HOMOEOPATHIC APPROACH FOR MANAGING ATOPIC DERMATITIS

DR. PRITHA MEHRA Research Officer (H), CCRH Email drpritha@gmail.com

THE MANTRA TO WIN THE GAME STICK TO THE BASICS

Basics for a homoeopathic physician are the Basic Principles of Homoeopathy, namely, 1. Law of Similia ( 26) 2. Law of Simplex ( 272) Coming to Individualization 3. Theory of Chronic disease

WHAT IS IMPORATNT??
Nosological definition? Common symptoms of the disease? Peculiar, Rare, Quer and Strange symptoms These will be disclosed by the patient during his narration, his family and friends Over and above this the physicians observations while taking the case and on physical examination

ATOPIC DERMATITIS
Things to know before searching the pearl It is considered as one of the scaling disorders Dermatitis is synonymous with Eczema. Thus it can also be termed as Atopic eczema. Personal and Family history to understand the cause Age and physical examination for noting the location Characteristics of the lesion Modalities

LETS DIVE INTO THE OCEAN

The Miasmatic Approach
Psora
Dry, rough, dirty or unhealthy looking-has an unwashed appearance. Pruritis; patient rubs and scratches, better for a few moments after which there is a long continued burning of the part affected.

Sycosis
Scales patchy and in circumscribed spots. Vesicular eruptions. Hyperpigmented and hypertrophied skin i.e. Lichenification. The consequences of vaccinosis.

Syphilis
Skin of the face is rough. No itching and very little soreness. Cracks and fissures in the skin. Depigmentation of the skin.

FEW PEARLS FROM THE OCEAN

Bad effects of vaccination one of the major causes in childhood that may trigger the genetic predisposition. The drugs are: 1. Antim tart 2. Thuja 3. Silicea 4. Hepar sulph 5. Croton tig 6. Mezereum 7. Malandrinum 8. Sukum chuk

ANTIMONIUM TARTARICUM
Indicated for old people or children who are apathetic, drowsy, dull or easily annoyed. Wants to be left alone when irritated. Doesn't want to be looked at or touched (Antim crud). On the contrary - Dreaded to be left alone even for a few moments, lest he should be dreadfully nervous and not know what to do with himself. Ailments from bad effects of vaccination when Thuja fails and Silicea is not indicated.

ANTIMONIUM TARTARICUM
Desire for ACIDS, sour drinks and apples, which <. Irresistible thirst for cold water; vomits the smallest quantity taken. Great sleepiness or irresistible inclination to sleep with nearly all complaints. (another three drugs?) < Milk. "Infants and children allergic to milk, vomit immediately." < AUTUMN and SPRING. < WARM ROOM; HEAT. Antimonium crud. - Eczema with gastric derangements.

ANTIMONIUM TARTARICUM
Pustular eruptions that leave a bluish red mark. Thick eruptions like pocks as large as pea. Delayed or receding eruptions. Blue eruptions and red areola. Vesicular eruptions over the whole body. Sycosis barbae. Face is blue, pale covered with cold sweat.

THUJA OCCIDENTALIS
The theme of this drug is Fixed ideas, Fanaticism and Guilt feeling. Obsessive anxiety about minor or imaginary defaults of body. Fanaticism about religion, health, diet etc. Slaves to duty, conscientious, and particular about detail. Rigidity in emotional expression and behaviour is characteristic. There can be a hardness and insensitivity toward others because their own emotional expressions are calculated. The mind rules the emotions and everything must be done in a particular order. Rigidity to the extent - Sensation as if BODY were FRAIL limbs made of wood or glass and would break.

THUJA OCCIDENTALIS
Never well since vaccination or desensitization [hay fever]. ONIONS [desire, aversion or <]. OILY skin, perspiration - Sweetish odour. Skin looks dirty brown or brownish white spots here and there Eruptions only on covered parts Unusual hairy growth

SILICEA
Lack of self confidence, Apprehension and anticipation. [Stage fright for Lycopodium is a matter of ego; for Silicea it is a matter of communication, a fear of being unable to find exactly the right words] Fear of undertaking new things. Bashful, timidity, delicate, refined, yielding. Mildness yet inner resistance - Does not openly revolt but sticks to her opinion Obstinate; fixed ideas. Thinks only of pins, fears them, searches and counts them.

SILICEA
Light complexion, fine dry skin and pale face. Bad effects of vaccination. Extreme chilly patient. Unhealthy skin; every little injury suppurates. Eruptions itch only in the day time and evening. Skin: moist pustular eruptions. Stinging pain on touching the eruptions.

HEPAR SULPHURIS
It is made of Calcium and Sulphur. Calcium = vulnerability to external influences; Sulphur = inner fire. Vulnerability on all levels leading to sense of insecurity [hypersensitive]. There is constant need for protection, which they try to find in "security, money, position, comfort". Oversensitive to external impressions pain, touch, cold. Threatening, anger so that he could have stabbed anyone. Rude; makes furious gestures. Rudeness mostly Verbal. Children who lose temper and hit and kick and do real damage.

HEPAR SULPHURIS
Chilly patient. Craving for sour things, vinegar, pickles. < Clear weather, Dry weather. > Wet weather. (another two drugs) It antidotes the bad effects of mercury and other metals, iodine, iodide of potash, cod-liver oil (patient shows allergic reaction after consuming these things). Renders patient less susceptible to atmospheric changes and cold air. Stitching, stabbing pains; splinter-like. Tendency to suppuration. Inflammations ending in suppuration. Yellow thick discharges. Skin is very sensitive to touch (Croton tig and opposite to Sulphur). Eruptions, painful, as from splinters when touched.

CROTON TIGLIUM
A valuable remedy for summer complaints and skin affections. Affinity for skin of face and external genitals. Develops acute eczema over whole body (Rhus tox) with intense itching but unable to scratch because of tenderness. Stinging, smarting pains > by gentle rubbing. Hughes says, Croton relieves the itching of eczema rapidly and permanently.

NATRUM MURIATICUM
All Natrums are hypersensitive and closed. Not to hurt- not to be hurt OR To hurt- not to be hurt Great vulnerability gets easily hurt. Fear of being rejected. Desire for Solitude. Hahnemann said, Avoids company because he foresees that he might easily annoy others. Silent grief. Absorb grief & problem of other people & brood over it when alone. Very responsible; Sympathetic. Objective & controlled on mental level, immature on emotional level.

NATRUM MURIATICUM
Defensiveness and resentment predominate. Appearance of self assurance, almost of opposition. Not the most friendly of patients & seem to be definitely on their guard < Consolation. Are said to have absolute intolerance of consolation; as a matter of fact they crave for consolation from the right people.

NATRUM MURIATICUM
Hot patient. Poorly nourished; great emaciation (marked on neck). Appearance greasy and oily. Increased thirst for cold drinks. Mapped tongue with red insular patches. Awkward, hasty, drops things from nervous weakness. (Other two drugs?) Desire to wear tight clothing. Feels better by going without regular meals or fasting (Another drug?) Eczema: raw, red, and inflamed; < eating salt, at seashore, heat of sun. Dry eruptions, especially on margin of hairy scalp and bends of joints. Eruptions itch, smart and burn.

GRAPHITES
Irresolution, timidity, lack of self-confidence; full of doubts. Always anticipating difficulties. "Regards himself as unlucky and ill-used. Resulting in anxiety [anxiety, morning, on waking], excitability, sadness and even despair. Fastidious; fidgety; conscientious about trifles. "Extreme scrupulousness; she cannot take anything lightly." [Hahnemann] Weeping and expressing emotions >.

GRAPHITES
Children - Obese with seborrhoeic scalp and eye lids. They man-handle the doctors, the instruments, etc., ignoring or laughing at the mother's admonitions. Nibbling appetite; has to take frequently small bites of food to ease stomach. Desire for beer, acid drinks and cold fluids - which may disagree. Aversion to sweets, meat, salt, fish, cooked foods. Patient is usually obese but there is "Emaciation of affected part. (two other drugs?)

GRAPHITES
Unhealthy skin; every injury suppurates. Most characteristic is the persistent dryness of the skin and lack of moisture, tendency to rhagades. Outside of fissured dry eczema moist crusted eruptions also appear with preference on the flexors of the extremities or behind the ears. The secretion should be honey-like, coagulated, acrid and offensive; the itching is worse from heat and the warmth of the bed. Lumpy, thick or hard. [skin, glands, eyelids, nails, scars, callosities, stool crusts, etc.]

FEW MORE PEARLS

Medicines
Petroleum

General indications Particular symptoms

Chilly patient; lean, emaciated subjects; symptoms appear and disappear rapidly; ailments during winter; foul smelling sweat especially on hands and feet; worse before and during thunderstorm; easily offended by trifles. Skin: eczematous, dry, very sensitive, rough, leathery and cracked (especially at tips of fingers). Dirty, hard, rough and thickened skinlike parchment. Itching in skin lesions, worse at night. Skin symptoms worse during winters. Slightest scratch makes skin suppurate. Thick, greenish crusts with burning and itching; redness, raw; cracks bleed easily.

Medicines Mezereum

General indications Chilly patient; sensitive to cold air; after effects of vaccination; prone to skin affections; constant longing for food, craving for fat; indifferent, vexed, angry at trifles but is soon sorry for it, aggravation when alone.

Particular symptoms Eczema as a sequel to vaccination. Eczema with shiny fiery red areola and intolerable itching, worse in bed. Small vesicles with terrible itching. Secretion from eruptions dries quickly, producing thick leathery crust under which pus collects. Eczema of face, child scratches face continuously, which is covered with blood. Eczema capitis, hair get matted with ichorus pus. Eczema worse from warmth.

Medicines

General indications

Particular symptoms

Viola tricolor

Chilly patient; aversion to open air, disobedient, illhumored, morose, hurry in movement, capricious. "Urine smelling like cat's urine" is a keynote.

Eczema with urinary disturbances; too copious urination; or sudden arrest of secretion. Intolerable itching. Eruptions, particularly over face and head, with burning and itching. Thick scabs, which crack and exude tenacious yellow pus. Worse from cold.

Medicines

General indications Particular symptoms

Malandrinum

Bad effects of vaccination.

Unhealthy dry, rough skin remaining for years after vaccination. Greasy-looking pustular eruptions. Dry, itchy rhagades of the hands and feet; worse in cold weather and from washing. Impetigo covering back of head, on extensors of forearms, extending over back to buttock. Thick, greenish crusts with pale, reddish scabs. Itching worse in the evening.

Medicines

General indications Particular symptoms

Fraxinus americana Skookum chuck aqua Hay-fever.

Infantile eczema.

Dry skin. Eczema after vaccination. Pimply, dry, rough, scaly eruptions on scalp extending to face and neck. Dry eczema. Post inflammatory pigmentation can be relieved.

Berberis aquifolium

TO NAME FEW MORE

Arsenicum album, Arundo, Bromium, Bovista, Calcarea sulph, Morgan p., Oleander, Psorinum, Sepia, Sulphur, Tellurium, Vinca minor etc.

THANKS ONE AND ALL