Homoeopathic Treatment of Fungal Infection (Ring worm) of Skin

Ringworm is a common infection with a misleading name. The disease is actually caused by a fungus, not a worm. There are many types of ringworm and each is caused by a different type of fungus. Ringworm is due to infection by Dermatophyte fungi. There are three main genera; Trichophyton (skin, hair, and nail infections), Microsporum (skin and hair), Epidermophyton (skin and nails).

Dermatophytes invade keratin only and in general zoophilic fungi (those transmitted to humans from animals) cause a more severe but short-lived inflammatory response than anthropophilic ones (spread from person to person) they can originate from the soil (Geophilic) or be confined to human skin (Anthrophilic).

Ringworm gets its name from its appearance, not from the agent that causes it. The characteristic feature of ring worm is patches of rough, reddened skin. The patches often contain circular lesions that look as if they were caused by tiny worms under the skin. Overtime the lesions grow outward from their center. The center heals up and becomes dry and crusty. But edges of the lesions become inflamed and spread outwards.

The most common types of ringworm are often named after the part of the body on which they occur.

Body ringworm is also known as Tinea corporis. It can affect any part of the body except scalp, feet, and facial area where a man’s beard grows. These areas are infected with other types of ring worm. It causes well defined flaky sores. The sores can be dry, scaly or moist and crusty.

Scalp ringworm is also known as Tinea capitis. This type of ringworm is seen most commonly in children. It causes scaly, swollen blisters or a rash that looks like black dots. Scalp ringworm sometimes becomes inflamed and filled with pus. These areas can cause crusty, flaky and round bald patches. Scalp ringworm can cause scarring and permanent hair loss.

Ringworm of groin is also known as Tinea cruris or “Jock itch”. It causes raised red sores with marked edges. This type of ringworm can spread to the buttocks, Inner thigh and external genitilia.

Ringworm of nails is also known as Tinea unguium.  It usually starts at the tip of a nail bed. Infections of the fingernails are much less common.

Ringworm of the feet is also known as Tinea pedis and is more commonly known as Athlete’s foot.

The Ringworm that causes infection is spread from one person to another. Sometimes this happens through direct contact. An infected person may touch someone who does not have disease and directly transfer the fungus to the second person. Sometimes fungus is transferred indirectly. For example people with ringworm may leave the fungus on towels, hair brushes, or other objects. Certain conditions increase the risk of spreading the fungi that causes ringworm. These include dampness, humidity, and dirty, crowded living conditions.

Fungal infections of skin are the most common of all and are effectively treated with homoeopathy. This disease is more common in hot and moist weather and is more frequently seen in people who keep their feet enclosed in shoes or socks most of the time, (Athlete’s foot). It is also encouraged by the sharing of wash places and swimming pools. In frequent washing of socks and use of occlusive foot wear encourages relapses.

In such a common clinical condition the modern system of medicine has limited scope, in the actual treatment of fungal infections of skin, where tropical steroids and antifungal are prescribed. It has been a widely acknowledged fact that homoeopathy can treat this condition effectively and without any side effects.

Let us view it from a homoeopathic stand point “Treat the patient not the disease” which is the dictum of us. The symptomatology is by no means confined to the skin itself, but may involve any part of organ of the body. The true homoeopath recognizes all diseases, whether upon the skin or not, as first a disturbance of the life force or the internal dynamics, and that the symptoms that manifest themselves upon the skin are simply a reflection or external expression of the internal change and that the internal economy is usually relieved by such an expression. For pathological purposes, the objective or external signs upon the skin are frequently sufficient, but for higher therapeutic purpose a fuller comprehension of the true relationship between the pathological and primary internal disturbances must be known, in order to be able to cure our cases by the administration of the internal homoeopathic remedy.

The treatment of skin diseases can be in three parts:-                                                                                                                                      

a)      INTERNAL medications.

b)      LOCAL applications.

c)       COUNSELLING

a)      INTERNAL MEDICATIONS: - 95% cases of the skin diseases are due to emotional factors and to treat them we have to put more weightage on stress factors especially the present stress and how the patient is handling the situation, what are the changes in his approach, attitude, behavior etc. If we can select remedy on this totality, then only we can achieve lasting and permanent result. We should not give importance to only local symptoms like itching, burning, <and>, but also take in to account the mental aspect of the patient, which was resulting in simple palliation recurrence of the problem. That is why “To treat the stressful skin disorders, treat the stress, not the manifestations”.

b)      LOCAL TREATMENT: - Local applications are not allowed in homoeopathy, except when the cause of skin disease is local, but in practice, local applications, that are non-medicinal, such as Vaseline, coconut oil, plain petroleum jelly, etc. can be used for chronic skin diseases which just work as a soothing agent and in turn prevent patient from using ointments which acts as a suppressive agent, and due course prescribed medicine will remove the cause and patient will be cured.

c)       COUNSELLING: - This is the most important factor in the treatment of skin diseases because only internal medicine and local applications are not enough unless we create conducive atmosphere for our medicine to act. In same way if we want our best indicated medicine to act on the patient then we have to create an atmosphere of acceptance and we have to remove all the wrong ideas which have been there in the patient’s mind due to long standing disease. We have to teach and guide him to overcome the stress. We have to take him into confidence, which will act in two ways. Firstly, reducing stress will lessen the maintaining cause and secondly it will help our medicine to act faster. So taking patient into confidence and making him understand how to overcome stress through counseling is another important factor for treating skin diseases.

The following are the most indicated remedies in fungal infections of skin:

Tinea in general – Bacillinum, Natrum Mur, Phytolacca, Sepia, Tellurium, Thuja, Tuberculinum, Arsalb,                                                         Chrysar.

Tinea barbae – Thuja, Bacillinum, Calc carb, Cicuta, Graphitis, Kali bich, Nit acid, Platina, Staphysagria, Sulphur.

Tinea Capitis – Calc carb, Dulcamara, Phyto, Sepia, Mezerum, Psorinum, Tellurium.

Tinea on face – Tuberculinum, Sepia, Graphitis, Natrum carb, Natrum Mur, Tellurium, Thuja.

Tinea versicolor – Thuja, Natrum ars, Sepia.