Abstract
Nowadays a sore throat with involvement of Pharynx (Pharyngitis) has become a common complaint in childhood and adolescents. Around 65% of children in the age group of 5-15 years suffer from sore throat with inflammation of Pharynx, which is the most common in the people living in urban areas as well as rural areas. Recurrence of Pharyngitis in most areas because of poor hygiene, lower socio- economic status and water and air pollution with inadequate medical treatment. The study was aimed to understand, the clinical profile in acute and chronic Pharyngitis in children, role of Homoeopathic medicine in pharyngitis in children with scope and limitation of homoeopathy in treatment of pharyngitis in children with the help of repertory of Homoeopathic Materia Medica by Dr.J.T.Kent.
Method– Randomised sampling with 30 cases of pharyngitis in children involved in study. All cases were given homoeopathic medicines after using Kent Repertory.
Result– The results of treatment of 30 cases taken up for the study , 28 cases were improved i.e. 93.33% and 2 cases were not improved i.e. 6.66% after the treatment.
Conclusion– Homoeopathic medicines in treatment of pharyngitis in children are effective when selected by using Kent repertory.
Keywords: Pharyngitis; Kent’s repertory; Sore Throat; Inflammation; Anti-miasmatic; Pathology; Homoeopathy
Introduction
India is considered a developing country. Population, overcrowding, poverty, unhygienic surroundings, less infrastructural facilities, high inflation rate and low per head income are the main problems of India. All these problems progress towards becoming a predisposing factor for several diseases. Pharyngitis is one of them. Especially children are more prone to this because of poor immunity and poor hygiene. Pharynx are believed to be important organs of the body, which have functions of deglutition, respiration, secretions of mucus and provide drainage to nose, ear and oral cavity.1Pharyngitis is a common problem in children and adolescents. Its incidence, intensity and frequency tend to decrease as age advances. Around 65% of children in the age group of 5-15 years suffer from sore throat with inflammation of pharynx, which is the most common cause of absenteeism in educational institutions of the people living in urban areas as well as rural areas. The peak incidence of bacterial and viral pharyngitis occurs in the school-aged child aged 4-7 years; with Group A Beta Hemolytic Streptococci occurring primarily in patient’s aged 5- 15 years.2 Group A strep pharyngitis can occur in people of all ages. It is most common among children 5 to 15 years of age. It is rare in children younger than 3 years of age. The most common risk factor is close contact with another person with group A streptococcus pharyngitis3 The children suffering from this disease who are reluctant to take food became ill, both mentally and physically. Moreover when Pharyngitis becomes chronic its fatal complications are Rheumatic fever, Acute glomerulonephritis etc. manifest their serious signs and symptoms on the body.
In homoeopathy, we treat the individual case as a completely different identity. The main theme of my dissertation is holistic approach or holistic concept. Irrespective of whatever disease condition (as per the modern medicine), we take into consideration and we concentrate only on the totality of the case. Within its sphere, Homoeopathy is entirely adequate to meet all problems in its own way, when it is practiced in its purity and eternity. The practical experience and scientific explanations suggest that the majority of cases of Pharyngitis can be successfully treated with well-selected homoeopathic medicine. It firmly believes in enhancing the body’s defense mechanism to maintain healthy status. The understanding of classification, Patho-physiology, clinical presentation, the complications in affected child encountered in pharyngitis and the miasmatic and individual evaluation of cases with repertories is not only important but of great help to a practicing homoeopath.Detailed case taking, analysis of the symptoms, miasmatic evaluation, selection and administration of the remedy with right potency are the basic steps taken for evolving the line of treatment. According to the author of the synthetic rep. Dr.Barthel considered Kent’s repertory to be “the best reference book” for particulars and it is the main source of all postkentian repertories. Hence this topic is taken for the study.
Materials and Methods-
I] Study Design- Non controlled experimental study
II] Study Setting– 30 Cases of pharyngitis were collected from 30 patients attending at OPD/IPD/Peripheral camps by our Homoeopathic institute.
III] Selection of samples-30 cases of pharyngitis in children of both sexes and the age range From 1 year to 12 years were taken up for the study.
IV] Sample size- 30 cases of Pharyngitis in children.
V] Sampling technique-Randomised Sampling. Pharyngitis cases were taken up for study, on the basis of inclusion and exclusion criteria, out of which 11 were female and 19 were male children.
VI] Method of Selection of Study Subject- The following are the inclusion criteria-
- Subjects of age group 1-12, of both sexes, and all ethnic groups, all socio-economic status.
- Subjects clinically diagnosed to be having uncomplicated pharyngitis.
- Patients of either sex.
- Patients of all religion.
- Subject or his/her parent agree to give consent for participating in study and agree to comply with the protocol.
The following are the Exclusion criteria- - The subjects who are RT PCR positive in this corona pandemic and anyone corona positive in family
or surrounding or with any history of Covid 19 are excluded. - Subjects with complications of pharyngitis are excluded.
- Subjects with pharyngitis associated with other systemic diseases which are on active treatment.
- Subjects or his/her parents who will not give informed consent will be excluded.
Discussion
This study tries to rationalize the prescriptive stand of the remedies with their criteria, whether acute, constitutional or intercurrent, thereby clearly indicating the role of these remedies at various phases of diseases. It also helps in analyzing their role as curative remedies in pharyngitis and as preventive in complications of pharyngitis. The cases taken up for the study were acute cases as well as clinically diagnosed cases of chronic pharyngitis. The present study consisted of 30 patients clinically diagnosed with pharyngitis. After selection of the cases, each case is individualized from the other, by taking a detailed history and clinical examination of the patient.
The shorter duration of the study was also a major hurdle to giving highly qualitative research data. Further research in Homoeopathy on different medicinal groups in homoeopathy in pharyngitis in specific age groups with Indian population is the need of the hour. The most common age incidence of pharyngitis was found between 4-10 years. The next most common
age group is between 4-9 years .It was least in the age group 1-3 yrs., so it is common in school going and preschool children. Gender wise male sexes were more affected then female as seen in this study.The most common presentation of pharyngitis was pain in throat, fever, sore throat, cough, coryza, painful swallowing, etc.
The most common past history was found to be similar complaints, rhinitis, pneumonia, bronchitis, urticarial rashes, malaria, and sinusitis. Total of 30 patients were observed and t test was applied. Value of t (tab) from table at 5% level of
significance and 1 % level of significance are 2.04 and 2.75 respectively. The maximum sex incidence was in males (19) i.e. 63.33% of the total patients. 36.67% of patients were females (11). The incidence of acute cases is 53.33% of the patients (14), 46.67% were the patients having chronic incidence of Pharyngitis (16).
Constitutional remedies used were:
● Calcarea carbonicum
● Silicea
● Baryta carbonicum
● Mercurious solubilis
● Natrum Muriaticum
● Stramonium
● Arsenic Album
● Pulsatilla
● Lycopodium
● Kali Carbonicum
● Pulsatilla
In our study in 28.57% of cases (4) were prescribed with Belladonna,
21.42% of 81 cases (3) required Rhustoxidendron,
14.28% of cases (2) needed Nitric acid
7.14of patients (1) needed Bryonia Alba
7.14% of cases (1) were given Arsenic album
7.14% of cases (1) was prescribed Ferrum phosphoricum
7.14% of cases (3) prescribed Merc cor
7.14%of cases (1) needed Hepar sulphuricum
18.75% of cases (3) required Bryonia Alba
12.5% of cases (2) received Arsenic Album
12.5% of cases (2) had Natrum Muriaticum
6.25% of cases (1) had Pulsatilla
6.25 % cases(1) had Lycopodium
6.25% cases (1) had Nux vomica
6.25% cases(1) had Baryta Carbonicum
6.25% cases(1) had Silicea
6.25%cases(1) had stramonium
6.25% cases(1) had Calcarea Carbonicum
6.25% cases(1) had kali carbonicum
6.25% cases (1) Mercurious solubilis.
The results of treatment of 30 cases taken up for the study. 28 cases were improved i.e. 93.33 % and 2 cases not improved i.e.6.66 %.
Therefore we conclude that Homoeopathic Medicines Are Effective in the Cases of pharyngitis When Selected Using Kent’s Repertory.
CONCLUSION
From the study taken up to know the utility of homoeopathic medicines in the treatment of pharyngitis in
children, the conclusion is-
-The approach in the treatment of pharyngitis should be holistic; it is very much effective in helping to
control the frequency and intensity of the symptoms.
-The constitutional remedies gave maximum relief to the patients as the criteria put down for treatment,
covered the manifestations of the disease as well as portrait of the patient / individualistic characteristics
of the patient. .
The scope varies in every individual case depending upon clinical presentation, whether there are
reversible or irreversible structural changes, the underlying pathology and the progress of the disease. It
was seen in the study, that earlier the cases were detected better was the result.
-Therefore we may conclude that pharyngitis, which is the expression of internal sickness of man, has to
be treated holistically and with appropriate antimiasmatic homoeopathic drugs. These medicines not only
stop progression of pathology of affected pharynx but also definitely stop recurrence and cure totally.
This study helped to get a better idea to treat cases of pharyngitis in children. From this comprehensive
study various aspects of managing cases of pharyngitis arrived which could be logically applied in a
private and day-to-day practice as majority numbers of patients were found to be either recovered or
improved. Further this study concludes that homoeopathy and homoeopathic physician have a greater role
to play in the treatment of pharyngitis.This work does not mean everything about Pharyngitis and role of
repertory of homoeopathic materia medica by Dr.J.T.Kent.
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Dr.Vaishali Bhalchandra Kakad
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