SHORT AND SWEET EXPERIENCES WITH HOMOEOPATHY!

Parul G Wadhwani MD (Hom)* and Sapna Gupta BHMS**

Nehru Homoeopathic Medical College & Hospital, Govt of NCT of Delhi, India
*Reader, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology drparulwadhwani@gmail.com
**Reader, Department of Pathology drsapnagupta@gmail.com

Summary
The packed OPD of Nehru Homoeopathic Medical College & Hospital
(NHMC) provides numerous memorable short and sweet experiences,
some of which are shared.
Keywords
Homoeopathy, Post herpetic neuralgia, Cactus grandiflorus, Allergic cough,
Sepia, Post chikungunya arthralgia, Ledum pal
Introduction
Many philosophers and physicians have lamented the lack of association
and communication between the patient and consultant doctor in the
current times. However, the interaction and connectedness are central to
the homoeopathic consultation, since its inception. Whether the case is
acute or chronic, consultation first or subsequent, person young or old,
our case taking is a patient mission. And the most interesting part is that
we need to investigate every patient like a detective, giving prime
importance to how and what is being described by him or her. And if we
do that adequately, we are able to soothe them, with sweet pills, and in
shortest possible duration! We share some of our recent experiences from
the packed OPD of NHMC.
Case no 1: Post herpetic neuralgia
A 55 years old woman consulted for post herpetic neuralgia in the left
upper chest. Ranunculus bulbosus 30 was prescribed on the basis of
Allens Keynotes Shingles preceded or followed by intercostal
neuralgia(1), which, however, failed to provide any relief by the end of
the week. On reviewing the case, she described her pain having a
sensation of intense constriction and heaviness in the affected area (left
upper chest). The former sensation (of constriction) brought to mind the
homoeopathic remedy Cactus grandiflorus(2), which was prescribed in 30 th
potency. The very first dose provided a sense of relief and she recovered
completely over the next 7 days.
Case no 2: Allergic cough
An 11 years old boy was brought by his parents for allergic cough, which
was not responding to the previous homoeopathic treatment taken over
previous two weeks. The rattling noise was evident when the child
coughed, however he was unable to spit out the phlegm. He further
mentioned that he coughs more when he goes to school in the morning
due to the foggy weather. This modality was further verified when he

explained that the coughing worsened every alternate day, when he

attended pre-school play sessions in open field. No other characteristic
feature could be identified in the child.
Both these marked symptoms were repertorised from the Kents
Repertory, using the following two rubrics from the chapter on cough:
1. Loose, expectoration without (3)
2. Fog aggravates (4)
Sepia is the only remedy covering both the rubrics, and in fact is the
single remedy under the 2nd rubric.
Sepia 30 helped the young child get rid of the cough in 3 days.
Case no 3: Post chikungunya arthralgia
A 30 years old lady consulted for post chikungunya arthralgia in bilateral
feet and knees. She had taken allopathic treatment for high fever and
body-ache 15 days earlier, which had been diagnosed as chikungunya
serlogically. Though she recovered from fever, however, the feet pains
persisted and over last two days involved the knees also. She also felt
unusually cold (chilliness). Ledum pal 30/ tds for 3 days was prescribed
with much relief in pain in 3 days and complete recovery in 10 days. The
clue for prescription was taken from the following two Allens keynotes:
1. Rheumatism or gout; begins in lower limbs and ascends (5).
2. Particularly sensitive to cold air, chills so easily; lack of vital heat,
especially in chronic diseases (in acute diseases, Ledum Pal) (6).
Discussion and conclusion
The entire medical profession and the suffering patients are
interconnected like the spiders web. Viewed like this, it is easy to
understand that touching even one filament shall send vibratory signals
down all the other filaments (read the physician-patient web-pool). The
sweet pills that homoeopathic fraternity prescribes, has won many hearts
and convinced many more. This sweet and short case series is intended as
a quick read for the busy practitioner and reaching out to the un-initiated
or sceptics!
References
1. Allen, HC. Keynotes and Characteristics with Comparisons of some
leading remedies of the Materia Medica. Fifth Indian Edition
enlarged, Economic Homoeo Pharmacy, Calcutta; 1981; pp 242
2. Allen, HC. Keynotes and Characteristics with Comparisons of some
leading remedies of the Materia Medica. Fifth Indian Edition
enlarged, Economic Homoeo Pharmacy, Calcutta; 1981; pp 71
3. Kent, JT. Repertory of the Homoeopathic Materia Medica and a word
index. Enriched Indian Edition; B Jain Publishers Pvt ltd, India;
1995; pp 796
4. Kent, JT. Repertory of the Homoeopathic Materia Medica and a word
index. Enriched Indian Edition; B Jain Publishers Pvt ltd, India;
1995; pp 791

5. Allen, HC. Keynotes and Characteristics with Comparisons of some

leading remedies of the Materia Medica. Fifth Indian Edition
enlarged, Economic Homoeo Pharmacy, Calcutta; 1981; pp 167
6. Allen, HC. Keynotes and Characteristics with Comparisons of some
leading remedies of the Materia Medica. Fifth Indian Edition
enlarged, Economic Homoeo Pharmacy, Calcutta; 1981; pp 263