Lac Caninum: Homeopathic Medicine – Its Use, Indications And Dosage

Lac Caninum is a very valuable medicine to treat several health-related issues. This medicine manages very well throat issues mainly sore throat, and tonsillitis. It is of great clinical significance in managing joint pains. The most notable use of this medicine is for joint pains that wander from one joint to another and from one side to another. It is also effective in managing depression, forgetfulness, and certain fears. It is also well-indicated for managing some women-related problems like vaginal discharges, mastitis, and breast pain.

Drug Action

The best action of Lac Caninum is on the throat. It also acts well on the mind and women’s genitals. Next, it acts on the head, nose, ear, limbs, and joints.

Clinical Indications

Sore throat, tonsillitis, depression, delusions, menses disorders, leucorrhoea, ovarian disorders, dysmenorrhea, galactorrhea, breast pain, mastitis, headache, migraine, cold, nasal bleeding, ear infections, joint pain, sciatica.

Scope As A Homeopathic Remedy

1. Throat Issues (Sore Throat, Tonsillitis, Quinsy)

Lac Caninum acts wonderfully on the throat. Its use is firstly recommended to manage cases of sore throat. The most characteristic indication for its use is sore throat before or during menstruation. There is a pain in the throat while swallowing. The pain from the throat extends to the ears during swallowing. There occurs a pricking sensation in the throat as if it is full of sticks. Tickling and constriction are felt in the throat leading to a dry hacking cough. A lump is felt in the throat that goes down as one swallows but again returns. The throat also feels raw. There is dryness in the throat along with a scalding sensation as after ingesting hot fluid. In the throat, there may appear swelling of mucus follicles that are covered with whitish cream-colored mucus. The deposits in the throat look shining, glazed, and pearly white. Its use is considered in cases of tonsillitis as well. For those who need it, the tonsils are deep red, enlarged, shining, inflamed along with dryness in the throat. In most cases, the left-sided tonsil gets inflamed first then the inflammation is followed on the right. Pricking and cutting pain is felt in the tonsils on swallowing. White ulcers form on tonsils. This medicine can also help in managing cases of quinsy (pus collection behind the tonsils). This works well when the ailment starts from the left tonsil and then goes to the right.

Key Indicating Features

Sore throat before or during menses

Sore throat with throat pain while swallowing and it extends to the ears

Tonsillitis beginning in left tonsil followed by the right

Quinsy starting from left tonsil, and then it goes to the right

2. Mind Complaints (Forgetfulness, Depression, Fears, Delusions)

This medicine does wonders for ailments of the mind. It is of great value in managing cases of weak memory and forgetfulness. Those who need it make mistakes in reading, and writing. While writing one may not write the right words or may omit letters in a word. There is also difficulty in concentrating while reading or studying. Further, it is effective in managing cases of depression. The sufferer weeps several times in a day. This is accompanied by negative thoughts, and intense hopelessness. Self- loathing is present. There is sensation that there is nothing worth living for. In some cases, there is alteration of moods. Its use is also considered in managing certain types of fears. These include fear of disease especially heart disease and tuberculosis (a type of hypochondria); fear of going mad, fear of fainting and fear of snakes. Lastly, it is well indicated in managing certain delusions means rigid, false beliefs not based on reality. The first one is delusion of big eyes, and creeping things. Second is the delusion of entire body being filled with pus. Third is the delusion of snakes, insects, spiders.

Key Indicating Features

Weak memory, and forgetfulness with mistakes in reading, and writing

Depression with weeping episodes several times in a day, negative thinking and intense hopelessness

Fear of disease especially heart disease, and tuberculosis

Fear of going mad, fear of fainting and fear of snakes

Delusion of big eyes, and creeping things

Delusion of the entire body being filled with pus

Delusions of snakes, insects, spiders

3. Female Health Concerns (Heavy Menses, Vaginal Discharge, Painful Menses, Breast Swelling, Galactorrhea)

Its use is highly recommended in managing several women-related issues, such as heavy menses. Those who need it complain of early, and heavy menses. There are gushes of menstrual flow. It is also helpful in managing vaginal discharge (leucorrhoea). Its peculiar feature is that the vaginal discharge occurs only in the day time, and never at night. It is accompanied by foul smell in the genitals. Another complaint where its use can be considered is genital herpes (sexually transmitted infection caused by herpes simplex virus). There are sores between labia, and the thighs where this medicine is required. These have a foul smell. It can also handle well enough the cases of ovary pain. It is well indicated for sharp pains in ovaries that traverse from one side to another. This medicine is of great help in managing complaints of painful menses. It can be given when pain is marked in the left groin during menses. The abdomen becomes very sensitive even to the weight of the clothes. Lac Caninum also acts well on the breast. Here it is found effective in relieving pain and swelling in the breast that occurs particularly before the menses. It gets better when periods are about to commence. Along with swelling and pain the breast is sensitive to touch and pressure too. It has also given good results in cases of mastitis (breast inflammation). It can be used when mastitis symptoms get worse upon slight movement. This medicine is also of great service in cases of hard lumps, knots, and tumours in the breast. It is an important medicine to help cases of galactorrhea (milky discharge from nipples that is not related to normal milk production of breast feeding). Lac Caninum is also known to help establish milk production when there occurs loss of milk in nursing females without any known cause. Last action of this medicine is to help those who feel the need to dry up the breast milk.

Key Indicating Features

Early and heavy menses when bleeding occurs in gushes

Genital herpes with sores between labia and thighs having a foul smell

Pain and swelling in breast that occur particularly before menses

Galactorrhea (milky discharge from nipples that is not related to normal milk production of breast feeding)

Helps to enhance lactation when there is loss of milk among nursing women without any known cause

Helps to dry breast milk wherever required

4. Head (Headache, Migraine)

This medicine manages headaches very well. The most characteristic feature for its use is headache accompanied by blurring of vision and nausea, and also vomiting. Headaches usually occur on both sides alternately. It is very effective in cases of migraine. One feels throbbing in the temples. Pain is darting, stabbing in nature. The pain may begin on the right or left side and always shifts from one side to the other. Pain in the head gets worse from noise or talking. It gets better when one goes quiet.

Key Indicating Features

Headache accompanied by blurring of vision and nausea, and also vomiting

Headaches occur on both sides alternately

Headache gets worse from noise, and talking and it is relieved by keeping quiet

5. Nasal Problems (Cold, Bleeding)

When it comes to nasal problems, it is a suitable medicine to manage cases of cold. It is administered when one nostril is stuffed up and the other has free discharges. The discharge is profuse pus-like or watery in nature followed by dryness. In some cases, the nasal discharge is a thick white mucus or of blood-stained pus. The nasal discharge causes rawness of nose and lips. It is also valuable in managing nose bleeding. It can be used when nose bleeding occurs while speaking or swallowing. Another peculiar guiding feature is bleeding from the right nostril at night.

Key Indicating Features

Cold with stuffed up one nostril, and discharge from another nostril

Nose bleeding while speaking or swallowing

Bleeding from the right nostril at night

6. Ear Complaints (Ear Infections, Tinnitus)

This medicine can be administered in cases of ear infections. It proves best when infections alternately take place in one ear or the other. There occurs green-coloured discharge from the nose. Ears feel full. There is pain in the ear. It can be used in case of tinnitus (hearing noises in the ears in the absence of any external source). It is helpful if there is ringing, and buzzing noise in the ears.

Key Indicating Features

Ear infections that takes place alternately in one ear or the other.

Green-colored discharge from the ears

7. Limbs And Joints (Pain, Joint Pains, Sciatica, Burning)

This medicine has a marked action on the limbs, and the joints. It works wonderfully in managing alternating pains in limbs as if one has been beaten. In case of joints, it is highly suitable when pain in the joints keeps shifting from one joint to another and from one side to other. The pain in the joints get better from cold applications. These get worse after movement and heat. It is also well-indicated to manage sciatica on the right-side (pain along the sciatic nerve that begins in the lower back and goes down the hips, back of the thigh, legs and up to the foot). There is intense pain in lower back radiating down the right buttock and the leg. This pain is severe enough to disturb sleep. Lastly, another striking feature for its use is burning in the hands, and the feet at night time.

Key Indicating Features

Pain that alternately takes place between the limbs as if one is beaten

Joint pain which shifts from one joint to another and from one side to the other

Joint pain gets better from cold applications

Sciatica on the right side gets severe enough and even disturbs sleep

Burning is felt in the hands, and feet at night

Modalities

Worsening Factors: Complaints get worse from touch, pressure, motion, cold, rest, after sleep, empty swallowing, during menses, and at night

Relieving Factors: Complaints get better in the open air, from cold drinks and walking

Dosage

It can be used in 30 C and higher potencies. As a general rule, its low potencies can be repeated often while frequent repetition of high potencies should be avoided.

Relationship with Other Remedies

It can be compared with some other remedies including Lachesis, Lactic Acid and Lac Vaccinum