SCROFULA

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.