Sarcoidosis or Besnier-Boeck Disease or Besnier-Boeck-Schaumann Disease
Homeopathic Treatment
Before delving into homeopathic treatment let us first discuss the conventional or allopathic treatment available.
Allopathic Treatment
In allopathic system of medicine corticosteroids, anti-inflammatory drugs are used which have potential side effects and harm the immune system of the body.
- Corticosteroids: Oral corticosteroids affect your whole body and can cause weight gain, mood swings, insomnia and weakened bones (osteoporosis).
- Anti-rejection drugs: Drugs such as methotrexate (Trexall) or azathioprine (Imuran) reduce inflammation by suppressing your immune system. But these drugs carry their own risks, such as making you more vulnerable to infections.
- Anti-malarial drugs: Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) may be helpful for skin disease, nervous system involvement and elevated blood-calcium levels. Anti-malarial drugs can harm your eyes.
- TNF-alpha inhibitors: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) inhibitors are most commonly used to treat the inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis. Some studies have indicated that infliximab (Remicade) is also helpful in treating sarcoidosis. Potential side effects include congestive heart failure, blood disorders and lymphoma.
- Surgery: Organ transplant may be considered if sarcoidosis has severely damaged your lungs or liver.
Homeopathic Treatment
In contrast homeopathy treats the person as a whole. The treatment focus is holistic taking into account the general symptoms, as well as his pathological condition (disease symptoms).
The homeopathic medicines are selected after a full individualizing examination, family history, presenting symptoms, underlying pathology, possible causative factors and so on.
A miasmatic tendency (predisposition / susceptibility) is also taken into account for the treatment of chronic conditions to establish cure.
The correct remedy tries to correct the disease predisposition. The focus is not on curing the disease but to cure the person who is sick, to restore the health. If a disease pathology is not very advanced, homeopathy remedies do give a hope for cure but even in incurable cases, the quality of life can be greatly improved with treatment.
In case of Sarcoidosis, homeopathy can prevent complications. Ulcers, diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoporosis and infections such as tuberculosis, may result from long-term use of corticosteroids.
How homeopathy helps
- It helps to reduce inflammation and relieve joint pains, swelling, and fever.
- It offers relief in sarcoidosis-related arthritis.
- Symptoms of sarcoidosis, especially cough and shortness of breath, improve with the treatment
- The treatment is focused on improving the symptoms, preventing inflammation, reducing the impact of the granulomas, and preventing the development of lung fibrosis.
- Sarcoidosis affecting the eyes, heart, or kidneys is treated well with homeopathy when symptoms are mild.
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*DISCLAIMER: There is no guarantee of specific results and the results can vary. None of the remedies mentioned including services, mentioned at DrRohitJain.com, should be used without clearance from your physician or healthcare provider. We do not claim to cure any disease, which is considered ‘incurable’ on the basis of scientific facts by modern medicine. We assure you our best possible efforts for those who apply for online treatment. However, please note that we do not claim to cure each and every case, nor do we guarantee any magical cure. The website’s content is not a substitute for direct, personal, professional medical care and diagnosis.
What is Sarcoidosis or Besnier-Boeck Disease
Sarcoidosis is a disease in which abnormal collections of chronic inflammatory cells form as nodules (granulomas) in multiple organs, usually in the lungs and nearby lymph nodes. But any organ can be affected (systemic disease) like muscles, eyes, and skin.
Normally the onset is gradual. Sarcoidosis may be asymptomatic or chronic. If it remains unnoticed, lung scarring or infection may lead to respiratory failure and death.
Causes
The exact cause of sarcoidosis is unknown. Some people appear to have a genetic predisposition for developing the disease, which may be triggered by exposure to specific bacteria, viruses, dust or chemicals. Researchers are still trying to pinpoint the genes and trigger substances that may be associated with sarcoidosis.
Normally, immune system helps protect the body from foreign substances and invading microorganisms, such as bacteria and viruses. But in sarcoidosis, some immune cells clump together to form lumps called granulomas. As granulomas build up in an organ, the function of that organ worsens.
The factors that may increase the risk are as follows:
- Age and sex: Sarcoidosis usually occurs between the ages of 20 and 40. Women are slightly more likely to develop the disease than are men.
- Race: Black Americans have a higher incidence than do White Americans. Also, sarcoidosis may be more severe in blacks and more likely to cause skin problems.
- Ethnicity: Worldwide, it is most commonly reported in people whose families originally came from Northern Europe — particularly Scandinavia and Britain. People with Japanese ancestry are more likely to develop eye or cardiac complications from sarcoidosis.
- Family history: If someone in the family has had sarcoidosis, then there are chances to develop the disease.
Signs & Symptoms
Common symptoms are vague, such as fatigue unchanged by sleep, lack of energy, weight loss, aches and pains, arthritis, dry eyes, swelling of the knees, blurry vision, shortness of breath, a dry hacking cough or skin lesions.
Sarcoidosis and cancer may mimic one another, making the distinction difficult. The cutaneous symptoms vary, and range from rashes and nodules (small bumps) to erythema nodosum or lupus pernio. It is often asymptomatic.
Renal, liver (including portal hypertension), heart or brain involvement may cause further symptoms and altered functioning.
Shortness of breath (dyspnea) and a cough that won’t go away can be among the first symptoms of sarcoidosis. But sarcoidosis can also show up suddenly with the appearance of skin rashes. Red bumps (erythema nodosum) on the face, arms, or shins and inflammation of the eyes are also common symptoms.
Generalized symptoms
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Weight loss
Lung symptoms
- Persistent dry cough
- Shortness of breath
- Wheezing
- Chest pain
Skin symptoms
- Rash: A rash of red or reddish-purple bumps, most commonly located on the shins or ankles; may be warm and tender to the touch.
- Lesions: Disfiguring skin sores may occur on your nose, cheeks and ears.
- Color change: Areas of skin may get darker or lighter in color.
- Nodules: Growths just under the skin may develop, particularly around scars or tattoos.
Eye symptoms
- Blurred vision
- Eye pain
- Severe redness
- Sensitivity to light
Complications
- Lungs: Untreated pulmonary sarcoidosis can lead to irreversible damage to the tissue between the air sacs in lungs, making it difficult to breathe.
- Eyes: Inflammation can affect almost any part of the eye and can eventually cause blindness. Sarcoidosis can also cause cataracts and glaucoma.
- Kidneys: Sarcoidosis can affect how body handles calcium and this can result in kidney failure.
- Heart: Granulomas within the heart can interfere with the electrical signals that drive heartbeat, which can cause abnormal heart rhythms and even death. This occurs very rarely.
- Nervous system: A small percentage of people with sarcoidosis develop problems related to the central nervous system when granulomas form in the brain and spinal cord. Inflammation in the facial nerves can cause facial paralysis.
- Reproductive system: In men, sarcoidosis can affect the testes and possibly cause infertility. Women with sarcoidosis may find it more difficult to conceive, and their signs and symptoms may worsen after delivery.
Tests & Diagnosis
Sarcoidosis can be difficult to diagnose, partly because the disease produces few signs and symptoms in its early stages. And when symptoms do occur, they vary by organ system affected and can mimic those of other disorders. A variety of diagnostic tests can narrow the possibilities and rule out other conditions.
- X-ray: A simple chest X-ray can reveal evidence of lung damage or enlarged lymph nodes in the chest. In fact, some people have been diagnosed with sarcoidosis before they have any symptoms — from the evidence provided by chest X-rays taken for other reasons.
- CT scan: Computerized tomography (CT) uses a computer to combine a large number of X-ray views taken from many different directions into detailed, cross-sectional images of internal structures.
- Lung function tests
- Biopsies
- Blood tests
- Bronchoscopy
- ECG (electrocardiogram)
Nutrition & Dietary Supplements
- Eat antioxidant foods, including fruits (such as blueberries, cherries, and tomatoes), and vegetables (such as squash and bell peppers).
- Include foods rich in magnesium and low in calcium, such as barley, bran, corn, rye, oats, soy, brown rice, avocado, banana, and potato.
- Avoid refined foods such as white breads, pastas, and sugar.
- Eat fewer red meats and more lean meats, cold-water fish, tofu (soy, if no allergy) or beans for protein.
- Use healthy oils such as olive oil or vegetable oil.
- Reduce or eliminate trans-fatty acids, found in commercially baked goods such as cookies, crackers, cakes, french-fries, onion rings, donuts, processed foods, and margarine.
- Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco.
- Drink 6-8 glasses of water daily.
- Exercise at least 30 minutes daily, five days a week.