Homoeopathic Constitutional Medicine in Benign hypertrophy of prostate
Dr Joby Johny
Introduction
“If I did not know for what purpose I was put here on earth -to become better myself as far as possible and to make better everything around me, that is within my power to improve- I should have to consider myself as lacking very much in worldly prudence to make known for the common good, even before my death, an art which I alone possess, and which it is within my power to make as profitable as possible by simply keeping it secret.” Dr. Samuel Hahnemann
The Organon and The theory of Chronic Diseases are two books by Hahnemann which reveal new thoughts and inspiration every time one gives a reading to them.
The theory of “The Chronic Diseases” – throws a light on the burning zeal in the heart of Dr Samuel Hahnemann for the alleviation of Human suffering. Hahnemann was a great servant, inquirer and discoverer; he was as true a man, without falsity, candid and open as a child, and inspired with pure benevolence and with a holy zeal for science.
Hahnemann himself observed that homoeopathic medicines were successfully curing his patients’ ailments, but that after a period of time some patients returned with similar but stronger symptoms, and he realized that the disease was actually progressing. This led him to think that the Homoeopathic physician with such a chronic (non-venereal) case has not only to combat the disease presented before his eyes, but that he has always to encounter only some separate fragment of a more deep-seated original disease. This lead to the discovery of Chronic Miasms as the cause of chronic diseases.
The true natural chronic diseases are those that arise from a chronic miasm, which when left to themselves, and unchecked by the employment of those remedies that are specific for them, always go on increasing and growing worse, notwithstanding the best mental and corporeal regimen, and torment the patient to the end of his life with ever aggravated sufferings. The most robust constitution, the best regulated mode of living and the most vigorous energy of the vital force are insufficient for their eradication.
Hahnemann says “In Europe and also on the other continents so far as it is known, according to all investigations, only three chronic miasms are found, the diseases caused by which manifest themselves through local symptoms, and from which most, if not all, the chronic diseases originate; namely, first, syphilis, which I have also called the venereal chancre disease; then sycosis, or the fig-wart disease, and finally the chronic disease which lies at the foundation of the eruption of itch; i. e., the psora.”
This triune of the subversive forces (chronic miasmata), are the vicarious embodiment of the internal disease, each having its own peculiar type or character by which its sole purpose and effort is to conform the organism to its nature. Each of these forces becomes a creative force, and at no time is the life force able to free itself the bond of any of them (either alone or in combination with the others), without some assistance.
The introduction of these subversive forces into the organism (which has undergone a process of adaptation capable of receiving them) is followed by an endless history of subversive changes and diseased phenomena peculiar to each type. They have its primary, secondary and tertiary stages, and world of phenomena peculiar to itself accompanying each stage or setting of the disease.
We can summarize the different stigmata, remembering that we may get all shadings of all the stigmata in their groupings in our patient, but one stigma will predominate above all the others. They all have their characteristic differences. The accentuation of psora is functional; the accentuation of the syphilitic taint is ulcerative; the accentuation of sycosis is infiltration and deposits. When suppressed, the syphilitic stigma spends itself on the meninges of the brain, and affects the larynx and throat in general, the eyes, the bones and the periosteum. Psora spends its action very largely upon the nervous system and the nerve centres, producing functional disturbances, which are better by surface manifestations. Sycosis attacks the internal organs, especially the pelvic and sexual organs. In this stigma we find the worst forms of inflammation, infiltration of the tissues causing abscesses, hypertrophies, cystic degeneration; when thrown back into the system by suppression this stigma causes dishonesty, moral degeneracy and mania.
Benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) is a benign tumor that originates from periurethral prostatic tissue. So, it should be due to underlying sycotic miasm. In BPH, the normal elements of the prostate gland grow in size and number. The important symptoms of benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) – progressive urinary frequency, urgency, and nocturia are due to incomplete emptying and rapid refilling of the bladder.
Benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) is rare before the age of forty. After the age of fifty, approximately 50 percent of males manifest typical symptoms and lesions histologically, and after the age of eighty, 75 percent of males are so affected. Based on autopsy studies, the prevalence of histologically diagnosed BPH increases from 8% in men aged 31 to 40 year to 40 to 50% in men aged 51 to 60 year and > 80% in men older than 80 year. Based on clinical criteria in men aged 55 to 74 year without prostate cancer, the prevalence of BPH is 19% using the criteria of a prostate volume > 30 mL and a high International Prostate Symptom score.
Modern Medicine, through Medical textbooks, has taken pains to name various clinical conditions (syndromes) and infections in an attempt to create some order in the chaotic world of disease expression. In spite of this detailing of symptom presentation for a diagnosis of disease, these authors (all well-read and experienced MD’s) would be the first to admit it is often difficult to get a grasp of a clear diagnosis when a patient presents clinically. When diagnosis becomes the only basis for treatment (as in Modern Medicine), one is lulled into a false sense of complacency that after making a diagnosis, one has the answer to treating disease! A truly sincere MD will confess that more often than not in the clinical situation, they have NO IDEA what (disease) they are dealing with, much less being able to cure it!
The scope of Homeopathy primarily relates to the dynamic pathology of diseases and not the organic pathology. Primarily Homeopathy has nothing to do with any product of disease, although secondarily it is related to all of them. The morbid processes from which the gross pathological tissue changes or organic lesions arise or to which they lead are amenable to Homeopathic medication. Homoeopathy is the best therapeutic method which can avoid many dangerous surgeries, injections and hormone therapies.
As is obvious, any patient must be treated on its individuality and not on the disease symptoms. BPH is a condition, which may mislead any physician due to dominance of disease symptoms taking priority in the hands of patient. He is so disturbed, so embarrassed that he will sometimes not give importance to his particular, uncommon peculiar and constitutional symptoms. It is prudent for a physician to take some symptoms for relief of the patient as palliative measure but if he wants to give him permanent or long lasting relief, a proper prescription on the basis of miasm, constitution, individuality, general and particular symptoms is important.
My topic of study is ”Clinical study on the predominance of sycotic background in benign prostatic hypertrophy and the efficacy of homoeopathic constitutional medicine in the management of benign prostatic hypertrophy.” In my observation I found that as a student of Homoeopathic system of medicine, Homoeopathic Medicines especially anti sycotic medicine shows a considerable control upon the growths, and therefore I presume that it can play a vital role in the successful treatment of benign prostatic hypertrophy. Hence further investigations and studies will be useful in this regard.
Aims and Objectives: –
- To study the predominance of sycotic miasm in benign prostatic hypertrophy.
- To study the efficacy of homoeopathic constitutional medicine in the management of benign prostatic hypertrophy.
DISCUSSION
To arrive at a valid conclusion, I am indebted to discuss some of the findings that have evolved out of this study. The result is exclusively based on the observation and result presented in former section.
1. Age incidence: The incidence was maximum in the age group 50 -55. The next greater prevalence was in age group 56 – 60.
2.Domicile: Rural population amount to 26.67% and urban population 73.33%. It may be due to the particular diet habits and sedentary life style of urban people which are contributors to the progress of sycotic miasm.
3.Distribution of patients according to socio economic class:-In this study conducted, benign prostatic hypertrophy is found more among middle class (66.7%)
4.Distribution of patients according to associate complaints:-In this study conducted benign prostatic hypertrophy is found to be associated with infiltration and deposition of various organs and tissues which confirms the sycotic predominance in BHP patients. In USG renal calculi, renal cortical cyst and fatty liver and in analysis of case records warts, hydrogenoid constitutions etc which are all pathologies having base on sycotic miasm are found associated with BHP.
5.Economic aspect: Only 13% of the total patients were in the poor economic class. Majority belonged to middle and higher class, showing the more prevalence of disease among the middle and higher class due to their life style.
6.Distribution of clinical features: Among the symptoms given in the IPSS sheet, the predominance of the symptoms were noted as follows, Incomplete emptying of bladder (16%), increased frequency of micturation (16%), urgency (15%), weak stream (14%), straining (13%), nocturia (13%) intermittency (13%).
7.Distribution of miasm: All patients showed predominance of sycotic miasm. From the analysis of the general and particular symptoms (total 430 symptoms) of the 30 cases, it has been noted that sycosis shows maximum predominance, 57.67 % of symptoms. Psora shows a predominance of 22.56%, syhilis 11.63% and pseudopsora 8.14 % of symptoms
8.Evaluation of change in disease criteria: The comparison of the USG measurement of prostate and the IPS Score before and after treatment showed statistically significant result.
9.Medicines used: Among 30 cases medicine indicated most of times is Thuja- 23%. Then Medorrhinum 10%, followed by Calc carb, Causticum, Conium mac, Lyco, Pulsatilla, Staphysagria, Sulphur 7%. This shows the effectiveness of antisycotic constitutional drugs in the treatment of Benign prostatic hypertrophy.
CONCLUSION
From the evaluation of results obtained after the statistical analysis of the benign prostatic hypertrophy cases, it is obvious that sycotic miasm shows a pre-dominance of 57.67%.
- Anti-sycotic medicines like Thuja, Medorrhinum, Staphysagria, Causticum, Conium mac were found to be effective. Also trimiasmatic medicines like Calcarea carb, Lycopodium also found to be effective.
- By anti-miasmatic constitutional treatment it is found that the enlargement of prostate can be retarded or prevented. Miasmatic symptoms should be given prime importance in the selection of remedy.
- The other observed facts in this study are the maximum representation was from the age group 50 -55. The next greater prevalence was in age group 56 – 60
- Complaints such as renal calculi, fatty infiltration of liver, renal cortical cyst, and gallstone were found to be associated with benign prostatic hypertrophy.
- It is found that the comparison of the USG measurement of prostate and the IPS Score before and after treatment showed statistically significant result. It can also be claimed that Homoeopathy is safe, simple, less expensive and more effective in treating benign prostatic hypertrophy cases. Unnecessary surgery can be avoided.
- Homoeopathy as a system of medical treatment has a philosophy of its own and its therapeutics is based on certain fundamental principles. Out of these fundamental principles theory of chronic disease play a vital role in treating chronic cases.
To conclude in Hahnemann’s words “He, who has had as many opportunities as I to make observations,… he, who is induced by his desire for the welfare of his fellow beings to think and act for himself, he, who like myself feels hatred for the prejudices and preferences for old or new, or, generally speaking, for any kind of recognition or great name, and he, who eagerly endeavours, as I myself have done, to act and to think independently…. he will see excellent results for his industry which is the greatest reward that an honest physician can expect”.
Limited reliability can only be guaranteed with such a study involving a chronic disease with 30 cases, for 2 year period. A long term follow-up study will be more reliable. Increasing the sample size can be considered in further studies, to furnish more statistical evidence. Comparative studies involving other systems of medicines can also be accomplished with better results.
Dr Joby Johny BHMS,MD(Hom)
Medical Officer, Department of Homoeopathy, Govt of Kerala
Email : drjobyjohny@yahoo.com
Download full paper : www.homeobook.com/pdf/homoeopathy-bhp.pdf v
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