ABSTRACT: Treatment of skin diseases with homeopathic medicine is a holistic approach that treats the main cause of the problem. The case presented here is of Tinea Corporis (fungal infection) and bowel derangement and the patient presented very prominent mind symptoms which indicated the simillimum.
KEYWORDS: Fungal infection, bowel derangement, fear, risk, anger, lack confidence, Lycopodium clavatum.
CASE HISTORY:
This is a 28-year old male who consulted me for intense itching because of Tinea corporis the last 6 months. At the time of case taking, he started talking about his office and work.
He said that he was unable to talk in office meetings in front of all the dealers for 15-20 minutes (initially) and he had lot of anxiety. He becomes very nervous, especially when all the people were new for him, but once he started talking “it is like the whole stage is his”. This problem bothered him a lot as he was the sales head of a cement company.
He didn’t like to take risks of any kind, because he feared that if he died, who would take care of his parents, the marriage of his sister, and people would start flirting with his wife. He didn’t take risks to be in a fight with anyone and didn’t like to interfere in between two people fighting.
He got angry a lot the past few days and he was abusive during anger. He was loquacious and had hasty speech. He had fear of death, of poverty and he repeatedly had amorous dreams.
The happiest feeling that he could remember was when he started earning, when he felt like king of the world because he had money in his hand.
He couldn’t bear air conditioning as it caused him headache.
Desire for sweet+++
Aggr from oily food & fast food (it makes diarrhoea)
Perspiration- foul odour+++
Tinea corporis since 6 months.
Location- left axilla, right thigh, around genitals, right knee and on right ear.
Aggravation by warm water, 7pm, itching
Amelioration by scratching
Itching all the time, but it was worst at 7 in the evening, when he returned from the office.
Bowels are disturbed since last 4-5 yrs.
Has to go for stools immediately after eating but he had unsatisfactory stools.
He has loose stools.
Very stinky+++.
Aggravation after eating, tea, summer, oily and fast food
Amelioration empty stomach.
Sometimes burning at anus after stool, settles in 10-15 minutes.
OBSERVATION:
– Loquacious and hasty speech.
– Premature greying of hairs.
– Thin body
DIAGNOSIS: Tinea Corporis.
ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION: Overall, patient has marked loquacity, cowardice, fear of death, hasty speech, avoids stress, abusive during anger, itching eruption aggravated at 7 pm, desires sweets, stool immediately after eating and slimy stools.
Complete Repertory used for repertorisation. In complete repertory there are 4 gradations of symptoms.
| SYMPTOMS | GRADINGS | MIASMS |
| Cowardice | IV | Psoric |
| Avoids handling stress for long | IV | Sycotic |
| Loquacity | IV | Psoric |
| Hasty speech | IV | Psoric, sycotic |
| Fear of death | III | Psoric, sycotic |
| Abusive during anger | IV | Sycotic |
| Itching on eruption aggravated at 7 pm | IV | Psoric |
| Desire sweet | III | Psoric |
| Stool after eating immediately | III | Psoric |
| Slimy stools | III | Psoric |
RUBRICS:
- mind; ABUSIVE, insulting (106)
- mind; LOQUACITY (267)
- mind; TALK, talking, talks; hasty, hurried (79)
- mind; FEAR; death, of (268)
- mind; COWARDICE (116)
- mind; HANDLE things anymore, cannot, overwhelmed by stress (129)
- mirilli’s themes; SEXUAL (691)
- skin; ERUPTIONS; herpetic; circinate, ringworm (153)
- generalities; EVENING, six pm. – nine pm.; agg. (866)
- stool; EATING; after (152)
- stool; MUCOUS, slimy (328)
- stool; EATING; after; immediately (27)
- generalities; DISCHARGES, secretions; acrid, corrosive, excoriating (439)
- generalities; FOOD and drinks; sweets; desires (262)
REPERTORISATION:
THE REMEDY: LYCOPODIUM CLAVATUM
The Soul of Remedies- Rajan Sankaran- Lycopodium clavatum has one big fear, and that is the fear of undertaking new challenges, facing new situations, meeting new people.
All these situations have to be encountered if he is to achieve success, and in the face of these situations Lycopodium clavatum lacks confidence and he feels incapable. He develops an anticipatory anxiety from this lack of confidence. [3]
Boerick Materia Medica- In nearly all cases where Lycopodium clavatum is the remedy, some evidence of urinary or digestive disturbance will be found. Worse from about 4 to 8 pm. [4]
Phatak Materia Medica- Loss of self confidence; from anticipation; averse to undertaking new things; yet when he undertakes it, he goes through with ease and comfort. Digestion weak. Desire for sweet things. [5]
FIRST PRESCRIPTION: 9-12-18
-Lycopodium clavatum 200 single dose, SL TDS 2 weeks
FOLLOW UP:
| DATE | FOLLOW UP | REASON | PRESCRIPTION |
| 23-12-18 | Bowels were better.
Felt confident. No significant changes in itching. |
There was slight improvement, but no change in itching hence increase potency with same medicine. | Rx,
Lycopodium clavatum 1M single dose SL TDS 2 weeks |
| 6-1-19 | Eruption become dry, no redness on eruption.
Itching got reduce- 25%. Bowels got better. |
Better.
|
Rx,
SL TDS 2 weeks |
| 20-1-19 | Itching very slightly at evening only.
Bowel 60% better. Anger was controlled (50% better). Generally felt better. |
Better.
|
Rx,
SL TDS 2 weeks |
| 3-2-19 | Itching as it was like last time. | Improvement stuck hence there was need to increase potency again.
(0/6 because as per my clinical experience it worked better if improvement is stuck after 1M potency , particularly in skin cases). |
Rx,
Lycopodium clavatum 0/6 2 doses |
| 17-2-19 | No itching.
No eruption marks even on skin. Bowels were normal. Generally felt very well & relaxed. |
Much better.
|
Rx,
SL TDS 2 weeks and advised to stop the medication. |
Follow up 3-10- 2020: No itching. No new eruption. Skin colour is normal. There are no blackish marks. Over all feeling good.
CONCLUSION: The central theme of this case revolves around Lycopodium clavatum, i.e., meeting new people, avoiding stress, loquacity, fear of undertaking new challenges, worse at 7 pm.
Therefore, the prescription of Lycopodium clavatum is very strongly supported by repertorisation and keynote symptoms from materia medica. Patient felt satisfied even after case taking and quite assured about his cure from the very first week of treatment as he started feeling changes from the first week.
REFERANCE:
- Jacquelyn Cafasso. Ringworm of the Body (Tinea Corporis). 2017 [cited 2017 Aug 23]: Available from: https://www.healthline.com
- J.T. Kent. Lectures on Homoeopathic Materia Medica. Low price edition. New Delhi ;2006. B. Jain Publishers. 1030 p.
- Rajan Sankaran. The Soul of Remedies. First edition. Mumbai; 2014. Homoeopathic Medical Publishers. 236 p.
- William Boericke. Pocket Manual of Homeopathic Materia Medica & Repertory. 10th Edition. New Delhi; 2012. B. Jain Publishers. 1076 p.
- Dr S. R. Phatak. Materia Medica Of Homeopathic Medicines. 2nd Revised & Enlarged Edition. New Delhi; 1999. B. Jain Publishers. 751 p.
