What is Natrum Chloratum?
Origin and source. Natrum chloratum is prepared from sodium chloride -- common salt -- the substance that governs the body's water balance. This everyday mineral, once proved homeopathically, revealed one of the deepest and most fully-developed constitutional pictures in the whole materia medica. The name natrum chloratum simply reflects the chloride salt of sodium; the same remedy is widely known by its Latin name natrum muriaticum. In homeopathy the salt is used only in highly diluted, potentised form.
Preparation in homeopathy. As with all homeopathic remedies, the salt is triturated and then progressively diluted and succussed so that the final preparation is highly diluted. What remains is a remedy defined by its symptom picture in the materia medica rather than by any material quantity of the original salt.
Historical place in homeopathy. Sodium chloride was proved by Hahnemann and developed into one of the very greatest polychrests, documented at length by Hering, Kent, Clarke, and Boericke. Its picture centres on the emotions: long-held, silent grief; a reserved, private nature that hides feelings and dislikes consolation, indeed feeling worse when comforted; a tendency to dwell on past hurts, disappointments, and losses; and ailments traced to grief, disappointed affection, or humiliation. Physically it is a remedy of dryness and of water imbalance -- dryness of the mucous membranes, a craving for salt, thirst, sun-provoked and school headaches, cold sores on the lips, a mapped tongue, and a characteristic aggravation around the late morning. The person is often reserved and dignified outwardly while carrying a great deal within.
How the remedy is understood. In the homeopathic method a remedy is chosen because the totality of a person's symptoms -- physical, general, and mental -- resembles the symptom picture the substance produced. Natrum chloratum is therefore not prescribed for a diagnosis such as "depression" or "migraine"; it is prescribed for a person whose individual pattern of silent grief, reserve, dryness, and salt craving matches the remedy's documented picture. This distinction is central to responsible homeopathic practice and to reading this page correctly: the remedy names a pattern, never a promise of recovery, and never a reason to delay care for serious low mood.
Key Characteristics
- Silent, long-held grief -- sorrow carried privately, often over past hurts and losses.
- Reserve and dislike of consolation -- a private nature that feels worse when comforted.
- Ailments from grief and disappointed affection -- complaints traced to emotional hurt.
- Dryness of the mucous membranes -- dry lips, mouth, and skin with the water imbalance.
- Craving for salt -- a marked desire for salt and salty things, often with thirst.
- Sun and school headaches -- headache from the sun or from mental strain and study.
- Cold sores and mapped tongue -- herpetic lips and a characteristically mapped tongue.
- Worse late morning (about 10 - 11 am) -- a characteristic aggravation time.
Traditional Symptom Picture
In homeopathic practice, natrum chloratum is traditionally considered when a person's symptom pattern includes the themes above. The picture is built system by system:
Head
A leading sphere. Headache from the sun (worse as the sun rises and eases as it sets), from mental strain and study (school headaches), and around menses; a bursting or hammering pain, often worse in the late morning. Migraine-type headaches are traditionally discussed here, and severe or new headaches should be assessed medically.
Eyes
Dryness and a sense of stiffness of the eyes; letters run together on reading; watering in the open air; addressed within the whole constitution.
Nose
Dryness alternating with a clear, egg-white-like discharge; loss of smell and taste with chronic catarrh; sneezing in the morning.
Mouth & lips
Dryness of the mouth; cold sores (herpetic eruptions) on and around the lips; a characteristically mapped tongue with patches; cracks in the middle of the lower lip.
Skin
Dryness of the skin; a tendency to herpetic eruptions and to greasy skin at the hairline; hives from exertion or heat; addressed within the whole constitution.
Mind
The central sphere. Silent, long-held grief; reserve and a private, dignified nature; a dislike of consolation and a tendency to weep alone; dwelling on past hurts, disappointments, and losses; irritability when disturbed; and a deep sensitivity beneath a controlled surface. Serious low mood needs professional support without delay.
Constitution & temperament
A reserved, sensitive, dignified constitution given to silent grief, dryness, and salt craving, often with a lean build and a tendency to be worse from the sun and in the late morning.
Digestive
A craving for salt and salty things, with thirst; hard, dry, crumbling stool with a sense of dryness; loss of appetite from grief, or eating without relish.
Female / reproductive
Menstrual irregularity and headaches around menses; dryness of the parts; complaints traced to grief and disappointed affection, considered within the whole picture and alongside gynaecological assessment.
Extremities
Weakness and a sense of weariness; cold hands and feet; a tendency to hangnails and dry skin about the fingers.
Modalities
Better: open air, cool bathing, rest, lying down, missing a meal. Worse: sun, heat, mental strain, consolation, late morning (about 10 - 11 am), the seashore for some.
Every symptom is read as part of an individual's complete picture. Two people with the same diagnosis may receive different remedies.
Conditions Where Practitioners May Consider Natrum Chloratum
The conditions below are ones where homeopathic practitioners traditionally discuss natrum chloratum as one possible remedy among many, selected by the individual's complete symptom picture. Each links to its live condition overview and (where available) its in-depth guide. For serious low mood, conventional care is essential.
Homeopathy individualises; responsible care includes medical diagnosis where indicated.
Common Patient Questions
- "I carry old grief silently and hate being comforted -- is natrum chloratum right?" Silent, long-held grief with a dislike of consolation is the central natrum chloratum theme, but only a qualified homeopath can confirm the match, and serious low mood needs professional support.
- "I get headaches from the sun and from study -- does that fit?" Sun and school headaches worse in the late morning are documented keynotes traditionally discussed here; severe or new headaches should be assessed medically.
- "I crave salt and my lips and mouth are dry -- is this my remedy?" A salt craving with dryness and cold sores is a characteristic feature, but it is one clue among many that a practitioner weighs individually.
- "Can it help complaints that started after a loss or disappointment?" Practitioners may consider natrum chloratum where complaints follow grief or disappointed affection; individualised assessment is needed.
Potencies
Homeopathic preparations use potency scales indicating dilution and succussion:
- 6C / 30C -- lower Centesimal potencies, traditionally used in milder or more superficial presentations.
- 200C -- a higher potency, traditionally for deeper or constitutionally-matched cases.
- 1M -- a high potency used occasionally in individualised practice.
- LM -- a gentle, sequential potency format for sensitive individuals.
Potency is individualised -- chosen by the practitioner from your constitution and response. We do not advise self-selection of potency.
Dosage
Homeopathic dosage varies by individual: constitution, acuity, potency, and response. As a deep constitutional remedy, natrum chloratum is often used in a considered, spaced way rather than frequently repeated; the practitioner sets the plan and reviews at follow-up, and any homeopathic support for low mood is used alongside professional care, never in place of it.
Safety & Precautions
- Pregnancy & breastfeeding: discuss with your physician and a qualified homeopath.
- Children: practitioner-led remedy selection.
- Existing conditions / medications: homeopathy is a distinct system of medicine; keep your physician informed and continue prescribed treatment as needed. The highly diluted homeopathic remedy is not the same as dietary salt.
- Urgent care: severe or worsening low mood, thoughts of self-harm, severe or new headache, or any severe acute symptom -- seek conventional medical care promptly. Never stop prescribed mental-health treatment without your physician's guidance.
Side Effects
- Homeopathic aggravation: a brief, temporary intensification may occur as the remedy acts; judged by the practitioner.
- Stop & consult if symptoms worsen persistently or new severe symptoms appear.
Who May Benefit?
Framed as symptom patterns, not diagnoses: silent, long-held grief with reserve and a dislike of consolation; complaints traced to grief or disappointed affection; dryness of the mucous membranes with a salt craving; sun and school headaches worse in the late morning; cold sores and a mapped tongue. Benefit is individual; a matching pattern -- not a disease label -- is what the practitioner assesses, alongside professional care for serious low mood.
Who Should Avoid Self-Medicating?
Anyone with severe or worsening low mood or thoughts of self-harm, who needs professional care without delay; people with severe or new headaches; pregnant or breastfeeding women without guidance; infants and young children; and anyone with persistent worsening signs.
Natrum Chloratum vs Other Remedies
Comparison tables show why remedy choice is individualised -- pattern contrasts, not rankings.
Natrum Chloratum vs Ignatia Amara
Ignatia amara is the acute, changeable, sighing grief with a lump in the throat and paradoxical symptoms -- see ignatia-amara for the contrast.
Natrum Chloratum vs Sepia
Sepia is the worn-out, indifferent-to-family, better-for-vigorous-exercise, bearing-down remedy -- see sepia for the distinction.
Natrum Chloratum vs Pulsatilla
Pulsatilla is the mild, weepy, changeable, wants-consolation, better-open-air remedy -- see pulsatilla for the contrast.
Natrum Chloratum vs Phosphoric Acid
Phosphoric acid is the grief-and-overwork apathy with weakness and painless diarrhoea -- see phosphoric-acid for the contrast.
Natrum Chloratum vs Aurum Metallicum
Aurum metallicum is the deep, self-reproaching low mood with a sense of worthlessness -- see aurum-metallicum for the contrast, and for serious low mood always seek professional care.
Related Remedies
- Natrum Muriaticum -- the same remedy by its Latin name.
- Ignatia Amara -- acute, changeable grief.
- Sepia -- worn-out indifference.
- Pulsatilla -- mild, weepy, changeable.
- Phosphoric Acid -- grief-and-overwork apathy.
- Aurum Metallicum -- deep low mood.
- Staphysagria -- suppressed feelings, humiliation.
- Lachesis -- suppressed emotion, talkative.
