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Read this essay to learn about Dermatology Diseases. After reading this essay you will learn about: 1. Pruritus 2. Urticaria 3. Measles 4. Scarlatina or Scarlet Fever 5. Dermatitis and Eczema 6. Acne Vulgaris 7. Endogenous Eczema or Atopic Dermatitis 8. Exfoliative Dermatitis 9. Seborrhoeic Dermatitis 10. Psoriasis 11. Shingles or Herpes Zoster 12. Scabies 13. Warts 14. Tinea Circinata and Other Diseases.
Contents:
- Essay on Pruritus
- Essay on Urticaria
- Essay on Measles
- Essay on Scarlatina or Scarlet Fever
- Essay on Dermatitis and Eczema
- Essay on Acne Vulgaris
- Essay on Endogenous Eczema or Atopic Dermatitis
- Essay on Exfoliative Dermatitis
- Essay on Seborrhoeic Dermatitis
- Essay on Psoriasis
- Essay on Shingles or Herpes Zoster
- Essay on Scabies
- Essay on Warts
- Essay on Tinea Circinata
- Essay on Thrombophlebitis/(Varicose Ulcers)
- Essay on Impetigo Contagiosa
- Essay on Leprosy
- Essay on Pemphigus
- Essay on Lichen Planus
- Essay on Urticaria
- Essay on Gangrene
- Essay on Raynaud’s Disease
Essay on Dermatology Disease # 1. Pruritus:
The patient reports with either generalized or local itching—may be of a recent origin or may be there for a few days. Itching provokes scratching at times, till it bleeds, the skin is hot and at times there is red discoloration. This may be present with or without eruption and with varying modalities. It is a case of PRURITUS.
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A detailed history, its onset and the course of itching, severity must be noted, investigate any hyperglycaemic state or any intake of drug for any other condition. Also note whether the patient is allergic to any physical, chemical or environmental factors.
Sulphur:
Sulphur is the first remedy that one can think of if the skin texture is dry, scaly and unhealthy, and little injury suppurates; freckles and voluptuous itching. Burning when scratched, and sensitive to air, wind, and washings. Eruptions are pimply, pustules and cracks, and excoriation in the fold. Itching aggravated by warmth. Even the varicose veins — when ulcerate and rupture — bleed.
Sulphur is potent antiseptic and one of the most important destroyer of scabies. But Sulphur has the property to repress the constitutional eruptions when locally applied, as well as the power to destroy the acarus. So Sulphur is given internally and oil of lavender is externally applied.
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Sulphur has an independent antipsoric action beyond its property of bringing out the eruption. Psoric poison may be present active in a case and apparently well- indicated remedies fail to act in consequence.
Arsenic alb:
Arsenic alb has alternation with the internal problems or Asthma. The skin is dry scaly and shriveled, worse in cold. When eruption is present they are papular, dry rough, scaly and worse by cold and scratching. Hives are aggravated by eating shell fish.
Itching, burning, swellings, oedema, spots, blue black white and pimples, vesicles burning violently. Free desquamation. Urticaria with burning and restlessness. Pustules turn malignant, wounds get easily poisoned and infected. Gangrene and carbuncles can develop easily.
Arsenic is closely connected to the cancerous diathesis, and it acts directly on the cancerous tissue and cancerous element and many cures have been reported by it in crude and in potencies. When subjective symptoms are present higher potencies work and the similarity is more crude or coarse, then the lower potencies are useful. Varicose veins bum like fire.
Rhus tox:
Rhus tox has intense itching, the skin is dry, hot and burning. Tendency to form scales. Itch is aggravated by getting wet. Dermatitis, with intense itching, cellulitis with burning and eczematous eruption, with tendency to scale formation, sensitive to cold air.
Tendency to form vesicles and mostly the suppurative forms. And, therefore, indicated in shingles, herpes zoster, pemphigus. Urticarial rash is often present. Where the herpes alternates with asthma and dysentery, it is extremely useful.
Rhus venenata:
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Rhus venenata has itching better by hot application. The skin is dark red, itching is more at night with pain in the long bones. There is tendency to erysipelas with dark red skin relieved by hot water.
Natrum mur:
Natrum mur has herpetic eruptions. Itching is in the flexures, the skin is raw red and inflamed. Hives are itching and burning, worse by eating salt. Greasy skin. But dry eruptions on the margins of the hairy scalp and bends of the joint, behind the ears. Hives develop after exertion, with lot of burning and itching.
Tendency to develop warts on the palms. It also affects the hair follicles causing alopecia. Redness of the old scar which are painful.
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Dolichos pruriens:
Dolichos pruriens has violent itching on the skin without any visible eruption or rash. Intense itching with no swelling or rash, more across the shoulder and hands, elbows and knees and the hairy part. The skin burns in the night when in bed.
Essay on Dermatology Disease # 2. Urticaria:
Patient complains of intermittent transient swelling of the skin, brawny lesions around the lips and the orbit or genitalia and often associated with pruritus leaving to be normal in a short period of time. It is a case of URTICARIA.
The most obvious homoeopathic remedy is Urtica urens. Burns and scalds with intense burning and itching. Hives with rheumatism after shellfish. Itching raises red blotches. Rheumatism alternates with nettle rash. In urticaria there is burning heat, with formication and violent itch. There is at times angio-neurotic oedema, herpes labials with sensation of heat and itching.
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Apis mel.:
Apis mel. Develops sudden puffiness of the body with stinging pains. Skin is hot and dry with gushes of sweat. Carbuncle with burning. Apis has a slow action and it is beneficial if it is not changed soon. Increased flow of urine is a favorable picture.
Arsenic alb:
Arsenic alb has urticaria with burning and restlessness, hives are worse on eating shelled fish. Some prescribers alternate Apis and Arsenic alb with beneficial results.
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Chloralum hydratum:
Chloralum hydratum have red blotches like measles aggravated by spirituous liquors, hot drinks, often associated with palpitation. There is intense itching, surface of the body is stone cold. Chill brings on the wheals. Skin is sensitive, dry, yellow shriveled.
Antimonium crudum:
Antimonium crudum is sensitive to cold bathing, develops measles-like eruption, white with red areola. Itching fearfully, particularly when getting warm in bed.
Aggravated at night:
Eczema with gastric derangement, pimples, vesicles and pustules are very sensitive to cold bathing. Thick, hard, and honey-coloured scabs. Dry skin warts. Dry gangrene, scaly pustular eruption, with burning and itching. Develops callosities with slight pressure. Sensitive to cold, therefore suited to hydrogenoid constitution.
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Antipyrinum:
Antipyrinum has swelling of lips, burning of mouth and gums, swollen tongue and, at times, there are some lumps in the cheek. On the skin intense itching, urticaria. Appearing and disappearing. There is erythema eczema, pemphigus. Angioneurotic oedema.
Essay on Dermatology Disease # 3. Measles:
Patient presents with a very dry hot skin, with malaise and fever, rhinorrhea, cough and conjunctival suffusion gradually increasing in intensity for the past two or three days. In all the probabilities the patient will break into rash on the skin. The condition is MEASLES.
In Aconite nap.:
In Aconite nap. there is dry burning heat in the nose, eyelids, mouth, throat, lungs and palms and wants to uncover. There is high fever with dry heat, red face, with mental anguish. Miliary eruption, maculopapular rash, itching intense, often relieved by stimulants.
Bryonia:
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Bryonia there is typical dryness of all the mucus membranes with hot dry skin, slow development of eruption of measles, the skin is yellow and pale, at times dropsically. Bryonia with other of its typical symptoms will help bring out the eruption of measles to full-blown picture. Bryonia may be continued till the eruption starts receding.
With more of conjunctival and nasal symptoms. Cineraria and Euphrasia eye drops are useful. If there is lot of itching in the eyes then Arsenic alb is very useful. Diarrhoea is a common complication of Measles and for that Pulsatilla is a good remedy. Similarly there is often a chest complication with a lot of congestion and cough and rattling in the chest.
Ant tart:
Ant tart very often this Ant Tart helps to bring out the suppressed eruption while resolving the chest condition. There is often troublesome cough without the chest involvement when Kali bi. is found very useful.
Essay on Dermatology Disease # 4. Scarlatina or Scarlet Fever:
Patient, usually below 10 years of age, comes with sudden rise of temperature, reaching its pinnacle on the third day.
The pulse is very fast, headache and muscular pain severe, vomiting initially, severe sore throat, with enlarged lymph glands, inflamed tonsils and pharynx with follicular exudate, red fauces, or scarlet in colour, flushed face, punctate rash that quickly spreads to the chest and hands within twenty-four hours, the tongue is strawberry coloured, characteristic desquamation that begins on the fourth day.
The condition is SCARLATINA or SCARLET FEVER caused by haemolytic streptococcal eruption.
With the introduction of Penicillin and improvement in the hygienic standards the episodes of scarletina have reduced considerably. Aconite and Belladonna look very close to the pathogenicity of Scarletina but they do not respond so well as they are expected to be.
Apis mel.:
Apis mel. is the most remarkable remedy that helps here. There is scalding in the mouth and throat, swollen gums, swollen lips, tongue glossy as if varnished, red, shining and puffy. There are vesicles on the edge; better from cool air. Ulceration and the enlargement of glands which is a common accompaniment of scarletina. It is controlled by mercurius.
Mercurius:
Mercurius in many cases initially Rhus tox will be indicated and Lachesis may show up in later cases. Very severe form of scarletina with prominent general nervous toxication. Mercurius skin is moist, excessive odorous, viscid perspiration, and worse at night.
Although there is perspiration patient does not feel relieved. Skin is yellow and excoriated like raw meat, there are pimples around the main eruphon. Itching is worse from warmth. Ulcers are irregular and spreading, shallow, bleeding with proud flesh. Boils and abscess are formed at the time of menses. Great tendency to form pus.
Camphora:
Camphora in repeated doses as a remedy similar to collapse state. Is suggested by Hartmann. If the collapse condition involves the brain then we should think of Cuprum acfeticum, and Zinc met.
Ailanthus glandulosa:
Ailanthus glandulosa has better action than Arsenic and Lachesis. The symptoms are livid throat, rapid swelling, patchy eruption, with quick and feeble pulse, and oppressed brain. Low dilution of Ailanthus is preferred.
Essay on Dermatology Disease # 5. Dermatitis and Eczema:
A patient comes with hot red skin, with oedema in the initial state, and intradermal vesicles: weeping or oozing of fluid on the surface, with formation of crusting in early stages and scaling in later stages, intense itching that produces excoriation, and later lichenification.
This condition is DERMATITIS and ECZEMA. The meaning of word eczema is flowing over, which describes some of the above inflammatory changes — dermatitis. Both these words are used somewhat interchangeably.
Rhus tox:
Rhus tox is the first remedy that one can think of it has dry, red itching skin, worse on the hairy part. Burning eczematous eruption with tendency to scale formation. These are sensitive to cold air. Eruptions often alternate with dysentery. Many conditions are covered by this remedy, such as Shingles, Urticaria, Cellulitis, Pemphigus, Erysipelas, and other vesicular suppurative forms.
Antimonium crud:
Antimonium crud has sensitive pimples, vesicles and pustules to cold bathing. Urticaria and measles-like eruptions, white with red areola, with fear-full itching, develop when warm in bed. The skin is dry, with or without dry gangrene.
When skin is dry, scaly, unhealthy, and, when very little injury, suppurates with voluptuous itching, worse at night, heat of bed, scratching and washing. Burning when scratched — should remind one of Sulphur. Excoriation in the folds is characteristic. Frequent crops of boils, varicose veins are the characteristic. Scabies, eczema, ulcers, creeping erysipelas, excoriation on the folds fall under this category.
Arsenic alb:
Arsenic alb eruptions are dry rough scaly, parchment-like, worse from cold, and scratching. Free desquamation. Hives worse on eating shelled fish. Itching followed by burning, cutting pain followed by bloody offensive discharge. Many conditions like ulcers, pimpled vesicles, malignant pustules — Anthrax and poisoned wounds cover this.
Essay on Dermatology Disease # 6. Acne Vulgaris:
An adolescent patient, roughly at puberty, presents with characteristic lesions of comedo a blackened horny follicular plug on the face, back, shoulders, the chest and on the back. The general skin is greasy, coarse and thickened with prominent follicular orifice. The condition is ACNE VULGARIS.
Acne is formed because of the androgenic or eostrogenic influence in the young adult at puberty. An individual usually outgrows this condition but in some the condition may last for quite some times. In a recent case of acne the eruption is red, with a small black head, often quite painful. If the patient is robust and full-blooded, he often needs Belladonna.
The skin is quite glossy, dry and hot. There is often alternate redness and paleness of the skin. Associated with this, generalized boils develop. But if the patient is pale and slender the picture of Pulsatilla is evident. The other constitutional characteristics of Pulsatilla should be present. The development of acne is mostly during puberty and nearing the menses.
In chronic cases, when the indicated remedy does not act, or when there is recurrence of these eruptions, then one should think of Sulphur. After every crop of acne they tend to disappear without leaving any tell-tale marks. But few of them may suppurate with a lot of pain, very sensitive to touch and bleed easily. The skin is unhealthy and easily suppurates. This is Hepar sulphuris.
When there is induration of the acne — bluish red skin, worse on the face and chest, often pustular, intense itching leaving a scar on the skin after the eruption. Kali bromatum is indicated. The general tendency of the skin is to cause boils and indolent painful pustules. Generalized pimples and pustules on the skin and face, mostly painless, but they bleed when scratched — Calcarea sulph.
Characteristic expression of sycosis in the skin condition.
Greasy oily skin.
Pruritus, in the folds of the limbs and the genitals, and along the line of the hair. Eruptions patchy, circumscribed.
Cicatrices:
Scarring, wounds bum and scald, insect bites. Abscesses.
Essay on Dermatology Disease # 7. Endogenous Eczema or Atopic Dermatitis:
The child has developed erythema, a weeping eruption or scaling on the face and has been gradually spreading over the other sites of the body. It is either an ENDOGENOUS ECZEMA OR ATOPIC DERMATITIS. This starts in the first three months of life in about 75% of children, mostly on the cheek, sparing the nose and central face.
Seborrhoeic dermatitis of the scalp precedes the infantile eczema of the face. Erythema, exudation, and crusting, later spreads to the extensor surface of the limbs. This aggravates in the colder months, during teething and gastrointestinal disturbances. It is observed that it exists more in the un-favourable and unhealthy home atmosphere.
With increasing age, say 13-15 years, the chances of getting skin lichenified increases and weeping nature of the skin stops. It may gradually transform into bronchial asthma. It is an inborn constitutional state, and is inherited. They are more susceptible to various food and eggs. It may start with physical trauma during washing with soap, cloth, woolens, and rapid changes of temperature.
Rhustox:
Rhustox skin is dry, red and intense itching, hot and burning, and the eruption is more on the hairy part. There is cellulitis, burning eczematous, eruption with tendency to scale formation. Sensitive to cold air eruptions alternate, with dysentery. Pus erodes the hair.
Vesicles are formed over the abscesses. The onset is redness and swelling of the affected part with intolerable itching and burning, agglutination of the lids follow after sleep. After a while the skin gets studded with confluent bullae where the cellular tissue is loose. This dermatitis soon starts looking like erysipelas, and the whole face gets involved.
Rhus venanata:
Rhus venanata the skin is dark and red erysipelas. The vesicles are formed with nightly itching and pains in the long bones. It is also found very useful in pemphigus. Usually the lower potency is found useful.
Arsenic alb:
Arsenic alb the skin is dry, rough and shriveled, worse by cold and scratching. Eruptions are papular, lot of itching and burning. Free desquamation. The skin symptoms are aggravated by eating shell-fish.
Psorinum:
Psorinum herpetic eruptions on the scalp and bends of the limbs, with lot of itching. The skin is oily and formation of indolent ulcers. The eruption is marked behind the ears. The skin is rough, scabby and greasy, intolerable itching, aggravated by the heat of the bed.
Vinca minor:
Vinca minor eczema is mostly on the head and face, with corrosive itching. Great sensitiveness of the skin. The pustules are burning, itching, with offensive odour. Weeping eczema intermingled with foul thick crust.
Essay on Dermatology Disease # 8. Exfoliative Dermatitis:
Patient has almost persistent erythema, accompanied by profuse and repeated exfoliation. This includes nails and hair. There are enlarged lymph nodes, complains of constant cold. This is EXFOLIATIVE DERMATITIS. The entire skin is erythematous, oedematous and scaly.
Mostly it is idiopathic without a preceding skin condition or it may follow dermatitis, psoriasis, or other skin conditions. It can also be a reaction to many drugs e.g. sulphonamides, sulphonylureas, gold. It can occasionally be the feature of systemic disorders like lymphomas.
Kali arsenicosum:
Kali arsenicosum the patient has a tendency to anxiety and skin diseases. Restless, nervous and anaemic. More useful when the patient’s condition is moving towards malignancy. All the sufferings are worse at night. There is intolerable itching, worse from undressing and application of warmth and walking. Fissures on the bend of the arm, knees. Skin has tendency to cancer, and sets in without any signs and symptoms.
Berberis aqua-folia:
Berberis aqua-folia eruption on the scalp, extending to face and neck. At times the eruption is dry, pruritus is located in localized spots initially and then spreads over the whole skin. Appear as rashes, blisters, pustules, papules, and urticarious itching, better by washing in the cold water.
Hydrocotyle asiatica:
Hydrocotyle asiatica it shows excessive thickening of the skin, copper-coloured eruption in various places. Intolerable itching, especially of the soles and vagina. Skin has dry eruption, great thickening of the epidermal layer and shows exfoliation of the scales, is, therefore, useful in Psoriasis, Acne, Elephantiasis.
Yellowish spots on the legs and pricking in the different parts with itching in the various places. Useful in great variety of skin disorders like acne, eczema, pemphigus, lupus, copper-coloured eruption, with intolerable itching in various places.
Petroleum:
Petroleum eczema with deep cracks in the folds, nipples, finger-tips, itching at night, itching orifices with burning, chilblains with moist itch and bum, the skin is hard, dry, rough, thickened like parchment. Skin gets raw, festers of will not heal. Smallest of the scratch suppurates. Thick greenish crust, burning and itching. Red, raw and cracks easily, cracks worse in winter. The skin is extremely sensitive to touch of the clothes.
Graphites:
Graphites eczema is dry, rough, irritable but breaks easily and oozes out exudate, gluey moisture, worse in the folds and heals slowly. Moist crusty eruption. Phlegmonous erysipelas of the face, burning and stinging pains.
Essay on Dermatology Disease # 9. Seborrhoeic Dermatitis:
Patient presents with the lesion on the scalp showing diffused scaling and erythema, spreading over the eyebrows, naso-labial folds, ears and neck. There are some papules and pustules. The skin looks greasy and scaly. The condition is SEBORRHOEIC DERMATITIS. It affects those areas of the skin where there is a high density of sebaceous glands. The cause is unknown. Neurogenic factor may play a part.
The scalp is primarily involved that shows diffused scaling and erythema. Other sites may be involved like sternal region, thoracic spine, para-spinal skin, the axillae, the groin folds, and perianal region. With more severe and acute state, the skin looks more greasy, scales, weeping and maceration. Application of Lotion of Calendula mother tincture with Staphysagria mother tincture in equal proportion is found beneficial.
Mezereum:
Mezereum the patient is very sensitive to cold air. Ill-effects suppressed eczema, capitis vaccination and mercurial poisoning. The eruptions ooze acrid gluey moisture from thick crusts, scabs with pus beneath. Deep hard painful ulcers, worse by touch and warmth.
Intolerable itching which is worse by warmth and in bed. Itching changes the place of scratching. Ulcers itch and bum surrounded by pustules and vesicles. Senile pruritus.
Thuja:
Thuja never well since vaccination, skin troubles and neuralgia follow. Eruptions itch or bum violently, worse on cold bathing. Eruptions are mostly on the covered parts, worse after scratching. Skin is very sensitive to touch. Nails get crippled, brittle and soft. Luxuriant growth of hair on the skin normally devoid of hair.
Vinca Minor:
Vinca Minor there is eczema of the head and face. Corrosive itching. Sensitiveness of the skin, red and sore from slight rubbing. Pustules itch, burn and emanate offensive odour. Hair gets matted together. Weeping eczema intermingled with foul thick crust.
Mercurius:
Mercurius constantly moist skin, excessive odorous, viscid perspiration. Although there is perspiration in excess there is no relief to the patient. Pimples around the main emption itching worse from warmth. Yellowish-brown crust, considerable suppuration. Ulcers are irregular, spreading, shallow, bleeding, with cutting and proud flesh. Boils and abscess are more nearing the menses.
Essay on Dermatology Disease # 10. Psoriasis:
Patient presents with well-demarcated salmon pink lesions surrounded by silvery scaling, mostly over the extensor surfaces of the limb, elbows and knee. There may be many minor scattered hyperkeratic scales. The condition is PSORIASIS. Psoriasis is one of the most commonest disorders of the skin which occurs between the age of 10 and 30. The cause is not known. But it is a multi-miasmatic expression.
Genetic factors are very important in the aetiology of this disease. The role of infection is the exacerbation factor. Lesion are mostly on the trunk and limbs. Emotional trauma is the most important factor since many skin disease are of nervous origin. Mechanical trauma to the skin on the elbows and the lumbar area in sedentary people. Psoriasis presents with different form-flexural psoriasis, pustular and nail involvement.
Arsenic lod:
Arsenic lod marked exfoliation of the skin, in large scales, leaving raw exuding surface beneath. Enlarged scrofulous glands watery oozing from the eczema of the beard, itching worse on washing. The discharges from the mucus membrane are persistently acrid, profuse, thick, gluey. Better in open air.
Chrysarobinum:
Chrysarobinum the lesions are vesicular or squamous, associated with foul smelling discharge and crust formation. These tend to become confluent and give the appearance of one big area — there is violent itching of thighs, legs and around ears. Eczematous eruption behind the ears, very useful in psoriasis and ringworm.
Graphites:
Graphites dry, rough, irritable skin developing eczema, that breaks easily and exudes a gluey moisture. Slow to heal. Burning in old scars and they ulcerate. There are also moist and crusty eruptions, when the skin is very unhealthy.
Hydrocotyle:
Hydrocotyle great thickening of epidermoid layer, and exfoliation of the skin. Intolerable itching, specially of the soles. Pustules on the chest.
Kali arsenicum:
Kali arsenicum there is intolerable itching, usually after undressing. Chronic eczema itching is worse from warmth, walking, undressing.
Essay on Dermatology Disease # 11. Shingles or Herpes Zoster:
A middle-aged person gives a history of pain, tingling, and dysaesthesia, along the course of the nerve with appearance of characteristic eruption (vesicles, papules, bullous lesion) throughout the dermatome. This condition is SHINGLES or HERPES ZOSTER.
Varicella zoster virus is responsible for this condition. The dorsal root ganglia of certain cranial nerves pick up the original infection of an attack of chicken pox many years previously. The viruses of chicken pox and herpes zoster are identical.
Much before the virus reemerges in the skin, many days preceding the appearance of vesicles, papules; bullous lesions on the entire dermatome appear. The whole presents three sets of symptoms: The pain that starts much before the appearance of vesicles; actual eruption vesicles, and later pustules follow — with severe itching.
Homoeopathic remedies will depend upon the stage of the disease and symptoms presented.
Ranunculus bulbosus:
Ranunculus bulbosus the pains are stitching, stabbing, shooting, extort tears, with shuddering. Restless, cannot stay in one position. Often accompanied by burning, bruised soreness. Sensitive to air and touch. In due course it develops Sinall, deep, transparent, dark blue little elevated blisters the size of an ordinary pinhead.
Rhus tox:
Rhus tox there is dry, hot, burning itching, and is worse on hairy parts. Develops cellulitis burning eczematous eruption, and vesicular suppurative form. Very sensitive to cold air. Pus erodes the hair. Vesicles are formed over the abscesses. There are neuralgic pains along the dermatome that corresponds to the pathogenesis of Herpes.
Tarentula cubens:
Tarentula cubens it affects the cellular tissue, and, therefore, useful in septic condition. Although the incubation is slow, the condition progresses rapidly with alarming proportion: atrocious burning. There is itching around gerutals, purplish hue and burning stinging pains. Also useful in carbuncles — bluish abscesses which are painful.
Arsenic alb.:
Arsenic alb. skin is dry, rough and scaly and looks like parchment. There is itching, burning and swelling. Pimples bum and itch, free desquamation. Burning pains are the characteristics of Arsenic, that are better by warm application.
Post-herpes pains in the elderly are common. Although the original infection settles down, secondary infection can cause lot of discomfort. The neuralgic pains start in the same nerve where the shingles had developed. Mezereum and Rhus tox are two remedies which are found useful in post-herpetic neuralgia.
Essay on Dermatology Disease # 12. Scabies:
Patient reports with widespread, highly irritant, excoriated, secondarily infected, folliculo-papular eruption in the finger webs, wrist, elbows, ankles, breast, and genitals. The condition is mostly SCABIES. Transmission of this infection is by skin to skin contact, with an affected individual, and this occurs in bed. Warmth is necessary for the acarus or the mite to remain mobile and thereby pass from one to other.
The important sites where these mites burrow are finger web, elbows, ankles, breast, and genitals. They develop widespread, highly irritating excoriation, and often secondary infected folliculo-papular eruption. The itching is severe when papules appear over genitals, and children develop these papules on the palms, soles, and in axillary folds.
Sulphur:
Sulphur is the primary remedy but it may not be the only remedy to start with. Unless the totahty of sulphur is present it may not work. No doubt it is a great antipsoric remedy. Eruptions are almost of every kind and they alternate with other complaints, asthma etc.
It is an unhealthy skin which breaks out and festers and takes long to heal. Very dry, unhealthy, scaly skin, every little injury suppurates, voluptuous itching, worse at night, and heat of bed. Scratching induces burning.
Psorinum:
Psorinum Hering prepared this nosode from the seropurulent matter of scabies vesicles. Useful in chilly patients and when there is lack of reaction in chronic diseases, well-related remedies fail to relieve or cure, and most important—when sulphur feels indicated but fails to react.
Psorinum chiefly affects the skin folds, axillae, first in the left then in the right. It has also marked action on the allergic state. The skin is dirty, rough and scabby, greasy, breaks out in folds, intolerable itching, worse on heat of the bed, scratches till it bleeds.
Eruptions look like herpetic eruption in the folds and bends of joints, with itching. Sebaceous glands secrete excessively, indulent ulcers, slow to heal, eruptions are crusty, skin is oily. Excrescences disappear in summer and they reappear in winter. Recurring body lice, scabies, condylomata, developing on the edges of the skin.
Sepia:
Sepia the skin texture is rough, hard, or cracked. They are worse in the flexures. Herpetic eruption on the lips, about mouth and nose. Thick crusts are on the elbows, ulcers on small joints. Ringworm in isolated parts, and they appear always in spring.
Scratching does not relive itching. Urticarial rash is worse in open air, and is better in warm room. Hyperdrosis, and bromidrosis, sweat on feet, worse on toes, and a very intolerable odour.
Hepar suiphuris:
Hepar suiphuris Hepar has very unhealthy skin, very little injury suppurates, very sensitive to slightest touch, chapped skin with deep cracks on hand and feet. Papules are prone to suppurate, and extend. Very sensitive to cold, cannot bear to be uncovered, and wants to be wrapped. Ulcers are very sensitive to contact, burning, stinging, and easily bleed.
Putrid ulcers are surrounded by little pimples. Very sensitive to cold, chill and liability to catch cold.
Mercurius:
Mercurius constantly moist skin, with viscid perspiration, but there is no relief from this perspiration. Eruptions are vesicular and pustular, skin is tender like raw meat, pimples around the main eruption. Itching is worse from warmth of the bed.
Eczema is moist, crusta lactea, with yellowish-brown crust, with considerable suppuration. Ulcers are irregular, spreading. Bleeding like cutting the proud flesh. Boils and abscesses form during the menses. It has a tendency to form pus — mostly in the cavities of abscesses, which bum and sting.
Graphites:
Graphites like Sulphur it is a great antipsoric too. The skin of graphite’s is rough, dry and hard. Eczematous and herpetic eruptions predominate. Eruptions on the occiput exuding gluey humor. Eczema of the ear, moist eczema round the anus, pimples etc. There is ulceration of the old scars, which bum.
Essay on Dermatology Disease # 13. Warts:
A young individual presents with papular lesions that are coarse and roughened surfaces developing on a palmar aspect of the fingers, neck, and knees. The condition is WARTS. This is a viral infection caused by human papilloma virus.
These also infect the domestic animals. These viruses affect the various sites and these warts are known by the sites on which they erupt, e.g. when they are seen on the soles are known as plantar warts, when they are on the face, neck, nose etc. they are known as filiform warts, and genital warts are super-infected with venereal transmission.
The repertories will give different rubrics such as excrescences, condylomata, and warts If we see the remedies under these rubrics they are not very different. Under warts there are sub-rubrics describing the color, site, shape, consistency etc. Remedies frequently indicated are Thuja, Causticum, Nitric acid.
Dulcamara, and Antim crud. But while taking the history of the patient, it will be necessary to inquire into all other aspects which are mentioned under sub-rubrics. In addition to these local symptoms of the wart it is necessary to take “the general symptoms of the patient.
Thuja:
Thuja it acts mainly on the mucous membranes of genitourinary tract, intestines, skin. Thuja has the formation of wart-like growths upon mucous membrane and skin surfaces. Fig warts and condylomata. It is for soft, exuberant fungoid tissue polyps condylomata and warts pedunculated, black, suppressed. The eruptions itch or bum violently, worse on cold bathing.
Causticum:
Causticum the skin is of a dirty white shallow complexion, with warts especially on the face. Warts are seedy, large and jagged, bleeding easily, ulcerating on the finger, nose, eye-lids.
Nitric acid:
Nitric acid the action of Nitric acid is mostly on the mucocutaneous junction. The warts are large, jagged, bleed on touch or washing. Sensitive and splinter-like pains, zigzag irregular edges, base looks like raw flesh.
Dulcamara:
Dulcamara the warts are large smooth, on face, and palmar surface of the hands. Pruritus if any gets aggravated in cold and wet weather. It is a scrofulous remedy and has many scrofulous-looking eruptions, moist or dry, red tettery eruptions, specially on face, warts are fleshy and large and smooth.
Antimonium crud.:
Antimonium crud. scaly pustular eruptions with burning and itching, callosities from slight pressure. There is dry skin.
Essay on Dermatology Disease # 14. Tinea Circinata:
Child presents with discoid patch and slight swelling, and vacuolization of adjoining borders usually on a non-hairy part of the body. Itching at times. This is TINEA CIRCINATA or common ringworm. Tinea is formed in the different parts of the body and they are then termed according to their site. T. pedis, T. curare T. capitis etc.
Tinea means ‘moth-eaten’. The source of this fungus is zoophilic — Animal to man; anthrophilic — man to man; and geophilic — soil to man.
The disease varies with the site of the infection. When the infection is in the foot, it may present with Assuring of the toe webs, scaling of the plantar surface, or vesicles around the toe web. The inter-digital lesions maybe pruritic, and with the super infection of bacteria there could be pain. In the scalp there can be alopecia, and scaling.
Sepia:
Sepia ringworm-like eruptions develop every spring, itching is not relieved by scratching. Worse in bends of elbows and knees. The vesicles itch, thick crusts form on the joints. Sweat on the feet, worse on toes, intolerable odour. Ringworm on the face, every spring, roundness and yellowness of the parts. The itching is desperate, particular when it is on the genitals and anus.
Tellurium:
Tellurium itching of hands and feet, face, worse on whole body lower limbs, infection on the chin known as Barber’s itch, offensive odour, patches are circular, mostly on the scalp, back of ears, small red patches, circular in shape, itching is worse in cool air.
Sulphur:
Sulphur the skin infection is almost every type, and these eruptions alternate with other complaints. Eruptions are pimply, pustules, crack hand-nails. It is always preferred to give Sulphur internally than as an ointment as an external application because it is seen that it represses the infection.
For these skin infections one should try and prescribe the constitutional remedy because the skin infection is often the result of suppressed internal turmoil.
Arsenicum iodatum:
Arsenicum iodatum is the first rank remedy that one should think of. The skin is dry, scaly and itching. There is marked exfoliation of the skin, large scales, leaving a raw exuding surface beneath. Often there is voluptuous itching and the scratch marks leave behind hard horny surface. These get aggravated by mental exertion.
Characteristic expressions of Tubercular Miasm: Pseudopsoric:
Tubercular eruptions look like unwashed, dirty, skin with pronounced pruritus.
Eruptions are vesicular, pustular. Skin texture is greasy oily.
Excessive, offensive perspiration.
Glandular involvement.
Essay on Dermatology Disease # 15. Thrombophlebitis/(Varicose Ulcers):
Patient complains of aching pains and sense of tiredness in the legs, at times irritation and discoloration of the site over the distended vein, oedema around the ankle, at the end of the day. Varicose veins may develop with eczema and ulceration. The condition is THROMBOPHLEBITIS/ (VARICOSE ULCERS).
Varicose veins are caused because of incompetent valves at long saphino-femoral or popliteal junction or when the valves of the communicating veins joining the superficial and deep veins are deficient so that the blood drains from deep veins into superficial vessels.
Hamamelis virginiana:
Hamamelis virginiana the principal action of this remedy is on the veins, of the genitals, limbs, and throat, producing venous congestion, varicose veins, haemorrhoids, and haemorrhages. On the skin there is ecchymosis, traumatic inflammation, bluish chilblains, phlebitis, varicose veins and ulcers. There is great lassitude and weariness of the limbs and elsewhere very sore muscles. Neuralgia of the long saphenous nerve.
Fluoricum acid:
Fluoricum acid has intense soreness. Its action is on the ulcers and varicose veins apart from the action on the bones. It is typically an anti-tubercular and anti-syphilitic drug which shows the haemorrhagic and destructive nature. The parts are better from cold water washing and better by walking in the open air.
Vipera berus/Vipera torva.:
Vipera berusa/ipera torva. the keynote of Vipera in cases of phlebitis and varicose veins, is worse on letting the limb hang down as if it would burst with fullness. It has also action on the veins. Shuffling gait formed by the paralysis of the foot. Better by elevating the foot. Apart from the medication, stretchable socks or spiral stretchable bandage should be tried and standing job should be prohibited.
Essay on Dermatology Disease # 16. Impetigo Contagiosa:
Patient is a child, develops thin-walled vesicles, on the erythematous base, on the face, neck and scalp, often extending peripherally in the center. The exuding serum forms a yellow-brown crust. There is no fever but lymphadenitis may be present. There may he history of earlier pediculosis, scabies or other skin diseases.The condition is IMPETIGO CONTAGIOSA.
Repertory describes different remedies under different head of sites. Baring few changes the remedies are the same.
Antimonium crud:
Antimonium crud pimples, pustules, and boils are on the face. The eruption is yellow-crusted, on the cheeks and chin. Small sores, honey-coloured granules on chin. These are sensitive to cold bathing. Thick, hard and honey-coloured scabs. Eczema with gastric derangement.
Echinacea angustifolia:
Echinacea angustifolia recurring boils, carbuncles, little papules on the skin with redness, feeling like nettle, mostly on the face and neck.
Essay on Dermatology Disease # 17. Leprosy:
The patient has hypo-pigmented skin patches associated with loss of sensation to touch or temperature with nerve involvement (Thickening or tenderness). Complains of transient rash, with features of acute febrile illness. It is a case of LEPROSY.
Leprosy is another destructive process of tubercular origin and it can cause vicious and unprecedented deformity. It happens mostly in persons of lymphatic temperament where these destructive processes start in advanced age. It is in the tubercular miasm that we have to face so much difficulty in eradicating these conditions.
Huges mentions two remedies which Nureing used and treated some cases successfully — Gynocardia odorate. common name ‘Chaulmoogra’ and Dipterocarpus turbinatus, common name ‘Gurjun’. The oils are derived from these plants. In fact, apart from this information we do not have much to work on. Nureing is reported to have treated many cases and claims to cure some of those.
Hydrocotyle asiatica:
Indian pennywort produces hypertrophy and induration of connective tissue. Boileau used it first as remedy for leprosy. The pathogenesis suggest the similarity of lepra, it is considered to be one of the remedies for leprosy.
Essay on Dermatology Disease # 18. Pemphigus:
A patient between the age of50-60 develops insidiously persistent bright red sore, denuded mucosa, flaccid bullae, forming soft crust on the scalp much before the generalized bullous eruption. The bullae erupt leaving raw moist area. These walled blisters are elsewhere on the body too.
This condition is PEMPHIGUS. Pemphigus is a rare disease, in which an antibody, usually of the IgG class, reacts with the antigen at the surface of the epidermal cells that form part of the intercellular cement substance.
There are several forms of pemphigus. In the most common form, lesions may be confined to the mucosal surface in the early stages of the disease. The sites can vary — it may be on the skin and in the mouth. Lesions rupture to leave moist eroded areas. Secondary bacterial infection is common.
Caltha palustris:
Caltha palustris marsh marigold is a plant belonging to Ranunculaceae, and the tincture is made from the fresh shoots and flowers. However, it is an unproved drug. Hensen gives its indications “Pemphigus bullae are surrounded by a ring, much itching, on the third day they are transformed into crusts “.
Ranunculus scleratus:
Ranunculus scleratus most acrid plant in the Ranunculi family. Causing burning in the mouth, throat, stomach, chest, urethra, other parts. It is well-proved drug. The skin has yellow vesicular eruptions, with tendency to form large blisters, acrid exudation which make the surrounding part sore.
Most of the symptoms are right-sided except one gnawing sensation in the left arm. It has mapped and peeled tongue associated with smarting and burning and boring pains.
Manicinella:
Manicinella has intense erythema. Vesicles, large blisters as from scald. Fungoid growth, with heavy brown crusts with extensive blisters oozing of sticky serum and formation of crusts. Low potencies are useful.
Essay on Dermatology Disease # 19. Lichen Planus:
Middle-aged woman, apparently with lot of tension and of nervous temperament, shows on the skin characteristic lesions of shining flat topped polygonal papules, dull ink or violet in colour, moderate to severely irritable at the onset, usually on the flexure surfaces of the wrist, forearm, around the waist, inner surfaces of the thigh, and the lower legs which are often hypertrophic, large and horny.
The condition is LICHEN PLANUS.
Antimonium crudum:
Antimonium crudum scaly, pustular eruptions, with burning and itching worse at night. Slight pressure causes callosities. Thick hard honey-coloured scabs Stomach symptoms are very important, are associated with the skin symptoms. Many effects are because of suppressed eruptions.
Arsenic alb.:
Arsenic alb. with all the characteristics of lichen planus there is burning .of skin. Arsenic is very potent and has deep action on the economy.
Jugulans cinarea:
Jugulans cinarea it has many types of skin symptoms. Skin looks red like scarlatina. Itching and pricking when heated. The pustules are mostly on the lower extremities.
Essay on Dermatology Disease # 20. Urticaria:
Patient complains of localized or widespread eruption of wheals preceded and accompanied by severe itching. There may be no lesion when examined. It is probably URTICARIA.
Urticaria is considered more a multi-miasmatic trait but pseudopsora predominates.
In a case of acute urticaria, the cause can be frequently established but in a case of chronic urticaria the cause often remains unknown.
The common causes are food allergy — shellfish allergy is the commonest. Usually the gastrointestinal symptoms are associated.
Drug allergy:
Drug allergy drugs like penicillin and serum sickness are the commonest.
Other factors are:
Parasites, intestinal worms, amoebiasis.
Bacterial infection.
Physical factors like light, cold, heat or exertion.
Psychogenic factors are most important.
Apis mellifica:
Apis mellifica the well-known effect of the bee sting, burning stinging sharp pains, excessive swelling because of serous fluid collection gives the leading key-notes for its employment in great many conditions. Oedematous swelling, sudden puffiness of the whole body, swelling developing after bites or sting.
Rosy red, sensitive sore skin with stinging pains. Skin is dry hot, alternating with gushes of sweat. Great anxiety, restlessness, and fidgety with allergic oedema. Better from cool air, cold bathing, uncovering. Worse from touch and pressure.
Natrum mur:
Natrum mur it is chronic of Apis and is useful in many cases of skin eruptions. The hives develop after exertion, with lot of itching and burning. The psychological reasons of developing the eruptions on the skin are more common. It covers the effects of grief, disappointments, depressed and introverted and one who dwells on past unpleasant memories. Consolation aggravates.
Urtica urens:
Urtica urens is a stinging nettle that produces stinging burning pains. Develops hives with rheumatism after shell-fish, with pinworms. Itching and raised blotches, the eruption can appear periodically every year. The skin has burning heat, with formication, violent itching.
This can be consequence of the suppressed nettle rash and the rheumatism alternating with nettle rash. Often angio-neurotic odema develop. Gout and rheumatism are associated with urticaria-like eruption.
Bovista:
On excitement develops urticaria with rheumatic lameness, palpitation and diarrhoea. The whole body is covered with itching urticaria. Skin complaints when not relieved by Rhus tox, Bovista helps.
Characteristic expressions of the syphilitic miasm
Pruritus negligible.
Tumors over growths, condylomata.
Gangrene.
Essay on Dermatology Disease # 21. Gangrene:
A patient with one or more fingers, or the toes, perhaps part of the hand or foot, complains of cold, and looks purple and shriveled and evokes a characteristic odour and loss of sensation but severe pain in the adjoining living tissue with or without secondary infection. It is GANGRENE.
Mostly two types of Gangrene are known. The most common is invariably due to arterial block. The extremities become white, cold and anaesthetic. Soon it becomes painful and gradually becomes dry and mummified. As thrombosis slowly extends up the limb the gangrene spreads until a line of demarcation forms where an adequate blood supply is reached.
The commonest type is senile gangrene due to arteriosclerosis.
Moist gangrene occurs when the part is engorged with blood and is aggravated when there is arterial occlusion, is combined with venous occlusion; the result of thrombosis, pressure, injury or inflammation. Usually we find this on the feet of diabetics. Gas gangrene is due to infection and necrosis of muscles, by spore-forming anaerobic organisms.
Anthracinum:
Anthracinum this nosode is very valuable remedy in malignant or septic inflammations of connective or cellular tissues. It forms carbuncles, abscesses and boil like eruptions and malignant ulcers. Gangrene is with foul secretions, ulcerations are sloughing, and intolerable burning. Restless and debilitated.
Arsenic alb.:
Arsenic alb. pains of the ulcer are burning, relieved by heat. Seaside complaints. Pains are maddening, burning like fire, hot needles or wires. Restless, and sudden great weakness.
Cantheris:
Cantheris its action is rapid and intense and the inflammations are violently acute or rapidly destructive — in the mucus and serous membranes-. Produces most violent inflammation. Tendency to gangrene.
Lachesis:
Lachesis skin has bluish purplish appearance, blisters become dark, with black edges. There is purpura with intense prostration. Capillaries are dilated and small wounds bleed much.
Secale cornutum:
Secale cornutum it is a vegetable nosode. It has action on the vasomotor, v^^here there is first contraction and then dilatation of blood vessel, the fingers turn blue and black. This stagnation leads to dry gangrene of the part. Secale shrivels up the skin, makes it dry and produces harsh shallow complexion.
It lessens the coagulating property and produces the haemorrhagic diathesis, persistent offensive bleeding. It is worse by external heat but there is already an internal heat. There is tingling as if ants are crawling; better by rubbing.
Tarantula cubens:
Tarantula cubens it is suited for severe septic conditions, alarming prostration, atrocious burning, sharp stinging pains and board-like hardness of affected parts.
Essay on Dermatology Disease # 22. Raynaud’s Disease:
A young woman complains of one or more fingers going suddenly dead, for an hour or more, occurs symmetrically on both the sides, especially in cold weather: in a long-standing case an ulcer may form on the tip of the finger. The condition is RAYNAUD’S DISEASE.
Rajoiaud’s phenomena consists of spasms of the arteries supplying the fingers or toes, is usually precipitated by cold and relieved by heat. When this Raynaud’s Phenomena occurs without any underlying cause it is known as Raynaud’s Disease. It is usually bilateral, and fingers are affected more commonly than the toes.
Numbness and burning of the fingers usually occurs and the pain can be severe. Between the attacks the pulse and the digits appear normal. But in persistent and severe case there is possibility that gangrene can develop.
Agaricus muscarius:
Agaricus muscarius there is weakness in the loins, uncertain gait, trembling, itching of the toes, and feet as if frozen. Cramp in the soles of the feet. Pain in the shin bone. Numbness of feet on crossing them. Tearing painful contractures in the calves.
Rhus tox. Sepia, Silicea
Rhus tox. Sepia, Silicea have their own pathogenicity and does not need an explanation.
