15/07/2024
**Homeopathic Medicines for Dengue Prevention**
1. Eupatorium Perfoliatum as a preventive homeopathic medicine for dengue
Although there is no concrete research on the role of Eupatorium Perfoliatum as preventive homeopathic medicine for dengue fever, it is widely used as a prophylaxis for dengue. It is used as its usage is in accordance with homeopathic laws of prophylaxis (Laws stated in homeopathic philosophy suggest that the homeopathic medicine that is closest in symptom-match to the symptoms of an outbreak of a disease can be used as a prophylaxis). The homeopathic medicine which closely matches the symptoms of dengue outbreak is Eupatorium Perfoliatum. It can be used in 30C potency twice daily during an outbreak of dengue fever.
2. Bryonia Alba – To Manage Fever And Muscle / Joint Pains
Bryonia Alba is of great help in providing relief from muscle/ joint pains in dengue fever. This medicine offers the best help when there is worsening of pains by any movement even in the least degree. Complete rest gives relief from pain. There is fever with marked chills. With chills, there is heat in the head. Extreme thirst for water with a dry mouth may be felt along with this specific feature.
3. Rhus Tox – To Relieve Pain (Muscle, Bone, Joint Pains)
Rhus Tox is another highly recommended medicine to relieve pain in body during fever. It works best when muscle bone or joint pains get worse from rest and are better from movement. There is fever with alternating heat and chill stage. There occur burning heat in body followed by chills and shivering.
4. Gelsemium – For Dengue Fever With Weakness And Prostration
Gelsemium is the best for dengue fever patients who experience utmost weakness and prostration. A state of dullness, dizziness and drowsiness is the perfect description to select gelsemium. The patients needing it seem lethargic and have a desire to lie down in perfect silence without any disturbance. He or she also wants to be quiet and dislikes conversation. The patient experiences shaking chills which is most typically marked in the back and travels up and down the back. Another feature is headache with heaviness of eyes. The headache is mainly present in the back of the head that in most cases travels up to the forehead and eyes. There is also an absence of thirst in majority of cases. Muscle pains may attend above symptoms.
5. Belladonna – To Manage Headache, Pain Behind Eyes And Fever With Marked Heat
Belladonna is the best choice to manage headache. In cases needing it, though pain may be felt in any part of the head but is mostly marked on the sides of head (temples). For using Belladonna, the pain is very violent, and throbbing in nature. Tight binding of the head provides relief. It is also helpful in relieving pain behind the eyes. During fever, there is intense heat in body with red flushed face and lack of thirst.
6. Arsenic Album – To Manage Weakness And Fever
Arsenic Album is an ideal homeopathic medicine to manage weakness during fever. Even standing and walking result in fatigue where this medicine is required. There is a need to lie down all the time because of tiredness. There may be internal chills in the body but the body is hot to touch from outside. Fever mostly comes at night and is attended with marked anxiety and restlessness. There is thirst for little quantity of water at very small intervals. Arsenic can also be given for managing nausea and vomiting. Nausea gets worse by the smell or sight of food and vomiting gets worse from eating or drinking anything.
7. Ipecac – To Manage Nausea And Vomiting
For relieving nausea and vomiting, Ipecac can be used as a first medicine. It is of great help when there is persistent nausea and vomiting. Nausea does not get better even after vomiting. There is vomiting of watery fluid, along with cutting pain in abdomen.
8. Homeopathic Medicines For Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever
Although there are certain homeopathic medicines to manage bleeding in dengue hemorrhagic fever, it is strictly advised to take urgent medical help from conventional mode of treatment in such cases as this condition can be life-threatening and may need urgent hospitalization. For help to manage bleeding, homeopathic medicines can be used along with conventional treatment and should not be in any case considered as a substitute treatment to conventional mode. The main homeopathic medicines that can help in dengue hemorrhagic fever are Hamamelis and China.
Hamamelis is a brilliant medicine to manage bleeding from any body part. It is indicated to manage bleeding under skin, from nose, gums, re**um, in urine, in vomitus. There is excessive exhaustion. China is equally important medicine to manage bleeding. It is of great help when there is profuse bleeding along with marked exhaustion. Debility and utmost prostration with hemorrhages is its main indication.
The main symptoms of dengue fever are:
1. Sudden onset High fever (over 104 degree F). Fever is saddleback (or biphasic) type means after the first peak of fever, subsidence of fever occurs for at least a day which is followed by a second peak of fever for a day or two.
2. Pain typically behind eye worsened by eye motion or pressure
3. Severe muscle, bone and joint pains
4. Severe headache
5. Nausea or vomiting
6. Skin rash: It is noted in about 50 % to 80% of the cases. Initially, skin appears red, flushed and later on a measles-like rash occurs.
**Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever**
A few cases of dengue fever (around 1 in 20) progress to a serious disease called dengue hemorrhagic fever. It is a serious life-threatening condition needing emergency medical help in hospital. In this serious form, bleeding occurs from different body parts. It usually starts to happen in 24-48 hrs after fever has subsided. In such cases, the platelets (cells responsible for clotting of blood) in the blood significantly decrease leading to hemorrhages (bleeding).
The bleeding may be
1. Under the skin
-Petechiae – tiny bleeding points under skin
– Ecchymosis – blue or purple spots on skin from breaking of blood vessels near skin
– Purpura is similar to ecchymosis but lesions in it are small as compared to ecchymosis
2. From the nose (Epistaxis)
3. From gums
4. Vomiting of blood (Hematemesis)
5. Blood in stool
6. Blood in urine
Along with bleeding, severe abdomen pain and persistent vomiting, fatigue, restlessness, irritability can attend. Those having weak immunity and those having dengue infection for the second time are at a high risk to suffer dengue haemorrhagic fever.
**Dengue Shock Syndrome**
Like dengue hemorrhagic fever, it is also a serious life-threatening condition needing emergency medical help at hospital.
In case severe bleeding occurs, shock may develop with very low blood pressure, rapid or weak pulse with cold clammy skin and restlessness. It may eventually result in death. Such severe cases with shock are referred to as Dengue Shock Syndrome.
