PRELIMINARY DATA:
Name: Mrs. Jenifer (name changed)
Sex: Female
Age: 52 years
Marital Status: Married
Education- Post Graduate in Sociology
Occupation: Housewife / Insurance agent
Address: Mangalore, Karnataka
Religion: Christian
Parents- Deceased
Diet: Non-Vegetarian
Spouse: Mr. Jordan (name changed)
Occupation- Bio scientist and Researcher
CHIEF COMPLAINTS:
| LOCATION | SENSATION | MODALITIES | ACCOMPANIMENTS |
| Locomotor System On both the legs for 23 years With gradual Onset | Pain- dull type, Heaviness in the legs | On continuous standing in the kitchen, working and straining activities Better by resting, elevating her legs and bandaging 3 varicose veins. | Not as such |
| Respiratory System Nose for 6-7 years With gradual onset |
Difficulty in breathing and sneezing
Frequent cough coryza Watery Eyes Easily catches cold in cold weather |
When exposed to dust, fur (they had Persian cat and cleaning.
She also uses nasal spray for relief On consuming cold food items like curd, cold drinks, ice-creams Better by taking hot drinks and consuming DOLO tablets. |
Weakness, Headache and feverish feeling |
Fig 1- On the lower extremities.
DIAGNOSIS- Varicose veins (Spider Veins) with Allergic Rhinitis
ASSOCIATED COMPLAINTS– Not as such
Patient as a person (Attributes and Functions):
Appearance: Healthy build and fair complexion
Perspiration: moderate – whole body
Digestion: Appetite: Normal, 3 times a day (she will always consume hot food items)
Cravings: hot drinks Aversion: cold food items
Eliminations: – Stool: Normal Urine: Normal
Sleep: 6-7 hours- unrefreshing due to pain in legs and cough, coryza and headache
Thermal State: Chilly (cannot bear fan, will cover herself, will sit and have food with fan off, will always take bath in hot water and will take hot food and drinks only)
Family History: Father- was healthy and died at age 85
Mother- had complaints of asthma
LIFE SPACE– The patient was born and brought up in an orthodox Christian family. Her father was an agriculturalist and her mother was a housewife. She was a very conscientious and diligent student, very punctual and use to do her work properly.
Due to certain complications which are not clear she was not able to conceive and no treatment was done or investigations regarding that. She, along with her husband took care of the other children (her husband’s brother’s and sister’s kids) as they were living in the city.
She started working as an insurance agent to be independent. She is very religious; visits the church, listens to religious talks and songs and even sometimes she holds the bible while sleeping. She loves cooking and she wants everything to be perfect, on time and neat and clean. Her home is extremely neat.
Her clothes will be properly washed and ironed. She gets very worried about her health and if someone is coming to the home for dinner or when she has to go out somewhere, she will be very much hurried and restless. At home also she will hardly take rest and will continue doing some thing or the other. She is very concerned about her health, diet and exercise.
UNDERSTANDING OF THE PATIENT-
The patient’s core can be defined as:
Religious
Fastidious
Cautious about health
Adjustable
Anticipation
Restlessness
Responsible towards family
A very diligent and conscientious person
TOTALITY OF THE PATIENT
- Fastidious
- Religious
- Cautious about Health
- Adjustable
- Restlessness
- Anticipation
- Varicose Vein Blue in colour
- Varicose Vein with pain
- Easily catching cold in cold weather
- Chilly patient
APPROACH: Synthesis Repertory was used for Repertorization.
RUBRICAL TOTALITY:
- MIND, FASTIDIOUS
- MIND, RELIGIOUS AFFECTION
- MIND, ANXIETY, health about…
- MIND, YIELDING, disposition
- MIND, RESTLESSNESS
- MIND, ANTICIPATION
- GENERALITIES, VARICOSE, veins, blue
- GENERALITIES, VARICOSE, veins, painful
- NOSE, CATARRH, cold weather
REPERTORIAL SHEET: Synthesis Repertory was used in this case.
FINAL REMEDY: ARSENICUM ALBUM 1M stat was given, as the patient was chilly and was better by warm drinks and the overall picture was more like Arsenicum.
FOLLOW UP CRITERIA:
- Pain in both legs
- Varicose vein- colour, swelling
- Breathlessness
- Sneezing
- Cough and coryza
- Body ache
- Weakness and feverish feeling
FOLLOW UP SUMMARY:
| DATE | PROGRESS REPORT | PRESCRIPTION |
| 14 Jan 2020 | Pain in both the legs persists, colour of the veins unchanged
Breathlessness slightly better Sneezing intensity reduced Cough and coryza better Body ache, weakness, feverish feeling 30% better |
Sac lac |
| 20 March 2020
|
Pain in both the legs slightly better, colour of the veins same
Breathlessness occasionally Sneezing intensity reduced Cough and coryza better Body ache, weakness, feverish feeling much better |
Sac lac |
| 16 June 2020
|
Pain in both the legs increased, colour of the veins same
Breathlessness 90% better Sneezing intensity reduced Cough and coryza better Body ache, weakness, feverish feeling completely better |
ARS ALB 1M Stat
Also, she started doing walks and some specific exercises for varicose veins during lockdown. |
Presently, November 2020, she is free of pain in the legs but blue colour of the veins persists. Respiratory complaints of breathlessness, sneezing, cough, coryza, weakness, body ache, feverish feeling completely better. She has stopped exercising or hardly once in a week she will do it. She is able to do her work properly, can stand for longer periods and she also mentioned “I don’t remember what DOLO is”.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION:
In this case of varicose veins and allergic rhinitis we can see the efficacy of homoeopathic treatment specifically when the remedy is selected after proper case taking, unbiased observations and the proper individualization of the case.
PATIENT’s PERSPECTIVE:
The patient is very satisfied after taking the remedy. She feels much better and relaxed while doing her day-to-day activities. She does not have to take any medications for her complaints and her sleep is also good as she is not disturbed by any kind of pain or respiratory complaints.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST:
There is no conflict of interest.
LIST OF REFERENCES:
- Fauci AS, editor. Harrison’s principles of internal medicine. New York: McGraw-Hill, Medical Publishing Division; 2008.
- Becker PE, Doepker ML, inventors; Swedish Herbal Systems Inc, assignee. Topical composition for the treatment of spider veins. United States patent US 5,698,206. 1997 Dec 16.
- Rose SS, Ahmed A. Some thoughts on the aetiology of varicose veins. J Cardiovasc Surg (Torino). 1986 Sep-Oct;27(5):534-43. PMID: 3760014.
- Dhingra PL. Diseases of Ear, Nose & Throat. Elsevier India; 2010.
- Greiner AN, Hellings PW, Rotiroti G, Scadding GK. Allergic rhinitis. The Lancet. 2011 Dec 17;378(9809):2112-22.
- Hooda R, Tripathi M. Role of homeopathy medical system in remedy of varicose vein ulcer.
CONSENT OF THE PATIENT:
The author certifies that she has obtained all appropriate patient consent.
