“A Prospective Non-Randomized Experimental Study to Compare Results of Btpb and Polarity Analysis Software in Cases of Osteoarthritis using Womac Index.”
Main Article Content
Abstract
Osteoarthritis is a long-term chronic disease characterized by deterioration of cartilage in joints which results in bones rubbing together and creating stiffness, pain, and impaired movements.
The disease most commonly affects the joints in the knees, hands, and feet and is relatively common in the shoulder and hip joints.
While osteoarthritis is related to aging, it is associated with a variety of risk factors including obesity, lack of exercise, genetic predisposition, bone density, occupational injury, trauma, and gender.
Primary osteoarthritis is a condition in which the protein makeup of cartilage decreases with age, repetitive use of joints over the years causes damage to the cartilage that leads to joint pain and swelling.
Secondary osteoarthritis is mostly caused by another underlying disease for ex: Osteoarthritis due to obesity, repeated Trauma or surgery to the abnormal Joints at birth, gout, Rheumatoid arthritis, Diabetes mellitus & other hormonal disorders.
This study aims to show the utility of homeopathic medicines on the patients suffering from Osteoarthritis, and to compare the results of Polarity Analysis Software and BTPB in the manement of Osteoarthritis,Using WOMAC score for before and after intervention Comparision.
Materials and method
30 patients, in the age group of 30 to 70 years, diagnosed with Osteoarthritis,
were selected to conduct this study.
Out of the 30 patients, 57% of patients were females and 43% were males in the
study.
The changes were evaluated before and after treatment. Response to treatment was determined by WOMAC Index which includes pain, stiffness and ADL, before and after the treatment.
After careful examination, study, and repertorization with the help of Boenninghausen therapeutic pocket book and polarity analysis each of the 15 cases was analyzed by using both the repertories, and the similimum was prescribed to the patients.
Results:
In this study, total of 32 Patients have registered out of which 30 patients were able to complete their treatment and 2 cases were dropout, the age group involved in this study is varying from 35-70 years age old people
Among 30 Patients of 60% of patients had both their knees affected, 20% of had their left knee affected and 20% of patients had issues with the right knee. Patients the Distribution of patients according to the Medicine Prescribed for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. Belladonna, Sulphur, and Kali Carb each of this medicine were prescribed to 10% of patients under study. WOMAC Index was used as the assessment tool, before and after intervention scores were statistically analysed; the pain, stiffness, and functional limitation subcategories were statistically assessed using the ‘t-test before intervention and after the intervention. Here average “WOMAC Score Difference” is compared for both Repertory BTPB and Polarity Analysis. When BTPB Repertory is used, the average “WOMAC score difference” is 28.67 + 6.03(mean± sd) before and after the intervention of treatment for knee joint pain. When Polarity Analysis is used, the average “WOMAC score difference ”is 35.53+ 7.71 (mean± sd) before and after the intervention of treatment for knee joint pain.
To test the hypothesis: The average “WOMAC score difference“, based on BTPB and Polarity analysis treatment is the same, a two-sample t-test is used.
The t-statistic value is -2.72 and the p-value of 0.01* is significant.
Conclusion:
The medicines, which were selected and prescribed on the basis of chief complaint, after the repertorization from BTPB and Polarity Analysis software, showed significant result in the treatment of osteoarthritis. Homeopathic medicines obtained after repertorizing from Polarity Analysis software are effective in the treatment of osteoarthritis. The results are supportive to open new paths for future studies on Osteoarthritis and homeopathic treatment. As the sample size was small further studies with larger sample sizes are needed.