Caplan Syndrome Rheumatoid pneumoconiosis Homeopathic Treatment

Caplan syndrome occurs only in patients with both RA and pneumoconiosis related to Air pollution like mining dust coal, asbestos, silica. The condition occurs in miners  random exposures especially those working in anthracite coal-mines, asbestosis, silicosis and other pneumoconioses Chemicals. There is probably also a genetic predisposition, and smoking is thought to be an aggravating factor.

-Shortness of breath

-Nodules on the skin

-Wheezing sounds in chest

-Pain and swelling of joints

-Cough

-Weight Loss

-Chest Pain

Caplan syndrome presents with cough and shortness of breath in conjunction with features of rheumatoid arthritis, such as painful joints and morning stiffness. Examination should reveal tender, swollen metacarpophalangeal joints and rheumatoid nodules; auscultation of the chest may reveal diffuse crackles that do not disappear on coughing or taking a deep breath.

Caplan syndrome is a nodular condition of the lung occurring in dust-exposed persons with either a history of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or who subsequently develop RA within the following 5–10 years. The nodules in the lung typically occur bilaterally and peripherally, on a background of simple coal workers' pneumoconiosis. There are usually multiple nodules, varying in size from 0.5 to 5.0 cm. The nodules typically appear rapidly, often in only a few weeks. Nodules may grow, remain unchanged in size, resolve, or disappear and then reappear. They can cavitate, calcify, or develop air-fluid levels. Grossly, they can resemble a giant silicotic nodule. Histologically, they usually have a necrotic center surrounded by a zone of plasma cells and lymphocytes, and often with a peripheral inflammatory zone made of macrophages and neutrophils.

Chest radiology shows multiple, round, well defined nodules, usually 0.5-2.0 cm in diameter, which may cavitate and resemble tuberculosis.

Lung function tests may reveal a mixed restrictive and obstructive ventilatory defect with a loss of lung volume. There may also be irreversible airflow limitation and a reduced DLCO.

Blood tests like Rheumatoid factor, antinuclear antibodies, and non-organ specific antibodies may be present in the serum.

Silicosis and asbestosis must be considered in the differential with TB.

CT scan of chest

X-ray chest

Pulmonary function tests

Lung biopsy

Homeopathy treats the person as a whole on wholistic concept. It means that homeopathic treatment focuses on the patient as a person, as well as his pathological condition based on symptoms.Symptoms are sign of internal turbulance or loss of equilibrium. The homeopathic medicines are selected after a full individualizing examination and case-analysis, which includes the medical history of the patient, physical and mental constitution, family history, presenting symptoms, underlying pathology, possible causative factors etc.  A homeopathy doctor tries to treat more than just the presenting symptoms. The focus is usually on what caused the disease condition especially. Why this patient is sick in this way while others not in same house or condition. The disease diagnosis is important but in homeopathy, the cause of disease is not just probed to the level of bacteria and viruses. Other factors like mental, emotional and physical stress that could predispose a person to illness are also looked for. No a days, even modern medicine also considers a large number of diseases as psychosomatic. The correct homeopathy remedy tries to correct this 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 homeopathic medicines.

Antimonium-tart

Bronchitis of infants and old people; profuse mucus with feeble expulsive power; rattling of phlegm in chest, with increased irritability to cough; sudden and alarming symptoms of suffocation, with oppression and orthopnoea, so that he has to sit up; fits of suffocation mornings and evenings in bed; cough after midnight so that he throws up his supper;l adynamia of old people; stupor from bloodpoisoning; tendency to diarrhoea; hopeless and desponding.

Causticum

Violent, racking cough, especially at night, pain in the throat and head, but he is obliged to swallow the sputum; it comes up apparently with cough, but it cannot be spat out; greasy taste of the sputa; cough after getting warm in bed, or after recovering the natural heart from a colder state; cough, with pain in hip; COUGH IMMEDIATELY RELIEVED BY A COLD DRINK; spurting of urine with the cough; he cannot cough deep enough to get relief; weakness of lower extremities; morning hoarseness.

Drosera [Dros]

Bronchitis of old age, in connection with emphysema or bronchiectasis; nocturnal paroxysms; (<) from lying down; the cough seems to come from the abdomen; shaking all the muscles of the chest and body, with much exhaustion after the attack; expectoration of yellow mucus or pus; paroxysms of cough, from one to two hours apart; (<) at night, especially in spring and fall; perspires immediately on waking from sleep.

Grindelia-robusta 

Chronic bronchitis and bronchorrhoea, with tough-white, mucous expectoration, difficult to detach; accumulation of mucus in the bronchioles; patients feels that expectoration brings relief; cough from reflex causes; cough maintained by habit.

Gummi amm BRONCHORRHOEA. Respiration short, quick, with anguish, especially at night; oppression and obstruction in the chest from the accumulation of mucus; stitches in the left side of the chest when taking a deep inspiration; tickling in throat without cough; frontal headache, dimness of sight; in rheumatic or gouty subjects.

Kali-carb 

Dry cough, as if excited by a dry membrane in the trachea, which cannot be detached; slimy, salty, tenacious expectoration; cough evening and (<) after 3 A.M., from eating and drinking, with pain in lower part of chest; violent cough, but the dislodged mucus MUST BE SWALLOWED OR FLIES UNEXPECTEDLY FROM THE MOUTH AFTER LONG COUGHING; dry skin and dry stool; eyelids red and swollen, especially between brows and upper lids.