Silicea cannot tolerate the presence of any foreign material in thebody. It stimulates the body defences to react against any foreign body and expel it as soon as possible. If the foreign material happens to be inanimate, then Silicea initiates the process of pus formation around it. The pus formed creates a soft resilient medium like Mobil oil, through which the foreign body gets expelled gradually and softly without further injury to the soft tissues. If the foreign body happen to be animate, such as bacteria, viruses or intestinal worms, etc., then Silicea provokes an appropriate body response. This process is definitely more effective than the conventional antibiotic therapy. Silicea may simply kill the germs and worms, liquefy them in the form of pus or just expel them through the different natural orifices.
In some diseases, Silicea has little or no effect on the
patient, such as the typhoid fever. Similarly, in certain cases of blood
poisoning (toxaemia and septicaemia) it may not be as effective as
Sulphur and Pyrogenium, which are definitely much superior. Now, after
long experience, we have come to know the diseases where Silicea
will be definitely effective, as well as the conditions where
something else would be more appropriate. For certain deep-seated illnesses
of a grave nature, requiring the activation of a very specific
response on
the part of the body, the physician has to work hard in
order to find the most appropriate remedy, keeping in mind both the nature of
the disease as well as the remedy. The powerful defence system
of the body is very intricate and individually designed to combat
hundreds of thousands of illnesses. The system is
like a great powerful factory beyond the comprehension of not only
ordinary people but also the expert scientists. Silicea, despite
appearing wideranging and powerful, has yet to overwhelm the
natural defence system or even match it.
Generally speaking, Silicea is very effective against contagious disease, boils and
abscesses. Similarly, it provokes a surprisingly strong reaction
against inanimate foreign objects entering the body. For example, Silicea is extremely effective in the expulsion of a retained nail, fishbone or shotgun pellets in the body. Here, it works in two ways. When given in low potency, it gradually
increases
the local blood flow, kills the germs and produces pus. The
process of
healing of the boils
and abscesses, which normally takes seven to ten days to get ready
to burst open, may be completed in two to three days. Moreover,
the pain is relatively less and much less pus is formed. The hole
through which the pus exudes is also small and insignificant. On
the same lines, Silicea helps the expulsion
of a needle,
piece of metal or stone retained in the body. The process is very
intricate and yet to be understood but the practical examples are so
obviously true. Once, an eminent surgeon told me that one of his patients
had swallowed a needle, which became stuck in his intestines. Obviously, it was dangerous to
remove it surgically. The surgeon had heard about the efficacy of Silicea
and decided to use it. After a while, the needle showed up on the
surface of the skin, without injuring the internal organs. The
path adopted by the needle was the shortest towards the skin surface.
There was no damage inflicted to the linings of the intestines, or the
fat inside the abdomen. The method by which Silicea performs this
harmless function cannot be conjectured by human intellect and
imagination, but the observation is too weighty and hard to be denied.
Once when I was in Rabwah, a large irregular piece of glass got
stuck in the foot of a child, deep to the bone. The foot became extremely
swollen and the doctor refused to remove it surgically. The child
was treated with Silicea 6X for a month. At first, the swelling started
getting less and then the large piece of glass started to gradually
emerge from the skin. It was then safely removed with forceps.
Due to the use of contaminated water in Africa and Sindh
province of Pakistan, quite commonly a worm enters the body, which can be very dangerous. It starts growing in length like a tape.
It then shows
up like a cotton ball under the surface of the skin, which
may grow up to the size of a football. The leg
may grow to the size of the foot of an elephant. This is why this condition
is called elephantiasis. A Waqfe-Jadid missionary Homoeopathic doctor named Nisar
Maurani, a
convert from Hinduism, successfully made use of Silicea in the treatment
of this disease. He observed that Silicea 6X simply dissolves the worm
inside the body and thus obviates the need for surgery. Surgery
can in fact be very dangerous. If the worm is not completely removed
and is severed or accidentally cut into pieces, every piece will
then rapidly grow into a new worm, wherever it deposits in the
body. This is potentially fatal. Local experts in Africa extract it by
rolling it on a thorn or a matchstick. The worm may be hundreds of feet
long. If it gets severed during this process, all the hard work goes in
vain. Be it Sindh or Africa, Silicea works equally well everywhere.
It dissolves the worm and lets it be extruded through a minute hole.
Sometimes, a fishbone
gets stuck in the throat and is difficult to remove. Once, I
confronted a similar situation myself. I tried to remove it but
failed. Then, I took Silicea 6X. Within a few hours, the fishbone came out
with an act of a mild cough. I have found it effective in
children too. With rare exceptions, Silicea is always effective. When given in high potency, Silicea dries pus. Large abscesses thus gradually regress and disappear. Pus does not form with the
use of Silicea in high potency. Pus formation is usual with Silicea
used in low potency. One must understand the dual role of Silicea,
which obviously is under the control of the natural defence system
of the natural human body. In tuberculosis,
Silicea in high potency plays the role of expulsion of the germs by way of formation of
pus. It cannot kill the tuberculous Bacillus however. In case the
germs happen to settle in the vicinity of an artery, then Silicea
may result in rupture of the artery and cause severe haemorrhageing, which
may prove fatal. Therefore, the physician has to be very
cautious before
embarking on the use of Silicea 6X or 30 even. In general a,
low potency works rather slowly and mildly and thus prevents
against any serious reaction. According to Dr. Kent, whether given in
low or high potency, Silicea is dangerous to the patients of
tuberculosis. So, as far as possible it should be avoided but if it needs to be
given at all, only potency 30 should be used. It is
neither too high, nor too low. Silicea
is incompatible with some remedies and should never be mixed with them.
For example, it is incompatible with any form of Mercury, so
Silicea and Mercury should never be given together. Hepar Sulph is similar to Silicea in some respects
and similar to Merc Sol in others. It must always be used
in between the usage of Silicea and Mercury. It serves as a bridge
between the two remedies. Sometimes,
Silicea works in an unexpected way, for example, a patient has
infection in the root of a tooth, but is not aware of it. If by chance,
he is treated with Silicea, his jaws will start swelling up and the
tooth will become loose. At this stage, he should take Hepar Sulph (the
antidote for Silicea). He will be relieved of the pain immediately and
will also know for sure that he had an infection in the root of the tooth.
A suitable homoeopathic remedy then can be administered to
help restore the tooth.
A general symptom of Silicea is that the patient feels
very cold. His hands and feet remain cold. This
symptom may however be deceiving and hinder the way to proper
treatment. In general, the patients suffering from infectious fever
(septicaemia) have very hot hands and feet. Many a physician will then
treat them with Pulsatilla instead of Silicea. Obviously, it is of no
avail. The real diagnosis of Silicea is that before the
onset of fever, the hands and feet become cold. As the temperature rises,
the symptoms of Pulsatilla manifest. It must be remembered that
Silicea is the chronic of Pulsatilla. Sometimes, the body of a patient
is fiery hot, including the hands and the feet, but he needs to be
treated with Silicea instead of Pulsatilla. It happens very commonly in the
treatment for severe infection
of the tonsils. Some of these children who are wrongly
treated with Pulsatilla instead of Silicea may lose their life.
A Silicea patient is by nature, apprehensive of failure
i.e. job or exam. Particularly
school children have this problem. For example, many people who in
spite of being able to drive efficiently, repeatedly fail in the driving test,
in spite of having reasonable knowledge and practice of driving. Similar
fear is also found in some other homoeopathic remedies.
Therefore, Silicea is often forgotten. Nevertheless, administration of
Silicea 6X along with Kali Phos can produce wonderfully
positive results.
Some wounds
and ulcers become indolent and resistant to healing. If the patient exhibits the
symptoms of Silicea, then Silicea can activate the healing process of this
dormant condition, by way of formation of pus. After the pus comes
out, the wound becomes dry, leaving a very inconspicuous scar.
Silicea is extremely useful in the treatment of enlarged body glands in women.
It is very effective against the common skin
infections such as pustules, blisters and abscesses. Ugly looking pubertal acne
often responds very well to the treatment with Silicea 30
and Kali
Bromide. It can often cure the stubborn type of acne. The
treatment
should continue for at least a month, and then repeated on and
off, as needed.
One should never forget using Silicea for infection
causing the formation of pus, in any part of the
body. Excessive sweating of
the feet
in Silicea resembles Sulphur. In Sulphur, the feet remain warm, sweat
and feel burning. In Silicea, the patient feels cold, yet sweats excessively
on his feet.
In Silicea, the headache begins in the nape of the neck, commonly
in the
morning. Thus, it is different from the headache of Gelsemium.
Both Silicea and Gelsemium are of mild, cold nature. In Silicea, the
headache may shift to the front of the head, forehead or even the eyes. If
this symptom is evident, then the treatment should be Silicea. The
headache begins in the morning and continues till late night.
In Silicea, sometimes, the lower part of the body is dry,
while the
upper part is sweaty. In Calcarea Carb, it is only the head that
sweats. In Rhus Tox, the upper part of
the body sweats, except the head. In Silicea, the ailment begins in a very
timely manner and finishes on time (periodicity). The symptoms can
recur however. The symptoms aggravate on the rise of the new
moon.
In some children,
asthma becomes more severe with the appearance of the new moon.
This is typical of Silicea. Certain kinds of fevers, irregularity of
the menstrual cycles and epilepsy is also related
to the moon.
Most of the ailments of Silicea last seven days.
In Silicea, besides the nape, the headache is mostly on the right side of
the head, resembling Mag Phos (for details, please refer to Mag Phos).
Silicea is also very useful in the treatment
of severe and troublesome eczema over the scalp.
However, the treatment should be combined with Psorinum and
Graphites, which will definitely ameliorate the chronic eczema. These
remedies should be given in potency 1000 and repeated
alternately. In psoriasis too,
the patient has to be given Psorinum, Sulphur,
Silicea and Graphites one after the other. The disease being very deep
and serious cannot be controlled with one or two remedies.
Sometimes, children develop blood naevi (haemangioma) in
the form
of raw-looking
blood-filled blisters. If the patient is of cold constitution, then
by Allah’s grace, Silicea will be very useful. Otherwise, Ferrum Metallicum would be the first
choice, which has also been found to be useful in the
treatment of large birthmarks. Silicea
is very beneficial in the treatment
of dangerous and deepseated illnesses of the glands.
It is capable of softening and reducing the size of the
glands. Calcarea Fluor, Baryta Carb, Phytolacca and Causticum may also
be useful. If the glands at the jaws, in the neck and in the armpits
start growing rapidly and the patient is of cold constitution, then
Silicea must be used. If Silicea does not offer any relief, then the
condition is probably cancer. In this condition, Silicea alone will not
benefit. This patient should be treated with Sulphur CM. When the
patient starts feeling cold with the treatment of Sulphur, then one
dose of Silicea CM should be given. As long as the symptoms of cold
or heat do not change, the treatment should not be changed either.
Silicea is also useful in the treatment of ulcers of the cornea. Corneal ulcer is difficult to
treat, but if the patient is of the constitution of Silicea then Silicea
would work extraordinarily well. (For
other similar remedies, please see under Calcarea Fluor). Tonsillitis associated with catarrhal conditions is found in
many
homoeopathic remedies. Silicea will only be successful if
this is a constitutional remedy. Silicea, like Calcarea Fluor, can also
be useful in the treatment
of brittle teeth.
In most homoeopathic literature, Silicea is not mentioned as
the treatment for acute inflammation of the throat. It is only described for chronic illnesses of the throat. This is incorrect. In
fact, Silicea is capable of curing the acute infection of the tonsils (quinsy)
associated
with fever. Simultaneous use of Kali Mur, Ferrum Phos and Calcarea Fluor
6X will help the fever subside
rapidly, by the grace of God. If the fever does not come down on the
first day, it will gradually subside in two to three days.
A patient of Silicea feels cold, yet likes to drink very
cold water. He wants to eat ice or put ice in all
the drinks. In some homoeopathic literatures, it is mentioned that a
Silicea patient hates to take meat or if he likes meat at
all, he likes to eat it cold. My own vast experience does not support
this notion. Most Silicea patients do not in fact, dislike meat.
Silicea is also very useful in the treatment of chronic diarrhoea, which
may be due to tuberculosis or unclean and unhealthy food (as the food sometimes
available in refugee camps). In chronic diarrhoea or dysentery, besides Sulphur
and Croton, Silicea may also be useful, provided that the
patient’s body remains cold. During a world war, a homoeopath used
Silicea very successfully in the treatment of diarrhoea. At
another occasion, Silicea did not benefit. The reason is that the diseases
adopt different nature in different kinds of weather and epidemics, and
will obviously need different remedies to treat them. Some of the Silicea symptoms resemble those of Kali Carb.
Both are
of cold constitution. Silicea works extremely well in the
treatment of sexual diseases (like Kali Carb). If
the patient wets his bed due to cold, this can also be treated with
Silicea.
Sudden cessation
of periods in women, especially young girls can be effectively
treated with Silicea, provided the patient also exhibits other symptoms
of Silicea, so much so that it can effectively cure even the epilepsy resulting
from the cessation of periods. Silicea is also very useful in the treatment of asthma. Fever
during asthma can best be treated with Silicea. Silicea given after
the asthma attack is over will prolong its effectiveness and will stop
the tendency towards asthma in the future
Silicea is the treatment
of epilepsy if the patient is of cold constitution and
if the epilepsy is preceded by an aura originating at the abdomen and
then affecting the brain. One should never forget using Silicea for
the treatment of epilepsy occurring in the early part of the lunar
month.
In Silicea, the tongue hurts, as in gout, and is swollen. One part or
other of the tongue keeps hurting constantly. Blisters
form over the gums. Silicea also relieves the hiccuping resulting from stomach upset.
Nux Vomica and Ignatia are also very useful in the treatment of hiccups.
In Silicea, there is a tendency towards nausea and vomiting. The general
symptoms of Silicea being present, Silicea can also cure the liver dysfunction. The
patient dislikes hot food, but loves to eat it cold.
Sometimes, children
develop severe constipation and strain hard. In these children,
Silicea and Veratrum Album are very useful. (For detail, see under
Veratrum Album).
Silicea is also useful in many urinary problems. If the urine contains pus
as well as blood, or there is frequency of urination due to an irritable
bladder or the urine contains particulate matter settling in the bottom
of the container, then Silicea will be beneficial. The oxalate
stones produced in the kidneys, which are not amenable to
any other treatment, may be excreted in the urine by using Silicea 6X.
These stones are usually not visible in the x-rays. The diagnosis is
mostly based on the severe pain (renal colic). Oxalate stones are more
common in the areas where the food gets contaminated with minute stone
particles. My pupils in homoeopathy have widely used Silicea in the
treatment of these stones in Afghan refugee camps successfully.
Sometimes, cysts form in the lower part of the uterus, which can
rupture letting their sticky contents flow out. It is a
pretty troublesome
and disturbing condition. The ovaries
become inflamed and may even produce pus.
Small nodules form inside the uterus. Silicea
is very effective in the treatment of all these symptoms if it matches
the constitution of the patient.
Warts, inflammation and pain due to an in-growing toenail or formation of the calluses due
to tight shoes can be treated with Silicea or Sulphur according to the
overall symptoms of the patient.But
some homoeopaths claim that the best treatment of an in-grown nail
is the homoeopathic remedy prepared from a magnet found in Northern part of
Australia.