Arsenic Album – Homeopathic Medicine: Its Uses, Indications and Dosage

Homeopathic medicine Arsenic Album is prepared from the white oxide of metallic Arsenic, . A solution is prepared by diluting aqueous arsenic . It is diluted till the point where no trace of arsenic is left behind in the solution and it is no longer poisonous. This can then be used as a medicine to treat a wide range of diseases without any side effects.  

The ‘Arsenic Album’ Constitution

Arsenic Album is adapted to a hydrogenoid constitution. It is suited to people of full plethoric habit (excessive blood in the body.) It is also suitable for young, anaemic people.

Drug Action

Arsenic Album is a deep-acting, polychrest medicine that has prominent action on almost every organ of the body. Action of Arsenic Album is marked on the nerves where it helps to treat neuralgia and neuritis. It also acts on blood and blood-vessels and helps to treat varices, anaemia and conditions where there is a loss of blood (as in metrorrhagia, haemoptysis.) Apart from the above, its action on the nose, mind, lungs, liver, gastrointestinal tract and skin is highly commendable.

Clinical Indications

Arsenic Album is used to treat anxiety, OCD, Asthma, chronic fatigue syndrome, food poisoning, allergic rhinitis, stomach inflammation & ulcers, psoriasis, eczema, enlarged liver,  and hepatitis.

Scope As a Homeopathic Remedy 

1. Mental Complaints 

Arsenic Album is a leading remedy for treating complaints of the mind. It works on a deep psychological level to aid relief in cases of many mind complaints, primarily indicated for anxiety, fears and OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder).

Anxiety and Fears

A person having anxiety issues can benefit from this remedy. The major anxieties in such cases include anxiety about health, about future, about little affairs of life. Along with anxiety, excessive restlessness may also be present. The person finds rest nowhere and tends to change place continually. There is trembling, palpitations, sweating, and coldness of limbs. A constriction of the chest and difficulty in breathing attends. A night aggravation of anxiety may be seen. The affected person remains sleepless, and lots of fears prevail among them, the most common being a fear of death, fear of catching an infection and fear of financial loss.

OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)

This remedy is highly suggested for treating cases of OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). It helps a person of OCD to overcome a habit of frequent hand washing. A person requiring Arsenic Album has marked fear of germs and catching an infection. He is obsessed with a thought that every object is dirty and carries germs. As a result a compulsion to wash hands arise and he frequently washes hands after touching any object to prevent infection.

Cold, Allergic Rhinitis, Hay Fever

This medicine has a marked action on the nasal mucous membranes and proves a very useful remedy for treating nasal complaints. A person having cold, influenza, allergic rhinitis/hay fever can be treated well. Here the guiding symptoms for its use are fluent nasal discharges along with frequent and violent sneezing. The nasal discharges are thin, watery, acrid, excoriating in nature. They cause burning, smarting in the nostrils. These discharges tend to corrode the upper lip. Nose may also feel stopped up. In case of influenza, excessive fatigue and tiredness attends nasal symptoms. Person needing this medicine may have worsening of symptoms in open air and feel relief indoors.

2. Respiratory Problems 

This medicine is highly recommended to treat respiratory complaints including asthma and pneumonia. In cases of asthma, it is indicated when there is difficulty breathing, constriction/tightness in chest and prominent wheezing in the chest. A suffocated sensation arises, and cough with yellow, green or frothy sputum attends. Sometimes a burning sensation in the chest is also felt. Anxiety and restlessness in a high degree may be present with breathing trouble. Asthma attacks that are worse on lying down or at night time are also treated wonderfully with Arsenic Album.

Pneumonia 

This medicine is also considered in cases of pneumonia where a key feature to use it is cough with dark, offensive or purulent sputum. Burning and heat in chest are well marked. Excessive weakness attends too. Pneumonia from taking cold is also suggestive of its use.

3. Gastro-intestinal Troubles

This remedy has a wonderful action on the GIT (gastrointestinal tract) where it helps to reduce inflammation in the gastric tract, relieve the burning pains and combat food poisoning.

Food Poisoning

This remedy is a first aid response to be used in cases of food poisoning. It aids in quick relief in diarrhoea, nausea, and vomiting. The vomiting mainly contains clear water, and the stool is loose, offensive, and accompanied with extreme debility. Nausea and burning sensation in the abdomen is marked. Abdominal colic is present, and stomach disorders from taking bad meat, bad water, rotten cheese, watery fruits, alcoholism are also treated well with this medicine.

Gastritis and Stomach Ulcers

In case of gastritis and gastric ulcers, it is well-indicated when pain in stomach specifically violent burning type is present. Stomach burns as from hot coals inside it. Sometimes stitching or stinging in stomach is also felt. The epigastric region is sensitive to slightest touch. Distension, bloating, fullness, hardness and sensation of weight as from a stone in stomach attends. Least food is not tolerated and is vomited at once.

Heartburn and GERD 

It helps relieve heartburn when there is an extreme burning in the middle of chest. The food pipe seems to be burning as from a corroding substance. Along with this, nausea and vomiting may also appear.

Piles

Use of this medicine in piles is considered when excessive burning is present, and the piles burn as if like fire. Along with it, there is a marked stitching pain while walking or sitting.

Diarrhoea

In cases of diarrhoea, this medicine is indicated when the stools are watery with tearing, cutting pain in abdomen. The stool is profuse and is very offensive (like rotten eggs.) The stool may be brownish or greenish in colour. Mucus and undigested particles may be present in the stool. Sometimes the stool passes involuntarily and a violent burning in the abdomen before and during loose stools is present. Extreme weakness (sometimes with fainting) and a cold sweat appears.

Dysentry

The symptoms indicating the need for this remedy in cases of dysentry are a watery stool which is highly offensive mixed with blood. The blood is dark most times, and the stool may pass involuntarily. Great prostration appears with the above symptoms. Violent burning in the abdomen is present, and chilliness, anxiety, and cutting pain in the abdomens present before passing stool. During stool, there is a burning in the anus and rectum and the rectum feels contracted.

4. Skin Issues 

A number of skin issues are taken care of with this homeopathic remedy, like Psoriasis, eczema, and more. 

For Psoriasis, this medicine helps relieve the dryness, roughness and excessive scaling from the lesions.

In cases of eczema, this medicine works well where there are dry, scaly eruptions. It is attended with marked itching and burning. This remedy helps heal dry, scaly eruptions as well as control the accompanied itching and burning.

Apart from the above, some other skin complaints that are treated with Arsenic Album are lichen Planus, ringworm, urticaria, herpes zoster and gangrene.

5. Chronic Fatigue Symptoms

This remedy is of great service in treating cases of chronic fatigue syndrome where there is excessive fatigue from little exertion, a lack of strength to do anything, a desire to lie down all the time due to fatigue and anxiety attended with weakness.

6. Liver Disorders 

This is an important medicine for enlarged liver and hepatitis. In such cases, pressure and tension in  right hypochondrium is present. Most times burning or stitching pain in the region of liver, or a pressing pain may be present. The right hypochondrium also feels bloated.

7. Sleep Issues

This is a good remedy to treat sleeplessness present with restlessness and anxiety. There is constant tossing and turning in the bed. It is also indicated for sleep full of tiresome dreams full of care, sorrow, fear, death, and misfortunes.

8. Urinary Complaints

Arsenic Album is indicated to treat cystitis and nephritis (kidney inflammation). The symptoms that are present includes scanty urine along with burning. Urine passes with difficulty and is turbid and purulent. Pus and blood with a fetid door passes in the urine. Fever and restlessness arise with above, and in severe cases, albumen passes in the urine. Stitches in the renal region may also be present. 

Dosage

This remedy can be used in both low and high potencies. It is used in low potencies in GIT complaints and renal disease, while in cases of nervous disease and skin-related problems, higher potencies are recommended.

Relationship to Other Remedies

The complementary medicines are Carbo Veg, Phosphorus, Thuja.

The antidotes are Camphor, China, Nux vomica, Opium and Veratrum Album.