Badiaga

A freshwater sponge, traditionally used in homoeopathy for sore, bruised-feeling muscles and skin, swollen glands, and colds with a loose, flying cough.

Badiaga is a freshwater sponge, a simple animal that grows as greenish crusts on stones and logs in clean rivers, ponds and lakes. Its body is supported by tiny needle-like spicules of silica, and it feeds by filtering small organisms from the water. Homoeopathy uses the dried sponge.

It is traditionally associated with soreness: muscles and skin that feel bruised and tender, worse for movement and the rub of clothing, and better for warmth. Homoeopaths also turn to it for swollen glands, and for colds and hay fever with sneezing and a cough that throws mucus out forcibly.

• Sore, bruised muscles
• Swollen glands
• Cough with loose mucus
• Hay fever
• Stiff neck