8th Veni Bhushan Memorial Lecture At APHA at Hyderabad

ACUTE EMERGENCIES AND HOMOEOPATHIC MANAGEMENT


Dr.P.V.S.N.Prasad, D.H.M.S.,M.D.







A TRUTH, ON ANY PLANE, PRESENTED TO DIFFERENT MEN, IS ACCEPTED OR REJECTED BY EACH ACCORDING TO THE GOOD OR EVIL OF HIS MIND. ______KENT



It is a misconception among the public as well as the profession especially youngsters that Homoeopathy is more effective in chronic disorders rather than in acute disorders. From time immemorial Homoeopathy has proved its efficacy in all sorts of acute disorders including those diseases pronounced to be incurable by the other systems of medicine.

Though most of the physicians are interested in the treatment of chronic disorders only, certainly there are some occasions where one has to meet emergencies like epidemics, injuries or even acute exaggerations of chronic disorders. One may simply send the case to other systems of medicine but if we are confident of treating the acute episode, surely it will be reward by way of getting more patients to our treatment along with monetary reward.

To treat emergencies is very easy when compared to chronic ones since the symptomatology is very clear and the response to the drug can be assessed within a few hours. If one can fix the ‘Genus Epidemicus’ it becomes easier to treat the acute diseases which also help to prevent the disease and gain confidence of the patients. To give few examples, Verat alb has cured hundreds of cases of diarrhoea and vomiting for more than ten years. Hyos has cured more than twenty five direct cases of ‘Japan B. Viral Encephalitis’ in epidemics including a case of ‘Post-Encephalitis Sequelae’ with the same drug while the government supplied Bell, Calc carb and Tuberc to prevent the disease throughout the state. Only 4 cases are cured during the first outbreak of Japan B. Viral Encephalitis’ in 1979. The cases recovered rapidly without any sequelae left behind. For many years I found Bell is ‘Genus Epidemicus’ for fevers of respiratory origin and Ars alb for ‘Enteric

fevers in our region.

Treating acute emergencies will demand thorough knowledge of all subjects, close observation of the patient and the art of administering the medicine without any delay by way of consulting the Repertory or Materia Medica. One can find a few drugs which are necessary for day today practice by treating the same with constant observation and application of our system.

Emergencies in acute practice include Pain, Fever, Collapse, and Bleeding from various orifices, various Animal bites, Injuries, Burns and Convulsions etc. Let us discuss these points in detail. I shall give the therapeutic part only, stressing the important guidelines for the selection of the remedy.



PAIN



 INFLAMMATORY



Intestinal

 Colic Renal

Biliary



Cardiac

 Ischemia

Of Limbs



Injuries

 External Influences Surgical

Bites



INFLAMMATORY PAIN



 Acon: Sudden Onset, Severe Pain and Excessive Thirst.

 Bell: Sudden Onset, Severe Pain and No Thirst.

 Bry: Pain in Rt. Pleura, Cellulitis.

 Puls: Pain in Lt. Pleura, Earache in Children, Throat Pain, Without Thirst.

 Lach: Lt. Sided Pains < Warm, Affinity to Throat & Nerves.

 Merc.sol: Pain Continuous < Night.

 Hepar: Pain Paroxysmal < Night.

 Rhus: Pain in Herpes with or without Eruptions.





INFLAMMATORY PAIN – APPENDICITIS



 Acute: Bell at Onset. Merc Sol or Hepar when Case Comes Late.

 Sub Acute Or Chronic:

 Lyco: Continuous Vague Pain, Loss of Appetite & Constipation.

 Carbo Veg: Constant Eructations Which >Pain. Complements Lyco.

 To Prevent Recurrence: Psor.



COLIC



 Intestinal: Nux Vom, Bry, Coloc.

 Biliary: No Experience.

 Renal: Sars, Berb, Lyco, Medo.



INTESTINAL COLIC: COMMON IN CHILDREN

 Nux Vom: Pain Accompanied By Frequent Stool Which >Es.

 Bry: Constipation with Frequent Feeding.

 Coloc: Child Lies On The Lap Of Mother Since Pressure >Es.



RENAL COLIC



 Sars: Supreme Remedy. Typical Renal Pain With Or Without

Haematuria.

 Canth: Associated with severe burning micturition and when urine contains lot of pus cells.

 Lyco, Calc Carb ‘Or’ Medo: To Prevent Recurrence.



ISCHEMIC PAIN OF HEART



 Ars Alb: Restlessness, Dyspnoea & Profuse Sweating.

 Cactus: Typical Pain As Of A Band around the Chest Preventing the Heart to Beat.

ISCHEMIC PAIN OF LIMBS



 Nux Vom: Pain in Chain Smokers.

 Ars Alb: In Old People Due To Narrowing Vessels. Pain > Warmth.

 Lach: In Old People Due To Narrowing Vessels. Pain



PAIN - INJURIES



 Arn: When Haematoma Formed, Tissues Are Damaged Or Crushed.

 Staph: Clean Cut Wounds, Which Require Suturing.

 Symph: Fractures of Bones.

 Rhus: Lameness Following Injuries.



SURGICAL PAIN



 Arn: For Tonsillectomy, Extraction of

Teeth.

 Staph: First Drug For All Major

Surgeries.

 Bry or Rhus: To Follow Staph Depending Upon Modality.

 Merc Sol or Hepar:

If the Wound Suppurates.

 Sepia: For Caesarean Sections—to

prevent bleeding, control

pain and promote healing.



FEVER



 INFLAMMATORY

 INTERMITTENT

 CONTINUOUS

 SEPTIC

 SURGICAL



FEVER – INFLAMMATORY



 Acon: With Sudden Onset, Great Thirst.

 Bell: With Sudden Onset, Violent Delirium and Convulsions.

 Nux: With Febrile Convulsions.

 Ars: With Vomiting.

 Bry: With Cellulitis, Headache - Temples.

 Gels: Mild Bodily Pains, Thirstless.

 Rhus: Pains < Rest.



FEVER – MALARIA



 Ars: Chill Occurs After Mid - Day or After Midnight at the Same Time Everyday.

 Nat-M: Chill Forenoon. Occurs One Or Two Hours Earlier Than Previous Day.

 China: Chill Occurs One Or Two Hours Later Than Previous Day.



FEVER - CONTINUOUS



 Bell: At Onset.

 Gels: With Mild Bodily Pains, Thirstlessness.

 Ars: Vomiting of Food & Drinks. Diarrhoea May Also Present.

 Bry: Severe Headache, Constipation.



FEVER WITH SEPSIS



 Pyro : Pulse, T.W.B.C. 

 Lach : With Gangrenous Changes, Pain < Warmth

 Ars : With Gangrenous Changes, Pain > Warmth

 Echinacea Ø: When The Vitality Of The Pt. Is Low.

 Calendula Ø: Sepsis Following Injuries.



FEVER - SURGICAL



 Arn: When there is Oozing of Blood into Tissues.

 Bry: Without Suppuration of the Wound. Pt. Does Not Move From Bed.

 Rhus: When Pt. Finds Relief On Walking.

 Merc Sol: When Wound Suppurates. Pain Continuous.



COLLAPSE



 Pain Due To Injuries: Arn.

 Burns: Canth.

 Blood Loss: China, Carbo Veg.

 Dehydration: Ars Alb, Verat Alb.

 Drug Reactions & Chemical Poisoning: Ars Alb.

 Note: No Substitute For Fluid Or Blood When Loss Is Massive.



BITES & STINGS



 Dog Bite : Ledum  Lach.

 Snake Bite :

Viper: Crot Hor  Bryonia in High Potency.

Krait & Cobra: Lach, Echinacea.

Non Poisonous Snake:Ledum  Bryonia.

 Scorpion Bite: Ledum, Ars Alb.,Lach.

 Bee, Wasp Stings: Apis Mel.



HAEMORRHAGES



D

U

E



T

O  Injuries: Arnica.

 Constitutional Disorder: Phos,

Crot Hor.

 Gastric: Carbo Veg, Ars Alb.

 Snakebite: Crot Hor.

 Pulmonary Tuberculosis: Ipec.

 P.P.H.: Sepia.

 Threatened Abortion :

Early Months - Apis

Later Months – Arnica.

BURNS



Superficial : Canth: To Relieve Pain & Prevent Blister Formation.

Merc Sol: If Suppurated.

 Deep Burns :

Caust: Heals Rapidly & Prevents / Cures Contractures.



CONVULSIONS



 Nux Vom: Febrile Convulsions.

 Bell: Violent with Inflammation of Brain or Meninges, Delirium.

 Hyos: Mild Convulsions, Dilated Pupils and No Reaction to Light.

 Nat-M: Cerebral Palsy in Children.

 Cina: With Intestinal Worms.

 Tuberc: To Prevent Recurrence.



POISONS



 Ars Alb: Antidotes Drug Reactions Of All Allopathic Drugs, Poisoning By Organo-Phosphorous & Synthetic Pyrethroid Pesticides. No Need of Atropine or P.A.M.

 Cuprum Met: Poisoning By Copper Compounds.

 Merc. Sol: Drug Reactions of Allopathic Drugs with Ulceration & Pus.

DYSPNOEA



 Ars alb: With Restlessness

 Nat sul:

 Bry:

 Puls:



Many other types of cases are also narrated with the help of audio-visual presentation which enhances confidence to treat all emergencies with Homeo medicines alone!



Suggested Reading:

1) ‘Emergencies of General Practice’ by Dr.Douglas M. Borland.

2) ‘Homoeopathy in Emergencies of Medicine’ by Dr.J.Benedict D’Castro.