The Effectiveness of Homoeopathic Medicine in the Treatment of Bronchial Asthma: A Case Report
Bronchial asthma is one of the major public health problems. Former studies on asthma have shown that homoeopathic treatment help in reducing the frequency and intensity of episodes of asthma and weaning of bronchodilator and other allopathic drugs. A male patient aged 21 years attended the outpatient department of Sarada Krishna Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital Kulasekharam chiefly for the complaint of breathing difficulty and sneezing since childhood which increased for 2 years. He has been taking allopathic medications which help in controlling the severity but his condition remains unchanged. After an unsatisfactory outcome with modern medicine, the Patient turned to homoeopathic treatment. After detailed case taking and symptom similarity 4 doses of Nux vomica were given in 200 C, and the patient was followed for 1 week, during this period the symptoms were increased and considered new totality on follow-up and given Arsenicum album 200. That shows there is pronounced improvement in symptoms and quality of life of the patient after homoeopathic treatment.
Introduction
Asthma is a major non-communicable (NCD) It comes under the ICD classification: J45 (ICD- CM 10) [1] affects both children and adults and is the most common chronic disease among children. It is characterized by inflammation and narrowing of the small airways resulting in cough, wheeze, shortness of breath, and chest tightness [2]. Airway hyper- reactivity (AHR) – the tendency of airways to contract too easily and too much in response to triggers that have little or no effect in normal individual [3]. Asthma is either dry or humid. The dry asthma attacks are more sudden, violent, and of short duration, the cough is slight and scanty expectoration. In moist or humid asthma, the attacks are slow but more protracted, the cough being more severe, expectoration commences early and when it becomes copious usually affords relief. It is a type I hypersensitivity reaction, that is an immediate exaggerated or harmful immune reaction and increased IgE level.
The prevalence of asthma has markedly increased over the past 30 years. In developed countries, approximately 10% of adults and 15% of children have asthma. Worldwide approximately 300 million people have asthma and this is expected to rise to 400 million by 2025. In childhood, Asthma is more common in boys, but following puberty, females are more frequently affected. The most frequent onset is in childhood between 3- and 5 years of age and may either worsen or improve during adolescence. This increase, with its accompanying allergy, is particularly in children and young adults where this disease may affect up to 15% of the population [3].
Homoeopathy in Bronchial Asthma
The homoeopathic remedies aim to minimize the risk and adverse effects of bronchial asthma following its approach considering principles and philosophy [4]. In homoeopathy, asthma is regarded as the manifestation of chronic or latent psora, in-fact most of the disease of the respiratory tract on the effects of psoric disturbance. The suppression of skin diseases has been found a major cause of respiratory diseases. By considering the miasmatic background, and after proper examination of the case, the homoeopath is to determine the choice of correct remedy and correct potency, for that, he may note down generals, mental, modality of the time, concomitant symptoms, Rare and peculiar symptoms and thus workout the totality of the symptoms for selection of medicine [5].
Materials and Methods
This case was taken in standardized case record format from unit VII of Sarada Krishna homoeopathic medical college. A bronchial asthma scale was used to evaluate the improvement in the quality of life of the patient. The overall improvement of the case was analyzed by further follow-ups.
Case report 21 years of a male patient presenting with complaints of breathing difficulty and sneezing since childhood increased since 2 years.
| Location | Sensation | Modalities | Concomitants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Respiratory system | Breathing difficulty | <Night ++ < lying down <Ascending stairs >Sitting erect | Nil |
| Upper respiratory system | Sneezing | <dust exposure++ >Sitting erect | Nil |
Table 1: Presenting illness.
History of Presenting Complaints
The patient suffered from breathing difficulty since childhood for that he took allopathic medication then the complaint subsided by the age of 12. The complaints did not recur for the next few years. After 2 years the complaints reappear and he suffered more for 2 years. There is no history of tightness of the chest, purulent copious expectoration, chronic fatigue, palpitations, and increased nighttime urination.
History of Past Illness
Attack of bronchial asthma during childhood.
Generals
Physical Generals: The patient’s sleep was disturbed due to breathing difficulty and got only 6 hours of sleep. The appetite of the patient was good and he had 3 meals per day and a normal thirst. The patient’s bowel was regular and passed once a day. He had no difficulty in passing urine which depends upon intake of water.
Systemic Examination: Examination of the respiratory system: Auscultation: wheezing or whistling sound heard, low- pitched breath sounds, vesicular breath sounds with prolonged expiration time. Palpation: decreased symmetrical chest wall expansion.
Analysis of the case
After analyzing the symptoms of the case, the characteristic particular and general symptoms were considered for framing the totality. Analysis and evaluation are given in the Table 2.
| Uncommon | |
|---|---|
| Breathing difficulty<lying down< Ascending stairs>sitting erect | Breathing difficulty< night at 9 am |
| Sneezing< dust exposure< cold exposure | < on washing face |
Table 2: Bronchial asthma scale.
Improving score on bronchial asthma - Australia’s national guidelines for asthma management [6].
| Points | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 points | 4 points | 3 points | 2 points | 1 point |
| 1. How much time did your asthma keep you from getting as much done at work or home? | ||||
| All of the time | Most of the time | Some of the time | A little of the time | None ofthe time |
| 2. How often did you have shortness of breath? | ||||
| All of the time | Most of the time | Some of the time | A little of the time | None of the time |
| 3. How often did wheezing wakes you at night? | ||||
| All of the time | Most of the time | Some of the time | A little of the time | None of the time |
| 4. How often did you feel chest pain? | ||||
| All of the time | Most of the time | Some of the time | A little of the time | None of the time |
| 5. How often did your cough recur? | ||||
| All of the time | Most of the time | Some of the time | A little of the time | None of the time |
Table 3: Bronchial asthma scale.
| Q.1 | Q.2 | Q.3 | Q.4 | Q.5 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 15 |
Table 4: Score on the first visit.
Remedy and Follow Up
On the first visit of the patient (5-02-2022), on account of breathing difficulty and sneezing, we concluded to give Nux vomica 200 for 1 week. On the next visit after 1 week (14-02-2022), the complaints of sneezing were better but breathing difficulty persist as same. And the breathing difficulty was worse at night++, worse while lying on back+, and better by sitting erect. After considering the new totality we gave Arsenicum Album 200/8 doses were repeated on alternative days in the morning [7]. The patient is followed for 7 months and during this period patient no longer suffers from breathing difficulty and sneezing. The detail of Follow up is given in Table 5.
| Date | Signs and symptoms | Prescription | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14-2-22 | Breathing difficulty persists as the same <night++ <lying on back+> sitting erect | Arsenicum Album 200 8 Doses on an alternate morning. | |||||
| Q.1 | Q.2 | Q.3 | Q.4 | Q.5 | Total | ||
| 4 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 15 | ||
| 2/3/2022 | Breathing difficulty better <night+Sneezing better but occurs occasionally | ArsenicumAlbum 200 4 Doses once in three days in the morning. | |||||
| Q.1 | Q.2 | Q.3 | Q.4 | Q.5 | Total | ||
| 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 12 | ||
| 22-4-22 | Breathing difficulty better but had wheezing that day morning(3 am to 8 am) <cold climate, < exertion O/E- chest clear | Arsenicum Album 200 2 Doses weekly once in the morning | |||||
| Q.1 | Q.2 | Q.3 | Q.4 | Q.5 | Total | ||
| 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 12 | ||
| 13-6-22 | ArsenicumAlbum 200 2 Doses weekly once in the morning. | ArsenicumAlbum 200 2 Doses weekly once in the morning. | |||||
| Q.1 | Q.2 | Q. 3 | Q.4 | Q.5 | Total | ||
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 9 | ||
| 26-7-22 | Breathing difficulty better Sneezing better Itching of eyes better. Tonsillitis for 3 days <cold drinks and food, <swallowing | ArsenicumAlbum 200 2 Doses weekly once in the morning. | |||||
| Q.1 | Q.2 | Q.3 | Q.4 | Q.5 | Total | ||
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | ||
| 26-8-22 | No other complaints | Sac lac 1 Dose weekly once in the morning. | |||||
| Q.1 | Q.2 | Q.3 | Q.4 | Q.5 | Total | ||
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | ||
| 28-9-22 | Complaints relieved | Sac lac 1 Dose weekly once in the morning. | |||||
| Q.1 | Q.2 | Q.3 | Q.4 | Q.5 | Total | ||
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
Table 5: Summary.
| Before - 15 After - 5 | Q.1 | Q.2 | Q.3 | Q.4 | Q.5 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | ||
| Number of visits | 8 | ||||||
| Duration of treatment | 9 months | ||||||
| Medicine administered | Arsenicum album | ||||||
| Potency selected | 200 | ||||||
| Number of doses | 18 doses |
Table 6: Summary.
Results and Discussion
After considering the totality and symptom similarity of the patient, Arsenicum album 200 8 doses were prescribed. After 2 weeks breathing difficulty and sneezing were better, which indicates the selection of medicine similar to the patient’s symptoms, and the doses were reduced to 4 of the same medicine. And on further follow-ups, the patient’s health gradually developed and doses also gradually decreased. The improvement of the patient was evaluated by the bronchial asthma scale (Table 3) and after 7 months of treatment, the patient was completely free from symptoms and his quality of life was improved with the help of Arsenicum album.
| Q.1 | Q.2 | Q.3 | Q.4 | Q.5 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
Arsenicum album was the most indicated medicine for bronchial asthma, which covers the greater number of symptoms related to respiratory complaints. The characterized symptoms of the Arsenicum album are unable to lie down and fears of suffocation due to lying down. Asthma and breathing difficulties are worse at midnight with scanty and mostly white color expectoration [8]. The case shows symptomatic similarity to the Arsenicum album. Through this study, we can able to understand the efficacy of the Arsenicum album in bronchial asthma.
Conclusion
This was the case of bronchial asthma treated with Arsenicum album and evaluated by the bronchial asthma scale this study showed that arsenic album has good action on bronchial asthma which as a result showed differences in the bronchial asthma scale. At the first visit, the bronchial asthma scale score was 15, and after three months of treatment, the score improved to 5. This showed there is improvement in symptoms and quality of life of the patient after homoeopathic treatment. This case indicates that homoeopathy proves to help improve the symptoms of asthma, reduce the episodes of breathing difficulty and sneezing, improve the general health of the patient, and weaning of anti-allergic medicines.
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