Case Taking And Prescribing Principles For Medical Geology: A Homeopathic Approach

Case Summary

Describe about the Case Taking and Prescribing Principles for Medical Geology.

Homeopathy is considered to be the most individualised system of alternative medicine that works on the principles of pseudoscience. Homeopathy deals with the phenomenon of condition the further development of homoeopathic preparations cure the similar condition (Vithoulkas, 2012).

This study is a focus on the individual case whose prescription is prepared using the principles of homeopathic assessment, analysis, prediction, remedies and recommendations. Basically, the study demonstrates basics of homeopathic treatment for one individual case scenario.

The case study client was Mr. John Wilson present in the nearby private hospital located in Sydney. With the consent of hospital authorities, the learner worked to study the complete case of Mr. Wilson suffering from acute health condition named Cholera from last 2 days. This survey took around 2-4 hours involving interview and questionnaire sessions with the patient supported by his cooperation and endurance.

The initial symptoms reported by Mr. Wilson were diarrhoea followed by vomiting to severe dehydration and muscular cramps. These symptoms were noticeable within 30 hours resulting in skin elasticity, wrinkling of hands and left feet. Further, Mr. Wilson reported that the intake of contaminated water or food might be the reason behind the outburst of cholera because Vibrio cholerae is the causative agent found mostly in contaminated water and food. His body was producing almost 10 to 20 litres of diarrhoea each day creating huge electrode imbalance.

As the financial condition and living standards of Mr. Wilson was very low, he was not able to afford the vaccination and living standards required to maintain the prevention conditions for cholera. Mr. Wilson is 45 years old having a complete family of two children and one wife who are financially dependent on him. He persists a satisfactory family life.

In the hospital, Mr. Wilson was on regular intake of fluids and Electrolytes to control dehydration followed by antibiotics but there was no initiation to manage the further consequences of cholera and lifestyle modifications.

Gurtner (2012) indicated that homeopathic treatment process occurs on the basis of symptoms to treat the body by treating the symptoms identified or analysed in case. This occurs by determining the totality of symptoms using the process of formal repertorisation. Therefore, to resolve the provided case scenario of Mr. Wilson the totality of symptoms would be determined using 4-column analysis process described below: -

According to Stark (2014), homeopathic treatment depends on the onset, progress and decline of clinical conditions and symptoms. Homeopathy is well known to cure 40-80% of cholera symptoms as per the history of homeopathic treatment. In the provided case of Mr. Wilson, the essential totality of prescription involves treatment of cholera as per symptoms analysis performed in the previous section. As this disease is an acute one, therefore,the acute prescription shall be followed to cure the rapid symptom onset.

4-Column Analysis

As per the above case analysis, the rubric selection would involve all the details of symptoms that are indicated the presence of cholera and dehydration in the interview transcripts and questionnaire results. Further, the leftover details regarding rare and other general symptoms will be kept for final differentiation.

Veratrum album or Arsenicum album

 This remedy works to cure diarrhoea by initiating urine retention controlling dehydration, weakness and vomiting (Alloway et al. 2013). Mr. Wilson is suffering from rice water stool that can also be maintained or eliminated by this homeopathic remedy.

Cuprum

This remedy basically works to cure skin issues like blueness, coldness and wrinkles occurring as symptoms of cholera. This remedy is functional in every stage of cholera helping to overcome visual symptoms (Chappell & van der Zee, 2012). Therefore, this medication will work to minimise the skin issues occurring with Mr. Wilson.

Secale cornutum

This remedy works to cure offensive, forceful and watery diarrhoea helping to warm up the body and remove restlessness (Dole et al. 2012). Hence, this remedy will work effectively to cure diarrhoea in the case of Mr. Wilson.

In the present case scenario, the symptoms and condition of Mr. Wilson clearly supports the occurrence of severe cholera condition indicating good susceptibility of the acute condition. However, as Mr. Wilson faced severe diarrhoea in the initial few hours of cholera burst indicates that case is very sensitive where patient requires proper care.

Jacobs et al. (2010) indicated that very first diet modification for cholera is to provide clean food and drinking water to the patient. In the case of Mr. Wilson the expected cause of cholera is contaminated water or food. Therefore, it is highly recommended to provide hygienic food and water. Further, to cure the weakness, tiredness, joint pain and other unexpected symptoms it is essential for Mr. Wilson to take complete bed rest until body potential is attained back. Further, Novella et al. (2008) indicated that vulnerable of cholera living in the family needs to avoid contact with other family members. Hence, Mr. Wilson needs to avoid contact, especially with his children to control the spread of infection.

Conclusion

The above study case taking and prescribing principle indicates that homeopathic treatment is a deep procedure that basically depends on symptom detection and treating the symptoms to cure acute disease or illness. In the provided case study of Mr. Wilson, his symptom analysis clearly indicated the severe stage of cholera that are assured to be curable using the provided homeopathic remedies and recommendations.

References

Books

Alloway, B., Centeno, J., Finkelman, R., Fuge, R., Lindh, U., & Smedley, P. (2013). Essentials of medical geology: revised edition. O. Selinus (Ed.). Springer Science & Business Media.

Vithoulkas, G. (2012). The science of homeopathy. B. Jain Publishers.

Journals

Chappell, P., & van der Zee, H. (2012). Homeopathy for Diseases. Vital Remedies for Epidemic, Trauma and chronic Diseases. Haren: Homeolinks, 400.

Dole, S., Kandhare, A. D., Ghosh, P., Gosavi, T. P., & Bodhankar, S. L. (2012). Homeopathic analgesic formulations: A critical appraisal of evidence. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences©(JPBMS), 22(22).

Gurtner, F. (2012). The report “Homeopathy in healthcare: effectiveness, appropriateness, safety, costs” is not a “Swiss report”. Swiss Med Wkly, 142, w13723.

Jacobs, J., Jiménez, L. M., Malthouse, S., Chapman, E., Crothers, D., Masuk, M., & Jonas, W. B. (2010). Homeopathic treatment of acute childhood diarrhea: results from a clinical trial in Nepal. The journal of alternative and complementary Medicine, 6(2), 131-139.

Novella, S., Roy, R., Marcus, D., Bell, I. R., Davidovitch, N., & Saine, A. (2008). A debate: homeopathy-quackery or a key to the future of medicine?. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 14(1), 9-15.

Stark, L. (2014). Knowledge in the Time of Cholera: The Struggle over American Medicine in the Nineteenth Century. By Owen Whooley. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2013. Pp. xiv+ 307. $30.00 (paper).

Willrich, M. (2014). Owen Whooley. Knowledge in the Time of Cholera: The Struggle over American Medicine in the Nineteenth Century. The American Historical Review, 119(2), 521-522.