Homeopathy & Case Reports

Advancing homeopathy and expanding medical literature

Although low in the hierarchy of evidence and classified as a weak indicator of causality(1) case reports, documenting clinical experiences and scrutinizing principles, have advanced homeopathy for two centuries and profoundly influence and expand medical literature in general.(2,3) Case reports, when correctly recorded, impart healthcare insights,(4,5) can contribute, sometimes significantly, to the establishment of a causal link,(6) and may inform clinical research.(1)

Adherence to HOM-CASE guidelines(7) is recommended to improve the quality, reliability, accuracy, and transparency of homeopathic case reports(1) which, while not suited to investigate therapeutic efficacy,(8) may assess how likely causal attribution is to the final clinical outcome via inclusion of the Modified Naranjo Criteria for Homeopathy (MONARCH) score.(9-13)

Serious homeopaths are encouraged to become familiar with the case reports and series of the International Academy of Classical Homeopathy,(14) the only institute publishing the use of homeopathy for a variety of difficult to manage conditions in reputable medical journals, and perhaps by doing so partially mitigate misrepresentation of our inconvenient medical science.  

Reputable medical journals have published clinical case reports documenting the role of homeopathy in:

Atopic dermatitis(12)
Cardiac Pathologies(15) 
Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasm(13)
Heterotopic ossification(16)
Infertility(17)
Juvenile arthritis(18)
Myasthenia gravis(19)
Obesity(20)
Paediatric skin conditions(21)
Post dural puncture headache(22)
Postoperative sore throat(23)
Postpartum depression(24)
Psoriasis(25) 
Recurrent cystitis(26)  
Surgical menopause(27)
Syringomyelia(11) 
Vitiligo(28)

Sarah Penrose BSc(hons)Hom. is an Australasian homeopath and can be contacted at goodhealthforgreatlife.com

References

1 Lamba et al. Evaluation of the Modified Naranjo Criteria for Assessing Causal Attribution of Clinical Outcome to Homeopathic Intervention as Presented in Case Reports. Homeopathy. 2020 Nov;109(4):191-197. Available from:  https://www.thieme-connect.com/products/ejournals/html/10.1055/s-0040-1701251#JR1900046-10

2 Teut et al. Case Reporting in Homeopathy-An Overview of Guidelines and Scientific Tools. Homeopathy. 2022 Feb.;111(1):2-9. Available from https://www.thieme-connect.com/products/ejournals/html/10.1055/s-0041-1731313

3 Murad et al. Methodological quality and synthesis of case series and case reports. British Medical Journal; Evidence Based Medicine. 2018 Apr.;23(2):60-63. Available from: https://ebm.bmj.com/content/23/2/60.long

4 Gagnier et al. The CARE guidelines: consensus-based clinical case reporting guideline development. BMJ Case Reports. 2013 Oct;23;2013:bcr2013201554. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24155002/

5 Crowe et al. The case study approach. BMC Medical Research Methodology. 2011 Jun;27;11:100. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21707982/

6 van Haselen. Towards improving the reporting quality of clinical case reports in complementary medicine: assessing and illustrating the need for guideline development. Complementary Therapies in Medicine. 2015 Apr;23(2):141-8. Available from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0965229915000102?via%3Dihub

7 van Haselen. Homeopathic clinical case reports: Development of a supplement (HOM-CASE) to the CARE clinical case reporting guideline. Complementary Therapies in Medicine. 2016 Apr;25:78-85. Available from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0965229915300406?via%3Dihub

8 Teut et al. Recommendations for Designing, Conducting and Reporting Observational Studies in Homeopathy. Homeopathy. 2020 Aug;109(3):114-125. Available from: https://www.thieme-connect.com/products/ejournals/html/10.1055/s-0040-1708045 

9 Prusty & Bhandari. A Co-morbid Condition of Warts and Vitiligo Treated with Individualized Homeopathy: An Evidence-Based Case Report. Homeopathy [Internet]. 2022 May [cited 2022 Aug 26].;111(2):139-146. Available from: https://www.thieme-connect.com/products/ejournals/abstract/10.1055/s-0041-1733975

10 Ramanan & Sathyanandhan. A Case Report of Idiopathic OAT Syndrome, Associated with Necrospermia and Hypospermia, Reversed with Individualized Homeopathy. Homeopathy [Internet]. 2022 Feb [cited 2022 Aug 26]. 7. Available from: https://www.thieme-connect.com/products/ejournals/abstract/10.1055/s-0041-1739396

11 Rudakova et al. Syringomyelia Managed with Classical Homeopathy: A Case Report. Annals of Neuroscience. 2021 Jul.;28(3-4):170-178. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8948329/

12 Mahesh et al. Appearance of Acute Inflammatory State Indicates Improvement in Atopic Dermatitis Cases Under Classical Homeopathic Treatment: A Case Series. Clinical Medicine Insights, Case Reports. 2021. 11;14:1179547621994103. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7882755/

13 Mahesh et al. Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia Managed With Classical Homeopathy: A Case Report. Authorea. 2021. 18-10-21. Available from https://www.authorea.com/users/367060/articles/542066-cervical-intraepithelial-neoplasia-managed-with-classical-homeopathy-a-case-report?commit=c2ce3c49e0561420a6e2949b5760cc5889836c7f

14 International Academy of Classical Homeopathy (IACH). Clinical Cases. 2016. Available from: https://www.vithoulkas.com/research/clinical-cases

15 Tenzera et al., 2018. Improvements in long standing cardiac pathologies by individualized homeopathic remedies: A case series. SAGE Open Medicine Case Reports. Aug 9;6:2050313X18792813. Available from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2050313X18792813?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubmed

16 Tsintzas et al., 2019. Heterotopic ossification in a 7-year-old female patient treated with individualized homeopathy: A case report. Clinical Case Reports. 19;7(12):2526-2533. Available from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ccr3.2547

17 Kalampokas et al., 2014. Homeopathy for infertility treatment: a case series. Clinical and Experimental Obstetrics and Gynaecology. 41(2):158-9. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24779242/

18 Chabanov et al., 2018. Levels of Health Theory With the Example of a Case of Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. Journal of Evidenced Based Integrative Medicine. Jan-Dec;23:2515690X18777995. Available from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2515690X18777995?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub++0pubmed&

19 Văcăraș et al., 2020. Myasthenia gravis therapy with individualized homeopathy: A case report. Clinical Case Reports. Jul 29;8(12):2464-2468. Available from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ccr3.3190

20 Denisova et al., 2018. Individualized Homeopathic Therapy in a Case of Obesity, Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding, and Autonomic Dystonia. The American journal of case reports. Dec 12;19:1474-1479. Available from https://www.amjcaserep.com/download/index/idArt/913328

21 Mahesh et al., 2020. Antimonium crudum in pediatric skin conditions: A classical homeopathic case series. Clinical Case Reports. Dec 16;9(2):818-824. Available from: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ccr3.3674

22 Ivanenko et al., 2022. Homeopathic Manganum in the Management of Post Dural Puncture Headache, A Case Series. Clinical Medicine Insights: Case Reports. 2022;15. Available from: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/11795476221135426 

23 Tsintzas & Vithoulkas, 2017. Treatment of Postoperative Sore Throat With the Aid of the Homeopathic Remedy Arnica montana: A Report of Two Cases. Journal of Evidenced Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine.  Oct;22(4):926-928. Available from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2156587217735986?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubmed

24 Văcăraş et al., 2016. Homeopathic Treatment for Postpartum Depression: A Case Report. Journal of Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Jul;22(3):381-384. Available from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2156587216682168?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubmed

25 Mahesh et al., 2019. Psoriasis cases of same diagnosis but different phenotypes-Management through individualized homeopathic therapy. Clinical Case Reports. Jun 25;7(8):1499-1507. Available from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ccr3.2197

26 Gaertner et al., 2020. Individualized Homeopathic Treatment in Women with Recurrent Cystitis: A Retrospective Case Series. Complementary Medicine Research. 27(3):193-199. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31945769/ 

27 Mahesh et al., 2020.  Multimorbidity After Surgical Menopause Treated with Individualized Classical Homeopathy: A Case Report. Clinical Medical Insights Case Reports. Oct 19;13:1179547620965560. Available from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1179547620965560?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubmed

28 Mahesh et al., 2017. Homeopathic Treatment of Vitiligo: A Report of Fourteen Cases. The American journal of case reports. Dec 2;18:1276-1283. Available from https://www.amjcaserep.com/download/index/idArt/905340