Repertorial approach in autoimmune disorder

Repertorial approach in autoimmune disorder

Dr. Abhishek Dalmia^[1], Dr. Sanjay Verma^[2], Dr. Asma^[2]

1. Associate Professor, Dr. MPK Homoeopathic Medical College, Hospital & Research Centre (under Homoeopathy University), Jaipur, Rajasthan, India.

2 .PG Scholar, Dr. MPK Homoeopathic Medical College, Hospital & Research Centre (under Homoeopathy University), Jaipur, Rajasthan, India.

ABSTRACT–An autoimmune diseases is a condition in which immune system, which normally guard us against germs, fails to differentiate between self and non-self. This results in production of antibodies which damages healthy tissues. Autoimmune disorders are one of the most complex and difficult disease to treat. Some Autoimmune disorders are life-threatening and rest are immune system debilitating which require a life time treatment. There are treatment available to reduce the symptoms and effects in many Autoimmune disorders. In homoeopathy there are many medicines which can treat autoimmune disorders if similimum is prescribed. Repertory play major role in treatment of autoimmune disorders because it has plenty of rubrics along with clinical rubrics  related to autoimmune disorders. After going through these specific rubrics one can certainly meet with the most similar medicine. Rheumatoid arthritis(RA) is one of the most common autoimmune disorders throughout the world. Here important rubrics of RA are given which is very helpful to find out a short group of similar medicine. Then similimum can be selected with the help of materia medica.

KEY WORDS– Autoimmune diseases,  rheumatoid arthritis, homoeopathy, repertory

INTRODUCTION

The immune system protects human being from disease and infection. In cases of immune system over activity, the body attacks and damages its own tissues by producing  autoantibodies. Autoimmune diseases can affect any part of the body or more than one organ tissue at a time so a person may have more than one autoimmune disorder at the same time^[1]. More than 80 autoimmune diseases have been identified .Some are well known such as DM-1,RA,lupus,psoriasis while some are rare to diagnose. Autoimmune disorders are more common among women, white people, among Africans.

                                         Immune system disorder

  Immune system- over activity                   Immune system- low activity 

Autoimmune diseases                                 Immune deficiency diseases

Causes

The exact cause of autoimmune disorders is unknown. Some says that it results from interaction between genetic and environmental factors and some says that few specific microorganisms or drugs may trigger changes that confuse the immune system which become incapable to distinguish between healthy tissue and antigens. As a result, the body sets off a reaction that destroys normal tissues.

An autoimmune disorder may result in:

• The destruction of body tissue
• Abnormal growth of an organ
• Changes in organ function

Some common types of autoimmune disease with short description^[2]

• Rheumatoid arthritis

          A chronic inflammatory disorder affecting bilateral symmetrical small joints of hands and feet.

• Coeliac disease

An immune reaction to eating gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye.

• Sjögren’s syndrome

An immune system disorder characterised by dry eyes and dry mouth.

• Polymyalgia rheumatica

An inflammatory disorder causing muscle pain and stiffness around the shoulders and hips.

• Multiple sclerosis

A disease in which the immune system eats away at the protective covering of nerves.

• Ankylosing spondylitis

An inflammatory arthritis affecting the spine and large joints.

• Type 1 diabetes

A chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin.

• Alopecia areata

Sudden hair loss that starts with one or more circular bald patches that may overlap.

• Vasculitis

An inflammation of the blood vessels that causes changes in the blood vessel walls.

 There are many more autoimmune disorders which are rare are less common. Rheumatoid arthritis is the one of the most common type of autoimmune disease. There are many patients suffering from RA reports in our hospital OPD  for homoeopathic treatment. Repertory is a smart tool to find out the most appropriate remedies. So here some important rubrics of RA are given below by consulting various repertory.

SYMPTOMS OF RA	SYNTHESIS  REPERTORY[3]	REPERTORY OF THE SYMPTOMS OF RHEUMATISM	COMPLETE REPERTORY
Rheumatic Pain in joints of the finger .	EXTREMITIES – PAIN – Fingers – Joints – rheumatic	FINGRS – PAIN  Joints –	EXTREMETIES-PAIN-upper limb-fingers –joints
Fever with pain in joint	EXTRIMITIES – PAIN – FEVER ,DURING	GENERAL – FEVER-pain – severe – rheumatic	EXTREMETIES-PAIN-joint-fever during
Pain in  small  joints.	EXTREMITIES – PAIN – Joints – Small joints	GENERAL –ARTRITIS – small joint	EXTREMETIES-PAIN-rheumatic –joint small
Stiffness of joints	GENERALS – STIFFNESS – Joints.	GENERAL-JOINTS-stiffness	EXTREMETIES –STIFFNESS-general morning
Swelling of joints.	GENERALS – SWELLING – Joints.	GENERAL-JOINTS- swelling	EXTREMETIES-SWELLING-generals-joints
Inflammation of joints .	EXTREMITIES- INFLAMMATION – Joints  synovitis .	GENERAL –INFLAMATORY –pain severe-rheumatism.	EXTREMETIES-INFLAMMATION-joints-synovia
Hard nodular lumps present in fingers.	EXTREMITIES – NODULES – Fingers.	FINGERS – ARTHRITIC –nodosities in joints	EXTREMETIES-SWELLING-generals-nodular-upper limb-fingers
Hard nodular lumps present in joints with deformity of joints	EXTREMITIES – NODULES – joints.	GENERAL –ARTHRITIS –nodosa deformans	N/A

RESEARCHES
A study on autoimmune disease was done by researchers of National institute of environmental health science(NIEHS) in 2012 ,result was that over 32 million people in U.S. have autoantibodies and it was seen that there were more female who were affected. Some study shows that  autoantibodies can be develops many years before the appearance of the clinical symptoms of the disease^[5].

In an another study by NIEHS found association between UV rays from sun light and development of autoimmune muscle disease, myositis particularly in female.

CONCLUSION-Although autoimmune disorder is less amendable to cure but the homoeopathy, the science of dynomis is very effective in treatment of such cases provided the approach should be constitutional and similimum medicine is prescribed. Homoeopathic medicines increase the immunity by acting on vital force. In this article rubrics are selected from repertories which are very helpful in the treatment of RA, along with comparative study of rubrics in above three repertories. 

REFERENCE-

1. Autoimmune Diseases | Autoimmune Disease Symptoms. In: MedlinePlus.[ Accessed 3 Jan 2019 ] Available from https://medlineplus.gov/autoimmunediseases.html.

2. Autoimmune Diseases: Types, Symptoms, Causes and More. (n.d.). [  Accessed 4Jan 2019] Available from https://www.healthline.com/health/autoimmune-disorder. Accessed 4 Jan 2019

3. RADAR 10.Archibel Homoeopathic Software.Belgium.2009.

4. Pulford A. Symptoms of the Rheumatism,Sciatica etc; New Delhi: B.Jain Publishers Pvt. Ltd; 1898.

5.Satoh M, Chan EK, Ho LA, Rose KM, Park CG, Cohn RD, Jusko TA, Walker NJ, Germolec DR, Whitt IG, Crockett PW, Pauley BA, Chan JY, Rose SJ, Birnbaum LS, Zeldin DC, Miller FW.2012. Prevalence and sociodemographic correlate of antinuclear antibodies in the united states .Arthritis Rheum 64(7):2319-2327.