Ferrum Cases from our Archives.
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOMOEOPATHY 1996 Sep / Oct Vol V No 5.
Kasivishwanathan T K.
Cases.
` Ferr.
CASE 1. FERRUM MET (Dr Klaus- Henning Gypser)
A male aged 38, had for 5 days complained of very intense pain in the left shoulder joint. The pain was <lifting, <putting hand behind head, <motion of arm, >warm applications and >letting arm hang down. The best position during sleep was lying on the back; when turning over in bed at night the pain wakened him. No etiology was discernible.
The symptoms were repertorised using Kents repertory as under :-.
- KR - 1053 Pain, shoulder, putting the arm behind him agg.FERR, Rhus-tox, SANIC.
- KR _ 1053 Pain, shoulder, warmth, external amel- Ferr.
- KR - 1052 Pain, shoulder lifting - ferr.
- KR - 1053 Pain, shoulder, motion of arm -Ferr.
- KR - 1009 hang down letting arms, amel-ferr.
Comparison with Materia medica.
Materia Medica Pura : - No 198 : Pain ... from shoulder joint. .
No 199 : shooting ... proceeding from the shoulder joint so that he could not raise his
arm.
No 203 : He cannot raise the right arm up ; there is shooting pain ... in the shoulder
joint.
Dr. Herings Guiding Symptoms : constant dull tearing or quick darting pain in deltoid particularly at insertion of biceps muscle and extending arm quite, warmth of bed uncovering for any length of time ; cannot move elbow from body without pain; lifting arm, or lifting hand to head or putting hand back utterly impossible.
Based on the above analysis Dr Gypser prescribed Ferrum-met CM one dose. On the following day he experienced great relief; By the second day he could do his works as usual and had no complaints.
Case 2 : Ferrum met (Karl Robinson)
On October 2 1986, a 41 year old woman consulted Dr. Robinson for persistent severe sinusitis, headaches and extreme fatigue. the condition had its origin in 1985 when she had to constantly attend on her son who suffered a severe skull fracture and as a result she fell ill. She developed severe headaches centering on the right occiput puls great tension in her neck and shoulders. Allopathic medicines coupled with chiropractic treatment were ineffective and she began to vomit 2-3 times a day. In August her vomiting and headaches were so severe that she had to be hospitalised. A full neurological check up and CT scan were negative. All that time a painful swelling on the right occiput arose which was never diagnosed. the pain was so severe that she had to have painkilling injections every three hours, plus cortisone injections into the swelling. In addition she received non-steroidal and anti-inflammatory drugs without effect.
In November she consulted a Homoeopath who could relieve her only slightly. The vomiting persisted despite allopathic drugs though less frequently and by March the swelling in her neck subsided but instead she began to be affected by severe sinus infections which occurred every 6-8 weeks.
The recurrent sinus infections caused pain in frontal sinuses behind the eyes and at the root of the nose. During the last two years she woke up with neck pain which extended to shoulders (deltoids). It is better on rising, stretching, heat and goes away by midmorning. The headache began in early afternoon and was present till she fell asleep at night and it originated in the right side of the cervical spine extending upward into the occiput. The pain was knifelike. Worse as day progressed, lying on her back, cough, and sudden movements. She was a chilly patient and now over one year, much warmer especially on face & shoulders. desires sweets, salt, averse to spicy, milk, eggs. and wants food piping hot. Sleep disturbed and wakes at odd hours. Despite pain she was a conscientious worker but preferred not to talk during headaches and could be very irritable and resentful. The family history revealed that she was an adult child of an alcoholic.
Based on pain in the root of the nose, headache originating in the right side of cervical spine extending to occiput, worse cough, and sudden movements Dr Robinson prescribed Ferrum-met 6c tid on 30 Oct 86. During the first week there was constant running of the nose and then it is stopped; her sleep better. No pain at night and neck and shoulder pain ceased. General energy level increased. No signs of sinus infections and emotionally much calmer.
On 12 November there was a relapse of symptoms; Ferrum -met 9c tid. was doing well. When reviewed on 27 Dec nasal congestion, slight stopping of ears, sore throat and worsening of the condition as she ran out of the remedy. Hoarseness of voice and headache daily around noon starting at the neck and rising to the occiput. Considering the relapse of the symptoms Ferrum-met 200 c a single dose was prescribed on 9th Jan 87. She was doing well but 10 days later she heard that her daughter engaged to be married was found to be pregnant; this upset her so much that her symptoms had returned; on 20 Jan 87 Ferrum-met 200 c a single dose was given. On 24 Jan she became very upset on learning that her son was on drugs and cried a lot ; she was angry with her husband for neglecting the family; for tiding over her stressful time she was given Ignatia 30. Was better but in a week her chronic symptoms surfaced.
She was prescribed Ferrum-met 1 M on 11th Feb and 21 Feb 87. She improved but other family problems including stress from her alcoholic mother aggravated her condition and lowered her energy level. She was given a higher potency and lower her energy level. She was given a higher potency and each time it worked.
On 1 July 87 she was prescribed Ferrum-met 5o M-a single dose as her headache returned; it began in right shoulder, moved to left to right neck and to occiput. Cold air aggravated if it struck her head or shoulders. Drinks coke from refrigerator without ice. Likes hot food. At works she was persistent and dutiful. She had been doing well on cm potency given in Aug and OCt87. Her husband had stated that she was in the best of health she had ever been.
Dr Robinson comments " This womans Ferrum met symptoms never returned. But she had also never enjoyed optimum health. By late 1987 she had a quasinervous breakdown after communications with her husband deteriorated. She recovered but continued to have health problems. Currently (1988) she is not under treatment with me. It is my belief that Homoeopathic medicines can not,in and of themselves, undo the trauma of the adult child of an abusive alcoholic parent. That sort of traumatic childhood contributes directly to the health problems that the adult experiences. Some Homoeopathic physicians believe that our medicines can of themselves cure all. Sometimes, in certain individuals they appear to do just that. Other they do not.".
Case 3
A 35 years old woman consulted Dr Robinson because of tiredness < from exertion and in the evening around 10 pm. Anaemic, more so after pregnancy. Menses have always been copious which was worse when she had an IUD. Sometimes she had pain in the right lower abdomen and was constipated from to time. As a child many infections and had glandular fever and frequent sore throats.
Generals : Does not like thunderstorm and very little perspiration. <at 21 hrs. Desires sweets, spices (2), meat, eggs, very thirsty. Aversion to milk, fat and sugar and agg by beans, cabbage, cheese and coffee. as they make her feel bloated. Difficulty falling asleep during stressful times. Sleeps on her right side. During certain menstrual periods she gets headaches.
Mentals : In relationships she always had problems. Problems started when she moved in with her boyfriend. Whenever she had an opinion he felt threatened and emotional. Though he was a creative and gifted man he wanted a lot of attention from her. After the birth of a child she though that both will share the burden of bringing it up she had to carry the burden alone and she resented it. She used to get very angry with him when he withdrew from his responsibility and ultimately she moved out. She had a similar relationship earlier as that man was not making any effort to build a good relationship. She used to be a wild girl and received slaps from her father ... She can get very angry and will start throwing things particularly when people dont respect her boundaries or her space.
Analysis..
It is Ferrum and Sulphur when one is anemic and has relationship problems. There are several indications for Ferrum in this case : copious menses, red cheeks, desire for meat and <cold and a persevering and strong type of person. The irritability when her boundaries are not respected is also a symptoms are : desire for sweets, and spices <heat>outside and selfish and demanding behaviour.
Dr Scholten says "The theme of the group analysis of Ferrum-sulph is quite clear in this case. She is very concerned about the relationship and she works hard to build something up. She knows what she wants and she puts a lot of efforts into it, demanding the same from her boyfriend... She felt that they should work together in bringing up the child but because he withdrew from his responsibilities she felt that the whole burden rested on her shoulders.
Treatment : After Ferr-sulph 1m she felt much quieter and less hurried there is a difference in the way she reacts when something in the relationship does not go the way she wanted it. She is now more relaxed about it and they have more respect for each other. She can also say no when he demands too much attention from her. Recently she left her child for the whole weekend with him when she went out. She is not so afraid of her tiredness and feels she will not be so irritable anymore.
Differential diagnosis : The remedy which most closely resembles Ferrum-sulph is Mag-sulph. They both have problems with relationships with many quarrels; but the Ferrum feels that the relationship has to work the way they want it to. Both project their irritation on to their partner; in Ferrum one gets angry when space boundaries are not respected and the partner does not fulfil his part of the responsibilities. In Mag-sulph initially they bottle up their anger or fear of losing their partner but pent up anger becomes irritability. They get the feeling that their partner is always angry, trying to obstruct them and making life difficult for them. A variation is that they ( Mag-sulph) feels that they have to show their aggression to their partner or the partner may leave. They also feel that they have to keep their partner under control as otherwise he may leave. The aggression may come out in a great burst of anger usually misplaced, which leads to renewed anger or remorse. It is the classic cat and dog situation. They dont fit together but picture and a fear that things will go wrong and the partner will leave; they may ask for proof of partners love whereas in Ferrum-sulph patient it is she who will walk out of the relationship.
Sources : -.
- Two cases of inflammation of shoulder joint - Dr Klaus - Henning Gypser - Journal of American Institute of Homoeopathy, June 1986.
- Ferrum metallicum - a case report - Dr Karl Robinson, JAIH September 1988.
- Homoeopathy and minerals - Dr John Scholten pages 79 and 255-258.
