Don’t Just Smile… LAUGH!! It Reduces the Stress on Your Heart!

When I saw the neighboring uncle sitting gloomily in his porch early in the morning, I obviously asked him what was wrong. This question changed his expression and he smiled back to me saying, “Nothing beta, just back from the laughter club and thinking what to do ahead!” At the same time, saw aunt (his wife) entering house with a huge laughter that she seemed to share with her neighbor over some gossip issue! Well, even though uncle couldn’t, I could readily sense the controversy in his own statement. Why on the earth a person visiting a laughter club would sit sullenly as if he is the reason behind the world economic crisis?  

No wonder this uncle has recently undergone a bypass surgery for the closed tubes of his heart and is therefore doing everything possible to avoid the future attacks. But unfortunately he is unable to change his temperament!

I am sure he needs a good homeopathic prescription! :)

With the growing number of people visiting laughter clubs every morning, it is evident that people know the importance of laughter. Gone are the days when people used to share their happiness with those living around and the entire muhalla (lane) used to enjoy the festive atmosphere for days to come. “Things were so good then”, we hear so many times or say ourselves. But do we realize what we are jeopardizing in an attempt to seclude ourselves from societal openness? The most important thing that we have forgotten is to laugh! Sadly…

If you google, you would find hoards of quotes and SMSes related to “Smile” but there are very few comparatively for “Laugh”! It is true that smile is the concept that emerges from the heart, from the deepest of our emotions! But many times (especially in today’s corporate world), smile can be fabricated. It may be used as a weapon to avoid conversation and stay away from questions. But the person who smiles knows whether it’s genuine or not. On the contrary, laughs are usually non-fabricated. One cannot laugh heartily without really feeling like laughing.

Actually this is the reason I don’t like Laughter Clubs (no offense meant). In these clubs, what people do is ‘try to laugh’ for the sake of it. This is just decisive movement of your laughing muscles and larynx in an attempt to make a sound like laughing! Laughter clubs boast about utility of these clubs to help one with heart problems. Does it really? If this needs to be done, laughter clubs should have some genuine joke-tellers or some fun-games that would evoke natural laughter from the participants.

But still there is a problem!

Have you seen people criticizing the best of the jokes? May be either they don’t understand it or they feel too proud to laugh at a joke! Their grim faces ooze proud (or foolishness!?) that they took even the joke lightly and didn’t allow their face to budge! Now that makes me laugh… I am sure this pride is going to sit around their heart and make their arteries go fatter!

Why can’t we allow ourselves to enjoy the most natural expression ‘laughter’? Is it bad to express? If tears are the expression of joy, sorrow, sympathy, empathy, and love, laughter is an expression of sheer joy!! If tears are important in our life to shed the heavy weight on heart, laughter does the same task more easily and subtly. Laugh at every instance you can. Your family is your best friend. Share your ideas with them. Pick out on your own inhibitions, inferiorities, and feel proud to make fun of it. It is said that there is no as good catharsis as talking about one’s own inadequacies. Why hold back ourselves? Read fun books, read fun jokes, create your owns and send your friends, and enjoy the feeling of laughter you spread around! Make it contagious!

No need of scientific evidences to tell us the importance of laughter and that it helps our heart to function smoothly! Laugh and you will find that your chest is expanding like never before and you can feel the rush of fresh air that enters your body with each laugh!

Laughter that comes from heart and helps the heart is truly worth! Try it!

The Homeopathic Cough Remedies! Let’s Differentiate a Few!

As we know, more than the diagnosis of any given case, symptoms of the case are important while treating any case homeopathically. You do not attribute the successful case taking to considering the signs and symptoms of the disease per say but the characteristic symptoms on physical, mental, and emotional planes of the sufferer. This makes homeopathy more of an art, as the homeopathic physician has to possess tact to seek these details from the patient with the help of careful history taking.

Here we are going to see one of the common symptoms “COUGH” in its various aspects and homeopathic approach to a patient of cough.

Cough as a Protective Reflex-

The “COUGH” is one such symptom that can be associated with variety of disorders ranging from common cold to asthma. Primarily ‘cough’ is a protective reflex instituted by higher centers in brain. So, actually coughing means that you are driving out the unnecessary toxins present in the body or the body is trying to get rid of those toxins by forceful and natural expectoration. Therefore, this discretion, whether the cough is due to some kind of reflex activity by the body or an exaggerated form of this reflex, needs to be verified before treating any patient with cough.

Do not treat each and all cases presenting with mild to moderate cough with medicines. Understand the necessity behind this cough reflex. Many times, physicians do a big mistake of treating a protective cough that is insinuated by the lungs to throw off the sputum produced as a result of some infection or allergy. This cough if helps the person to reduce his chest congestion when in moderate degrees. The fine line of demarcation to recognize between a patient protected by cough reflex and a patient needing cough treatment comes with the academic qualification and practice; one who possesses that excels no doubt!

Classification of ‘Cough’-

Most rough classification of cough can be- (1) Dry cough and (2) Wet cough. Most obviously dry cough is the one in which there is little or no expectoration while coughing; however the cough reflex can be severe enough to bother the patient through his day to day activities. If sputum comes, the patient has to try hard to evacuate his lungs in this dry variety. In wet variety, usually easy sputum production occurs and the patient spits many times to feel at ease. In either case, there can be wheezes depending upon the patient’s constitutional tendencies. Crepitations are usually heard with wet variety.

Though varied causes of cough can be given ranging from seasonal bronchitis to low immunity due to AIDS, when we treat homeopathically, rarely we need to consider the diagnostic aspect in any patient, because we have our exceedingly powerful weapons ready in the form of similarly acting homeopathic medicines. These medicines however have to be chosen very carefully to end the spells of cough in the patient and impart a lasting relief.

Let’s consider some of the most important “Cough-Remedies” homeopathy offers—

(1) Spongia-

-         This is one of the crucial remedies for dry coughs

-         Gasping cough with feeling as if he is breathing through sponge

-         Great anxiety accompanying cough with heavy breathing, palpitations

-         Hollow sounding cough without sputum associated with fullness in chest

-         Tight croupy varieties with sawing, barking cough

-         Worse- talking, touching larynx region, signing, swallowing, cold drinks, thinking of cough, night after head touches the pillow (or worse after sleep/ sleeps into aggravation), sweets, mental excitement

-         Better by eating, drinking warm drinkss

(2) Antimonium tart-

-         Cough resulting after eating sour fruit, especially in a child

-         Huge secretion of mucus; mother tells his chest makes wheezy sounds at night

-         Despite lot of secretion, has to exert a lot to expectorate

-         Whining and moaning before coughing

-         Clinging tendency in the children suffering from recurrent colds coughs

-         Craving for apples

-         Icy cold finger tips

-         Excessive sleepiness and drowsiness

-         Incessant sweating with suffocative feeling in chest

-         Coughing and yawning alternately

-         Worse- anger, warm room, lying down, mornings, overeating

-         Better- expectoration, vomiting, sitting erect

(3) Ipecac-

-         Loose cough with rattling in chest

-         Bronchopneumonia with bloody sputum

-         Entire system pervaded by a nauseating feeling that gets aggravated as he coughs

-         Tightness pf chest and larynx with spasm of vocal cords

-         Gasping for breath with asthmatic breathing

-         Incessant suffocative cough with paroxysms of retching, vomiting

-         He kind of stiffens with each paroxysm of cough, with each breath, turns red or bluish and finally gags and vomits but nausea still prevails

-         Marked periodicity

-         Worse- warmth, dampness, pork, rich food

-         Better open air

(4) Arsenicum album-

-         Alternate dry and wet cough

-         Must sit up and bend forward as he is short of breath

-         Whistling inspiration with wheezy chest

-         Excessive restlessness with cough or asthmatic breathing

-         After an attack, extreme prostration out of proportion to the illness

-         After 12 o’clock at night, springs out of the bed due to shortness of breath and then inability to lie down for fear of suffocation

-         Associated with cold sweat and debility

-         Worse- cold drinks, cold food, cold air, after vegetables, bad meat, suppressed eruptions, tobacco, exertion

-         Better- elevating head, sweating, movement, hot food and hot drinks

(5) Argentum met-

-         Hoarseness of voice with cough of professional singers and speakers

-         Total loss of voice

-         Throat of larynx feel raw or sore on swallowing or coughing

-         Laughing excites cough and produces profuse mucus

-         Has to hem and hawk while talking

-         Cough with easy expectoration of gelatinous mucus with too much  viscidity that looks like boiled starch

-         Great weakness of chest worse on left side

-         At the bifurcation of trachea, feels a raw spot

-         Worse- using voice, mental strain, noon, 3 to 5 am

-         Better- coffee, wrapping up, movement

(6) Squilla-

-         Stubborn coughs with rattling

-         Associated frequently with sneezing, coryza, watery discharge

-         Urine spurts while coughing

-         Cough ends in a gag

-         Easy heavy expectoration with stitches in chest

-         Pleurisy

-         Heat in chest

-         Absence of sweat

-         Worse- early morning, evening, movement, uncovering

-         Better by wrapping up

Homeopathic Posology (Potency Selection) as Perceived from Stuart Close’s “The Genius of Homeopathy”

Many homeopaths while practicing come across many hurdles. Right from the method of convincing people about the depth of homeopathic science, they often face difficulties while applying the different potencies (powers) during treatment process. I have met some homeopathic physicians who have propensity to choose certain potencies all through their practice. I have seen patients, who while self-treating homeopathically choosing 30C potencies invariably, as they think it is somewhat middle potency and will neither do any harm (as high potencies might do according to them), nor will they be too small to elude action!

Well, certainly as you can guess, choosing the potency is a very important decision when you want to give or take any homeopathic medicine. There are many chapters on posology (art of applying dosage) in homeopathic literature. Many views have been expressed in different books and one might find some remarks confusing wile searching for the right tool to believe in.

While reading Stuart Close’s “The Genius of Homeopathy” while in homeopathic college, I felt at ease. The reason behind this feeling was simple. The guidelines given by him are according to the homeopathic principle and are corroborative of Hahnemannian Classical Homeopathy. They are easy to comprehend and one can apply these guidelines in day to day homeopathic practice, rarely facing any failure while clinging to them. Therefore, this is an effort to put forth these guidelines once again in simpler fashion-

Let’s derive some points out of it--

(1)   Simply put, the posology is a science of dosage. In homeopathy, as with its eternal principle, we can add a word “art” too. Thus, it is a science and art of dosage. Many people come forward for homeopathic treatment with the notion in their mind that homeopathy means small doses. It is pleasant way to treat oneself without large tablets to be taken with harsh preparations. In right sense, it is true; however, it is necessary to impart knowledge in public regarding the depth of homeopathic medicines and their smallness of dose implying greater strength should be insisted upon for broader understanding of the science!

(2)   Dose is one thing in homeopathy that needs greater emphasis. Even while teaching homeopathy in schools and colleges, this aspect is not well-stressed. Dose is one of the essential elements of homeopathic system, the other two being the principle and the remedy. Even Hahnemann at one time, in order to bring an end to an endless debate on potency selection, proposes to treat most cases with the thirtieth potency; such was the controversies, confusions, and misunderstandings on the subject. Many homeopaths therefore try to solve this mystery by adopting what can be said as “Self-Law” when it comes to potency selection, which is not good for sure.

(3)   The fact of apt therapeutics however says that every practitioner should be free of prejudice when it comes to potency selection too. This is stated so because- “Under homeopathic principles, any potency may be required in any case. It is as unreasonable to expect to cure all cases with any two or three potencies as it is to expect to cure all cases with any two or three remedies. In either case, those who follow such a course are governed more by the love of ease and their prejudice than they are by their desire for efficiency. One must remember that a well-selected remedy may fail utterly, or even do injury, because of wrong dosage. Dose as well as the remedy must be adjusted to the patient’s need.”

(4)   The drugs in physiological doses create some set of symptoms; the same symptoms are cured by the smaller infinitesimal doses. Therefore, it is stressed that the physiological doses have nothing to do with their homeopathic use. Means, if you are using a drug in physiological dose, you aren’t using it homeopathically, because homeopathic medicines are never used in physiological doses. More appropriately, we can say that the homeopathic medicines are never used for their physiological effect. This is so because; the ‘physiological action’ of a drug is not its therapeutic or curative action. It is exactly the opposite of a curative action, and is never employed in homeopathic practice for therapeutic purposes.

(5)   On the contrary, therapeutic dose means curative, alleviating, healing. Depending upon the size and strength of the dose, susceptibility of the patient and the principle upon which it is given, action of the drug, whether pathogenetic or therapeutic is decided. Pathogenetic doses may be given to healthy subjects in order to make a proving. When we treat patients homeopathically, we do not want to produce the symptoms but want to remove them. This is therefore possible only with the help of a similar remedy in the minimum dose.

(6)   The temporary aggravation after giving homeopathic medicine is truly temporary, so much subtle that many times goes away unnoticed. If there are new symptoms after giving a dose, it is obviously indicative of either wrong medicine or wrong dosage.

(7)   If we come across cure of a particular person after giving certain remedy, we should take it as- ‘The medicine was right and the dose given is the maximum dose consistent with safety.

(8)   Homeopathic dose is always given in sub-physiological or sub-pathogenetic dose (minimal dose), because—

·         We intend to remove symptoms that are already existing and not producing more symptoms

·         Disease already renders the affected part sensitive. Large doses can add to the agony of the patient; however the least dose can modify the affection without any bad effects

·         Also the homeopathic drug is given (or should be given) singly so that the action is complete, unmodified by other drugs; so the small dose!

(9)   To all those people who ridicule the smallness or infinitesimal scale of homeopathic medicines, Stuart Close reminds that infinitesimal is a quantity and it cannot be thought as nothing. He quotes Hahnemann who says, “How so? The smallest possible portion of a substance, is it not an integral part of the whole? Were it be divided and re-divided even to the limits of infinity, would there not still remain something,- something substantial,- a part of the whole, let it be ever so minute> What man in his senses would deny it? And if this be in reality as integral part of the divided substance, which no man in his senses can doubt, why should this minute portion, as it is certainly something, be inactive, while the whole acted with so much violence?” Truly Hahnemann’s statement is indisputable!

(10)                      To stress the importance of proper dose, he states further that any curable disease may be cured by any potency, when the indicated remedy is administered; but the cure may be much accelerated by selecting the potency or dose appropriate to the individual case.

(11)                      Thus, in conclusion, five considerations are stated that influence the choice of the dose—

·         The susceptibility of the patient

·         The seat of the disease

·         The nature and intensity of the disease

·         The stage and duration of the disease

·         The previous treatment of the disease

Thus, one who masters the art of dose selection along with the remedy selection in homeopathy is the true healer!

Arnica Montana- Lot More than Mere an Injury Medicine!

The credit of most widely used drug by lay people and non-homeopaths should go to Arnica Montana! I have seen innumerable orthopedic surgeons, physiotherapists, and general physicians prescribing Arnica in 200 or higher potencies for different types of bruised and contused wounds. Yes! This is what Arnica is famous for. Only the person who has experienced the magic of this wondrous drug can understand its therapeutic efficacy.

Just recently I had a skeptic comment to one of the articles in which use of Arnica was stressed. The commentator had ridiculed its use and said it is nothing more than a placebo in keeping the patient’s hope high after its intake. Well, as usual I had ignored it! The point of telling this here is the fact that the same skeptic after a few days wrote to me, (This is what he says exactly; have taken his permission to put this in his own words), “My son aged 6 years had a contused wound made by the hit of a stone to his right index finger 3 days back. I had given him the best of analgesic but he was still wailing in despair. There was marked swelling and he couldn’t move his terminal phalanx. While wondering what to do, I remembered about the bottle of Arnica 200CH I had bought on one of the occasions on insistence of my wife (but didn’t find it useful at all in one of the instance, so had kept it aside). Gave my son 3 globules of Arnica and miracle happened. Within next 2 hours, his swelling substantially reduced and next day he was absolutely free from pain. Perhaps, I had used it in wrong place earlier; so please excuse me for my earlier skeptic comment on it”. Certainly not too many skeptics have this big heart!

In short, Arnica Montana is a darling medicine for homeopaths and non-homeopaths alike, as it rarely refuses to act positively when homeopathically applied.

However, the purpose of this article is not to elaborate on the “INJURY” aspect of Arnica Montana but the other aspects of it other than injury! Yes, it is one of the very useful polychrest remedies in homeopathic material medica that needs to be studied in depth to utilize its finest of properties.

Let’s see—

• One of the most important symptoms of Arnica one should remember is- pain in the part that is used more. It is thus not only the contused wound pain but pain in any organ that is being used a lot. The fatigue from this over-use leads to sore pain. For example- if a person develops sore throat after talking incessantly for long hours, Arnica will help him get rid of this soreness almost immediately. If there is sudden rise of blood pressure in a person who has done loads of hard work, a dose of Arnica will help lower his blood pressure and no anti-hypertensive drugs will be necessary! This thus applies to any part or organ.

• Arnica is one of the important remedies also for depression! In many cases, the remedial diagnosis comes of Arnica when a homeopath might miss out on this wonderful drug to rouse the patient from his dreaded depressive spirits. The patient dreads to be talked to, hates any sort of conversation, imagines he is suffering from some heart problem and remains frightened; alternating with the state of fearlessness when he says there is nothing the matter with him! Lots of nightmares are usually present with fearful dreams. This usually happens is people who have gone through some sort of physical and/or mental shock. The depression is almost always associated with great soreness of body, because of which he dreads the thought of touching anyone. This painful uneasiness with restlessness permeates through all Arnica patients.

• Arnica is one of the good remedies for bleeding tendencies. Bluish red spots come suddenly on skin or on mucus membranes or any inflamed part tends to bleed easily. The expectorant is dotted with tiny red blood clots at times. Urine even is bloody especially after an accident and there can be bleeding from various orifices of the body. Arnica is the remedy that helps in early clotting of blood when given at right time.

• One of the great remedies for rheumatic diathesis. Bruised lame feeling in joints is the marked feature. Usually associated with mental despair and agony. History of joint injury can be traced back as early as in childhood. Sudden turning of joints with blue-black appearance is also one of the hallmarks of Arnica.

• Also the old cases of gout with extreme soreness and enhanced sensitivity respond very well to Arnica.

• Any inflammatory condition in the body pertaining to liver, kidneys, bladder or lungs (of course irrespective of the diagnosis) with sore bruised feeling all over the body responds well to very few doses of Arnica. Never doubt the use of Arnica in such cases (for example pneumonia), as the doubt might arise because possibly Arnica has very little sphere of action on lungs. That’s the beauty of holistic medicine like homeopathy that caters any and all symptoms effectively if the remedy selected is based on Law of Similars.

• Some gastric symptoms are very prominent in Arnica that one should never miss. There is marked aversion to meat, broth, and milk! Many inflammatory conditions in abdomen respond well to Arnica including appendicitis. Dr J T Kent says, “It is only deplorable ignorance that causes appendicitis to be surrendered to the knife. You need not run to a surgeon for every case of appendicitis if you know Bryonia, Rhus tox, Belladona, and Arnica!”

• Also, nightly diarrheas with very offensive smell respond well to Arnica with offensive eructation and flatus. Stools are usually mixed with blood with soreness of anus.

• During pregnancy, Arnica is one of the chief drugs to be thought of when the pregnant lady is overtly sensitive to carrying her fetus within her womb. Uterus, abdominal viscera and surrounding organs feel bruised and movements of the fetus worsen the soreness. After long labor, when the woman has dribbling urination, Arnica is one of the amazing drugs. Usually associated with coldness of the body with hot head.

Healthy Lifestyle- What is it? Do emotions play a part?

“You must relax” was the comment one of my friends heard off late from one of the psychologist. It was a high-profile affair in supposedly astute settings and therefore was recorded for the patient. When I heard it, the word “must” triggered some bells that didn’t sound right. Even the patient told me that his comment regarding relaxation sounded too stressful that obviously took away the crux of what he wanted to convey. Many of us have this habit of stressing these health facts that should come naturally… automatically!

It is true that relaxation techniques help one to a great extent in handling day to day problems and also help one conquer many existing and impending diseases. However, the word relax itself should bring a kind of serenity and tranquility in one’s mind and not the pressurized need for rest. One should also understand that the word relaxation does not always imply the need to sit idle and do nothing but rest. Relaxation techniques may differ from person to person. One might find relaxation in deep sleep and another might feel the need to go on adventure sports for that relaxation of mind and spirit. What matters is how you feel after that relaxation.

The purpose of this discussion is to know “what exactly is healthy lifestyle?” In many senses, the term healthy lifestyle is relative. However, there are certain things that one can follow on the physical, mental, and emotional plane that help propagate through life healthily. Well, frankly enough, every physician will agree to the fact that the health on emotional plane is the most important and it’s the emotional harmony that leads to physical as well as mental harmony for any person. And this emotional harmony cannot be achieved if we do not connect with our people. Yes, the interpersonal relationship plays a great role in establishing healthy environment in any family. No wonder it is stressed that unless one is familiar with his own family members and communicates well, he or she cannot really maintain the harmony on physical plane. It’s been evident that the high blood pressure is found more commonly in people with unhealthy home environment that usually spurs up due to lack of healthy conversation and relation with the family members.

The point mentioned above should be taken in good spirit by all who like to inculcate relaxation in their day to day life. Then relaxing will not be a “must” criterion but it will happen automatically. Unless your mind is free not to sulk about anyone or anything, how can it really find happiness all around? And true happiness of the mind is probably the most significant aspect to ensure one’s physical health. Striving for physical health without achieving balance on mental and emotional planes is like struggling to meet your work deadline without knowing what you are supposed to do exactly.

Let’s ponder on the following points--

(1) Interpersonal relationships- The foremost thing one should strive for is good interpersonal relationship if they want to enhance their positive health-quotient. It is not very difficult if you try to figure out the problems from a third man’s perspective and find essential solutions to mend the bridges. Forgiving someone for their past deeds is one such solution that sounds difficult but once followed with heart, gives you the best pleasure in the world.

(2) Emotional catharsis- Venting out your emotions is another thing that needs attention. Many people sulk in solitude and feel they have the biggest sorrow to deal with in the world. Frankly no person in this world is trouble-free and no sorrow in the world leads to end of the world for anyone. Just we don’t have the courage to speak up our mind. If we do it and vent out our feelings to our near one, we will avoid heavy load on our hearts that leads to hypertension, diabetes, and even cancer. The catharsis of emotions is very important to do for a man as well as woman. There is nothing manly in not venting out the emotions. You can at the most call it coward attitude towards one’s own emotions. Unless we deal with ourselves better, how can we expect our body to listen to our healthy lifestyle changes?

(3) Believing in self-health- May sound weird but you cannot feel healthy unless you believe in your health! Huge debates are going on in the medical realms about positive and negative impacts of strong medication. Many people are bearing the side effects of medication more than the bad effects of disease per say. Many health-neurotics are born in the twenty first century. The hypochondriacal community is on rise in the name of so-called health awareness. These are the people responsible for lifting the sales of pharmaceutical drugs. Be it an anti-depressant or an anti-hypertensive, relying on the drug to feel healthy (without the actual need) is nothing but foolishness. Modifying the lifestyle sounds horrific to these people but they are happy to gulp tablets day and night. This is not done if you want to maintain your health! The positive journey starts with the belief that you can be healthy. Get rid of that neurotic baggage and start feeling the health-freedom! Nothing can contribute to your health better than the self-belief!

Let’s ponder on the points above and begin the journey towards complete HEALTH! Then you need not “must relax”… You can “just” relax!

Aloe Socotrina

One of the most important homeopathic remedies prepared from Aloe vera is Aloe soc. It is extremely important to study this remedy in depth and it has many symptoms of other important remedies including Nux vomica, especially when gastric and intestinal symptoms are concerned. No wonder many practitioners give Nux vomica when actually Aloe soc is indicated, thus obviously resulting in failure. Podophyllum is also one of the closer choices in some cases. However, Aloe soc has some very peculiar symptomatology that definitely differentiates it from Nux, Podo, and many others.

Constitution-

Aloe soc is particularly suited for people of venous constitution. Relaxation and congestion of venous system alternates many times. Portal congestion (including liver, abdomen, rectum and intestines) is noticed. For people that have a kind of hatred with certain people. Or in some cases hatred with everyone and everything. Like a depressed patient, many Aloe people feel life is a burden and they will die soon. Very few distinguishable mind symptoms have been proved of Aloe but those that are proved are very marked like aforementioned. Very excitable state of mind is also observed in some patients, especially when they suffer from abdominal colic. Feels the self-anger or hatred especially when constipated. Aloe is especially suited to weary and sluggish people who dread the thought of physical and mental labor.

Physical Characteristic Symptoms-

1. Foremost important symptom is insecurity of rectum. Rectum feels full, with fluid, wind; fears whether stool will pass with flatus
2. And in some cases it does; even solid stools are passed with wind without notice
3. Heaviness in the entire abdomen with hemorrhoids protruding like bunch of grapes
4. Gelatinous secretions from rectum, post-nasal, etc
5. Heavy pressure-feeling in head, alternating with abdominal complaints. Headache across the forehead aggravated by every footstep, with heaviness of eyes and nausea; headache better by closing eyes
6. A distressing sense of weakness in anal sphincter
7. The patient is always afraid whether he will pass stools and flatus in public
8. Hemorrhoids burn, itch, protrude, better by cold water application
9. Often associated with marked redness of lips
10. Colic before and during stools
11. Lot of mucus after stool with pain in rectum
12. Winter coughs with itching
13. Lumbago alternating with headache and/or piles
14. Worse- summers, heat, after eating or drinking
15. Better- cold, open air

Sulphur- the king of antipsorics is one of the strongest complements of Aloe soc, while Opium can be said as a potent antidote! Certainly a very important remedy to deal with certain acute as well as chronic constitutional troubles!

Leucorrhea (White Discharge in Women) and Homeopathic Treatment

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As per the Shaw’s Textbook of Gynecology, leucorrhea is the term restricted to those patients in whom the normal vaginal secretion is increased in amount. It is said that frank gynecological infection that lead to purulent (pus-containing) discharges are actually not included in this term, however, much overlapping exists when a physician diagnoses a case of leucorrhea conventionally.

Many physicians use this term to describe any transparent, whitish or yellowing discharge per vagina, strictly excluding the presence of blood.

Is Leucorrhea Abnormal?

Well, as we saw, if the vaginal discharge exceeds its normal limit, it is abnormal. However, the physician must assess exactly if it is truly abnormal, especially in teenage girls who have recently attained menarche. We often find that many girls often point to normal vaginal secretions that are obviously enhanced during pubertal age group as abnormal. This physiological leucorrhea (or discharge) occurs also during pregnancy, at ovulation, and during pre-menstrual phase of normal menstrual cycle. Enhanced vascularity of vagina and surrounding area is also responsible for pubertal leucorrhea that actually needs no treatment.

However, barring these conditions, when the vaginal secretions are increased in amount leading to one or more symptoms, the physician should treat it depending upon the signs and symptoms. Chronic cervicitis (inflammation of cervix), cervical erosion, mucus polyps, etc are some of the external or conventional factors responsible for leucorrhea. Chronic pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), ovarian congestion, sedentary habit, chronic constipation etc are also said to cause enhanced vaginal secretions.

Clinical Features of Leucorrhea-

(1)   Discharge- Obviously the foremost pointer is vaginal discharge that exceeds the normal amount

(2)   Itching- many women with white discharge complain of itching of vaginal walls or even cervix. In severe cases, when fungal or bacterial infection sets in, the itching is quite severe with small eruptions and redness visible on vaginal walls

(3)   Smelly discharges- in some cases, when the discharge gets infected or even without it, women complain of smelly discharge that causes lots of discomfort and the woman loses confidence in herself

(4)   Chronic leucorrhea can lead to secondary pelvic infections at times

(5)   In case of thick glutinous leucorrhea, the woman may rarely suffer from infertility too

(6)   Most women with leucorrhea develop low back pain and vague abdominal ache

(7)   In many, the pain descends down the thighs developing heaviness in legs and lethargy

Can Homeopathy Help?

Why not? Homeopathy can certainly help the woman get rid of the nasty leucorrhea. Rather, it has been found that homeopathic medicines can be said as the mildest doses to cure leucorrhea completely and help the woman gain her confidence. However, as always, homeopathic medicines should cater the needs of the patients as a whole and should not be directed merely to treat leucorrhea per say. The constitutional homeopathic medicines help the woman get over the tendency to develop vaginal discharges and also help her alleviate the pelvic infections if any. No doubt, the signs and symptoms of leucorrhea vanish once the homeopathic medicine is started. For acute complains too, apt homeopathic medicines can be given depending upon the existing symptomatology.

Let’s see some of the important homeopathic remedies having marked leucorrhea symptoms-

1. Alumina-

-         Acrid leucorrhea that scalds the inner aspects of thighs

-         Profuse discharge that is transparent and ropy

-         Burning pains in vagina and cervix

-         Associated with constipation and pressing pains in both groins towards private parts

-         Leucorrhea that runs to feet

-         Chronicity of discharge

-         Worse during day time

-         Better by washing with cold water

2. Borax-

-         Leucorrhea like white of an egg (albuminous)

-         Females with primary infertility

-         Itching vulva and vagina, may be associated with eczematous lesions around vagina

-         With leucorrhea, sensation as if warm water was flowing

-         Clear, hot, pasty leucorrhea

-         Ma be associated with trembling of limbs especially in the morning

-         Weak calves

-         Biting acrid discharge

-         Dry cracked tongue

3. Kreosotum-

-         Yellow acrid leucorrhea

-         Discharge smelling of green corn

-         Gushing leucorrhea like bloody water

-         Offensive discharges with too early and prolonged menses

-         Corrosive itching of vulva, burning and swelling of labia

-         Violent itching between labia and thighs

-         Leucorrhea between periods every time

-         Associated with dragging pains in back, extending to genitals down the thighs

-         Excessive weariness and debility

-         Worse after menses, lying down

-         Better by movement

4. Pulsatilla-

-         Acrid leucorrhea

-         Burning in vulva and vagina

-         Creamy, milky leucorrhea with tired feeling in back

-         Engorged private parts

-         Scanty menstrual flow in anemic women that suffer from milky leucorrhea

-         Worse in warm room

-         Better by cold application and cold drinks

5. Nitric acid-

-         Soreness of parts

-         Brown, flesh colored leucorrhea that is extremely offensive

-         At times stringy or watery discharge

-         Stitching pains through vagina

-         Small eruptions of ulcers surrounding the vaginal walls

-         Menses like muddy water

-         The woman complains that the hair on genitals are falling out

-         Worse in night, extremes of temperatures

6. Mercurius sol-

-         Thick white offensive leucorrhea

-         Leucorrhea discharge while urinating

-         Excoriating greenish and bloody leucorrhea with abdominal pain

-         Sensation of rawness in parts

-         Stinging pains in ovarian region

-         Itching and burning of parts

-         Worse after urination

-         Better by washing with cold water

7. Natrum mur-

-         Dryness of vagina alternating with leucorrhea discharge

-         Acrid watery leucorrhea

-         Associated with bearing down pains that make low back ache

-         Leucorrhea in place of menses

-         Absolutely debilitating vaginal discharges

-         Many times associated with weak legs and depression

-         Worse during puberty, mornings, mental tensions, emotional set backs, etc

-         Better by cold bathing, open air

8. Graphites-

-         Pale thin leucorrhea

-         Profuse vaginal discharge that corrodes the vaginal walls and inner aspects of thighs

-         Excessive weakness in back

-         Decided aversion to coitus

-         Associated with constipated bowels

-         Indurated feeling of private parts

-         Itching inner aspects of thighs leading to darkening of skin in the region

-         Rawness in folds

-         Gushing leucorrhea instead of menses

-         Small itchy eruptions around private parts

-         Worse morning, scratching, suppression of eruptions

9. Sepia-

-         Excessive bearing down pains with leucorrhea

-         Yellow green leucorrhea with excess itching

-         Violent itches upward in the vagina from uterus to umbilicus

-         Painful vagina especially on coitus

-         Low back aches all the while, must press the back against a firm surface

-         Must sit crossed legged to prevent protrusion of private parts or thus she feels

-         Relaxed pelvic organs

-         Swollen labial folds

-         Leucorrhea may be present in lumps at times

-         Worse in forenoons and evenings

-         Better by firm pressure, warmth of bed, limbs drawn up

10. Iodum-

-         Excessively acrid leucorrhea that corrodes the linen and thighs

-         Thick, slimy discharges

-         Wedge-like pains across the ovaries (more on right-side)

-         Cross and restless patient, always excited

-         Always hungry yet with emaciation

-         Easy sweating

-         Worse exertion, night, heat in any form

-         Better by bathing, movement