The Role of Ultrasound as an aid in Homoeopathy

Dr. Vijay Vaishnav is Asst. Professor of Materia Medica and Dr.(Mrs.) Daxa Vaishnav is Asst. Professor and In-charge, Head of the Dept. of Gyn. & Obst. at Smt. CMP Homoeopathic Medical College, Mumbai. They have also been teaching at various seminars and colleges in India, as well as in the UK and the USA. They are also in private practice at Santacruz in Mumbai. They have a website www.drvaishnav.com that aims to help bring homoeopathy closer to the masses and also be educative to students and practitioners.

What is Homoeopathy?
Homoeopathy is derived from two Greek words "homoeos meaning similar and "pathos meaning suffering. Translated literally, it means "similar suffering . It is a system of medicine propounded by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, a German physician, a little over 200 years ago.

Dr. Hahnemann, who had a successful practice, had his reservations about the allopathic system of medicine prevalent at that time, and in disgust, he quit his practice. In order to survive, he started translating books, since he was fluent in German, French, English and Latin. In one such book- a Materia Medica by Dr. CuIIen, he came across a statement that was difficult to believe. Dr. CuIIen had written that the Peruvian or Cinchona bark could cure malaria because it was bitter and had astringent properties. Dr. Hahnemann knew of many other substances that were bitter and astringents, but they did not cure malaria. He took a few grains of the powder of Cinchona daily, and soon developed all the symptoms of malaria- the chills, bodyache and fever. He realised that Cinchona cured malaria not because it was bitter, but because it had the capacity to produce symptoms, similar to malarial fever.

Thus was born Homoeopathy Similar Suffering', and the law of cure- Similia Similibus Curentur, that is, let likes be cured by likes'. In simple terms, it means, "any substance that can produce a set of signs and symptoms in a healthy person can be used to cure a similar set of signs and symptoms in a diseased person .

This law of similars has been a part of medical practice, since the time of Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, and is also mentioned in the ancient Indian scriptures, the Vedas. Homoeopathy, however, as we know it today, was first formulated only 200 years ago. Even the term Allopathy was coined by Hahnemann to describe the type of practice prevalent, at that time.

The present day homoeopath has to go through the same grind as an allopath, while being trained to be a physician. He has to study the same subjects and use the same textbooks and learning methods like the MBBS student. He has, of course, in addition to this, certain homoeopathic subjects that he has to master.

Role of modern day investigations
To be a good homoeopath, one has first got to be a good clinician and that is why a homoeopath has to have a thorough knowledge of anatomy and physiology, followed by the subject of pathology and then medicine, surgery and gynaecology. Apart from the regular investigations of the blood, urine, stool, ECG and X-Ray of the chest, a good knowledge and judicious use of the latest diagnostic methods are also very important.

Ultrasonography (USG) -
Homoeopathy is known for its efficacy in the treatment of renal and gall bladder calculi. Not all cases, however, are curable with homoeopathy and the USG helps to decide, which case is suitable for treatment. If the size of the renal or gall bladder calculus is much bigger that the lumen of the ureter or the CBD respectively, it is nearly impossible to expect any good results. (Some stones do regress in size with homoeopathy, and are subsequently expelled.) The presence of hydronephrosis and hydroureter with a calculus suggests the necessity of urgent relief in the obstruction. If the gall bladder shows calculi (which a homoeopath recognises by the acoustic shadows on USG), it is also necessary to look at the thickness of the wall of the gall bladder. If the wall is more than 4mm in thickness, it indicates a chronic calculus cholecystitis and the homoeopath knows that even if he is able to help remove the gall stones, he will not be able to prevent their formation in the future. A BULIDA scan will also help confirm whether the patient has a non-functioning gall bladder and hence incurability with medical treatment.

Gall bladder calculi before treatment

USG of Gall bladder after homeopathy

We recently had a case of jaundice'. The patient's relative brought the investigations, which were as follows:

S. Bilirubin - 5.0, SGPT - 196, SOOT - 158, Hepatitis B Surface Antigen - (-ye). The family physician had not got any other investigations done. The patient wanted to start homoeopathic treatment for what she believed was Viral Hepatitis. The above investigations indicated a surgical cause of jaundice and we advised an USG, which reported a diffused enlargement of the pancreatic head (3.5 x 3 cms) and a few enlarged lymph nodes in the perigastric region. A CT-scan of the abdomen confirmed the same and the patient was treated not with homoeopathic medicines but with an ERCP, where a pappilotomy and CBD stenting was done.

Polycystic Ovarian Disease

The USG is also a useful tool for us, when we are treating patients with gynaecological conditions. In ovarian tumors, a single solitary cyst of <6 cm size with a clear fluid, usually regresses with homoeopathic treatment. In contrast, a multiloculated cyst would need further investigations to define the scope of homoeopathy in its treatment. We have also seen very good results with homoeopathy in the treatment of PCOD (Poly cystic ovarian disease).

USG shows an intra-uterine pregnancy after homeopathy

Echocardiography - A homoeopath can treat patients with valvular heart lesions, once confirmed by echocardiography. He cannot bring the heart valves back to normal but the aim is to be able to prevent the complications related to the valvular lesions and treat other concomitant conditions like recurrent respiratory tract infections, etc. There are specific homoeopathic medicines available to tackle the effects of the lesions of different valves. Homoeopathic drugs like Convallaria Majalis, can be considered to be good adjuvants to allopathic treatment in cases of Congestive Cardiomyopathy and CCF.

Deep Vein Thrombosis

Colour Doppler - We have seen cases of DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis) responding very well to homoeopathic medicines with recanalisation of the affected veins. Serial Colour Doppler studies help the homoeopath confirm that the medicines are having the desired effect. They are also an important evidence to prove the efficacy of this system of medicine in this and other such conditions.

The recent advances in investigative procedures, especially diagnostic imaging have gone a long way in raising the standards of health care globally. India too, has, over the past few years, seen the development and manufacture of state-of-the-art medical equipment. Our dream of the future is an integrated approach to the treatment of sick persons, where personnel from the allopathic, homoeopathic and other "alternative systems of medicine join hands to work towards the health of mankind.

Image of recanalization of the vein after homeopathy

First published in Recovery, a journal of Larsen and Toubro Medical Equipment Division, Jan-March 2003 issue. Reprinted with the permission of the Editor.