leprosy and homeo treatment

2. What is leprosy?
 Leprosy is a chronic, progressive bacterial
infection caused by the
bacterium Mycobacterium leprae. It
primarily affects the nerves of the extremities,
the skin, the lining of the nose, and the upper
respiratory tract. Leprosy is also known as
Hansen’s disease.
 Leprosy produces skin ulcers, nerve damage,
and muscle weakness. If it isn’t treated, it can
cause severe disfigurement and significant
disability.

3. Signs & Symptoms
 Skin appears as compact rounded masses (globi)
are arranged in parallel fashion like cigarettes in
pack.
 Loss of sensation
 Muscle weakness
 Immune system response suspended
 Painless ulcers on feet & soles.
 Eye problems like burning, redness

4. leprosy

5. Causes and transmission
The bacterium Mycobacterium
leprae causes leprosy. It’s thought that
leprosy spreads through contact with the
mucosal secretions of a person with the
infection. This usually occurs when a
person with leprosy sneezes or coughs.
The disease isn’t highly contagious.
However, close, repeated contact with an
untreated person for a longer period of
time can lead to contracting leprosy.

6. Incubation period
The bacterium responsible for
leprosy multiplies very slowly.
The disease has an average
incubation period (the time
between infection and the
appearance of the first
symptoms) of five years,
according to the World Health
Organization (WHO).

7. Types of leprosy
There are three systems for classifying
leprosy.
 1. Tuberculoid leprosy vs. lepromatous
leprosy vs. borderline leprosy
 The first system recognizes three types of
leprosy: tuberculoid,
 lepromatous, and
 borderline.
A person’s immune response to the disease
determines which of these types of leprosy
they have:

8.  In tuberculoid leprosy, the immune
response is good. A person with this type of
infection only exhibits a few lesions. The
disease is mild and only mildly contagious.
 In lepromatous leprosy, the immune
response is poor. This type also affects the
skin, nerves, and other organs. There are
widespread lesions, including nodules (large
lumps and bumps). This form of disease is
more contagious.
 In borderline leprosy, there are clinical
features of both tuberculoid and
lepromatous leprosy. This type is considered
to be between the other two types.

10. 2. World Health
Organization (WHO)
classification
WHO categorizes, the disease
based on the type and number
of affected skin areas:
 The first category
is paucibacillary. There are
five or fewer lesions and no
bacterium detected in the skin
samples.

11.  The second category
is multibacillary. There
are more than five
lesions, the bacterium is
detected in the skin
smear, or both.

12. 3. Ridley-Jopling classification
Clinical studies use the Ridley-Jopling system. It
has five classifications based on severity of symptoms.

14. Diagnosis
 Leprosy can be diagnosed by the presence of
signs and symptoms, but following techniques
and tests confirm the diagnosis
 Skin biopsy – It is a technique in which a part
of infected skin lesion is taken and further
studied under microscope.
 Nerve biopsy – In this technique a part of
inflamed nerve is taken and studied under
microscope.
 Lepromin test – It is not a diagnostic test but
is used for classifying leprosy on basis of
immune response.

15. Homoeopathic medicines

16. SULPHUR –
 ‘It is mainly known as king of anti-psoric’ in
wide range of homoeopathy.
 Hahnemann says that sulphur has
reputation as a remedy against itch perhaps
as old medicine i.e., as early as 2000 years
ago.
 Skin of sulphur indicates vesicular skin
eruptions and skin may treated by medicated
soaps and washes.
 Clinical trials says that sulphur have similar
signs and symptoms as indicated by diseases.

17. GRAPHITES –
 It is a great remedy for all sorts of skin
eruptions with a tendency towards
malignancy.
 It also indicates various symptoms of leprosy
and may be used in treatment.
PETROLEUM –
 The skin of petroleum has cracks and
fissures all over the body and indicates
various similar symptoms as of disease
condition.

18. RHUS TOXICODENDRON –
 Skin shows erysipelas vesicular eruptions,
vesicles are yellow, from left to right with
much swelling, inflammation, burning,
itching and stinging that are very much
similar to leprosy sign and symptoms, so it
may be prescribed.
CICUTA VIROSA –
 This homoeopathic medicine used in the
conditions when patients are anxious about
their future and epileptic attacks with
spasmodic movements of the limbs.

19. ALOE SOCOTRINA –
 This homoeopathy medicine works when the patients
are fear of death and angry from themselves for their
conditions.
 This medicine have tendency to acts upon the
abdominal and lumbar region of the patient.
BLATTA ORIENTALIS –
 It is used when the patient is anxious about their skin
and health.
 Patient suffers from the chronic inflammations of the
chest and other lung infections that are also found in
disease

20. Complications
 In advance stages leprosy can leads to
 Loss of sensation – In advance stages
from permanent nerve loss patient loss
sensation and disconnect from the brain
and spinal cord. It may leads to paralysis of
the peripheral parts of the body.
 Failure of organs – In progressive stages
leprosy can damage and may leads to
failure of vital organs such as kidney,
erectile dysfunction etc.

21.  Eye affections – In fetal stages it can cause
glaucoma, and may damage optic nerve which
leads to permanent loss of vision in the patient.
 Body weakness – It cover each and every part of
the body which leads to weakening of muscles
and organs of the body. In fact, it cause
generalized weakness in the patient.
 Chronic nasal congestion, infertility,
disfigurement of face, hair loss and many more
can also occurs in advance stages of leprosy.

22. Prevention
 The best way to prevent leprosy is to
avoid long-term, close contact with an
untreated person who has the infection.