Salicylicum Acidum: Homeopathic Medicine – Its Use, Indications And Dosage

Homeopathic medicine Salicylicum Acidum is prepared from salicylic acid. When salicylic acid undergoes potentization (process of preparing homeopathic medicines that arouses medicinal properties of a crude substance), it is converted into a highly beneficial homeopathic medicine Salicylicum Acidum. This medicine is highly effective in dealing with ear complaints mainly tinnitus and Meniere’s disease and also joint pains.

Drug Action

This remedy’s main sphere of action centers on the ears. Other than this, it acts well on joints, limbs and mouth. Lastly, its action is noted on the throat, gastric system and skin.

Clinical Indications

Tinnitus, meniere’s disease, otorrhoea, Joint pain, sciatica, necrosis, canker sores, stomatitis, ulcers, pharyngitis, diarrhoea, corns, warts, urticaria

Scope As A Homeopathic Remedy

1. Ear complaints (tinnitus, meniere’s disease, otorrhoea)

Salicylicum Acidum has deep action on the ears. It is a highly suitable medicine to manage cases of tinnitus (hearing noises in the ears in the absence of any external source of sound). It is mainly helpful when a person hears roaring, ringing or buzzing noises in the ears. In some cases, a person may hear musical noises. It is an excellent medicine for cases of Meniere’s disease. It refers to an inner ear disorder having symptoms including tinnitus, vertigo and fluctuating hearing loss. In these cases, this medicine can be used when there is tinnitus, diminished hearing and vertigo accompanied with nausea. Its use is well-indicated for treating otorrhoea (ear discharge). It is helpful when pus with fetid smell emanates from the ear.

Key Indicating Features

Roaring, ringing or buzzing noises in the ears

Meniere’s disease (an inner ear disorder with symptoms including tinnitus, vertigo and fluctuating hearing loss)

Ear discharge of pus with fetid smell

2. Limbs And Joints (Joint Pain, Sciatica, Necrosis)

It also acts wonderfully on limbs and joints. With its action on joints, it proves beneficial for joint pains that get specifically gets worse from touch and motion. There is redness, swelling, soreness and heat in joints. Relief occurs from dry heat. The knee is quite swollen with piercing type of pain.  Another characteristic feature is shifting of pain from one joint to another. This medicine is of great clinical significance when joint pains occur in women during menopause.  Another complaint where it proves very effective is sciatica (initially pain starts in the lower back going down the hips, back of thigh, legs up to the foot along the path of sciatic nerve). The guiding feature for the use of Salicylicum Acidum is sciatica with drawing and shooting type of pain and burning at the toes. The pain gets worse at night. A peculiar sensation as if feet are on an ant hill is felt. Excessive sweating on the feet is also marked. This medicine also acts well on the tibia (bone in leg) bone. Here it is prominently indicated to manage necrosis (death of cells) of tibia bone.

Key Indicating Features

Joint pains that are specifically worse from touch and motion

Joint pain better from dry heat

Shifting type of pain from one joint to another

Joint pain in women during menopause

Sciatica with drawing and shooting type of pain and burning at toes

3. Mouth Complaints (Canker Sores, Stomatitis, Ulcers)

By acting on the mouth, Salicylicum Acidum can effectively deal with cases of canker sores (small shallow ulcers that develop on the soft tissue in the mouth). Its use is mainly considered for canker sores with burning, soreness and offensive breath. Its use is also recommended for cases of stomatitis (sore and inflamed mouth). In such cases, it can be given when there is heat and dryness in the mouth along with burning vesicles on the tongue. Tongue may look purplish with foul breath. There is redness in the mouth. Burning, scalding and scraping is felt in the mouth as well. Lastly, it is useful to manage disgusting taste in the mouth, such as something burnt or bitter.

Key Indicating Features

Canker sores with burning, soreness and offensive breath

Stomatitis with heat, dryness in the mouth along with burning vesicles on tongue

Disgusting taste as of something burnt or bitter in the mouth

4. Throat Problems (Swollen Tonsils, Pharyngitis)

If we talk of throat problems, use of Salicylicum Acidum is suggested to manage swollen, red tonsils studded white. Burning is also felt in the throat. There may occur scraping sensation in throat that causes cough. It can be given to treat pharyngitis (swelling in the back of the throat) along with difficult swallowing.

Key Indicating Features

Swollen, red tonsils studded white

Pharyngitis with difficult swallowing

5. Gastric Issues (Ulcers, Diarrhea, Worms)

Salicylicum Acidum is also well-indicated for managing a few gastric issues. It is mainly indicated for managing ulcers in stomach and bowels.  It is also indicated for excessive gas and sour burps. This medicine is also helpful for managing diarrhea mainly in children. The peculiar indication is stool, like green frog’s spawn. Lastly, it is the best medicine for treating worms. Anal itching is marked where it is required.

Key Indicating Features

Ulcers in stomach and bowels

Diarrhea mainly in children when stool is like green frog’s spawn

6. Skin Concerns (Vesicles, Pustules, Urticaria, Herpes Zoster, Corns, Warts)

Lastly, this medicine can help to manage certain skin concerns too. Firstly, it is indicated to manage vesicles (fluid-filled eruptions) and pustules (pus-filled bumps) on skin with itching. Scratching relieves it. Secondly, it can be used for cases of urticaria (itchy, raised bumps means wheals on skin appearing usually from an allergic reaction). Another indication for its use is herpes zoster (viral infection causing painful skin rash with blisters caused by varicella zoster virus). Besides these, it is an important medicine to treat corns (thick and hard area on skin that develops usually on the feet and toes as a protective mechanism against pressure) and warts (small, painless bumps on skin caused by human papillomavirus).

Key Indicating Feature

Vesicles (fluid-filled eruptions) and pustules (pus-filled bumps) on skin with itching

Modalities

Worsening factors: Complaints get worse at night, from cold air, from movement

Relieving factors: Complaints get better from hot applications mainly dry heat.

Dosage

It can be used from low to high potency. In low potency, its repetition can be done frequently, but in higher potencies, frequent repetition is not recommended.

Relationship With Other Remedies

It can be compared with some other homeopathic remedies including Natrum Salicylicum, Colchicum, China, Chininum Sulph, Silicea, Sulphur and Lacticum Acidum.