SCOPE OF PALLIATION
IN HOMOEOPATHY
• PROF (DR.) PARTHA CHAKRABORTY
– PROF, LINCOLN UNIVERSITY COLLEGE,
MALAYSIA
– [Link] PROF, [Link]. MEDICAL
COLLEGE, INDIA
– Email: drpartha@[Link]
Palliation
Definition:
Palliation is defined as temporary
relief of a symptom or a group of
symptoms in a patient before the
disease can actually be cured or where
there is no scope of curing the disease
• Palliation - a taboo in
Homoeopathy – confusion
prevails whether we should
resort to palliative practice
• Homoeopathy – 2nd largest
medicine – lots of various
cases come to us - all cannot
be cured
References in Organon
• Aphorisms 57 – 62
• Aphorisms 286 – 291
• Hahnemann discussed about palliative
methods in details
Examples of palliation in our practice
• 1) Patient suffering from eczema given Graphites
on local manifestations recurrence psoric taint
noted Sulphur given with full cure
• 2) Colic -> given medicines on local manifestations
and modalities temporary relief h/o urine
infection or urethritis Sycotic Medorrhinum
Examples of palliation in our practice
• 3) Case of skin allergy not relieved by medicines
(acting in palliative way) h/o thyroid problem in
mother in IU life Thyroidinum will cure
• 4) Case of OA Symphytum, Rhus tox given on
modalities palliates with recurrence
Medorrhinum prescribed given on fundamental
cause will cure
WHY DO THESE HAPPEN?
1. Patient seeks fast relief – to provide them fast
relief, we prescribe on local sx only
2. Patient unable to provide detailed and correct
totality incomplete information helpless
physician cure becomes zigzag
3. Busy doctor – to clear patients quickly – detailed
case taking avoided
4. Pts already on Allo drugs difficult to withdraw
Palliation happens because
• We miss out
–Exciting cause
–Maintaining cause
–Fundamental cause
Scope of Palliation
1. Acute phase in chronic case
2. Incurable cases
3. Cases where there is permanent
structural damage / irreversible changes
4. Cases with medicinal obstacles
5. Cases where there is lack of an organ
1. To antidote sudden, acute exacerbation in a
patient undergoing chronic miasmatic treatment
– Belladonna to reduce inflammation in a case continuing
CALC CARB
– Nux vom to reduce dyspeptic troubles in a case
continuing SULPHUR
2. To alleviate the sufferings in really incurable cases
– lack of characteristic symptoms
• Kent’s observations 1,2,5,6,7 and 8 – normally
theses cases are people living with serious illness
2. Incurable cases:
– Conditions having intense pathological changes
provide little scope for curative action.
E.g: Neuromuscular disease like Parkinson’s, epilepsy esp.
severe cardiac problems, advanced rheumatoid arthritis,
Cancer, Chronic kidney disease
3. Permanent organ damage / Irreversible
structural changes
– Can be relieved of sx like pain, infections but
structural deformity cant be reversed
– E.g. Brachial plexus injury in RTA case
– COPD – permanent change in lungs
– Ankylosing spondylitis
4. Chemical or drug obstacles
– Many drug dependent patients come to us
where continual use of allopathic medicines
prevent homoeopathic medicines from acting –
e.g corticosteroids, antibiotics, radio or
chemotherapy etc – palliation can be obtained
[Link] lacking in any of vital organs
(Observation 8 of Kent)
–E.g. Patients with one kidney
–Patients after splenectomy
–Patients after cholelithoctomy
Thank you
