Scabies

Overview of Scabies

• Generally, Scabies is an itchy skin condition by a tiny mite called Sarcoptes scabiei.
• Moreover, Intense itching occurring where the mite burrows.
• Scabies is an itchy skin condition caused by a tiny burrowing mite called Sarcoptes scabiei. Additionally, Intense itching occurs in the area where the mite burrows. The urge to scratch may be especially strong at night.
• Scabies is contagious and can spread quickly through close physical contact in a family, child care group, school class, nursing home or prison. In detail, Because scabies is so contagious, doctors often recommend treatment for entire families or contact groups.
• Besides this, Scabies can be readily treated. Medications applied to your skin kill the mites that cause scabies and their eggs. Lastly, But you may still have some itching for several weeks after treatment.[1][2][3]

Causes of Scabies

• Scabies is caused by the human itch mite Sarcoptes scabiei. [2][3]
• The eight-legged mite that causes scabies in humans is microscopic. In detail, The female mite burrows just beneath your skin and makes a tunnel where it deposits eggs.
• The eggs hatch, and the mite larvae work their way to the surface of your skin, where they mature and can spread to other areas of your skin or to the skin of other people. Besides this, The itching of scabies results from your body’s allergic reaction to the mites, their eggs and their waste.
• Close physical contact and, less often, the sharing of clothing or bedding with an infected person can spread the mites.
• Animals and humans all are affected by their own distinct species of mites. Each species prefers one specific type of host and doesn’t live long away from that preferred host.
• Humans may have a temporary skin reaction from contact with the animal scabies mite. But people generally can’t develop full-blown scabies from this source, as they might from contact with the human scabies mite.Life cycle of Mite:
• Adult mite laid her egg on blood sucking vector
• Larva enter the host after the vector takes a blood meal
• The eggs become adult in the host body so the host become infected.
• After that mite comes out in the soil through stool.
• Again, this cycle repeatedly occurs.[4]

Risk factor of Scabies

• Sometimes with complications, such as glomerulonephritis due to nephritogenic streptococci.
• It spreads in households and environments where there is intimate personal contact. [1]

Pathophysiology of Scabies

• The symptoms are caused by an allergic reaction of the host’s body to mite proteins, though exactly which proteins remains a topic of study. The mite proteins are also present from the gut, in mite feces, which are de
• posited under the skin. The allergic reaction is both of the delayed (cell-mediated) and immediate (antibody-mediated) type, and involves IgE (antibodies are presumed to mediate the very rapid symptoms on reinfection).
• The allergy-type symptoms (itching) continue for some days, and even several weeks, after all mites are killed. New lesions may appear for a few days after mites are eradicated.
• Nodular lesions from scabies may continue to be symptomatic for weeks after the mites have been killed.
• Rates of scabies are negatively related to temperature and positively related to humidity. [8]

Sign & Symptoms of Scabies

• Intense Pruritus
• Additionally, Itching Worse at night also after a hot shower.
• Burrows – seen most commonly on interdigital webs, flexor aspects of wrists.
• Moreover, Appear as dark wavy lines that end in a pearly bleb containing the female mite
• Most lesions are between the fingers or on the volar wrists, elbows, and penis.Besides this,
• Bacterial superinfection can occur.
• Site: the face, scalp, neck, palms also soles are spread except in children.
• Nodular scabies – affects the scrotum.
• Norwegian scabies – hyper infestation with thousands of mites, seen in steroid therapy, either immunodeficiency or AIDS.[2][3]

Diagnosis of Scabies

• Scrapings from unroofed burrows reveal the mite, its eggs, or fecal pellets also examine it under the microscope.[2]

Differential Diagnosis of Scabies

• Dermatitis
• Syphilis
• Erythema multiforme
• Various urticaria
• Allergic reactions]\Ringworm
• Ectoparasites such as lice and fleas [8]

Treatment of Scabies

• Gamma-Benzene hemachloride (lindane) 1% solution (side effects – seizures and aplastic anemia)
• 5% permethrin cream – drug of choice
• Benzyl benzoate
• Tetmosol
• Crotamiton [3]

Prevention of Scabies

To prevent re-infestation and to prevent the mites from spreading to other people, take these steps:

• Clean all clothes and linen- Use hot, soapy water to wash all clothing, towels and bedding used within three days before beginning treatment. Dry with high heat. Dry-clean items you can’t wash at home.
• Starve the mites- Consider placing items you can’t wash in a sealed plastic bag and leaving it in an out-of-the-way place, such as in your garage, for a couple of weeks. Mites die after a few days without food.

Homeopathic Treatment of Scabies

Homeopathy treats the person as a whole. It means that homeopathic treatment focuses on the patient as a person, as well as his pathological condition. The homeopathic medicines 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 miasmatic tendency (predisposition/susceptibility) also often taken into account for the treatment of chronic conditions.

What Homoeopathic doctors do?

A homeopathy doctor tries to treat more than just the presenting symptoms. The focus is usually on what caused the disease condition? Why ‘this patient’ is sick ‘this way’?.

The disease diagnosis is important but in homeopathy, the cause of disease 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 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 not very advanced, homeopathy remedies do give a hope for cure but even in incurable cases, the quality of life can greatly improved with homeopathic medicines.

Homeopathic Medicines for Scabies:

The homeopathic remedies (medicines) given below indicate the therapeutic affinity but this is not a complete and definite guide to the homeopathy treatment of this condition. The symptoms listed against each homeopathic remedy may not be directly related to this disease because in homeopathy general symptoms and constitutional indications also taken into account for selecting a remedy.

Medicines:

1. Arsenicum Alb:

• Inveterate cases; additionally eruption in the bends of the knees.
• Pustular eruption, burning also itching.
• Better from external warmth.
• Furthermore, Scabies with violent itching along with great restlessness is treated well with medicine Arsenic Album.
• The skin peels off in large scales also is very sore to touch in such cases.
• Besides this, Dry, rough, scaly, dirty skin like parchment burns intensely.
• Over-sensitiveness of the skin with acute itching and burning is observed in cases where Arsenic Album will prove the most effective among medicines for scabies.
• All in all, The person is unable to sleep due to violent itching in the affected areas.

2. Carbo veg:

• Eruption dry and fine, almost over the whole body, worst on extremities.
• Itching worse especially after undressing.
• Dyspeptic symptoms, belching of wind also passing flatus; after abuse of mercurial salves.

3. Sulphur:

• One of the leading medicines for scabies.
• Main remedy; voluptuous tingling itching in the bends of joints and between fingers, as soon as he gets warm in bed, with burning and soreness after scratching.
• Skin rough and scaly, with formation of little vesicles and pustules; glandular swellings.
• One of the most prescribed medicines for scabies is Sulphur.
• The symptoms to look out for include intense itching and scratching which worsen with washing and heat, especially during the night. The condition is characterized by unhealthy skin with pimply eruptions which are painfully sensitive to air, wind, and washing. [5]

4. Dulcamara:

• Scabies with red edges, painfully sensitive to touch also to cold water.
• Itching pustules which pass into suppuration also become covered with scabs.

5. Psorinum:

• Body of the patient has a filthy odor. Violent itching, worse from warmth of bed.
• Warmth of bed excites itching like anything, but again, on uncovering feels chilly.
• Sleepless from intolerable itching. “Inveterate cases with symptoms of tuberculosis.”
• Psorinum is another of the most prescribed medicines for scabies.
• It has shown the most remarkable results in case of unhealthy skin with an abnormal tendency to skin diseases.
• In such cases, the person complains of intolerable itching which gets worse from lying in bed.
• In fact, so severe is the itching that the person scratches until the skin starts to bleed.
• Psorinum is the best treatment option among medicines for scabies with dirty, rough, scabby, greasy skin along with violent itching.

6. Merc Sol:

• Fat itch, esp. in bends of elbows, when some of the vesicles become pustular.
• Itching all over, worse at night when warm in bed.

7. Croton Tig:

• Intense itching but the parts are so tender that the patient is practically unable to scratch.
• This itching is of a tingling character.

8. Lycopodium:

• Humid suppurating eruption, full of deep fissures; itching violently when becoming warm during the day.[6]

     9.  Causticum

• Scabies, especially in the folds of the skin and between the thighs, responds well to Causticum.
• Causticum is also one of the best medicines for scabies with intense itching and scratching in the finger webs, leading to great soreness.
• Burning, rawness and soreness are the key symptoms to look out for in scabies cases where Causticum will prove effective.

       10. Sepia

• Sepia is one of the most effective medicines for scabies cases where a person complains of itching vesicles not relieved by scratching.
• The skin turns pinkish from scratching.
• The condition gets worse in the open air while the person feels better in a warm room.
• Scabies which is present mostly at the bends of the elbows and knees and where scratching does not provide any relief is also treated well with Sepia, making it a popular prescription among Homeopathic medicines for scabies.[6]

Diet & Regimen of Scabies

Anyone trying a home remedy for scabies should consult a doctor if the infestation does not clear up or show signs of improving.

• Wash clothes in hot water
• Maintain personal hygiene

Patient can use externally:

• Tea tree oil
• Aloe Vera
• Neem

Patient should also include these in Diet:

• Cayenne pepper
• Turmeric
• Zinc
• Wash clothes in hot water
• Apple cider vinegar [7]

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Scabies?

Scabies is a contagious skin Disease marked by itching and small raised red spots, caused by the itch mite.

Homeopathic Medicines used by Homeopathic Doctors in treatment of Scabies?

• Arsenicum Alb
• Carbo veg
• Sulphur
• Dulcamara
• Psorinum
• Merc Sol
• Croton Tig
• Lycopodium

What causes Scabies?

Scabies is caused by the human itch mite Sarcoptes scabiei.

What are the symptoms of Scabies?

• Intense Pruritus
• Itching Worse at night also after a hot shower.
• Burrows
• Appear as dark wavy lines that end in a pearly bleb
• Most lesions are between the fingers or on the volar wrists, elbows, and penis.