4.7.1 Manganum nitricum, Case 1
A 31 year old woman has high blood pressure, 145 over 110. She has no complaints. She isn’t sure whether her cholesterol level is too high. The specialist has told her to take some medicines for her blood pressure but she doesn’t want to.
She has started to measure her blood pressure herself and discovered that it is much higher when she is at work. She feels very responsible and tends to rectify mistakes made by others. If something isn’t going right she won’t rest until she has sorted out why. She has had cystitis several times in the past two years with frequent urination and burning of the labia. Everything is worse from tight clothes. She has taken antibiotics four or five times already.
She has pains in her lower back, worse on stooping and difficulty getting up after sitting down. The pain is worse on wrong movements, working in the garden, sitting bent forwards, and in the morning. She has earache when she walks in the wind, better from putting cotton wool in her ears.
She has an administrative job in a wholesale business and she finds it very boring. She doesn’t like her boss because he has no time for some small talk or a bit of fun, it is always ‘strictly business’. She complains about him at home, saying he never compliments her for the work she does.
She likes having a good time, having visitors and talking with people. She wants to create a nice sociable atmosphere at work, but it is very hard. She always feels much better when she is on holiday. When she is cleaning the house she sings and keeps the door open. She is prepared to change if someone tells her she is not doing things right.
Her childhood was good, she played a lot with her younger brother. She used to like it when visitors came, because she was allowed to play outside till late. Her father was a bit unreasonable at times about getting home late and going on holiday. She had to help in the house but she did not like it.
She wants to have children but is afraid of giving birth. She would prefer to have a caesarean, because the child ‘has to come out somehow, you can’t go back at that stage!’ She is afraid of blood, injections and the dentist.
Generals
Weather: cold (2), < cold; < heat; sun(2), -> fresh air.
Perspiration: < exertion.
Time: < November, December.
Desires: sweet (2), fat (2), chocolate.
Aversion: broad beans (3), sprouts, old cheese (2), sauerkraut.
Food: < raw leeks and onion, rollmops.
Sleep: good, sometimes restless; on her back.
Analysis
Her earache in the wind, better from cotton wool, is typical of Manganum. Her character fits too: she feels responsible, rectifies other people’s mistakes. When she is criticised she is prepared to change. But Manganum did not do very much.
The high blood pressure obviously has something to do with her work. She wants to have compliments (Manganum), but she also wants to have a good time. This is an indication for Nitricum, further confirmed by her need for a good social life, receiving visitors and the amelioration during the holidays.
Other symptoms that could fit Manganum nitricum: singing with the door open (Nitricum) during housework (Manganum), having to help (Manganum), but not feeling like it because she prefers to play outside (Nitricum).
Other Manganum symptoms: cold; sun (2).
Nitricum symptoms: anticipation fears about child birth: ‘the child has to come out, you can’t go back’. Also the high B.P., high cholesterol, fear of blood, dentist, injections, fresh air, -> fat, <- broad beans, old cheese, < rollmop.
Reaction
After Manganum metallicum 1M she gets a slight improvement, feels more calm, but still much back ache and still the occasional cystitis. Two repeat doses give some further improvement, but the blood pressure doesn’t go down.
One month after Manganum nitricum 1M everything is a lot better. Less pain in the back, less problem with her bladder and a normal blood pressure from time to time. She is trying to get another job. She had a dream about somebody being chased and running away, whilst before she always dreamt that it was her who was being chased [a distance has been created in the persecution, Iron series].