Dr R. S. Mann's Weblog

2011 in review

Dr. R.S.Mann — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 00:23:40 +0000

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 2,200 times in 2011. If it were a cable car, it would take about 37 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

Filed under: Healthcare

The Language of the Repertory – J T Kent

Dr. R.S.Mann — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 11:29:45 +0000

This Article originally published in The Homoeopathician, A Journal For Pure Homoeopathy, Vol. III January,1913 No. 1, from page no. 8 to 10.
The Language of the Repertory
By James Tyler Kent, A.M., M.D., Chicago, III.
Introductory Note: To many who have not been thoroughly trained in repertory study, the practical value of such work remains uncomprehended. The following article has been prepared to shed light on some of the difficulties that confront those who have not learned to appreciate the immense value of such an index as is afforded in the modern Repertory, and how familiarity with it unlocks the store-house of our materia medica in the future to that rubric or symptom.
Many fail to use the repertory because they think of symptoms in pathological language or because they look for expressions in the language of tradition. It must be remembered that symptoms come to us from lay provers; that sick people are lay people. Both of these express sicknesses in the language of the layman and the repertory must be an index of the materia medica. Every effort to convert either the materia medica or the repertory into the language of traditional medicine must result in total failure. Technical language condenses the thought of a given sickness. That is all that is needed to convey all there is knowable from one physician to another until the question of the remedy comes up, and there the new question comes up: What is the remedy? The answer comes by asking another question: What are the symptoms? The symptoms are the speech of the Patient.
THE physician must study the homoeopathic principles until he learns what it is in sickness that guides to the curative remedy. He must study the materia medica until he learns what is needed to meet these demands.
He must then study the repertory until he learns how to use it so that he can find what he wants when he needs it. It must be admitted that many do mechanical work and fail to realize that any other kind is possible. The physician must read over and over the rubrics in the repertory in order to learn what is in it and how symptoms are expressed. Often he will see a rubric or a symptom that he would not have thought of seeking in that place; he should then settle in his own mind where he would have looked for it; then he should make one or several cross-references to guide him laity and of nature: uneducated nature—simple nature—appealing to an educated physician. The symptoms of a patient have no meaning whatever to an untrained physician—to a physician untrained in the significance of symptoms of the patient, of the prover—hence the repertory is meaningless to him. This explains why so many try to use the repertory and fail: they have had no teaching in our so-called homoeopathic colleges.
All who know how to use a repertory succeed, and not one has ever discarded it. It appears strange that all do not try to find some one to teach them to use it when there are so many willing to do it; it appears strange that they do not desire to know how to use the repertory; it appears strange that they have not learned to note the precise language of the patient, the language of the materia medica, and the language of the repertory.
Physicians who are ignorant in these methods see no difference when the same symptom appears in three different patients in the same family, though one has this symptom at 10 a.m., another at 1 a.m., and another at 4 p.m.; one is better from heat, another from cold, and the third not affected by either, and I have known them to ask very promptly: "What has that to do with it?" Three patients suffer from a similar headache: one is better in the open air, one is better from applied cold, and the third, from applied heat; and again comes the question: "What has that to do with it?" Yet these are only the first and simplest differences to be mentioned.
The inexperienced physician in our art trains his mind to lump and condense and concentrate and this leads in the opposite direction to what is required. We have large groups or rubrics but these are next split up into conditions, circumstances and modalities until every least difference in time, place, degree and manner is brought before the mind so that distinction and individualization may appear. "What has that to do with it?"
I will mention the word "weakness" and even our own students may say: "What a common general symptom to mention," but if he is weak—after eating, must lie down for a while, in hot weather, after stool, after mental and physical exertion, after sleep, who would not wonder if Selenium would not cure such a case? When such a group of circumstances is associated in catarrh of nose, throat and larynx, or carcinoma, and there are desire for open air, lack of vital heat, emaciation in advanced years, extreme sensitiveness to drafts—even warm drafts, there is nothing left for the homoeopathist but to give Selenium.
How can the inexperienced physician work this out without a repertory, properly used? The proper use of the repertory will lead to correct offhand prescribing in simple cases, in from ten to twenty years. The mechanical use of the repertory never leads to artistic prescribing nor to remarkable results. Certain mental characteristics go hand in hand; some characteristics of mind are necessary to good, artistic repertory-work, others are equally prohibitory.
Some minds cannot comprehend that potentization of any given drug is possible in proportion to the homoeopathicity of that drug to a given group of symptoms, and that when the drug is not similar, only attenuation is present. When attenuation becomes potentization is a question that the healing-artist alone can comprehend otherwise than theoretically. The physician who can clearly comprehend this can learn to comprehend the value of symptoms and therefore learn, by the aid of a repertory, to compare the symptoms of his patient; otherwise repertory-work is purely mechanical.
Perhaps a clinical case will best illustrate the subject.
Mrs. S., aged 47, a very excitable—almost hysterical—woman, for many years has suffered— violent occipital headaches.
Compelled to take strong medicines for years.
Occur every few days; never passes a week without one. Continue three days.
Heat and pressure give most relief.
Bowels constipated; for a week has no desire; then takes cathartics.
Says: "I have taken everything."
Stool hard and small, resembling sheep-dung.
Craves open air; cool air.
Heat flushes.
Menstruation absent lately.
Urine scanty and strong.
Eyes have sensation that they do not belong to her.
Cold knees and below knees.
Very tired and excitable.
Over-sensitive; extremely sensitive to touch over entire body.
What are the strange, rare and peculiar symptoms in this patient?
The remedies that have stool in round, hard balls resembling sheep dung that also have strong craving for open air are:
Alum., bar.-c, carb.-an., carb.-s., caust., graph., kali-s., mag-m., nat-m., nat-s., op., sulph.
No desire for stool for many days;
Alum., carb.-an., carb.-s., caust., graph., kali-s., mag.-m., nat.-m., op., sulph., and many others not related to the case.
Occipital headache: Alum., carb-an., carb-s., mag-m., nat.-m., op., sep., sulph.
jarring agg.: Carb-s., mag-m., nat.-m., sulph.
pressure amel.: Mag-m., nat-m., sulph.
heat amel.: Mag-m.
March 4th. Mag.-m. 10m.
April 9th. Mag.-m. 10m.
May 20th. Mag.-m. 50m.
There has been no headache since and she has been in good health. In this case the headache is a common one, but it was what she came to have cured. The peculiar symptom is the one difficult to explain, viz.: stool in hard balls resembling "sheep dung."
It is certainly uncommon; it is not the stool natural to healthy human beings; it is not a diagnostic symptom of any disease. One might wonder what kind of commotion in the intestine could break up a hard stool into lumps so small and tumble these around until they were flat, oval and round and small as sheep’s dung; the normal stool and the common stool are quite different Then it must be "strange, rare and peculiar." Now as she so longs for the open air it will be best to eliminate with the above rubric from remedies that have craving for open air; this gives the start. Then taking the next most important rubric, viz., inactivity or no desire for a week what remains can be seen in the anamnesis above. So proceed to the end, taking the symptoms in the order of their importance. The result is a cure.
Most all recent discoveries are verifying what Homoeopathy has been trying, for more than a century, to have the medical profession realize. All Hahnemann has ever asked his enemies to do is to "put the law to a test and publish the failures.
Why do they not do it.

Filed under: Healthcare

THERAPEUTICS OF TIC DOULOUREUX By Walter J. king

Dr. R.S.Mann — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 11:25:00 +0000

st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }

Trigeminal neuralgia (TN), tic douloureux, prosopalgia, the Suicide Disease or Fothergill’s disease is a neuropathic disorder characterized by episodes of intense pain in the face, originating from the trigeminal nerve. These episodes of stabbing pain may be paroxysmal and usually there is no pain between attacks. Most of the time this is unilateral disorder and most patients are above 50 years.

The following article was published in THE CRITIQUE, Vol. 5, 1898, on page 14-19.

THERAPEUTICS OF TIC DOULOUREUX

Compiled by Walter J. King, MD

Tic douloureux, or neuralgia of the facial nerve, is characterized

by intense, darting pains, indescribable or excruciating;
coming on in paroxysms of shorter or longer duration; usually
but one side affected.
Dry heat is often of great service; applied locally.
Attention to hygiene and the use of electricity are often
valuable aids in perfecting a cure. Fats should enter largely
into the diet.

ACONITE NAP. Left side; face red and hot; violent stinging

pains, with restlessness and anguish; from exposure to dry
west winds; worse at night; acute congestion and active inflammation.

ARGENT. NITR. Sonet of head feel as if separating, or
the head feels as if it was enormously large; pains increase to
such a degree that the patient almost loses her senses; relieved
by binding the head up tightly; at height of paroxysm, unpleasant

sour taste in the mouth, and the attack ends in vomiting.

ARSENICUM ALB. Burning as of red-hot needles; worse
about midnight, relieved by heat; face pale, shrunken and distorted;

great restlessness; typical paroxysms of miasmatic or
purely nervous origin.

BARYTA CARB. Left side; chronic or anaemic form; sensation

as if the skin were covered with cobweb.

BELLADONA. Right side; worse from light, noise, touch, or
the slightest motion of the eyelids or jaws, face flushed; pains
come and go suddenly; worse towards midnight.

BISMUTHUM. Relieved by taking cold water in the mouth
and walking quickly about.

CACTUS GRAND. Right side; tolerable only while lying still

in bed; caused by wine, strong light, music or missing dinner at
usual hour; returns daily at same hour.

CAPSICUM. Patients of lax fibre; burning pungent pain,
worse from slightest draught of air, either warm or cold.

CAUSTICUM. Right side; from malar bone to the mastoid
process; aggravated at night; better by rubbing with cold water;
chilliness.

CEDRON. Chronic intermittent, prosopalgia always coining
on at 7 or 8 p. m., lasting two to four hours; intense, burning
pain wandering from one place to another, although emanating
from a carious tooth; puffiness of the face.

CHAMOMILLA. Hot perspiration about the head; twitching
in eyelids, eyeballs, lips, and facial muscles; patient screams,
can’t endure pain, is wild and unruly, tossing and rolling about.

CHELIDONIUM. Neuralgic pains across eyes from left to
right, accompanied by most profuse lachrymation and dread of
light; right sided supraorbital and temporal neuralgia.

CHINA. Violent, tearing, laming, burning, left side, every
morning; worse from draughts of air, slightest touch, lying down
and in the night; great weakness after the paroxysm.

CHININUM SULPH. Recurring same hour every day; intervals

free from pain; no complication with gastric or other derangements.

CIMICIFUGA. Reflex from uterine or ovarian affection;
sensation of heat of vertex, or as if the top of the head would fly
off; pain goes off at night and reappears the next day; frequent
flushes of heat, want to be in the open air.

CINA. Pain as if both malar bones were pressed together
with pincers; worse from external pressure.

COFFEA. Excited nervous erethism; headache, as if the
brain were torn or would be dashed to pieces, coming on during
walking in the open air; worse from heat; clavus.

COLOHICUM. Remarkable tolerance of pain; general semiparalytic

condition; left sided; tearing and tensive pains in
facial muscles, moving from one location to another; drawing in
bones of face and nose, with sensation as if they were being
rent asunder.

COLOCYNTHIS. Tensive tearing with heat and swelling; left
side; caused and aggravated by chagrin or indignation; worse

from touch or motion; better in perfect rest, and from external
application of warmth.

CONIUM MAC. Right side; bluish swollen cheek, with sore-
ness as from excoriation; worse from cold and from eating and
drinking.

FEERUM MET. During the paroxysms the face gets fiery
red; during intervals the face looks earthy and pale; cannot keep
the head quiet; after overheating and cold washing.

GELSEMIUM. Acute, sudden, darting and shooting pains,
with contractions and twitchings of the muscles supplied by
the affected nerves; muscles sore; inability to raise affected
eyelid.

HEPAR SULPH. Chronic cases; pains in malar bones, extending

to temple, ear and upper lip; worse in the fresh air,
better from wrapping up the face; at the same time coryza,
hoarseness, much sweating, and rheumatic pains elsewhere;
especially after the abuse of mercury or metallic preparations.

IGNATIA. Supraorbital; convulsive twitching of facial muscles;

pain felt only when touching the part; clavus hystericus;
forcing and pressing out pain.

IRIS VERS. Pain in head, temples and eyes, attended with
most distressing vomiting of sweetish mucus, and if attended
by much straining with a trace of bile; relieved by vomiting.

KALI BI. Pain in left upper maxillary, shooting towards
the ear; supra-orbital with gastric disorder; face pale; cold
sweat on face and body; weariness after the pain.

KALI CARB. Stinging in cheeks, with tearing stitches into
forehead, eyes and temples.

KALMIA. Bight half of the face; rending, agonizing or
stupefying neuralgia of superior maxillary branch and of teeth,
not from caries but after exposure to cold; worse from worry,
mental exertion or heat; better from cold.

LACHESIS. Left sided orbital neuralgia; lachrymation, rising
of heat in face before, and weak, nauseous feeling in abdomen
after attack. Delirium appears as soon as the eyes are closed.

MAGNESIA PHOS. Darting, tpasmodic pains; relief from
pressure and warmth; patient languid, tired, and exhausted.

MERC. COR. Tearing pains, worse at night in bed; ptyalism;

constant inclination to perspire, especially of affected part,

but perspiration does not relieve the pain; recent cases from
cold and chill; from syphilis.

MEZEREUM. Left side ciliary neuralgia with lightning-
like pains extending to neck; from carious tooth (Kreosote,
Staphisagria); numbness in the region of the pain; constant
chilliness, but pain worse from heat; pains come on with great
suddenness; or come on daily, increasing from 9 a. m. to 12 m.
and then decreasing until 4 p. m.

NATR. MUR. Pain in malar bones, worse from chewing;
periodically, especially after checked ague; great thirst.

Nux VOMICA. Patient is morose, irritable, belches a great
deal, and is constipated; worse from coffee, liquor and quinine;
face numb, with flow of clear water from eye and nostril of
affected side.

PHOSPHORUS. Neuralgia following nervous strain from
great mental exertion or excitement, with tinuitus aurium and
vertigo; worse from every movement of the muscles of the face;
from taking cold over the washtub.

PLUMB MET. Burning, neuralgic pains, relieved by diversion

of the mind by some new topic, or by any excitement or
change of position.

PLANTAGO MA JOR. Left side; shooting, tearing pains extending

from jaw into ear.

PLATINA. Right sided; painful feeling of numbness in
malar bone, mastoid and chin, as if parts were between screws;
with anxiety, weeping, and palpitations; profuse lachrymation
and swelling of face; worse on rest and at night; wants to rub
the part.

PULSATILLA. Jerking, tearing pain, worse in the evening
and in a warm room, or when chewing, talking, or from hot or
cold things in the mouth; tearful disposition; excited nervous
erethism.

RHODODENDRON. Violent, tearing, jerking faceache; worse
from changes in weather or from wind; better from warmth and
while eating; neuralgia of dental nerves; great weakness after
he pain.

RHUS TOX. After getting wet; feeling as though the teeth
were too long, with drawing, burning, tearing pains necessitating
moving around; great restlessness; relieved somewhat by the
external application of cold.

ROBINIA. Left side; sensation of disarticulation and fracture

of jaw bone; whole features of patient changed by the
neuralgia.

SANGUINARIA. Must kneel down and hold head tightly to
the floor; lassitude; torpor; spongy bleeding gums; shooting,
burning pains.

SEPIA. Intermittent faceache, with congestion of eyes and
head; shuddering; pain not felt during violent exercise, as walking

in the open air; relieved by warmth; nausea and vomiting;
jerking like electric shocks, upwards; neuralgia during pregnancy

or the menopause.

SPIGELIA. Sticking, darting pains affecting the right
temple, orbit and eyeballs always attended by feeling of anxiety
at heart, and great restlessness and intolerance of pain; parts
become swollen and very sore; flow of water from eyes and nose;
worse in damp weather from touch or motion; periodical from
morning until sunset, worse at noon.

STANNUM. Gradually increasing and then gradually de-
creasing; feels as if she would faint; prosopalgia after ague, sup-
pressed by quinine.

STAPHISAGRIA. Pressing and beating pain extending from
the decayed tooth to the eye; worse from slight pressure or from
contact of a metallic substance, better from heavy pressure;
spasmodic weeping; cold hands and cold sweat on face.

STRAMONIUM. Pain in cheek near left ear, as if sawing the
bone; twitching of the muscles of face; spasms of the chest
hindering breathing; frowning; prosopalgia nervosa; pains maddening;

delirious talk, with open eyes; grinding of teeth.

SULPHUR. Psoric tendency; chronic cases, where other
remedies fail.

TARANTULA. Pain in angle of inferior maxilla, so severe as
to think he is going crazy; dizziness; vanishing of sight and
lugging in ears.

THUJA. After suppressed gonorrhoea, or eczema of ear;
sensation as though a nail were being driven into the vertex or
frontal eminences; intense stabbing pain drives almost to distraction;

must lie down; pain changes from left to right; better
at night; painful spots burn like fire and are sensitive to the sun

VALERIANA. Hysterical neuralgia; pains appear suddenly

and in jerks; fierce pains through left side of face, darting into
teeth and ear.

VERATRUM ALB. Icy coldness of part; copious cold perspiration;

great exhaustion; nausea and vomiting; drawing,
tearing pains, with bluish pale face and sunken eyes; pains
worse in damp weather; right side or left to right; tearing in
cheeks, temples and eyes, with intense heat and redness, driving
to madness.

VERBASCUM. Violent pain, jerking like lightning, or crushing

as with tongs; especially right zygoma; brought on by pressure,

sneezing, talking, chewing, change of temperature, or
exposure to cold air; daily from 9 a. m. to 4 p. m.; attended with
feeling of fullness in the head, vertigo, belching, discharge of
tough saliva, together with great coldness of the rest of the
body.

ZINCUM. Burning, quick stitches, and jerking along the
course of right infraorbital nerve, attended with bluish eyelids;
cold sweat on forehead; numbness of tongue; sensation of constriction

in throat; worse from the slightest touch, and in the
evening.

Filed under: Healthcare

Different Ways Of Finding The Remedy

Dr. R.S.Mann — Fri, 27 May 2011 19:03:41 +0000

Finding the remedy in Homeopathy is a troublesome job. Following is an article by Dr M. L. Tyler on the very same topic.

Different Ways Of Finding The Remedy

By- M.L. Tyler, M.D.

In Homeopathy, the REMEDY is the thing. Potencies, administration – the questions that divide us- are matters of personal experience.

Brilliant work has been done by people of widely different range of potencies and administration, provided that they had found the remedy. Without that the magic refuses to work.

We are here to consider DIFFERENT WAYS OF FINDING THE REMEDY, because the essential thing, for a homoeopathic prescription ( and on this we all are agreed), is A LIKE REMEDY FOR A LIKE ABNORMAL CONDITION. But in order to get the “like” remedy, one must get accurately the disease picture that has to be matched. And perhaps the most difficult thing of all is taking the case.

Somebody said the other day, “If the case is well taken, any fool can find the remedy.”

Certainly, if the case is not well taken, it is impossible to find it.

Pathological case taking will not help. Symptoms that go to make up the diagnosis, we must have, but they will seldom lead to the curative drug.

This may point to a group of remedies, useful in such a disease. They will not pick out the ONE REMEDY demanded by the symptoms of THIS patient.

Dr. Drysdale laid it down that, “Te greater the value of a symptom for diagnosis, the less its value in the selection of the remedy.”

That does not mean that we must not or need not diagnose! We must! – if only to discount symptoms common to the disease, and not peculiar to this patient with the disease; or symptoms dependent on disease ultimates, mechanical perhaps and not expressive of the patient. Also for prognosis; and for information as to what range of potencies it is wise to employ.

Again, in sheer self-defense. Failure to diagnose may wreck the physician, while “Diagnosis, without the remedy, is poor consolation for the patient.”…. “These ought ye to have done and not to have left the other undone.”

As a matter of fact, homoeopathic case taking, is merely a big addition to ordinary case taking, it never supersedes it. Just as homoeopathic material medica is a huge addition to the material medica of the schools.

The homeopathic doctor is all that the others are- and the MORE.

First, then, briefly to consider taking the case.

It is all Hahnemann. But, instead of quoting. I will try to cut it down.

Begin by writing down the patient’s statement in the patient’s own words.

Why? To avoid errors and misconceptions, but especially for purposes of comparisons.

The material medica consists of the statements of simple people, in simple language. They match.

This has been a reproach to homeopathy. Its facts are not recorded in the scientific terms of our day.

And yet it is just this simplicity of truth that has saved homoeopathy and made it available for all times and for all peoples. Had it been done into the scientific jargon of a hundred years ago, it would be long obsolete.

The science of one generation is often the nonsense of the next. And conversely in this instance. For what , in homoeopathy, has been decried as nonsense for a century, is now being recognized as the latest word in science.

TRUTH IS GREAT AND HAS A WAY OF PREVAILING – IN THE LONG RUN

You have recorded the patient’s story. Now you start on the quest of the “strange, rare and peculiar.” That is to say, you take him through it again and make him amplify and qualify his statements.

By this means you may stumble upon one or two invaluable symptoms, peculiar to himself and not merely diagnostic of the disease.

The fact that he is breathless-in asthma – will not go far. It is part of the programme and common to all asthmatics.

But the fact that he can only breathe when lying on flats or in the knee- elbow position, may be peculiar to THIS case and highly diagnostic of one or of two or three remedies. You will underline that.

If you are so skillful or lucky, as to get two or three invaluable symptoms, your work may end here. For turning up the drugs that have caused these symptoms, you may find in one of them, a complete picture of the patient’s case, disease and all.

This seems to have been a common method of finding the remedy with Dr. Erastus Case and it led him to brilliant results with many rare remedies that would not “work out” by more tedious repertory methods. His little book is well worth study – stuffed full, as it is, with instructive cases.

Next, you try to extract anything definite and well marked in the general symptoms of the patient: his ( especially) altered reactions to environment, mental and physical. The effect on him of temperature, humidity, thunder, foods, light, noise, smells; his cravings and aversions, with delicate probing for mental symptoms, especially where these denote change from his normal.

You may get help from nurse, from friends or relations ( who will often lie, by the way, if the patient is present). And all the time you are using your own observation to check, to confirm and the things that you are not told.

Dr. Burnett used to say, “With children, lunatics and liars, you have to use your own observation.” He seemed to imply that this was pretty well always.

For there are the persons who “pile it on” – hypochondriacs – or in hysteria. And the person who conceal; from shyness, from shame; and invariably what is most important.

Remember “leading questions evoke misleading answers”

Make the patient consider. Never ask a question that can be answered by yes or no. Only record what is considered and definite.

In our earlier days we ask a good many questions and we write down a great deal. Later on we ask many more questions and record much less.

In complicated and chronic cases get the patient’s PAST HISTORY. He may not remember it the first time; for example that eruption when a small boy. He will tell you more after thinking things over and asking people who know.

FAMILY HISTORY is often of the greatest importance.

And what about VACCINATIONS? – frequent – perhaps unsuccessful. We will go into that later, with Dr. Burnett’s work.

SMALL- POX is one of the things that may hit you in the eye. It has branded its victim.

And with variolinum you can amazingly improve the health, physical and even mental, of persons who have had small pox. One has seen case, after case where the facial deformity has yielded to what would seem as impossible extent: and that after 40 years! The skin smoothing out and resuming normal coloring after a few doses at long intervals of Variolinum 200.

But, may this not be the case with other acute diseases and their viruses?

Then old malaria or quinine. Here, again, Burnett comes in with his brilliant little monograph, which made the case for Natrum Muriaticum.

Look out for T.B. manifestations, scars in neck, T.B. family history. Here you have a legitimate short cut to such drugs as Tuberculinum or Drosera, which raise resistance to tubercle, besides a group of the polychrests, Phosphorus, Psorinum, Calcarea etc., according to symptoms.

Then Hanhnemann’s Chronic miasms – psora, syphilis, gonorrhoea.

If these are not prescribed for, especially in chronic disease, you will not permanently benefit your patient – so Hahnemann says and such is our experience.

You may cover the superficial drug-picture, but you will have to go, ultimately, for the deep disturbing cause before you can get maximum results. This, as I will show you, is Hahnemann.

Prolonged dosing with any drug will give you that drug’s disease-picture muddled up with the patient’s own symptoms; or it may be the whole case.

The same drug in high potency can antidote itself in crude preparation. But any drug, of course, having the same symptoms, will antidote.

It is always a question of matching symptoms.

Among drug-symptoms, many arise from toothpastes, douches, gargles etc.

A septic tooth may be poisoning the patient. But what about a septic pessary? – Foul, very often and indescribably offensive.

And now THE CASE HAS BEEN TAKEN.

The patient’s story has been recorded and the common symptoms with which it abounds, qualified and out of these (Unless otherwise, for prescribing) some things “strange, rare and peculiar” have been culled – and underlined.

Mental symptoms, most precious of all, if marked and true, have been angled for, and, where definite and reliable, recorded.

Where these deviate from the patient’s normal, they are of the highest importance. They may be used as eliminating symptoms, to throw out drugs by the dozen, in whose pathogenesis they do not appear.

And now we have the patient’s disease-picture complete; i.e., his deviation from his normal. How are we to find the remedy?

How did Hahnemann solve the problem?

Hahnemann and his immediate followers had great advantages over us.

They had fewer remedies to choose from.

They knew them better and could recognize them more easily in their patients.

For years, for half a lifetime, they had been “proving” drug after drug and suffering its effects in their own minds and bodies. Naturally, they had less difficulty in recognizing a personally-experiencing drug-picture in a patient. It had been branded on their memories by suffering.

Every personal suffering makes the doctor better able to recognize, sympathize with and help suffering in another. The greatest ability to help is achieved ever at the greatest cost.

No great work has ever been done without great effort and great self-sacrifice. Homeopathy is no art for the lazy and the dullard.

But our immensely wider range of medicines is compensated by fuller repertories. And the problem is how to use them to best effect.

And here the amount of time and labor involved in finding the remedy by means of the repertory may be immensely lightened if we realize the GRADING OF SYMPTOMS; that is, their relative value. This is the key.

Even in laboriously “working out” a case by aid of the repertory, the three hours dreary plodding- with often doubtful results – of the uninitiated, resolves itself into ten or fifteen minutes work for the practiced physician.

Or, where he knows his remedies, and has gained experience and confidence, it is often no matter of working out at all. He may spot the remedy at a glance and a few questions prove that he has got it. Typical Sulphur, Calcarea, Sepia patients can hardly be missed. This makes heavy out-patient work possible.

Hahnemann speaks- and we are apt to talk glibly of the TOTALITY OF THE SYMPTOMS. What do we mean by this?

Does it mean that every little symptom and every symptom dependent on some gross pathological lesion has to be covered? Endless work, with poor results.

You do not recognize your friends by counting up their fingers and toes, but by things personal to themselves only of all mankind.

Their totality, as it appeals to you, lies in sex, statue, coloring, voice, expression and mind; not in what is common to men, but in what differentiates.

In the same way a drug picture, to be complete, does not consist of strings of little symptoms but of broad outlines of mental and peculiar symptoms; peculiar, that is, to one drug and distinguishing it from all others.

As Hahnemann puts it, “The symptoms which determine he choice of the remedy are mostly peculiar to that remedy, and of marked similitude to those of the disease.”

Hosts of symptoms are common to a thousand drugs and therefore diagnostic of none. If you give undue prominence to these, you might as well toss for the remedy.

“Each medicine differs in effect from all others”. It is the differences, not the correspondences that concern us.

Hahnemann says of indefinite symptoms, loss of appetite, of sleep, weakness etc., that they are useless, as “common to every drug and to almost every disease.”

Hahnemann says, “In comparing the disease-symptoms with lists of symptoms of proved drugs, the more prominent and peculiar (characteristic) features of the case are specially an almost exclusively to be taken. These should bear the closest similitude to the symptoms of the desired medicine, if patient is to cure.”

And again, “The state of the patient’s mind and temperament is often of the most decisive importance in the selection of the remedy.”

And again, Hahnemann speaks of “the totality of the characteristic symptom”

Let us realize then, that the TOTALITY means the CHARCTERISTIC TOTALITY and cease counting fingers and toes.

KENT was one of those who went back to Hahnemann and great work. Here is what Kent wrote to me in 1912: “The methods you use are hard and arduous and differ decidedly from mine. You do an enormously greater amount of work than I do in my cases.”

“When looking over a list of symptoms, first discover 3,4,5 or 6 as many symptoms as exist that are ‘strange, rare and peculiar’.”

“These are the highest generals, because ‘strange, rare and peculiar’ must apply to the patient himself.”

“When you have settled on 3 or 4 or 6 remedies that have those first generals, then find out which of them is most like the rest of the patient’s symptoms, common and particular.”

“When you have taken a case on paper you must settle the symptoms that CANNOT be omitted, in each individual.”

“Do not expect a remedy that has the generals must have all the little symptoms. It is a waste of time to run out all the little symptoms, if the remedy has the generals.”

“Get the strong, strange, peculiar symptoms and then SEE TO IT THAT THERE ARE NO GENERALS IN THE CASE THAT OPPOSE OR CONTRADICT.”

“If you see the keynotes of Arsenicum see that the patient is chilly, fearful, restless, weak and pale must have the pictures on the wall hung straight – and ARSENICUM will cure.”

“Or the keynotes look like Pulsatilla. See to it that she is NOT chilly, likes windows open , wants cool air, to walk in open air, is better from motion, thirstless, tearful and gentle.”

“The trouble with keynotes is that they are abused. They are often characteristic symptoms. But if keynotes are taken as final and the generals do not conform, and then will come the failures.”

Among ways of finding the remedy is the elaborate repertory way, which yields excellent results in the majority of cases.

By working through the case on mental and general symptoms, with due regard to their relative importance one gets the remedy, provided it shall have been: (a) well proved; (b) well represented in the repertory, which is the case with a very large but, of course, limited number of drugs.

It means labor, but less and less as one gains experience. It means grit.

But, unless you are careful not to take such symptoms too easily, it will lead you every time to well proved drugs, well represented in the repertory – “polychrests.”

But what about the valuable remedies, one half-proved, and even so, inadequately represented in the repertory?

You may need one or other of these only once in half dozen years, but when you do need it, nothing will take its place.

Accidental poisoning has supplied the data regarding some of these drugs. Or again, serpent bites or insect stings.

They may appear in only one rubric in the whole repertory – but there in black type.

Take heed to any rare, black type remedy that has the salient symptoms of a patient. Go straight to material medica and see whether it dose not perhaps fit the case through and through. A remedy so learnt is never forgotten. You have one more arrow in your quiver to speed at suffering and disease.

Here is an instance. A case of melancholia, with an insane fear of insanity. Pulsatilla more or less came through, as did Ignatia, but she got steadily worse. She was smile less, sat apart, neglected everything, could neither eat nor sleep, lost color and flesh, thought of nothing but her TERROR.

Mancinella covered the case and quickly cured. Mancinella does not appear more than a couple of times in the repertory, but it stands in black type for her one overwhelming mental symptom- fear of insanity.

She got two or three doses only, at long intervals for slight threatening of relapse that melted away, since when she has been well for a dozen years.

Latrodectus mactans for angina pectoris is another such ill-proved, ill-represented remedy Black type in the one rubric, “Pain, heart, extending down left arm,” should send you straight to material medica to find the most perfect picture of that terrible condition. And it works.

Many drugs can be got only by reading and studying their genus.

One of the veterans used to lay down his own law. “Read a drug a day, and two on Sundays.”

But mark or underline, as you read, the strong, rare and characteristic symptoms of each drug. You can afterwards easily run through your markings and get a drug-picture that will stick to you.

In reading any drug note also:

Its LOCAL actions.

The TISSUES and ORGANS it especially affects. ( Burnett, following Rademacher, made great use of organ remedies, as well as the polychrests).

Also, its peculiar sensations, mental and physical. In Clarke’s Dictionary special stress is laid on these, in the remark’s that preface every drug.

Nash’s LEADERS, Allen’s KEYNOTES, Boger’s SYNPOSIS, are all based on drug characteristics, and these books are immensely helpful.

If you have Allen’s Cyclopedia you can do happy and useful reading even here, provided that you can through his black type symptoms, and his symptoms in italics. You get an extraordinary insight into remedies this way. And even in the ordinary type you may find strange symptoms; underline them.

Where in a case there is a strongly marked mental symptom which you feel must be matched. You may lighten your work by using that as an eliminating symptom. And , in going through the rubrics of the other symptoms, record only those that have this mental symptom.

In the many cases where you have to work solidly through the marked symptoms of the patient, from mentals to generals, in their order of importance, you may, in my experience, lighten your labor thus:-

Remembering that general symptoms, reactions to temperature and weather, to foods, to environment generally, must be very definitely marked in the patient to be used at all, and that, if so marked and definite, they should correspond in importance of type with the drugs in their rubrics.

Therefore, in strong, general symptoms, it is generally enough to write down only the drugs in black type and italics. And this is really, even in long rubrics, not such a terrible task.

There is a limit to the amount of work one can put into a case.

And, as a matter of fact, the more you put in, in a heavy mechanical, painstaking way, the more you are likely to be landed with a big choice of remedies, and the less likely you are to find the one. Homeopathy has to be mixed with brains.

But Hahnemann discovered, as well all discover sooner or later, that there are cases where the most careful symptom covering does not carry us through. Patient improves again and again, but health is not re-established.

In a simple pneumonia you cover the symptoms and abort the case; or, if it is more advanced, you carry it through with a minimum of distress, to early resolution.

Whereas other cases, even of such an acute disease as pneumonia, hang fire. Why is this? Does not our experience teach us that there are patients that cannot throw off even a pneumonia without one of Hahnemann’s “Antipsorics” – Sulphur, Lycopodium, Calcarea – or where there is a T.B. history Tuberculinum.

Much more is the case with chronic disease; that is to say, with those who, year in year out, are ailing; who improve only to slip back.

Hahnemann got to work on this problem, and evolved from it his CHRONIC DISEASES.

I doubt if any of us pay enough attention to this part of hahnemann’s work and teaching. We are apt to be more than content when the miracle works in simple cases, and to classify the rest as old chronics, as if thereby all has been said.

Not so with the wise old healer. He had not been content with old school medicine. He was not content with homoeopathy if in some cases, it failed to completely restore patient.

“For years he had been employed, day and night to discover why such homeopathic remedies as were then known did not effect a true cure of certain chronic miasmatic diseases.”

He says, “All chronic miasmatic diseases are so inveterate, after they have become developed in the system, that unless thoroughly cured by art, they continue to increase in intensity till death. They never disappear of themselves, are never diminished, much less conquered by vigorous constitution, regular mode of life, strictest diet.”

“All chronic diseases” he says, “are based upon fixed chronic miasms, which enable their parasitical ramifications to spread through the human organism and to grow without end”.

“The chronic miasm are semi-vital, morbid miasms of a parasitical nature.”

And he says that, in his opinion, “miasmatic infection, in acute as well as in chronic disease, takes place in a moment, provided the moment is favourable to the contagious influences.”

For “Miasms” read “Micro-organisms” and see how Hahnemann was on the spot 100 years ago, (“The Chronic Diseases” was published in 1828).

Hahnemann realized, then, that there are life-long conditions following some acute disease of long ago, even of centuries ago, that may have to be taken account in prescribing.

He worked on three of these: Syphilis, Sycosis or Gonorrhoea and Psora. (The last much derided by those ;who have never taken the trouble to understand it, but coming into its own now as “Scientific,” so I am told, in Germany.)

These diseases he met with remedies, homoeopathic to their manifestations and symptoms, the greatest number to the most widespread, hydra-headed, PSORA.

His Sycotic remedies were Thuja alternately with Nitric acid.

Alternately? What? Did Hahnemann himself alternate?

Yes. When symtoms changed. And observe! Alternately, with Hahneman never meant alternate sips from two tumblers at a few hours interval all day, because the physician cannot make up his mind which is best indicated.

These are Hahnemann’s directions in alternating:-

“Gonorrhoea may be cured in the most thorough and durable way the internal administration of a few globules of Thuja 30, which must be allowed to act from 15 to 40 days. After that time, give an equally small dose of Nitric Acid, letting it act during an equally long period.”

And here we have, since Hahnemann’s day, another magnificent weapon – Medorrhinum or Gonorrhinum. And in Kent’s repertory there is a little rubric, “Gonorrhoea,” with some other remedies that have been found useful in that disease where symptoms agree.

Such remedies as Medorrhinum, Syphilinum, Tuberculinium are on Hahnemann’s own lines, who used Psorinum for Psora, and who recognized variola, or inoculations by Variola, as curative conditions – ophthalmia, deafness, dysentery – such as are often the squelae, he says, of small –pox.(Hahnemann says, by the way, that small-pox will extinguish the less virulent cow-pox, while cow-pox will lessen the virulence and danger of small-pox).

Hahnemann’s great remedy for Syphilis is Mercury. He found the 30^th potency to act better than the lower ones, but if several doses were needed the lower potencies might be employed.

Syphilis, uncomplicated and untreated and in the primary stage, “in 50 years” practice he had never failed to cure with the smallest dose of the best mercurial preparation. Of course the Mercurius for syphilis are pure Homeopathy. Their symptoms are often indistinguishable. The one has been mistaken for the other.

Don’t scoff at the idea of curing syphilis with unit doses of Mercury in potencies till you have tried.

Here also we have Syphilinum and Merc. Cy seems to be by far the most powerful of the mercuries for syphilis in all its manifestations and stages. And Kent has a quite a longer list, with eight drugs in black type, for Syphilis. Only the symptoms can decide between them.

In cases of chronic disease, complicated by the three miasms, Hahnemann gives the order in which their remedies should be used.

“First we annihilate the psoric miasm by the indicated antipsoric. Then we use the remedies indicated for sycosis. Lastly, the best mercurial preparation against syphilis. These different orders of remedies are alternately employed if necessary until the cure is completed. Leave to each medicine, he says, “The necessary time to complete its action.”

When we sneak in, as it were, a dose of Syphilinium or Medorrhinum or Tuberculinum or whatever it may be, we have a sort of guilty feeling that this is, perhaps, no part of homoeopathy – as taught by Hahnemann.

But it is! Hahnemann was very much there before us. Our only doubt was, because we did not know the fullness of our heritage.

As a matter of fact, we are only following Hahnemann’s steps when we interpose a dose of Tuberculinum where the case hangs fire and where there is a hereditary chain of Tuberculides in persons of T.B. parentage.

Or when we realize that such a diseases as malaria leave chronic conditions, especially when complicated with quinine poisoning and that these can only be successfully met by their appropriate remedies, Natrum mur, Sepia, Arsenicum etc. That old malaria will give the casting vote, often among competing remedies.

And here in, in conclusion, I will briefly epitomize for you Burnett’s brilliant work in another chronic condition that has arisen and has to be recognized and which he calls VACCINOSIS.

Compton Burnett’s little monograph on VACCINOSIS AND THUJA was written “to establish vaccinosis as form of chronic disease and Thuja as one of its chief remedies.”

He contends that in vaccinating you do not make a healthy man healthier. On the contrary, you establish a diseased state to protect, perhaps for years, from a like disease (small-pox).

Vaccination therefore, is a form of HOMOEOPROPHYLAXIS.

He defines vaccinosis as “that profound and often long lasting morbid constitutional state engendered by the vaccine virus, euphemistically termed ‘LYMPH’, but which is, of course, pus.”

“The vaccinate is one who suffers from vaccinosis. He may not be ill, but he must be in a subdued morbid state. He has been blighted, or he is no vaccinate”.

“Some of the worst cases of my vaccinosis were just those in whom vaccination did not ‘take’.”

“Not a few persons date their ill health from a so-called unsuccessful vaccination.”

“‘Taking’ is the constitutional reaction whereby the organism frees itself; more or less, from the inserted virus.”

“If the person, did not take, and the virus has been absorbed, the taking becomes a chronic process- paresis, neuralgia, cephalagia, pimples, acne etc.!”

“The less a person ‘takes’ the more he is likely to suffer from the genuine vaccination disease in its chronic form.”

But what about other and more modern forms of homoeo-prophylaxis? Vaccines, immunizing etc. Are they additions to the health of the healthy? Or are they new forms of chronic disease that will have to be reckoned with later on?

Burnett’s little book is stuffed with brilliant cases to prove his case for VACCINOSIS as a chronic disease and for Thuja its great remedy.

And it works!

Burnett says, “In chronic disease, when the right remedies seemed barred in their action, Hahnemann……recommended his disciples to interpose. Sulphur as the great, most-likely antipsoric. Most of us have found this a very valuable clinical suggestion.”

“Similarly, I have found that vaccinosis frequently, bars the way and then Thuja comes in with simply the beautiful effect of a genuine simillimum.”

I think you will agree that one has got not fully TAKEN THE CASE till one has recorded for every patient vaccination, especially any bad or unsuccessful ones, as well as any personal or family history of tuberculosis, syphilis or gonorrhoea.

Filed under: Healthcare

Freckles and their Homeopathic Management

Dr. R.S.Mann — Fri, 06 May 2011 07:17:43 +0000

Skin’s colour is managed by a pigment called melanin. This pigmentation may be increase or decrease under various disorders and conditions.

Pigmentation can increase in two patterns; one is Freckles and another is Chloasma. Freckles are sharply demarcated light brown-ginger macules. Freckles develops mostly on exposed parts and become darker with sun exposure.Light skin peoples are more prone to Freckles after exposure to sun.

Chloasma describes discrete patches of facial hyper pigmentation with or without sharp and clear outline. It occurs mostly in women who are taking oral contraceptives and during pregnancy .

Preventive Homely measures:-

1. In cases of Freckles sun exposure must be minimize, use a good sunscreen before 20 minutes leaving the home and wear cap and glasses.

2. Lactic acid is helpful in peeling the dark skin, so you can use sour milk or lemon juice to wash your face.

3. Vitamin C in diet may be helpful. Include citrus fruits, apples in daily diet.

Homeopathic Treatment-

Homeopathic medicines are curative in cases of Freckles but it take long time to remove freckles completely. 41 medicines are described in Homeopathic Literature for curing Freckles.

Most common medicines are Ammonnium Carb, Antium Crud, Calcarea Carb, Dulcamara, Ferrum Met, Graphites, Lycopodium, Muriatic Acid, Natrum Carb, Nitric Acid, Phosphorus, Pulsatilla, Sepia and Sulphur.

Homeopathic medicines are prescribed on the basis of totality of patients, so always consult a Homeopathic Physician before starting some Homeopathic Medicines for Freckles.

Filed under: Healthcare

Abscesses and Boils: Homeopathic Treatment

Dr. R.S.Mann — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 07:25:40 +0000

Angustura- Abscess of the ankle joint.

Apis Mellfica- Stinging, burning pains in incipient abscesses. Diffuse inflammation of the cellular tissue.

Arnica- Arnica has an action on skin, producing crops of boils all over the body. They begin with soreness and go on to suppuration and are followed by another crop of boils. It may also be used in boils and abscesses which have partially matured but which instead of discharging, shrivel up by reason of absorption of the contained pus.

Hot, hard and shining swelling; pricking pains and dull stitches in the part.

Arsenicum Album- Arsenicum may be used in carbuncles or in boils with pepper-box openings and dipping deeply into the cellular tissues. It is indicated when the character of the pain is cutting, lancinating, burning with aggravation after midnight and irritability of mind and body is present.

Intolerable burning pains with fever, pus copious, bloody, corroding, ichorous, watery and of a putrid smell. Great debility, muscular prostration, sleeplessness and restlessness is present.

Belladona- In beginning of inflammation, scarlet redness, hot swelling, sudden onset, great sensitiveness to cold air.

Belladona is indicated by the violence of symptoms, by radiating redness, by throbbing and tendency towards suppuration.

Carbo Veg- Carbo veg can be administered in carbuncles, particularly when the affected parts are bluish and livid and when discharges are offensive and associated with burning pains. When carbuncles or boils are become gangrenous , carbo veg may be indicated. In these cases it is distinguished from Arsenicum by the absence of the extreme restlessness.

Chamomilla- Abscess very hot and painful with clear, serous suppuration not relieved by Arsenicum Album.

Hepar Sulf- Throbbing and beating in the abscess, skin over the abscess is highly inflamed , hard, hot and swelling; pus scanty, bloody, corroding, smelling like old cheese; pains worse at night and by exposure to cold.

If suppuration occurs as the result of the inflammation, we have Hepar indicated and exercising a double function. If you give it in a high potency when the throbbing, stabbing pains in affected part and the general rigor show the onset of inflammation, it may abort the whole trouble. In other cases, if you see that suppuration is necessary and wish to hasten the process, then you give Hepar in low potency.

Mercurius Sol- Slowly suppurating abscess. Burning redness of the skin, with prickling and tingling sensation.

Another condition in which we may use Mercurius is one of inflammation which has gone on to suppuration, whether the disease be a boil , a tonsillitis or any other form of inflammation. Mercurius belongs to an interesting little group of medicines which you will use very often; they are Belladona, Hepar, Mercurius and Lachesis. To these we may also add Silicea and Sulphur. You should prefer Belladona in the beginning of inflammation.

You should change to Hepar when the sharp sticking pains and chills indicate the beginning of suppuration. It may prevent suppuration when given in the incipiency of that process.

Mercurius is suited to a still more advanced state when pus has formed and you wish it evacuated. Mercurius does not prevent the formation of pus but rather favors it.If you give it too soon you will spoil the case. In felons , if it is given low, it will generally favor the rapid formation of pus.

When pus continues to discharge and the wound refuses to heal, Silicea follows Hepar. In some of these cases, the benefit under Silicea will cease, Then a dose or two of Sulphur will excite reaction and Silicea can effect a cure.

Lachesis is indicated when the pus degenerates and becomes of a dark , thin, offensive character with the sensitiveness to touch of that drug.

Silicea- Silicea produces inflammation of cellular tissue, going on to suppuration which is rather indolent or sluggish in type and become chronic. Persistent cases of ulceration, cellulitis come under this medicine.

Cases of Furuncles which occur in crops and which do not heal readily but continue to discharge a rather thin, watery

Bibiliography-

1.Homeopathic Therapeutics- Samuel Lilienthal

2.Clinical Materia medica- E.A.Farrington

3.Allen’s Keynotes- H.C.Allen

4.Homeopathic Drug Pictures- M.L.Tyler

5.Pocket Manual of Homeopathic Materia Medica and Repertory- W. Boericke

6.The Leaders in Homeopathic Therapeutics- E.B.Nash

7.Boenninghausen’s Therapeutic Pocket Book- T.F.Allen

Filed under: Abscess, Boils, Cosmetic Issues, Healthcare, Skin diseases Tagged: Abscess, Boil, Carbuncle, Furuncle

Leucorrhea: Indicated Homeopathic Medicines

Dr. R.S.Mann — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 08:08:52 +0000

Leucorrhea is a loose term for any kind of vaginal discharges other then blood. In strict definition leucorrhea is excessive vaginal discharge in which primary cause is not infective. Vaginal discharges which contains pus cells and causative organisms, known as Specific Vaginal Infections. But there is no clear demarcation between Leucorrhea and Specific Vaginal Infection, both may co exist and in day to day clinical practice both are considered on same account.

Alumina- Leucorrhea Acrid, Profuse, Transparent, Ropy, Tenacious, with burning, worse during daytime, worse after menses. Leucorrhea Exhaustive.

Anemic and Chlorotic girls at puberty with abnormal craving for certain indigestible articles such as slate pencils, chalk, whitewash etc.

Patient is very low-spirited and inclined to weep, worse on awakening resembling Lachesis, Pulsatilla, Sepia etc.

Apprehension and fear that he will go crazy, suicidal tendency when the patient see blood or knife.

Ammonium Muriaticum- Leucorrhea is brown and lumpy or else clear and albuminous which follows after every urination.

Borax- Leucorrhea as like white of eggs with sensation as if warm water is flowing. Clear, copious and albuminous leucorrhea.

Bovista- Leucorrhea is acrid, thick, tough, greenish and after menses. Can not bear tight clothing around waist (like Lachesis).

Bovista patient is awkward, everything falls from hands.

Calcarea Carbonica- Leucorrhea profuse, with considerable itching and burning and is generally milky, purulent, yellow and thick in appearance. It is especially indicated for leucorrhea occurring before puberty even in little girls.

Calcarea Phosphorica- Leucorrhea likes white of an egg.

Carbo Vegetabilis- Leucorrhea is before menses, thick, milky and excoriating.

Cocculus- Leucorrhea purulent, gushing between menses; very weakening, can scarcely speak.

Graphites- Leucorrhea is profuse, coming in gushes and is excoriating. Leucorrhea may be pale, thin, profuse, white, excoriating with great weakness in back.

Graphites patients are anemic but constitutionally they are fatty and flabby.

Helonias- Tendency to inflammation of the vulva and vagina with formation of pus. Ulceration of cervix uteri. Leucorrhea which has a bad odor and every little exertion tends to produce a flow of blood. Persistent itching about the genitals with or without the formation of blisters or sores.

Hepar Sulf- Leucorrhea extremely offensive, smells like old cheese.

Hydrastis- Leucorrhea is worse after menses, acrid, corroding, shreddy, tenacious. Itching of vulva with profuse leucorrhea.

Kali Bichromicum- Yellow, tenacious stringy Leucorrhea. Itching of vulva with great burning and excitement.

Kreosotum- Leucorrhea is yellow, acrid, odor of fresh green corn, worse between periods. Corrosive itching within vulva, burning and swelling of labia; violent itching between labia and thighs. Acridity and irritating nature of leucorrhea in Kreosotum is very marked.

Lilium Tigrinum- Leucorrhea is watery, yellowish or yellowish –brown and excoriating with smarting in labia. This excoriating property of Lilium is characteristic.

Mercurius Sol- Leucorrhea excoriating, greenish, bloody with sensation of rawness in parts. Itching and burning is worse after urination, better washing with cold water. Morning sickness with profuse salivation.

Murex- Leucorrhea thick, green or bloody with lancinating pains extending upward to the abdomen or thorax.

Natrum Carb- Leucorrhea is thick and yellow which sometimes has a putrid odor and ceases after urination.

Nitricum Acidum- Leucorrhea brown, flesh-colored, watery or stringy, offensive.

Psorinum- Leucorrhea is fetid, lumpy with much backache and debility.

Pulsatilla- Leucorrhea acrid, burning and creamy. Pain in back with tired feeling.

Pulsatilla woman is tearful, sympathetic, anemic and want open air always.

Sepia- Leucorrhea is yellowish green color, excoriating and offensive with itching of parts.

Sepia patient is Indifferent to those loved best, aversion to occupation, to family. Irritable; easily offended. Dreads to be alone. Very Sad and weeps easily.

Thuja- Leucorrhea profuse, thick, greenish. Warts or condylomata appears on genitals or anus, about the perineum and upon mucous surfaces.

Bibiliography:-

1. Clinical Materia Medica- E.A.Farrington

2. Pocket manual of Homeopathic Materia Medica and Repertory – W. Boericke

3. Allen’s key Notes – H.C.Allen

4. The Leaders in Homeopathic Therapeutics- E.B.Nash

5. Homeopathic Drug Pictures- M.L.Tyler

6. Boenninghausen’s Therapeutic Pocket Book- T.F.Allen

7. Analytical Repertory- C. Hering

Filed under: Healthcare

Homeopathic Medicines for Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding

Dr. R.S.Mann — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 16:25:55 +0000

Some commonly indicated homeopathic medicines for Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding are following.

1. Sepia:- Bearing down sensation as if everything would escape through vulva;must cross limbs to prevent protrusion or press against vulva.

Menses too late and scanty, irregular; exceptionally menses may be early and profuse; sharp clutching pains. Violent stitches upward in the vagina from uterus to umbilicus. Vagina painful, especially on coition.

Hot Flashes at menopause with weakness and perspiration.

Sepia patient dreads to alone, weeps when telling her complaint, irritable, very sad and Indifferent to those loved most.

2. Lachesis :- Lachesis has hemorrhagic tendency. Very important during the climacteric. Cannot bear anything tight anywhere.

Climacteric troubles, palpitation, flashes of heat, hemorrhages, vertex headache, fainting spells worse pressure of clothes.

Menses too short, too feeble; pains all relieved by the flow. Left ovary very painful and swollen, indurated.

Great loquacity.Jealous.

3. Phosphorus:- Hemorrhage from uterus between periods. Menses too early and scanty- not profuse but last too long.Weeps before menses.

Frequent and profuse hemorrhages from uterus caused by cancerous affection.

Weakness, blue circles around eyes and anxiety after menses.

Infertility.

4. Calcarea Carbonica:- Menses too early, too profuse, too long with vertigo, toothache and cold,damp feet. Least excitement causes hemorrhage from uterus.Cutting pains in uterus during menstruation.

Before menses, headache, colic, chilliness and leucorrhea.

Infertility with copious menses.

Increased menstruation about external genitals.

5. Pulsatilla:- Menses too late, scanty, thick, dark, clotted, changeable, intermittent.Menses suppressed from wet feet, nervous debility or anemia.

Chilliness, nausea, downward pressure, painful with intermittent menstrual flow.

Weeps when telling complaints, changeable, contradictory. Patient seeks the open air and always feel better there. Symptoms ever changing. Thirstless, peevish and chilly.

6. Ammonium Carb:- Menses too frequent, profuse, early, copious, clotted, black.Menses preceded by gripping colic, black and acrid blood.

Cholera like symptoms at the commencement of menstruation.

7.Lycopodium:- Menses too late, last too long, too profuse. Coition painful, dry vagina. Right ovarian pain. Discharge of blood from genitals during stool.

Melancholy; afraid to be alone.Little things annoy. Headstrong and haughty when sick.

8.Ambra Grisea:- Thin, scrawny women. Adapted to hysterical subjects. Anemic and sleepless. Weakness,coldness and numbness,usually of single parts, fingers, arms etc. Music aggravates symptoms.

Menses too early. Discharge of blood between periods, bleeding at every little accident. Profuse,bluish leucorrhea.

Itching of pudendum with soreness and swelling. Worse at night.

9.Arsenicum Album:- Arsenic is useful in persistent hemorrhages i.e. metrorrhagia or menorrhagia, of a low type depending upon some degeneration in the organ affected. Burning pains with hemorrhage.

Metrorrhagia of dark blood and increased sexual desire. Main affection in right ovary with marked burning, tensive pains and restlessness which is somewhat relieved by constantly moving the feet. Menstrual colic better from warm applications.

10. Belladona:- Menses are early,copious, bright red and attended with cramp-like tearing pain in the back, arms etc; throbbing headache; most intensely painful congestive dysmenorrhea; bearing down; cutting pain from behind forward or vice versa; menstrual flow offensive; lochia offensive. Uterine hemorrhage; blood pours out and feels hot; uterine hemorrhage with bearing down in the back.

11. Bovista:- Menses too early and profuse; worse at night. Diarrhea before and during menses. Cannot wear tight clothing around the waist. Traces of blood between menses. Soreness of pubis during menses. Metrorrhagia.

Leucorrhea acrid, thick, tough, greenish follows menses.

Uterine hemorrhage when the uterus is engorged, particularly when there is bleeding between menses from any little over-exertion. Here it is exactly like Ambra Grisea, but menstrual flow of Bovista occurs chiefly or only at night or early in the morning.

12. Cantharides:- Puerperal metritis with inflammation of bladder. Menses too early and too profuse; black swelling of vulva with irritation.

Constant discharge from uterus; worse false step. Burning pain in ovaries.

Retained placenta with painful urination.

13. Carbo Animalis:- Menses too early, frequent, long lasting, followed by great exhaustion, so weak can hardly speak. Menstrual flow only in morning. Burning in vagina and labia.

Cancer of uterus.

14. carbo Veg.:- Premature, too copious menses, pale blood. Continuous dark hemorrhage. Patient wants to be fanned, anemic, skin cool and bluish, pulse rapid and weak.

Burning pains across the sacrum and lower portion of the spine with hemorrhage.Carbo veg is torpid, sluggish.

15. Cinchona Officinalis:- Menses too early, profuse with pain. Leucorrhea bloody. Bleeding is dark and clotted. Hemorrhage is so profuse it produce condition of collapse, cool face, gasping for breath, patient demands to be fanned.

16. Erigeron Canadensis:- Hemorrhage from uterus with painful micturition. Profuse bright red blood. Pain in left ovary and hip.

Metrorrhagia with violent irritation of rectum and bladder; and prolapse of uterus. Menorrhagia. Bloody lochia returns after least motion, comes in gushes; between periods, leucorrhea with urinary irritation; pregnant women with “weak uterus”, a bloody discharge on slight exertion.

Erigeron is indicated in hemorrhages from uterus with painful urination. Hemorrhage comes in fits and starts; it comes with a sudden gush and then stops again.

17. Ferrum Metallicum:- Anemic women with fiery red face whose menses remit a day or two and then return.

Menses too early, too profuse, last too long; pale , watery. Sensitive vagina.

Discharge of long pieces from uterus.

Tendency to abortion. Prolapse of vagina.

Flow of bright red blood often mixed with coagula, associated with great deal of flushing.

18. Hamamelis Viriginica:- Menses dark, profuse, with soreness in abdomen. Bruised soreness of affected parts.Metrorrhagia occurring midway between menstrual periods. Inter menstrual pain.Vicarious menstruation.

Ovarian congestion with neuralgia; feel very sore.Uterine hemorrhage, bearing down pain in back.

Vagina very tender. Profuse leucorrhea. Vaginismus, ovaritis, soreness over whole abdomen.

The flow is dark and rather passive and there is a feeling of soreness in the affected area.

19.Ipecacuanha:- Hemorrhage bright red and profuse.

Uterine hemorrhage profuse, bright red, gushing with nausea. Pain from naval to uterus.

Menses too early and too profuse.

20. Millefolium:- Invaluable remedy for various types of hemorrhages; blood bright red.

Menses early, profuse, protracted. Hemorrhage bright red, fluid.

Millefolium is suited for a profuse, bright red flow , unattended with pain.

21.Nux Vomica:- Menses too early, lasts too long; always irregular, blood black with faint spells.

Prolpase of uterus. Dysmenorrea with pain in sacrum and constant urging to stool.

Metrorrhagia with sensation as if bowels wanted to move.

22. Sabina:- Menses bright red, clotted and worse from any motion. Hemorrhage is attended with pain extending from the pubes through to the sacrum and with pains in the legs. Uterine pains extend to thighs.

Discharge of blood between periods with sexual excitement.

Retained placenta; intense after pains.

Menorrhagia in women who aborted readily. Inflammation of ovaries and uterus after abortion.

Pain from sacrum to pubis and from below upwards shooting up in the vagina.

23. Sanguinaria Can:- Metrorrhagia occurring at the climacteric age. Bleeding is of bright red, clotted and frequently offensive. Metrorrhagia with flushes of heat and with sick headache.

24.Secale Cornutum:- Hemorrhages; continued oozing; thin, fetid, watery black blood. Whole body is pervaded by a sense of great heat so all the Secale patients are better from cold.

Menses irregular, copious, dark; continuous oozing of watery blood until next period.

The flow of blood is passive; it is attended with tingling in the limbs.

Although the surface of the body is cold, the patient persistently expresses her desire to be uncovered.

25. Trillium Pendulum:- A general hemorrhagic medicine with great faintness and dizziness.

Uterine hemorrhage with sensation as though hips and back were falling to pieces; better by tight bandages.

Gushing of bright blood on least movement.

Metrorrhagia at climacteric. Hemorrhage from fibroids.

Prolapse with great bearing down.

Blood is bright red, profuse and is attended by a faint feeling in the epigastrium, pain in back, coldness of extremities, prostration and rapid, feeble pulse.

26. Ustilago Maydis:- Vicarious menstruation. Profuse menstruation after miscarriage; discharge of blood from slightest provocation; bright red; partly clotted.

Menorrhagia at climacteric.

Oozing of dark blood, clotted, forming long black strings. Cervix bleed easily.

Ovaries burn, painful and swelled.

Uterine hemorrhage is partly fluid and partly clotted, bright red.

Read Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding

Bibiliography:

1. Clinical Materia Medica- E.A.Farrington

2. Pocket Manual of Homeopathic Materia Medica and Repertory- W. Boericke

3. Homeopathic Drug Picture- M.L.Tyler

4. Allen’s Keynotes- H.C.Allen

Filed under: Healthcare

Heartburn Or Hyperacidity

Dr. R.S.Mann — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 13:04:57 +0000

Esophagus is a tube like structure which passes food from mouth to stomach. At lower end of esophagus a valve like structure called Lower Esophageal sphincter (LES) act as one way valve which let pass food from esophagus to stomach but stop its regurgitation.

Secretion of acid in stomach is normal process to digest the food. Inner most lining of stomach wall is acid resistant, so stomach itself does not get any harm from acid secreted in stomach but esophagus has not such kind of protective lining. In normal conditions acid mixed food does not regurgitate up in esophagus. But when food and acid refluxes back into esophagus it produces symptoms from mild discomfort to severe burning. This is known as Gastro-Esophageal Reflux( GER).

Acid Reflux is a very common symptom but if it is felt more than twice a week in long term it can produce Gastro- Esophageal Reflux Disease ( GERD).

Symptoms of Gastro- Esophageal Reflux Disease ( GERD) :-

1. Frequent Heartburn- although it is a burning sensation in mid chest or lower part of esophagus but it has no relation with heart.Burning mostly increases with eating and may last for hours after eating. Burning may increase with stooping, lying down.

2. Acid Belching- Eructation of acid or acrid water in mouth with eructation.

3. Symptomless- Less incidentally GERD may occur without usual symptoms of burning or heartburn. Instead in children there may be Dry cough, Asthma like symptoms or difficult swallowing indicating to GERD.

Factors or Causes Responsible for GERD:-

In many cases exact cause remains unclear but some important factors are underlined.

A. Acid reflux caused by Hiatus Hernia, a structural abnormality in which stomach and LES ( Lower Esophageal Stricture) junction moves above the diaphragm.

B. Pregnancy- Many women feel heartburn first time in pregnancy, it occurs due to increasing level of hormones and growing size of fetus which increases intra-abdominal pressure which reflux acid into esophagus. Most women feel worst symptoms in third trimester and after delivery symptoms go away completely.

C. Smoking- Smoking increases heartburn episodes by increasing acid secretions, reducing salivation in mouth which neutralize acid effects in esophagus, reducing lower esophageal sphincter muscle’s function which increases acid reflux into esophagus.

D. Obesity- Obesity increases intra abdominal pressure which increase acid leakage into esophagus.

E. Foods and Food Habits– Eating large meals and eating just before bedtime can increase heartburn.Some foods increases events of heartburn as :- Alcohol, Carbonated beverages , chocolate, tomato and tomato products like sauce, citrus food , coffee and tea, spicy food, garlic and onions. All these foods can trigger heartburn.

F. Mental stress related to shift working, emotional and economical issues may increase Heartburn symptoms.

Diagnosis :-

Frequent heartburn, sour and acrid eructation is sufficient to diagnose this condition. But sometimes to know extent of disease further examination is needed-

A. Barium Swallow.

B. Endoscopy.

C. pH Monitoring.

D. Biopsy in cases of suspicion of cancer.

Management and Treatment :-

Lifestyle and dietary changes can improve episodes of Heartburns and prevent Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease.

A. Avoid food and beverages which trigger heartburn as alcohol, soda, carbonated drinks, chocolates, tomato based foods, garlic etc.

B. Quit Smoking.

C. Food Habits- Eat small meals at a time.Finish your food 2-3 hours before going to bed.

D. Weight Reduction and manage obesity- Weight reduction and managing obesity can improve recurrent episodes of heartburn.

E. Improve your sleep- Quit night watching and improving sleep quality can reduce heartburns.

F. Raise 6 inches of your head side of bed- Raising head side 6 inches improve the flow of acid in stomach away from esophagus which reduce the heartburns.

G. Stop wearing tight clothes.

If using these tips is not sufficient to stop episodes of heartburn then further treatment is necessary because frequent acid spilling in esophagus can produce ulcers, bleeding and can develop cancer of esophagus.

Allopathic Treatment-

Antacids are used to reduce heartburns and acrid eructation. Foaming agents, H2 blockers, Proton pump inhibitors and Prokinetics are most common type of drugs used for antacid effects.

Long term effect of antacids can result in side effects as diarrhea, altered calcium metabolism and extra build up of magnesium in body. Too much magnesium can effect patient of kidney disease.

So continuous use of antacids without consultation may endanger health.

Homeopathic Treatment-

Homeopathy has very effective medication for acute and chronic cases of Hyperacidity and heartburn. Regular use of homeopathy on one hand can prevent from GERD and on another hand homeopathic medicines prevents from side effects as in case of regular use of allopathic antacid drugs.

Homeopathy has 274 medicines for Heartburn, Acrid Eructation and burning esophagus. Long term use of these medicines never impose any side effect on health. Some very common medicines are-

Lycopodium, Nux Vomica, Acid Sulf, Robinia, Sang. Can., Arsenic Alb, Nitric Acid, Phosphorus etc.

When to Consult a Physician:-

1. If heartburn occurs more then two times a week.

2. If You wake up in night due to heartburn.

3. If routine medicines which you are using is not working now.

4. If heartburn associated with difficulty in swallowing.

5. If there is hoarseness, difficulty in respiration after eating or lying down after eating.

6. If there is unexplained weight gain or weight loss.

7. If heartburn is started to disturb your routine life.

Technorati Tags: Acid Peptic Disease,Heartburn,Acidity,Gastric Disease

Filed under: Healthcare

Homeopathic Medicines For Urinary Tract Infection

Dr. R.S.Mann — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 12:29:32 +0000

Homeopathic medicines are very effective, safe and curative in cases of Urinary Tract Infections. Medicines should be selected very carefully on basis of symptoms, signs and modalities of every individual case. Following medicines must not be used without consulting a Homeopath.

Cantharides:- Constant urging to urinate, passing but a few drops at a time, urine mixed with blood. Drinking even a small quantities of water increases pain in bladder. Intolerable urging, before, during and after urination; violent pains in bladder.

Burning, cutting pains in urethra during micturition; violent tenesmus and strangury.

Burning and urging to urinate continuous after urination.The urine does not pass freely or copiously but dribbles away in hot, scalding, sometimes bloody with burning, cutting pains.

Cantharides is indicated in acute cystitis more frequently than any other homeopathic medicine.

Cannabis Sativa:- Urethra very sensitive to touch or pressure; cannot walk with legs close together, it hurts the urethra.

Pain extending from orifice of urethra backward, burning – biting, posteriorly more sticking while urinating.Tearing pain along urethra in a zigzag direction.

Cannabis sativa is very similar to cantharides in its urethral phenomena. It has same yellow, purulent discharge from the urethra but is more important when the discharge is thin and there is smarting and burning on urination. There seems to be more burning and smarting under cannabis sativa, while there is more tenesmus and cutting under cantharides. The glans penis is dark red and swollen. Chordee may be present. Cannabis sativa has drawing pain in the region of kidneys extending into the inguinal glands with anxious nauseous sensation in the epigastrium.

Equisetum Hyemale:- Severe dull pain in the bladder, as from distension , not ameliorate after urination.

Frequent and intolerable urging to urinate, with severe pain at close of urination.

Constant desire to urinate; large quantity of clear, watery urine but without amelioration.

Sharp, Cutting, Burning pain in urethra while urinating.

Equisetum acts very similarly to Cantharides on the kidneys and bladder. In Equisetum less escape of blood and less tenesmus of bladder than may be found under Cantharides. Urine is less scalding in Equisetum but there is an excess of mucus. The bladder is tender and sore with severe dull pain which is worse after urination.

Petroselinum:- Frequent, sudden and irresistible urging to urinate. Cannabis sativa, Cantharides and Mercurius all have the sudden urging to urinate but it is strongest under Petroselinum.

In the case of a child, he will be suddenly seized with the desire to urinate; if he cannot be gratified at once, he will jump up and down with pain.

Burning , tingling from perineum throughout whole urethra.

Intense biting, itching deep in urethra, must rub it with some rough article in urethra to ameliorate. Pain at root of penis or neck of bladder.

Capsicum:- Constriction, Burning and Smarting Sensation.

Burning in bladder. Burning, Smarting after urination.

Strangury: tenesmus neck of bladder,urging to frequent and almost ineffectual urination.

Needle- stitches in forepart of urethra, when not urinating. Burning at the orifice of urethra before,during and after urination.

Mercurius Sol. and Corrosivus:- Tenesmus of baldder with intense burning in urethra.

Urine hot, burning, scanty or suppressed, in drops with great pain; bloody, brown, brick-dust sediment; albuminous.

Great tenesmus of bladder and rectum at the same time.

When the discharge becomes worse at night, green and purulent. More violent tenesmus, burning and swelling hence it is similar to Cantharides. Urethral meatus is very red.

Constant desire to urinate; indeed every ten minutes; but only a little passed.

Urine immediately after being passed very turbid and depositing a sediment.

He passes much more urine than the liquid he has drunk.

Too frequent and too profuse urination.

Apis Mellifica:- Incontinence of urine, with great irritation of the parts; can scarcely retain the urine a moment and when passed scalds severely; frequent, painful, scanty, bloody urine.

Urine scanty, dark sediment like coffee grounds. Scanty urination with absence of thirst.

Terebinthina:- The urine has the odor of violets.

Haematuria- blood thoroughly mixed with the urine; sediment like coffee grounds; cloudy, smoky, albuminous; profuse, dark or black, painless.

Violent burning and drawing pains in kidney, bladder and urethra.

Violent burning and cutting in bladder; tenesmus; sensitive hypogastrium; cystitis and retention from atony of fundus.

Strangury; spasmodic retention of urine. Urine rich in albumin and blood.

Sarsaparilla:- Severe almost unbearable pain at conclusion of urination.

Urine, bright and clear but irritating; scanty, slimy, flaky, sandy, copious, passed without sensation; deposits white sand.

Painful distension and tenderness in bladder; urine dribbles while sitting, standing, passes freely; air passes from urethra.

Sand in urine or on diaper; child screams before and while passing it.

Excruciating pains from right kidney downwards.

Staphisagria:- Urging to urinate, has to sit at urinal for hours; in young married women; after coition; after difficult labor; burning in urethra when not urinating; urging and pain after urinating in prostatic troubles of old men.

Burning or smarting in urethra when not micturating ; ceases while urine is passing.

Ocimum :- May be employed in renal colic when there is considerable hemorrhage; when the urine not only has a brick red sediment as under Pareira brava, but contains considerable blood. it favors the right side.

Aconitum:- Frequently suits the incipiency of renal and cystic affections, which, unmodified, progress into Cantharides condition. The urging to urinate, the dysuria and hematuria are accompanied by an anxious restlessness and high fever altogether different from expression of Cantharides.

Chimaphila Umbellate:- Acute and chronic catarrh of urinary tract. Scanty urine and loaded with ropy, muco-purulent sediment. UTI ic cases with prostatic enlargement.

Urging to urinate. Urine turbid, offensive,containing ropy or bloody mucus and depositing a copious sediment. Burning and scalding during micturition and straining afterward. Must strain before flow comes. Scanty urine. Acute prostatitis ,retention and feeling of a ball in perineum. Fluttering in region of kidney. Sugar in urine. Unable to urinate without standing with feet wide apart and body inclined forward.

Coccus Cacti:- Urging to urinate; brick red sediment. urinary calculi, hematuria, urates and uric acid; lancinating pains from kidney to bladder. Deep colored, thick urine. Dysuria.

Uva Ursi:- Cystitis with bloody urine. Burning after the discharge of slimy urine. Pyelitis.

Frequent urging with severe spasms of bladder; burning and tearing pain. Urine contains blood, pus and much tenacious mucus with clots in large masses. Involuntary; green urine.

Bibliography:-

1. Homeopathic Drug Pictures – M.L.Tyler

2. Allen’s Keynotes – H.C.Allen

3.Regional Leaders – E. B. Nash

4. Clinical Materia medica – E.A.Farrington

5. Leaders in Homeopathic Therapeutics- E.B.Nash

6. Homeopathic Materia Medica and Repertory- W. Boericke

Technorati Tags: Homeopathic Medicines,Homeopathic Therapeutics,Homeopathic Medicine for Urinary Tract Infections,Homeopathy

Filed under: Healthcare