latent psora

Symptoms of Latent Psora

Definition

According to Hahnemann, latent psora is the early, subclinical stage of the psoric miasm that emerges after suppression of the primary skin eruption (the “itch”). The internal disease “increase[s] unceasingly and often for years unperceived by the eyes; so that anyone, who does not know the signs of its latent presence, would suppose and declare such persons to be healthy and free from any internal malady” (1). The affected individual “appears healthy” and “carries usual life activities, without any (or very little) limitations,” yet displays mild functional deviations that the trained physician can detect (2). Dimitriadis notes that these signs represent “increased susceptibilities and/or abnormal reactions to otherwise fairly innocuous” stimuli (3).

Symptoms of Latent Psora

Hahnemann enumerates approximately 60 signs of latent psora, emphasizing that they are seldom all present in a single person (1,4). They can be grouped as follows:

General / Constitutional
1. Paleness of the face and relaxation of the muscles (1)
2. Weariness early on awakening; unrefreshing sleep (1)
3. Uneasy, frightful, or at least too vivid dreams (1)
4. Perspiration in the morning in bed; perspiration breaks out too easily during the day, even with little movement, or inability to bring out perspiration (1)
5. Predisposition to catching cold from the slightest draught, especially in head, throat, breast, abdomen, or feet (1)
6. Most ailments come on at night, are worse in winter and toward spring, and aggravated by north/northeast winds and low barometric pressure (1)

Head, Ears, Eyes, Nose
1. Frequent one-sided headache or toothache, even from moderate emotional disturbances (1)
2. Frequent falling out of hair, dryness of the hair, many scales on the scalp (1)
3. Frequent inflammation of the eyes (1)
4. Epistaxis in girls and youths, often very severe; less frequent in older persons (1)
5. Long-continued obstruction of one or both nostrils; ulcerated nostrils (sore nose); disagreeable dryness of the nose (1)

Mouth, Throat, and Respiration
1. White or very pale tongue, more frequently cracked tongue (1)
2. Bad smell from the mouth, especially in the early morning and during menses (1)
3. Sour taste in the mouth; dryness in the mouth at night or in the morning (1)
4. Frequent inflammation of the throat and hoarseness (1)
5. Short tussiculation in the morning; frequent attacks of dyspnoea (1)

Gastrointestinal
1. Frequent discharge of ascarides and other worms in children, with intolerable itching of the rectum (1)
2. Abdomen often distended; now insatiable hunger, then again want of appetite (1)
3. Repugnance to cooked, warm food, especially meat; repugnance to milk (1)
4. Nausea in the morning; sensation of emptiness in the stomach (1)
5. Cutting pains in the abdomen, frequently or daily, especially in children (1)
6. Hard stools delaying more than a day, clotted, often covered with mucus; or nearly always soft, fermenting stools (1)
7. Venous knots at the anus; passage of blood with stools; passing of mucus from the anus; itching of the anus (1)

Genitourinary / Menstrual
1. Dark urine (1)
2. Amenorrhoea, irregularities in the menses — too copious, too scanty, too early, too late, of too long duration, too watery — with various concomitant bodily ailments (1)

Skin and Extremities
1. Unhealthy skin; every little lesion passes into sores; cracked skin of the hands and lower lips (1)
2. Frequent boils and felons (whitlows) (1)
3. Dry skin on the limbs — arms, thighs, and sometimes cheeks (1)
4. Rough, scaling spots on the skin with voluptuous itching and burning after rubbing; occasional insufferably itching vesicles on a finger, wrist, or other site (1)
5. Swollen, enlarged veins on the legs (varices) (1)
6. Chilblains and chilblain-like pains, even outside winter (1)
7. Cold, dry, or ill-smelling sweaty feet, with burning in the soles (1)
8. Usually cold hands or perspiration on the palms, with burning in the palms (1)
9. Arms/hands or legs/feet easily benumbed; frequent cramps in the calves, arms, and hands; painless subsultus of various muscle groups (1)
10. Predisposition to strains even from carrying or lifting a slight weight; complaints from moderate stretching of the muscles (headache, nausea, prostration, tensive pains in neck and back) (1)
11. Cracking of one or more joints on moving; pains as of corns without external pinching (1)
12. Twitching of the limbs on going to sleep (1)
13. Drawing, tensive pains in the neck, back, limbs, and teeth in damp, stormy weather, in north/northeast winds, after colds, over-lifting, disagreeable emotions (1)
14. Renewal of pains and complaints while at rest, with disappearance while in motion (1)
15. Predisposition to erysipelas now and then (1)

Mind (additional observations)
1. Inability to think or to perform mental labor; melancholy; anxiety with restlessness; weeping disposition; the patient “finds no rest, but has to run here and there and often falls into perspiration” (5)

Modalities (consistent pattern)
1. Aggravation at rest, at night, in winter, in damp/stormy weather, and from north/northeast winds
2. Amelioration from motion (1)

References

1. Hahnemann S. The chronic diseases: their peculiar nature and their homoeopathic cure. Vol. 1. Tafel LH, translator. Philadelphia: Boericke & Tafel; 1896. p. 45–47. (Original work published 1828.) Available from: https://www.homeopathyingreece.gr/images/pdf/the-chronic-diseases-hahnemann.pdf

2. Master FJ. Latent psora: practical approach [Internet]. Homeobook; [cited 2026 Jul 23]. Available from: https://www.homeobook.com/latent-psora-practical-approach/

3. Dimitriadis G. The theory of chronic diseases according to Hahnemann. Kandern: Narayana Verlag; 2005. p. 45–47. Available from: https://www.narayana-verlag.de/homeopathy/pdf/The-Theory-of-Chronic-Diseases-According-to-Hahnemann-George-Dimitriadis.04437_1.pdf

4. Little M. Understanding the miasms. Homœopathica. 2003;3(2). Available from: https://simillimum.com/education/little-library/Volume-III-C2-UnderstandingtheMiasms.pdf

5. An approach to the Hahnemannian concept of psora. Homoeopathic Heritage [Internet]. [cited 2026 Jul 23]. Available from: https://www.homoeopathicjournal.com/articles/489/5-4-34-621.pdf

6. (Optional secondary source) Kent JT. Lectures on homoeopathic philosophy. Lecture on psora. Chicago: Ehrhart & Karl; 1900.