Kali Bichromicum 416weakness of the patient. The feelin g of weakness is associated with all Potassium salts. For example, Kali Phos is used as a nerve tonic. Similarly, analogous use of Kali Ca rb is unique in vitalizing the muscles and the body. The heaviness of the legs disappears and it becomes easy to sit down and get up. Kali Bichrome is also of similar nature. If the patient presents the symptoms of Kali Bichrome, he will immediately respond to Kali Bichrome in that the body will feel light and active. All Potassium salts are a useful tonic for the muscles and nerves. In all these salts, there is a tendency to develop sores. One tends to develop ulcers in the stomach when the acidity is too high. Whenever ulcers are found in the stomach or intestines or anywhere in the body, one must try to correlate the patient’s symptoms to some Potassium salt.
There was a patient who had an old deep ulcer on his foot. I treated him with Kali Iodide. The ulcer healed in no time. Before this treatment, the patient had been treated in the best military hospitals without any success. I had also prescribed Potassium Iodide, since all his other symptoms were those of Potassium constitution. Kali Bichrome is also very useful in the treatment of the diseases of the stomach . The peptic ulcer and cancer rarely present in a patient at the same time. Either the patient is suffering from the ulcer or cancer of the stomach. The Kali Bichrome patient usually suffers from stomach ulcers. If the symptoms of Kali Bichrome are found along with the stomach ailments, then the patient should be treated immediately with Kali Bichrome in order to pr eclude any grave situation.
The ulcers of Kali Bichrome are very deep and their edges are raised. However, this symptom is not diagnostic per se. This symptom is found in other remedies also. On e particular symptom of Kali Bichrome resembles that of Causticum i.e. the cracking sound from the knees on walking, standing or sitting. Cracking is painless, though, definitely worrisome. Causticu m is considered to be the most effective treatment for this problem, though Kali Bichrome is equally good. However in Kali Bichrome, the patient feels a burning sensation and feels the cold. The feeling of cold and the burning sensation is found in all Potassium salts. Like Belladonna, the symptoms of Kali Bichrome come on suddenly and disappear equally fast. Kali Bichromicum 417Kali Bichrome is also very useful in the treatment of infectious fevers .
Clinical Observations
Since the body of the patient is cold, he feels comfort when confined to a warm bed. The symp toms aggravate during the latter part of the night and exacerbate at about the same time the next day also. Kali Bichrome is famous for the treatment of epilepsy , especially when the sputum is of the patient is thready. The headache associated with Kali Bichrome is relieved by taking hot drinks. The headache aggravates at night and becomes most intense after midnight. The thready discharge from the eyes , being a symptom of Kali Bichrome, will al so respond very well to it. In Kali Bichrome, the aches and pains are mostly on the left side, though they may also occur on the ri ght side. However, the headache and the neuralgic pain of the face invariably affect the left side. The headache is associated with nausea and returns after a lapse of a few days.
Kali Bichrome is also very beneficial in the treatment of migraines (hemicrania). Kali Bichrome is useful in the treatment of eczema over the scalp . Though, if the eczematous area is scaly and the discharge is yellowish and offensive, then these are the symptoms of Mezereum. Another resemblance to Mezereum is that when the nasal symptoms subside, the eczema flares up and vice versa. In Kali Bichrome, the nasal cold begi ns at a small specific area deep inside the nose. The bacteria settle at the junction of the nose and throat (nasopharynx), resulting in the production and emission of a foul smell. These symptoms are common to both Kali Bichrome and Mezereum, though the latter works only locally, while Kali Bichrome affects the entire body. Moreover, in Mezereum, the symptoms of feeling hot or cold do not exist.
Kali Bichrome is also useful in the treatment of various eye conditions , such as photophobia, the appear ance of spots of different colours before the eyes, blurring of vision, affection of the retina and formation of corneal ulcers. The wounds and ulcers of Kali Bichrome pulsate. If the corneal ulcer pulsates painfully, Potassium Bichrome must be administered at once for immediate relief. Kali Bichrome is Kali Bichromicum 418also very effective in the treatment of boils forming on the upper eyelids and the puffiness of the lo wer eyelid due to swelling. The symptoms common to ear, nose, jaws and lips (i.e. face area) are as follows: The ears discharge sticky material along with a throbbing sensation in the ear. When the condition b ecomes chronic, the eardrums may perforate. The sense of smell also becomes dull.
When the discharge settles inside the nose, it causes pain as well as difficulty in breathing. The symptoms aggravate with humidit y. A piercing type of discharge runs from the nose. Persistence of this discharge results in the perforation of the septum of the nose (the dividing wall between the two nostrils). One strange symptom is that when the discharge sticks to this septal bone and then ha rdens, and scraping it affects the eyesight. Furthermore, there is pa in over the forehead and the eyes; the nose bleeds, and upon coughing, the molar teeth (i.e. large hind teeth with deep roots) hurt. Duri ng the headache and nasal catarrh, the lower molar teeth on that particular side hurt as if these are the root cause of the pain, though in fact th is is caused by the nerve root pain. Kali Bichrome is also beneficial in the treatment of ulcers of the lips and inside the mouth.
Cistus is also of use in this condition, especially for the ulcer of the lower lip. Dulcamara is effective against ulcers of both the upper and lo wer lips as well as against skin conditions that tend to spread quite fast. It also affects the sweat glands (pyretic glands). In Kali Bichrome, the nose tends to bleed and blebs (polyps) form over the lining of the nose. It is also beneficial in the treatment of the tuberculous infection of the facial skin and the mucous membranes. By the grace of God, both these c onditions have been successfully cured with it. In Kali Bichrome, the tongue becomes covered with a thick coating, which is whitish near the tip and yellowish at the back, with some dirty patches here and there. The tongue exhibits a peculiar type of glare, not found normally. Sometimes , near the gullet, small nodules form resembling a strawberry in co lour and shape.
Detailed Symptomatology
The resulting roughness of the surface of the tongue can be felt in the throat. Kali Bichrome is also very useful in the treatment of ulcers over the Kali Bichromicum 419tongue, inside the cheeks and the r oots of the teeth. Along with the inflammation of the throat, sores develop causing pain in the nasal passages, as well as the part of the throat behind the nose. The tenderness is localised to one area, though the pain is felt over a much larger area. The important homoeopathic remedies used in the treatment of inflammatory swellings similar to those of Kali Bichrome are Lachesis, Kali Iodide, Nitric Aci d, Phosphorus and Sulphuric Acid. There is a strong tendency towards the formation of ulcers . Swelling of the tonsils, when severe, causes a lot of pain with the swelling and redness becoming externally visible in the upper part of the neck.
The patient feels as if a hair is stuck in the throat. In Tarentula, such a feeling is widely spread in other parts of the body. In Hepar Sulph, the feeling is of something sticking. The ailment concentrates at the root of the tongue causing severe pa in and the formation of hardly visible sores. There is a tendency towards nausea and vomiting: The vomited material consists of undigested f ood mixed with bile and blood. The expectorated phlegm is in the form of sticky threads. Kali Bichrome is considered to be the best treat ment for the nausea of alcoholics. Kali Bichrome may also be used for the treatment of ulcerative colitis . Chronic ulcerative colitis is a very obstinate condition for which no effective cure has been discovered so far. Kali Bichrome is also useful in the treatment of ga stritis resulting from exposure to cold.
The stomach becomes weak and hypo functional. The secretion contains a lot of mucus. The patient feels indisposed. In Kali Bichrome, the liver pain is referred to the right shoulder . It is an ominous sign found in cancer of th e liver and the gall bladder. The patient complains of severe pain at the shoulder, which must be treated with Kali Bichrome. Kali Bichrome is of great use in the treatment of this vexing pain caused by stones in the gall bladder or cancer of the liver, and re ferred to the shoulder. The shoulder itself has no problems of its own. The gall bladder stones and the liver disorders must be treated with Ka li Bichrome without any delay. Often, it dissolves and then expels these gallstones, obviating the need for surgery. Stones of the gall bladder result from increased viscidity and the altered composition of bile.
Once the chemistry of the bile is restored, it gradually dissolves th e stones. I happen to come across Kali Bichromicum 420many patients suffering from gall bladder stones. Due to the scarcity of time, I cannot afford to achieve an individual diagnosis of each and every patient. I, therefore, treat them with a combination formula, rather than using one single homoe opathic remedy. By the grace of God, the prescription has proven to be very effective in most of the patients. Kali Bichrome is one component of that formulary, which is detailed as follows: Kali Bichrome, Lycopodium, Choleste rinum and Natrum Sulph, all in 30 potency. Besides these, Mag Phos 30, Co locynth 30 and Diascorea 30 combined toghether may be used to relieve the associated biliary colic. In addition to these, a herbal medicine, Ospafell, available from Germany, is also famous for the cap ability of dissolving the stones in the gall bladder.
For additional benefit, it may al so be used in homoeopathic form as an adjunct. In Kali Bichrome, a patient feels pain at the time of passing stools or even on movement . The peristaltic movement s of the gut at the time of defacation cause piercing pain over the liver as well as over the spleen. A lot of wind forms in the belly, causing distension. The entire body aches lightly while the inte stines feel sore. A feeling of weakness and sinking sensation over the stomach precede diarrhoea. Nausea, vomiting and then diarrhoea; this is the pattern in Kali Bichrome. Diarrhoea starts in the morning (like Sulphur). Kali Bichrome is very useful in the treatment of morning diarrhoea in which the stools are clay coloured. Sometimes, rheumatic pains alternate with dysentery instead of nasal catarrh.
Further Indications
With the onset of dysentery, body aches disappear and the body feels light. There is cramping before, during and after the passage of stools. The rectum also prolapses . Piles become swollen and painful. Kali Bichrome should also be remembered for treating backache associated with the passage of blood in the urine . In Kali Bichrome, the urine may contain strings of mucus and urination is preceded by pain over the coccyx (ta il end of the spine). This is typical of Kali Bichrome. In women patients of Kali Bichrome, the uterus related ailments aggravate during the summer . The menstrual discharge becomes acidic and causes burning. Periods start before time. Kali Bichrome should be remembered to treat the passage of thread-like strands in the milk while breast-feeding . If the milk tends to clot , then Phytolacca would be the best reme dy, which is also useful in the treatment of vomiting during pregnancy.
Kali Bichrome is very useful in the treatment of permanent loss of voice . Kali Bichrome is very effec tive in relieving wheezing due to the retention of sticky phlegm a nd constriction of the trachea and upper respiratory passages, commonly seen in asthma. Kali Bichrome is also useful in the treatment of whooping cough. The catarrhal complaints of Kali Bichrome become worse in the wet, wintery season. The patient develops diarrhoea in the summer during the rainy season. He feels comfort lyin g down in the bed. The phlegm is greenish in colour and contains bloo d clots. Both Kali Bichrome and Kali Carb are very useful in the treatment of tuberculosis of the lungs . Potassium salts are very deep ly related to the formation of cavities in the lungs and c oughing of blood in the sputum. In Kali Bichrome, like Kali Carb and Ipecac, there is a feeling of chill over the back .
In Kali Carb, this feeling is confined only to the lower part of the back, while in Ipecac and Kali Bichrome it stretches all the way up to the neck. The rheumatic pains aggravate on movement, like in Bryonia. The pain is worse in the morning. On getting up and walking, the pain gradually dissipates . Rest at night offers relief, though by morning, the pain becomes concentrated in one area from where it then scatters on movement. All sorts of skin diseases may be found in Kali Bichrome, such as eczema, blisters and boils. If skin conditions are forcibly suppressed with some strong ointments they may affect the mucous linings of the intestines. Therefore, in a patient exhibiting symptoms of Kali Bichrome, one should desist from external use of medicines. Antidotes: Arsenic, Lachesis, Pulsatilla Potency: 30 to 200.
Kali Carbonicum 423KALI CARBONICUM
Kali Carb is a white co mpound made of Carbon and Potassium. In olden days, it was obtained from the ashes of wood, leaves and seaweeds. Besides Potassium Chloride, Kali Carb was the most important compound that was prep ared for commercial purposes. Later on, the chemical, instead of be ing prepared from charcoal, was extracted from mineral deposits found under the ground. The largest source of the compound was the salt mines in Germany. Nowadays, the compound is being manufactured in different ways for industrial use. In homoeopathy, it is used in the fo rm of a very dilute solution, prepared from the powder of Po tassium Carbonate. An in-depth comprehension of Kali Carb is extremely difficult because of a number of contradictions in its natu re. The patient is sensitive to both heat as well as cold.
Constitutional Features
His mind is very much preoccupied. Even if the diagnosis is correct but the constitution of the patient happens to be different, its use will be harmfu l instead of being beneficial. Generally, it is the incorrect sele ction of a remedy that causes harm, but in case of Kali Carb, even if the selection is correct, the patient may still be harmed due to a mismatch with the nature of the patient. For example, even if correctly selected, the usage of Silicea in very high potency may prove extremely harmful. In gout, nodes form at the fingers and wrist joints causing disfigurement of the hands, and deformities of the fingers. To give Kali Carb in high potency in this condition even if appropriate to the constitution of the patient, is very dangerous. It amounts to torturing the patient to death.
Indication being correct, the medicine will command the body to prepare for immediate cure for which the body is not ready. Even if Kali Carb is prescribed after arriving at the correct diagnosis in gout , one has to be very cautious. Carbo Veg should always be given before givi ng Kali Carb. Carbo Veg prepares the patient for proper response to Kali Carb and seri ous reaction to Kali Carb is then prevented. Kali Carb must first be given in the low potency of 30 and then in a high potency, as the patient becomes acclimatized. Kali Carbonicum 424Besides joint pains , Kali Carb is strongly linked to chronic backache , especially the one starting after childbirth. Very often, the back pain starting after the delive ry becomes chronic and not curable until treated with Kali Carb. Kali Carb is also very effective in the treatment of tuberculosis .
Kali Carb has the capability to heal the lung cavities resulting from a tubercul ous infection. It is also very effective in controlling a ll types of bleeding. Ul cers of the intestines result in the passage of blood in the stools, like Antimonium Crude. In Kali Carb, the stools are soft, while in Antimonium Crude they are hard. Occasionally, the patient of Kali Carb may be severely constipated and pass blood in the stools. It is not that common however. In Kali Carb, besides severe stomachache , discomfort and cramps, the patient occasionally passes blood in the stools. Several types of aches and pains are associated with Kali Carb. Severe abdominal discomfort, cramps and blood in th e stools are common to many drugs used to treat dysentery. Therefore, it is essential that each one of them should be identified base d on its specific symptoms.
Sometimes, Kali Carb is used to cure the bad eff ects resulting from the wrong use of Nux Vomica, especially diarrhoe a or the headache following an overdose of Nux Vomica. Kali Carb is best for the treatment of diarrhoea, and Gelsemium for headache . If diarrhoea starts suddenly after taking Nux Vomica, then a dose or two of Kali Carb will cure the patient, with God’s grace. However, it should not be used over a long period of time, or it will cause constipation. Once the patient has benefited from one or two doses of this medicine, the treatment should be stopped. The irritability is a prominent symptom of this remedy and is often present in mental illnesses. Fear of loneliness is also its symptom. The patient is very superstitious . The superstitious ideas have nothing to do with the loneliness of the patient.
Imagination becomes a part of the patient’s life. Howeve r, the loneliness definitely perturbs the patient. The patient is se nsitive to both heat and cold. In general, the Kali Carb patient is of very short temper and is easily enraged. Both hot and cold things hurt the teeth. Sometimes, the teeth become oversensitive to cold. The symptoms of Pyorrhoea are common. There is swelling of the gums, which start to decay exuding pus. Kali Carbonicum 425Such patients are extremely sensitiv e to cold. However, when these patients of Kali Carb are fomented with ice-cold water, the nerves become numb and relaxed. The re lief is temporary because the symptoms recur as soon as the effect of the cold is gone. The heat also bothers the patient. It increases the burning sensation and becomes intolerable.
Advanced Modalities
In Merc Sol also, toothache becomes worse with both heat and cold. When the gums decay and start discharging offensive pus and blood, Kali Carb can still cure the condition if other general symptoms of Kali Carb are present, or Merc Sol may also offer a cure. Both localised as well as migrating type of pains are found in Kali Carb. The backache usually remains localized in one area. However, during childbirth, the pain starts to move from one area to another. If, during sleep, the quilt slips off fr om the body and a backache starts on exposure to the cold wind, Kali Carb is very effective. I have tested the remedy on myself and on many others, time and again. Once while travelling I woke up around th ree or four o’ clock in the morning with severe backache, ev en though by the grace of God I rarely suffered from backache.
I took one dose of Kali Carb 30. It immediately alleviated the pain and never did I have this problem again. In Kali Carb often the ailment becomes worse during the winter, yet the affected parts of the body feel hot (and do not feel comfort from the outside cold). A draft of co ld wind sometimes produces a blazing sensation along the course of the nerves with the appearance of prickly heat on the skin. It is one as pect of Kali Carb that the external cold, instead of having a cooling e ffect, enhances the feeling of heat. Heat ameliorates the symptoms. Once the nasal cold begins, it also causes headache . Light- headedness along with the headache is a specific symptom of Kali Carb. By the way, it should be remembered that the sinus headache resulting from flu often gets cure d by just one dose of Nux Vomica 1000.
Sometimes, the irritable bladder (cystitis), causing frequency of urination , may respond to Kali Phos better than Kali Carb. However, in Kali Phos, the frequent passage of urine is during the daytime while in the case of Kali Carb, the patient has to wake up repeatedly during the night, especially between three to four o’ clock Kali Carbonicum 426in the morning, to ease himself. Fr equency of urinati on at night other than due to diabetes can also benefi t from Arsenic in addition to Kali Carb, provided other symptoms of Arse nic also exist. One particular symptom of Arsenic is more common in women i.e. they lose bladder control so much so that they may not even be able to make it to the lavatory. A similar condition can al so develop in men due to various diseases and this becomes definitely more difficult to treat.
The reason is the difficulty in finding the appropriate remedy out of the scores of remedies available. Kali Carb patients, often have a sore throat . The tonsils become inflamed and enlarged. Swelling of the glands behind the ears, (parotid glands) is not as dangerous as the swelling inside the throat due to the inflammation of both tonsil s, which then become hard. The exudates solidify in them and prev ent the glands from shrinking in size. Kali Carb is an effective treatment for this condition if its other symptoms are also present. In the diseases related to Kali Ca rb, there is a tendency to develop widespread swelling and inflammati on in various parts of the body, but especially the swelling of the upper eyelids is very prominent. Like some other medicines, the sy mptoms of feeli ng a pulsation on the side on which the patient lies down is found in Kali Carb also.
Furthermore, the patient feels an xious and cannot sleep. If the throbbing is too severe due to an increased rush of blood towards the head and does not respond to Ka li Carb, then Belladonna will be found to work very well. Since in Kali Carb, of ten the patient feels pain and heaviness on the left side of the chest over the area of the heart, it may be well to suspect it is due to the heart diseas e, even though heart pain is often felt in the middle of the chest, radiating to the back, the arms and upto the fingers. Although the pain of Kali Carb make s one suspicious of possible heart disease, other sy mptoms can help to make the distinction clearer. The cardiac pain (angina pectoris) becomes worse on walking fast. On the other hand if the pain, becomes less on walking or on changing the side, it cannot be due to a heart problem.
Psychological Profile
Homoeopaths, in general, do not have access to instruments and machines to test the heart, so they must critically examine each symptom. Besides neurologic ailments, Kali Carb is also useful in the Kali Carbonicum 427treatment of heart pain (angina) especially the unusually strong palpitations. In Kali Carb, piles are like hanging tags in stead of being in rounded masses, which give an intense burning sensation. Cold water comforts only temporarily, reducing the burning sensation. In the abdominal complaints of Kali Carb, cramps are a must, such as in dysentery . However, the diarrhoea , which often alternates with constipation, is without pain. The burning sensation after urination responds favourably to Natrum Mur. However, if the burning sensation is experienced before, during, as well as after ur ination, then Natr um Mur will be ineffective because this c ondition relates to Kali Carb.
Kali Carb is an excellent treatment in women, especially for the treatment of the complications ar ising from childbirth. One should remember Kali Carb as the first choice. It indeed is the best remedy to treat these complications and the ones arising after D&C (dilatation and curettage). Kali Carb is also related to the enlarged glands of the uterus (uterine fibroids) . Other symptoms being pres ent, it can be used for the treatment of vomiting of pregnancy . Kali Carb is an ideal remedy in diffi cult labour with weak labour pains that radiates to lower back and thighs in difficulty in delivery of the child . Kali Carb is very useful in the treatment of severe cough associated with vomiting , as well as the cough following measles . Kali Carb is a very powerful remedy for neuralgic conditions.
It is also deeply linked to the bone s because carbon has a powerful influence on them. Kali Carb patients suffer from general weakness. In these patients, the pulse becomes slow. There are sh arp pricking type of pain and burning sensations along the course of the nerves . Furthermore, such patients have a sensation of burning inside their internal organs (viscera). The severity of the di sease increases at night between two Kali Carbonicum 428to five o’ clock in the morning and which becomes worse on turning onto the left side or lying down on the affected side. Hot weather ameliorates the symptoms. A distinctive character of Kali Carb is that sometimes, there is a severe burning sensation over tiny circular areas, the size of a fingertip or a thumb.
