Lymph-remedies in ophthalmology.

Summary

Purpose: Ten years ago, we first introduced lymph-substances in order to stabilize the lymph-metabolism especially in cases of inflammatory, chronical, and allergic diseases of the anterior segments of the eye.

Methods: The mechanism of this treatment is to stimulate the autoimmunization as well as the drainage of the edema and bleedings. 30 patients complaining of chronic diseases have been treated by subconjunctival lymph injections.

Results: This treatment has been successful for 22 patients; eight patients did not show amelioration but stabilization.

Conclusion: In cases of chronic complaints the usual cortisone therapy can be reduced even replaced by applying lymph remedies. It can be given also as prophylaxis. The trend of current medicine is the bio-pharmacology, which gives possibilities to widen the range of treatment including acute and degenerative diseases of the posterior segments, especially cases of macular degeneration.

Key Words

Lymph-therapy, bio-pharmacology in ophthalmology, drainage of edema and bleedings, prophylaxis of chronic diseases, ocular-cervical syndrome, macular degeneration.

Introduction and aims

Due to its various negative side effects, cortisone therapy is not well accepted by the majority of patients and in public opinion. But in spite of that, even mega-dosages (500-1000 mg) or strong immuno-suppressive drugs are prescribed. This causes sometimes complications like cardiac decompensation or disturbances of the circular system, which cannot be handled any more by ophthalmologists.

Because of its alleged lack of efficiency, biological medicine--already a matter of course in other medical disciplines--is still not accepted in ophthalmology.

On the other hand, it turned out as useful to prescribe bio-substances like lymph in cases of acute, chronic, and allergical diseases when a mild and differenciated treatment with a minimum of side effects is required.

Lymph remedies are applied for three different functions:

1-to improve the immune system--especially in order to enhance the antibacterial resistance,

2-to support the drainage of edema and bleedings, i.e. to help remove toxic deposits.

3-as antiphlogistic mean reducing pain and subjective complaints in cases of inflammations.

It goes without saying that the immune system can only maintain its defensive function as long as the lymphatic and mineral metabolism is well operating.

The successful management of inflammations and allergies depends on knowledge of anatomical and topographical structure of the lymph system. (1, 2) (see figure 1)

[FIGURE 1 OMITTED]

Method and Results

In order to ameliorate the autoimmunization, we apply lymph-remedies as injections, drops, or ointment. Already in 1994, we published the first results of treatment with lymph-remedies in ophthalmology. (3) Usually we use now "Lymphaden injekt--Hevert"(R), which consists of the following elements:

Echinacea D2, Hypophysis D4, Thuja D2, Aranea diad. D5, Apis D4, Arsen alb. D4, Calc. Carb. D10, Clematis D3, influencium (Nosode) D30, Calium jod. D2, Lachesis D8, Mercur cyan. D8, Myristica D3, Phytolacca D3, Pyrogenium D10, Rhus tox. D4, Scorphularia D3, Sulfur D6, and Thyreoidinum D10

In our study, we examined 30 patients with

1-blepharo-conjunctivitis (eight persons),

2-chronical conjunctivitis (eight persons),

3-iritis--partially with cyclitis (12 persons) and

4-episkleritis (two person).

The majority of these patients suffered for a long period, i.e. between three months and 20 years. The statistical average of the chronic complaints was six to nine years.

Therefore we preferred daily injections (i.m: two ml a day. or subconjunctival: 0.5 ml a day), especially in cases of iritis and cyclitis.

The statistical evaluation showed that the treatment was successful and without any complications for 22 persons, while for four patients the lymph treatment seemed to be not sufficient. Therefore we gave cortisone in addition.

Only four persons did not show any reaction.

Discussion

Because of the low dosage and its mild efficacy of the lymph remedies, our treatment has been accepted and well tolerated by the patients. The duration of this study was six months. Within this period, five patients had a relapse. But this time, the complaints were much slighter than before. It is remarkable that the chronic conjunctivitis and the blepharo-conjunctivitis (60%) show an ocular myalgia at the same time. These myalgic disturbances are called "the ocular-cervical syndrome" which consists of a pressure sensibility of the atlanto-occipital articulation, trochlealgia (neuralgia of ciliary nerves), and myalgia of the obliquus superior and of the rectus inferior muscles. This muscles group is responsible for the near vision, i.e. mostly persons working as office staff or precision tool makers, workers in textile industry or other near distance jobs use to be affected. (4) The problem for the ophthalmologist is that this disease cannot be diagnosed by slit-lamp or any other usual instrument, but only by palpation of the eye-muscles and the atlanto-occipital-articulation. The clinical picture of the ocular-cervical syndrome (so-called ciliaris-neuralgia) is pain sensation in the area of the forehead and behind the eyes (retrobulbar) due to neuritis or neuropathy--one of the additional reasons for chronic and allergic inflammations. This misleads us often to the diagnosis "sicca syndrome" (dry eye)--a current widespread disease of civilization.

Conclusion

Lymph remedies are not only efficient in cases of immune deficiency, but they have also an important function in removing edema and bleedings. Therefore they can also be successfully applied against degenerative and chronic diseases of the posterior pole of the retina (for example, in cases of uveitis or AMD). (5) Beyond that, the indication can be prophylactic as well as post-operative.

The positive results of the lymph treatment do not mean to give up completely the cortisone therapy. But it is a realistic possibility to reduce its dosage.

It is not to be understood that in spite of good results and good tolerance, until now, ophthalmologists do not know, and if they know, do not accept lymph remedies--as we learned in several international ophthalmological meetings.

The problem is, conventional ophthalmology does not recognize the application of modern physics in theory and practice. Bio-ophthalmology is considered a sort of charlatanism comparable with the so-called degenerated science (entartete Wissenschaft) in the "Third Reich", although the origin of all medicine is undoubtedly the natural medicine. On the other hand, the WHO recently launched a global strategy on traditional and alternative medicine to the international community (Press Release WHO/38, 16 May 2002), since the majority of people have more confidence in this branch of medicine than in the sophisticated technological one.

Bibliography

(1.) Duke-Elder: System of Ophthalmology Vol. II, Anatomy of the Visual System, London 1961 p. 533

(2.) Foldi, M. and Kubik, S.: Lehrbuch der Lymphologie (Textbook of Lymphology), 3rd ed. Stuttgart, Jena, New York 1993

(3.) Sradj, N.: Lymphomyosot--Indikationen in der Ophthalmologie in: Biologische Medizin, Internationale Zeitschrift fur Biomedizinische Forschung und Therapie 23. Jg. Heft 2, p. 110-112 (1994)

(4.) Sradj, N.: Torticollometry in Textile Industry, Proceedings of the fifth meeting International strabismological Association (ISA) V--Rome 1986 edited by E. Campos.

(5.) Sradj, N. Systemtherapie der Maculadegeneration, (ISBN 3-00004372-1), 3rd edition 2001.

Nadim Sradj, Buchservice SHG MD Prufeninger Str. 40, D--93049 Regensburg / Germany [e-mail]