Overcoming Chronic Stubborn Fungal Infection Through Homeopathy

Mrs. P.D.J., a seventy-five-year-old female (Patient ID: 55258), started online treatment at Life Force Homeopathy, Chembur clinic, on 24th September 2024 for chronic Tinea (fungal infection) affecting both legs below the knees. The condition had been present for ten years, with erythematous eruptions, extreme itching with redness, and hyperpigmentation of old healed lesions. The itching had been particularly severe at night, with a burning sensation after scratching, along with mild discharge and pricking sensations. The patient had been dependent on conventional treatment, taking medications every four to five months for temporary relief. She had applied permethrin cream one month before the consultation and had taken antibiotics (T. Amonic) and antihistamines (T. Levocet M) for twenty-four days in June 2024. The onset of skin eruptions was suspected to be related to a drug reaction, as she could not tolerate painkillers and had been on aspirin for ten years, which was stopped one month before consultation. Additionally, she had developed these eruptions within a month of taking allopathic treatment for herpes ten years ago.

Mrs. P.D.J. also suffered from associated complaints, including osteoarthritis of both knees for thirty years, which had become progressive over the past four months. She experienced severe pain with swelling, particularly worse while standing and better with walking, accompanied by cracking sounds. She also had episodes of vertigo for three years, occurring two to three times, with the last episode in July 2024, lasting fifteen to twenty seconds with a spinning sensation and dizziness, especially when rising from the supine position. She had been managing hypertension for thirty years with T. Asomex AT (calcium channel blocker) and T. Azar 10 (Rosuvastatin) for the past ten to twelve years. She had been advised to undergo knee replacement surgery; however, due to the skin eruptions, the surgery was delayed. She started treatment for lasting and gentle relief from her skin issues so that she could undergo the surgery without any complications.

Regarding her general symptoms, Mrs. P.D.J. preferred cooler environments. She had a vegetarian diet with an average appetite and specific cravings for sour foods. Her thirst was average at two liters per day. Her bowel movements were satisfactory, and micturition was asymptomatic. She experienced disturbed sleep with frequent interruptions and had been having disturbed dreams for many years. Being post-menopausal, she had an average physical structure with a fair complexion.

Mrs. P.D.J. was a homemaker who had previously served as President of the Lions Club and was skilled in anchoring and writing. She was married to an advocate and had two daughters, along with one grandson and one granddaughter. She had experienced a happy and well-supported childhood and adolescent years, with harmonious marital relationships throughout her life.

Regarding family history, her brother suffered from hypertension, but no other significant hereditary conditions were noted in her immediate family members.

Her past medical history included typhoid and malaria forty to fifty years ago, and herpes ten years ago, for which she had taken allopathic treatment. She had no history of any surgical procedures.

Mentally, Mrs. P.D.J. presented as a mild, gentle, and sensitive person who was confident, polite, and expressive. However, she tended to take stress easily and would cry frequently. She was particularly concerned about her social image and worried about what others would think. She constantly worried about her children, especially feeling distressed that her beautiful daughter had vitiligo and was concerned about her second daughter’s relationship with her in-laws, who did not treat her well. Despite these worries, she maintained good social relationships and had excellent memory, logic, intelligence, perception, and analytical abilities.

Dr. Rajesh Shah , studied the case in detail, considering the chronic nature of the skin condition and the suspected drug-related onset. Based on the totality of symptoms, he prescribed Sulphur 30C.

For the first follow-up in September 2024, there was no major change noted. The itching persisted, and the eruptions on the legs remained the same, with no spread or improvement.

In November 2024, the patient developed new small papular eruptions on the bilateral legs above the knees with intense itching after starting the prescribed remedy. She discontinued the medication on 25th October 2024, as she felt the complaints increased every time she started the medicines. After stopping the treatment, she felt better, with only ten percent of the eruptions present and occasional intense itching. The redness had also improved significantly after stopping the medicines. The case was reviewed, and medicines were revised based on the patient’s feedback.

In January 2025, there was a remarkable improvement in overall eruptions, with only one new eruption above the knee that healed by itself. The patient reported no itching or other complaints. The hyperpigmentation of old lesions also showed improvement, and there was no discharge or bleeding. Her associated complaints of knee pain were occasional and bearable, while vertigo episodes had completely resolved.

During the follow-up in March 2025, the patient experienced a slight relapse with the spread of lesions over the bilateral feet in the form of pinpoint eruptions spreading toward the knees. She had intense itching over her bilateral feet, which interfered with her sleep at night, along with mild bleeding on scratching.

In May 2025, excellent improvement was noted, with all tinea lesions showing significant healing.

For the latest follow-up in August 2025, the patient reported no visible rashes or lesions; however, mild occasional itching on the legs persisted. The overall skin condition remained stable, with significant clearing of the chronic tinea that had troubled her for ten years.

Conclusion:

This case demonstrated the effectiveness of constitutional homeopathic treatment in managing chronic tinea, particularly when conventional treatments had provided only temporary relief. The patient’s journey showed the importance of an individualized treatment approach.

• Case study written by Dr. Nafisa D, associate doctor to Dr. Rajesh Shah, MD (Hom).