Cardio Vascular Diseases Part 1: Introduction

 

Cardio Vascular Diseases

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Dr. Guillermo Zamora, Medical Doctor UAG, Homeopath.

Introduction:

 

 

The cardiovascular diseases are a huge health issue for 3 reasons: They are very frequent, devastating and in cases such as hypertension remain asymptomatic until advanced stages of the disease. It is here where homeopathy plays a greater role, especially because for every good homeopath there will always be potential symptoms in an individual. So, even without clinical symptoms indicative of a cardio vascular disease, there are always sick patient's own symptoms with which the homeopath can work to make relevant changes in vital energy. Anyway, it is vitally important to me that every homeopath knows symptoms associated with them, so that the homeopath never miss any kind of clinical circumstances that might lead them to commit a serious omission.

 

 

 

Thus, we can see Dr. Hahnemann in the introduction of the Organon 6th edition talking about the allopathic (enantiopathic) use of digitalis purpurea, on which we can observe the problems that already had been taking place in matter of cardio vascular diseases. In the following paragraph Hahnemann makes a harsh critique of allopathic use of this drug, underscoring the observation of a clear aggravation after symptoms have improved in some way. I must say, that today is still used this remedy (called lanoxin 0.25 mg tablets or elixir 0.005/100ml) in cardiology potentially concentrated dose, usually with 2 days of comfortable rest on weekends.

 

 

 

 

Please, let’s read the complete paragraph:

 

 

 

 

 

Organon Introduction 6^th edition.

A palliative of a still more horrible character for chronic patients is the digitalis purpurea, with which the old school practitioners imagine they do such excellent service, when by means of it, they compel the quick, irritated pulse in chronic diseases (purely symptomatic!) to become slower. True it is that this dreadful remedy, which is in such cases employed enantiopathically, strikingly diminishes the frequency of the quick, irritated pulse, and greatly reduces the number of the arterial pulsations, for a few hours after the first dose; but the pulse soon becomes more rapid than before. In order again to diminish in some degree its frequency the dose is increased, and it has the effect, but for a still shorter period, until even these and still larger palliative doses cease to reduce the pulse, which at length, in the secondary action of the foxglove which can no longer be restrained, becomes much more rapid than it was before the use of this drug, - it then becomes uncountable; sleep, appetite and strength are lost - death is imminent; not one of the patients so treated escapes alive, unless to be a prey to incurable insanity!*

 

 

 

And this is clearly marked when Hahnemann points to Hufeland as an obstinate man. Let´s read the complete paragraph.

 

 

Organon 6^th edition Footnote 26

And yet Hufeland, the chief of this old school (v. Homoopathie, p. 22), extols with much satisfaction the employment of digitalis in such cases, in these words: None will deny (experience invariably does so!) that too great rapidity of the circulation can be removed (?) by digitalis. Permanently removed? and by a heroic enantiopathic remedy? Poor Hufeland

 

 

 

 

 

Of course, there are other paragraphs in the organon where we can see the analysis of digitalis purpurea. Kindly, Let me read it.

 

 

 

 

 

Organon paragraph 59 (last part)

 

… “The old school physician rejoices² that he is able to reduce for several hours the velocity of the small rapid pulse in cachectic patients with the very first dose of uncombined purple foxglove (which in its primary action makes the pulse slower); its rapidity, however, soon returns; repeated, and now increased doses effect an ever smaller diminution of its rapidity, and at length none at all - indeed - in the secondary action the pulse becomes uncountable; sleep, appetite and strength depart, and a speedy death is invariably the result, or else insanity ensues.”

 

Footnote 65:

 

² Vide Hufeland, in his pamphlet, Die Homoopathie, p.20.

 

 

 

 

Thus, we can also see in Hahnemann´s book "Chronic Diseases” in the chapter of Latent Psora (pag 77), the author includes cardio vascular diseases within the internal Psora that is emerging from its latency state ... Please read carefully the entire paragraph and the footnote:

 

 

 

 

“These are some of the leading symptoms observed by me, which, if they are often repeated, or become constant, show that the internal Psora is coining forth from its latent state. They are at the same time the elements, from which (under unfavorable external conditions) the itch-malady, as it manifests itself, composes the illimitable number of chronic diseases, and with one man assumes the one form, with another another, according to the bodily constitution, defects in the education, habits, employment and external circumstances, as also modified by the various psychical and physical impressions. It thus unfolds into manifold forms of disease, with so many varieties, that they are by no means exhausted by the disease-symptoms enumerated in the pathology of the old school, and erroneously designated there as well-defined, constant and peculiar diseases. [*]”

 

 

 

 

“[*] They bear the following names: Scrofula, rickets, spina ventosa, atrophy, marasmus, consumption, pulmonary consumption, asthma, tabes mucosa, laryngeal phthisis, chronic catarrh, constant coryza, difficult dentition, worms and consequent diseases, dyspepsia, abdominal cramps, hypochondria, hysteria, dropsy, dropsy of the abdomen, dropsy of the ovaries, of the uterus, hydrocele, hydrocephalus, amenorrhœa, dysmenorrhœa, uterine hæmorrhages, hematemesis, hæmoptysis and hæmorrhages, vaginal hæmorrhages, dysuria, ischuria, enuresis, diabetes, catarrh of the bladder, hematuria, nephralgia, gravel of the kidneys, stricture of the urethra, stricture of the intestines, blind and running piles, fistula of the rectum, difficult stools, constipation, chronic diarrhœa, induration of the liver, jaundice, cyanosis, heart diseases, palpitation, spasms of the chest, dropsy of the chest, abortion, sterility, metromania, impotence, induration of the testicles, dwindling of the testicles, prolapsus uteri, inversion of the womb, inguinal, femoral and umbilical hernias, dislocations of the joints from an internal cause, curvature of the spine, chronic inflammations of the eyes, fistula lachrymalis, short-sightedness and long-sightedness, day blindness and night blindness, obscuration of the cornea, cataracts, glaucoma, amaurosis, deafness, deficient smell or taste, chronic one-sided headache, megrim, tic douloureux, tinea capitis, scab, crusta lactea, tetters (herpes), pimples, nettle-rash, encysted tumors, goitre, varices, aneurism, erysipelas, sarcomas, osteosarcoma, scirrhus, cancer of the lips, cheeks, breast, uterus, fungus nematodes, rheumatism, gout in the hips, knotty gout, podagra, apoplectic fits, swoons, vertigo, paralysis, contractions, tetanus, convulsions, epilepsy, St. Vitus' dance, melancholy, insanity, imbecility, nervous debility, etc.”

 

Therefore: Psora=Cardio vascular diseases

 

However, some learned homeopaths could wonder about the diseases mentioned in §80 and why Hahnemann classifies them as psoric. Obviously, many of them share characteristics of other miasms, like asthma, which is predominantly sycotic, gravel of kidneys (sycotic), gout (sycotic), hydrocele (sycotic), stricture of the urethra (syphilitic according to Banerjea), induration (sycotic), to name a few. They may arise from psora which is the primary cause for all diseases and prerequisite for other miasms like sycosis and syphilis. Hence these diseases may be complicated with psora but not exclusively psoric. The conclusion that cardiovascular diseases are exclusively psoric is incorrect. They can be classified according to their nature as psoric, sycotic, syphilitic, tubercular etc.

 

Psora: heart troubles from fear, disappointment, mental shocks, loss of near relatives and friends, or overjoy. Psoric patients think they have heart disease and are going to die. Anxiety, fear in heart troubles. Sensation of weakness, goneenss, fullness, heaviness and soreness about the heart. Violent palpitations with beating of the whole body. Violent hammering and beating about the heart due to reflexes such as - gastric troubles, flatulence and uterine irritation. Heart troubles from eating and drinking, usually worse evening soon after eating or during digestion. Better eructation's of gas but worse on going to sleep and lying on back. Neuralgic pain about heart. Psoric heart diseases are mostly functional. They are often accompanied by anxiety, mental distress, palpitation, neuralgia, often of a sharp, piercing, cutting and stitching nature; worse least movement, at night. Psoric heart patients worry about their condition, take their pulse frequently, fear death and remain quiet. Bradycardia is psoric.

 

Sycosis: Violent hammering and beating about the heart due to reflexes such as gastric disturbances, flatulence and uterine irritation, especially if local applications are used to relieve the pain. This heart patient is better motion as walking, riding or gentle exercise. Fluttering and oppression and difficult breathing at intervals. Seldom much pain or suffering unless in rheumatic difficulties, when we may find severe pains, but not so constant or persistent as psoric. Much soreness and tenderness often worse motion of arms. Pain from shoulder to heart, or from heart to scapula in rheumatic cardiac troubles. Often the pulse is soft, slow and easily comprehensible. Valves become roughened due to the acid condition of system, the walls enlarged, the muscles flabby, soft and lacking power. Patients as a rule are fleshy and puffy, their obesity often lies at the bottom of their dyspnoea, and they are constantly gaining in flesh. Frequently face blue, synotic and apt to be venous congestion or rather stagnation. These conditions are very much worse for high living, rich spicy food or spirituous liquor. Gout of the heart. In combination with psora we get the right soil for valvular and cardiac disturbances with changes in organ structure. These are the conditions that cause the fatalities. With these sycotic heart conditions there is none of the fear and apprehension that we find in psoric patients. Tachycardia is sycotic

 

Syphilis: Very little mental disturbances in heart troubles of a sycotic and syphilitic patient, even at critical periods of the disease. They may have heart troubles for years without causing them any more than occasional dyspnoea or some pain. They die suddenly and without warning. The patients usually deny they have any cardiac troubles or they are usually unaware of them. Syphilitic and sycotic heart troubles are much more dangerous than the psoric. Irregular pulse is syphilitic.

 

Tubercular: A rush of blood to the chest, especially in the young. Heart troubles are accompanied with fainting, temporary loss of vision, ringing in the ears, pallor and great weakness, worse sitting up and better lying down, usually. Cannot climb mountains due to disturbed circulation, affects brain and they become dizzy and faint, often fainting away when they get to a rarified atmosphere. Brain becomes anemic at a high altitude. Small thread-like pulse and quick. In these cases, there is gradual failing away of the flesh, rush of blood to the chest and face. The dyspnoe is often painful in psoric or tubercular patients. The dropsies or anasarcas of the psoric or tuberculars are always greater than sycotic - they smother or down the patient before death takes place.

 

see Harimoham Chourhury: Indications of miasms)

 

 

 

 

Predisposing factors:

 

 

Furthermore, Dr. Hahnemann described with perfection the predisposing factors of the Psora. We can read them in the following paragraph

 

 

 

Chronic Diseases; page 51

 

“The awakening of the internal psora which has hitherto slumbered and been latent, and, as it were, kept bound by a good bodily constitution and favorable external circumstances, as well as its breaking out into more serious ailments and maladies, is announced by the increase of the symptoms given above as indicating the slumbering psora, and also by a numberless multitude of various other signs and complaints. These are varied according to the difference in the bodily constitution of a man, his hereditary disposition, the various errors in his education and habits, his manner of living and diet, his employments, his turn of mind, his morality, etc.”

 

It is amazing, but Hahnemann seems to have been ahead of his time and like if he had had a vision of the future, he made a list of details that apply to our times. Many chronic diseases like diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases are related to these predisposing factors.

 

The above paragraph is the reason why homeopaths understand "Miasmas" and predispositions, heredity and susceptibility to disease and that makes the difference.

 

Taking into account the above, if I may, let me start with the first subject.