Clinical Cases

A Case of Chronic Tonsillitis and Bronchitis

Written by Grant Bentley

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(December 2006)

A three year old boy is brought to the clinic by his mother suffering with repeated bouts of tonsillitis and bronchitis. He has had four rounds of antibiotics in the last six months. When he gets bronchitis his chest is very mucousy and rattley. Often these bouts occur when the weather changes from hot to cold. The bronchitis is worse in the evening and the outside air. There is so much mucous that is swallowed that he will become nauseous and sometimes will vomit. On occasions when the coughing is intense he will begin retching and then vomit up mucous. After the vomiting his breathing is improved for a while. During bouts of tonsillitis he will get very high fevers. His mother has let them go to 40 degrees Celsius and then will give some panadol. However on occasions they have gone as high as 41 or 42 degrees. During the fever he is both hot and dry.

A naturopath has prescribed herbs and tissue salts which made the problem slightly better over winter. As an infant he had problems with reflux and was prescribed Xantac until ten months of age. When younger he suffered more with ear infections but by the age of two they stopped and were replaced by the tonsillitis and bronchitis. During the tonsillitis a gland in his left neck will become enlarged. When he coughs up mucous it is usually yellow. He loves swimming but he is often sick afterwards (< hot to cold).

His mother describes his character as follows. He is very shy (+++) but also energetic. He will take a long time to warm up to people but then is alright. His older brother (two years older) takes the lead and his mother says he is like a shadow to him. He is so shy that he won t say anything until he gets to know people it may take weeks before he warms up to them. There is also separation anxiety he likes to be with only his mother, father or brother. She describes him as being very sensitive. A few months earlier he was walling himself off but was better after the Bach flower remedy walnut. Whenever someone gives him attention he will run and hide. Physically he is very active and loves riding his bike he will also boss his older brother. When he is stressed he wants to be alone. If there is any stress in the household he will ask his family for a week following the event are you happy . He is decisive and determined and if he says he will do something it is done.

His food desires are fruit, olives and salty food. He has an aversion to milk. His sleep has been poor but has improved slightly since attending sleep school. He is unable to sleep unless someone else is in the room with him and will wake three to five times after midnight. When he is sick his sleep is even worse. He was having nightmares and waking both scared and crying.

OVERVIEW OF CASE

MIND GENERALS PHYSICALS
Shy Mucous – yellow Tonsils
Hides < change hot
to cold
Chest – bronchitis
Nightmares Des salt Coughs till vomits
Restless Des fruit
Av milk
Frequent waking

REPERTORISATION:

MIND; TIMIDITY (151)

MIND; DREAMS; nightmare (163)

GENERALITIES; WEATHER; change of; agg. (106)

FEVER, HEAT; INTENSE heat, 39-40 Celsius (81)

GENERALITIES; FOOD and drinks; fruit; desires (46)

FACIAL ANALYSIS

YELLOW (psora)
RED (sycosis)
BLUE (syphilis)
  • Lips
  • Down turned eyes
  • Ears

3 features

  • Nose
  • Hairline
  • Dimple chin
  • Ears
  • Eyes
  • Forehead
  • Teeth
  • Smile

8 features

  • Chin
  • Asymmetry

2 features

 

Examination of his facial features showed a strong sycotic (red) dominance and so a red remedy needed to be chosen. Remedies in order of repertorisation are Puls, Phos, Ant-t, Ars, Nat-m, Carb-v, Mag-c and Thuja.

Both Ant-t and Thuja are sycotic remedies but as Ant-t is known for its mucous++ this remedy is chosen over Thuja. As the patient is young and he has current pathology Ant-t 6C daily is given.

Follow up – February 2007:

He has had no tonsillitis at all in the last two months even though he has gone swimming over the summer normally he wouldn t be able to do this. There has also been no bronchitis. He got one sniffle but it didn t develop further. During this time he started craving both milk and yoghurt which he was given without any negative occurrence such as an ear infection which would previously happen. The separation anxiety is much improved he started a kindergarten group (his mother had been dreading this) and was only upset on two occasions and both times easily consoled.

It is interesting that only two weeks after commencing the remedy his older brother contracted chicken-pox. This boy also caught it and got a very bad dose (even down his throat) but it only lasted one week and his energy and spirits were fine throughout the whole episode. This was in contrast to the suffering of his brother and in contrast to previous times he had been sick. (What does this say about the prophylactic effect of Ant-t known for its direct relationship to chicken-pox?). No more remedy – wait

Follow up April 2007:

The patient s brother has gone to visit his father (they have different fathers) and the patient is distressed and misses his brother. On a previous occasion when his brother was away he got very sick so the mother doesn’t want this to happen again. Again similar symptoms are starting to occur gurgling, rattling, mucous and poor sleep all since his brother left. He is also craving fruit, tomato and mint and is waking at night bad tempered. He is given Ant-t 6C again (daily dose until improvement). After two days most of his symptoms are gone and the dose is stopped on the fourth day.

This case demonstrates both the effectiveness of using facial analysis to determine a patient s miasm which in turn leads to a narrowed choice of remedy. It also demonstrates how a renewed stressful event will deplete the body of energy and in this weakened state similar symptoms can return.

For further information on the development and application of Homeopathic Facial Analysis (HFA) please visit the college website
http://www.vcch.org/miasm.html

About the author

Grant Bentley

Grant Bentley - Grant"™s qualifications include Homeopathy, Naturopathy, Clinical Hypnosis and a Post Graduate Diploma in Eriksonian Psychotherapy. Grant is the current Principal and senior lecturer of the Victorian College of Classical Homeopathy, a position he has held since 1995.

His book, Appearance and Circumstance (2003) details the nature of miasms and how facial analysis can be used to determine the patient"™s dominant miasm. Homeopathic Facial Analysis (2006) gives detailed descriptions and examples of facial analysis. Soul & Survival (2008) defines how miasms influence us in our daily lives and define our individuality.

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