A 13 year old girl came to me for treatment of a lump at her wrist joint(ganglion?), which she’d had for 6 months. Her doctor advised surgery to remove the lump as it had not decreased.
Case Detail
Q: Tell me all about your complaints.
A: I have a lump at the right wrist joint (right side) and that is painful. The pain is increased since last 2-3 days.
Q: Tell me more about it.
A: Since last 1-2 months it’s of same size. Due to that whenever I try to lift anything, I am suffering due to pain and my hand also starts shivering.
Q: Describe your pain?
A: It’s like a spasm of nerve. I also had the same type of pain when I was at school. The nerve is very painful and there is swelling at the wrist joint. In any situation of body movement I had pressure over my wrist joint, it become stiff and I am unable to move my hands. When I am doing house work like sweeping, the nerve spasms and I am screaming. I am unable to move.
Q: What are you feeling at that time?
A: I have a fear of being operated on.
Q: Tell me more about it.
A: I have feared that doctor will cut my nerves. I will have pain scar of stitches.
Q: What will happen?
A: There is a pus formation and infection. Doctor will cut my hand. I am unable to do my homework and what about my future? I become handicapped.
Q: Describe your feeling at that time.
A: I am scared and tense with goose bumps. People will tell me I’m handicapped.
Q: Describe the handicap feeling.
A: The people who don’t have hands and legs. If they need anything, they are unable to do it. Even in future, they will be unable to do anything. In that type of bad feeling, I am crying and feel handicapped (she was crying while describing this feeling).
Q: Tell me about your nature.
A: I am very friendly. I am thinking about one thing repetitively for a long time. I become confused easily. I am short-tempered. I trust and agree with people easily.
Q: Tell me about confusion and repetitive thinking.
A: If I have any question, for finding answer, I used to think a lot. I feel I know the answer, so I keep thinking and trying to understand it. But often, I become confused regarding my studies.
Q: Tell me about your fears.
A: I can’t stay alone. I like watching horror movies, but while watching I am getting scared. When I am tense, I am drinking water a lot. In afternoon I have a headache. Due to headache, I am unable to work. I feel better after sleeping or taking meal. If someone scolds me without my fault, I feel bad. I don’t talk to them. Afterwards, I think a lot about that matter.
If I am sharing and other people do not share, I feel bad and angry.
When I am not well, and anyone forces me to do work, I feel bad.
Q: Tell me more about your fears.
A: I have a fear of darkness. I don’t go out at night. I have fear of dogs and monkeys. In darkness I have fear of ghost and fear of death.
Q: Describe all your fears in detail.
A: When I am alone, I have fear from robbers. They will kidnap me or kill me. They will cut my hands and legs and make me a beggar. I have fear of monkeys because I feel they will slap me and I will get injured and I have to go to the doctor for treatment. I have fear of injection. If the needle is not sterilized, then I will get infection or if doctor don’t give injection properly, I have to suffer from tetanus or any other problem.
Q: Tell me about your sleep and dreams.
A: Sleep is good.
Dreams – Routine, about school and home. In dreams, sometimes I see I am alone in the home with ghost. I repeatedly see dream where I am falling down from height. I am injured and I wake up.
Q: Tell me about your likes and dislikes.
A: I like to hang out with friends and family, eating good food, shopping and reading etc.
Q: Which are your favourite dishes?
A: Chicken tandoori, Chinese and Punjabi. I like sweet and sour.
Q: Tell me about appetite and thirst?
A: Appetite is good but I am unable to stay without food long time. I get thirsty frequently. I can’t stay without water. I have vertigo.
Q: What is more tolerable, cold or heat?
A: Heat is not tolerable.
Q: When did you go into puberty? Tell me about your periods.
A: 11 months ago I had puberty. Periods are normal.
Q: When did this problem start?
A: When I was in 8th standard. I fall down and my right shoulder had injured and swelled up. Then I went to the “Hadvaid” (Indian form of doctor specialized in treatment of joints and nerves.) After treatment of “Hardvaid” this problem is started.
Q: Do you have any other complaints?
A: When I wake up I have pain in thighs and legs.
Case Symptoms
- Lump at right wrist joint since 6 months.
- Nerve spasm and unable to work and write.
- Swelling at wrist joint aggravated after sweeping.
- Headache in afternoon, aggravated due to hunger, ameliorated after sleeping and taking a meal.
- Pain in thighs
- Fear of becoming “Handicapped”
- Confused easily , dullness
- Short -tempered
- Fear of darkness, ghost, robbers, monkey and dogs.
- Fear of injection.
- Fear of robbers, they will kill me or cut my hands and legs.
- Fear of death.
- Dreams of falling from heights.
- Dream of she is alone with ghost.
My Understanding
- In this case she described a fear of become handicapped. Handicapped means cut of my hand & Legs. I am unable to do anything or work. Sense of incapacity.
- Helplessness (Mirilli’s Themes)
- Impaired
- Weakness of memory, Dullness, Confusion of mind.
- Hurt ( Mirilli’s Themes )
- Fear of Death
- Fear she is going to be robbed.
RX: I gave her 1 dose of “Baryta Carb 200 and Sac Lac” for 15 days.
* Sac Lac = Placebo
Remedy Description
Baryta carb
Baryta carb has the property to irritate and depresses the cerebral and ganglionic nervous system, producing a condition of loss of energy – both mental and physical, and premature senility.
In Materia Medica Pura
- Delusion her legs are cut off or walking on knees. (She is unable to take responsibility)
- Fear of Death.
- Easily becomes angry, dullness of mind, confused.
- Weakness of memory. Difficult to concentration while studying reading etc.
- Starting from dreams.
Follow Ups
I had the patient come for a follow up every fifteen days.
1st follow up
She said that the lump was reduced and there was no pain. No pain in thighs or legs. No headache. “When I am alone I don’t have fear. Today I have period, so lit bit of anger. Appetite and thirst are normal.”
I gave her Sac Lac for 15 days.
2nd follow up
Lump is reducing. No another complaints.
I gave her Sac Lac for 1 month.
3rd follow up after 1 month
She had slight pain in legs. Lump is reducing. Angered easily. Little bit of pain in hand when she wakes up. She has pimples over face.
RX: 1 dose of Baryta Carb 200 and Sac Lac for 15 days.
The next three follow ups were every 15 days.
The lump is cured. No pain and swelling. She is able to do her homework. Anger is reducing. Due to periods, she had pain.
RX: I gave her 1 dose of Baryta Carb 200 and Sac Lac for 15 days.
5th follow up
She had cold and cough. She had pain in throat like a needle and headache. Appetite is normal. Sleep is normal. She had a dream that “I appear for SSC exam and got questions on a different subject than the one scheduled”. She was scared.
RX: I gave her 1 dose of Baryta Carb 200 and Sac Lac for 15 days.
6th follow up
She was better. I gave her Sac Lac for 15 days
7th follow up
No complaints. Feels Better. I gave her Sac Lac for 45 Days.
8th follow up – 45 Days
Became friendly and feels good about herself. No headache and No pain.
well illustrated article on the lump
Thank u