Canadian Study Suggests - Relationships are The Key to Teenagers' Mental Health!

The latest study in Canada has proved that the various relationships surrounding the teenagers are the key to their future mental and emotional health. Well, long before this study was done too, we knew this. But this study should pave way for our better adjustment in the society and prevention of ruining the relationships at the drop of the hat. It is often said that it takes long to build a relationship and just almost nothing to break it.

It may be the relationship between spouses, friends, elders at home, or with certain societal groups. An equilibrium in our relationships is the key for our overall health. It is evident that when we have the best relations with our peers, we enjoy the most stress-less periods of our life. Many times, this is also the healthiest period of our life. Even if you are not so relations-pro individual who believes in maintaining closeness to his kin, at some level he or she comes across a dilemma that pressurizes him to take the first step to mend fences. Only then he can live in mental harmony.

The reason to stress this fact is also its importance in homeopathy. In homeopathic case history, we often ask about the patient's relationship quotient. The excessive sympathy or absolute indifference both are important in homeopathic prescription. One thing is sure though. Have always observed that people who are close to their family members are often open individuals that give good details in history taking. But people that sway away from their family are often the individuals that are hard to open up. It is our homeopathic remedy that slowly but surely helps them open up and take account of their haphazard life.

In case of teenagers when their physical and mental health is undergoing lots of changes, it is imperative that they find relationships either a burden or the catharsis, as their constitution allows them. The surroundings of this youth plays a pivotal role in their future goals, ambitions, and realization of sensitivity towards fellow human beings.

The "FAMILY" is the vital system that shows the young champs right way to propagate their bubbling energies. At the end would like to quote the 'conclusion' this Canadian study has come to.

John Freeman, director of Queen’s social program evaluation group, Canada, says, "No matter how mental health is measured and no matter what interpersonal relationship is concerned, adolescents with positive interpersonal relationships tend to fare better in terms of mental health." (Source- http://thechronicleherald.ca/canada/63465-study-relationships-key-teens-mental-health) 

Homeopathic Aspects of Dealing with Acute and Chronic Disorders and How Our Ancestor Homeopaths Have Done Enormous Work for Us!

{For health queries, mail to- contact@drshreya.com} 

Since I began my practice of homeopathy, every day I am awestruck at the usefulness and wide array of application this science presents to us. Even if I look at this science and art of medicine from a distant perspective (not as a homeopath), we can perceive that it is one of the most accurate modes of therapy that exist today.

No other mode of therapy gives so much importance to the subjective symptoms of the patient as does the homeopathy. The objective symptoms no doubt are visible and quite conspicuous for furthering our therapeutic acumen. But the subjective symptoms that vary from person to person so widely are recognizable as the “symptoms of that individual” in homeopathy alone. This is equally applicable in acute as well as chronic disorders.

That is the reason we often see that an expert handling of a case is must in homeopathy. The homeopathic physician must be aware of the common signs and symptoms of the disease as well as the peculiar symptoms of a particular patient that distinguishes him homeopathically from many others. These set of distinguishing features in a patient constitute the totality of symptoms in that individual. The SIMILLIMUM must be accurate to deal with these specific set of characteristic symptoms so that the patient is cured totally.

In chronic cases especially, we homeopaths often come across this magic of constitutional dosages. Through the practice, I have come across this peculiar and beautiful aspect in homeopathy that unless we give constitutional approach to each and every chronic case, we CANNOT cure the patient of his or her malady. And this perception after a few years of haphazard practice (when we are too enthusiastic to look for the core constitution) increases our belief in homeopathy’s therapeutic action.

Frankly enough, in early practice when I used to come across such magic cures (or so they seemed then) with the constitutional medicines, I used to cry with joy and utter respect for the stalwarts in homeopathy that have proved such marvelous medicines and presented us with the accurate materia medica we can rely upon. It’s not a joke to prove thousands of medicines and give so very accurate physical and mental symptoms that are produced by different attenuations of homeopathic remedies. Today our job (mostly) is just to match those drug symptoms with disease symptoms. If we fail doing even that, it is our and the patient’s tragedy.

When today I teach my students, they often ask, “How can we remember so many symptoms of different remedies?” But looking back at how we began and developed ourselves, I feel there is no alternative. If you want to be a fast prescriber, there is no alternative to learn and distinguish different drugs from each other. No doubt today’s advanced repertories (and software) help us largely to do this job. But repertories are the tools that help us propagate through our materia medica with ease. But the ultimate guide is our materia medica that has the finer nuances of each and every polychrest remedy. Also I personally feel that the beauty of homeopathy can be perceived only by studying in depth various materia medica and not repertory. Repertory is a guide; materia medica- the source book!

Therefore, we should stress more on studying the materia medica books and applying them in the sick. While doing that, sticking close to the basic principles of homeopathy (that have remained the same since centuries) is must. Miasmatic differentiation is also must while dealing with chronic intractable cases and only a thorough constitutional history since the childhood of the patient (or even before that) can guide us through the case.

Even for acute cases, acute totality of the case must be studied in order to find the simillimum suited at that particular time. The rules of minimum and necessary repetitions must be followed along with the rules for appropriate dosages.

Prima facie, this may sound complicated. But a thorough study of homeopathy as regards its principles, application, and philosophy makes it easy. Ask a person who passionately studies homeopathy. He will tell you, “Nothing is as rewarding, entertaining, and enlightening as the study of homeopathy!” 

Ear Troubles and Homeopathy

Have you ever thought how dull this world would be if you wouldn’t be able to hear? You wouldn’t hear the cute voice of your child, lovely whisper of your spouse, the sound of wind and leaves, sound of the rain that makes you excited from within, so on and so forth. No doubt ears are as important sense organs as eyes. And therefore due care of our ears is necessary in order to have this faculty of hearing well for years to come. For those who don’t know, ears not only help us in hearing but they are one of the prime organs that help us to have a balanced gait.

However, it is often seen that we are least bothered for our ear-health as compared to the health of other organs like eyes. We take their functions for granted. And that’s the reason it is seen that most patients with ear problems report at much later stage to the doctors.  

Some of the common ear problems that occur in almost all age groups are—

1. Acute ear infections
2. Fungal ear infections
3. Wax deposition
4. Hearing difficulties
5. Boils in the ears
6. Otitis media (acute and chronic)
7. Skin problems near and around the ears (dermatitis, eczema etc)
8. Tinnitus (buzzing in the ears)
9. Meniere’s syndrome

Etc.

Before we proceed to how homeopathy can help in various ear infections, we should know the auxiliary factors about ear protection-

1. Never put any ear drops, oil, water, etc in your ears as a routine, unless suggested by your doctor. It never helps in relieving any ear condition but you lose your chances of faster recovery. Even in young children, the practice of putting warm oil in the ears should be condemned. Most fungal infections are the result of putting such liquids into the ears.
2. Do not blow your nose profusely. It creates pressure in the Eustachian tube that joins your nose and ears. When this pressure exceeds, your ears get the plugged sensation that you loathe.
3. Do not put any instrument in your ears to clean them. Even soft buds inserted deep inside can cause damage to the delicate ear drum.
4. Remember that some amount of ear wax acts as a protective barrier and should be kept intact. Dry ears lead to more problems.

Homeopathic Approach to Ear Problems—

Propensity to develop chronic ear problems counts in homeopathy. Therefore, as with any other bodily trouble, a homeopath considers it as a constitutional ailment and treats accordingly. But for acute infections and problems, one has to consider the acute totality of symptoms and treat the acute problem and/or acute exacerbation of chronic problem. Let’s see the homeopathic drugs and their symptoms for which we choose them in treating the ear troubles—

1. Aconitum nap-

-         Exposure to cold, windy weather if brings on sudden throbbing ear ache, before localization of inflammation takes place.

-         Fearful, agitated and restless patient

-         Ear ache may wake up the patient near midnight

-         High fever might be the concomitant symptom with thirst

2. Belladona-

-         Pain in ear come and goes suddenly

-         Red hot ear with throbbing pain

-         Feels as if fumes are emerging from ears

-         Usually accompanied by fever, flushed face, and heightened sensitivity to any type of noise and/or jar

-         Right ear affections

-         The child with ear ache can be very restless at night and even have nightmares

3. Chamomilla-

-         Extreme irritability associated with ear pain calls for this remedy

-         Child with ear pain often screams and hits

-         Heat in any form is intolerable

-         Aggravated in windy weather

-         One cheek is often hot and red

-         Swelling and heat in the ears drive the patient frantic

-         Stitching type of pains

-         Blocked feeling in ears

-         Ringing in ears

-         Worse in windy weather

4. Hepar sulph-

-         Scurfy eruptions on and behind the ears

-         Fetid discharge from ears

-         After allergic fevers, feeling of blockage or deafness

-         Pustular eruptions in the auditory canal and over the pinna

-         Advanced infections usually call for Hepar sulph

-         Stabbing type of pains as if a splinter is being driven in

-         Extremely sensitive to cold air; little draft aggravates ear trouble

-         Irritable with ear ache

5. Merc sol-

-         Chronic ear infections

-         Pus formation marked with yellow discharge

-         Extremely offensive and bloody discharge

-         Boils formed in the external canal

-         Shooting pains with roaring in ears

-         Problems in the bones of the ear to the point of necrosis

-         Very sensitive to extremes of temperature

-         With enlarged lymph nodes around the ears

-         Ear pain is worse at night and due to the warmth of the bed

6. Pusatilla-

-         Sensation in ears as if something is being forced out

-         Very effective remedy in recurrent fungal infections of ears

-         Thick bland ear discharge

-         Offensive odor of discharge

-         Hearing difficult as if being plugged

-         Red and swollen external ear

-         Acuity of hearing diminished

-         Ear pain worse at night

-         Ear troubles in patients with recurrent respiratory infections

-         Deep itching inside the ears

7. Merc dulcis-

-         Closure of Eustachian tube, due to which patient has blocked feeling

-         Otitis media chronic

-         Scrofulous children with recurrent ear problems

-         The tympanic membrane inflamed and thickened

-         Deafness due to recurrent infections

8. Salicylic acid-

-         Meniere’s disease.

-         Ringing, buzzing, and roaring in ears

-         Associated with vertigo

-         Deafness

-         Dyspeptic trouble is often the concomitant symptom

9. Verbascum-

-         Ear pain with sense of obstruction

-         Dry, scurfy ear canal

-         Can be used locally as Mullein Oil

-         Periodicity of ear symptoms is marked

Develop Your Ability to be Healthy!

Hello all,

It's been a while I was away from writing and updating my blog. But the work-flow was so much that I couldn't really pen down the write up for it. However, I cannot remain away from writing for long. I need to pen down what I feel. Kind of catharsis, you know...

Recently, I received a mail that said, "Many people are living healthily while on tablets. Stop telling people you can live healthily without taking tablets. This may misguide them and make them miserable in turn. In today's world, we cannot live without consuming tablets every day and this approach is necessary while dealing with our daily life."

Well, with all the due respect to the opinion, I need to clarify. I have always said (You can check any of the blog-posts earlier) that the one who is on tablets (Allopathic), especially the one with high blood pressure, high sugar levels, high cholesterol levels, and related medication, should carry on with the regime unabated till your homeopathic physician tells you to stop or taper. In almost all cases, we never stop the earlier medication altogether. We often ask the patient to taper off his medication if we find on examination (or with investigations) that he or she is able to cope with the situation without them.

That is one point. The next point is whether we can live without medication. With all trust in natural cures, I can say that yes we can. Here I do not mean just allopathic medication. I also mean Ayurvedic and homeopathic medication. I always trust that medication is for aiding the sick. It can never take the front seat of your life to ride you through the roads of life. And if you are dependent upon the medications, there is something grossly wrong. If such gross mistake does not exist in your health-plane, you can always restore back your ability to live healthily without depending upon medicines.

Shortly, the aim is to nurture the body's natural ability to get rid of wrong and embrace the right. Our body has the innate ability to get rid of the suffering. We should just boost this ability. Through right eating, right exercise, right thinking, and right handling of stress, this is possible. And if you blame less time for undertaking the healthier way of life, it's your ill-fate!

Don't you want to give your body a chance to prove itself? Don't you want to get rid of gulping tablets continuously and still feel ill at ease? Certainly not! That's the reason every prescription should contain the auxiliary regimen that the patient should follow in order to live healthily. The doctor should make sure that his patient is following the auxiliary regimen as well while taking his prescribed medicines.

Nowhere it can be justified not to live healthily because we cannot follow the right lifestyle. We can never justify our bad deeds, can we?