Hepar Sulph.

Hepar sulphuris calcareum

Key Symptoms

violent outbursts; oversensitivity; chilliness; offensive-smelling discharges; splinterlike pains; craving for sour foods and drinks

Doctors in the 18th century used calcium sulfide externally for ailments such as acne, boils, and gout. It is still used in veterinary medicine, and industrially in paint manufacture. The homeopathic remedy was first used by Hahnemann in 1794, as an antidote to the side-effects of mercury, a common medicine at the time. Hepar sulph. is now given primarily for respiratory problems such as croup and coughs, and for skin infections.

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Remedy Profile

People who respond best to Hepar sulph. are touchy, both mentally and physically. They are patient and methodical workers, but this tolerance does not extend to others, and they are often critical, irritable, and hard to please. They are also oversensitive and quick to take offense. Illness heightens their irritability and impetuosity, and anger, pain, or anguish may drive them to violent outbursts. They may have low self-esteem and feel as though they are rejected by others.

Often hypersensitive, these people tend to have a low pain threshold and to complain out of proportion to their illness. They lack internal warmth, and will feel the cold keenly, especially dry cold. Symptoms are usually worse at night, and aggravated by the least touch on the affected area. Common cravings are for fatty foods and for sour tastes such as vinegar.

Hepar sulph. is generally used where there is an infection, particularly in the respiratory system or skin. It is especially appropriate for ailments that are accompanied by swollen glands, particularly in the neck or groin, or if there is a high fever alternating with chills.

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Colds & catarrh

Symptoms: Cold or influenza with fever, sneezing, sweating, and need for warmth. Profuse catarrh may be watery at first, then blood-stained, thick, and yellowish in color, with a smell of old cheese. Contact with cold air triggers sneezing. The nostrils may feel sore and raw. Colds may begin with a tickly throat. There may be sinusitis, with pain in the facial bones and the bridge of the nose. Pain is often right-sided and extends to the ear, notably on swallowing. There may be a piercing earache with a foul-smelling ear discharge.

Symptoms better: For warmth; for warm, wet weather; for covering the head; for eating.

Symptoms worse: For cold and cold drafts; for touch; for undressing.

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Sore throat

Symptoms: A hoarse voice, sore throat, and swollen tonsils, often due to a cough or quinsy (abscesses around the tonsils). There may be weeping abscesses on the gums or glands, with sharp, splinterlike pain, especially on swallowing, that may spread to the ear.

Symptoms better: For warm, wet weather; for wrapping the throat; for warm compresses.

Symptoms worse: For cold; for touching the throat; for swallowing; for cold drinks.

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Coughs & croup

Symptoms: A dry, hacking, crowing cough, often causing a sore throat. If the cough is loose, a coughing fit may be triggered by touching the throat, and may cause a choking feeling. Thick phlegm may be lodged in the chest. Coughs tend to be dry in the evening and loose in the morning. The symptoms of croup are similar, but with a barking cough and difficulty coughing up phlegm.

Symptoms better: For warm, wet weather; for wrapping up warmly.

Symptoms worse: For cold; in the morning and evening; for touching the throat.

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Skin conditions

Symptoms: The skin chaps or roughens easily, and eruptions such as acne are inflamed and sore, with foul-smelling, yellow pus. Eruptions are slow to heal and prone to infection, perhaps leaving scars. Infections such as styes, boils, and cold sores may be accompanied by the typical yellow discharge. Abscesses and ulcers bleed easily.

Symptoms better: For warmth; for warm compresses on the affected areas; for eating.

Symptoms worse: For cold; for undressing; for touch.

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Digestive disorders

Symptoms: Nausea, vomiting, or chronic diarrhea, usually accompanied by a grumbling abdomen. Stools are typically pale, soft, and have a sour odor, as does urine.

Symptoms better: For warm, wet weather; for warmth; for eating.

Symptoms worse: For cold; for undressing.

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