Benzoic Acid – Homeopathic medicine: Its Use, Indications And Dosage

The remedy Benzoic Acid is derived from benzoicum acidum which is obtained by sublimation from gum benzoin or from some aromatic hydrocarbons. When benzoicum acidum is potentised as per homeopathic formula which is a process of arousing the latent medicinal properties from a crude substance, we obtain a highly valuable homeopathic medicine Benzoic Acid. It is a highly recommended medicine for treating gout (inflamed joints from increased uric acid level) and some urinary problems.

The ‘Benzoic Acid’ Constitution

This medicine suits persons who have a tendency to suffer from joint inflammation due to high uric acid (gout).

Drug Action

The supreme action of this medicine is witnessed on the joints mainly joint inflammation arising from high uric acid. Benzoic Acid shows marked action on urinary organs. A strong offensive-smelling urine is a key symptom highly noteworthy for its use. Besides, its action is seen on the limbs, gastric system and lungs.

Clinical Indications

Gout, toe pain, knee pain, bunions, ganglion, foul-smelling urine, bed-wetting, kidney stones, kidney disorders, diarrhea, asthma

Scope As A Homeopathic Remedy

1. Action On Joints (Gout)

It is predominantly a medicine to treat joint inflammation. It is a top-grade homeopathic medicine for gout treatment. Gout refers to inflamed, painful, red, swollen and warm joints due to increased uric acid level. Firstly, it gives excellent results when the joints are red, swollen and sensitive to touch. Cracking sound from the joints on movement occurs. Nodes on joints, which are painful, are formed due to high uric acid. Benzoic Acid works well in cases where gouty pain gets worse at night. Its use is highly recommended for pain in the thumb toe of the foot which is tearing type. Mostly, right-side toe is affected where Benzoic Acid is required. Swelling in thumb toe is marked. Benzoic Acid is also suggested for knee joint pain along with swelling. It is also useful for swelling in the fingers and the elbow joint as well.

Key indicating features

1. Gout (inflamed joints due to increased uric acid levels)

2. Red, swollen and sensitive joints in gout

3. Pain and swelling in great toe and knee

2. Limbs (Ganglion, Bunion, Achilles Tendon Pain, Panaritium)

This medicine acts well on the limbs to treat certain complaints. First, it treats ganglion which is a round lump filled with jelly-like fluid that commonly develops on the back of the wrist.

Benzoic Acid proves to be highly effective to dissolve ganglion of the wrist. Second, it is a beneficial medicine for cases of bunion which is a bony bump forming on the joint at the base of the big toe. Third, it relieves pain in the Achilles tendon (a tough fibrous band that connects calf muscle in the back of leg to the heel bone). This pain may begin on the right side and then move to the left side. It gets worse by standing or walking which puts pressure on the foot . In cases needing it, the feet may be cold with cold sweat. Benzoic Acid is an important medicine for treating panaritium which is an infection or inflammation of tissue with pus formation near a fingernail.

Key indicating features

1. Ganglion of wrist

2. Bunion (bony bump on the joint at the base of big toe)

3. Urinary Issues (Offensive Urine, Bedwetting, Kidney Stones, Cystitis, Nephritis, Kidney Pain, Enlarged Prostate)

Benzoic Acid shows the best action on urinary organs. The most important characteristic for its use is highly offensive (foul–smelling) urine like the urine of horse. It is hot and dark brown. Benzoic Acid is highly recommended for treating kidney stones. Another complaint where it proves beneficial is bed-wetting. In such cases, urine is very offensive and stains the bed sheets brown. It is also capable to deal with cases of cystitis (means inflammation of urinary bladder). Benzoic Acid can be used for managing cases of nephritis (inflammation of kidneys) too. It relieves kidney pain attended with red urine having strong smell. There is light pain in the kidneys. In left side kidney, burning pain is felt. On stooping, shooting pain occurs in the kidneys. Lastly, it works well for managing enlarged prostate. Here it is used when there is difficult urination, and mucus and pus appear in the urine.

Key indicating features

1. Highly offensive strong smelling urine, as foul as horse urine

2. Bed-wetting with strong-smelling urine staining the bed sheets brown

3. Kidney pain attended with red urine having strong smell

4. Gastric Problems (Pain Around Navel, Diarrhea)

With its action on the gastric system, it proves to be successful in alleviating pain around the navel. For recommending Benzoic Acid, the pain around navel is cutting type which gets better after passing stool. Heat in the stomach may also be there. There may be vomiting of bitter or salty taste. It can be helpful in managing stitching type of pain in the liver region. It is well indicated to manage diarrhea. There is watery, profuse stool that looks greyish white and is frothy with a very strong offensive smell. Before passing stool, a person feels chilly. Stitching pain and constricted feeling in the rectum attends. There may occur a feeling of insects crawling in the anus. In some cases, wart-like growths appear around the anus.

Key indicating features

1. Pain around navel, cutting type, better after passing stool

2. Diarrhea with watery, profuse, greyish white, frothy stool having a very strong offensive smell.

5. Lungs (Cough, Asthma, Chest Pain)

Lastly, Benzoic Acid is indicated for managing some complaints related to lungs. It proves helpful for managing cough when there occurs expectoration of greenish mucus with cough. It is indicated for asthma management. The main indicator here is coughing at night. It worsens from lying on the right side. Stitching pain in the chest on deep breathing can occur mostly in the evening. Cough at the slightest exposure to cold also indicates its use.

Key indicating features

1. Cough with expectoration of greenish mucus

2. Cough worse at night and on lying on the right side

3. Stitching pain in the chest on deep breathing in the evening

Modalities

Worsening factors: Complaints get worse from cold, movement, weather change and uncovered chest in winter

Relieving factors: Complaints get better from heat and copious urination

Dosage

This medicine can be used in both low and high potency. The potency and repetition of this medicine varies in every individual. As a general rule, low potency can be taken frequently but high potencies should not be repeated often.

Relationship with Other Remedies

Antidoted by: Copaiva

It can be compared with medicine Nitric Acid in cases of offensive urine like horse and  with other medicines including Sabina, Calcarea Carb, Ferrum Met, Zincum Met and Tropeolum.