By Julius Wambua Homeopath, Acupuncture technician and Nature Cure Effective Case Taking By Julius Wambua Homeopath, Acupuncture technician and Nature Cure

Basic Guidelines on Case Taking Study never ends; know more than your patient! Make use of internet resources & phone apps Homeopathic sites to study new articles Homeopathic mailing lists to learn and discuss cases Drugs.com to study allopathic drug side-effects and uses Study diseases & symptoms Study other support therapies for different diseases Study more about nutrition and how to apply it A new remedy every week Continue studying diseases & physiology

Basic Guidelines on Case Taking Remember the basics don’t get out of fashion. CLAMS • Concommitants • Location • Aetiology • Modalities • Sensations Generals, Particulars, Mental-Emotional, Rare & Peculiars Timeline & Aetiology Environment, Social relationships, Lifestyle, Family History

Basic Guidelines on Case Taking Let the patient talk, then ask after Don’t just assume the disease just because the patient called it “…”. Confirm for yourself what’s really happening Don’t get satisfied until you fully understand Dig, dig, dig until you uncover the aetiology Keep the repertory open on the main sx’s to get a few hints on more questions to ask

Basic Guidelines on Case Taking Capturing the Aetiology or the Miasm can solve the whole case, so keep at it until you’re satisfied Past history TB, Cancer, STD, Hiv? Surgeries Family planning Social history… smoking, alcohol, drugs, sexual Vaccination history

Basic Guidelines on Case Taking Physical observations are a great help: Skin Blood pressure & pulse Weight ENT CAJCOLDD Cyanosis, Anemia, Jaundice, Clubbing, Oedema, Lymphadenopathy, Dyspnea, Dehydration Lungs Kidney and Abdominal palpation

Basic Guidelines on Case Taking Constitution Miasm Personality Emotions

Basic Guidelines on Case Taking The 5 C’s of mental outlook or personality traits Company Consolation Confrontation Contradiction Criticism How a person deals with these Cs is a window to their personality. How do you manage yourself when in … circumstance?

Basic Guidelines on Case Taking 6 major emotions Grief (sorrow, lost love, loneliness) Anger (irritation, vexation, rage) Fear (foreboding) Anxiety (panic, worry) Humiliation (shame, embarrassment) Depression (sadness) Anger, Anxiety, Fear, Depression are most often secondary reactions to a deeper layer. What are you thinking about when you feel … ? So what if … happened? What would it matter?

Case Taking Guide What are you treating? (i.e., a chronic or constitutional problem, long-term, or a short-term acute disease?) What does the patient want to be treated for? (i.e. the CC: chief complaint?) What is the centre of the case? or What is the key point that this case turns on? Have you noted a time-line or a history? What is the aetiology (if any)? Did you capture the generals: sleep, temperature, appetite & food habits; libido or overall energy? Did you capture the CLAMS of the major sx: concommitants, location (exact), aetiology, modalities, sensations? Describe what is happening on the mental level with this patient? What are the mental /emotional and generals sx related to the disease or pathological state? What are the mental /emotional and generals sx related to the general personality?

Case Taking Guide Have you uncovered any rare, peculiar or outstanding sx or observations? Have you made a physical examination of the patient? BP, Cajcold, ENT, organs, etc Describe what is happening on the physical level with this patient? or What organs or systems are involved? Can you identify the pathology involved. (i.e. what’s the disease?) Have you tried looking it up in clinical books? Have you taken the symptoms of the disease only, or have you gotten sx of the individual? (e.g.: frequent urination is a diabetes sx, > milk is a ulcer sx. Being irritable, < cold, feeling the bed is hard are sx of the individual) If the patient has told you a number of confusing sx, which sx are affecting the vital force the most? If the patient has told you a number of confusing sx, did you ask “which of these pains (sx) disturbs you the most?” Have you double-underlined critical or important sx, observations or words of the patient throughout the case? Have you checked or referred to the repertory for further hints to what you must ask the patient?