Natrum

Nat. carb.

Sodium carbonate / Soda ash

Natrum carbonicum

Sodium carbonate is used to make glass, soaps, and detergents, and to soften water. It was used in orthodox medicine externally to treat burns and eczema, and for nasal mucus and vaginal discharge.

Parts Used

Sodium carbonate.

Uses

Nat. carb. is used for digestive problems such as indigestion, nervous disorders including headaches, and skin complaints such as herpes, warts, moles, blisters, and corns.

Source

Once extracted from seaweed ashes, but now prepared chemically.

Personality profile

After Natrum Muriaticum, the Carbonicum is by far the most common Natrum constitution. It occurs principally in women, and is about as common as Sepia, and more common than the adult Pulsatilla. The task of differentiating between Natrum Muriaticum and Natrum Carbonicum is a frequent difficulty in homeopathic prescribing, since there is such a lot of common ground in both the physicals and the mentals.

The main impression one gets of the personality of the Carbonicum is that it is like the Muriaticum, only less so. In other words, the Carbonicum possesses many of the same traits as the Muriaticum, but in a milder form. Thus she is generally conscientious, but is less likely to be a perfectionist. She is rather private, but is able to be open with those she loves, and to express her affection. She prefers to give, but has no difficulty in receiving. This would imply that the Carbonicum is more healthy emotionally than the Muriaticum, since there is less emotional suppression, and hence less need for avoidance mechanisms. However, there is one pathological trait that is generally stronger in the Carbonicum, and that is anxiety. Whereas the Muriaticum tends to be more prone to depression than anxiety, the reverse is true of the Carbonicum. Most are nervous people, who lack self-confidence, and are often mistaken for Lycopodiums, especially as the Carbonicum suffers from very similar digestive symptoms, and has a similar physique. However, the tendency to hide negative feelings, to be rather self-deprecating, and to put great store by the opinions of others, identifies the patient as a Natrum of some sort.

Natrum Carbonicum's anxiety is especially related to meeting people and socializing. Like some of the Muriaticums, the Carbonicum tends to feel uneasy in unfamiliar company, sometimes to the point of panic. She also tends to worry about anything and everything, again like Lycopodium. Anticipatory anxiety may be present, hence this can not be used to distinguish the latter. One fear that is very characteristic of Natrum Carbonicum is a fear of thunder-storms, or rather, anxiety during thunder storms. This also occurs in some Muriaticums, but not many, and not to the same degree. Most Carbonicums feel very uneasy during thunder-storms. Natrum Muriaticum may be frightened by the thunder and the lightning, but the Carbonicum individual is anxious as a result of the 'charge' in the air, an anxiety that is felt before the first clap of thunder is even heard. Also, the physical symptoms of the Carbonicum tend to be worse during and before a storm, which is not common in Muriaticums. (Natrum Muriaticum often has the curious trait of feeling angry on a windy day.)

The other mental pathology that is very common in Natrum Carbonicum is irritability. A Natrum person who is both very anxious and very irritable, but not prone to depression to any great degree, is more likely to be a Carbonicum. It is quite surprising to find that such a timid person is also very irritable. Her irritability is usually taken out upon her family, since this is the safest option. Noise in particular irritates the Carbonicum, and she is generally very easily startled by sudden loud noises.

Since the Carbonicum is more open than the Muriaticum, and also less prone to depression, she tends to have a lighter, more natural air about her, which is quite close to the quiet naturalness of Calcarea Carbonica (and also Sepia, a remedy closely related to Natrum Carbonicum). Like Calcarea, the Carbonicum tends to be down to earth rather than imaginative or dramatic. Her personality is like a hybrid of Calcarea, Natrum and Lycopodium. She is sensible, quiet, and unlike some Natrum Muriaticums, she would never seek the limelight. Equally, she would not put herself down as much as many Muriaticums do. She tends to be a loving person, who enjoys giving, but is more able to give to herself than her more repressed cousin. However, a good many Natrum Carbonicum women become martyrs to some extent, because they find it difficult to stand up to stronger personalities. They do not feel guilt as much as Natrum Muriaticum, but timidity is more of a problem. 'Mildness' is a term which suits many Natrum Carbonicum women very well, despite their tendency to feel irritated. 'Sensible' is another. Natrum Carbonicum is generally more tense than Calcarea, and less analytical than Lycopodium. She has a 'dryness' to her personality that is quite similar to that seen in the Kalis, a reflection of her down-to-earth, unimaginative mind.

The generals and physicals are very helpful in distinguishing the Carbonicum from the Muriaticum. The Carbonicum tends to be more sensitive to heat, and also more sensitive to cold and to draughts. There is usually a marked aversion to, or aggravation from milk, which is seldom seen in the Muriaticum. (A great many Muriaticums avoid milk because it makes them more prone to mucus, which is not the same thing.) There is also often an aggravation from acids, such as vinegar and citrus fruits. Apart from the frequent complaint of post-nasal discharge, most of the Carbonicum's pathology tends to centre around the intestines and the joints, unlike most Muriaticums. Natrum Carbonicum is prone to bloating and non-specific abdominal pain, as is Natrum Muriaticum, but the latter may also suffer from the more severe inflammatory conditions of Crohn's Disease and ulcerative colitis. One very characteristic symptom of the Carbonicum is the sensation of burning, especially on the soles of the feet, but also in the joints.

Physically, the Carbonicum has a more predictable appearance than the Muriaticum. Most are skinny and bony in physique, and this applies to the face as well as the body. The face is usually lined by numerous tiny creases, reflecting anxiety, and the complexion is nearly always freckled, although the hair is generally a medium brown, rather than red or blonde, and is generally straight.

Nat. mur.

Sodium chloride / Rock salt

Natrum muriaticum

Natrum muriaticum is simply salt, or sodium chloride, a substance present in the natural world in quantities greater than any other except water. Essential to life and health, salt has been valued in human commerce throughout history. Roman soldiers were given a stipend, called a salarium, which they used to buy salt; from this we get the word salary. Homeopaths prescribe dilute solutions of Nat mur; as they call it, for conditions that are coupled with symptoms of extreme thirst, emotional sensitivity, and a strong desire for salt.

Nat mur is prepared by adding pure sodium chloride to boiling water. Once the salt has dissolved, the solution is filtered and crystallized by evaporation. The final product is diluted in water to the desired potency.

Parts Used

Sodium chloride.

Uses

Homeopaths give this remedy for emotional problems, such as anxiety and depression, that are caused by suppressed grief and other emotions.

Natrum mur. is also used to treat conditions with a watery discharge, such as colds, and phlegm or profuse, clear mucus. Complaints that are generally worse with heat and that are often brought on by stuffy heat or exposure to hot sun are helped by this remedy. These include: migraines with zigzag lines in front of the eyes; eyestrain with aching eyes; headaches that come on after menstruation; and cold sores.

It is also good for mouth problems, for example, gingivitis (inflamed gums), dry, cracked lips, mouth ulcers, and bad breath (halitosis).

Skin complaints, for example, warts, dry cuticles, hangnails, boils, and painful acne are helped by Natrum mur. It is also effective for goiter; anemia; indigestion; constipation with dry, hard stools; bleeding anal fissures; backache; and delayed urine flow.

In women, Natrum mur. is given for absent menstruation induced by shock or grief; irregular menstruation; and a general feeling of being unwell both before and after menstruation. It is also good for a dry or sore vagina, vaginal discharge, and vaginismus (vaginal pain during sexual intercourse).

When ill, people who need this remedy are chilly but dislike heat.

Source

Rock salt, which is found in the Dead Sea and in parts of the US, Europe, and India.

Personality profile

Natrum Muriaticum is by far the commonest constitutional type, at least in modern industrialized societies. Natrum Muriaticum is the predominant type in modern times, a reflection of the suppressed emotional pain that is engendered by the average upbringing in today's society. So common is the type that most homeopaths mistake half of its mental characteristics as 'normal', and hence fail to spot the remedy in their patients. Furthermore, most Natrums are so good at disguising their inner pain and vulnerability that many a homeopath sees a patient as being open and well-balanced, when the latter is hiding from his emotional pain. To add to the problem, many homeopaths are Natrum Muriaticum themselves, often without realizing it, and hence cannot see the remedy because it is too close. No remedy type is as often and as easily missed as Natrum Muriaticum, yet it is one of the first types to be learned, and is generally assumed to be easy to identify.

Tradition has it that Natrums are introverted people who hide their feelings, avoid company, and hate sympathy; who cannot cry and cannot show affection. This is true as far as it goes, but it is a gross over-simplification, and those homeopaths who can only recognize this 'archetypal' Natrum will miss the majority of the type.

Nat. phos.

Sodium phosphate

Natrum phosphoricum

Sodium phosphate is a Schussler tissue salt. It occurs naturally in the tissue cells and helps to regulate the body's acidity level and to break down fatty acids. The remedy Nat, phos. is used for conditions arising from an excess of lactic or uric acid, such as gout and also for indigestion caused by an excessive intake of fatty, sour foods.

Parts Used

Sodium phosphate.

Uses

This remedy is used to treat indigestion, with sour burping caused by fatty, sour foods, or from excess stomach acid, especially in children who have been given too much milk and sugar. It is also good for gout and stiffness after exertion.

Source

Chemically prepared from phosphoric acid and sodium carbonate.

Nat. sulf.

Sodium sulfate / Sal mirabile, Glauber's salt

Natrum sulfuricum

Sodium sulfate is a white crystalline solid or powder used in the manufacture of paper, paperboard, glass, and detergents. A Schussler tissue salt, it occurs naturally in the body in the tissue cells and helps to maintain water balance. The homeopathic remedy is good for flabby people who feel worse in damp weather, near water; and in damp rooms.

Parts Used

Sodium sulfate.

Uses

Complaints treated with this remedy include liver ailments such as jaundice, chest problems such as asthma and bronchitis, and head injuries in which the person may become depressed, suicidal, or suffer other emotional changes.

Source

Sodium sulfate, which is found in saltwater lakes and in the Kalunda steppe in Russia.

Personality profile

Natrum Sulphuricum is not nearly as common as its Muriaticum sister, being about as common as Natrum Carbonicum. Whereas the latter is an 'earthy' Natrum, who is pragmatic and unimaginative, Natrum Sulphuricum possesses all the fiery attributes of Sulphur, but in a quieter way, since they are wedded to the introverted emotionality of the Natrums, and also because Natrum Sulphuricum is primarily a female type.