Homoeopathic Treatment of Tinea Corporis: A Clinical Study

Author

Dr. Akash Champak Jain, Dr. Daivashala Choure, Dr Suresh Tathe


Abstract

 Background: Tinea corporis, or ringworm of the body, is a common fungal infection of the skin. It causes itchy, red, scaly, ring-shaped patches, and it often returns after treatment. Antifungal medicines are widely used, but recurrence and difficult-to-treat cases are a growing problem, and there are few clinical studies of individualised homoeopathic treatment in this condition.

Aim: To study the role of individualised homoeopathic medicines in the management of tinea corporis.

Materials and methods: This single-arm, before-and-after study enrolled 30 patients of all ages with clinically diagnosed tinea corporis from the outpatient and inpatient departments and medical camps of the institute. Patients were chosen by non-randomised sampling. A detailed case was taken for each patient, and an individualised medicine was selected with the help of repertory. Severity was scored from 0 to 12 on the Symptom Severity Score for Tinea Corporis (itching, papular eruptions, redness and scaling) before treatment and at the end of follow-up. Patients were classed as cured (score 0, no recurrence), improved (score 1–4) or not improved (score unchanged). Scores were compared with the paired t-test.

Results: The commonest age group was 21–30 years (20.0%), and two-thirds of the patients were male (66.7%). Rhus toxicodendron and Sulphur were the commonest medicines (13.3% each). At the end of follow-up, 18 patients (60.0%) were cured, 8 (26.7%) had improved and 4 (13.3%) had not improved. The mean score fell from 8.47 ± 1.83 to 2.30 ± 3.63 (mean fall 6.17, 95% CI 5.02–7.31; t = 11.03, df = 29, p < 0.001). All 15 patients with moderate disease at the start responded, while all four non-responders began with severe disease.

Conclusion: Most patients in this small uncontrolled study improved or were cured, and their scores fell significantly after individualised homoeopathic treatment. Because there was no comparison group and no laboratory confirmation, the findings show an association, not proof that the medicines worked. Larger controlled trials are needed.


Keywords

Tinea corporis, Ringworm, Dermatophytosis, Individualised homoeopathy, Symptom Severity Score, Miasm



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