Tinea faciei and homoeopathic management: a case report

Dr Gupta Chanda Ramadhar 

ABSTRACT
Ringworm is also known as Dermatophytosis. It is a fungal infection of skin. These are classified according to the sites affected. Tinea Faciei is a superficial fungal infection of face outside the beard area. A 5 years old male child presented with complaints of rashes over the face since 15 days with severe itching. Homoeopathic medicine Sulphur was prescribed by considering the totality of case. The improvement is evident by before and after photograph of the face of the patient. It shows that homoeopathic medicines are effective in treatment of tinea faciei.

KEYWORDS: Homoeopathy, tinea faciei, sulphur

INTRODUCTION
The superficial fungal infections involve the skin, its appendages and mucus membrane, and are caused by dermatophytes, yeasts and molds. Dermatophyte infections are mainly caused by three genera of fungi such as Microsporum, Trichophyton and Epidermophyton. Typically it results in a red, itchy, scaly, circular rash. Clinical manifestation of dermatophyte infections depends on the site of infection of skin¹.

Classification of Tinea:

• Tinea Capitis- fungal infection of scalp
• Tinea Corporis- fungal infection of body
• Tinea Cruris- fungal infection of groin
• Tinea Axillaris- fungal infection of axillae
• Tinea Faciei- fungal infection of face
• Tinea Barbae- fungal infection of beard area
• Tinea Manuum- fungal infection of hand
• Tinea Pedis- fungal infection of foot
• Onychomycosis- fungal infection of nails

The clinical features depend on the infectious agent, body site and immune status of host¹.

Tinea Faciei is the fungal infection of face. Face is involved if a person has tinea of other sites or due to sharing towels with another family member with tinea².

Homoeopathy treats the patient as a whole, not just the disease. Thus the skin manifestations are also treated with homoeopathy by the means of internal medication.

Following is a case of Tinea Faciei in Paediatric age group treated successfully with Homoeopathy.

CASE:
A 5 years old male patient with the clinical history of rashes over the face since 15 days reported to the outpatient department (OPD) of government homoeopathic medical hospital, Bengaluru on 8^th August 2020.

HISTORY OF PRESENTING COMPLAINTS
Informant- Patient & Mother
15 days back patient started with complaints of rashes over the face with severe itching. Onset was gradual. The probable exciting cause was unknown.

Presenting complaint	Location	Sensation/Character	Modalities	Concomitant
Skin eruptions since 15 days	Over the face	Sensation- Itching +++ Mild burning Character of Lesion- Patches of small raised bumps. Colour- Pinkish red Dryness over the rashes and white scaling	< heat   > cold application	–

TREATMENT HISTORY- No other treatment taken for the complaint.

PAST HISTORY- Nothing significant

FAMILY HISTORY- Nothing significant

DEVIATION OF PHYSICAL & MENTAL STATE DURING PRESENT ILLNESS

• Desires Sweets
• Hot patient
• Thirsty
• Irritability

LOCAL EXAMINATION OF THE LESIONS

• Lesions are pinkish red in colour.
• Patches of small raised bumps.
• Dryness over the rashes and white scaling.

FIRST PRESCRIPTION ON- 8/8/2020

Sulphur 200, 1 dose before food and Placebo for 1 week was given

CONCLUSION
Tinea can be successfully treated with Homoeopathic treatment based on detailed individual case analysis without any local application. Hence cure of tinea is possible with homoeopathic medicine in rapid and gentle way.

DECLARATION OF PATIENT CONSENT: Parents consent was taken for images and clinical information to be reported for this article.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I am thankful to Dr.V.Guruprasad Principal & HOD of Department of Paediatrics and Dr Muddassir Mulla Associate Professor, Department of Paediatrics, GHMC & H Bengaluru for their constant support and guidance.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST:Nil

REFERENCES:

1. Gupta Piyush, Menon PSN, Ramji Siddarth, Lodha Rakesh. PG Textbook of Pediatrics. 2^nd/e. Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) Ltd, New Delhi; 2018; 3068p.
2. Munjal YP. API Textbook of Medicine.9/e. New Delhi, India: Jaypee Brothers Medical Publisers (P) Ltd; 2012:472 p.

Dr Gupta Chanda Ramadhar
MD Part II – PG Department of Paediatrics,
Government Homoeopathic Medical College & Hospital, Bengaluru.

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