Case Studies

Dated: April 2026

This is a case of lady 44 year old suffering with dry cracked skin  on her right hand. She is a single mother. Lives with parents and 5-year-old son

Chief Complaint

Dry Cracked skin on  right hand for approximately 4 months

Location: On right hand, mainly palms and fingers

Sensation: Dryness, Splitting, Bleeding

Soreness, Occasional itching, Cracking with scab formation , Offensive/stinking discharge at times

Description

Skin becomes very dry and cracks deeply

Sometimes splits without awareness

Bleeding causes embarrassment

Thick creams provide little relief

Difficulty bending hands during severe episodes

Modalities

Worse on washing hands, cold weather, stress/emotional exhaustion

Better by topical  application but gives temporary relief.

Aetiology / Causation

Began during period of:

severe stress

emotional exhaustion

feeling run down

overwhelm from parenting/work/life pressures

 Mental state:

The patient describes feeling persistently stressed, emotionally overwhelmed, and low in mood, with increasing irritability and reduced patience. She tends to keep her emotions inside and feels that others do not truly understand what she is going through, becoming tearful when discussing her health and life struggles. She reports “zero motivation,” stating that everything feels like an effort and that she finds it difficult to leave the house. Mentally, she is very tidy, organized, and particular about order, becoming distressed when things are out of place, such as pens or pencils not being arranged properly, and feels mentally overwhelmed by disorder or clutter 

Social

Mostly indoor person. Does not go out much

 Physical Generals

patient is generally warm-blooded and experiences frequent hot flushes, with heat mainly affecting the upper body and head, although she occasionally feels chilly or shivery. She strongly prefers cold weather and dreads the summer heat, which increases her anxiety and discomfort. Thirst has increased recently, and she reports drinking more water than usual. Her appetite is variable, sometimes reduced, and she has recently developed cravings for sweets, crisps, and snack foods, despite usually preferring savoury foods. 

Patient suffers from sleep apnoea and uses a CPAP/sleep machine at night. She sleeps approximately 6.5 hours per night but wakes feeling exhausted and unrefreshed despite sleeping. Energy levels are consistently low, with persistent fatigue and exhaustion most of the time. Menstrual cycles are regular, although her mood is affected daily by stress and irritability. Pregnancy history was generally uncomplicated except for concerns regarding elevated blood pressure 

Other Complaints

Hay Fever, sneezing Itchy watery eyes, blocked nose

Medical History

Sleep apnoea

Hypertension

For the first consultation I prescribed petroleum 6c bd for 3 weeks  and follow up after a month.

Patient's hand condition has significantly improved with no cracks, bleeding, or splitting . Hands almost back to normal, though initial treatment caused temporary dryness and itching . New prescription planned to address persistent mental and physical fatigue despite improved sleep onset . 

Treatment Progress 

Hand Condition: 

No splitting, no bleeding - previously the biggest concern 2 

Itchiness almost gone, only occasional episodes (significantly reduced from before) 2 

Hands appeared dry and very itchy when first starting medication 1 

Patient currently taking one dose daily (reduced frequency) 1 

Mental Health: 

Crying reduced from daily to none after a month. 

Still experiencing significant ups and downs emotionally.