A case of Tinea Capitis in pediatric age group treated with Homoeopathic Remedy

Dr. Deesha Umesh

ABSTRACT –  Tinea capitis is a common dermatophyte infection of the scalp in children. Dermatophytes are classified into three genera; tinea capitis is caused predominantly by Trichophyton or Microsporum species. On the basis of host preference and natural habitat, dermatophytes are also classified as anthropophilic, geophilic and zoophilic. ⁽¹⁾

KEY WORDS – •Skin Diseases  • Homeopathy  • Tinea capitis

INTRODUCTION –

Fungal skin infections can be superficial (dermatophytes and yeasts) or, less commonly, deep; the latter are more often seen in tropical climates or in the immunocompromised. ⁽²⁾

Depending on the location of presentation, the following are the types of Tinea:

1. Tinea Capitis – usually seen on scalp
2. Tinea Cruris – infection of groin, vulva, inner thigh, buttocks
3. Tinea Corporis – lesions seen on hands, feet and trunk
4. Tinea Barbae – lesions in beard area
5. Tinea faceie – lesions on face
6. Tinea Pedis – infection seen on the interdigit of foot
7. Tinea Nigra – pigmentation producing fungus usually seen in pregnant women due to hormonal changes and low immunity
8. Tinea Unguium – infection of finger nails and toe nails ⁽³⁾

Tinea Capitis is a dermatophyte infection of scalp hair shafts and is most common in children. It typically presents as an area of scalp inflammation and scaling, often with pustules and partial hair loss. Infection may be within the shaft causing patchy hair loss, with broken hairs at the surface (‘black dot’), little inflammation and no fluorescence with Wood’s light^.(4) Infection outside the hair shaft shows minimal inflammation; M. canis (from dogs and cats) infections are more inflammatory and can be identified by green fluorescence with Wood’s light. Kerion is a boggy, inflammatory area of tinea capitis, usually caused by zoophilic fungi (e.g. cattle ringworm; T. verrucosum). ⁽²⁾

TINEA AND HOMOEOPATHY –

Unlike other systems of treatment, Homoeopathy treats the local maladies as the local expression of the internal derangement. The scope of homoeopathic treatment extends beyond the physical symptoms and the approach is more holistic in nature.

The homoeopathic literature suggests a number of medicines for the conditions mentioned as ‘Tinea capitis,’ ‘head, eruptions, ringworm’,  such as:  Bacillinum burnett, Bromium, Dulcamara, Graphites, Kalium carbonicum, Lycopodium, Sepia, Tellurium metallicum. ⁽⁵⁾

CASE –

• A 3 year old boy appeared, with patchy eruption on right side of the scalp since 10 days. On enquiry his informant i.e his father revealed that it had started with itching which aggravated in the night with watery discharge. Eventually leading to hairloss in that area and on scratching hard the discharge is bloody. She had been on alternative medicines but without much change in her complaints. On probing further it was revealed that there is no history of  fever, skin discoloration, asthma , seizures or contact with any allergens. Everybody in the family was apparently healthy.

Furthermore it was found that his sleep is disturbed due to itching. He desires spicy and he is thermally towards hot. Mentally he is very irritable, obstinate. Does not listen to anybody.He is curious about things. He asks a lot of questions and does not like to take bath. He is restless, quarrelsome, keeps fighting with his brother.

The following are the findings of local examination

• LOCAL EXAMINATION :
• Desquamation of skin on right side of scalp measuring about 5*3 cm
• Scaling +
• No discharge, no bleeding
• Hair loss in the region of desquamation

The following symptoms were considered for totality

REPERTORIAL TOTALITY :

1. Mind, curious
2. Mind, irritability –  children, in.
3. Mind, quarrelsome
4. Mind, restleness – children, in
5. Head – itching of scalp
6. Skin – eruptions – desquamating
7. Generals – Food and drinks – spicy, desires.

Which yielded in the following reportorial result

REPERTORIAL RESULT:

• Sulphur – 7/14
• Lycopodium – 7/10
• Veratrum album – 7/8
• Phosphorus – 6/11
• Staphysagria – 6/11

Based on the case, Sulphur was prescribed to him ^(6,7)

PRESCRIPTION :

2-10-2021 : Sulphur 200 1 dose

PL BD/10days

11-11-2021 : No new lesions, other generals are good

Itching is better by 20%, eruption is better.

C/o Cold and cough since 3 days. Dry cough. No fever.

O/e – Chest clear

PL BD/10days

29-11-2021 : No itching, eruptions healed completely

_{Figure 1:- 11 November 2021 (2nd follow up)}

_{Figure 2:- 29 November 2021 (3rd  follow up)}

CONCLUSION – The result of the above case suggests that Homoeopathy is very effective in treatment of Tinea cases.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST – none

REFERENCES

1. Gupta AK, Summerbell RC. Tinea capitis. Medical Mycology. 2000 Jan 1;38(4). (https://academic.oup.com/mmy/article/38/4/255/968935)
2. Connor KM, Davidson JR. Development of a new resilience scale: The Connor‐Davidson resilience scale (CD‐RISC). Depression and anxiety. 2003 Sep;18(2):76-82.
3. SK Punshi – DERMATOLOGY MADE EASY. The Ulster Medical Journal. 2017 Sep;86(3)
4. Gupta AK, Friedlander SF, Simkovich AJ. Tinea capitis: An update. Pediatric Dermatology. 2022 Mar;39(2): (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/15251470)
5. Boericke W. Pocket manual of homoeopathic materia medica and repertory. (51st Impression), B. Jain Publishers (P) Ltd, New Delhi, India (2011).
6. Allen HC. Keynotes and characterstics with comparisons of some of the leading remedies of the materia medica with bowel nosodes. Reprint Edition. B. Jain Publishers (P) Ltd, New Delhi, India (2004)
7. Kent JT. Lectures on homoeopathic philosophy. B. Jain Publishers (P) Ltd. New Delhi, India (2011)
8. Hahnemann S. Organon of medicine. (6th Ed.) B. Jain Publishers (P) Ltd New Delhi, India (2011).

Dr. Deesha Umesh
PG Scholar
Government Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Bangalore