Homeopath Beverly Brown presents a case of Chikungunya virus in a teenage girl.
Key facts
- Chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted to humans by infected mosquitoes. It causes fever and severe joint pain. Other symptoms include muscle pain, headache, nausea, fatigue and rash.
- Joint pain is often debilitating and can vary in duration.
- Many people have long lasting pain
- The disease shares some clinical signs with dengue, and can be misdiagnosed in areas where dengue is common.
- May 2014
- Teenage patient (F) suffering from Chikungunya Virus for past year after getting the virus while in India
- Complaining of on-going pain, initially every bone in body hurt. Had steroids, antibiotics & painkillers before seeing a Homeopath in India. Patient does not know the remedy given.
- Pain stopped initially but returned when remedy stopped, so remedy repeated whilst in India
- Pt was very sporty before illness and was slim, fit & healthy, but has put on a lot of weight in past year due to lack of activity
- Now gets pain 1-2 days a month, also has painful menstruation 3 -4 days a month. On her first day of pain she doesn’t want anyone to touch her
- Complains of headaches – heavy feeling with pounding pain across top of head & behind eyes; eyes feel heavy, hard to keep them open; she feels dizzy, worse when concentrating in class
- Gets very lethargic & drowsy with pain, also gets very breathless
- Complains of swelling in the tissues, particularly bad in forearms and in feet, back aches
- Gets very irritable with pain and wants to be left alone as she feels depressed
- Starts sweating, even on a cold day
- Thirstless
- Unable to tolerate spicy foods since being on NSAIDs after virus
- No longer able to play sports
- Physical History
- NVD Breast fed for short time only as Mum had mastitis History of asthma as a child, mild chicken pox as a child
- Emotional History
- Was a bright bouncy child always busy
- Went back to India for 1 year with Mother but really missed her Dad ( she was very close to him)
- Struggled with school in India –found it hard to keep up – had been a top student in NZ but behind in her class in India
- Got sick in the middle of exams ( she was the only student to get Chikungunya)
- She was very stressed ,studying intensely
- At time of illness had 2 -3 days of headaches & mild temperature, then became very weak –someone had to help her to her class, felt very heavy, but light headed all the time. So weak she couldn’t hold a pen or feed herself
- Remedy Comparison
- I considered Eupatorium Perfoliatum for pains in limbs & muscles after febrile diseases like malaria. This does not have the extreme weakness & heaviness F displayed
- Chininum Arsenicosum was considered because of the malarial affectations with general weariness & prostration, this did not cover the terrible pain though
- Natrum Muriaticum because of weakness, pain, headaches & wanting solitude
- Gelsemium because of the bone pains & extreme fatigue, headache & heaviness of eyes & limbs, with loss of power
- I initially gave Gelsemium 200c to cover the extreme fatigue, dizziness, muscular weakness, body aches & inflammation of tissues. This also covered the headaches with a dull heavy ache & heaviness of eyes. This remedy also covers dysmenorrhoea, with pain across back
- Update 2 weeks later; Pain has decreased dramatically ,only light aches in wrist & knees. Moods are much better, overall feeling a lot better
Follow Up July 2014
Got period, had bad stomach pain, then pain all over & very tired –this lasted 4 days. Severe pain in knees
Natrum Muriaticum 1M
Phone update from Mum; – Almost no pain , much more energy now & feeling happier in herself. Moodiness has almost stopped. Mum very happy to see such positive changes.
August phone update
Period came early but hardly any pain. Energy levels increasing all the time. Much better in general and playing more sports now
September follow up;
Feeling much better, occasional pains, but not the aching any more. Has a lot more energy. Swimming on a regular basis now. No further remedy at this stage
