Silicea – Silicic Acid

The attenuations are prepared from pure, precipitated, hydrated anhydrous silica, containing up to 90 per cent silicon dioxide, SiO₂, MW: 60.1.

Silicea is an important remedy for the connective tissue and is characteristically indicated in weakness of that tissue with giving-way of limbs, lack of strength and backbone, trembling of the limbs (especially the arms), stiffness of the back and

limbs, but also in numerous other symptoms of exhaustion and weakness, when in many cases the patient exhibits a lack of vital heat, even when he is moving about, and is sensitive to cold air, especially when the head is uncovered. However, there is relief from covering the head warmly, especially in neuralgias (left trigeminal neu- ralgia is typical in many cases). The whole nervous system seems to be in the grip of a certain weakness, with a nervous, irritated, timorous and undecided state of mind. Silicea is also frequently indicated in undernourished children, with a distended abdomen and emaciation of the extremities as a result of diseased mesenteric glands; the eyes are sunken and the face is typically lean, giving the child the appearance of an old man. The weakness is often so great that the children can hardly pass a stool; indeed, it emerges, but then slips back in again. On the other hand there may be in- transigent diarrhoea, especially during dentition or in the heat of summer, other remedies such as Veratrum, Pulsatilla, Mercurius etc. not acting, but in such cases of typical failure to thrive the only remedy, or the supreme remedy, is Silicea. Silicea has certain relationships to Calcium Carbonicum, since it can be used in a similar way to the latter in children with head-sweats and deficient assimilation. On the other hand it is also related to Hepar Sulph. and to Calcium Sulphuricum, being used in suppurations above all when the pus has discharged and the healing now needs to take place from within outwards. Thus Silicea is an important remedy in suppurative

fistulas.

Glandular swellings also call for Silicea, especially of the sub-mandibular glands and tonsils, and also in the axillae, neck, throat, ear and the inguinal area, if Calcium Carbonicum does not have the desired effect.

There may also be a general hyperaesthesia of the skin, associated with violent itching, scarcely relieved by scratching, and also itching on the scalp with falling out of the hair, and pustular eruptions on the forehead, back, chest and arms. As in Hepar Sulph., small skin wounds are slow to heal and they suppurate. Ganglia on the back of the hand are also an indication for Silicea.

A hypersensitivity of the sense of smell, associated with itching in the nose, in- flammations of the nasal mucosa, blowing out of bloody mucus and sinusitis can constitute an indication for Silicea, especially if Calcium Carbonicum or Hepar Sulph. has previously been given.

Silicea is eminently suited to so-called dyscrasias, such as are found in tuberculo- sis, gout, rickets and in pre-cancerous states, but a further therapeutic indication may be provided by pains in joints and muscles, neuralgia which is worse at night, twitching and trembling of the limbs with great weakness, chronically suppurating fistulae in the ears, chronic eye conditions with photophobia, stomatitis with ulcer- ated gums, tuberculosis of the mesenteric glands, swelling of the hilar glands, rectal fistulae and leucorrhoea. Silicea is therefore indicated in impregnation phases which attempt a regressive transformation into reaction phases.

Particular emphasis should also be given to the action of Silicea on offensive foot- sweat, in many cases accompanied by general heavy sweating of the whole body (smelling sour at night).

A further important symptom is bleeding from the nipple, also during breast-feed- ing.

Typical indications go to make up the following symptom-picture:

1. Weakness of connective tissue, rickets. Tuberculosis of the hilar and mesenteric glands.
   1. Disorders of nutrition with diarrhoea and failure to thrive. Painless glandular swellings on the neck, behind the ears, in the axillae and inguinal area.
   1. Thin, acrid discharges. Suppurative fistulae in otitis media, anal fistulae, in surgi- cal wounds etc., skin slow to heal.
   1. General chilliness and sensitivity to cold air, especially draughts, must cover the head warmly, above all in tendency towards headaches and neuralgia. (Left trigeminal nerve often affected.)
   1. Sour sweating of the head and feet with soreness between the toes (feet offen- sive). Silicea can cure complaints arising from suppressed sweat, or bring out the sweat again.
   1. Nervous irritation and timidity. Indecision, acquiescence, lack of courage.
   1. 7.   Bleeding from the nipple during breast-feeding (important symptom in any case, which cannot be cured by any other remedy).
   1. 8.   Pustular skin eruptions and urticaria. Acne vulgaris. Pruritus, scarcely relieved by scratching. Hyperaesthesia of the skin to touch.

The German Monograph-Preparation Commission for the Homoeopathic Field of Therapy has, under the Preparation Monograph for Acidum silicium, published the following indication(s) in the German Bundesanzeiger (German Federal Gazette) for silicea: chronic inflammations; suppuration and fistula development afflicting the skin, the lymph glands, the mucosae, the bones, and the joints; tissue weakness in the ligamentous apparatus of the bones and joints; proliferation of tissue (hyper- blastosis); mental exhaustion.