homeopathic treatment for acute diseases

1. Homeopathic Treatment for Acute Diseases Sujata Owens MHA Grand Rounds Presentation July 16, 2009

3. Acute Diseases Consider only acute totality It is better to consider only the acute sector totality. Don’t mix acute with chronic, it may spoil the case. The scenario is entirely different in acute exacerbations of chronic disease.

4. According to Hahnemann – It is very easy to take the case in acute diseases because all the phenomena and the deviation from the state of health that has been recently lost are still in the memory of the patient and relatives.   Presenting complaints are very prominent and impress our sense quickly. So much less time is required for tracing the full picture. Require only few questioning because almost everything is self evident.

5. Aetiology Aetiology is very important in acute diseases because if the cause is removed the effect goes off by them.  E.G Weakness after fever : Aranea.dia. (Generals. Weakness .Fever after) .This medicine has excellent result for the weakness after fever than any other remedy) Coryza after getting wet in rain: Sep (Nose coryza. wet after getting) Coryza in wet weather : Merc.s & Pulsatilla (Nose coryza weather wet during)

6. “Remove the etiology, remove the acute” few examples Cough after chicken pox : Ant.c (Cough. Chicken pox after) Asthma after vaccination : Thuja (Respiration. Asthmatic vaccination after, Respiration Asthmatic Children. Vaccination after) Fever after vaccination : Ars.alb, Thuja    Like these there are so many rubrics related with etiology available in repertories. By referring these rubrics we can easily prescribe medicines on the spot.        

7. Repertory in Acutes Repertory is one of the most important, easiest and unavoidable tools in the management of acute diseases.

8. In Acutes Give single medicine ?    Avoid over dosage ?    Avoid unnecessary  repetition ?    Avoid changing medicines ?    Avoid specifics / routines

9. “It is impractical to repeat  the same unchanged dose of a remedy once… The vital principle does not accept such unchanged doses without resistance… because the former dose already accomplished the expected change in the vital principle and a second dynamically similar, unchanged dose of the same medicine no longer finds the same condition of the vital force… hence no step towards cure can follow…”    -

10. Importance of diagnosis Diagnosis provides the proper knowledge of general management including provision and exclusion of diet and regimen, exercise or rest, and any other accessory management.  Laboratory investigations are unavoidable and necessary for proper diagnosis. They only help for homeopathic prescription especially when symptoms are lacking. 

11. Diagnosis helps homeopath in: •Selection of cases requiring medicinal management. •Elimination of cases requiring surgical or mechanical management. •Selecting remedies which have known to help others with same diagnosis.

12. Acute disease as a separate entity Acute totality with its active acute energy is different from chronic totality. If this is the state, it is always better to respect the similarity which the acute totality presents. After the acute phase is over a homeopath can move to chronic constitutional prescribing.

13. Exceptions to previous rule If the patient doesn’t respond to the acute phase even after careful prescribing and change of potencies and remedies, it is better to see whether the system needs a chronic remedy in an acute phase. Every remedy has both acute and chronic phases in its pathogenesis. But still you can’t prescribe a chronic remedy every time in an acute phase.

14. Example of chronic remedy in acute phase An asthmatic client’s chronic constitutional remedy is Kali-carb on the basis of physical generals and mental generals. If this client presents the acute totality of Kali-carb in an acute asthmatic episode, it is better to give Kali-carb even in an acute. Here the potency selection and repetition has to be tuned to the susceptibility which the system shows at sector level. The general rule is respect the phase, respect the totality and respect the similarity!

15. General Rules All these understanding with the miasmatic correlation is a must for efficient prescribing. Respect the phase, respect the totality and respect the similarity.

16. Repeated Colds :source of URI Repeated colds are one of the sources of upper and lower respiratory tract infections in children and conditions like broncho-pneumonia, asthma, bronchitis or bronchiolitis may follow after the initial invasion with colds. Hence, the child needs homoeopathic treatment to boost up the energy.

17. Streptococci Acute streptococcal infection or chronic? If chronic, it may take a long period. The usual experience is that it takes a year or two to disappear the streptococci in a chronic case. Mere availability of organisms in the throat has no value. If any person’s throat is examined, it may be with ‘n’ number of organisms. Whether the organisms become pathogens and cause disease is important.

18. Hay Fever It is better to treat acute as an acute and after the acute episode is over, move on to chronic and intercurrent treatment.

19. Acute Fever Cases Two ways to deal with fever cases: To give the treatment when a client consults a homeopath. The other to wait until the full blown picture of the acute totality is developed. If it is a mild indisposition, it is better to wait. But the fever is high grade with some strong symptoms like toxicity, diarrhea or vomiting, start at once the homoeopathic treatment.

20. Developing Acute and Evolutionary Totality Remedy like Aconite is very useful but often it is found that it is less used because the client consults the homeopath after 1 or 2 days. What is important is developing an acute totality based on factual data. Developing the evolutionary totality is essential. The potency selection and repetition are to be decided by assessing the susceptibility of the patient.

21. Potency and Repetition The potency selection and repetition are to be decided by assessing the susceptibility of the patient.

22. Chicken Pox Chicken pox is a self limiting disorder which usually needs no treatment. However if the infection is too strong, associated with high grade fever or the pox are large and they are full with pus formation, homoeopathic treatment is required.

23. Chicken Pox Remedies There are 30 remedies listed in the homoeopathic repertory for the treatment of chicken pox. Chief remedies are Ant crud, Bell, Puls, Rhus tox and Sulph. Even for black discoloration that remains after healing of pox lesions, homoeopathy is effective.

24. Otitis Media I gave 200 potency to one otitis media case as the same remedy had helped the case in 30 potency earlier. I found it was better to give 200 potency for 2 to 3 days until the acute symptoms of inflammation were over. Whether the remedy is right or wrong is shown by the result. No allopathic pain killers are necessary during the acute treatment of otitis media. My experience suggests that homoeopathic remedies selected appropriately are capable to treat acute inflammations.

25. Remedy Indications Cough - NBWS pnuemonia/flu – Sticta (dry), Erydicton, Pix Liquida,asthmatic wheeze – Hepar, Kali Carb, Phos,bark – Dros, Kali Brom, Spongia, Sambucus,catarrhal – Arsen, Dulc, Ipec, Phos   dry sibilant – Spongia   dry tickling – Rumex (in throat)   cough ends in vomit – Mephites   1st violent then weaker & weaker – Ant Crud   hacking with haemoptysis – Acalypha Indica   hawking – Sticta   rattling – Ant Tart, Kali Sulph, Occ Sanct, Lycopod   machine gun – Corallium   croup – Acon, Spongia, Hepar (Boenning Trio – all 200c) also Kali Bic, Hepar, Iodum

26. Remedies for URTI Chest (lack of reaction) - (ie when vital force is depleted) Laurocerasus as intercurrent. Coryza (stringy) - Kali Bic, Lyssin, HydrastisCoryza, alternate days - Lac CanCatarrh – to clear block in Rx of – Lemna Minor (30-200c),Sang Nit 30c, Teucrum Marum (more for paediatrics)Bell – Dulc – Kali Sulph,Constrictive sensation - Cactus

27. Conclusion ?    Homeopathy is highly effective in acutes ?    Repertory – An unavoidable, user-friendly  tool  in homeopathy ?    Homeopathic Medicines along with accessory management offers excellent and  remarkable results ?    Frequent change of remedy and unnecessary repetitions may spoil the acutes