Managing Emergency, the Homoeopathic Way (Appendicitis - 2008)
She was in agony and looked very weak. This is the first impression I got of this 32-year-old woman as she stepped into my clinic. She had high fever and severe pain in the right lower abdomen for the past two days. The physician treating her had diagnosed the condition as acute appendicitis and had advised surgery.
Thermally she was hot.
Her appetite, bowel movements and urine were normal. Menses was regular and uneventful.
She had three children. She was still breast feeding her third child. O/E She had severe tenderness at McBurney's point.
Treatment
Bell 200 was given and the relief was rapid.
Date Medicine
28.02.2008 Belladonna 200/4 doses
10.03.2008 Belladonna 1M/ 2 doses
Discussion
Appendicitis is an acute inflammatory condition. We learn that Belladonna is efficacious in acute inflammatory conditions with
high fever, violent pains, redness, heat, burning and all signs of inflammation of the affected parts. ‘It requires an effort to believe’ the rapid and gentle relief that medicines like Belladonna and Aconite can provide in acute emergencies. Here, in this case, strong antibiotics and pain killers couldn’t control the situation and the patient was advised surgery. Three to four doses of Belladonna 200 in poppy seed sized pills gave quick and permanent relief to the patient, and she was able to avoid surgery.
In acute cases and acute exacerbations of chronic cases the most distressing symptom should always guide us to the similimum. Under such conditions, the patient is in acute distress and the relatives panicky. This is not the time for detailed case taking, nor is it required. Dr. Hahnemann in Organon advises us to carefully select an acute remedy, based on the acute totality. After administering this remedy in minimum dose, we should closely observe the patient, waiting for signs of amelioration. Here, in this case Belladonna was repeated as and when the relief given by the previous dose was over. Dr. Hahnemann says (in §247) that in acute diseases, the medicine can be repeated every 24, 12, 8, 4 hours and in very acutest cases every hour or up to as often as every five minutes.
For managing an acute emergency - the physician should be well versed with the intricacies of our science and emotionally balanced to tackle the casualty. The rapidity of the ensuing relief is usually hard to believe.
***
#homeopathy #academy_of_homeopathy #drjoseisaac