| Scrofula is a tuberculous infection of the skin
of the neck, most often caused by mycobacteria (including Mycobacteriumtuberculosis),
in adults. In children, it is usually caused by Mycobacterium scrofulaceum
or Mycobacterium avium.
Infection with mycobacteria is usually caused by inhaling air contaminated
by these organisms. The bacteria spread throughout the body, and
may cause rubbery enlargement of the lymph nodes in the neck (cervical
lymph nodes) as well as elsewhere. If these are not treated, the
lymph nodes may become ulcerated, producing draining sores.
Scrofula Tuberculosis - Symptoms
- painless swelling of cervical (neck) lymph nodes
- ulceration is rare today
- lymph nodes may be enlarged elsewhere
- fevers, chills, sweats, and weight loss can occur in 20% of individuals
Homeopathic Medicines & Treatment for Scrofula Tuberculosis
#Calcarea carbonica. [Calc]
Our chief remedy in scrofula which corresponds to Hahnemann's psora
and to what is called now by the modern term arthritism. Its symptoms
mark the diathesis, of which it presents a perfect picture. Thus
there is sweat on the head which is chiefly confined to the scalp
and is sour and offensive. The glands swell readily and tend to
suppurate, the face is pale, and such patients are slow and sluggish;
the fontanelles are open, there is a large abdomen and a swollen
upper lip; this is characteristic. Dentition is slow, the feet are
cold and clammy. There is constipation with chalky stools. Partial
sweating is very characteristic as about the head at night. Emaciation,
the skin hangs in folds which are flabby. Children of this type
are slow in learning to talk and walk. Arthritic affections of the
spine and hip-joint, imperfect nutrition from mal-assimilation,
tendency to eruptions. The ophthalmias and otorrhoeas of Calcarea
are decidedly scrofulous; craving for eggs is an indicating symptom.
Phosphorus. Here the psoric patient is delicate and refined; the
child is beautiful, with a consumptive tendency. Causticum. Defective
nutrition of the whole nervous system. Calcarea phosphorica is rather
more adapted to cases where the tuberculous tendency is more manifest
and the bones are involved. Alnus rubra. Glandular enlargement,
unhealthy skin eczema, impaired digestion from lack of gastric juice
and consequent marasmus. Use the tincture.
#Sulphur. [Sulph]
A prince of remedies and one of our mainstays in the treatment of
scrofula; the child is active, nervous and quick, sweats about the
head and has a coarse, dry skin and a tendency to eruptions; the
head is large, the fontanelles open, there is a defective osseous
growth, a tendency to rickets and caries of the spine, appetite
is voracious, glands diseased, patient hungry and emaciated. Child
looks like a dried-up old man skin is yellow wrinkled, flabby and
dirty.
#Baryta carbonica. [Bar-c]
Emaciated, large abdomen, hunger and emaciation. Mental and bodily
weakness. It also has pimples, humid sores and other skin manifestations.
Stony hard indurations also are marked.
#Silicea. [Sil]
This remedy corresponds well to the scrofulous diathesis, swellings
and suppurations of glands. Imperfect nutrition from mal-assimilation,
not from want of food, sweat of head and offensive sweating ;of
feet indicate Silicea. Tendency to boils, indurations and carbuncles.
Magnesia muriatica. Sweating of feet, enlarged liver and skin eruptions.
Bromine. Indurated glands with tendency to suppuration, hardness
of the glands. Iodine. Hungry, eats all the time and yet emaciates,
indolent swelling of the glands; they are hard and painless; torpor
and sluggishness mark the patient. The whole lymphatic system seems
invaded. Iodoform. Dr.C.S. Raue recommends highly this remedy in
the 3x, to check glandular swellings. He has used it empirically
in a large number of cases with success.
#Graphites. [Graph]
Enlargement of glands of axilla, groin and neck, skin symptoms,
diarrhoea which is thin, offensive and partially digested. The abdomen
is large and hard. It is especially indicated by the unhealthy skin
conditions, the eruptions it produces and also; the anaemia; it
produces an anaemia almost as marked as Ferrum. The patients requiring
Graphites are especially liable to take cold. Infiltration of tissues
is another condition.
#Mercurius. [Merc]
This remedy produces a scrofulous dyscrasia, an anaemia and it corresponds
well to the tendency of scrofula to localize itself in glandular
structures and in the mucous membranes, as shown in scrofulous affection
of the eyes, nose and mouth. Its special indications are the oily
or sour sweat, especially on the scalp, the cold and damp limbs,
the swollen glands and the profuse suppurations. Such a child will
have open fontanelles, imperfect teeth, slimy diarrhoea with much
straining, a dirty color of the skin, etc. It is often useful after
Sulphur; it seems to rouse the action of Sulphur where that languishes.
These scrofulous manifestations are part and parcel of Hahnemann's
psora. Mercurius under the rule of sulphur roots out the psoric
taint and scrofulous tendencies. Hepar sulphur. Suppurative conditions
of scrofula, vertebral caries, etc.
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