A Case of Dengue Fever
A male-aged sixty-five years old presented with fever since 7days. He reported severe bruised and breaking pain all over his body, especially on joints, < from exertion. He was unable to take rest in any position and had diarrhea during fever. Appetite increased without relish. Fever started after exposure in to wet, cold air in the morning. He took many doses of paracetamol the last 5 days as self-medication and also consulted an allopathic physician, but in vain.
Observations:
There was ankle eczema; the lesions were moderately edematous. Itching and burning were the sensations expressed by the patient. (On inquiry, patient said he was not worried about it, but wants relief from fever.)
< Cold bathing
> From exposing the area of lesion to direct sun heat
Initially he had allopathic treatment. Those symptoms palliated with antihistamines and topical applications.
Causation:
He suggested that Fever Started after exposure in to wet cold air in the morning.
Past history:
Tendency to catch cold easily from climate change. History of skin allergy and allergic rhinitis treated with allopathic medicines. He had medication for gastritis.
Personal history:
His father was a hypersensitive patient and his mother had eczema of the ankle. He was a smoker and now quit it. Occasional alcoholic, non vegetarian.
Physical generals:
Appetite increased without relish
Bowels: loose stools (sometimes with mucus), with back pain <sitting >standing, walking
Urine: profuse
Sleep disturbed by itching
Perspiration on exertion
Thirst ++
Temperature: 103 F
Thermal: Ambithermal
Lab investigations:
Dengue- positive
Mental generals:
Restless
Too anxious (because it is dengue fever)
Irritable
First prescription (27 Dec 2013)
Rx : Rhus tox 0/1 single dose with aqueous solution 5gtt/20 minutes until feels better.
Follow up one next day (28 dec2013)
Patient was comfortable with sensations after a few doses.
Slept well, Temp: 99F
Rx : Placebo for 4 days.
Follow up two (31 Dec 2013)
The patient was better with all his complaints.
Temperature: 99F
The skin lesion also disappeared.
Rx: Placebo for 1 week
Follow up three (7 Jan 2014)
No complaints
Treatment stopped
Conclusion:
Here I used Rhus tox 0/1aq, based on individual repertorisation.
Fever after exposure into wet cold air, severe bruised and breaking pain all over body, joint affections with restlessness.
Thirst++, diarrhea during fever,
Appetite increased without relish,
In addition, during that time here we used RHUS TOX as a genus epidemicus for Dengue fever. It cured the dengue positive case too.
The patient benefitted by first prescription itself. Here I remembered a case of acute cold, which was treated by Arsenicum album. As a bonus his (vitiligo) leucoderma in disclosed parts, disappeared,
(Here, as a bonus, edematous skin eruption with itching and burning > from exposing the area of lesion into direct sun heat, < Cold bathing, also disappeared),
These types of surprise (bonus cures) may happen occasionally in our practice. If it happened in your practice, please share it with me.
