Elephantiasis is a disease in which the patient's leg may swell up like that of an elephant. Elephantiasis is produced due to the disease Filariasis which is caused by parasites, which spread through mosquito bites to humans. This disease can have an impact on the personal life, psychological state, physical disability, and economical state of the patients. Actually, Lymphatic Filariasis is called Elephantiasis, as it produces the above-stated symptoms.

Elephantiasis may affect the lymphatic system of the body, especially the legs, hands, and genitals in males as well as in females; producing swelling of the affected parts. This disease affects millions of patients in Africa and other tropical countries such as India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, etc.

Signs and symptoms of Elephantiasis:

Elephantiasis is caused by filarial parasites and it happens over a long period of time due to the recurrence of infection.

The signs and symptoms are as under:

• Initial symptoms may be episodes of fever with chills (like malaria) with body aches. Such episodes may keep recurring to lead to long-term changes.
• Once the parasites enter the lymphatic system of the body, more symptoms appear due to their effect on lymph glands.
• Inflammation of lymphatic glands or lymph nodes may appear swelling and painful. Such inflamed lymph nodes could be found in arms, pelvis (groins), neck, behind the knees, etc.
• Chronic lymphatic affection due to Filariasis over a period of time can lead to swelling of legs, scrotum (in males), vulva (females), or arms. Elephantiasis can look ugly and disfiguring due to large swollen body parts, including a large scrotum. It is often associated with the thickening of the skin in the affected parts.

Causes of Elephantiasis

This disease is caused by Filariasis, which is caused by parasites called Wuchereria bancrofti. These parasites spread by mosquito bites.

Treatment for Elephantiasis

The treatment of Elephantiasis is essentially targeted at treating the active infection of Filaria.

Even if Filariasis infection is controlled, the lymphatic swelling which has already occurred may not reverse. So the lymphatic swelling would not reduce significantly even after successful treatment of Filarial infection. Conventional medicines, which suggest the use of some antibiotics, would be indicated inactive infection. Surgical treatment may be required in resistant cases with large swelling and thickening.

Homeopathic treatment for Elephantiasis and Filariasis:

Filariasis treatment in homeopathy helps only reduce the frequency of Filariasis infection to a certain extent. Once Elephantiasis takes place, that is, in the cases with large swelling of limps, legs, hands, genitals, etc. homeopathic medicines do not or cannot cure the swollen body parts.