A systematic review on the role and scope of bone tumour in homoeopathy

A systematic review on the role and scope of bone tumour in homoeopathy

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ABSTRACT

Bone tumour can occur in any part of the skeleton, either benign or malignant, can still be dangerous as they can lead to obstruction and compression on the surrounding tissue. In conventional treatment, the method of treatment is mainly surgical excision, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and immunotherapy, which is their ultimate. In the other hand, in homoeopathic system of treatment as proposed by Hahnemann the ideal cure is restoring the sick to health, and not the removal of symptom or any local manifestation or particular diseases. The medicine used are prepare from plants, animals or minerals, diseases substance of living organism and bacterial or animal product knows as nosodes. This review article was done on a purpose to understand the role and scope of homoeopathy in the treatment of bone tumour.

KEYWORDS

Bones tumour, benign, malignant, homoeopathy, miasm, individualisation, nosodes, Organon of medicine, remedies.

INTRODUCTION

The term ‘bone tumours’ is a broad term used for benign and malignant neoplasm, as well as ‘tumour-like conditions’ of the bone(1).Amongst the bone tumour primary bone tumours are very rare. There are many conditions that can simulate primary bone tumours, such as inflammatory condition, bone cysts, fibrous condition, non-ossifying fibroma, Paget’s disease of bone, etc. Comparing to other malignant condition, the primary malignant bone tumours are very rare. There are three most common unfeigned primary bone malignancies (osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, and Ewing’s sarcoma) account only 0.2% of all malignancies; however, in children who are less than 15 years of age, the malignant bone tumours account for 5% of all malignancies (2).

Tumour is the production of the organism. The first proposition of Hahnemann as to the cure of diseases, which mean permanent removal of the totality of the symptom, thus removing the cause and turning disorder into order, consequently the result of the diseases is removed(3). The sole duty of the physician is to ‘heal the sick’ and therefore it is not his duty merely to remove the symptom (4).

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Figure 1: Osteosarcoma (4)

 

Figure 2: Osteoblastoma (5)

HOMOEOPATHIC CONCEPTS

The growth of cancer consists of a mass of cells that, in form, they are almost identical to the normal cell of the body. These cells are of different types, but there is no type that is normally found in the living organism. They perform no valuable function but they seem to have only one direction of function, and that is to proliferate. During its spread, they may enter the lymphatic channel or the blood stream and reach the adjacent or distance parts, transport with them their power of proliferation destroyed gradually.

According to Organon of Medicine

Sec-185: The term local maladies signified those diseases, which are presented by one or few symptoms, and ailments that appear on the external parts of the body. (6)

Sec-186: The treatment of those local maladies which are exclusively by an external lesion is relegated to surgery: i.e. removal by mechanical means, for example, reduction of dislocation, by needles or bandages to bring together the lips of wounds, etc. (6)

Sec-187: Those alteration and ailments appearing on the external parts, as their sources, lies in some internal malady. Hence, surgical removal is absurd as it is pernicious in its results (6).

Sec-189: There is no external malady that can arise, persist or even grow worse without any internal cause, for example, no eruption on the lips, no whitlow can occur without previous and simultaneous internal ill-health (6).

Sec-190: The treatment of the disease on the external parts must be, by the means of an internal remedies, if it is wished that the treatment should be judicious, sure, efficacious, and radical (6).

Miasm in neoplasia

In chronic affection, ailments and diseases results from the development of these three miasm, psora, sycosis and syphilis. Each of these miasm was already in possession of the whole organism before they appear primarily as the vicarious local symptom. The internal homoeopathic medicine is the only ideal treatment of these three miasm, without employing the topical remedies for their external symptoms. (7)

The benign cells, although they divide abnormally, they still retain a high degree of differentiation, Sycotic miasm is prominent. Whereas the undifferentiating nature of the cell marks the highly malignant growths sway towards syphilitic miasm. In psoricelement, there is a loss of control that allows the development in the first instance with the complete minimum of syphilitic activity. A sycotic tumour presented with one or few symptoms that can be consider as one-sided diseases which can be an obstacle for the cure. In the other hand, a syphilitic tumour due to its destructive nature may present itself with various symptom which is necessary for the selection of a similar medicine.

Medicine of bone tumours in Synthesis’s Repertory (8.1V) (8)

HEAD, scalp on clacc-f, hecla, hep, kali-iod
EARS behind the ears; front of ears;     con bry, calc
FACE cheek; on:jaw; on:upper jaw:maxillary bone:   Thuj Astra-e Hecla Astra-e, mag-carb
CERVICAL accompanied by, cough:cystic:fatty:malignant: Car-v, caust, con Cist Brom Bar-c, thuj Calc-p
VERTEBRA Lach, tarent
EXTREMITIES shoulder:elbow, painful:wrist:fingers (enchondroma):between metacarpal bones:femurtibia (osteosarcoma):fibula:knee:ankle:feet, benign:toes (enchondroma):   Cund Puls, hep Cupr, led Sil Ph.ac, sang, tarent Methyl Syph, toxi Toxi Anti-crud, Cupr-ar, Hecla, Sil

INDICATION OF REMEDIES

  1. Baryta carbonicum: for sarcoma in neck, with burning sensation. There is tensive pain in small of back; stiffness in small of the back, in evening, especially while sitting for long (9). Fatty tumours, especially about neck with stinging pain (10).
  2. Bromium: two encysted tumours on both sides of the neck (11). There is boring pain in the spinous process of the vertebra. At the inner border of the left scapula up to neck there is aching pain, aggravated by moving the left arm or sitting leaning on the left side (9). Stiffness in the cervical region worsen in the morning (10).
  3. Bryonia alba: obstruction in the external meatus due to growth. There is constant ringing roaring, buzzing, humming or chirping and intolerable to noises. Humming in the left ears which resemble the pouring of water over a dam (9).Aural vertigo, head feels light, with constant wobbling in the ears. Stoppage feeling in ears (10).
  4. Calcarea carbonica: stiffness and rigidity at the nape of the neck, as if a tumour would protrude there (10). Rheumatic pain in the upper cervical vertebrae with swelling and incarnation of the neck and the back. Burning pain in the occiput to nape of neck, lasting all day and better only by going to sleep at night. Spinal bones are affected (9).
  5. Calcarea fluorica: flat swelling about a quarter of an inch high and one and a half inches in diameter on the left side of head (temporal); skin color is unaltered, painless hard mass, growing on bones. Swelling or enlargement on the parietal bones of newborn children (9).
  6. Conium maculatum: tumours behind the ears. Drawing and stitching pain in the ear from within outward. Ears feel stopped when blowing the nose. Piercing and aching pain in inner ears and sharp shocking from within outwards when swallowing. Piercing pain in the mastoid process.
  7. Hecla lava: exostoses of tibia, large nodosities; severe continuous pain, difficult in walking. Exostoses of periosteum which had become carious and soft. Destructive ulceration of bones of syphilitic miasm (10). Swelling and indurated tumours as large as a pea under the right alae nasi very sensitive to touch. Caries of bones of feet (9).
  8. Thuja occidentalis: tumour on the cheek with boring pain in the left malar bone better by touch. Headache originating in the left cheek bone, near the ears, extending from the teeth to the nose. Steatoma tumours over the first dorsal vertebrae and over the middle of spine of left scapula. Pedunculated tumours which is painless but lying on the back caused bruised or smarting (9).
  9. Silicea terra: enchondroma on the first four right metacarpal bones, knobby masses of uniform surface (9). Indicated for diseases of the bone of finger midway between the knuckle and next joint. Ulcerated surface under the bones gave a rough sound to the probe with formation of sinuses. Caries of left great toe and metatarsal bone discharging watery fluid through fistulous openings (10). Swelling of feet with redness and pains extending from toes to malleoli.
  10. Symphytum officinalis: wound penetrating to bones, non-union of fracture; irritable bone at the point of fracture. Pricking pain and soreness at the periosteum. Hard, red, swollen and inflammation at the inferior maxillary bone (11). Pain comes down the bone of nose. Pain in the eye after a blow; snow ball strikes the eye; infant thrusts its fist into its mother’s eye. (12)

NOSODES IN THE TREATMENT OF TUMOURS

The term ‘nosode’ is derived from two Greek words, ‘noses’ means disease, and ‘cidos’ means appearance (13). The remedies prepared from these diseases tissue or diseases substance or excretion of living organism (i.e. plants or animals) and bacterial or animal product is NOSODES. In the homoeopathic practise, nosodes used as inter-current or anti-miasmatic remedies in the treatment of chronic diseases. They can be used as a constitutional remedies during the treatment of chronic diseases in this case the nosodes is prescribe based on the ‘totality of the patient’s symptom’ just like any other remedies (15).

NOSODES OF BONE TUMOUR (16)

Head Tumour; epithelioma forehead   Morg.p
Face Pain; cancerous malar bone right   Syph
Locomotors Bone; Exostosis Growth, rapid, abnormally Slow abnormally Painful Aching Tumour; Osteosarcoma     Syph Tub Tub Syph Pyrogen Syph

INDICATION OF NOSODES

  1. Syphillinum: from syphilitic virus. Osteosarcoma in the centre of right tibia, the size of half an ostrich egg, pains agonizing at night, growth irregular, spongy, partly laminated, very hard (11). Pains in the long bones of lower extremities. Pain in three toes of right foot as if disjointed. Bone pains in knees and feet. Caries of dorsal vertebra with acute curvature, numerous fistula communicating with diseased bone (10).
  2. Tuberculinum: from tubercular abscess. Lump with a size of a walnut on the cord of neck with itching. Tubercular affection of the knee, especially the left side with intermittent attack of pain. Tubercular swelling of knee, much enlarge and tender (16).
  3. Pyrogen: this remedy is prepared from decomposes lean beef allow to stand in the sun for two weeks and then potentised. Indicate for septic condition. Great burning and aching pain in all bones and limbs. Soreness, bed feels too hard. Rapid decubitus of septic origin. Soreness which is better by motion (11).
  4. Carcinosinum: anosode prepared from carcinoma, its action favours and modifies the cases in which there is either a history of carcinoma, or symptom of the disease itself is present (10).

CONCLUSION

The right direction seems to be dealing with the patient as a whole and not with the tumours themselves primarily, as they are the outcome of the abnormal condition of the system. A disease is only incurable when it has made the condition of life impossible. Short of that, a disease is only incurable when we do not know how to cure it. The laws of life are beneficent in their action when we rightly used them and it is a glorious mission to be able to lessen the suffering of our fellow being and to diminish the amount of heartbreak and disability associated with malignant diseases. The highest and noblest of our powers are here called into play.

It’s being said and proven that those who ask, receive; those who seek, find; and to those who knock the door shall be opened. Hence, ask largely, seek earnestly, and the door to knowledge, hope and happiness, for others and ourselves will open.

REFERENCES

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  5. Porter RS, Kaplan JL. The Merck manual of diagnosis and therapy. Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.; 2011.
  6. Hahnemann S. Organon of medicine, 6th edn. Leipzig;1921
  7. Samuel H. Organon of the Art of Healing/. 5th, Kothen;1833
  8. Schroyens F. Synthesis Repertory 7.1. In: 1998. B Jain.
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  10. Boericke W. Pocket manual of homeopathic materia medica. Homeopathic; 1903.
  11. Allen HC. Allen’s Keynotes Rearranged & Classified: With Leading Remedies of the Materia Medica & Bowel Nosodes. B. Jain; 2018.
  12. Clarke JH. The therapeutics of cancer. Reprint edition, 1986. B.
  13. Mandal PP, Mandal B. Text Book of Homeopathic Pharmacy. New Central Book Agency.; 1994.
  14. Karthik S, Aruna P J. Nosodes and Sarcodes. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge (IJTK). 2017;16(2017)(0972-5938):158-163.
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About the authors

Irine Mary Wanniang, BHMS, Intern, Father Muller Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Mangalore, Karnataka, India

Dr Deepa Paiss, BHMS, MD (Hom), Assistant Professor, Dept. of Pathology, Father Muller Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Mangalore, Karnataka, India

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Homeopathy360 Team