Scabies
Scabies, known as the seven-year itch, is a contagious skin infestation by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei. The most common symptoms are severe itchiness and a pimple-like rash. Occasionally tiny burrows may be seen in the skin. When first infected, usually two to six weeks are required before symptoms occur. If a person develops a second infection later in life, symptoms may begin within a day. These symptoms can be present across most of the body or just certain areas such as the wrists, between fingers, or along the waistline. The head may be affected, but this is typically only in young children. The itch is often worse at night. Scratching may cause skin breakdown and an additional bacterial infection of the skin.
What Causes a Scabies Infestation?
The scabies itch mite Sarcoptes scabiei. Mites are small eight-legged parasites (in contrast to insects, which have six legs). They are tiny, just 1/3 of a millimeter long, and burrow into the skin to produce intense itching, which tends to be worse at night. The mites that infest humans are female and are 0.3 mm-0.4 mm long; the males are about half this size. Scabies mites can be seen with a magnifying glass or microscope. The scabies mites crawl but are unable to fly or jump. They are immobile at temperatures below 20 C, although they may survive for prolonged periods at these temperatures.
What Causes a Scabies Infestation?
The scabies itch mite Sarcoptes scabiei. Mites are small eight-legged parasites (in contrast to insects, which have six legs). They are tiny, just 1/3 of a millimeter long, and burrow into the skin to produce intense itching, which tends to be worse at night. The mites that infest humans are female and are 0.3 mm-0.4 mm long; the males are about half this size. Scabies mites can be seen with a magnifying glass or microscope. The scabies mites crawl but are unable to fly or jump. They are immobile at temperatures below 20 C, although they may survive for prolonged periods at these temperatures.
Scabies infestation occurs worldwide and is very common. Scabies can affect anyone of any age or race. It has been estimated that about 300 million cases occur each year throughout the world. Human scabies has been reported for over 2,500 years. Scabies has been reported to occur in epidemics in nursing homes, hospitals, long-term care facilities, and other institutions. In the U.S., scabies frequently affects the homeless population. It also occurs episodically in other populations of all socioeconomic groups, as well.
Scabies is very contagious, and direct skin-to-skin contact is the mode of transmission. Scabies mites are very sensitive to their environment. They can only live off of a host body for 24-36 hours under most conditions. Transmission of the mites involves close person-to-person contact of the skin-to-skin variety, so risk factors include close contact with an infested person.
It is hard, if not impossible, to catch scabies by shaking hands, hanging your coat next to someone who has it, or even sharing bedclothes that had mites in them the night before. Sexual physical contact, however, can transmit the disease. In fact, sexual contact is the most common form of transmission among sexually active young people, and scabies has been considered by many to be a sexually transmitted disease (STD). However, other forms of physical contact, such as mothers hugging their children, are sufficient to spread the mites. Over time, close friends and relatives can contract it this way, too. School settings typically do not provide the level of prolonged personal contact necessary for transmission of the mites.
Some symptoms of infestation include:
GENERAL MANAGEMENT of SCABIES:
Homeopathy Treatment for Scabies:
Some symptoms of infestation include:
- Intense itching, especially at night
- Clustered rashes that resembles pimples
- Scales and/or blisters
- Sore skin caused by scratching
- Appearance of track-like burrows in the skin.
GENERAL MANAGEMENT of SCABIES:
- Maintain personal hygiene.
- Change clothes, bed linens daily.
- Regular daily bath.
- Clothes & bed linens to be boiled in hot water, dried in sun & ironed.
- Thorough scrubbing with soap & water.
- Thorough drying of skin after bathing.
- Treat all close contacts
Homeopathy Treatment for Scabies:
Great Prostration, with rapid sinking of the vital forces; fainting. The disposition is: a. Depression, melancholy, despairing, indifferent. b. Anxious, fearful, restless, full of anguish. c. Irritable, sensitive, peevish, easily vexed. The greater the suffering the greater the anguish, restlessness and fear of death. Mentally restless, but physically too weak to move. Indicated by its periodicity and time aggravation: after mid-night, and from 1-2 a.m. And by its intense restlessness, mental and physical: its anxiety and prostration. |
Cachectic persons whose vitality has become weakened or exhausted. Persons who have never fully recovered from the exhausting effects of some previous illness. Weakness of memory and slowness of thought. |
Adapted to persons with dark hair and rigid fibre; weakly, psoric, with excessively yellow, sallow complexion; subject to affections of respiratory and urinary tracts. |
For torpid lymphatic constitutions; persons with light hair and complexion, slow to act, muscles soft and flabby. The slightest injury causes suppuration. Diseases where the system has been injured by the abuse of Mercury. In diseases where suppuration seems inevitable, Hepar may open the abscess and hasten the cure. Oversensitive, physically and mentally; the slightest cause irritates him; quick, hasty speech and hasty drinking. Patient is peevish, angry at the least trifle; hypochondriac; unreasonably anxious. Extremely sensitive to cold air, imagines he can feel the air if a door is opened in the next room; must be wrapped up to the face even in hot weather; cannot bear to be uncovered; takes cold from slightest exposure to fresh air. |
For persons intellectually keen, but physically weak; upper part of body emaciated, lower part semi-dropsical; predisposed to lung and hepatic affections; especially the extremes of life, children and old people. Deep-seated, progressive, chronic diseases. Pains: aching-pressure, drawing; chiefly right-sided, <. four to eight p.m. affects right side, or pain goes from right to left. |
Especially adapted to the psoric constitution. In chronic cases when well selected remedies fail to relieve or permanently improve; when Sulphur seems indicated but fails to act. Lack of reaction after severe acute diseases. Appetite will not return. |
Adapted to persons of dark hair, rigid fibre, but mild and easy decomposition. |
Adapted to persons of a scrofulous diathesis, subject to venous congestion; especially of portal system. Persons of nervous temperament, quick motioned, quick tempered, plethoric, skin excessively sensitive to atmospheric changes. For lean, stoop-shouldered persons who walk and sit stooping like old men. Standing is the worst position for sulphur patients; they cannot stand; every standing position is uncomfortable. Dirty, filthy people, prone to skin affections. Aversion to being washed; always after a bath. |
Bibliograpgy:
http://www.healthline.com/health/scabies
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scabies
http://www.medicinenet.com/scabies/article.htm
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/scabies/article_em.htm
http://treatment.hpathy.com/homeo-medicine/homeopathy-scabies/
http://www.healthline.com/health/scabies
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scabies
http://www.medicinenet.com/scabies/article.htm
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/scabies/article_em.htm
http://treatment.hpathy.com/homeo-medicine/homeopathy-scabies/