HOMOEOPATHIC REMEDIES FOR SCABIES

Scabies is an itchy skin condition caused by a tiny burrowing mite called Sarcoptes scabiei. The presence of the mite leads to intense itching in the area of its burrows. The urge to scratch may be especially strong at night.

Scabies is contagious and can spread quickly through close physical contact in a family, child care group, school class, nursing home or prison. Because of the contagious nature of scabies, doctors often recommend treatment for entire families or contact groups.

Causes-The eight-legged mite that causes scabies in humans is microscopic. The female mite burrows just beneath your skin and produces a tunnel in which it deposits eggs. The eggs hatch, and the mite larvae work their way to the surface of your skin, where they mature and can spread to other areas of your skin or to the skin of other people. The itching of scabies results from your body's allergic reaction to the mites, their eggs and their waste.

Close physical contact and, less often, sharing clothing or bedding with an infected person can spread the mites.

Dogs, cats and humans all are affected by their own distinct species of mite. Each species of mite prefers one specific type of host and doesn't live long away from that preferred host. So humans may have a temporary skin reaction from contact with the animal scabies mite. But people are unlikely to develop full-blown scabies from this source, as they might from contact with the human scabies mite.

Symptoms--Scabies signs and symptoms include:

·         Itching, often severe and usually worse at night

·         Thin, irregular burrow tracks made up of tiny blisters or bumps on your skin

The burrows or tracks typically appear in folds of your skin. Though almost any part of your body may be involved, in adults and older children scabies is most often found:

·         Between fingers

·         In armpits

·         Around your waist

·         Along the insides of wrists

·         On your inner elbow

·         On the soles of your feet

·         Around breasts

·         Around the male genital area

·         On buttocks

·         On knees

·         On shoulder blades

In infants and young children, common sites of infestation include the:

·         Scalp

·         Face

·         Neck

·         Palms of the hands

·         Soles of the feet

If you've had scabies before, signs and symptoms may develop within a few days of exposure. However, if you've never had scabies, it could take as long as six weeks for signs and symptoms to begin. It's important to remember that you can still spread scabies even if you don't have any signs or symptoms yet.

Complications-Vigorous scratching can break your skin and allow a secondary bacterial infection, such as impetigo, to occur. Impetigo is a superficial infection of the skin that's caused most often by staph (staphylococci) bacteria or occasionally by strep (streptococci) bacteria.

A more severe form of scabies, called crusted scabies, may affect certain high-risk groups, including:

·         People with chronic health conditions that weaken the immune system, such as HIV or chronic leukemia

·         People who are very ill, such as people in hospitals or nursing facilities

·         Older people in nursing homes

Crusted scabies, also called Norwegian scabies, tends to be crusty and scaly, and to cover large areas of the body. It's very contagious and can be hard to treat.

Prevention--To prevent re-infestation and to prevent the mites from spreading to other people, take these steps:

Clean all clothes and linen. Use hot, soapy water to wash all clothing, towels and bedding used within three days before beginning treatment. Dry with high heat. Dry-clean items you can't wash at home.

Starve the mites. Consider placing items you can't wash in a sealed plastic bag and leaving it in an out-of-the-way place, such as in your garage, for a couple of weeks. Mites die after a few days without food.

HOMOEOPATHIC REMEDIES

Well selected Homoeopathic remedies are effective for the treatment of scabies, and they cure the condition safely without any side effects.

SULPHUR 200- Sulphur is the top remedy for the treatment of scabies. Sulphur is prescribed when intense itching and scratching is present which worsen with washing and heat, especially during the night.Sulphur patients have an unhealthy skin with pimply eruptions which are painfully sensitive to air, wind and washing.

CAUSTICUM 200- Causticum is another effective medicine for scabies , especially in the folds of skin and between the thighs.There is severe itching and scratching in the finger webs leading to soreness. Burning, rawness and soreness are the main symptoms of Causticum in scabies cases.

SEPIA 200-Sepia is an effective remedy for scabies and it is prescribed when the patient complains of itching vesicles not relieved by scratching. The skin turns pinkish when scratching . The condition gets worse in the open air while the person feels better in warm room. Scabies is mainly present at the bends of the elbows and knees.

ARSENIC ALBUM 200-Arsenic alb is best for scabies and it is prescribed when violent itching along with great restlessness is present. The skin peels off in large scales and is very sore to touch.The skin is dry, rough, scaly, dirty and burn intensely .The person is unable to sleep due to violent itching in the affected areas. Over sensitiveness of the skin with acute itching and burning also observed.

DULCAMARA 30--Dulcamara is best for scabies where there is severe itching which is worse in cold , wet weather.There is thick, brown-yellowish crusts, which bleed on scratching

GRAPHITES 30-Graphites best for scabies and it is prescribed when the rough, hard, dry and unhealthy. Every little injury suppurates. From the eruptions oozing out a sticky exudation. There is rawness in bends of limbs, groins, neck and behind ears.

KALI SULPHURICUM 30-Kali sulph is best for scabies where dry and harsh skin with extreme itching is present.There is peeling and flaking of the skin observed.Here the symptoms are worsen by heat.

LYCOPODIUM CLAVATUM 200- Lycopodium clavatum is an effective remedy for scabies of those people who have gastric or urinary troubles. There is violent itching and bleeding is present from the eruptions. The itching is mainly worse from around 4 pm to 8 pm. There is an unusual craving for warm drinks and sweets are present in Lycopodium

PSORINUM 200-Psorinum is one of the best remedies for scabies where the skin is unhealthy and there is an abnormal tendency to skin diseases. There is severe itching which gets worse from lying in bed. The itching is so severe , so the person scratches until the skin starts to bleed.The skin is dirty, rough, scabby and greasy.

SELENIUM 30—Selenium is effective for scabies where there is dry eruptions with severe itching. Severe itching in ankles, folds of skin, between fingers and in pals.There is vesicular eruptions between fingers.