Clinical Cases

A Causticum Case

Written by Mirjana Zivanov

A case of throat constriction and vertigo yields to a constitutional remedy.

The patient is a 71 year old woman with C.C. of constriction in throat.

I came because of a constriction in my throat. The uneasiness moves up from my stomach, and then my throat constricts, so I can’t breathe, or talk and everything gets stiff. When I stand up, the vertigo pulls me backwards. When I feel this constriction, I lose my strength. When I get in to this state I scream, and then I can’t talk anymore, I lose my ability to speak, as if I was paralyzed. During all that I am always fully aware of everything around me. I always feel like the vertigo pulls me from left to the right. I have been suffering from this for ten years, now. My head is sometimes drawn to one side, with dizziness and stiffness… Sometimes my chin or mouth is drawn to one side. Then I take Bromazepam (generic bromazepam, anxiolitic), but it doesn’t help. In this period I usually have dreams of my loved ones who died. When I get in this state I feel fatigue all the time, and I can’t do anything. I just go to my room, to get away from everybody. It forces me to lay down and go to sleep.

It starts with anxiety, then I get tense and restless, I start to shiver and my heart starts pounding. My heart is, other ways, fine, so is my blood pressure. Everything changes in an instant. I get very excited, then I feel this tension and constriction, for 5-10 minutes and then it slowly stops, but I stay restless all day long. My voice starts to shiver. I get fatigue. I avoid people and just sit alone in the room and brood. Then, when the restlessness starts, I walk around the room, doing something, because I can’t lie down. I’m silent by nature. I’m not talkative. I don’t reproach, or argue. I rather stay quiet, and then cry it out.

My husband is a little short tempered, so I can’t talk back to him, so I just suffer quietly. I get aggravated because my daughter-in-law takes over my jobs. My husband’s father used to eat my heart out.  He was always angry, and liked to insult people, and I am very sensitive to insults. Dishonesty hurts me, and since I am quiet, I can’t fight, so I suffer quietly. My stool is sometimes fine, and sometimes I have diarrhea or I don’t have stool for two or three days. I take Bensedin (generic diazepam, anxiolitic) 5-10mg a day.

Based on the patients words, the way she speaks, her dark complexion, the wart on the tip of her nose, the nature of her sensitivity, we recognize an image that fits  the homeopathic remedy Causticum:

Rp. Causticum C200

 

Follow up after ten days

I feel better! I am satisfied with my life! There has not been a single episode with constrictions and everything that tears me apart!!! No drawing of my chin! These episodes used to make me fatigued, so I had to lie down and sleep, and now I don’t have to! Sometimes I wake up at 1 AM, but with no episodes. Now I don’t have to lie down. Like something is poking me with a needle and makes me move, so now I work a lot at home all day long… No one can believe it, not even me. My neighbors in the village can’t believe that I am fine and working again.  I have more strength and will. I went to visit my neighbors…

I am not taking Bensedin anymore. Now I feel numbness as needles poking me in my legs. Both legs, but more on the left. I feel this numbness in soles, too. I used to feel pain in my left leg before, because I had had surgery on my left hip a long time before…

The patient’s state is fantastic. She is in a good mood, has strength, she moves more, sleeps less and she is more social. She doesn’t have those episodes that used to threaten her life. Numbness as needles poking in her legs shows us that the nerves are regenerating and life is getting back in her legs…

Rp. Observing and waiting

Follow up after three weeks

I didn’t have a single episode. It just starts building up, my heart starts pounding and then it all stops. It happened every three to four days. I have numbness as needles poking me but now just from my knees down. I have a bit of a backache. Now, I regularly fall asleep at half past nine, while before I couldn’t sleep until midnight.

Her son tells us:

Granny is great! Now she moves around a lot. She is happy. She used to cry a lot in her episodes, when she couldn’t speak or do anything. She is active all day long, doing housework, and helping with the calf… Oh, yes, our cow gave birth, so we are all very happy, especially granny.

Since her condition is still very good, and she is in a good mood, she has strength,  works, and the symptoms in her legs are moving downwards, we’ve decided to

Rp. Observing and waiting

Follow up after one month

I still haven’t had a single episode. Everything is fine. My legs are still numb, so it makes me difficult to move around. Numbness as needles pinching from my knees down, but they are not cold anymore. I had a bit of a sore throat, like I used to a long time ago, but I didn’t have a fever. My back aches, but not too much.

Since the patient still has difficulties with her legs we have repeated her remedy.

Rp. Causticum C200

Follow up after two months

No episodes. Right leg is fine, and left one is still a bit numb. Everything else is excellent.

Rp. Observing and waiting

 

Unscheduled follow-up after seventeen days

I am not feeling well. The spasms in my jaw have returned, together with sleeplessness and anxiety.   I couldn’t sleep all night like before your treatment. The next day I was tired, anxious, in a bad mood, I didn’t want to speak to anyone. I was all very much alike my condition before, so I came to you to see what is happening.  I don’t know what made my condition worse. I didn’t have any stressful situations. Only that you have told me not to drink coffee, and I accidently had one at my neighbors the day before I had that sleepless night, so not yesterday, but a day before.

Since the condition of the patient is worse on all three levels, mental, emotional and physical, we have decided to repeat the remedy.

Rp. Causticum C200

 

Follow-up after two months

I feel fine. All this time I didn’t have any problems with spasms. Sometimes my legs are painful. It gets better when I work, but I can’t walk very well, because I can’t extend my legs while walking. It feels like numbness, like something is pulling from the inside. I am generally in a good mood, and I have energy and I feel positive.

Patient is quite well, but since two months have past after the administration of the remedy, and the symptoms in her legs still persist, and are not getting better, we have decided to repeat the remedy.

Rp. Causticum C200

 

Follow-up after two months

Everything was quite good during the past two months. Only when I get anxious, I have some difficulties controlling the movements of my tongue. For ten days my legs have got numbed during the night, like the blood is not getting further from my calf. I felt like my legs were tired, so I had some difficulties walking in that period.

I have energy and I feel positive. I can do all the housework at home like I used to.

We have decided to repeat the remedy since the anxiousness and some physical symptoms are still present.

Rp. Causticum C200

 

Follow-up after two months

I had some buzzing in my head, but it doesn’t last long. When it happens I feel a little confused, like something gets started up in my head, and I feel like my head is pooled backwards. One day I‘ve got vexed, so next night I was restless, and a bit of spasms on my mouth. Ones even the chin spasm has returned, but it lasted just for a minute, and right after that I was fine.

My legs got numb a few times, but it got better very soon.

Since we have been giving the patient the remedy in 200C potency for a long time now, and some of the symptoms still persist, in spite the very good results with this remedy, we have decided to give the remedy in higher potency.

Rp. Causticum 1M

 

Follow-up after two months

I feel better than the last time. I am not anxious any more. The spasms happened a few times but they lasted very short, and I got fine again. It use to last for hours, even days, before the homeopathic treatment, and now it lasts just for a few minutes. My left leg gets a bit numb, but it gets better very soon.

I am in a great mood, and I work at home like I am eighteen again.

Rp. Observing and Waiting

 

Follow-up after two months

Everything was fine since the last follow-up. My right leg is fine now, only the left sometimes gets numb but for a very short time. When you are not bothered by pain, everything is good, and the mood is great. I made through the summer heat and all the weather changes. I am very satisfied!

Four months have past since the remedy, and the symptoms in the left leg have occurred a few times lately, so it is time to repeat the remedy.

Rp. Causticum 1M

 

Unscheduled follow-up after two weeks

Everything was fine until two nights ago, when some anxiety started. It is interesting that I didn’t have any spasms, or cramping of jaw, as I use to. Instead, I had spasm in my stomach, belching, and after a while vomiting. The next day, yesterday, I have slept all day. Now I feel quite well, so I came to ask you should I be worried about what happened?  Now I feel fine, but that night was very rough and unusual. I am i a good mood. Everything is ok now.

The disorder has moved from the neurological to the gastrointestinal level. We see this as the key moment in the therapy of this patient, because the vital force became strong enough to get the disorder from the very deep level to the surface, “from within-outwards” –  Hering’s Law of Cure. Since the patient feels fine now, we have decided to wait.

Rp. Observing and Waiting

 

Follow-up after one month

Everything is fine except my legs. Sometimes my legs get numb, so I have difficulties walking. I am in a good mood, I can do the housework, and talk to my friends.

The symptoms in legs have reoccurred, so we repeat the remedy.

Rp. Causticum 1M

 

Follow-up after two  months

I feel great. I feel somehow natural, like I used to feel when I was healthy. I had no symptoms at all. Everything is all right.

Rp. Observing and Waiting

 

Follow-up after three  months

I was fine. We had Slava (the celebration of the day of family’s patron saint) and lots of guests came. Everything was great and then we heard that my brother’s wife has died. That upset me, and I was anxious but the spasms didn’t return. Every vexation influences me, so the following night I don’t sleep well. Everything else is fine. I am doing my housework.

Because of the stress, some mental and emotional symptoms came back, so we will repeat the remedy.

Rp. Causticum 1M

 

Follow-up after three  months

I am fine. It was very cold during the night, -15oC and snowing, so I was waking up several times every night. I was a little anxious. I was sneezing because of this, in the morning. Legs didn’t hurt me.

Rp. Observing and Waiting

 

Follow-up after three  months

Everything was fine. I was just a little anxious for one day, a month ago. I am in a good mood. I spend time with my friends and do the housework… Everything is great. Soon my grandson is going to get married, so there will be a wedding too.

Rp. Observing and Waiting

 

Follow-up after three  months

I didn’t have any significant problems. Everything is fine. I was a little more anxious. Sometimes when I get anxious my left leg gets a little numb, and the right one too, but only below the knee, like some kind of tension in my legs.

Everything else is as usual.

Since nine months have past since the last administration of the remedy, and the symptoms in the legs started again, we will repeat the remedy.

Rp. Causticum 1M

 

Follow-up after three  months

I felt fine all the time. I didn’t have any problems.

Rp. Observing and Waiting

 

Unscheduled  Follow-up after two  months

My brother has died. I was deeply shaken. He was gravely ill. I became anxious and even started to experience difficulties controlling my tongue, but that lasted for just about half an hour. I couldn’t sleep well because of all that.

Because of the psychological and emotional impact of the patient’s brother’s death, and the general anxiety that followed, we have decided to repeat the remedy.

Rp. Causticum 1M

 

Follow-up after three months

I feel fine, I don’t have any problems with health, and it makes me happy! I really feel good!

Rp. Observing and Waiting

 

Follow-up after five months

I really do feel normal, like I used to feel a long time ago. I am delighted. Like I never had that horrible disorder! Now everything is fine, and I just wish that it stay that way. I am truly satisfied!

Rp. Observing and Waiting

 

Follow-up after six months

I was fine all the time. I feel great, everything is as good as it gets. The strong direct sunshine didn’t bother me, even when it was 40oC… I am doing all the housework and I am in a good mood. Everything is back to normal, as it used to be.

Rp. Observing and Waiting

Follow up when necessary.

About the author

Mirjana Zivanov

Dr. Mirjana Zivanov DDS, Registered homeopath, graduated from Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad (Serbia) and London International College of Homeopathy. She has 20 years of everyday clinical practice in classical homeopathy, at the Homeopathic Clinic in Novi Sad, Serbia. She is the founder of this Clinic. She is an associate member of Hahnemann College of Homeopathy, UK. She is the author of the books: “Homeopathy in Practice”, "Homeopathic medicine - Principles", "Homeopathic medicine - Invisible Influences", and many published articles. The books published by BJain on her Matrix Method in 2018 are: "Matrix Method with Tetractys Model in Homeopathy" and "Opening the Secret Door with Matrix & Tetractys in Homeopathy". Dr. Mirjana is the creator of the "Matrix Method" in homeopathy, and she presented it at international congresses: IHS London 2015, IHS London 2016, IHC Bangalore, India 2017, lecture at SLD Novi Sad, Serbia 2017, and at the IHC London 2018, IHC London 2019. She was awarded with the HCH “Star of Homeopathy” in London, 2019. and in 2020 with CoA CORONA WARRIOR by SYSI, New Delhi. In 2021 Dr. Zivanov developed the Karmic Labyrinth method. More information: www.karmiclabyrinth.com and www.homeopatskamedicina.rs Dr. Mirjana Zivanov’s contact: [email protected]

10 Comments

  • Good article.

    Dr. Mirjana Živanov good you recognize an image that fits the homeopathic remedy

    Causticum

    After only ten days
    The patient old woman is feels good. She is good.
    Old woman is feels better! She is satisfied with her life! She doesn’t have those episodes that used to threaten her life.
    The nerves are regenerating and life is getting back in her legs…

  • Congratulations Dr. Mirjana!This is an amazing neurological case! The life of this pour elderly lady has been truly changed by the constitutional remedy! Great long-term managed case! Keep it up!

  • Dr. Mirjana Živanov is a good doctor and she selects medicine by seeing the face of the patient and her imaginary power about the patient is excellent. The medicine which she selects works well with that patient and I am the example. I am now under her treatment and my condition is also improving slowly. She is good doctor and her medicine selection is just awesome. She is a brilliant doctor. “WISH YOU ALL THE BEST MADAM”

  • Really inspiring case in the way the single medicine has acted and your patience in follow up repeating only when needed is really great. But one thing that is peculiar and somewhat contradictory to basic nature of Causticum is that the case was dominated by spasms/constrictions about which no doctor thinks of caust as the prime remedy…for streamlining drug action in homeopaty as per our view log on to facebook/homoeopaathyaddedvalue/subhasharoranhmc if you like

  • Dear Dr.Mirjana,

    Professinell action in this very difficult case. Act it par excellence !

    You did anvery good job, Dr.Mirjana !

    All the best for the old lady and for you, Dr.Mirjana !

    Siegfried Just

      • Dear Dr. Mirjana Zivanov,

        I had been and still am suffering from urge incontinence, that is, sudden violent urge to urinate and involuntary leakage for over 12 years. No homeopathic remedy that I had tried seemed to be of any help. Finally I tried Causticum 6X and it was truly a miracle; decades of incontinence seemed to vanish right after taking the 2nd dosage in liquid form (6 drops in each dose). I did not have any symptom for about 5 months. Then the symptoms unfortunately returned as before. I intended to repeat the remedy in same potency but thought it prudent to consult a local homeopath. She gave me one dose (3 drops) of Cuasticum 1M and asked me to wait 3 months to see the results. It has been about a months since then but my symptoms persists without any sign of improvements. From reading your story of healing an older woman, I guess I had better repeated causticum in same potency at least few more time before switching to a higher potency. Please kindly advise what to do now. Do you think going back to the lower 6X potency now can possibly help?

        Reaj from Dhaka, Bangladesh

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