Dermatology CasesDermatology Cases

Treated with homoeopathyTreated with homoeopathy

PrinciplesPrinciples

A system of medicine based on the A system of medicine based on the principle of “like cures like” -similia principle of “like cures like” -similia similibus curentursimilibus curentur

Uses the smallest dose possible to Uses the smallest dose possible to produce a responseproduce a response

Health = easeHealth = easeIllness = diseaseIllness = disease

Homoeopathy works with the body’s Homoeopathy works with the body’s response to illnessresponse to illness

Disease due to bacterial, viral invasion, Disease due to bacterial, viral invasion, inflammation, autoimmune, inflammation, autoimmune, degenerationdegeneration

Symptoms – body’s attempt to attack Symptoms – body’s attempt to attack the disease processthe disease process

Homoeo – detailed history to match with Homoeo – detailed history to match with appropriate remedy appropriate remedy

IsopathyIsopathy

Allergens – House dust, house dust Allergens – House dust, house dust mite, grass, pollen, oil seed rapemite, grass, pollen, oil seed rape

Cats, dogs, cattle, guinea pigsCats, dogs, cattle, guinea pigs Nosodes Nosodes

– Staphylococcin, StreptococcinStaphylococcin, Streptococcin

8 year old boy8 year old boy

Eczema for many years Eczema for many years Allergies - guinea pig, dog, dust, strawAllergies - guinea pig, dog, dust, straw eczema worse on uncovered areas, eczema worse on uncovered areas, < knees to ankles - has to wear short < knees to ankles - has to wear short

trouserstrousers scratches scratches bleeding, > cool bleeding, > cool pain in head when runningpain in head when running Strong FH of Atopy – uncle, Strong FH of Atopy – uncle,

grandmother, fathergrandmother, father

Conventional treatmentConventional treatment

Referred to dermatology clinic in 1997Referred to dermatology clinic in 1997 Mild to moderate eczema, patches on wrists, Mild to moderate eczema, patches on wrists,

flexures, neck – trunk clear but dry skinflexures, neck – trunk clear but dry skin Fucibet, Trimovate, Dermol, Fucibet, Trimovate, Dermol, Acute admssion for asthma in 1995 and Acute admssion for asthma in 1995 and

19971997 Dermatology referral again in 2003Dermatology referral again in 2003 RAST – animal fur, strawberry, hay/straw, RAST – animal fur, strawberry, hay/straw,

wool, high IgE to house dust mitewool, high IgE to house dust mite

Conventional medication at Conventional medication at first homoeopathic first homoeopathic

consultationconsultation

DiprobaseDiprobase OilatumOilatum FucibetFucibet EloconElocon PulmicortPulmicort BricanylBricanyl

Homoeopathic historyHomoeopathic history

V. itchy at nightV. itchy at night sticks feet out of sticks feet out of

bedbed anxious about anxious about

school, school, noisy if angrynoisy if angry likes affectionlikes affection sociable, lots of sociable, lots of

friendsfriends

Fears - sharks, Fears - sharks, snakessnakes

likes performinglikes performing prefers routineprefers routine desires - salt, desires - salt,

spicy, sweetspicy, sweet

PrescriptionPrescription

Sulphur 30C one day per monthSulphur 30C one day per month House dust/ house dust mite 30C - House dust/ house dust mite 30C -

one day per monthone day per month Graphites cream – often relieves Graphites cream – often relieves

itching and has healing properties. itching and has healing properties. Enables reduction in use of steroid Enables reduction in use of steroid creamscreams

SulphurSulphur UntidyUntidy Very hungry partic Very hungry partic

at 11 a.m.at 11 a.m. Eat anything, Eat anything,

craves fatcraves fat Dislike heat, Dislike heat,

washing,washing, put feet out of bedput feet out of bed Red orificesRed orifices

Dirty-lookingDirty-looking Active but dislike Active but dislike

standingstanding Skin dry, burning Skin dry, burning

eruptions > eruptions > scratching scratching

Offensive Offensive eruptions, eruptions, pimples, boilspimples, boils

Fear - snakesFear - snakes

Next visitNext visit

possibly more good days than bad possibly more good days than bad with skinwith skin

pain in head ++pain in head ++ gave Manganum 6C t.I.d., Graphites gave Manganum 6C t.I.d., Graphites

cream, continue with HD/HDM cream, continue with HD/HDM Manganum – eruptions around joints, Manganum – eruptions around joints,

itching > scratching, chronic eczemaitching > scratching, chronic eczema Bryonia for headachesBryonia for headaches

Next visitNext visit

Seen 6 months later as cancelled Seen 6 months later as cancelled previous apptprevious appt

skin much better, arms clear, some skin much better, arms clear, some slight patches behind kneesslight patches behind knees

stopped Manganum but takes when skin stopped Manganum but takes when skin flares up and >flares up and >

headaches much betterheadaches much better dog hair, guinea pig, mixed grass/pollendog hair, guinea pig, mixed grass/pollen

11 year old girl11 year old girl

Eczema since birthEczema since birth Breast-fedBreast-fed Tried avoiding dairy Tried avoiding dairy

products – no effectproducts – no effect < summer, < summer,

swimmingswimming FH of atopy – FH of atopy –

sister,father, auntsister,father, aunt

Hayfever < Hayfever < horseshorses

2 cats at home – 2 cats at home – make her sneezemake her sneeze

DiprobaseDiprobase Occasional Occasional

BetnovateBetnovate

Homoeopathic historyHomoeopathic history

Scratches Scratches → bleeding→ bleeding Itching < heatItching < heat Stormy relationships with friends Stormy relationships with friends

but has lotsbut has lots Loves performing – sings in publicLoves performing – sings in public Fears spiders, dark, aloneFears spiders, dark, alone Creative, sporty, Creative, sporty,

Homoeopathic treatmentHomoeopathic treatment

Phosphorus 1M – 1 day per monthPhosphorus 1M – 1 day per month Graphites 6C tablets, 1 tab t.i.d. Graphites 6C tablets, 1 tab t.i.d.

and Graphites creamand Graphites cream Chlorum 30C, 1 tab before and Chlorum 30C, 1 tab before and

after swimmingafter swimming

Next appointmentNext appointment

Skin much better – no patches of Skin much better – no patches of eczema and itching disappearedeczema and itching disappeared

Advised to reduce GraphitesAdvised to reduce Graphites Mentioned that she is reacting to horses Mentioned that she is reacting to horses

and hayfever has startedand hayfever has started Given Horse tabs 30C to take before Given Horse tabs 30C to take before

and after contactand after contact And Mixed grass/pollen/oilseed rape And Mixed grass/pollen/oilseed rape

tabs 30C 1Tab t.i.d. on 1 day per weektabs 30C 1Tab t.i.d. on 1 day per week

4 months later4 months later

Improvement continuedImprovement continued No hayfever symptomsNo hayfever symptoms Occasional flare-ups of eczema but Occasional flare-ups of eczema but

less than previouslyless than previously

PhosphorusPhosphorus

Attractive children Attractive children and personalitiesand personalities

Maintain eye Maintain eye contactcontact

Anxious to pleaseAnxious to please Dramatic, love Dramatic, love

performingperforming Fear - dark, Fear - dark,

thunder, alonethunder, alone

Burning in skin, Burning in skin, cracks at jointscracks at joints

ChillyChilly Burning painsBurning pains Pale complexionPale complexion Red hairRed hair

79 year old man79 year old man

Eczematous rash on both handsEczematous rash on both hands Discoid eczema on arms and lower Discoid eczema on arms and lower

legslegs Started 3 years before, after going Started 3 years before, after going

on to Ramiprilon to Ramipril Allergies – nickel, alcohol based Allergies – nickel, alcohol based

solutionssolutions Hands – v. itchy, sore, cracked, Hands – v. itchy, sore, cracked,

weepingweeping

Previous treatmentPrevious treatment

Seen by dermatologistSeen by dermatologist Patch testing – NADPatch testing – NAD Given Fucibet, Elconton, Given Fucibet, Elconton,

Dermocream and dermal soapDermocream and dermal soap No improvementNo improvement

Homoeopathic historyHomoeopathic history

Fairly easy-going, generous – Fairly easy-going, generous – wants to make people happywants to make people happy

Was a perfectionist at workWas a perfectionist at work Dislikes heatDislikes heat Weepy at happy and sad events, Weepy at happy and sad events,

anxious about his familyanxious about his family Desires sweet foodsDesires sweet foods

Homoeopathic Homoeopathic prescriptionprescription

Lycopodium 1M - 1 tab t.i.d. on 1 Lycopodium 1M - 1 tab t.i.d. on 1 day per monthday per month

Graphites tabs 6C – 1 tab t.I.d. Graphites tabs 6C – 1 tab t.I.d. until improvementuntil improvement

Graphites cream.Graphites cream.

4 months later4 months later

Improvement ++Improvement ++ Patches on limbs much less but not Patches on limbs much less but not

completely disappearedcompletely disappeared Hands – itching > cracks and weeping >Hands – itching > cracks and weeping > Cream very soothingCream very soothing Itching not completely disappeared so Itching not completely disappeared so

Graphites stopped and Sulphur given Graphites stopped and Sulphur given instead.instead.

Another 4 monthsAnother 4 months

Did not feel that Sulphur v. effective Did not feel that Sulphur v. effective so has gone back to Graphitesso has gone back to Graphites

Itching much >Itching much > Skin of hands, legs and abdomen Skin of hands, legs and abdomen

virtually clearvirtually clear Advised to reduce Graphites tabs with Advised to reduce Graphites tabs with

a view to stopping it completelya view to stopping it completely

GraphitesGraphites

affects ears, skin affects ears, skin and nailsand nails

Itchy eruptions with Itchy eruptions with oozingoozing

Eczema on head, Eczema on head, crusts matting the crusts matting the hairhair

Eczema in flexures, Eczema in flexures, groins, neck, behind groins, neck, behind earsears

Thick, dry skinThick, dry skin Nails – thick, Nails – thick,

deformed, brittledeformed, brittle Tendency to Tendency to

constipation, constipation, obesity, obesity, indecisionindecision

Children – Children – impudent, laugh impudent, laugh at reprimandsat reprimands

Benefits of homoeopathic Benefits of homoeopathic treatmenttreatment

Safe to take for any age groupSafe to take for any age group Cost effectiveCost effective Looking at the patient as a wholeLooking at the patient as a whole Patient satisfactionPatient satisfaction Practitioner fullfilmentPractitioner fullfilment

Closing thoughtClosing thought

Useful option to consider in the Useful option to consider in the treatment of any patient for any treatment of any patient for any symptom picture symptom picture