Causticum

Causticum
(hahnemann's tinctura acris sine kali)
* Manifests its action mainly in chronic rheumatic, arthritic and paralytic affections,
indicated by the tearing, drawing pains in the muscular and fibrous tissues, with deformities
about the joints; progressive loss of muscular strength, tendinous contractures.
* Broken down seniles.
* In catarrhal affections of the air passages, andseems to choose preferably darkcomplexioned and rigid-fibered persons.
* Restlessness at night, with tearing pains in joints and bones, and faint-like sinking of
strength.
* This weakness progresses until we have graduallyappearing paralysis.
* Local paralysis, vocal cords, muscles of deglutition, of tongue, eyelids, face, bladder and
extremities.
* Children are slow to walk.
* The skin of a Causticum person is of a dirty white sallow, with warts, especially on the
face.
* Emaciation due to disease, worry, etc., and of long standing.
* Burning, rawness, and soreness are characteristic.
Mind
- Child does not want to go to bed alone.
- Least thing makes it cry.
- Sad, hopeless.
- Intensely sympathetic.
- Ailments from long-lasting grief, sudden emotions.
- Thinking of complaints, aggravates, especially haemorrhoids.
Head
- Sensation of empty space between forehead and brain.
- Pain in right frontal eminence.
Face
- Paralysis of right side.
- Warts.
- Pain in facial bones.
- Dental fistula.
- Pain in jaws, with difficulty in opening mouth.
Eyes
- Cataract with motor disturbances.
- Inflammation of eyelids; ulceration.
- Sparks and dark spots before eyes Ptosis. [Gels.] Vision impaired, as if film were before
eyes.
- Paralysis of ocular muscles after exposure to cold.
Ears
- Ringing, roaring, pulsating, with deafness; words and steps re-echo; chronic middle-ear
catarrh; accumulation of ear-wax.
Nose
- Coryza, with hoarseness.
- Scaly nose.
- Nostrils ulcerated.
- Pimples and warts.
Mouth
- Bites inside of cheek from chewing.
- Paralysis of tongue, with indistinct speech.
- Rheumatism of articulation of lower jaw.
- Gums bleed easily.
Stomach
- Greasy taste.
- Aversion to sweets.
- Feels as if lime were burned in stomach.
- Worse after eating fresh meat; smoked meat agrees.
- Sensation of ball rising in throat.
- Acid dyspepsia.
Stool
- Soft and small, size of goose-quill. [Phos.]
- Hard, tough, covered with mucus; shines like grease; small-shaped; expelled with much
straining, or only on standing up.
- Pruritus.
- Partial paralysis of rectum.
- Rectum sore and burns.
- Fistula and large piles.
Urine
- Involuntary when coughing, sneezing. [Puls.]
- Expelled very slowly, and sometimes retained.
- Involuntary during first sleep at night; also from slightest excitement.
- Retention after surgical operations.
- Loss of sensibility on passing urine.
Female
- Uterine inertia during labor.
- Menses cease at night; flow only during day. [Cycl.; Puls.] Leucorrhoea at night, with great
weakness. [Nat. mur.]
- Menses delay, late. [Con. Graph.; Puls.]
Respiratory
- Hoarseness with pain in chest; aphonia.
- Larynx sore.
- Cough, with raw soreness of chest.
- Expectoration scanty; must be swallowed.
- Cough with pain in hip, especially left worse inevening; better, drinking cold water; worse,
warmth of bed.
- Sore streak down trachea.
- Mucus under sternum, which he cannot quite reach.
- Pain in chest, with palpitation.
- Cannot lie down at night.
- Voice re-echoes.
- Own voice roars in ears and distresses.
- Difficulty of voice of singers and public speakers (Royal).
Back
- Stiffness between shoulders.
- Dull pain in nape of neck.
Extremities
- Left-sided sciatica, with numbness.
- Paralysis of single parts.
- Dull, tearing pain in hands and arms.
- Heaviness and weakness.
- Tearing joints.
- Unsteadiness of muscles of forearm and hand.
- Numbness; loss of sensation in hands.
- Contracted tendons.
- Weak ankles.
- Cannot walk without suffering.
- Rheumatic tearing in limbs; better by warmth, especially heat of bed.
- Burning in joints.
- Slow in learning to walk.
- Unsteady walking and easily falling.
- Restless legs at night.
- Cracking and tension in knees; stiffness in hollow of knee.
- Itching on dorsum of feet.
Skin
- Soreness in folds of skin, back of ears, betweenthighs.
- Warts large, jagged, bleeding easily, on tips offingers and nose.
- Old burns that do not get well, and ill effects from burns.
- Pains of burns.
- Cicatrices freshen up; old injuries reopen.
- Skin prone to intertrigo during dentition.
Sleep
- Very drowsy; can hardly keep awake.
- Nocturnal sleeplessness, with dry heat, inquietude.
Relationship
- According to the careful investigations of Dr. Wagner of Basel, Causticum corresponds to
Ammon. causticum 4x.
- Causticum does not agree with Phosphorus; the remedies should not be used after each
other.
- Diphtherotoxin follows, causticum in chronic bronchitis.
- Antidote : Paralysis from lead-poisoning.
- Complementary : Carbo; Petrosel.
- Compare : Rhus; Arsenic; Amm. phos. (facial paralysis).
Modalities
- Worse, dry, cold winds, in clear fine weather, cold air; from motion of carriage.
- Better, in damp, wet weather; warmth.
- Heat of bed.
Dose
- Third to thirtieth attenuation.
- In chronic ailments and especially in paralytic states, the higher potencies once or twice a
week.