Clinical Cases

A Case of Iridocyclitis in a Woman of 43

detached retina
Written by Jorgos Kavouras

Dr. Jorgos Kavouras presents a case of Iridocyclitis in a woman of 43.

This lady came to my clinic at the beginning of April 2016, because her physician was not available and her blood had to be tested.  When I asked her what her complaints were, she told me that she was suffering from tremendous pain in the right eye and loss of vision in that eye.  She was taking increasing doses of cortisone (she started with 6 x per day, now at least 20 x per day) in local applications without result, so she was very concerned. She was sent by her Ophthalmologist to the Ophthalmological University Clinic because her symptoms were not improving – instead, rather increasing and inflammation was going deeper with the risk of developing an intermediate Uveitis.  She was examined in the University Clinic, but they could do no more for her – just increasing the dosage of Cortisone.

When she first came to my clinic, she did not consider that Homeopathic treatment could help in such a serious inflammation (later I realized that the inflammation had already gone deeper and had started destruction of the corpus vitreum).  She was also not prepared to have any homeopathic intervention.  Although that first day I did not have much time, I saw that she urgently needed help, so I asked her for the main modalities of this inflammation in her right eye, which were:

  • Pain in the right eye on turning or moving the eye 2+
  • Aggravation in the night time 2+
  • Pain is aggravated by stooping 3+
  • Strong Photophobia

According to these symptoms, I considered Bryonia Alba, Belladonna, Spigelia Anthelmia and Prunus Spinosa for such a severe acute inflammation, and finally decided on Spigelia, because the modality of aggravation by stooping was the strongest, and I have seen quite a few cases of Iritis which reacted very well on Spigelia, when there was a sharp, neuralgic pain on rather one point with that modality of stooping being the leading one.  I gave her Spigelia C 200 and asked her to take it every 2-3 hours. She could not imagine that there might be any change after all that she had suffered through during the last 20 days. I told her that it would be wise to take her case fully as soon as possible.  She said she would think about it.

The next day, the pains were already considerably better; and during the following 4 days, we could reduce the Cortisone to the half of the original dosage. The Ophthalmologist was happy because the high dosage bore the risk of a cortisone-induced cataract of the lens.

After 5 days she came back to my clinic to provide details for taking her case.  She said how surprised she was that there was almost an immediate benefit of the homeopathic remedy.  She revealed her history as follows:

  • Born 1972
  • 1974 – 1980 Frequent episodes of (putrid) Tonsillitis
  • 1980 Tonsils were removed
  • 1982 Severe Choreoretinitis (Footnote 1) right side, was almost blinded
  • 1982 – 1999 Relapsing Iritis
  • 1988 Development of Cataract in the right eye
  • 1989 First bladder inflammation
  • 1993 Start of migraine headaches – in this period very strong paroxysms
  • 1999 – 2013 No inflammations of the right eye
  • 2008 Gastric Reflux
  • 2010 Severe Sinusitis & Migraine headaches
  • 2013 Light Iritis
  • 2015 January – Flu

o        March Protracted Flu with inflammation of sinuses -Tinnitus

o        April –May relapsing cystitis, 5 different Antibiotics

o        August digestive problems

o        October /November Thyroid Surgery because of big node

o        Directly after surgery pain and inflammation of Gallbladder

  • 2016 March Severe Iridocyclitis, not controlled by local cortisone application

 

The case-taking showed an interesting history, most notably that she had already had a very serious inflammation of the right eye when she was 8 years old. At that time, the inflammation attacking the retina was even deeper in the eye; in fact, she said that she was almost blinded.  After this, she developed a cataract, possibly a result of the cortisone treatment at an early age, or directly from the inflammation.  Later on, she had a long period during which she had no inflammation in the eye, although unfortunately, the inflammation re-appeared in 2013. In 2015, she had two Flu episodes, the second one of which in March, was quite severe and protracted with a high fever (39,5° C).  After this, a Cystitis appeared, for which she took antibiotics four times. This episode, together with the treatment seems to have undermined her health considerably. In the Autumn of 2015, she again took antibiotics, because of a Cholecystitis appearing after the thyroid surgery.

In the evaluation of the case-taking, she showed symptoms of Pulsatilla, Sepia and Calcarea Carbonica, of which Pulsatilla was the most Similar remedy with:

  • Strong desire and amelioration from fresh air
  • Easily crying
  • Better by consolation
  • Diarrhea after eating fat.

A modality of the iridocyclitis confirmed Pulsatilla:  She had more pain lying on the opposite side (better lying on affected side – Bryonia).  I decided to continue Spigelia for another 2 days, but with the fading of the aggravation by stooping (originally very strong)  I changed to Pulsatilla C 200.  Because of the severity of the inflammation, it was given every 3 hours.

Under the action of Pulsatilla, the pains were continuously reduced, interestingly starting with the pain in the night, which had been the most intense.  Cortisone application could be further diminished and vision became better.

After 14 days, an episode with strong migraine headaches appeared, which had been strong at the beginning of the actual Iridocyclitis and was an old symptom of the patient as well.  The headaches subsided quite quickly by just continuing Pulsatilla 200. At this time a MRT of the head was performed to exclude sinusitis and vasculitis of the brain-supporting arteries.

Immediately after the headaches, strong pain in the throat re-appeared, after having been a problem between the ages of 2-8, which was before the first inflammation of the eye started.  She was very concerned that she might have to take Antibiotics again. I re-took her symptoms but noticed there was no clear picture of another remedy and the Pulsatilla keynotes still persisted.  We increased the frequency of Pulsatilla, which was to be dissolved and shaken in water, then taken by spoon. The inflammation of the throat, after an initial aggravation of a few hours, became better and subsided in 2 days.

This throat inflammation was followed by an episode of Sinusitis (she had a history of sinusitis too), with clear amelioration in open air, so we continued with Pulsatilla dissolved in water. After the sinusitis, herpes appeared on the lip, another old symptom, which she had had many times before. The sinusitis had been treated in the past with antibiotics and the herpes with antiviral ointment.  One time, when she was in the U.S., she was even treated with oral antiviral drugs, most probably Aciclovir.  Both the sinusitis and herpes subsided quickly under the action of Pulsatilla and the inflammation of the eye was much better; but she was still on cortisone twice daily at this point.

Since she continued to have the keynotes of Pulsatilla, I decided to raise the potency to 1M twice daily.  Under this treatment, the cortisone could be stopped and the eye symptoms faded totally within one week.

As of June 2016, she is feeling very well psychologically; she is much more balanced emotionally and her fears have reduced considerably.

Epicrisis

A woman, 43 years old, came to my clinic with severe Iridocyclitis and beginning infiltration of corpus vitreum with a history of reoccurring Iritis and a Choreoretinitis at the age of 8.  She did not react to high dosages of cortisone given locally.  Under the action of Spigelia, the severe acute inflammation got 30% better in a few days; and under Pulsatilla, the inflammation subsided within 6 weeks.  Interestingly – in accordance with the second and third principles of Hering’ Law – during the healing process, old inflammations and symptoms were reactivated (Migraine, Tonsillitis, Sinusitis, Herpes of lips); and every time this happened, the serious and dangerous inflammation of the eye ameliorated, as if her strengthened immune system redirected the inflammatory process to less important organs or tissues.  Also, the complaints of the eye quickly subsided and psychologically she felt much better, with energy levels much increased.

Level of Health

After the second flu episode in 2015, she most probably had left Health Level 5 due to all the antibiotics and suppressive treatment of her acutes.  She by-passed level 6, and at the beginning of homeopathic therapy, had reached level 7.  During our treatment, her organism rose to level 6 (due to the bringing out of frequent acutes), which will be followed by a high fever in the near future.

Conclusion

I have seen quite a few patients with Iridocyclitis in my clinic, as well as live-cases in postgraduate seminars. Almost all of them were re-occurring inflammations, often appearing over a period of more than 10 years.  In all these cases, homeopathic treatment was successful, not only to shorten the acute inflammation, but also to cure the chronic re-occurring conditions.  Most of the cases were challenging, but the results were very satisfying for the patient and for me. The patients I have seen in the past have remained without eye symptoms for many years since the homeopathic treatment, at least for as long as I have followed the results.  Homeopathic treatment in these cases has healed the acute conditions as well as the chronic re-occurring problems, including the prevention of deeper inflammation penetration.

About the author

Jorgos Kavouras

Prof. (UMFT) Dr. Med Jorgos Kavouras earned a medical degree in 1984 from Friedrich Alexander University in Erlangen, Bavaria, Germany. From 1985-88 he did clinical training in internal medicine and then opened his own clinic. Dr. Kavouras subsequently trained in homeopathy with Prof. George Vithoulkas and then became a regular teacher at the Academy for Homeopathy in Munich. Since 2002 he has taken postgraduate courses on Alonissos with Prof. Vithoulkas each year. From 2003-2010 he taught homeopathy at the Student College at Riedrich Alexander University, Erlangen. He has given seminars in Sweden, the UK, Canada, Costa Rica, France, Romania, Greece, Slovenia and Israel. From 2005 -11he served as Director of the Vithoulkas Video-Course in London. From 2012 he has taught at the International Seminar at IACH together with Prof. Vithoulkas and also been Associate Professor for Integrative Medicine and Homeopathy at Victor Babes Medical Faculty Romania. In 2016 he started two research projects on integrative medicine and homeopathy. Visit Dr. Kavouras at his website: www.homöopathie-praxis-kavouras.de

3 Comments

  • I was a physiotherapist and had trained in London and I was very interested in Homeopathy but in 1981 you could only train if you were a Medical doctor first, so had to postpone the chance as I was at home looking after a new baby and had the spare time… By the time I was ready again I was knocked down by a car so that was the end of that dream!

    I collected numerous remedies that I had learned about and joined the Homeopathic Association?? I suffered from a head injury in two places and broken C1/C2 thankfully just a crack and not a full break. Time has passed and a am now too old to be able to remember enough for exams I will always continue with my interest. I hoped to study with Professor Vithoulkas.

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