Diathesis
= Inherent predisposition or tendency of a person to develop a specific
disease or group of diseases.
- It is hereditary
and linked with susceptibility and constitution.
Key Characteristics:
- Not a
disease, but a deviation in susceptibility.
- Reaction
to stimuli is exaggerated.
- Helps
predict future disease tendencies.
- Aids in
planning preventive treatment.
Relation to
Susceptibility:
- Normal
susceptibility → health maintained.
- Altered
susceptibility → adaptation fails → disease develops.
- Immunity is also a
form of adaptation.
Types of Diathesis:
Use this mnemonic to remember the main types:
"Some Truly Good Human Recipes"
S – Scrofulous
T – Tubercular
G – Gouty (Rheumatic-Gouty)
H – Hemorrhagic
R – Rheumatic
1. Scrofulous
Diathesis:
- Glandular
involvement (lymph nodes).
- Tendency
to ulceration like syphilis.
- Symptoms:
swollen lymph nodes, flabby body, cold extremities.
- Related to
tubercular diathesis.
- Old name: Scrofula
or Struma.
2. Tubercular
Diathesis:
- Long-term
latent stage before TB.
- Early
sign: frequent cough with cold.
- Symptoms:
tiredness, nervous issues, neuralgias, diarrhea, poor digestion.
- Night
aggravation common in children.
- Related to
syphilitic miasm.
3. Hemorrhagic
Diathesis:
- Tendency
to bleed easily.
- Causes:
defects in platelets, blood vessels, or clotting.
- Conditions:
hemophilia, purpura, scurvy, Willebrand’s disease.
- Medicines: Phosphorus, Lachesis, Ferrum met, Hamamelis etc.
4. Rheumatic-Gouty
Diathesis:
- Susceptibility
to gout, arthritis, uric acid disorders.
- Symptoms:
dry skin, early baldness, asthma, headaches, diabetes, indigestion.
- Loves
sweet/fatty food → worsens the state.
- Medicines: Colchicum, Ledum, Rhus tox, Lycopodium.
Importance in
Homoeopathy:
- Guides the
selection of remedy based on constitutional type.
- Helps in prophylactic
treatment.
- Supports understanding of miasmatic background.
Tags
ORGANON OF MEDICINE