Chikungunya

The oft called for answer at the Homoeopath’s office is whether there is any preventive medicine for chikungunya. Well, the best way to prevent this viral fever is to see that the mosquitoes do not thrive near the households.

The public health authorities have a huge role to play in controlling the mosquitoes but the prime duty remains with the individuals because it is only within their control to see that water does not stagnate in the junk items of the household like the flower pots, old tires, unused buckets, puddles in the pathways etc. This is exactly where the Aedes aegypti mosquito thrives by multiplying with larvae and the enough population is the vector of the transmitting agent of the virus of chikungunya to the human beings. Also simple measures like using mosquito nets at bedtime which is the best barrier between the healthy individuals and chikungunya. Application of nets to the windows is a way to prevent the mosquitoes to enter into the house. But somehow people are more inclined to use the chemical mosquito repellants which may not be effective all the time and enough research has been documented to show that these chemicals can cause quite a few allergic responses in the respiratory tract and no wonder the incidence of these illnesses is on the rise. Albeit this Aedes aegypti mosquitoes can bite the human in the daytime too.

Suddenness and abruptness is the nature of this disease. It is not something which is fatal but can be very debilitating as it can cause arthritis like symptoms or pain in the joints with swelling and in some cases these symptoms could last for a whole year and that is disturbing news. All seems to be fine when the individual has a pain in one of the joints of the body making him feel it is some sort of a sprain or an ache and the pain just becomes so bad and severe that he is simply unable to move and later fever develops with chills during the course of the day. But the good part is the immune system is always geared up to fight the fever and in due course if there is no secondary infection, fever subsides within a couple of days. It requires a good amount of liquids to be ingested and adequate rest to see through the flu like illness which may sometimes mimic dengue like fever due to the rash that can develop once the fever is through. It is only the pain in the joints which is a cause for concern.

This viral flu like fever with severe joint pains has been there is several parts of Africa and was an epidemic there too and now had caused similar spread in our country in the summer of 2006. But it has failed to leave and has become endemic or persistent in the population because of the simple reason that the mosquitoes are allowed to thrive near the households! But having seen through an epidemic of this disease the homoeopaths are more equipped in identifying and treating this illness saving the patient from much of the agony this virus can cause in the form of pain. Ars alb, Gelsemium and Dulcamara are effective when the flu like illness is in vogue while Bryonia, Rhus tox, Ruta and Eupa perf have been effective in relieving the intensity of the pain of this Chikungunya fever.

HEALTH QUERIES

Acidity:

I had severe nausea and vomiting episodes on a couple of occasions and underwent Endoscopy which revealed “Incompetent lower oesophageal sphincter with Reflux Oesophagitis”. I am scared to eat a meal even with a little spice and eating out is simply ruled out. -  Vani.

A: The sphincter which opens the oesophagus into the stomach is eroded by a few factors like excessive production of acid in the stomach lining, eating foods which encourage the production, delayed food habits, stress or the decreased neutralizing capacity, obesity etc. Once the cause is identified Homoeopathic medicines like Carbo veg, Natrum phos etc. will keep such troublesome episodes at bay.

Asthma:

Every winter I suffer from episodes of asthma. I am used to inhaler which relieves. It is supposed to be due to allergies I have been suffering from childhood. – Mishra.

 

A: Our respiratory tract tends to react to minor issues and evokes a formation of mucus in the lining of the breathing pathways causing constriction at the site of exchange of oxygen and leads to breathlessness. Homoeopathic medicine has good remedies like Antim tart, Blatta, Ipecac etc. which can relieve the attacks and with individualistic treatment see that the intensity and frequency of the episodes gradually reduce over a period of time.