Know Your Remedies: Natrium Carbonicum (Nat-c.)
Common Names: Na2CO3; sodium carbonate; washing soda; soda ash; soda crystals; Nat-carb.
Remedy Source
Natrium Carbonicum (Nat-c.) is a homeopathic remedy prepared from carbonate of soda. Sodium carbonate was once prepared from extracts of sodium-rich plants but today is obtained from a limestone-sodium chloride extraction process. In crude form it is used to soften water, as an acidity regulator or anti-caking agent during food preparation, and in the manufacture of glass.
What Is Natrium Carbonicum (Nat-c.) Used For?
Nat-c is a remedy for conditions affecting digestion, nerves or connective tissue.
The person needing it will be oversensitive to dietary indiscretions, noise, music, full moon, drafts, thunderstorms, and the extremes of Summer heat or Winter cold.
Ankles may be weak and turn easily. Contractures of tendons or muscles are common. Milk may disagree and children startle easily.
Natrium Carbonicum (Nat-c.) Symptoms
Mental-Emotional
- Self-contained, gentle and kind. Cheerful, even when sad.
- Don’t want to burden others with their sadness. Suffer in silence.
- Hypersensitive and closed. Prefer to be alone.
- Aversion to certain people but dedicated to others.
- Mental dullness and exhaustion.
- Oversensitive to noise, music, changes in weather, and thunderstorms.
Head
- Headache from the sun or when overheated.
Gastrointestinal
- Dyspepsia, heartburn or indigestion.
- Nibbling appetite. Better after eating.
- Food intolerances and allergies, especially to milk. Dislike of milk.
Urogenital
- Chronic cystitis.
- Burning pain at end of urination.
Musculoskeletal
- Weak ankles that turn or dislocate easily.
- Contraction of tendons – Dupuytren’s contracture.
Skin
- Eruptions, especially eczema, on finger tips or toes.
Where Do I Find Natrium Carbonicum (Nat-c.)?
Natrium carbonicum (Nat-c.) is available from our online store as a single remedy in either pills or liquid.
Important
While above self-limiting or acute complaints are suitable for home treatment also contact your healthcare provider during emergency situations or if symptoms worsen or fail to improve. Chronic or persistent complaints, which may or may not be mentioned above, require a different treatment and dosage protocol so are best managed by a qualified homeopath for good results.
Dosage Instructions (suitable for babies to adults)
For the home treatment of acute and self-limiting complaints take one pill or five drops of the remedy every 1 minute to 4 hours (1 minute for intense or emergency symptoms (plus seek emergency help), 4 hours for milder ones). Once an improvement is noticed, stop dosing and repeat the remedy only if symptoms return. If there is no improvement at all by three doses, choose a different remedy or seek professional guidance.
Note: Chronic symptoms or complaints require a course of professional treatment by a qualified homeopath to manage the changes in potencies and remedies may be required.
More Information
Guidelines on which potency to use
From Past Masters
Homeopathy is a 200-year system of medicine. Early medical homeopaths recorded initial provings, remedy relationships, and their early experiences with each remedy in great detail.
These writings were then shared with others to advance homeopathic practice.
Today, these same writings give a fascinating insight into the symptoms and clinical conditions for which homeopathy was used.
The following extract, with minor editing, is one example.
Leaders In Homoeopathic Therapeutics by E. B. NASH M.D.
Natrium Carbonicum (Nat-c.) – General Notes
One of the most frequently corroborated symptoms of this remedy is the modality – aggravated by mental exertion. The patient is unable to think or perform any mental labor without headache (Argentum, nit., Sabadilla) vertigo or a sense of stupefaction.
This symptom alone makes it an invaluable remedy, as we often come across that kind of patient. At least I have, and have frequently gained great credit by relieving them. I generally use the 30th potency here. Again this kind of headache is apt to be worse on exposure to the sun’s rays or under gaslight.
Persons suffering from over-heating from the sun may find relief from Natrum carb., Glonoine, Lachesis or Lyssin.
Like the other Natrums, the carbonate is greatly depressed in spirits, wholly occupied with sad thoughts.
It is one of our best remedies for chronic catarrh of the nose, which extends to the posterior nares and throat. There is violent hawking and splitting of thick mucus that constantly collects again, (Corallium).
Although never produced in the proving, clinical use has proved it a great remedy for “bearing down” pains. Here the concomitant symptoms of mind, sadness, over-sensitiveness to noise, especially music, etc., will confirm its choice.
Weakness of the ankles from childhood finds a good remedy in Natrum carb. I cured a very bad case in a young man who was very fleshy and walked on the inside of his ankles, feet bending outward, from such weakness, his ankles refusing to support him, especially when a little over-fatigued.
Those are the only uses of Natrum Carb. that I know from personal experience or observation.
