Cure Fibromyalgia With Homeopathy

HOW DOES IT PRESENT:

Fibromyalgia is one of the most common chronic pain disorders, affecting more than 5 million Americans, mostly women. It is characterized by widespread muscle aches & stiffness from all four quadrants of the body that may last the entire day, and most of the times accompanied by incapacitating fatigue, headaches, sleep disturbances, as well as memory and mood alterations. One of the key features of fibromyalgia is the presence of specific tender points. The inability to focus or concentration on mental tasks is often labelled as 'Fibro Fog'. The condition typically develops between the ages of 30 and 50, but can occur in people of any age, including children and the elderly.

HOW IS IT DIAGNOSED:

Since there is no lab test that can objectively confirm the diagnosis, it is usually concluded as 'diagnosis by exclusion' after ruling out other ailments based on the clinical features presented by the patient. The intensity and character of pain may be individualistic but patients often describe pain as stabbing or shooting kind. It is also believed that the condition can amplify painful sensations by affecting the way our brain can process pain signals.

CAUSATIVE FACTORS:

The symptoms sometimes can begin after an accident (PTSD), major surgical procedure, infective episode or after a period of psychological stress. In many cases the symptoms gradually accumulate over time without having any specific triggering factor. It is often seen that the condition can run in families, pointing to genetic link. It is often observed that the patients have low concentrations of magnesium in their blood; 

Interestingly, the patients suffering with fibromyalgia also show concomitant presence of tension headaches, temporomandibular joint affection, irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety or depression; most of which are psychosomatic in origin.

TREATMENT OPTIONS:

Though claimed none of the diet-supplements or specific diets has shown any effect on fibromyalgia. However, it is important for fibromyalgia patients to eat a healthy and balanced diet.

Exercise has been found to improve outcomes for people with fibromyalgia. Available pain relievers fail to provide any significant relief from the pain, making it an utmost frustrating situation for patient. That is the main reason why almost 90% of the patients take help of various alternative therapies to achieve desired relief. Homeopathy is one of the leading treatment options among them.

TOP FIVE HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES FOR FIBROMYALGIA:

Since every true homeopathic prescription is individualistic in nature, one must select the remedy based on symptom-similiarity alone. Although the following can be named as top five remedies for fibromyalgia, an individual case might need a totally different remedy as per the characteristic presentation. Thus it is strictly advised to consult a professional homeopath for the treatment.

Here are the top five remedies with their respective indications...

Bryonia:

Pains are stitching or stabbing in nature that get aggravated by slightest motion. Patient prefers to sit or sleep quietly without moving a bit. Every spot on the body is painful on pressure. In general the patient gets worse by warmth or on waking up in the morning. The pain feels better by lying on painful side, hard pressure, absolute rest and cold applications.

Rhus Tox:

This is the key remedy for any kind of rheumatic ailment. The pain appears after getting wet or being overheated. Fibromyalgia starting after strain or sprain of muscles gets relived with this remedy. Pains are as if a muscle was torn from its attachment or the bone has got scraped with a sharp knief. There is generalized soreness of the joints. Lameness, stiffness and pain on first moving after rest or on getting up in the morning indicates this remedy. One of the trio for restlessness. Patient feels better in warm and dry weather or by continued motion.

Kalmia:

Pains are sticking, darting, pressing, or shooting in nature. The most peculiar presentation will be the joints of upper part of the body getting involved first and then the pain travelling downwards to the lower limbs. The pain is assocaited with numbness of the affected part. It is mostly a right sided remedy, but the pains can change places often going from joint to joint. The affected joints are red and swollen. 

Causticum:

This remedy is typically indicated in patients who have long-lasting grief or sorrow leading to fibromyalgia. The pains appear suddenly due to fear, fright or anger. Like rhus tox, there is a marked restlessness where the patient feels like moving constantly but motion does not relieve. Pains are associated with paralysis or paresis of single parts. Typically precipitated after getting exposed to cold air or draft. the most peculiar feature of this remedy is getting aggravated in clear fine weather while feeling relieved in damp wet weather.

Arnica:

Typically helps nervous women affected with fibromyalgia with bad effects from mechanical injuries. There is sore, lame and bruised feeling all through the body, as if beaten. Everything on which the patient lies seems too hard. There is a heat of the upper body with coldness in the lower part. Pains are aggravated by lying down and relived with motion.

Once again I would remind you not to try these remedies without a professional supervision.

Using Mother-Tinctures In Diabetics: My Experience

“Oh! you are a Homeopathic doctor!! Do you have anything to control my blood sugar levels?”

I often come across this question when I get introduced in a social meeting. Diabetes has spread its wings and has quickly started getting grip over the young-adult population as well… thanks to our life-style (do we have any style left in it?) and food habits. I have at least 10 patients who have met this silent-monster before they celebrated their 35th birthday. Thus it becomes extremely essential to think about various options available with us to control and/or eradicate this dreadful disease called diabetes from our society, with the help of homeopathy.

Much before I started treating diabetic patients with the deep-acting constitutional remedies, I had started using mother tinctures. Right from the days when I was studying Homeopathy and had hardly known more than 100 remedies in total. No need to guess the prescription… it was nothing else but ‘Syzigium jambolanum’, which has got its roots from the ancient Indian healing system - the Ayurveda. I had prescribed it to many but with not so promising results. First I doubted its actual role in the treatment of diabetes, but later as I learnt (and grasped) more about the system of Homeopathic healing, I could understand the reason behind the failures. I had simply ignored one of the basic principles of homeopathy - Individualization.

Can we individualize while selecting a mother-tincture?

The question thus arises – whether we can or should apply the theory of individualization while selecting a suitable mother tincture for a patient, or should it be guided by the clinical diagnosis alone?

If it is guided by the clinical diagnosis – then how do we select from multiple remedies indicated for the same disease. Can a clinical picture be utilized to pick up individualizing characteristics for a given case?

After more than 12 years of actively treating diabetic patients, I can now safely say that it is utmost essential to individualize while selecting a suitable mother-tincture for any case. I would like to discuss some of these mother-tinctures and their selection criteria through few case-experiences.

Clinical presentation of diabetes:

The initial presentation of diabetes has always surprised clinicians. The much-learnt clinical presentation of ‘Polyuria – Polydipsia – Polyphagia’ is rarely seen in the clinical practice now. Instead of that, diabetes prefers to declare its arrival through variety of other symptoms. These symptoms or the organs of diabetic complications can be the key to the individual mother-tincture selection.

I have seen Syzygium-jambolanum doing wonders specifically in the cases of diabetes where the degree of rise in the urinary glucose levels is much higher than corresponding rise in the blood glucose levels. I have had a patient whose post-lunch glucose never went beyond 200 mg/dl [11 mmol/l], but his glycosuria always remained in ‘+ + +’ mark. Syzygium given along with Calcarea-carb as the constitutional remedy helped him to have normal glucose reading for the first time.

A diabetic patient presenting with hematuria or cystitis often calls for Rhus-aromatica as the choice of mother tincture. There is a lot of burning during and after passing of urine in large quantities. I have often used it in menopausal ladies who present with diabetes and complain of above symptoms along with stress-incontinence, suggesting of atony at urinary sphincters.

Similarly, a diabetic patient with marked nephropathic manifestations can be helped by Abroma-augusta. It presents with marked albuminuria with offensive and profuse urination along with increased thirst for large quantities of water. Patient often complains about hard stools covered with mucus as a part of obstinate constipation. Loss of bowel-satisfaction that has started since the diagnosis of diabetes always rings bells for this remedy for me. Abroma-augusta can also be selected based on the concomitant presence of severe spasmodic dysmenorrheal in female patients, who react hysterically to the pain. They can categorically mention about the onset of pain just few months before or after diabetes showed its presence.

A diabetic patient with concomitant affection at hepatic sphere, presenting with jaundice marked by loss of appetite and generalized dropsy (anasarca) leads us to Cephalandra-indica as the savior. Dryness and burning are the key manifestations of this remedy.

Gymnema-sylvestre should be labeled as the ‘boon for diabetic men’. I have been using it in cases that either present with sexual debility with erectile dysfunction or report it after few years of diabetic diagnosis. It has not only reduced the sugar levels but has also shown its efficacy in improving the erectile power. 

Calendula ranks the highest when the case presents with wounds that take significantly longer time to heal and also show a tendency to result into non-healing ulcers.

Concomitant symptoms:

We understand concomitant symptom as the one which presents itself along with the chief complaint, but has no patho-physiological connection with the chief complaint except the time correlation. Thus it just exists along with the chief complaint.

In my practice, I have tried to stretch this definition further to assess various systems / organs getting affected along with the primary complaint in patient’s life-time, to check the principle organs of affection and have correlated it with Boger’s sphere of action for the individual remedies.

To give an example – a diabetic patient, after a history of alcoholism, often leads me to the selection of Avena-sativa. In most cases pointing to this remedy, you will find marked exhaustion as the key-presentation. The diabetes gets detected with ‘marked debility not responding to sufficient rest’ as the only presenting symptom for the physician to investigate further. Avena-sativa can also be used in patients where diabetes co-exists with neurological disorders like epilepsy or Parkinson’s disease.

I have already presented a case of diabetes with psychogenic origin, where Abroma-augusta was selected based on the characteristic presentation of constipation with hard ball-like stools & significant offensive urine with proteinuria along with diabetes.

In the earlier days of my practice, I had prescribed Thuja to a case which presented with multiple renal calculi along with cholelithiasis (gall stones) as presenting symptoms along with diabetes that presented with significant pedal edema (water retention). Thuja not only had expelled the renal calculi but also reduced the swelling over the lower limbs in the initial treatment period. Thuja was followed by Lycopodium as the constitutional remedy which further helped the patient.

A remedy like Carduus-marianus that has a marked action on the portal & vascular system can be selected when a patient presents with cirrhosis with ascites and varicose veins.

In general, remedies like Chelidonium that improve hepatic function can be used to boost glucose-metabolism within the hepatic system.

Dosage:

Ideally 30 drops per day, divided in two-to-three parts 

Caution:

Though the utility of mother tinctures in controlling the blood-glucose levels  has been discussed here in great detail, it does not replace the value of a deep-acting constitutional remedy that can restore the fundamental metabolic balance. 

Treating Your Child’s Nut Allergy With Homeopathy

Introduction:

There are two types of patients who present with nut-allergies. A majority of those who are allergic to either tree-nuts or peanuts (which are legumes) while remaining show allergic response to both peanuts as well as tree-nuts. 

There are so many varieties of tree-nuts viz. Almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, pecans, brazil-nuts, and cashews. A child that is allergic to tree-nuts usually shows sensitivity to all these varieties but the intensity may vary for a particular variety.

You don’t always have to eat the nut to manifest the allergic reaction. Just handling or smelling the nut too can induce a severe allergic response in an individual.

What exactly is a nut-allergy?

Nature has provided us with an innate defence system that fights infections – we call it our immunity. In an allergic individual, this natural immune system reacts in an inappropriate or disproportionate manner to the proteins inside the respective nuts. These proteins are considered as harmful substances and that leads to release of histamine (an allergy chemical) in the blood stream.

What are the symptoms?

Release of histamine can lead to different types of signs and symptoms, with varying intensity.

• Cough with wheezing
• Breathlessness along with tightness in the throat
• Stomach-ache with Nausea and vomiting or Diarrhea
• Itching in eyes with lachrymation (watering of eyes)
• Skin rash - Hives or wheals
• Swelling of the lips
• And the most severe reaction called anaphylaxis

Is there any natural cure?

As for the rest of the allergies (dust, milk, egg, or fragrances), the patient can outgrow them over times. This does not seem to be happening in case of nut-allergies. Usually they tend to stay lifelong in most of the people.

The treatment:

As the famous saying goes, ‘prevention is better than cure’. It is completely true for the nut-allergies. One needs to keep himself away from the nuts. If your child has got a nut-allergy, you must keep a keen watch on the foods he has to ensure that they do not contain even the slightest amount of the allergen. But it becomes practically impossible to avoid it completely. 

A small amount of nuts are present in cookies and chocolates, which are very difficult for the innocent little ones to avoid. Smaller ones can’t understand why they should not eat a chocolate if all their friends can enjoy them in any amounts.

In case ingested, anti-histamine medications can help to reduce the manifestations. Most of the times, patients need to carry these medicines with them to use in case of an unwarranted attack.

Homeopathic approach to nut-allergy:

Let it be almonds or peanuts or cashews, these nuts do not trouble every individual on earth. In fact, most of us relish these nuts for their wonderful taste and nutrient-value. Just imagine a Christmas cake without almonds, won’t it taste incomplete?

The problem is not with the nuts, but with our immune system. It is our defence mechanism that is acting erratically with the substance which otherwise is harmless for the rest of the population. Thus the treatment should be directed towards treating our over-reactive immune system.

Homeopathy does exactly the same. A constitutional treatment approach helps to rebalance our health leading to cure from its root-cause. Homeopathic consultation involves an interview in which the data of physical, mental and emotional symptoms along with medical history is collected. This data is then analyzed and evaluated to understand the essence of the imbalanced state of the individual. This process leads the homeopath to find the specific remedy for the individual. 

Homeopathy works by enhancing the body’s natural ability to heal itself. Action of individual specific homeopathic remedy leads to gentle stimulation and restoration of imbalanced “vital force” to balance.

Each case is analyzed separately for an individualistic remedy selection. There are more than hundred medicines that can be used for the same. It is the skill of a professionally trained homeopath to select the best suitable one for your case.

At Swaroop Clinic, we have cured many cases of food allergies (including nuts) with this approach. Those children can now enjoy all their favourite food items without having to worry about allergic reactions. They don’t have to get a nod from their mother to eat the cookies they like the most.

Treat Alopecia Areata With Homeopathy

Homeopathy is one of the holistic healing technique, which involves treating the individual patient with highly diluted substances, given mainly in pills or tablet form. It aims at triggering our body’s natural system of healing. Due to this unique way of healing, it not only relieves the symptoms but also heals you from the root-cause of the disease.

This article answers few questions about the role of homeopathy in treating alopecia-areata, which affects the hair growth in patches leading to bald areas on scalp or beard.

What is alopecia areata ?

It is a dematological condition in which hair are lost from a specific area of the scalp or beard to form small bald patches. The undelying skin looks unscarred and apparently normal.

These patches are of different shapes but round or oval are the most common ones. In most cases the condition does not progress beyond a few bare patches, but at times it can spread entirely over the scalp leading to Alopecia totalis.

What are the causes ?

It is often considered as an autoimmune disease, where the body's own defence cells attack healthy cells of hair-follicles leading to hair loss.

Genetic link - if you have a close family member with the disease, your risk of developing it increases slightly.

How common is it ?

Alopecia is quite common with at least 3-5 percent of population suffers with it at least once in lifetime. it affects both sexes equally, but is more common in males.

How does it manifest ?

The hair tend to fall out for a short period of time and the patches are mostly seen on one side of the scalp. The hair tend to pull out easily along the edge of the patch where the follicles have already been attacked by the autoimmune process.

It does not form any complications or symptoms (like itching or burning) further, but the cosmetic angle is the most significant distress for the patient.

What is the role of homeopathy ?

Based on their specific symptoms, a homeopath will match the most appropriate medicine to each patient and can prescribe an individualistic medicine suitable for your own ailment.

Medicines such as calc fluor and silica have been the most commonly used ones along with the constitutional assessment.
It may take few weeks or at times a couple of months, but homeopathic treatment definitely cures this ailment from the root-cause. Compared to the side-effects of local corticosteroid injections, Homeopathy offers a safe and effective alternative.

Homoeopathic Treatment for the Benign Positional Vertigo

The most common cause of vertigo is 'benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)'. If you are suffering with BPPV, you can experience a sudden sensation of spinning inside your head.

BPPV is characterized by brief episodes of mild to intense dizziness. The acute episodes of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo can be triggered by specific changes in the position of your head, such as looking up or down (just like you do while drying washed clothes), and by lying down, turning over or sitting up in bed. If it gets progressed, you may also feel out of balance when standing or walking.

The clinical presentation:

The most common symptoms of BPPV are

• Dizziness
• A sensation that the things around you are spinning or moving (vertigo)
• Feeling of light-headedness
• Unsteadiness leading to loss of balance
• Blurred vision that accompanies the sensation of vertigo
• Nausea and vomiting (just like one experiences during car-sickness)

The triggering factors that bring about the episodes of BPPV can vary from person to person, but are almost always brought on by a change in the position of your head. An attack of BPPV can come and go. The symptoms may last for less than one minute.
What happens inside to cause BPPV?

The inner ear that is directly connected to the brain is one of the most important organs of balance. Inside the inner-ear we have a tiny organ called the vestibular labyrinth. It includes three semicircular canals that contain fluid and fine, hair-like sensors that monitor the rotation of our head. If the semicircular canals become over-sensitive to the changes in the head position, it would normally not respond to, one starts feeling dizzy.

Risk factors

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo can affect you at any age, but it becomes more common as the age advances. At least 40% of the population above 60 years of age can experience BPPV at least once in lifetime.

Tests and Investigations

Since it is primarily a functional disorder, most of the imaging can turn out to be negative. Despite that doctor can ask to go for a Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to rule out other causes of imbalance, mainly organic causes like cerebellar tumors or an acoustic neuroma which is a non-cancerous tumor of the nerve that carries sound and balance information from the inner ear to the brain.

Homeopathic Treatment:

Homeopathy believes in restoring the lost balance within the semicircular canals through its deep-acting medicines. It not only relieves symptomatic affection but also prevents the recurrence of symptoms in future.

The common homeopathic remedies that are used in cases of BPPV are:

Conium:

It helps the vertigo of the aged and that arising from excesses an all over use of tobacco.

Patient gets a sensation when looking steadily at an object as if turning in a circle.

Vertigo on rising up or going down stairs, with great debility and inclination to sleep.

Associated with a numb feeling in the brain as if stupefied, worse turning over in bed.

Ferrum-met:

This remedy suits anaemic vertigo, which is worse when suddenly rising from a sitting or lying position.

It comes on when going down hill or on crossing water, even though the water be smooth.

Has a vertigo worse when looking at running water.

Cocculus:

Has its principal action on the solar plexus, and vertigo which is connected with digestive troubles suites this remedy

Helps the neurasthenic type with occipital headache and lumbo-sacral irritation.

Along with vertigo there is a flushed face and hot head, worse sitting up and riding in a carriage; it is also worse after eating.

This remedy also can help those who have a car-sickness.

Rhus tox:

It helps in all those cases of vertigo, especially in old people, which comes on as soon as the patient rises from a sitting position.

Usually accompanied with heavy limbs is probably caused by senile changes in the brain.

Causticum:

Is suitable to vertigo preceding paralysis.

There is a tendency to fall forward or sideways; there is a great anxiety and weakness in the head.

Vertigo and weakness in the head. It corresponds, therefore to the vertigo of organic brain diseases.

Argentum nitricum:

Vertigo, with debility and trembling, is curable by this remedy when there is much mental confusion and a sense of expansion.

It seems as if houses would fall on him when he is walking through the street.

It also suits vertigo from diseases of the brain and eyes.

Also helps the case of tinnitus.

Although these six remedies are used most commonly in cases of BPPV, individual case may need a totally different remedy. A consultation with a homeopathic physician will always help to solve your individual case. Self-medication is not advised.

Treat H.pylori infection effectively with Homeopathy

Hundreds and thousands of body functions are going on 24x7 in our body, and we are not even aware of even 5% of them. Do we hear the heart beating, or kidneys filtering, or stomach churning the food that we just ate? No! It is when these bodily functions get derailed, we become aware of them and we term it as dis-ease.

In the similar fashion, there are many bacterias that reside in our body for ages, only to make ourselves aware of them when they start disturbing our health economy. H-pylori is one such bacteria. It is estimated that around 50-60% of the total world population hosts H-pylori, but only few of them get affected by it.

What is H. Pylori ?

Helicobacter pylori is a type of bacteria that infects our stomach, usually during our childhood. It is one of the most common causes of peptic ulcers and is known to be very obstinate to respond to the treatment. Most people with H.pylori will never have any signs or symptoms, since we may have an innate resistance to its harmful effects.

Symptoms:

•          Severe and persistent abdominal pain
•          Fullness or bloating of the abdomen
•          Burning in the food pipe and stomach
•          Nausea and vomiting
•          Frequent eructations (burping)
•          Dark colored vomit or black tarry stools
•          In severe case, difficulty in swallowing

·      Complications:

o   Ulcers in the stomach wall

o   Inflammation of the stomach lining (gastritis)

o   Severe mal-absorption leading to weight loss

Spread:

H pylori infection can spread through direct contact with saliva or vomit/fecal matter. It can thus be spread through contaminated food or water. Thus a poor hygiene is the primary culprit behind the spread of this worldwide infection.

Precipitating factors:

•          Severe anxiety
•          Type A personalities
•          Smoking
•          Surprisingly, spicy food has been proved to have minimal role

Diagnosis:

•          Blood test to detect specific antibodies
•          Upper gastric tract endoscopy
•          Urea breath test

Treatment options:

Allopathic mode of treatment primarily includes antibiotics to kill the bacteria in association with various kinds of medicines to reduce the acidity of the stomach. For those who have got peptic ulcers, surgical correction adds to the treatment plan in addition to the above.

Homeopathic treatment:

The primary aim of homeopathic treatment is targeted towards restoring the constitutional balance within, to aid in setting the body-equilibrium. It is achieved by carefully selecting an appropriately suited remedy for an individual patient, considering the various characteristics at the physical, emotional and intellectual sphere. A professional is trained in ascertaining these qualities and analysing them to arrive at the most-similar remedy selection.

Homeopathic treatment of H. Pylori infection involves two approaches:

1. Treating the acute symptom picture with a remedy selected on the basis of disease picture alone. Remedies like Carbo veg, Arsenic album, Nux vomica, Robinia and Anacardium have proved to act wonderfully in acute exacerbations of the underlying chronic ailment
2. Supporting the acute remedies with a constitutional deep-acting remedy that will set the basic constitution at its equilibrium, thus restoring and maintaining the health for longer time period. This medicine varies from person to person and is thus selected by a professional homeopath.

Taming the over-active bladder with homeopathy & bach flower essences

Definition & clinical picture:

An overactive bladder is a medical term used for a pathological condition, that is characterised by a pattern of sudden, involuntary contractions of the urinary bladder wall muscles, leading to a sudden and unstoppable need to pass urine, irrespective of the quantity present in the bladder. It is also called as ‘urge incontinence’ and is more common in women compared to men. It is estimated that at least 20% of the elderly population (above 70 yrs of age) is affected by it.

Thus a patient who suffers with an overactive bladder will get a recurrent urge to pass urine even though there is not much left in the bladder to pass. Or in other words, there would be a constant sensation of an overfilled bladder although nothing has accumulated in the bladder in real.

The most common symptoms include a recurrent urge to pass urine, urgency of urination, increased frequency of urination during night time and incontinence of urine especially while coughing , or sneezing, or laughing aloud. An overactive bladder can cause a significant degree of physical, social as well as psychological problem for the individual.

Causes & Mechanism:

The primary disturbance lies in the nerves and the muscles of the urinary bladder. Usually a signal is sent to the brain when bladder gets filled with urine to a specific quantity (approx 350-500 ml). The chief muscle of bladder contraction is named as detrusor, which responds to the signals from the higher nerve centres to contract the bladder. Voluntary control of the sphincter muscles at the opening of the bladder controls the urination at will. In case of an overactive bladder, there is an inappropriate contraction of the detrusor muscle regardless of the amount of urine.

The most common causes include:

•           Urinary tract infection
•           Renal calculi
•           Senility or aging
•           Diabetic neuropathy
•           Prostate enlargement
•           Prostatic surgery
•           Multiple pregnancies
•           Spinal cord injury
•           Stroke
•           Parkinson’s disease
•           Multiple sclerosis

Treatment options:

Apart from the medicines (anticholinergics) that can increase the tone of the bladder muscles, certain pelvic muscle rehabilitation programmes like ‘Kegel exercises’ are used to improve the pelvic muscle tone and prevent leakage. Pelvic-floor electrical stimulation too can help few patients. Behavioural therapists can assist with bladder training.

Most of the medications have some common side effects including dryness of mouth, constipation, blurry vision and confusion (especially in the elderly population). To avoid such adverse effects, one can definitely take help of gentler yet equally effective therapies like Homeopathy and Bach Flower Therapy.

A well selected homeopathic remedy based on the individual symptom picture will act as effectively as any other medicinal options. Remedies like Cantharis, Lycopodium, Sepia and Belladona are used quite frequently in these patients. These remedies can be supported by patient’s constitutional remedy, based on the analysis of the individuality at physical, emotional and intellectual sphere.

Rescue remedy, a wonder combination from the Bach flower essences, has done wonders in relieving the acute discomfort and anxiety, especially during a sudden aggravation or precipitation of the symptoms during an important meeting or programme. Though one can try Rescue remedy as an ‘over-the-counter’ medication, a word of caution is necessary to try homeopathic medicines on your own. It is always wise to consult a professional to select the best one for you.

Homeopathic Remedies For Apoplexy Or Paralysis

The incidence of apoplexy or paralysis of nervous origin leading to unconsciousness has drastically increased with increasing number of patients suffering the medical conditions like hypertension or atherosclerosis. It can also be seen in conditions like meningitis or some other cerebro-spinal diseases.

Here, we will discuss few homeopathic remedies indicated for such cases.

Arnica:

Apoplexy due to the sudden rupture of cerebral blood vessels. The resultant is paralysis and loss of consciousness. There is involuntary evacuation of bladder and bowels on the onset of apoplectic attack. Arnica is a known remedy to control hemorrhage and aiding the absorption of accumulated blood within the cranium. I have used this remedy with wonderful results in cases of head trauma, showing concessional injury to the brain tissue. It has also been effective in relieving the chronic headaches in cases of sub-dural hematomas of long standing origin. Thus it is a powerful drug with hemostatic as well as hemo-absorbant properties. Arnica is also useful in cases of meningitis after mechanical or traumatic injuries - such as from falls or brain concussions, etc.

Causticum:

Disturbed functional activity of the brain and spinal cord calls for this remedy. The causative factors are exhaustive diseases or severe mental shock, that result in paralysis.

Cicuta virosa:

Effective in cases with injurious chronic effects from brain and spinal cord injuries of concessional nature. Spasms and trismus. Tetanus from getting splinters into flesh [also seen in hypericum cases]. Masters have given its indication in the brain diseases due to suppressed eruptions.

Natrum sulf:

Indicated in cases of spinal meningitis with violent and crushing pains at the base of the brain. Gnawing pains in the cranium with head drawn back. Spasms with mental irritability and delirium. There is a violent congestion of blood to head along with the pain. Delirium and opisthotonus. One of the best known remedies for the ailments from or after the head injury. Ailments coming after head injury of remote origin. I have seen a case of chronic headache getting cured with few doses of natrum sulf, where the origin of the headache was traced back to the trauma received to the brain almost ten years back.

Picric acid:

Remedy for the brain fag or literary or corporate community. Headache brought about by the slightest of excitement, mental exertion or overwork, causing burning along the spine.

Tuberculinum:

Acute cerebral or basilar meningitis with threatened effusion. Hallucinations of all kinds. Wakes from sleep in a frightened state. Screams with fright.

Zincum met:

Defective vitality calls for this remedy. Wanting of brain or nerve power. Patient is too weak to develop exanthemata or menstrual functions.

Sir, Do You Prescribe Rare Remedies?

An inquisitive student was asking me this question, as a part of an interview she was conducting before joining my clinic as a learner. That’s a very common experience now days. I remember, not more than 10 years back when I had just passed out, me and my colleagues were interested in learning whatever the physician could teach us from his busy clinic hours, but today’s learners are quite selective, and they have to be! They are much more oriented and aware about homeopathic schools, methods and techniques than what we were even after couple of years of practice.

But what exactly are RARE remedies?

Dictionary gives the meaning of the word ‘Rare’ as – ‘Not widely known; especially valued for its uncommonness’ or ‘recurring only at long intervals’. If I try to apply these definitions to homeopathic practice, I find each and every homeopath has got his own repertoire of medicines that he plays with. To give an example, it might be surprising for most of you but, I have yet not prescribed Thuja, Ambra Grisea, Palladium or Medorrhinum in last 10 years of practice as a constitutional remedy. For me these are rare remedies.

The point I want to put forth here is – do we talk about rare remedies for the faculty of homeopaths or for the individual ? I think what counts the most is the later. And I thoroughly would like to prescribe rare remedies, the remedies that have been prescribed rarely by me till now, due to my ignorance and lack of knowledge about them. It takes some hard case that makes me to solve it in the learnt protocols, to find some odd remedy emerging from the process, leading to a rare remedy prescription.

I have met my colleagues who have prescribed more ‘calcarea silcatas’ than ‘pulsatillas’. I have yet to unfold the mystery behind numerous remedial forces, by rising against my blocks. Yet to discover the scope of known remedies in its true sense.

Thus, my dear student (?), YES, I would like to prescribe rare remedies. Will you help me to reach them by questioning my prescriptions ? Would you like to be my teacher ?

Dealing With Cancer Through Homeopathy

INTRODUCTION:

Cancer has reached almost every household in today’s era of lack of exercise, healthy food habits, addictions, stress and moral famine. The overall treatment options available in the medical ‘market’ outside provide pain more than the relief. Various kinds of surgeries, radiations and newer chemotherapy drugs are posing threat to the ‘quality of life’ of an individual, in their own ways and methods. Apart from the treatment options, the patient is getting bogged down by the battery of investigations and imaging requisitions, often without assessing the case clinically. The pain of cancer has thus extended, from mere physical or emotional sphere, to moral and financial downfall. The patient is getting exhausted and emptied in all sense, and what s/he gets in return? Nothing but a different form of suffering. Is there anything that we as homeopaths can offer?

Most of the patients we meet at our clinics are already in an advanced stage of cancer, or have already undergone a couple of cycles of chemotherapy for the respective malignancy. They pose three significant questions to a homeopath:

1. Do you offer anything for cancer, and if yes, what is its scope?

2. Is it safe to take homeopathy simultaneously with chemotherapy? Won’t that affect the efficacy of either of them?

3. Can you prescribe anything on the preventive basis for the patient to avoid the recurrence or to the rest of the family?

We will try to discuss all such issues…

I have heard a lot of claims by the eminent homeopaths of my city to CURE the cancer, but I think let’s not cheat patients and homeopathy. I do not doubt the efficacy of homeopathy, but if we make such claims without statistically and objectively proving it, the medical faculty will obviously accuse us for mis-guiding the patients, in turn diluting the faith of the public towards our system.

Apart from its effect against the malignant growth, I have seen homeopathy doing wonders by -

1. Dealing with the mental trauma that the cancer diagnosis causes, with further depression and hopeless mental state.

2. Reducing the side-effects of chemotherapy, especially in cases of CINV (chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting).

3. Relieving the pains in the terminal cancer cases.

The shock and the aftermath:

It is very common to have a patient in a mental state of shock and its aftereffects after being diagnosed of a cancer. There is a strong sense of approaching death leading to a mixed feeling state of fear, despair, hopelessness and sadness. Within no time, you suddenly shift to a permanently unhealthy state never to return back to your original health. The strong feeling of ‘why me?’ haunts the patient day and night, leading to a sense of guilt within.

ARNICA is the best remedy for such a mental shock, and I have used it often to relieve the state of sudden blow, when the patient least expected the diagnosis. There is a strong sense of being good for nothing in such patient, with a morose and hopeless feeling along with great apathy.

An ARSENIC ALB patient will be in a state of anguish with marked restlessness with fear of approaching death. The restlessness gets aggravated at night keeping the patient awake. Oversensitive mind with great melancholy and despair of recovery. Gets irritated at trifles, especially over untidiness around.

A patient needing ACID PHOS would be sitting quiet, with unwillingness to talk or discuss his health status. There is a strong apathy and indifference with strong reluctance to answer the questions. Hopeless state with a dread of anticipated crisis or death. There is a weeping mood at least stimuli.

ACONITE will be called in if the patient is in agonizing frightful anxious state with strong sense of death. He screams with fear and is afraid to get out of the house. It is a situation of emergency due to the state of panic and terror. There is a strong nervous state with typical prediction of death.

I have also seen remedies like SEPIA and AURUM MET working excellent to lift the mood of the patient from the sad and indifferent state. I also use certain Bach flower remedies like Aspen, Rock Rose, Wild Rose, Gorse, White Chestnut, or Rescue Remedy to relieve the acute panic and hopelessness.

CHEMOTHERAPY INDUCED NAUSEA AND VOMITING:

Chemotherapy-induced nausea vomiting can negatively affect the quality of life, making it hard for the patient to function in a normal manner on daily chores, often making him to consider stopping the chemotherapy or radiotherapy treatment cycles. Almost 50-60% of the patient experience severe nausea and vomiting and rank it as the most disturbing side effect of the cancer therapy.

Along with remedial measures, the patient should follow a pattern of small and frequent meals. A dry toast or crackers can relieve the nausea. One should drink plenty of fluids throughout the day and avoid eating spicy and oily stuff.

Among the top-rated remedies for CINV, I have used – IPECAC, ARSENIC ALB, VERATRUM ALBUM, RADIUM BROM and COLCHICUM.

In case of colchicum, I have often found patient craving for aerated drinks [pepsi or coke] and alcohol [which obviously should not be provided]. There is a strong nauseating feeling on slightest smell of food. Patient craves a specific food but when offered, the smell gives rise to nausea, preventing him to enjoy or relish that.

The RADIUM BROM patient shows a strong feeling of nausea that is better by eating, just like in case of SEPIA; while the patient who needs VERAT ALB would complain of a strong nauseating feeling that is triggered by starting to eat, along with marked prostration.

THE PAIN RELIEF:

I often get patients that are in advanced or terminal stages, referred for the pain relief, especially due to the bone metastases. There is a severe bone pain that is relieved by nothing in particular. No specific position can relieve the pain and it gives rise to intense physical restlessness.

I had used various remedies for this bone pain – including ARNICA, RUTA, EUPATORIUM and RHUS TOX; but the most significant relief has been achieved with the administration of SYMPHYTUM in a mother tincture form.

Conclusion:

Homeopathy has much to offer in cases of cancer, apart from treating the malignant growth. A patient or his family would often enquire about the role we as homeopaths can play in the overall treatment process; and we need to be clear within ourselves about our scope.