Encounter With Cases Of Arthritis And Rheumatism
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOMOEOPATHY 1997 Sep / Oct VOL 5 NO 5.
Dr N L Tiwari
'Med
Introduction :
Arthritis and Rheumatism have been aptly described as "The disease which kill the fewest but cripple the most". The socio economic problem to community is heightened by the fact that the diseases often affect the young, at the peak of their earning capacity and housewives looking after young children and old people.
The three most prevalent - Osteoarthrosis, Degenerative disc disease and Rheumatoid arthritis - cause much suffering and disability which may be spread over several decades but they seldom threaten life acutely.
In this article I will take three cases- one a case of Osteo-arthritis of an old man, second a case of prolapsed vetebral disc in middle aged female to demonstrate scope of Homoeopathy in the case of Arthritis - Rheumatism . The third case will demonstrate the role of Homoeopathy in a case of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Case 1:
Osteoarthritis: Makes me Helpless
Introduction
Mr X, 76 year old Gujarathi Lohana, retired as dy controller of Rationing, consulted me for arthritis-spondylosis-rheumatism. He was bed ridden since 3 months and was taking analgesic besides applying Relaxyl ointment and no free life.
I visited the patient on 9/11/94. I found him lying on bed. He greeted me with a smile on his face and tears in his eyes. I could see his helpless suffering and his pathos. The man who loved and walking used to go for evening and morning walks on the seashore is now bed ridden. In in own words " I have a mania to walk down the sea shore...."
Case Receiving And Case Taking:
Following information was collected:
1. Both the knee joints were affected. Pain is reflected throughout whole body.
2. Similar things occurred in Feb 1993 while he was traveling in bus when he developed sudden pain in the knees and whole body.
3. Six months back on he had pain in [R] knee joint, which was dull and continuous
4. Recently since 3 to 4 months he is bed ridden and just moving around the house with great difficulty. He cannot sit in Indian style toilet.
Past History:
1. He has been operated for enlarged prostate. He had been advised not to strain for urine.
2. Suffering from chronic constipation for which he was taking laxative.
3. Suffering from leucoderma since 5 years for which he has taken herbal medicine
4. Operated for Nasal Septum defect when he was 20 years old
5. At the age of 50 years, he was operated for Nasal polyp
Life Story Of The Patient:
He is the 16th child of his father and 7th [last] child of his mother. His mother was the second wife of his father. Father died of heart failure at the age of 50 years. All his elder brothers have expired. One brother who died recently at the age of 82 years suffered from spondylosis. Mother died at the ripe age of hundred.
Present Family Set Up: He and his wife are living together. Wife is 65 years old. She was a nurse by profession but now retired. He has two sons. Both are well settled in life. Elder son is 52 and a physician. DIL is also a physician. Grand son has completed Diploma in construction engineering and grand daughter her schooling. Second son is 50, doing his own business.
Our patient Mr X, advocate by qualification, has done LLM and DBM but never practiced and is a sentimental person with the philosophical bent of mind. Gets hurt easily.
Physical Examination: Both the knee joints are stiff.
INVESTIGATIONS: X-ray of both knee joints was taken in Nov 1993. Findings are suggestive of Osteoarthritis of [R] knee joint with degeneration of medial meniscus. Cervical spine indicated cervical spondylosis C5-C6
Histopathology of Prostate - Adenomatous Hyperplasia of Prostate.
Case Discusssion:
Mr X and Mrs X are living together and both the sons are living separately. He appeared to be very much concerned about them, and both sons are happy in their own world. He told me " Doctor Saab, my son and DIL are successful doctors but they do not believe in Homoeopathy. As Allopathy has not given me relief therefore I have called you and given you trouble" Wife was nursing well and taking all the necessary care of him.
Though advocate by education, he could not fit himself in that profession. Basically, having a philosophical mind and remaining in dream world of life, he easily gets attached to people, gets influenced by them and wants to help people. He goes out of his way to help. During the interview, he was in depressed state of mind with a feeling of helplessness as to whether he would walk again. He was confused and indecisive.
Management Of The Case:
As we see , in this case there are no characteristic at the level of physical generals or at the level of chief complaints.
There is no qualified mental symptom but mental state is evident from the life situation. In this case Bogers view was taken:
1] Pathology Degenerative [old age]
2] Location joints stiffness as movement and painful
3] Chilly patient
4] Depressed state of mind, hopelessness, and confusion.
Thuja was chosen as phase remedy and Rhus-tox as acute remedy.
Constitutional: probably Kali-carb > anxious nervous person attachment to people
Treatment: started on 9/11/94
Thuja 30 7 powders, 1 powder daily at bed time. Rhus-tox 30 4 pills 4 hourly made him feel 50% better.
Susceptibility Low: No characteristic available
Sensitivity high: Reaction to illness, high emotional state, hopelessness, tears emerges
Structured changes: Irreversible
Dominant miasm: Sycosis [mind] confusion, hopelessness, and depression.
Follow Up Criteria:
1. Emotional state - depression, hopelessness
2. Joint [knee, body pain]
3. Stiffness
4. Movements
5. Blood pressure
The patient reported 80% better within 3 weeks [23/11/94] and at the end of 4 weeks he restarted his morning and evening walks. He was very happy and started talking to people about miracle of Homoeopathy.
The patient is still under treatment and reports regularly. He comes personally from the suburb to the clinic in South Bombay.
At present he is on Thuja 1M daily and
Rhus-tox 1M 4 pills SOS. Patient last reported on 7/11/97. Patient is regularly doing yoga and meditation.
