A case of osteoarthritis treated by Boenninghausen Repertory: A Case Report

Abstract:

Osteoarthritis is one of the most common joint disorders affecting the world. In the conventional medicine, most of the joint disorders are treatable by steroid applications which mayand invite some other troublesome disease. In the following article, a case of osteoarthritis is being discussed which was treated by Boenninghausen Repertory with the help of constitutional medicine. Homoeopathy plays a significant role in such cases by its holistic approach of treatment. This article provide us to know how a Boenninghausen Repertory helps to cure andand manage of osteoarthritis with the help of complete symptoms.

Keywords:osteoarthritis, homoeopathy, Boenninghausen Repertory

Abbreviations: osteoarthritis (OA), American College of Rheumatology (ACR), twice a day (BD)

Introduction:

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic, degenerative disorder of multi-factorial aetiology characterised by loss of articular cartilage, hypertrophy of bone around the margins, sub-chondral sclerosis, and range of biochemical and morphological alterations of synovial membrane and joint capsule.⁽¹⁾ Osteoarthritis is the second most common rheumatologic problem and the most frequent joint disease with a prevalence of 22% to 39% in India.^[1] OA is more common in women than men, but the prevalence increases dramatically with age. Nearly, 45% of women over the age of 65 years have symptoms while radiological evidence is found in 70% of those over 65 years of age.⁽²⁾⁽³⁾ With the help of conventional medical treatment, pain of osteoarthritis may be relieved temporarily, but it may produce adverse effects in gastrointestinal andand cardiovascular problems. While an individualised homoeopathic medicine can produce effective results in management of cases of osteoarthritis.

Case study

Presenting complaints:

A woman with 40 years of age visited with the complaint of pain in bilateral knee joints for last 8 months. The pain was so severe as if the bone wass being cut by knife with contraction of knee. Complaints aggravated in the morning, while ascending andand ameliorated by uncovering the affected part. The patient was also suffering from constipation since 8 months.

History of presenting complaints:

The pain in knees started 8 months ago, for which she took conventional medicines. The medicines gave her temporary relief, but after discontinuing the medicine, the pain reappeared. For last 15 days, the severity of the pain increased with cracking sound on motion along withand stiffness.

Past history:

She suffered from psoriasis long time back, which was treated by homoeopathy.

Family history:

 Father suffered from bronchial asthma for last 5 yearsand. Mother suffered from hypertension for last 2 yearsand.

Personal history:

  Her diet was irregular. She had no addiction.

Mental general andand physical general:

No significant mental symptoms was found.

 While enquiring her physical general aspects, it was found that she had good appetite but still lost her weight. She was obese, and had a phlegmatic constitution. She easily get cold andand could not tolerate it. Diagnosis:

 Diagnosis was based on clinical symptoms, physical examination of the patient and according to American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria of knee OA.⁽⁴⁾

Analysis and evaluation of symptoms:

Sl. No.	Symptom	Intensity	Totality of symptoms
1.	Pain in both knee joints	++	a) Pain in both knee joints
2.	The patient felt that bone was being cut by knife	+++	b) The patient felt that bone was being cut by knife
3.	Constricting sensation while walking	++	c) Constricting sensation while walking
4.	Complaints aggravated in the morning, while ascending and ameliorated on uncovering	+++	d) Complaints aggravated in the morning, while ascending. ameliorated on uncovering
5.	The patient was suffering from constipation along with knee pain	+++	e) She was suffering from constipation

Repertorial totality⁽⁵⁾:

Symptoms	Rubrics
Pain in the knee joint	LOWER EXTRIMITIES-Knee joint, knee
Cutting sensation	SENSATION-Cutting, in internal parts
Constricted feeling in the knee	SENSATION-Contraction of limbs
Complaint aggravated in the morning	AGGRAVATION-Morning
Aggravation on ascending	AGGRAVATION-Ascending steps
Amelioration while uncovering	AMELIORATION-Uncovering
Constipation	STOOL-Constipation

Repertorisation⁽⁵⁾:

   See repertorisation sheet

Prescription:

   After repertorisation, Calcarea carbonicum was at the highest grade withhighest matching of the symptoms. Hence, Calcarea carbonicum was selected on the basis of completeness of symptoms of the patient and after consulting with materia medica⁽⁶⁾⁽⁷⁾.

Date: 04/06/2021

Calcarea carbonicum 200/ 1 dose, early morning mixing with ½ cup of water for 2 days along with Placebo every day, two times after eating for 7 days

Selection of dose and potency:

 As per Organon of Medicine, (aphorism 247 5^th edition)⁽⁸⁾, according to the susceptibility of the patient, the potency was selected. The patient was highly susceptible and intensity of the symptoms was also increased. Also, she suffered from that affection since long, so the case was started with high potency.

Repetition of Medicine:

  As per Organon of Medicine, every well chosen medicine should be repeated at suitable interval aphorism 246 5^th edition⁽⁸⁾. In this case, after initial improvement of the patient, symptoms were unchanged and came to a standstill, therefore, at that time, it is necessary to  repeat the same medicine with same potency.^(9)(10)

Follow up:

Date of visit	Response	Prescription
18/06/2021	No changes took place. Pain in both knee joints with stiffness	Placebo 30/ 1 drop BD x 15 days
05/07/2021	Patient had more pain along with cutting pain, but bowel movements improved	Placebo -30/ 1 drop BD x 15 days
23/07/2021	She had slight improvement in the pain, felt better	Placebo-30/ 1 drop BD x 7 days
05/08/2021	No changes after improvement	Calcarea carbonicum -200/1 dose
20/08/2021	Moderate improvement on pain with slight stiffness and regular bowel movement	Placebo-30/ 1 drop BD x 7 days
30/08/2020	No pain with much improvement, no stiffness with feeling of comfort	Placebo-30/ 1 drop BD x 15 days
24/09/2021	No symptoms occurred after considerable time

Conclusion:

In case of any kind of joint disorders, homoeopathy proves to be of vast scope. A homoeopath treats the patient according to the symptomatology and the dynamic medicine does not produce any kind of side-effects like conventional medicines. Homoeopaths believe in the individualistic approach, and in the above case,, with the help of Boenninghausen Repertory, the case was completely cured without any side effects.

Bibliography:

1. Pal CP , Singh P, Chaturvedi S,   Kumar K,  P, and  Vij A, “Epidemiology of knee osteoarthritis in India and related factors”, Indian Journal of Orthopaedic, 50(5), 2016
2. Harrison’s, Principles of Internal Medicine,17^th edition, Vol-2, Mc Graw Hill Medical, 2008
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5. Allen T F, Boenninghausen’s Therapeutic Pocket Book, 14^th ed. New Delhi: B. Jain publishers (P) Ltd,; 2016
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9. Kent JT, Lectures on Homoeopathic Philosophy, LPE ed. New Delhi: B.Jain Publishers (P) Ltd.; 2015
10. Babu NG, Comprehensive study of Organon, 1^st ed. New Delhi: B. Jain publishers (P) Ltd.; 2009

About Author:

1. Dr Azizul Islam Khadim, PG Scholar, Department of Practice of Medicine, R.B.T.S Govt. Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Muzaffarpur
2. Dr Shimul Jamatia, PG Scholar, Department of Organon of Medicine, Naiminath Homoeopathic Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Agra