This is the case of a mid-age woman who has been suffering from Post-Traumatic Frozen Shoulder for a long time. The case reveals new mental aspects of the prescribed remedy to be remembered to learn different possibilities of prescriptions.
Case
a 44 years old Housewife consulted me at the end of May, 2023. Consultation was done at her house along with other two patients to be consulted for the first time.
Her chief complaint is a chronic pain in Left shoulder which is worse by exertion +2, cloudy weather+1. She has limited movements for that arm. She can-not raise her arm at full length. On my examination and observation it was looking like a Frozen Shoulder condition. On further asking she attributed the cause of her shoulder pain vaguely to an incidence of falling down in childhood. Sometimes she has pain in all joints of her body. The medical history was negative for Osteo-arthritis or Rheumatism.
Associated Symptoms :
Headaches < sun +1, wind +3, sour +1
Vomiting < wind +3, AC of cars +2; sometimes along with Headache
Flatulence after hysterectomy
Episodes of low blood pressure ( in patient’s language ) from 2 to 3 years.
Past H/o :
Occ. Cough/Coryza during childhood.
No high grade fevers in recent years.
Uterine fibroid – hysterectomy done 5-6 years back.
Physical Generals :
Thermal – Chilly +2, Wind agg.+3
Disagrees – Sweet+2, Rice+2, Tea+2 ( sweet & tea causes acidity )
Appetite – Increased +2
Thirst – for large quantities +2
Sleep – on left side +1
Gyanec-Obs. H/o :
No troubles related to menses. During the uterine fibroid condition, there was profuse uterine bleeding so that hysterectomy was done.
G1P1A0 – 12 year old male child. No complaints during pregnancy or labour.
Mental Generals :
A lean lady but always smiling and a little nervous throughout the case taking process was her first impression on my mind.
On further asking about her spells of low blood pressure symptoms, she stated her mental picture, too.
She has sudden low blood pressure when she hears some sudden news, like sudden news of death, sudden bad news, etc… She can-not even look at a dead person. She is an emotional person and she doesn’t even go to such events unless the person is a close relative. She can-not handle those emotions.
Not only bad news, she got excited with good news and happiness, too; with similar low blood pressure episodes.
She has thoughts during such times… what is going to happen ? What will I do ?
She gets weepy and emotional very easily. Can-not see horrible news even on tv. Even by talking about such bad news or horrible things with others, her eyes would be filled with tears.
Talkative. Easily mix-up with others. I Have many friends.
Totality of Symptoms :
- Open, Nervous+2
- Emotional and weepy +2
- Sensitive to bad news, good news and in general emotional excitement +3
- Can-not see horrible news on tv +2
- Chilly +2, Wind agg +3
- Disagrees Rice+2, Sweet & Tea causes acidity +2
- Increased Appetite +2, Thirst for large quantities +2
- Sleeps on left side +1
- Chronic pain in Left shoulder < exertion +2, cloudy weather +1
- Headaches < sun +1, wind +3, sour +1
- Vomiting < wind +3, AC of cars +2; sometimes along with Headache
- Flatulence after hysterectomy +1
- Episodes of low blood pressure +3
Analysis :
During the case process, many emotional remedies came to my mind like Pulsatilla, Ignatia, Staphysagria etc… Her open nature reminded me of the state of Phosphorus. But, physical generals are not matching with Pulsatilla, Ignatia or Staphysagria. The over-all picture is more fitting for Phosphorus. But a recent case helped me to clear my confusion and I prescribed just by confirming the affinity of a particular remedy which is Calcarea Phosphorica.
I would like to quote some pointers of same remedy from Materia Medica Viva by Prof. Vithoulkas : [ 1 ]
There are three primary causative factors for the development of a Calcarea Phosphorica case : 1. Bad Nutrition 2. Bad News 3. Bad Weather
This remedy is confused with some other polychrests like Calcarea Carbonica, Phosphorus or Tuberculinum.
Unexpectedly hearing bad news causes an imbalance in organisms and makes individuals sick… with the most devastating effect being wrought by sudden hearing bad news. This is one of the great key-notes of the remedy.
Prescription :
CALCAREA PHOSPHORICA 200 C – 2 doses, 1st on same day and 2nd at 15 days of interval
S. L. – TDS
Follow Up : ( 8th July, 2023 )
Pain in my shoulder is 50% better compared to earlier. Movement of arm has increased and now she can lift her hand higher. There would be pain if she has to lift up any heavy objects.
Energy is improved. No episodes of headache since the medicine started.
No incidence of weeping or nervous excitement or low blood pressure. She says that she is emotionally more balanced. Earlier when she talks about such things she easily weeps out but currently there is no such thing.
She is not much troubled from the air now.
She mentioned that she was better after the 1st dose of medicine; but after the 2nd dose of medicine which she took at 15 days of interval, she felt uneasiness and breathlessness, esp. during afternoon sleep. She has to wake up and sit up in bed. This occurred 3 times in the last two weeks.
ANALYSIS – Correct remedy with partial proving
The patient reports a dramatic improvement of all major symptoms … However, the patient reports new symptoms which are characteristic of the remedy. [ 2 ]
Sighing and breathlessness is in the sphere of action of Calcarea Phosphorica.
PRESCRIPTION – Sac Lac : TDS
Follow Up : ( 25th August, 2023 )
No headache.
Shoulder pain is better by 75%.
No uneasiness or breathlessness during afternoon sleep.
Energy is very good.
History of Conjunctivitis with Fever in this month which was treated with local eye-drops only.
PRESCRIPTION – Sac Lac : TDS
Follow Up : ( 10th September, 2023 )
No shoulder pain. 100% relieved for now. Can move shoulder in all directions.
No headache. No episodes of low blood pressure.
No episodes of uneasiness or breathlessness.
Energy is very good.
PATIENT WAS INFORMED TO CONTACT IF THERE WILL BE ANY TROUBLE IN FUTURE.
Learning :
1. Non-required repetition of remedy may trouble the patient by partial proving and disturbs the process of cure. Without taking judgement from the effects of the First medicinal dose, one should not repeat or change the remedy hypothetically.
2. A lot more symptoms are there of Calcarea Phosphorica in the provings and clinical verifications. They are nervous, emotional people who are strongly aggravated by bad news or any emotional excitement. One should look at the same remedy from different aspects rather than just looking at it as a child or bone remedy.
References :
1. Vithoulkas G. – Materia Medica Viva, Volume 6; Chapter “Calcarea Phosphorica” (pp. 1397, 1398)
2. Vithoulkas G. – The Science of Homoeopathy, Appendix B, Case IV (p. 286)
