic surgery to alter her facial appearance, but the feeling of shame remains because the problem is not with her looks but with her own dysfunctional perception of herself.

Thuja’s Hidden Shame Revolves Around Issues of Sex & Sexuality

Given the prevailing religious and cultural beliefs of many societies, it’s not surprising that Thuja’s shame often revolves around issues of sex and sexuality. A woman reports that her doctor told her that she contracted HPV from a sexual contact, and now she feels dirty and ashamed. Many people carry the secret shame of having been sexually assaulted or sexually abused when they were younger. Many feel shame simply by virtue of the fact that their culture disapproves of their sexual orientation. Whether they’ve kept it a secret or whether they have come out to the world may not matter. It can still plague them with feelings that can have an adverse effect on their health and well-being.

We’re all familiar with that stereotypical scandal of the preacher who projects himself as a paragon of virtue, who then resigns in shame and sinful disgrace after it’s been discovered that he was having an affair or after it was revealed that he was secretly gay. So we see this idea of someone who is leading a double life. We have someone who, on the one hand, projects an image of moral integrity, of purity, of sexual fidelity, or even just plain normalcy, but who secretly fails to live up to his own distorted expectations of what that means in his own mind.

Other Hidden Reasons for Thuja’s Shame

So then, by this irrational form of logic, a urinary tract infection becomes dirty, a birthmark makes one ugly, having been sexually abused makes the victim spoiled goods, and not having an ideal body type is deserving of shame. Whatever that tainted thing is in Thuja’s own mind is the thing that makes her feel unattractive, unacceptable, unclean, unlikable, or unlovable.

Why is it Difficult to Recognize a Thuja Case During Consultation?

Given their tendency to hide these perceived shameful secrets, it makes sense that it would be difficult to recognize a Thuja case in the consulting room. He is likely to present a false image of himself just as he would anywhere else. In other words, he’s not going to sit down and say, “Hey doc, I have this problem, I lead a double life because I have a dirty secret that I hide from the world.” So it may require some sleuthing and tactful questioning on the part of the homeopath in order to discern if a particular patient fits the Thuja pattern.

Feeling of Shame May Be Inherited (Sycosis Miasm)

The funny thing is that there may be literally nothing in the personal history that would justify feelings of shame or worthlessness. In such cases, the tendency may have been inherited from a parent or grandparent. That’s what we mean when we say that Thuja is a miasmatic remedy.

A miasm is an energy that can be transferred from one generation to another, one that predisposes a person to certain types of symptoms and problems. Thuja is a remedy of the sycotic miasm, which is the gonorrhea miasm. When gonorrhea is suppressed, its energetic influence can be transmitted down the generations. But I’ll talk more about that later.

Thuja’s Feeling of Worthlessness & Self-Criticism

Thuja’s feelings of worthlessness may be so strong as to lead to self-criticism. Thuja is listed in the repertory under:

• Reproaches oneself
• Contempt for oneself

And although it is strongly listed under:

• Loathing of life

I’m not sure why it’s not found under:

• Self-loathing

It certainly belongs there.

Similarly, while Thuja is strongly listed under:

• Disgust with everything

It is not found under:

• Disgust with oneself

This is also an oversight.

Whenever a patient utters the words disgust, disgusted, or disgusting, in addition to Sulfur, you must consider the possibility of Thuja.

Fears of Thuja Person

It also makes sense that Thuja would fear being rejected by others if his hidden secret were ever to be discovered. Not surprisingly, Thuja is listed prominently in the repertory under:

• Fear of strangers,
• Fear of people,
• Fear of the opinions of others,
• Fear of approaching others.

Thuja fears losing face in social circles. His ultimate nightmare would be having his secrets revealed publicly to the world. While Thuja tries to maintain an untainted image of moral integrity when out in society, that image is understandably fragile. Thuja lives in dread that people will see past that false image and will discover the truth — the truth that he is not who he projects himself to be.

Delusions & False Fixed Ideas of Thuja Occidentalis

We also find Thuja listed in the repertory under a variety of delusions. These delusional beliefs are often referred to in the homeopathic literature as fixed ideas. Thuja may suffer from the false but fixed idea that:

• Delusion: He is delicate
• Delusion that he is brittle
• Delusion that he is made of glass

Thuja is also found under the delusion that:

• Delusion: She is double
• Delusion that someone is beside her
• Delusion that there is a stranger in her room
• Delusion that her body is separated from her soul
• Delusion that she is pregnant
• Delusion that she is triple

A Peculiar Keynote Sensation of Thuja

Thuja also has a peculiar keynote symptom, one that is expressed as the:

• Sensation as if something is alive in the abdomen

Why Thuja Has All These Delusions

Most of these delusional beliefs or feelings can be interpreted as expressions of the fact that Thuja is not being true to himself. He’s not being authentic. His public persona does not match who he truly is. That false image designed to hide the ugly secret is understandably tenuous and fragile. It could easily be shattered.

Thuja Is a Two-Faced Or Three-Faced Person

It also means that there is more than one identity that the person must maintain, both the private one and the public one, and those delusions are an expression of the duality of Thuja. He is two-faced, sometimes even three-faced.

Comparison of the Bifurcation of the Thuja Plant and the Dual Thuja Personality

This brings us back to the Thuja occidentalis plant itself. Note the bifurcation (division into 2 branches) at the top. This is a nice example of the doctrine of signatures, whereby we may discern the essence or function of a substance by noting certain characteristics of its physical form. The multiple faces of Thuja are reflected in the two and sometimes three peaks at the top of the tree.

General Symptoms of Thuja Occidentalis

Okay, now that we’ve had a thorough discussion of the Thuja mentals, let’s talk about the generals.

Chilly Remedy Prefers Warmth

Thuja tends to be generally chilly and prefers warmth. The literature refers to Thuja as having a hydrogenoid constitution, which, for practical purposes, means that they are particularly sensitive to cold and damp weather.

Food Preferences of Thuja (Onions, Garlic, Salty Things)

In terms of food patterns, Thuja has a famous relationship to onions. Whenever we see a:

• Strong desire for onions
• Aversion to onions
• Or even aggravation from onions

We must think of Thuja.

There can also be:

• A desire for or an aversion to garlic

Oftentimes, there’s a:

• Preference for salty things

Thuja is Left Sided Remedy (Ovarian Cysts, Headache)

Thuja tends to be a left-sided remedy. It’s often indicated for:

• Left-sided ovarian cysts

And it’s known for a very specific type of:

• Left-sided headache that involves a sensation as if there is a nail driven into the left temple

Perspiration of Thuja

Perspiration tends to be oily and occurs especially on the face, on the genitalia, and under the arms. An unusual clue is that the patient may perspire, especially on uncovered parts of his body.

Modalities of Thuja Occidentalis

Weather Related Modalities

In terms of modalities, we usually see:

• Aggravation from dampness,
• Aggravation from cold damp,
• And sometimes aggravation before a storm.

We commonly see:

• Asthma or arthritic symptoms that are aggravated by these types of weather conditions

Aggravation Times of Thuja

Thuja can be worse at 3 a.m. and/or at 3 p.m.

Amelioration in Mountains Or Pine Forests

And we may see an amelioration from being in the mountains or in pine forests.

Physical Symptoms of Thuja Occidentalis

In terms of physical symptoms, Thuja’s sphere of action centers around:

• Urogenital problems,
• Allergies,
• Asthma and sinus problems,
• Vaccinosis,
• Skin conditions,
• Discharges,
• Growths.

Thuja is most famous due to its reputation for two things in particular:

• Treatment of warts and
• Treatment of the adverse effects of vaccination

This reputation is so strong that Thuja tends to be inappropriately overprescribed because there are a lot of other remedies that should be considered in such cases.

Thuja And Vaccinosis

For well over a hundred years, homeopaths have recognized and documented a condition called vaccinosis.

Vaccinosis is a term used for anyone who develops a new health problem after being vaccinated. The term also applies to those who have never been well since vaccination. Simply put, vaccinosis is a term for any vaccine-induced condition. And while mainstream medicine tries to whitewash the problem away as if it doesn’t exist, vaccinosis is responsible for an unacknowledged epidemic of chronic childhood illness.

Thuja used to be the number one remedy for vaccinosis, and it was particularly indicated for problems arising after smallpox vaccination. But now, with the introduction of a never-ending stream of new vaccines, the landscape keeps changing, and other remedies in addition to Thuya are often called for.

Thuya is listed in the repertory for many vaccine-induced conditions including:

• Asthma,
• Allergies,
• Otitis,
• Sinusitis,
• Conjunctivitis,
• Diarrhea,
• Cough,
• Eczema,
• Tumors,
• Warts,
• Vitiligo,
• Acne.

How/When To Prescribe Thuja For Warts

Thuya also happens to be the number one remedy indicated for warts — all kinds of warts. However, as with vaccine injuries, Thuya tends to be over-prescribed. There are lots of other remedies for warts. Whenever I see a case of warts, I make it a point to ask the patient how he or she feels about them. If the answer is something along the lines of “they’re gross” or “they’re ugly,” then I give Thuya serious consideration.

Thuja’s Use in Urogenital Conditions

Thuya is also a remedy that covers a wide variety of urogenital conditions, especially when those problems can be traced back to any sexually transmitted disease. So whenever we see a history of a sexually transmitted condition followed by some kind of chronic or recurring urogenital problem, then we must consider Thuya. For Eaxmple:

• Herpes,
• Chlamydia,
• HPV,
• Gonorrhea

We think of Thuya whenever we see a tendency toward following conditions, regardless of whether the condition is episodic or chronic.:

• UTIs,
• Urethritis,
• Vaginitis,
• Vaginosis,
• Epididymitis,
• Prostatitis,

Thuja’s Use In Enlarged Prostate With Frequent Urination

Thuya is also indicated for:

• Prostate enlargement associated with frequent urination
• Incontinence
• Retention of urine

Two additional keynote clues that can point to Thuya are:

• A forked urine stream
• Urine that continues to dribble by drops after having finished urinating

Chronic Discharges Related to Sinuses & Urinary Tract

Thuya is also one of the main remedies to consider for chronic discharges related to the sinuses or the urinary tract. We see this in cases of:

• Sinusitis,
• Postnasal drip,
• Urethritis,
• Prostatitis,
• Vaginitis.
• In homeopathic books, the term used for vaginal discharge is leukorrhea.

Use of Thuja In Benign Growths

We also think of Thuya when we see any kind of growth, especially benign growths. This is another one of those characteristics related to suppressed gonorrhea, which the old homeopaths referred to as “exuberant flesh.” Exuberance is a form of excess, as in excess tissue growth. These benign exuberant overgrowths of human flesh include things like:

• Warts,
• Cysts,
• Styes,
• Skin tags,
• Polyps,
• Fibroids,
• Lipomas,
• Benign tumors

Such conditions are abnormal, but they’re usually not cancerous. Again, we think of Thuya, especially if the condition is a sexually transmitted one. The homeopathic books often use the term “excrescences” to refer to warts in general. The term “condylomata” is used more specifically to refer to genital warts and anal warts.

Thuja’s Use in Ringworm, Fistula, Discolored Toenails

Thuya is also one of the main remedies for:

• Ringworm
• Fistulas (including vaginal fistulas and rectovaginal fistulas)

Additional clues pointing to Thuya can be:

• Deformed, brittle, or discolored toenails or fingernails.

Thuja And Sycotic Miasm

Now let’s talk a little bit about the sycotic miasm. A miasm is a predisposition towards certain types of symptoms and disease processes that are passed from one generation to the next. The influences of a miasm are transferred energetically rather than genetically. So the sycotic miasm results from the suppression of gonorrhea, which then transmits its influence to subsequent generations in energetic form. Homeopathy is capable of treating this sort of energetic predisposition to certain types of illnesses because it is a form of energy medicine. Only energy medicine can treat an energetic imbalance.

Top Three Sycotic Remedies in Homeopathy

Thuya, along with Natrum sulfuricum and Medorrhinum — which is a nosode remedy created from a gonorrheal discharge — are the three main representative remedies of the sycotic miasm.

Main Features of Sycosis

The main features of the sycotic miasm are:

• Psychological self-consciousness,
• General aggravation from cold damp or warm and damp conditions,
• Tendency toward benign growths
• Tendency to chronic discharges,
• Tendency to develop asthma, sinus problems, and urogenital conditions

Reviewing Highlights & Keynote Symptoms of Thuja Occidentalis

Now let’s review the highlights and keynote symptoms of Thuya.

We have:

• Feelings of worthlessness
• Feeling of secret shame,
• General chilliness with aggravation from cold damp weather,
• Left-sided symptoms,
• A strong desire for or aversion to onions,
• Vaccinosis,
• Benign growths, especially warts and cysts,
• Chronic discharges,
• Asthma and sinus problems,
• A wide variety of urogenital conditions.

That’s Thuya in a nutshell.

Remedy Relationships of Thuja Occidentalis

Complimentary Remedies

In terms of relationships, remedies that are complementary to Thuya include:

• Natrum sulfuricum,
• Medorrhinum,
• Silica,
• Arsenicum,
• Sabina

Similar Remedies

Remedies that should be compared to Thuya include:

• Silica,
• Medorrhinum,
• Nitric acid,
• Sepia,
• Hepar Sulph.

Final Words

Okay, so that’s the fundamentals of Thuya. Please understand that they are just the highlights. Remember, the serious study of homeopathy is a lifelong learning process, and my purpose in creating the materia medica series is to give you a solid starting point. Well, thanks for reading, and please tune in again to the next post.

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