Know Your Remedies: Tarentula Hispanica (Tarent.)

Common Names: Tarentula, Spanish spider, wolf spider, hunting spider.

General Information

Tarentula is a remedy for an overstimulated nervous system, constant motion, and rapid movements. Intense inner restlessness is only relieved by exertion. Children needing this remedy are often labelled hyperactive while adults will be highly industrious or compulsive workers. They enjoy loud, rhythmic music, and will enthusiastically dance to it – sometimes to the point of wildness.

Types of convulsions, chorea, twitches and jerks fall within the sphere of this remedy. Physical pain or distress is often relieved by rolling from side to side and firm rubbing but light touch is disliked.

A high thirst for cold water and a desire for spicy foods is common. Open air improves symptoms. Children, and sometimes adults, may eat sand.

Mental-Emotional Symptoms

  • Hurried and rapid movements.
  • Slyness, cunning.
  • Sudden, violent, or destructive behavior – breaks or tears things.
  • Types of passionate mania and rages.
  • Dislike of, or aggravation from, strong, bright colours.

Limbs

  • Restless and fidgety.
  • Constant motion but lacks control. Types of chorea.
  • Restless legs.
  • Twitching and jerking.

Gastrointestinal

  • Constipation with restlessness, anxiety, or rubbing of head against pillow.

Genitals and Libido

  • Sensitive.
  • Hypersexual or promiscuous behavior.

Sleep

  • Restless – tossing, turning, twitching or jerking.

Where do I find it?

Tarentula Hispanica (Tarent.) is available from our online store as a single remedy in either pills or liquid, and as part of the following Complex (combination remedy): Restless Legs.

Home Treatment Guidelines

Acute, Self-Limiting Conditions

Conditions like colds or minor injuries, which are short-term and typically improve on their own, can be managed at home with homeopathy. However, in emergencies or if symptoms worsen, contact your healthcare provider.

Chronic Conditions

These home treatment instructions do not apply for ongoing issues, whether mentioned above or not, like persistent allergies or chronic pain. You should consult a qualified homeopath for a personalized treatment plan to achieve the best results with homeopathy for chronic conditions.

How to Take the Remedy for Acute Conditions

  • Take one pill or five drops of the remedy. The frequency depends on symptom severity. As examples:
    • For life-threatening symptoms, take every 1 minute and seek emergency help immediately.
    • For mild symptoms, take every 4 hours.
  • Stop taking the remedy once you feel better. Resume if symptoms return.
  • If no improvement after four doses, choose a different remedy or consult a professional homeopath.
  • For more details on dosing, refer to: How Often to Dose with a 30C Homeopathic remedy.
  • For information on the different potencies, read: Guidelines on which potency to use

Additional Notes From Past Masters

Homeopathy is a 200-year-old system of medicine.

Early homeopaths recorded detailed notes on how remedies worked, including initial tests, remedy relationships, and their experiences. These writings were shared to improve homeopathic practice and now offer fascinating insights into past uses of homeopathy.

Here’s an example, edited and modernised for clarity, from Leaders In Homoeopathic Therapeutics (1898) by E. B. NASH M.D.:

Leaders In Homoeopathic Therapeutics by E. B. NASH M.D.

Tarentula Hispanica

This spider poison has like other spider poisons very positive nervous symptoms.

It acts upon the uterus and ovaries, and upon the female sexual organs generally.

“In case of hyperesthesia or congestion of these organs, which set up a general hysterical condition, states simulating spinal neurasthenia, sensitive and painful back; excessive restlessness, and impressibility to excitements, music, especially, where there is constant inclination to keep the hands busy (Kali bromatum), and again especially if accompanied by sexual desire or pruritus of the genitals, Tarantula is able to accomplish much.”

Choreaic conditions, which are often the outcome of an advanced stage of the above described nervous condition, are peculiarly amenable to this remedy.

Twitching or jerking of the muscles in conjunction with other troubles should always call to mind this remedy, with which such jerkings are so characteristic.

It has a restlessness in women similar to the restlessness in men of Phosphorus, viz., cannot keep quiet in any position; must keep in motion, though walking < all the symptoms.

This remedy is not yet as thoroughly understood as it should be.

Another spider ought to be mentioned in this connection, viz., the Tarentula cubensis.