Complicated peptic ulcer and its homoeopathy treatment

Dr.Tanuja Mukhopadhyay

            ..and in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count, it’s the life in your years.”

Some times one feel pain in upper abdomen which is burning in nature and usually happens early in the morning, between meals or after taking juice, alcohol or coffee. It may start after taking pain killers like aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen etc. but feels relived after taking antacids.

If it is a known ulcer, then he may start having symptoms of anaemia, such as weakness, fatigue and paleness. The ulcer may be leads to bloody, black, tarry stool, even there may be vomiting which is bloody. There may be symptoms of shock like cold and clammy perspiration, extreme weakness and fainting. He may starts having acute backache due to perforating ulcer. In such cases, he should consult a physician and must go immediately for laboratory investigations like –

  • Barium meal x-ray to spot the ulcer;
  • Endoscopic examination or gastroscopy;
  • during endoscopy, a biopsy may be done, if cancer is suspected.

Above symptoms evolves due to the complications of Peptic ulcer i.e. Gastric or Duodenal ulcer.

ACUTE complication is of two types, one is PERFORATION and other is HAEMORRHAGE, which is most common cause of death. There may be SUB-ACUTE type of complication also, that is, residual abscess (Periduodenum, Perigastric, Sub- diaphragmatic).

CHRONIC complication is of three types, one is due to Fibrosis – Pyloric stenosis, Hourglass & Tea-pot stomach; next is Penetrating – Cholecystoduodenal fistula, Penetrating ulcer; third one is due to malignancy – Gastric carcinoma.

Although treatment of this type of disease is immediately necessary but management is equally important as treatment for the furtherance of the process of cure.

For management of Peptic ulcer one is required to take fibre rich diet regularly, as it has cancer preventing substances. It also prevents development of duodenal ulcers. Food fibre increases secretion of mucin which helps in protection of duodenal lining. To avoid or to manage a case of Peptic ulcer one should –

  • masticate everything very thoroughly,
  • avoid overeating and eating too quickly,
  • avoid remaining anxious or stressed particularly while taking meal,
  • avoid added salt and hot spices, coffee and soft drink,
  • avoid pain killers like aspirin, ibuprofen etc. and help of homeopathy should be taken for amelioration and to treat the cause of pain,
  • should not depend on antacids for treatment of acidity and ulcers. They do not treat the cause of hyperacidity and in the long run actually stimulate the body to produce more acid thus requiring more antacids. Antacids have serious side effects like osteomalacia (softening of bones) because they deplete phosphate levels,
  • avoid consumption of alcohol, if habituated, then it should be reduced step by step immediately,
  • Stop smoking. Nicotine is known to suppress the pancreas from producing enzymes which help neutralize the acid in stomach,
  • Iron supplements should be taken in moderation because too much or prolonged iron supplementation can cause irritation of stomach lining and ulcers

One should practice yoga regularly, as it helps minimize the stress and anxiety which are the major cause of hyperacidity in the stomach and thereby causes irritating ulcers. The patient who gets angry easily or is highly emotional should start doing yoga, which really helps soothe the nervous system.

In certain cases, where the pathological changes are gross and irreversible, the cure is very difficult, in such cases surgery indicates, the indications are –

(i) development of complication like peptic perforation, uncontrolled haemorrhage, pyloric stenosis, hourglass stomach, tea-pot stomach,

(ii) the symptoms persists for prolong period, in spite of conservative     treatment.

It is believed that Peptic ulcers is a lifestyle disease whose main causes are—food with too much spices and oil, having meal at irregular timings, lack of exercise and sedentary habits. Some patients may complain of bloating and belching. Many may say that the food is lodged in the chest and the digestion process has painfully slowed down. Some patients may complain of chest burn and feeling of uneasiness.

MASTER HAHNEMANN after discovering and practising Homoeopathic method of treatment for about 30 years (1790-1820 AD) found that Homoeopathy could not come out  to bring a real cure in some case of diseases, in the sense that though the diseases appeared to subside for a time under properly selected homoeopathic medicine, they always had tendency to relapse at some later on , i.e., the same vital force which is stimulated effectively to overcome the infection in acute diseases by Homoeopathic similimum, failed to rouse effectively against the chronic disease with the remedies which best cover their present symptoms. With regard to treatment of chronic diseases, Dr. Hahnemann stated that its start was pleasing, the continuation less favourable, and the out come hopeless.

Hahnemann had to ponder over this matter seriously which led him to discover the theory of chronic miasms. The concept of miasms and theory of chronic disease was conceived and elaborated by Hahnemann in his book “The Chronic Disease” in 1828.

The basic Hahnemannian concept and its application in the cases of symptoms related to G.I.T (as well as peptic ulcer) with that of miasm(s) can be realised from the following –

Symptoms

Miasm(s)

Weak, “all gone” sensation in the stomach. Psora & Tubercular
Hunger at night.

Psora

Hunger soon after eating.

Psora

Fullness, bloating, great distension due to accumulation of gases.

Psora

Want of appetite.

Psora

Sour eructation, not infrequently they accompanied with heart burn; with nausea.

Psora

Faint feelings at the pit of the stomach, with a conflux of salivations to the mouth, acid eructation with burning in oesophagus with or without hunger.

Psora

Constant gnawing at pit of stomach. Cold or hot sensation.

Psora

Epigastric tenderness. Sensation of weight.

Psora

Eating causes pain, colic, nausea, vomiting.

Psora

Aggravations are after eating (mostly).

Psora

Fear of being touched even slightest pressure can’t be endure.

Psora

Stomach symptoms are temporarily better by eating.

Psora

Stomach symptoms are temporarily >by hot drinks, belching of gas, gentle motion.

Psora

Pain in the stomach, as if sore, when eating even the most harmless kinds of food.

Psora

In hypochondria or epigastrium they have pain of a cutting or colicky nature.

Psora

Want of appetite; only a sort of gnawing, turning and writhing in the stomach urges her to eat.

Psora

After meals, pressure and burning of stomach, or in the epigastrium, almost like heart burn.

Psora

Development of ulcer (structural changes occur).                     “Psora never develops ulcers of itself, but the syphilitic taint is very prone to this manifestation”— H.A.ROBERTS

Syphilis

Silent ulcer of stomach (with out perceptible symptoms & signs)

Sycosis

Stomach pains are always colicky, crampy, paroxysmal in nature.

Sycosis

Aggravation- eating any food; better by lying on stomach or pressure over stomach.

Sycosis

Better by violent motion, walking, rocking, and shaking.

Sycosis

So, the symptoms of peptic ulcer are predominately PSORIC, intermingle with SYPHILIS; but some time it also belongs to SYCOSIS. J.H. Allen said – ‘An organ of so complex a function as the stomach has, of course, many symptoms that acknowledge the presence of Psora in the organism’.

The homoeopathic system of medicine is based on the Natural Law of Cure, “Similia Similibus Curenture”, that is ‘maladies are cured by similar remedies’. Homoeopathic system treats the patient as a whole and not the specific disease he is suffering with. The drugs used in homoeopathy are proved on healthy human beings. The effects of the systemically administered drugs are noted on many healthy individuals. The minutes changes produced by the drug(s) are recorded which included changes in the appetite, desires, aversions, thirst, excretions (stool, urine & sweat), thermal reactions, menstruation in case female, mental state apart from the physical symptoms. On the basis of these obvious signs and symptoms, the drugs are prescribed to patient having similar general symptoms.

The disease cured/ relieved by one particular drug is noted with its specific symptomatology which is further verified on experimental basis. All such signs and symptoms are recorded in the form of drug pictures in the Materia Medica. The physician is required to identify and record all the signs and symptoms of the patient in detail which include general nature of the patient, the appetite, desires, aversions, thirst, sweat, urine, stool, thermal reactions, sleep etc. All the signs and symptoms are evaluated on the basis of the significance and predominance of each one of them. The final selection of the drug depends upon the ‘Totality of the symptoms’ of the individual patients. This may vary from patient to patient with the same disease. Thus several homoeopathic drugs are available for the treatment of a disease.

The selection of drugs in homeopathic system of medicine depends on many factors which include presentation of the disease, characteristic , general – mental, physical as well as  rare, peculiar, strange / miasmatic symptoms.

There are certain drugs which are often prescribed on the basis of the symptoms similarity pertaining to the individual case of disease.-

MEDICINES

SYMPTOMS

Acetic acid
  • Indicated in pale, lean, persons with lax, flabby muscles.
  • Intense burning thirst, cold drinks distress.
  • Violent burning pain in stomach and chest, followed by coldness of skin and cold sweat on forehead.
  • Epigastric tenderness.
  • Burning pain as of an ulcer.
  • Sour belching and vomiting.
  • Burning water brash and profuse salivation.
  • Vomits after every kind of food.
  • Haemorrhagic diathesis, dropsical tendencies.

 

Aloe socotrina
  • Bad effects of sedentary life and habits.
  • Irritability; moroseness; sadness. Indolent and averse to mental and physical labour.
  • Suitable to lymphatic and hypochondriacal patients.
  • Taste bitter.
  • Pain: aching; burning; stitching; griping; cramping.
  • Pain in pit when making false step.
  • < Early morning, afternoon, summer, heat, after eating or drinking.

> Cold, open air, motion.

 

Argentum nitricum
  • Withered up and dried constitutions present a favourable field for its action, especially when associated with unusual or long continued mental exertion.
  • Great desire for sweets.
  • Belching accompanies most gastric ailments.
  • Painful swelling of pit.
  • Painful spot over stomach that radiates to all parts of the abdomen.
  • Gnawing, ulcerating pain, burning and constriction.
  • < Warmth in any form, at night, cold food, sweets or sugar, morning, mental exertion, emotional excitement, after eating.

> Cold, fresh air, pressure, eructation, forenoon.

Arsenicum album
  • Debility, prostration, exhaustion, anxiety, restlessness, fear of death, faintness and after midnight aggravation.
  • Nausea, retching, vomiting after eating or drinking.
  • Burning pain amelioration by heat.
  • Stomach extremely irritable, seems raw as if torn.
  • Gastralgia from slightest food or drink.
  • Burning thirst – drinks much but little at a time.
  • Lack of vital heat.
  • Periodicity; usually the time is each year; but may be every other day; every 4th day; every 7th day; every 2 weeks.
  • < Wet weather, after midnight (1 to 2 am) & mid day(1 to 2 pm) ; cold food/ drinks.         > Warm drinks, heat.

 

Calendula officinalis
  • Great disposition to take cold, especially in damp weather.
  • Hunger immediately after nursing.
  • Heartburn with horripilations.
  • Nausea in chest, vomiting, epigastric distension.
Graphites
  • Patient with tendency to skin affections & constipation, fat, chilly, and costive, with delayed menstrual history.
  • Aversion to meat; sweets nauseate. Hot drinks disagree.
  • Pressure in stomach; burning in stomach, causing hunger.
  • Eructation difficult; constrictive pain in stomach.
  • Stomach pain is temporarily > by eating, hot drinks especially milk and lying down.
  • It is a great anti-psoric remedy; patients take cold easily. This medicine good for duodenal ulcer; cancer of pylorus.

 

Hydrastis
  • Especially active in old, easily-tired people, cachectic individuals. Cancer and cancerous state, before ulceration, when pain is principal symptom.
  • Sore feeling in stomach more or less constant.
  • Pulsation in epigastrium.
  • Ulcers and Cancer, Gastritis.

 

Iodium
  • Loss of flesh with great appetite.
  • Great debility, the slightest effort induces perspiration.
  • Throbbing at pit of stomach.
  • Empty eructation, as if every particle of food were turned into gas. Anxious & worried if he does not eat.
  • < When quiet, warm room, pressure.

> Walking about, open air. Eating.

 

Kali bichromicum
  • Indicated for fleshy, chubby, fat, light complexioned persons.
  • Symptoms are worse in the morning.
  • Pains migrate quickly. Pains appear & disappear suddenly.
  • Gastritis. Round ulcer of stomach.
  • Gastric symptoms > by eating.
  • Gastric and rheumatic symptoms alternate.
  • Chronic intestinal ulceration.
  • < Beer, morning(about 2am.), hot weather, undressing.

> Heat.

 

Kali carbonicum
  • Fleshy aged people. Dyspepsia of old people.
  • Feeling of lump in pit of stomach.
  • Burning, acidity, bloating.
  • Sour vomiting, throbbing and cutting in stomach.
  • < About 3 a.m., soup & coffee.

> While moving about.

 

Kreosotum
  • Vomiting of sweetish water in the morning.
  • Vomiting of food some hours after it was eating. This Vomiting is due to weakness of stomach, which cannot digest.
  • Soreness in stomach > by eating.
  • Haematemesis.
  • < Open air, cold, rest ,when lying.

> Warmth, motion, warm diet.

 

Lachesis
  • Very important during the climacteric and patients of a melancholic disposition. Patient is Loquacious& suspiciousness.
  • Sense of constriction all over; intolerance of tight bands about neck or waist.
  • Gnawing pressure made better by eating, but returning in a few hours.
  • Haemorrhagic diathesis, small wounds bleed much- blood dark and non- coagulable.
  • < After sleep, hot drinks, warm bath.
  • > Warm applications.
Lycopodium clavatum
  • Patients are thin, withered, intellectually keen.
  • Pains come and go suddenly.
  • Excessive flatulence; hunger with sudden satiety.
  • Dyspepsia, sour eructation, sour vomiting, heartburn.
  • After eating, pressure in stomach with bitter taste in mouth.
  • < 4 to 8 p.m., cold drinks.
  • > Warm drinks, motion, after midnight.
Mercurius corrosivus
  • Burning in stomach extending to mouth; bloated abdomen painful to touch. Epigastrium very sensitive.
  • Tongue coated with white thick mucus, or dry and red excessively swollen & inflamed; red with black coated; cover with grayish white crust; moist edges, red, pale, dirty yellow posteriorly and in the edges.
  • < Evening, night, acids.

> At rest.

 

Mezereum
  • Pains with chilliness and sensitiveness to cold air.
  • Chronic gastritis, burning, corroding pain, nausea, vomiting chocolate colour. Mouth waters.
  • Gastric ulcer with much burning.
  • < Cold air, night, warm food, motion, touch.  > Open air.

 

Nitric acid
  • Patients are dark complexioned. Irritable, peevish; anxiety about his disease, fear of death, depressed.
  • Pains are as from splinters.
  • Loves fat and salt, indigestible things.
  • All discharges are offensive.
  • < Evening, night, cold and hot weather.

> While riding in carriage.

 

Nux vomica
  • It is pre-eminently the remedy for many of the conditions incident to modern life.
  • Patient has habit of taking tobacco, stimulants, quack remedies etc.
  • Region of stomach very sensitive to pressure.
  • Sour, bitter eructation.
  • Nausea, vomiting with much retching.
  • Ineffectual desire to pass stool.
  • < Morning, after eating, spices, cold, dry weather.

> From a nap, evening, damp, wet weather, strong pressure.

 

Phosphorus
  • Tall, slender persons weakened by loss of animal fluids
  • Marked thirst for ice cold drinks which are vomited as soon as they become warm in the stomach.
  • Empty, gone feeling in the epigastrium.
  • Ravenous hunger with faintness or fainting if hunger is not appeased; hunger at night or after meals.
  • Burning pain and sensation of heat.
  • Pain in stomach > by cold food, ices.
  • Region of stomach painful to touch or on walking.
  • Inflammation of stomach with burning extending to throat and bowels.
  • < Touch, warm food or drink, evening, lying on left or painful side.

> Cold food, open air, sleep, dark.

 

Pulsatilla nigricans
  • Mild, gentle patients. Tendency to weep.
  • Symptoms fickle; erratic; changeable.
  • Pain appearing gradually, disappearing suddenly.
  • Pain as from subcutaneous ulceration.
  • Heartburn, dyspepsia with great tightness after a meal.
  • Thirstlessness, peevish, chilliness.
  • < Heat, rich fat food, after eating.

> Motion, cold applications, cold food, drinks.

 

Rhus toxicodendron
  • Mental & physical restlessness; irresistible desire to move. Triangular red tip tongue.
  • Great thirst for cold water; of cold milk.
  • Pressure as from a stone.
  • Nausea, vertigo and bloated abdomen after eating.
  • < Wet rainy weather, during rest, sleep.

> Warm, dry weather, motion, rubbing.

 

Sepia
  • Best adapted to women, chilly patients. Sadness ,weeping and aversion to company; loss of affection for those near & dear.
  • Sensation of ball in stomach. Bearing down sensation.
  • Burning in pit of stomach.
  • Disposition to vomit after eating.
  • Feeling of gone ness, not > by eating.
  • Acid dyspepsia with bloated abdomen, sour eructation.
  • < Dampness, left side, forenoons, evenings.

> Exercise, pressure, drawing limbs up.

  • Great sensitiveness to cold air.

 

Sulphur
  • Ailments from suppression of skin eruption; of discharge.
  • Usually dirty, filthy, stoop-shouldered person.
  • Orifices of body red, lips red as vermilion; ears very red; anus red; urethra red.
  • Drinks much, eat little. Great desire for sweets; milk disagrees.
  • Great acidity, sour eructation. Food tastes too salty.
  • Burning, painful, weight-like pressure.
  • Very weak and faint about 11a.m.; must have something to eat
  • Internal feeling of rawness and soreness.
  • < Warmth in bed, alcoholic stimulants etc.

> Dry, warm weather, lying on right side.

Although Peptic ulcer is a vital health problem especially in our third world country in association with modern stressful life but there is a major scope in homoeopathy in the treatment in this field, only we should get major outcome. If we considered the most probable exiting cause, totality of the symptoms, patients constitutional makeup, miasmatic background, as well as dietary and life style management then it’s cure can be possible, but we have to be very cautious about the sign of danger sign, emergencies and about homoeopathic limitations.

Proper homoeopathic treatment is not only curative mode of treatment but also safe and cost effective, but while treating such type of patients, homoeopathic physician should be well coversent with the proper referral time i.e. when the patient should not be treated at clinics.

Bibliography:

  • Principles Of  Internal Medicine – Harrison
  • Principles And Practice Of Medicine.- Devidson
  • Pathologic Basis Of Diease – Robbins.
  • Text Book Of Pathology- Harsh Mohan,.
  • The Cronic Diseases- Dr. Samuel Hahnemann,
  • The Chronic Miasms – J.H. Allen.
  • The Principles And Art Of Cure By Homoeopathy – H. A. Roberts.
  • A Comparison Of The Chronic Miasms –   Phyllis Speight

2 Comments

  1. Thanks for posting comprehensive articles on stomach related to the theory of miasma. The medicine mentioned here are most important.
    Very good article .

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