Natrum Sulphuricum: Homeopathic Medicine – Its Use, Indications And Dosage

Homeopathic medicine Natrum Sulphuricum is prepared from sodium sulphate. With potentization (process of preparing homeopathic medicines that arouses medicinal properties of a crude substance), sodium sulphate is converted into a highly beneficial homeopathic medicine Natrum Sulphuricum. It is one among the Schuessler’s twelve tissue remedies. It is a magnificent medicine to treat respiratory issues especially cough, asthma; and managing head injury.

 The ‘Natrum Sulphuricum’ Constitution

This medicine is suitable for persons who live in damp houses and basements because of which they suffer medical problems. It also works best to treat complaints arising from exposure to damp and cold weather.

Drug Action

This medicine has the foremost action on the respiratory tract. It acts well on the mind, head, gastric system, liver, limbs, joints and skin.

Clinical Indications

Asthma, cough, depression, head injuries, headache, diarrhea, liver disorders, jaundice, joint complaints, gout, paronychia, warts, nausea, vomiting, colic

Scope As A Homeopathic Remedy

1. Respiratory Problems (Asthma, Cough)

Natrum Sulphuricum manifests its chief action on the respiratory tract. It is of great service in managing cases of cough and asthma. In cases of asthma, it is a principal remedy when asthma gets worse in damp weather. Persons needing it have rattling sound in the chest, cough and expectoration of thick, greenish, ropy mucus in excessive quantity. It also proves effective when asthma attack follows any kind of exertion. For asthma attacks occurring in early morning around 4 or 5 am, this medicine offers great help. Cough occurs with glairy (slimy, viscous and transparent) expectoration. Sometimes, there is pressure like a heavy load on the chest. On coughing, chest feels sore. It is a leading medicine for managing asthma in children. It can be given for cases of difficult breathing. It works well when there is difficulty in breathing while walking which improves with rest. There is a desire to take a deep, long breath.

Natrum Sulphuricum can be used for dry as well as lose cough. For dry cough, it is considered when cough is accompanied with roughness in throat. It gets worse at night. The sufferer has to sit up and hold chest with hands. It is useful in loose cough when there occurs thick, ropy, and green expectoration. It is attended with tickling in the throat. In some cases, pus-like expectoration occurs along with pain around the last ribs especially left-sided.

Key Indicating Features

Asthma worse in damp weather

Asthmatic attacks in early morning around 4 or 5 am

Lose cough with thick, ropy, green expectoration

2. Complaints Of The Mind (Depression)

Nat Sulph works wonderfully to treat depression cases. Those needing it have sadness and irritability. They become ill-humored and do not wish to speak to or be spoken to. They have loss of affection for family. They have aversion to life and tend to have suicidal impulses. It is one of the best medicines to help certain mind-related complaints, especially depression arising after head injury, fall or blow on head.

Key Indicating Feature

Depression with suicidal impulses

3. Head (Head Injury, Headache)

Natrum Sulphuricum has a remarkable action on the head. It is a magnificent medicine to deal with cases of head injury. Many of the after-effects of head injury are well managed with this medicine. Most prominently it is highly suitable to manage headache occurring after head injury. The pain is most marked at the base of the brain and back of neck. Epilepsy (tendency for recurrent fits) after head injury is also indicative of its use. It is also useful for headache that gets worse from noise and light. There is relief in pain of head in dark room. Natrum Sulphuricum is also indicated for managing headache during menses. Females needing it feel pressure along with heat in the top of head during menses. Pulsations are felt in head. Its use can also be done in case of periodical headache that returns at regular intervals. In this case, pain mainly occurs in the right side temple of the head. Burning sensation in stomach pit and bitter taste are felt before headache begins. There occurs vomiting of bile that relieves the headache.

Key Indicating Features

Headache after head injury, pain mainly at base of brain and back of neck

Epilepsy after head injury

Headache worse from noise and light, better in dark room

4. Gastric Issues (Cramps, Diarrhea, Gas)

Action of Natrum Sulphuricum is also noted on gastric system. Firstly, it is useful for managing cramping pain in abdomen in umbilical region. It is attended with gas in abdomen. The cramps and gas in abdomen get worse before breakfast. There is relief in pain from rubbing or lying on the side. There is also distension and heaviness in the  stomach.

Secondly, it can be given for heartburn and, sour vomiting. Next indication to use it is diarrhea. There is loose, watery, yellow stool. It is mixed with green slimy matter. The loose stool mainly occurs in morning, with sudden urge driving the person out of bed. There is rumbling in abdomen followed by noisy spluttering stool with passage of much gas. After passing stool, burning is felt in anus. Anal itching also appears. Diarrhea occurring in wet weather is an important indication guiding its use.

Key Indicating Features

Cramping pain in abdomen in umbilical region along with gas

Diarrhea with loose, watery, yellow stool mixed green slimy matter

Loose stool mainly in morning, with sudden urge driving person out of bed

Diarrhea in wet weather

5. Liver Complaints (Hepatitis, Liver Pain)

It is a highly valuable medicine managing liver problems too. It can be given for hepatitis (inflamed liver) cases with jaundice. It gives immense relief in liver pain. Persons needing it have liver pain worsening on deep breathing, jarring. It is attended with soreness. Pain is usually stitching in nature.

Key Indicating Feature

Liver pain worsening on deep breathing and jarring

6. Limbs (Joint Pain, Sciatica And Paronychia)

This medicine has some of its action on limbs as well. Prominently its action is noted on the joints. It effectively works to manage cases of joint pain. The foremost indication is joint pains occurring in damp, cold weather. There is pain in hip joint. It is worse when sitting down, on stooping and on rising. There also occurs pain in fingers with swelling and stiffness. In some cases, there is knee stiffness along with cracking. Its use is also indicated for gout (inflamed, swollen, painful joints due to high uric acid levels) cases. The feet joints are affected with gout. An important complaint where it is beneficial is sciatica (pain along the sciatic nerve beginning in lower back and radiating down the hip down the back of thighs and legs up to feet). There is worsening of sciatica when turning in bed and when rising from the seat where it is required. Another complaint where it seems to help is hand trembling. It works best when hand trembling occurs on waking or when writing. It also works wonderfully to treat hangnails (a little, jagged, torn piece of skin near root of nail). Paronychia (skin infection around fingernails) cases also recover wonderfully with Natrum Sulph. In such cases, there is water-filled blister with much swelling around along with redness and pain.

Key Indicating Features

Joint pains in damp, cold weather

Sciatica when turning in bed and when rising from seat

Hand trembles on waking or while writing

Paronychia with water-filled blister with swelling around along with redness and pain

7. Skin Complaints (Eczema, Pemphigus, Warts, Jaundice)

With its action on skin, it can successfully handle eczema cases. It is well-indicated for eczema that is moist and ooze watery fluid. It is a significant medicine for pemphigus (a skin disease in which painful blisters form on skin and mucus membrane) treatment. In such cases, it is given when there are blisters with yellow watery fluid. It is a leading medicine for jaundice (yellow discoloration of white of eyes and skin due to increased bilirubin levels) management. Lastly, it is helpful for warts (small growths on skin caused by human papilloma virus) treatment mainly warts on genitals.

Key Indicating Features

Eczema that is moist and ooze watery fluid

Pemphigus with blisters having yellow watery fluid

Warts mainly on genitals

Modalities

Worsening factors: Complaints get worse in damp weather, from dampness in cellars, from head injuries, cold food and drinks, from touch, pressure, from music

Relieving factors: Complaints get better in warm dry air, in open air, lying on back and pressure

Dosage

Though it can be used in different potencies but the most preferred is 6X potency. It can be taken in 6X potency three to four times a day. If using it in high potencies, frequent repetition should be avoided.

Relationship with Other Remedies

Followed well by Belladonna and Thuja