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Theses and dissertations (Health Sciences)

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    A qualitative exploration of the homoeopathic remedies indicated for the reaction to an HIV positive diagnosis
    (2020-06-10) Mvunelo, Nontuthuzelo Qaqamba; Maharaj, M.; Bhagwan, Raisuyah
    Introduction HIV is a virus that proliferates via certain body fluids (blood, semen and pre-seminal fluid, rectal fluids, vaginal fluids and breast milk) and attacks the white blood cells in the body’s immune system, called CD4 cells (or T-helper cells). There are a number of studies that have been conducted on the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) related to HIV. This study focused on the emotional response of an HIV positive diagnosis on patients. This study sought to determine these responses. The overall wellbeing of a person from a physical, emotional and mental point of view is of utmost importance. A person needs to be emotionally and physically well so that they can live longer. A holistic approach to an HIV diagnosis enables all the spheres of existence to be in coherence, which then impacts on a good life expectancy. Aim of the study The aim of the study was to determine the emotional responses of patients to their HIV positive diagnosis and explore the potential homoeopathic remedies indicated for this. Methodology The study followed a qualitative explorative design. This type of design is used to define the problem or by developing an approach to the problem. It is also used to go deeper into issues of interest and explore the subtle differences in connection to the problem at hand (Mora 2010). Purposive sampling is used and 20 participants were recruited for this study. Of the 20 participants, 12 completed the study and eight dropped out. The data was collected and analysed using the thematic analysis procedure. Results The findings from the study showed that the majority of participants had a fear of dying as a major concern arising from their status. Furthermore, the qualitative results showed that participants went through denial, emotional shock and pain, amongst other emotions. when they were initially informed about their status. It emerged that participants were optimistic going forward due to the later acquired knowledge about HIV. However, in spite of the availability of ARV’s, participants wanted a wider variety of treatment modalities in addition to the tablet mode of administration. The results of rubric selection and repertorisation showed that Calcarea carbonica, Ignatia amara, Natrum muriaticum, Phosphoricum acidum, Gelsemium sempervirens, Pulsatilla pratensis, Arnica montana and Nux vomica were the remedies most frequently indicated for the presented emotional responses. Conclusion The prominent themes of the study strongly suggest that participants are greatly affected emotionally at the time they first find out about their status. It also emerged that there were lifestyle changes and adjustments that the participants had to make as a result of their positive diagnosis. It was established that participants showed regrets regarding unprotected sex which led to their infection and diagnosis. Based on the results, the researcher recommends that there is a need for integration of homoeopathy into the primary healthcare system because of its holistic approach to treatment. This is more especially towards the emotional aspect that the research sought to investigate. Significantly, the integration of homoeopathy will provide a wider variety options to management of patients and reduce the workload in the government clinics.
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    A repertorial analysis of the homoeopathic remedies indicated in pica in pregnancy
    (2022-09-29) Kaneza, Nadia; Maharaj, M
    Introduction Pica refers to the consumption of non-food items or items with no nutritional value. This phenomenon is often seen among children, individuals with developmental disabilities and pregnant women. Pica has been extensively studied in children, but is understudied in pregnant women. This study focused on pica occurring during pregnancy, seeking to determine homoeopathic remedies that can be used in treating pica occurring during pregnancy. Aim of the study The aim of this study was to determine by repertorial analysis and explore the homoeopathic remedies indicated for treating pica during pregnancy. Methodology The study design of this study was two-fold: a qualitative investigation on pica experiences during pregnancy was carried out through interviews with 12 women who have experienced pica in their pregnancy. These women were sampled using the purposive sampling method. The analysis of this qualitative aspect followed Tesch’s eight step qualitative data analysis method. The experiences described by the participants were then subjected to a repertorial analysis using a homoeopathic repertory book called “Synthesis” of Dr. Frederick Schroyens. Remedies emerging from this repertorisation were then reviewed by use of materia medicas. Results Findings showed that for the majority of the participants, cravings for non-food items started in their first trimester and worsened in their third trimester as labour got closer. The results also revealed that geophagia was the most common form of pica practiced during pregnancy, followed by pagophagia. It was also revealed that iron deficiency or anaemia of some sort, as well as the smell, taste, texture and appearance of the craved substances, were highly linked to pica habits during pregnancy. The study also revealed that pica during pregnancy occurred with other pregnancy symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, headache, backache, etc, and that apart from non-food items, participants also craved food items, mostly sweet, sour and spicy food. Findings also showed that constipation (especially for those consuming geophagic items) and a sense of satisfaction, were the most common physical and emotional effects associated with pica practice during pregnancy. Still on the emotional plane, findings were that the most common emotional response that participants had with regards to the experience of pica during pregnancy was guilt and worry over their health and of their unborn children. The study also revealed that the majority of participants responded with anger to their loved ones who advised them against their pica habits. Finally, the repertorisation of the above experiences as described by the participants and the review of the emerging remedies revealed that Nux vomica and Alumina were the most suited remedies for pica occurring in pregnancy, followed by Sepia officinalis, Natrum muriaticum and Pulsatilla pratensis. Conium maculatum and Silicea terra were also shown to be good differential remedies for pica during pregnancy. Conclusion Of the homoeopathic remedies already in use for treating pica, some remedies such as Alumina, Nux vomica and Silicea terra, may also be used to treat pica specifically occurring in pregnancy. The study showed that there is a need to educate pregnant women about pica practice and raise awareness among pregnant women and their families regarding the harmful consequences that pica practice might have on both mother and baby.
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    An analysis of selected Bach flower remedies and their relationship to existing Homoeopathic Materia Medica
    (2021-05-27) Andrew, Crystal Jade; Maharaj, Mandusha
    With the increase of daily stressors in our lives, an individual may find it debilitating and can subsequently reduce the quality of life. According to a study done on the life time prevalence of common mental disorders in South Africa, it was found that anxiety disorders have the highest prevalence in life time disorders. Thus, appropriate treatment or management of anxiety disorders and fear-related disorders may be necessary. The Bach flower remedies have been used to treat mental or emotional states. These remedies were discovered by Dr Edward Bach. Dr Bach analysed the flower remedies and categorised them distinctively into groups based on similar characteristics of which flower remedies displayed. The Bach flower remedies Aspen, Cherry plum, Mimulus, Red chestnut and Rock rose have been placed into the fear group as a result of being collectively fearful, although the cause of the fear and anxiety are diverse. AIM The aim of the study was to explore the relationship of selected Bach flower remedies, the fear group, to the existing Homoeopathic Materia Medica noting the themes that emerged. METHOD This study paradigm involved an intensive literature-based review study with detailed analysis of data in the public domain. There were no participants needed for the study. The repertorisation method has been used extensively in Homoeopathy to detect the remedies of repertorial similarity. In other words, the common remedies that arise in symptom patterns. The development of the repertory came from the idea of having multiple remedies which was difficult to memorize. This study employed this method to detect the emerged Homoeopathic remedies per selected Bach flower remedy. The mental/emotional symptoms of the Bach flower remedies were converted to rubrics with the use of Schroyens (2012) repertory. The study integrated thematic analysis using the data achieved after repertorisation. RESULTS The remedies of repertorial similarity were determined by the repertorisation of the characteristic symptoms of the selected Bach Flower remedies. Three best suited remedies were selected per Bach flower remedy of which the researcher thoroughly analysed to distinguish common themes that arise. Upon further comparison between the selected Bach flower remedy mental and emotional symptomology and the emerged Homoeopathic remedies, the researcher noted the results showed significant similarities of the mental/emotional symptoms between the Bach flower remedies and the Homoeopathic remedies. CONCLUSION After much analysis, the researcher found that for each Bach flower remedy there was a distinctive Homoeopathic remedy which showed similarities of the Bach flower remedies pertaining to the mental/emotional symptomology. The Homoeopathic remedies following simply displayed the main themes of anxiety and fear, but not in detail when analysed with the corresponding Bach flower remedy. The researcher thus noted that since there are similarities between the Bach flower remedies and the emerged Homoeopathic remedies, the Bach flowers will be of aid as a conjunctive therapy which will enhance the treatment of the Homoeopathic remedies for anxietybased disorders.
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    An exploration of related homoeopathic remedies and fear and over-care Bachflower remedies
    (2019-06-10) Chauke, Khazamula Osman; Wulfsohn, T.O.
    INTRODUCTION The research topic is, “An exploration of related homoeopathic remedies and fear and over-care Bach Flower Remedies’’. This is an exploratory, literature based study. Bach Flower Remedies (BFRs) are grouped into seven groups. The research focuses on two of the seven BFRs groups, which are, fear, and, over-care for welfare of others. There are emotional and mental themes under each of the seven Bach Flower Remedies. The mental and emotional themes of the remedies under the selected groups are used as symptoms. These symptoms are converted into rubrics, which were searched in a repertory. METHODOLOGY Computer repertory, Radar Synthesis 10 and Synergy MacRepertory were nonfunctioning at the time of data collection, so manual repertory has been used to repertorize the mental symptoms of Bach Flower Remedies (BFRs). Radar Synthesis 10 and Synergy MacRepertory 8 are some of the homoeopathic computer-repertories similar to homoeopathic repertory hardcopy books. RESULTS Homoeopathic remedies that match Bach Flower Remedies’ mental symptoms are obtained. There are similarities and differences on homoeopathic remedies that are obtained under the same mental symptoms of BFRs. CONCLUSION There are much similarities between homoeopathic and Bach Flower Remedies. Homoeopathic and Bach Flower Remedies can be prescribed together for patients as these modalities compliment each other. Homoeopathic practitioners can include Bach Flower Remedies in remedy differentials and to consider as first choice remedies for prescription.
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    The relationship between the natural history of the Papaveraceae family of plants and the homoeopathic symptomatology of existing remedies of the Papaveraceae family
    (2018-12-10) Mngadi, Samkelisiwe Nonduduzo; Wulfsohn, Terence 'Benzev'; Couchman, Ingrid
    During Samuel Hahnemann’s time, it was possibly simpler for homoeopaths to prescribe, as there were fewer remedies. Nowadays, there are thousands of remedies available to homoeopaths and the materia medica is continually increasing due to the increase in provings and homoeopathic research globally. As new remedies are being discovered annually, the abundance of homoeopathic data increases. While this is advantageous in many ways, some homoeopaths are concerned that the essence of some homoeopathic remedies is being lost. They also stress that the excess of data makes finding a similimum challenging. The extent of homoeopathic data has led to the establishment of various methods of simplifying the prescribing process. Miasmatic theory, the doctrine of signatures, kingdom analysis and homoeopathic repertory are some of the methods developed to try to comprehend the materia medica. Group analysis or kingdom analysis method is a relatively new method of classifying homoeopathic remedies. The group analysis method links similar remedies in terms of their botanical and natural history. It then analyses common characteristics from these remedies, thus forming a generalised picture of the whole group or kingdom. The aim is to form a broad understanding of all the remedies within the group by carefully studying the common characteristics found throughout the whole group. The group analysis method therefore highlights the polycrest remedies and subsequently illuminates the lesser-known remedies thus forming a complete picture of the group. This study is a non-empirical correlation study of the Papaveraceae plant family’s natural history and homoeopathic symptomatology of selected remedies belonging to the Papaveraceae family. This study is aimed at establishing the commonalities of natural history between selected individual remedies belonging to Papaveraceae and their mental, physical and general symptoms. It is also aimed at establishing the collective commonalities that exist between the natural history of the Papaveraceae family and the mental, physical and general symptoms of the whole Papaveraceae family. Homoeopathic software in the form of RadarOpus version 1.38 was used to select five sample remedies from the Papaveraceae family. The five plant remedies from the Papaveraceae family that had the most rubrics were chosen as the sample group. The Papaveraceae family has alkaloid remedies such as codeinum and morphinum but such remedies were excluded from the study because the researcher wanted to include whole plant remedies for a fair comparison of their natural history. The study used qualitative thematic analysis to establish common themes that exist between the natural histories of each of the sample remedies and their homoeopathic symptomatology (the mental, physical and general symptoms) found in the materia medica. Plant habitat and distribution, description, active principles (primary alkaloids), uses, physiological action, historical significance, mythology and toxicology were used to describe the natural history of individual sample remedies. The keywords taken from the natural history were subjected to thesaurus consultation in order to find synonyms relating to the homoeopathic symptomatology. RadarOpus was used to find rubrics and sub-rubrics which contain keywords and synonyms of individual sample remedies. The common themes relating to individual remedies were further tabulated and subsequently collective themes were established and further analysed. Common themes found between the natural history and homoeopathic symptomatology included “violent” found in Chelidonium majus, “excitement” found in Opium, “vomiting” found in Sanguinaria canadensis, “pain” found in Fumaria officinalis and “condylomata” found in Corydalis furmosa. Common themes found in all Papaveraceae family include “aggressive”, “pain” and “nausea”. The results of the study established that there is a relationship between the natural history of the Papaveraceae family and the homoeopathic symptomatology of existing remedies of the Papaveraceae family.