Cases/Treatments
Psoriasis is a disease which affects the skin and joints. It commonly causes red scaly patches to appear on the skin. The scaly patches caused by psoriasis are areas of inflammation and excessive skin production. Skin rapidly accumulates at these sites and takes a silvery-white appearance.
Case of Ms. ABC
Age 45 years
Psoriasis since childhood i.e. from 35yrs.
Present complaints:
Eruptions on feet with intense itching and swelling on ankles. Sleeplessness (Insomnia) for the past many years.
Past history:
At the age of 10 years, itching started in the sole of her foot. She was given penicillin injections & antibiotics & it gave her relief. One year later she suffered from typhoid & paratyphoid for 2-3 months. She was prone to recurrent colds & catarrhs. There after the patient enjoyed a perfectly healthy life.
In year 1988-89 at the age of 33 years she developed a patch on her skin again and she applied Betnovate-C. But the patch remained as such. With continuous application of Betnovate-C it gave a temporarily relief from itching but the patch had spread upwards to knee. Actually it was the similar problem which started at the age of 10. In 1991-92 she developed eruptions like watery blisters in lower trunk with intense itching. Eruptions dried off with some medicine but black scar remained on the belly (abdomen, waist) & lower limbs. Meanwhile patient suffered from bouts of Malaria, cold and cough which usually occur with change of season. Mucus was thick, greenish, ropy and salty. At that time she was given Syphilinum 10M & she got rid of that cold for a long time. She suffered twice from Malaria. The patient is allergic to quinine and sulpha drugs. Quinine causes pricking & jerking of limbs in the patient. Humid weather is unbearable, heat is not tolerable. She feels Nausea which aggravates in the morning from the smell of cooking.
Parental History:
Father: Cancer
Grand Father: Cancer
Uncles: Cancer
On asking about her behavior, nature and reaction towards the disease she narrated as follows:
Patient’s Version:
“Dr. Sahib, I have been suffering from this skin problem from very long time, nearly since the age of 10 years when itching started in the sole of my foot. Since then treatment for one or the other problem is going. I remained free from this problem for many years in between but now it has aggravated in the last 6-7years. I have taken allopathy where I found only suppression and palliation because whenever I stop the medicine the eruptions reappeared. I have also taken homoeopathic medicines like Bryonia, Nux Vomica, Ferrum Phos., Aconite, Rhus Tox, Staphysagria, Pulsatilla, Amm Mur, Apis Mel etc.”
“Dr. I feel there is some disturbance in my vital force. This part of eruption looks very bad. I always cover the affected part. I fear it may aggravate and lead to cancer because of a strong family history of cancer. I have this type of fear from the very beginning, rather from my childhood only. My childhood life was very pleasant and happy and I passed a very comfortable life but this disease is not leaving me. I don’t want to become incapacitate for life.”
“I have fear of misery, fear of injury. I even have fear of injections. If a child is going out of the room I ask him/her to be careful as I feel that he/she may get injured from the door. I have no fear of ghosts or darkness. I have fear of others getting hurt. I feel if someone goes out of the house for work, studies etc., he/she should return safely. I am hopeful of my recovery. I don’t want to be dependant on others. I don’t want to be handicapped. I don’t want to be pitied. I have fear of falling and getting a fracture while descending from stairs. ”
Do you have some logic behind these fears?
“No, there is no logic as such. There has been no mishap in my life. This is in my nature.”
“Regarding my anger, I don’t lose my temper too often. I like a peaceful life. Even if I get angry I don’t say anything to anyone. I get irritated at times but I never shout. If my servants commit a mistake I make them understand their mistake but I never use harsh words. I don’t like using harsh words at all. If my husband gets angry and shouts on me, I start weeping as I can’t tolerate it. I don’t like shouting and I can’t tolerate noise. I remain quiet. I cannot show my anger to superiors or elders. I want a peaceful life. I never flare up my anger. I don’t create any violence. I get irritated by noise and due to irritability I want to scream but I cannot do it due to my social status. I like to be alone; I don’t like company. ”
“I like cleanliness and I am very fastidious, I don’t take rest until I settle all hotch-potch. I want everything at its proper place. I can’t remain idle. Though there are servants in our house, even then I do a lot of work myself.”
“If someone finds fault in me I get hurt. I cannot forget it. I don’t take any revenge but I stop talking to that person. I leave that person. I cannot forgive a lie. That person falls in my eyes. But I never shout or get angry.”
“My trouble starts in the evening. I am sleepless all night. I think why do we have night? How will it pass? When I look at the curtains I feel that there is something between me and light and I want to tear it. I want to get rid of all the obstacles. I know there is light behind this dark night and I want to get to that light. I want to tear this darkness to get to that light.
“She told that her mother-in-law is the only factor for her disease.” I have a lot of fear from my mother in law. She is the only and only factor that aggravates my problem. She has tormented me a lot. She pretends to be a very nice and a caring lady but she instigates my husband against me. She irritates me by saying that I have not taught anything to my daughters. She lies and is jealous of me. She never speaks a kind word to me. My husband also doesn’t listen to me. It hurts me. I have to show everyone that I respect and love her but internally I hate that woman. My problem increases with this type of emotional disturbance in the relation. I think this is the only factor responsible for my problem.”
“I don’t take allopathic medicine because I know only homoeopathy can cure. Allopathy just suppresses. Whenever someone goes to a skin specialist, I advise him not to take allopathic medicine but instead instigate him to go to some homoeopath. Whenever someone is sick I wish I could give him some medicine. No one should be sick. Everybody should be alright.”
Why?
“He will suffer. I feel sympathy. He should be alright as early as possible. ”
“I am sensitive to smell. I cannot bear smell of rain and perspiration, even the smell of cooking food is not tolerable.”
Prescription:
I gave her China 30.
Report:
The very next morning she called and told me that she had a sound sleep for the first time after a very long time. She said. “This is amazing, after a long time I slept very well.”
Within a week the swelling on the ankle got reduced by 50% and the itching also got reduced.
After two months the eruptions completely vanished and she was also able to sleep properly at night. It’s been many years and she has not experienced the problem again.
The rubric that led the whole case was ‘Intolerance of noise’.
It is a wonderful case that taught me ‘China’ thoroughly from all angles.
Other related rubrics:
