Graphites – Homeopathic Medicine: Its Uses, Indications and Dosage

Graphites is prepared from black lead by trituration (process of making a homeopathic remedy). By trituration process the medicinal properties of black lead are extracted. Graphites is highly recommended to treat skin complaints (mainly eczema, psoriasis), constipation, piles, anal fissures and suppressed / late periods in females.  

The ‘Graphites’ Constitution

This remedy is suited to people who have tendency of weight gain. Next, it is suitable to people who have tendency to skin complaints and also constipation. Other than this it is indicated for females who have are obese and have tendency of late, suppressed periods.

Drug Action

It has a marked action on skin where it helps to treat a number of complaints including eczema, psoriasis, skin rash, fungal infection, cracked skin. Next, its action is prominent on rectum where it offers help in cases of constipation, fissures and piles. Other than this it acts on the female genitalia and offers benefit to treat vaginal discharges and suppressed / late periods.

Role as a Homeopathic Medicine

1. Eye Complaints

It offers a great help in treating many eye complaints.

Among them, it is a highly effective medicine to treat eczema of eyelids. The persons needing it have inflamed eyelid with moist eruptions on it. Sometimes cracks and bleeding is present on eyelids.

Secondly, it is very beneficial to treat blepharitis ( inflammation of the eyelid margins where eyelashes grow). The key feature to use it in blepharitis is inflamed, red eyelid margins with presence of crust or flakes. The margins of eyelid are also dry along with above feature. Sometimes patient also get profuse watering from eyes. The eyelid may stick together. They may also have burning and biting sensation in eyelids. Intense itching in eyelid margin is also complained of.

Next, it is well indicated to treat photophobia ( light sensitivity – discomfort or pain in the eyes upon exposure to bright light). it may be used in this complaint when there is sensitivity of eyes to light especially sun light. It is attended with profuse watering from the eyes. Along with this redness of eye is marked. Persons also experience pain, burning and itching in eyes with above symptoms.

Other than this, it is a major medicine to treat styes (red, swollen lump on the on eyelid margin due to bacterial infection). It mainly helps to treat styes present on the lower lids. It works well in treating recent styes in any of the stages as well as also aids in removing the tendency of recurrent styes.

2. Ear Complaints

When it comes to ear complaints, this medicine is mainly used to treat complaint of tinnitus i.e hearing noises in the ear without the presence of any external sound. It is helpful to people who hear humming, roaring, ringing or hissing noises in ears. They may also feel cracking sounds in ear while eating or on moving jaw. In addition to it they may also have complaint of deafness. A unique feature that they may have is hearing getting better in noisy atmosphere.

Next, it is of great service to treat ear discharges (otorrhea). It is given in cases when there is thin, watery, and sticky discharge from the ears. In some cases the discharge may be blood stained. It also have an offensive smell.

It is also a highly recommended medicine to treat eczema behind the ears. Persons requiring it have crusty eruptions behind ears that ooze a sticky fluid. The eruptions may spread from behind ears to the cheeks and neck also. Severe itching is present in the eruptions. It is also given to heal cracks on skin behind ears. 

Lastly, it is a very useful medicine to treat dryness of ears.

3. Skin Issues

It is a top-listed medicine to treat a number of skin complaints. Among them its use is majorly noted in cases of eczema (inflamed, red, itchy skin with or without eruptions). It works well in both cases of dry eczema without any discharge as well as wet eczema with discharge. In cases needing it for dry eczema the skin is rough, dry and is inclined to crack. While in wet eczema eruptions on the skin with discharge of transparent, sticky fluid is the characteristic feature calling its use. 

Graphites works well in eczema appearing on any body part but especially behind the ears, on the eyelids, between fingers and toes, scalp. In cases of eczema on scalp there is presence of eruptions with thick crusts on it. There is oozing of sticky fluid from the eruptions. There is matting of hair from sticky, gluey discharges. The scalp is also sore and painful to touch.

Next, it is a renowned medicine to treat psoriasis (red, inflamed patches on the skin that are covered with silvery white scales). It is indicated when there are inflamed dry, rough areas on skin with excessive scales or flakes, along with much itching. It is also beneficial to heal cracks appearing on skin in psoriasis cases. It can be taken for psoriasis on any of the body part, particularly psoriasis of the scalp. In these cases the scalp is dry covered with copious scales sometimes extending behind the ears. Itching and burning appears on the scalp. It is also helpful for cases of nail psoriasis. Here thick, rough, discoloured and deformed nails is indicative of its use.

In addition to the above, it can take care of cracked skin very well. It helps to heal cracked skin at the ends of finger, between fingers or toes and cracked nipples. It also is indicated to treat cracks in fold of skin and bends of joints.

Lastly, it is an excellent medicine to treat fungal infection on scalp (tinea capitis) and fungal infection of nails (onychomycosis). In Tinea capitis scabby eruption are present on scalp. In many cases hair loss may be there in cases of ringworm of scalp.

In cases of nail fungus, it is recommended when the nails are brittle, discoloured, deformed and may break easily. The nails are also sore and painful.

4. Rectal Complaints

If we talk about about the rectum, then this remedy is first indicated to treat constipation. One can use it in constipation when the stool is hard, large and passed with much difficulty. Sometimes the stool may be covered with mucus. It helps to improve bowel motility to relief constipation.

Next, its use is considered in cases of anal fissures (a small tear in the mucosa that lines the anus mainly from passing hard stool). It aids to heal the tear in mucosa of anus and also helps to ease the pain attending it. It helps to improve pain in anus that may be sharp, cutting, stitching in nature. Burning in the anus also improve with its use. It also helps to stop bleeding that comes during stool in anal fissure cases.

Other than this, this medicine is used in cases of piles (swollen veins in the anus or lower part of rectum). In such cases it is given when piles are large with much bleeding. Cutting, stitching, smarting and pain is present in piles. The piles are also sore to touch. Along with it burning also appears in piles. Sometimes itching is also felt at the anus.

5. Female Complaints

In females, it is useful to treat complaint of suppressed or late periods. The females who need it also have scanty periods and that last for a short time. When menses appear they get violent abdominal pain,  headache and nausea.

Next, it offers help in cases of vaginal discharge. Females requiring it have vaginal discharge that occurs in gushes day and night. It is mostly yellowish or white in colour. The discharge is copious. It causes biting, smarting sensation in vagina. Along with it, weakness in the back is felt.

It is also used to treat sore, cracked, and painful nipples.

Dosage

Graphites can be used from low to high potencies. In low potencies it can be taken once or twice a day. Higher potencies should not be repeated frequently.

Relationship to Other Remedies

Complementary medicines to are Argentum Nitricum, Causticum, Hepar Sulph, and Lycopodium. These medicines can be used after Graphites as per symptom similarity to complete its action when it is no longer acting.

Antidotes are Nux Vomica, Aconite and Arsenic Album.