A case of psoriasis treated by homoeopathic constitutional medicine

ABSTRACT:

One of the most prevalent diseases that people suffer from is skin illness. Most of the skin diseases are treated with topical steroid or ointment in conventional medicine, which suppresses the condition and invites other troublesome diseases. The following article explains a case of psoriasis that was treated with constitutional medicine in this article. Homoeopathy, with its holistic approach to treatment, plays a key role in such circumstances. This article explains a brief introduction of psoriasis and how homoeopathic medicine, Sepia officinalis can aid in the complete cure of psoriasis.

KEYWORDS: psoriasis, homoeopathic medicine, Sepia officinalis

Abbreviations: HLA (human leucocyte antigen), BD – twice a day

INTRODUCTION:

Psoriasis is a non-infectious, chronic inflammatory disease of the skin, characterised by well-defined erythematous plaques with silvery scale which have a predilection for the extensor surfaces and scalp and by a chronic fluctuating course. ⁽¹⁾ It is an chronic autoimmune skin disease that changes the life cycle of skin. Exact cause is unknown, but HLA (human leucocyte antigen) marker carries very high risk for the development of psoriasis. HLA-B27 is seen up to 70% cases of psoriasis. It can start any age, but there are two peaks in age. Early onset occur 16-22 years, where positive family history present and Late onset 55-60 years, where family history is not present.⁽²⁾

 Development of symptoms:

Initially, psoriasis lesion starts with red spot, then it spread other part of the body. The lesion covered with silvery scales after scraping shiny bleeding spot found (Auspitz sign). Lesion always develop on line of scratch (Koebner phenomena). Usually itching is absent. Then it effects the nail and causes brittle, thickened, pitted nails. In the later stage, it affects Interphalangeal joint and forms psoriatic arthopathy.⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾

Case study

Chief complaints:

A 36-year women came with the complaint of dry, scaly eruption of back for last 5 years. There is severe itching with burning sensation, first started in right elbow then spread both the forearm. Complaints worsened in winters, itching after bathing and blood comes out after scratching.

History of present complaints:

Dry, scaly eruption with slight oozing started 5 years ago, intensity of itching is tremendously increase from 2 months weeks. She took conventional medicine for one year, but got relief only for some time and again symptoms reappeared when discontinued the medicine.

Past history:

She suffers from viral hepatitis at the age of 21 years, treated with homoeopathy. But after taking conventional medicine for present condition, she had knee pain for last 2 years.

Family history:

Father suffered from eczema for last 7 years and was under conventional medicine. Mother suffered from osteoarthritis for last 2 years and was taking homoeopathic medicine.

Personal history:

 She wanted to be alone. Her diet was irregular. She had no addictions. She was married and had 2 children.

Mental general and physical generals:

Bilateral symmetrical (i.e., both sides looked same). She had extreme anger, was violent, aggressive, had desire to be alone, fear of dogs. She did not want to do anything, or care for her family. She wanted to leave her family.

  While enquiring her physical general aspects, it was found that she had good appetite but still was losing her weight. She had desire for sweets and aversion of meat. Tongue was flabby and cracked in the middle. She easily caught cold and could not tolerate it. Her stools were satisfactory, no complaints in urine. All complaints were relieved by motion and open air. Menstruation was irregular.

Diagnosis:

Psoriatic plaque typically a dry, thin, silvery white scales and tends to be symmetrical distribution. Diagnosis was based on clinical symptoms, physical examination of the patient.⁽¹⁾

Analysis and evaluation of symptoms:

Sl. No.	Symptom type	Symptom	Intensity	Miasmatic analysis(3)	Totality of symptoms
1.	Mental general	She always had desire to be alone	+++	Psora, syphilis	a) She always desire to be alone
2.	Mental general	She had fear of dog	+++	Psora, syphilis	b) She had fear of dog
3.	Mental general	Indifferent, did not care of her family	++	Psora	c) Indifferent, does care to his family
4.	Physical general	Aversion to milk	+++	Tubercular	d) Aversion to milk
5.	Physical general	Complaints worse in winter	+++	Sycosis	e) Complaints worse in winter
6.	Physical general	Desire for sweet	+++	Tubercular	f) Desire for sweet
8.	Particular symptom	Dry, scaly, severe itching in erupted area and blood comes after scratching	+++	Psora, syphilis	g) Dry, scaly   skin eruption with bloody discharge after scratching
8.	Common symptom	Skin eruption	++

Repertorial totality⁽⁴⁾:

Symptoms	Rubric
She always had desire to be alone	.MIND-COMPANY, alone, amel.
Indifferent, does care to his family	MIND-INDIFFERENCE, family to his
Desire for sweet	STOMACH-DESIRE, sweet
Aversion to milk	STOMACH-AVERSION, milk
Complaints worse in winter	GENERALITIES-SEASONS, Winter, agg
Dry, scaly   Skin eruption	SKIN-ERUPTION, dry
Bleeding after scratching	SKIN-ERUPTION, dry, bleeding after scratching

Repertorisation⁽⁴⁾ :

   See reportorial result

Prescription:

   After repertorisation, Sepia officinalis possessed highest grade and highest matching of the symptoms. Here, Sepia officinalis was selected on the basis of mental as well as physical symptoms of the patient.  The patient was changeable in nature, indifferent in character and complaints worsened especially in winters, as per consultation with materia medica⁽⁵⁾⁽⁶⁾. Also after repertorisation, Sepia officinalis was the indicated remedy. So, it was selected for this case.

 Prescribed on 04/01/2021,

          Sepia officinalis 200/ 1 dose, early morning mixing with ½ cup of water for 2 days along with placebo every day, two times after eating for 7 days

Selection of dose and potency:

 As per Organon of Medicine aphorism 247 5^th edition⁽⁷⁾ and according to the susceptibility of the patient, the potency was selected. Here the patient was highly susceptible and intensity of the symptoms was also increased and she suffered from long time due to that affection, so the case was staretd with higher potency

Justification of repetition of remedy:

 Every well-chosen medicine should be repeated at suitable interval aphorism 246 5^th edition⁽⁷⁾ of Organon of Medicine. After initial improvement, if same symptoms is reappear, then repeat the same medicine.⁽⁸⁾

Follow up:

Date of visit	Response	Medicine prescribed
11/01/2021	No changes took place. Itching and burning sensation present	Rubrum-200/ 1 drop BD x 15 days
28/01/2021	She had slight improvement, itching  reduced but burning sensation still was present	Rubrum -200/ 1 drop BD x 15 days
18/02/2021	No itching, no burning sensation, she felt better	Rubrum -200/ 1 drop BD x 15 days
24/02/2021	Itching and burning sensation reappeared. It was more than previously So, same medicine with same potency was prescribed again	Sepia officinalis-200/ 1 dose
18/03/2021	Patients felt better itching reduced, bleeding after scratching reduced	Rubrum -200/ 1 drop BD x 15 days
05/04/2021	Eruption covered with white scales reduced	Rubrum -30/ 1 drop BD x 15 days
28/04/2021	Eruption healed	Rubrum -200/ 1 drop BD x 15 days
10/05/2021	Scales were no longer seen	Rubrum-30/ 1 drop BD x 7 days
03/06/2021	Normal skin appeared again	Rubrum -200/ 1 drop BD x 15 days

Picture of the patient:

    

CONCLUSION:

It can be demonstrated that psoriasis sufferers can be treated effectively with homoeopathic therapy. Psoriasis can have a significant impact on people’s life. It not only causes physical discomfort to the patient, but it also undermines his or her self-esteem. Patients are frequently socially shunned. In homoeopathy, proper medicine selection not only improves health care, but also aids the patient’s social integration into society.

REFERENCES:

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About Author:

Dr Ravi Prakash

Associate Professor, Department of Materia-Medica

R.B.T.S Government Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Muzaffarpur, Bihar