A Dizzy Dilemma
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOMOEOPATHY 1994 Jul / Aug Vol III No 4.
Parag Sheth.
Cases.
` Sil.

Mr. S V, a 55 years old gentleman came with complaints of acute vertigo and dizziness since one day. The vertigo was worse on closing the eyes, moving the head and in the act of lying down. He had a whirling sensation, as if all the objects were moving around rapidly. It would subside in a few minutes after lying down.

Associated with the vertigo was nausea. He felt as though he would vomit, although he never did. The patient was fearful that this attack would also last for 4-5 days as it did in the past.

He had a past history of similar attacks since 2 years. The attacks were similar in kind but of a lesser intensity. During these episodes, he took allopathic medication (Cinnarazine), which failed to give immediate results. He had to bear the vertigo for 4-5 days after which they subsided. He had been well investigated by an ENT surgeon and a Neurologist and was found to be normal. It was a case of Idiopathic Vertigo.

Not wanting to take the allopathic route, he consulted me for homoeopathic treatment.

I asked for any history of stress and his wife answered that the patient had taken a loan for the flat they had purchased, which he was paying part by part to the bank. The patient constantly used to think about the loan repayment. His wife was confident that they would repay the entire amount without trouble. The patient however was very tense.

The night before the attack, the patient had a dream that he had an attack of vertigo. In his dream all the objects were turning round and round.

Rubrics selected:

1. KR 98 - Vertigo, closing eyes on
2. KR 100 - Vertigo lying down on (in the act of)
3. KR 101 - Vertigo, lying while ameliorates
4. KR 102 - Vertigo, nausea with
5. KR 105 - Vertigo, turning moving head on

Boerickes Materia Medica page 76 gives ailments from financial loss as a mental causation, the drug is Arnica-montana.

The patient was under financial stress.

Treatment:

The patient was given three doses of Arnica-m 1M to be taken 12 hours apart and report the next evening.

The next day when the patient came he was cheerful and his vertigo had stopped after the second dose.

However fearing recurrance of the attacks of vertigo, a constitutional drug had to be administered.

His case was taken in detail. He was obstinate, nervous, had stage fear, frequent constipation, perspiration palms and soles, thermally was chilly, had a tendency to abscess on face and gluteal region. It was a clear picture of Silica. So Silica 1M single dose was given followed by placebo. Its now been more than six months since that single dose of Silica was given. The patient has not suffered from any attack of vertigo ever since then.

Incidentally the rubric - Dreams, of vertigo - in Kents Repertory page 1244 lists only one drug - Silicea.
(Note - This rubric is missed out in Synthetic repertory.)

Dr. PARAG SHETH
Bombay 55.