Scrophularia nodosa, Asthma case treated with

Case:
Girl, 13 years-old.
She has severe asthma and is on regular inhalers. She has allergies to cats, dogs, house dust, grasses, and pollens. They manifest as breathing problems.

She is a very sensitive child, very easily affected by things. She loves animals and is always concerned about them dieing. She defends the under-dog, i.e. children at school. She has lots of fears about separation and the safety of those close and dear to her. She fears her mother will die and will not return when she has gone out. She has a fear her brother will hurt himself and is always watching him, telling him to be careful crossing road etc. (Her brother is 14 years-old and not impetuous or risk-taking.) She always worries about the safety of others close to her. She has fears of needles and crane flies. She is absolutely inconsolable when a pet dies.
She is extremely sympathetic to others and very caring for people and animals.

She needs constant attention, particularly from her mother. She is attached to her mother, is very clingy. She has an overwhelming love for her mother and she has to know where she is all the time. Even when she is at school, she has to know where her mother is. She always sits very closely to her mom and wants constant affection from her.

Sleeps rolled up like a ball, surrounded by cuddly toys and a blanket for comfort. She is easily tearful and easily distraught when any potential separation or danger to loved ones. She cannot bear loss of any kind, even hates parting from her cuddly toys. She loves being at home and in her own safe world.

She has recurrent colds, which easily turn into asthma. She is constantly blowing her nose with pain in sinuses at top of the nose. She is easily out of breath, worse for exercise and change of temperature. She has asthma; "my chest feels like an elastic band pulling. It won't let me breathe. Is like a tug of war. I am trying to pull; someone is pulling against me. I can’t breathe in, the rope is too strong. It feels like a tug of war when I breathe in. It pulls me down."

Analysis:

I have treated this child for several years with partial or palliative success, but never got to any marked improvement. Using Sankaran’s method, I got this patient to explore what her breathing felt like, and she used this analogy of the tug of war; someone pulling the rope against her when she breathed in. The pull is so strong that it overwhelms her and she is powerless to resist it. This is similar to her fears over family and loved ones (including pets and cuddly toys), where she cannot bear for that line of attachment to be stretched against her. She is fine and happy when her mother and brother are at home and she knows where they are. The tension (elastic) builds for her when they go out, and she cannot control what might happen and fears the worst; injury or death.

Sankaran states; "Bonds and connections are not strong, so they want to hold on very tightly and when that connection breaks, fear, fright and delusion starts. Active reaction is: adhesive, accident, death, death of relatives, attachment, detachment, amorous. Sensations of adhesion and tearing loose.

I chose a cancer miasm remedy in Scrophulariaceae; "Task is beyond their limits". Things are out of control; all will get destroyed if I do not keep control. It is beyond your capacity, stretching beyond your capacity.

Follow up:

There is a huge improvement in all ways. She is like a different child. Peak flow has never been this high, 400 and rising, even despite paint fumes in the house. She has very little need for inhalers.

She is very bubbly, upbeat, and very happy. She has not been tearful at all despite the family cat has been been poorly. She was fine about her mother going away to London on a course. She wants to please everyone and acts the fool. She is much more independent and stronger. She is enjoying school more. She is much stronger about death and loss and actually was not upset when GM’s cat died.

Her chest is a lot better. She had a slight cold, but it did not turn into asthma and cleared in a couple of days. She is blowing her nose a lot less.

Follow up 2:

She had gotten a new hamster and has no allergy to it. No inhalers were needed now for 2 months. Her peak flow is still good and climbing. She is not fretting (worrying) so much. It is a joy to have her around (much easier for her mother!) She is more confident. She is able to run and swim and is not breathless. She is able to run right round the sports field with no breathlessness. Her cat died, her mother was distraught! "I was upset at first, then fine."

Dream: About world war 3. I was the only one not shot. I wasn’t bothered about it at all.

Her whole attitude has changed.

This child continues to do very well. Her mother would say there is at least 90% improvement.