From a personal perspective this is one of the most unusual cases I have treated. Unusual not in its presentation but in the outcome that it had, after giving the medicine, something which took me completely by surprise, and believe me it was a delight.
A patient’s grandson came asking for a medicine for his grandmother, for an injury to head after a fall. This lady an octogenarian had a history of stroke and was on various medications. she sustained a fall in the house after which she lost consciousness. An immediate medical attention was sought and she was advised to be operated upon as the subdural hematoma that she developed after the fall could be fatal. Given her age and comorbidities, there was an inherent risk in the surgery, a chance that the daughter was unwilling to take.
This is where I came in picture. Notwithstanding my advice tilting in favor of blood evacuating burr hole surgery, the family showed more in faith me than I had in myself. I gave the 3 doses of Arnica 1m to be taken on alternate days and report after a week, with advice to admit on least signs of further deterioration.
Comes in the surprise after one week. Not only did the patient improve in terms of her head pains post falls, she had a remarkable improvement in her speech. It was noted that she was cared for, in her daughter’s house by a nurse, towards whom she was abusive, with an extremely limited vocabulary. She was not able to recognize her daughter and other family members after the stroke. Arnica not only took care of her SDH, her memory improved (she started recognizing her family )and she started talking in long sentences which she had not done for the longest time. She stopped being abusive towards her caretaker and a follow up MRI after a month showed an almost resolved hemorrhage.
Explanation
Why Arnica? A detailed study on head injuries and their management can be read in the ‘internal medicine’ section of the blog.
Arnica not only took care of her acute condition but also acted on other parts of the brain which might have been afflicted in a similar manner (covered by arnica in its chronic form), something I had a very incomplete history about.
This case was a demonstration of far-reaching actions of medicines, which are intended or otherwise. It becomes a double-edged sword, one that can harm but can be a tool of great power in hands of those who understand it.
It is with this intention that we should strive to do better. To understand our tools better.
I am extremely indebted to Prof L M Khan who revealed to me the real power of arnica in practice. And I wish the same for all colleagues and fellow homeopaths.
Aude Sapre
Shivangi Jain
BHMS, MD, PGDMLE, PGDHHM
drshivangijain79@gmail.com
https://drshivangihomoeopathy.com/
Here is a downloadable version of the case