INTRODUCTION: COVID-19 is a highly contagious viral illness caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). An effective treatment has not been discovered by the conventional system so far.
The most common pharmacological interventions used are antivirals, dexamethasone, monoclonal antibodies and in certain cases, Apilimod (chemotherapeutic agent). These therapies are highly targeted and focus on reducing viral load1.
However, their action can cause side-effects such as severe immunosuppression and they are often very expensive. According to the WHO, recovery time is estimated to be 2 weeks for patients with mild infection, and 3-6 weeks for those with serious illness2.
In the midst of rising cases and their experimental management in conventional medicine, there is a need for therapy which provides prompt results. We present a case report of COVID-19 treated by classical homeopathic treatment.
CASE PRESENTATION:
A 49-year-old woman consulted us on 28th May 2021, with great indisposition. She had a fever, myalgia and felt bloated since May 23, for which she started with NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug), Ibuprofen and Loratadine. The patient stopped the medications on May 28th , before the consultation.
Clinical Findings
Common symptoms like great tiredness, no appetite, weakness, no sense of taste and smell were present. She felt hot and cold alternatively. Wanted to lie down but felt restless. Severe nausea, cough with difficult expectoration, there’s no strength to expectorate with congestion in the chest. She was uneasy and pale.
Repertorization and prescription
Based on the repertorisation, Arsenicum album was prescribed.
Potency and dosage: 12 CH, every half hour. Due to the seriousness of the case, the potency available at the time, 12CH was prescribed. Waiting for the drug to become available was unfeasible.
Follow up
| Date | Symptomatology | Prescription |
| 30 May 2021 | Generally better by the next day, but weakness persists.
Sleeplessness persists. Cough with dryness of the throat persist. Food intake is slightly better with no hunger New symptoms Desire to sunbathe Frontal headache |
Arsenicum album 13 CH, every hourly. |
| 02 June 2021 | General improvement of the symptoms continues. | Arsenicum album 13 CH,
every two hours. The dosage was reduced to every four hours by the next day. |
| 07 June 2021 | No improvement in the sense of taste and smell. | Arsenicum album 13CH, thrice a day, for 3 days. |
| 28 June 2021 | Complete return of sense of smell and taste. |
DISCUSSION
Evolution of symptoms
Fig. 1. Graphical representation of symptom evolution
The chart above, represents the progression of symptoms. It shows that the most severe and recent symptoms quickly regressed. Immediately after the medication, the patient felt better, less agitated. The patient felt much better within 24 hours despite her insomnia.
On the second day she was calmer and was able to eat better. All symptoms within 5 days were no longer present. The proving symptoms of the remedy remained, probably due to the potency used.
The utilization of a higher potency could probably have led to faster and smoother recovery of the patient. There is a rapid response to treatment in this case. The latest and most intense symptom, weakness with restlessness was the first to regress, followed by the betterment of other symptoms along with the general improvement of the patient.
Patient perspective:
Patient stated: “Thanks to homeopathy I was cured.”
Bibliography
- Tellez D, Dayal S, Phan P, et al. Analysis of COVID-19 on Diagnosis, Vaccine, Treatment, and Pathogenesis with Clinical Scenarios. Clin Pract. 2021;11(2):309. doi:10.3390/CLINPRACT11020044
- T T, B W, D SG, et al. Time to recovery from COVID-19 and its predictors among patients admitted to treatment center of Wollega University Referral Hospital (WURH), Western Ethiopia: Survival analysis of retrospective cohort study. PLoS One. 2021;16(6). doi:10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0252389
It is informative regarding arsenicum album. In India when in March 2020, lockdown started, we were given a course of arsenicum album 30c. We felt normal and healthy and for one year the normal state of health prevailed. On account of compulsions of the official regime we were vaccinated with covishield two jabs at the desired interval in between the two. The homeopathic treatment was called prevention of COVID 19. We consider ourselves lucky that homeopathy was available at the time and no vaccines were there because it was novel for the conventional system which is ruling the regime of pandemics in the government today.
yes.Ars.alb 200 worked well in our cases n India. Thanks to Homoeopathy
Imagine if we had never been terrorised by the 24hr news media showing endless body bags, ventilators, masked and totally plastic sealed zombie clinicians? Imagine if we had been told that we need to clean the air in our polluted cities, boost the Vitamin D3 in our bodies, take care of the elderly and encourage the young ones to catch the virus, share it amongst themselves and that there was nothing to fear: IT WAS A MILD TO MODERATE RESPIRATORY virus – remember? I imagine if people who caught ‘it’ were not terrified? Imagine? And if people (in the west) were helped to eat sensibly and healthily? Imagine if people were encouraged to properly hydrate themselves – 6 glasses of water a day and more if drinking coffee or tea. …imagine if people were reminded how important it is to NEVER suppress a fever and always respect the body’s calls for rest and recuperation. Just imagine….