Kali Carb: Homeopathic Medicine – Its Use, Indications And Dosage

The remedy Kali Carb is derived from potassium carbonate. Potassium carbonate is inert in crude state and when it goes through potentization (process of preparing homeopathic medicines via which medicinal properties of a crude substance are aroused), it gets converted into a homeopathic medicine of great use. It is most valuable to manage lung complaints and back pain.

The ‘Kali Carb’ Constitution

It suits persons who have tendency to grow fat. It also suits elderly people having complaints of edema (swollen soft tissue caused by the accumulation of excessive fluid usually in feet and legs) or paralysis (loss of muscle function). It is also recommended for certain medical problems in women after childbirth. Lastly, it suits people sensitive to atmospheric changes and every draft of air.

Drug Action

This medicine has a wide sphere of action and acts well on lungs, back, fibrous tissue, ligaments, gastric tract, eyes, throat, female genitals, heart, joints and male organs.

Clinical Indications

Asthma, bronchitis, pleurisy, pneumonia, cough, backache, swollen eyelids, piles, flatulence, bloated abdomen, constipation, piles, eye floaters, eye strain, difficult swallowing, stricture of food pipe, suppressed periods, gonorrhea in males, joint inflammation, palpitations, fatty degeneration of heart

Scope As A Homeopathic Remedy

1. Respiratory System (Cough, Asthma, Bronchitis, Pleurisy, Pneumonia)

This medicine has a marked action on respiratory system where it helps to treat cases of asthma, bronchitis, pleurisy, pneumonia and cough. In case of asthma, it is given when the problem worsens from walking or the slightest movement. There is relief by sitting. A typical characteristic symptom for using this medicine is asthma attack occurring specifically between 2:00 am to 4:00 am. It is mainly indicated in bronchitis (inflamed bronchial tubes) that worsens from cold and dampness.  There is cough with thick, scant expectoration and the chest feels sensitive. In pneumonia (inflamed air sacs of lungs), it works well when there is dry cough with fever and stitching pain in chest. Coughing increases in the morning and from eating and drinking. For pleurisy (inflamed lining around the lungs), it is used when mainly the left side of the chest is affected. Stitching pain in the chest with dry cough and difficult breathing is the guiding feature. It is indicated for cough when it is dry, hard attended with chest pain. It may be attended with vomiting. This medicine is also prominent for cases of cough after measles.

Key Indicating Features

Asthma worse from least motion, walking, between 2:00 am to 4:00 am

Pneumonia and pleurisy with dry cough and stitching pain in chest

Dry hard cough with stitching chest pain

Cough after measles

2. Back (Back Pain, Weak Back)

Kali Carb is capable of settling many back complaints. It especially suits females who suffer from backache either during or before the menses. It also helps females having backache during pregnancy and after a miscarriage. It is useful for people having lower back pain accompanied by weakness in the back. The pain from here may radiate up and down. Stiffness in the back occurs with these symptoms. Additionally, burning sensation is felt in the spine.

Key Indicating Features

Backache in females during or before the menses, during pregnancy and after a miscarriage

Lower back pain accompanied by weakness

3. Eyes (Swollen Eyelids, Eye Floaters, Eyestrain)

Kali Carb acts on eyes and helps to manage mainly swollen eyelids. There may occur bag-like swelling over or under the eyes. Persons complaining of eye floaters can also benefit from this remedy. They may see black points or blue/green spots and bright sparks in front of the eyes. Last indication to use it is eyestrain (asthenopia). Here, a pressive pain and burning sensation is felt in the eyes. Sensitivity to bright light (photophobia) is an attending symptom.

Key Indicating Features

Swelling over or under the eyelids

Eye floaters black, blue or green spots and bright sparks in front of eyes

Eyestrain with pain, burning in eyes and sensitivity to bright light

4. Throat (Difficulty In Swallowing, Stricture Of Food Pipe, Throat Pain)

Kali Carb manages well cases where there is difficulty in swallowing. Food goes slowly down the food pipe. It may sometimes get stuck halfway in the food pipe followed by vomiting. It is highly recommended for cases of esophageal stricture (narrowing of the food pipe). It is an important medicine for cases of hoarse voice or loss of voice. Its use is also considered for throat pain with a feeling of fish bone sticking there. Dryness, roughness and scraping sensation is felt in the throat. Along with this, there may occur hawking of tough, sticky mucus in the morning.

Key indicating features

Difficulty in swallowing where food moves slowly down food pipe or gets stuck, followed by vomiting

Stricture of food pipe

Throat pain with sensation of fish bone stuck in the throat

5. Gastric Issues (Gas, Bloating, Acidity, Constipation, Piles)

Kali Carb has also proved successful in managing numerous gastric concerns. The most important being excessive gas in abdomen. Persons feels whatever he has eaten has turned into gas. Stomach is bloated. Eating or drinking even in small quantity creates fullness in stomach. It feels as if stomach would burst from gas. The gas feels obstructed, and navel pain can be present. This medicine suits elderly people who suffer from acidity, stomach burning and bloating. It can be used for cases of sour belching. Vomiting may occur of sour matter. It is also valuable to treat constipation that occurs specifically during or after menses. Women having constipation after difficult childbirth can also be given this medicine. Another prominent indication to use it is large piles. These are painful and very sensitive to touch. There is intense burning in them. These may bleed too.

Key Indicating Features

Excessive gas in abdomen with bloating

Acidity, stomach burning and bloating in elderly people

Constipation in woman after difficult childbirth

Large piles with pain, burning and sensitivity

6. Male Problems (Gonorrhoea, Involuntary Seminal Emissions, Low Libido)

Many of the male problems can also be treated with Kali Carb. Among these, the first is long-term gonorrhoea (sexually transmitted infection caused by bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae). In such cases, burning during and after urination is marked. There is also scanty urethral discharge. It also covers involuntary seminal emissions followed by weakness. It also helps cases of low libido (low sex drive).

Key Indicating Features

Gonorrhoea with burning urination and scanty urethral discharge

Involuntary seminal emissions followed by weakness

Low sex drive

7. Female Problems (Supressed Menses, Heavy Menses, PMS)

If we talk of female problems, then Kali Carb is an important medicine to manage late and suppressed periods (amenorrhea). The menses do not appear for many months altogether. Back pain may occur. It is also indicated for prolonged and profuse menses. The blood is bright red. After excessive bleeding there may occur constant oozing of blood with intense back pain. It is also effective for PMS (premenstrual syndrome) cases. For using it here the main symptoms are swelling in breast and retention of fluid. Lastly, it is given for cases of vaginal discharge with burning, itching and labour-like pains.

Key Indicating Features

Suppressed menses for many months together

Prolonged and profuse periods with back pain

PMS (premenstrual syndrome) to manage swelling in breast and retention of fluid

Vaginal discharge with burning, itching and labour-like pains.

8. Joints (Joint Inflammation, Joint Pain)

With its action on joints, Kali Carb helps in treating joint inflammation (arthritis). Persons needing it feel sharp pains in joints. It worsens at night. There may be pain in shoulder especially right side. Movement and mere touching of the shoulder may aggravate the pain. Cracking may occur in this joint on moving or raising the arm. This medicine is significant to manage knee joint pain. Tearing type of pain is felt in the knee. Climbing stairs and going downstairs, both are difficult for the suffferer. Pain may specifically occur inside the knee, walking worsens it. It has marked affinity for managing hip joint disease. This medicine can also manage joint inflammation in small joints with deformities.

Key Indicating Features

Joint inflammation with sharp joint pain at night

Shoulder pain worse from motion and touch

Knee pain worse from going up and down stairs, walking

Small joint inflammation with deformities

9. Heart (Fatty Degeneration Of Heart, Palpitations, Endocarditis)

Lastly, it works well to manage many heart complaints too. Here it can be used to manage cases of fatty degeneration of heart. Another indication is palpitations. These get worse from the slightest exertion. The palpitations are violent. Besides, it is also indicated for cases of endocarditis (inflamed inner lining of heart) and stitching heart pain through to scapula.

Key Indicating Features

Fatty degeneration of heart

Palpitations from little exertion

Endocarditis

Modalities

Worsening factors: Complaints in general get worse from cold air exposure, in cold weather, between 2:00 am to 4:00 am and from exertion.

Relieving factors: Complaints get better in warm weather, open air and from moving about.

Dosage

It can be used in 30C and even higher potencies. The potency and repetition vary from case to case. In general, low potencies can be repeated often but higher cannot be repeated frequently.

Relationship with Other Remedies

Antidoted by: Camphor, Coffea Cruda and Helonias

Followed well by Fluoric Acid, Nitric Acid, Arsenic Album, Carbo Veg, Lycopodium, Phosphorus, Pulsatilla and Sepia.