I have an older client, Kurt, with whom I've been working with for some time. Recently, he started having trouble with his voice—it was as if something outside his control had turned the volume down. He would be talking, and suddenly, there would be no sound. We suspected spasmodic dysphonia, but he never needed a formal diagnosis, because it was resolved quickly with the homeopathic remedy Causticum. The issue does return from time to time, but Kurt simply takes another dose of Causticum, and the problem resolves again.

Causticum is what homeopaths call a polychrest remedy, meaning that it is valuable in treating many disease states. I have found it useful for pneumonia, bronchitis, and other respiratory conditions. I’ve also found it helpful for constipation and urinary incontinence, particularly stress incontinence when urine leaks involuntarily during coughing, sneezing, or exercise.

Robin Murphy, in his book Nature’s Materia Medica, wrote that Causticum has a strong history in clinical practice of effectively treating stammering and paralysis of a single organ or part, including paralysis of the vocal cords.  

Much of what Causticum addresses relates to the paralysis of a single part of the body. In Kurt's case, his vocal cord issue appeared to be an intermittent paralysis, which is why Causticum was such a good fit. The same reasoning applies when using it for constipation, which could result from a lack of peristalsis (paralysis) somewhere along the digestive tract, or for incontinence, which may stem from "paralysis" of the pelvic floor muscles.

If someone is experiencing one of these keynote symptoms of Causticum, it might be worth trying the remedy—especially since it is so affordable. At the time of writing, you could buy a tube of Boiron’s Causticum 200CK (the potency Kurt took) on Amazon for $11.39.  

So, for less than $12, my client got his voice back.

All homeopathic remedies have a mental and emotional picture. While it's not a strict requirement, Causticum's distinct mental state can further reinforce its selection. Murphy describes this as:

“Obsessive motivation for a cause, politics, and injustice.” (Murphy 509)

Time and time again, I have seen Causticum bring relief to individuals who not only struggle with various conditions but also carry a deep passion for a cause.

Passion for a cause isn’t inherently pathological, but when it begins to manifest as physical symptoms, it’s worth addressing. The goal is to relieve those symptoms so the individual can continue advocating for their cause without unnecessary suffering.

There’s much more to explore about Causticum’s role in various conditions, but I’ll pause here for now. In a future blog, I’ll share more about the other pathologies where I’ve seen this remedy make a difference.

Works Cited Entry (Bibliography)

Murphy, Robin. Nature’s Materia Medica. 4th ed., Lotus Health Institute, 2020.