Dr Vikas Sharma Blogs on Homeopathy
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Autism Treatment Until recently Autism was something that only highly specialised neuro-development experts had heard of. Not many knew about this disease. Not even general physicians knew much about it though Kanner (an American psychiatrist) had first observed this disorder in 1943. But what is worrisome is the rate at which it is coming up.
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Homeopathic Remedies for ADHD
Prescribing of Homeopathic Remedies for adhd is generally based on idiosyncratic characteristics of an individual but if one is to be favoured for treating a large number of ADHD(attention deficit hyperactive disorder) cases, Tarentula Hispana should be that one.
Hyperactive kids requiring homeopathic remedy Tarentula often have extreme restlessness and compulsion to hurry. Their legs are in motion, and they have a lot of trouble sitting still. The desire to run about, the urge to dance and to jump up and down are usual for them. Great, fantastic dancing! Loss of all sense of shame. Sudden and violent, or sly and destructive movements – well, these are clear features of this medicine. One particular symptom that distinguishes Tarentula is its strange relation to music. Violence is a strong feature of the remedy – violence with anger! His clothing strikes him. He strikes his attendants and best friends!
One more symptom that distinguishes homeopathic remedy Tarentula is its strange relationship to music. Sometimes music ameliorates all the symptoms and at other times it aggravates them. The child becomes violently excited after listening to music.
Can all hyperactive children be lumped together under one diagnostic category? Can a child, who lashes out in a violent manner at his family members and peers, fit into the same diagnostic group as a sweet gregarious one who simply cannot pay attention to the work in the class? A homeopath would say that both temperaments are as different as day and night and would prescribe very different medicines. Individualization stands as a key point in homeopathic treatment.
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What perplexes most of the patients who suffer from the IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) is the fact that even though there are no pathological changes present in their gastrointestinal tract, they still suffer from the disease. So, how is it that the disorder which produces diverse symptoms such as diarrhoeas, constipation, excessive gas feeling and even severe cramping pain does not show any anatomical changes?
The answer lies in the fact that this disorder is a functional disorder which means that the bowel doesn’t work as it should. It is related to how the intestinal tract contracts and pushes the food forward. The irritable bowel syndrome is a problem with the intestines. In people with IBS, the intestines squeeze too hard or not hard enough and cause food to move too quickly or too slowly through the intestines
How is IBS diagnosed?
As the IBS has no pathological findings, the physician bases his diagnosis on the symptoms as told by the patient, still the physician may need to do certain tests to rule out other ailments. The symptoms that indicate the IBS are bloating and gas, constipation, diarrhoea, especially after eating or first thing in the morning, Feeling the need to have a bowel movement after already having one, feeling a strong urge to have a bowel movement, abdominal pain and cramping that may go away after having a bowel movement
What causes the IBS?
It remains a mystery as to how the IBS develops. Research suggests that the large intestine of those who suffer from this disorder is more sensitive and reactive than usual to a wide range of things which include certain foods and stress.
For example, people who suffer from bloating after eating usually assume that there is too much gas in their abdomen, but it is the increased sensitivity of their intestine to the stretching caused by small amounts of gas. Diarrhoeas in the IBS are caused by increased contractions of the intestines resulting from a trigger factor such as a particular food substance or stress.
Food triggers mainly include milk products, chocolate, alcohol, caffeine, carbonated drinks and fatty foods. In some cases, simply eating a large meal will trigger symptoms Stress, anxiety and strong emotions also affect how intestines contract. In stress or anxiety they contract too much or too little, resulting in symptoms of the IBS.
Homeopathy takes a different route in treating this disorder. It takes a holistic approach by studying the emotional and physical make-up, also keeping in view the symptoms of the IBS presented by the patient. It is this well-rounded approach that gives homoeopathy better success in treating this disorder. Argentum nitricum, colocynth, sulphur, and nux vomica are the leading homoeopathic medicines that are used in treating this disorder.
Managing IBS
*The best way to handle the irritable bowel syndrome is to eat a healthy diet, avoid foods that seem to make you feel worse and find ways to handle your stress.
*Eat varied foods, including those high in fibres and avoid food that is rich in fat. Fibre reduces IBS symptoms – especially constipation – because it makes stool soft, bulky and easier to pass.
*Large meals can cause cramping and diarrhoea in people with the IBS. If this happens, break your meals into five to six small meals in a day.
*Drink plenty of water in a day.
*Learn new and better ways to deal with your stress. Meditation, yoga, exercise and counselling are some of the things that might help.
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will it be beyond belief if someone told you that he or she feared his or her own voice? More astonishing, if a homoeopath had a specific medicine for this symptom listed in his book! Along with 400 different fears with near specific remedies, you will find this symptom in the Complete Repertory. Unquestionably, the instance exemplifies homeopathy’s perception or understanding of the intricacies of the mind. More common fears are social phobia, agoraphobia (fear of open spaces or crowds), claustrophobia (fear of closed places) and acrophobias (fear of heights). Social phobia, also called social anxiety disorder, involves overwhelming anxiety and excessive self-consciousness in everyday social situations.
People with social phobia have a persistent, intense and chronic fear of being watched and judged by others and being embarrassed or humiliated by their own actions. The fear may be so severe that it may interfere with work or school, and other ordinary activities. Many people with social phobia recognise that their phobia is an exaggeration. But they may be unable to overcome it. They often worry for days or weeks in advance about a dreaded situation. Argentum Nitricum, Lyssin and Gelsemium lead the homeopathic table in treating social and agorabhobias.
Claustrophobic individuals are fearful of closed and narrow spaces, making themselves unfit for travelling in tunnels and lifts and working in basements. Homoeopathic medicines, Lycopodium and Pulsatilla, are asked for treating this situation.
Life can be very distressing for people suffering from acrophobia (fear of heights). It can be seen in Alfred Hitchcock’s classic “Vertigo’. Poor Madeliene! For sure, a dose of Argentum Nitricum would have changed the course of the story – yes, perhaps!
Treating phobias requires a deep insight into the case; do consult your homoeopath before using any of these medicines
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FOR Mrs Verma (not her real name) this was very strange, her elder daughter had shown no signs of it while she was growing up. Her son Ravi, who had just turned three, was developing an altered behaviour pattern. He was like a tornado moving around the house, running around frantically, climbing, breaking things, not listening, restless and inattentive. Putting him in bed for sleep was a major task and also the night wouldn’t be quiet either. He would constantly squirm and move around in bed.
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Neurosis is a broad category of pyschological disturbance, encompassing various mild forms of mental disorder – anxieties, phobias, obsessions and symptoms relating to post traumatic stress disorder. People with acute anxiety attacks (panic disorder) have a feeling of terror that strikes suddenly and repeatedly with no warning. Many persons experiences a sense of impending death or doom and violent palpitations have a feeling of losing control in an extreme way.
One may genuinely believe at one is having a heart attack or a stroke, going insane, or being on the verge of death. Panic disorder is well treated with homoeopathic medicine Aconitum Napelus and Arsenic Album. Aconite cures more panic disorder cases than any other homoeopathic medicine. The main features that indicate the use of Aconite are fear, restlessness, suddenness and violence. The action of the heart is so overpowering that the fear of death is marked. Such severe is the fear that at times the patient may even ”predict the time of death”.
Arsenic Album is recommended for those persons who are deeply anxious about their health and extremely concerned with order and security. Attacks often occur around midnight or in the very early hours of the morning. The victims feel exhausted. They can be restless – fidgeting, pacing and anxiously moving from place to place. If indicated, 30c potency of the above-mentioned medicine can be taken four times a day for a period of 15 days. One dose can be used to control the situation as soon as one notices the first symptom of the panic attack.
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Neurosis is a broad category of pyschological disturbance, encompassing various mild forms of mental disorder – anxieties, phobias, obsessions and symptoms relating to post traumatic stress disorder. People with acute anxiety attacks (panic disorder) have a feeling of terror that strikes suddenly and repeatedly with no warning. Many persons experiences a sense of impending death or doom and violent palpitations have a feeling of losing control in an extreme way.
One may genuinely believe at one is having a heart attack or a stroke, going insane, or being on the verge of death. Panic disorder is well treated with homoeopathic medicine Aconitum Napelus and Arsenic Album. Aconite cures more panic disorder cases than any other homoeopathic medicine. The main features that indicate the use of Aconite are fear, restlessness, suddenness and violence. The action of the heart is so overpowering that the fear of death is marked. Such severe is the fear that at times the patient may even ”predict the time of death”.
Arsenic Album is recommended for those persons who are deeply anxious about their health and extremely concerned with order and security. Attacks often occur around midnight or in the very early hours of the morning. The victims feel exhausted. They can be restless – fidgeting, pacing and anxiously moving from place to place. If indicated, 30c potency of the above-mentioned medicine can be taken four times a day for a period of 15 days. One dose can be used to control the situation as soon as one notices the first symptom of the panic attack.
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Disc or more appropriately intervertebral disc refers to the pad of fibro cartilage lying between vertebras. Vertebras are bone in the back stacked one above the other, 33 of them in all. Each intervertebral disc lies between two vertebrae or in other words, separates two vertebrae. There are 23 intervertebral discs in total. These cartilaginous pads act as shock absorbers whenever excessive stress or strain is put on the spine. An intervertebral disc has two parts – thick outer fibrous ring called annulus fibrosus and inner gel-like material called nucleous pulposus. Disc bulge refers to bulging out of the intact disc from its normal space. Although disc bulge can arise in any part of the spine, it is most common in the lumbar and cervical spine. A person may have single or multiple disc bulges at varying levels in the spine.
Disc bulge can be treated with excellence under the Homeopathic mode of treatment. Mild to moderate cases of disc bulge have a good chance of complete recovery with Homeopathic medicines. In severe cases of disc bulge, symptomatic relief can be expected with Homeopathic medicines. In such cases, symptoms of back pain, tingling, numbness and weakness in limbs can all be managed successfully. Among the most well indicated Homeopathic medicines for disc bulge, the major ones are – Rhus Tox, Hypericum Perforatum, Colocynthis, Magnesium Phos and Paris Quadrifolia.
Various factors can cause a disc bulge. The first among them is age. With advancing age, the discs start to lose their elasticity and lubricating fluid and become brittle, making them bulge out. Injury to the spine can also cause a disc to bulge as also repetitive bending of the back. Lifting heavy weights is another major risk factor. Being overweight also puts a person at a higher risk of disc bulge.
The first visible symptom of a cervical disc bulge is pain in the neck. The pain may travel to the shoulders, arms and down to the hands and fingers. When a disc bulge pinches upon a nerve, it leads to numbness, tingling, formication in the upper limbs. Weakness of upper limbs may also be present.
A person having lumbar disc bulge may not experience any symptom at all. Where symptoms do show up in lumbar disc bulge, the first among them would be pain in the lower back. The next symptom that is likely to arise from a lumbar disc bulge from nerve pinching is pain in the lower back that radiates down the lower limbs. The pain radiating from lower back to the lower limbs is termed as sciatica. Sciatica can be right or left sided. Numbness, tingling, weakness of the lower limbs are yet other accompanying symptoms.
Investigation to confirm disc bulge includes MRI of the back. It will reveal the exact location of the disc bulge and the nerves that are affected.
No, it is not mandatory for all disc bulge cases to feel pain. Many persons have disc bulge without even knowing that they do as they never experience any symptoms.
No, disc bulge and disc herniation are not the same. Disc bulge simply refers to bulging out of the intact disc from its normal space. In disc herniation, there is a crack in the outer fibrous layer of disc that makes the gel-like material inside the inter vertebral disc ooze out.
Although disc bulge can arise in any part of spine, it is most common in the lumbar and cervical spine.
Yes, cervical disc bulge can cause numbness and tingling in hands. These symptoms arise due to pinching of the nerve from disc bulge in the cervical region. However, similar symptoms may arise due to other medical conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome and peripheral neuropathy as well. Further investigation would be required to confirm disc bulge.
Disc bulge is one of the major causes leading to lower back pain. However, it is not the only cause of lower back pain. It can arise due to several other reasons including degeneration of the disc, muscle sprain, muscle spasm in the back, osteoarthritis, spondylolisthesis and osteoporosis.
Yes, Homeopathic medicines offer great alternative to surgery in treating lumbar disc bulge. Mild, moderate disc bulge cases show complete recovery with Homeopathic medicines. Severe disc bulge cases, too, can be symptomatically managed with Homeopathic mode of treatment.
Yes, disc bulge can be cured with Homeopathic medicines. However, the results vary as per the severity and intensity of the case. Depending upon the severity of the case, either complete cure is possible or Homeopathic medicines can provide symptomatic relief from disc bulge.
Homeopathic medicines Rhus Tox, Paris Quadrifolia, Colocynthis and Magnesium Phos rate among the most effective for treating disc bulge.
Neck pain from cervical disc bulge can be treated very efficiently with Homeopathic medicine Rhus Tox.
Paris Quadrifolia is the best choice of Homeopathic medicine for treating pain in the neck and numbness in hands from cervical disc bulge.
Kalmia Latifolia is the prominently indicated Homeopathic medicine for tingling in the upper limbs from cervical disc bulge.
Yes, Homeopathic medicines can treat your lower back pain from disc bulge at L4-L5 level. Rhus Tox and Aesculus Hippocastanum remain the most effective and reliable Homeopathic medicines for treating lower back pain from disc bulge.
Among the wide range of Homeopathic medicines for treating right-sided sciatica from disc bulge, the most beneficial is Magnesium Phos.
Yes, Homeopathy offers a wide range of medicines to treat left-sided sciatica arising from disc bulge. The most significant among these is Homeopathic medicine Colocynthis.
The most appropriate Homeopathic medicine for treating sciatica attended with numbness from disc bulge is Gnaphalium Polycephalum.
Yes, Homeopathic medicines can significantly treat disc bulge arising from injury. In my clinical practice, Homeopathic medicines Hypericum Perforatum and Rhus Tox have shown great results in such cases.
For your lumbar disc bulge arising from lifting heavy weight, Rhus Tox is the most suitable Homeopathic medicine.
Rhus Tox is one of the top grade Homeopathic medicines for disc bulge cases. Rhus Tox offers great help in disc bulge in the cervical and lumbar region. The key symptom signalling use of Rhus Tox is severe pain in the neck or lower back as per the region of disc bulge. The person who needs Rhus Tox may feel relief in pain with pressure or from massage. Others may feel better with movement or while walking. Another indicative feature for using Rhus Tox is worsening of lower back pain while sitting and while at rest. Rhus Tox is also very useful for disc bulge arising from lifting heavy weights or from injury.
Paris Quadrifolia is an excellent Homeopathic medicine for treating cervical disc bulge. The chief guiding feature for selecting Paris Quadrifolia is pain in the neck and numbness in upper limbs. Numbness may be felt in the arms, hands or fingers. Pain in the neck may travel down the arms. Feeling of weight in the neck and across the shoulders is another attending feature.
For cervical disc bulge with tingling, pricking sensation in the arms or hands, Kalmia Latifolia is a most reliable and effective Homeopathic medicine. Weakness in the hands may also arise. Pain from neck travelling down the arms is a key symptom where Homeopathic medicine Kalmia Latifolia will show best results.
Aesculus Hippocastanum is a very significant Homeopathic medicine for treating lower back pain from disc bulge. The pain in lower back may radiate to hips. The person needing Aesculus Hippocastanum may feel the pain worsen from walking or stooping. Rising from a sitting position is also very difficult for persons requiring Aesculus Hippocastanum. There is the sensation as if the back might break.
Magnesium Phos is a prominently indicated Homeopathic medicine for lumbar sacral disc bulge, especially where accompanied by right-sided sciatica. The person needing Magnesium Phos feels pain in the lower back radiate down the hip, leg and down to the foot on the right side. The nature of this pain may be shooting, sharp, stitching or cutting type. The person needing Magnesium Phos may feel relief from applying pressure on the painful area.
Colocynthis is an excellent Homeopathic medicine for treating lumbar disc bulge where the main compliant is left-sided sciatica. The major symptom is pain in the lower back extending down the hip, leg and foot on the left side. The character of the pain may be cramping, shooting, lightening and shock-like or tearing in nature. Pressure and warm applications may relieve the pain. Lying on the left side may also provide relief.
Gnaphalium Polycephalum is a very suitable Homeopathic medicine for disc bulge where sciatica, attended with numbness in lower limbs, is the chief symptom. Pain in the lower back radiates down the lower limbs along the course of the sciatic nerve. The person may feel better by flexing the thigh on abdomen.
For disc bulge resulting from injury, Homeopathic medicines Hypericum Perforatum and Rhus Tox come highly recommended. Hypericum Perforatum is given in case of violent, sharp pain in the lower back following injury. Walking and stooping is impossible and cause violent pain. It is also indicated for pain shooting up the spine and down the limbs. The person who needs Hypericum Perforatum may also have neck pain. The neck may be extremely sensitive to the touch from cervical disc bulge following injury. Movement of arms worsening neck pain is also a sign that Hypericum Perforatum is the choice of Homeopathic medicine. Hypericum Perforatum is also the medicine to use for tingling and burning in the limbs from a pinched nerve in the back. Homeopathic medicine Rhus Tox is indicated for disc bulge of both cervical as well as lumbar region. In case of cervical disc bulge, it is useful when neck pain gets better with heat or massage. In case of lumbar disc bulge, Rhus Tox is considered if the lower back pain gets better with movement or hard pressure.
Some basic lifestyle measures, if adopted, will be of great help in managing the disc bulge complaint:
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HAHNEMANN not just discovered a healing principle but also a law governing the relationship between all drugs and all diseases. Unfortunately, his breakthrough was glossed over. Since its inception homeopathy has been a victim of perpetuated prejudice. A bias which has become compulsive or, should we say, pathological, pathobias. Homeopaths have spent a great deal of energy on fighting conventions. One reason for this may reflect genuine incredulity that conventional physicians can apparently claim to help the ailing humanity and yet reject, seemingly out-of-hand, a new system of therapeutics with an excellent clinical track record. To homeopaths this seems, perhaps, illogical.
There is a plethora of biases aimed at eclipsing homeopathy’s great ability to treat chronic disorders. A situation that indirectly adds to the list of biases is a “write-off” by a conventional physician, even when homoeopathy could actually cure. But more often than not, it is a blind belief in the write-off which actually results out of conviction with which the patient is made to believe. Another fallout of this situation is that one realises the value of homeopathic treatment after losing the precious time when the treatment could have been most effective. By all this, I mean to say that homeopathy is far more effective in many cases that are generally termed as “incurables” if used properly and in time. However, one must that there are “incurables” for homeopathy too!
The second most important bias is that of homeopathy is “slow”. Often I have seen that it is this kind of silly syllogism that supports it – if homeopathy is slow in treating asthma, a chronic disease, it is going to be slow in treating every chronic disease! Funny logic! Isn’t it? Another reason is that the time involved is compared with that of conventional system of medicine, little realising that the level at which homeopathy works is way apart as it aims at rooting out the disease and not suppressing it.
Homeopathy is neither slow nor fast. It is a natural system, obeys the laws of nature and takes optimum time to cure. Well, the treatment of chronic diseases depends on innumerable factors patient compliance, extent and intensity of damage, age, nature of previous therapies, the physician’s competence, etc.
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Migraine is not a serious disorder but can seriously cripple one’s ability to live life normally. The unpredictable nature and the severity with which the headache comes on, affects one’s life in many ways. It brings about lower tolerance levels for frustration, noise and fatigue. Fiction writer Carol Lewis is said to have created those strange characters and bizarre sensation in her book, Alice in Wonderland,” during the migraine attacks that she suffered. Just a small comfort for those suffering from migraine. They join the club with many well-known intellectuals like Charles Darwin, Sigmund Freud and Thomas Jefferson.
How does a migraine attack differ from an ordinary headache?
Common headache, often called tension headaches, are usually of mild-to-moderate intensity, and have no such symptoms as nausea and visual disturbances associated with migraine. They generally occur as isolated incidents. Migraine is a headache of a severe type and tends to recur. The pain is usually confined to one side of the head but may eventually spread to the other side. It may be accompanied by nausea and vomiting. Classical migraine is differentiated from common migraine by the presence of a condition called aura.
Aura is an occurrence of neurological symptoms 10-30 minutes before the classical migraine attack. Symptoms such as flashing lights, double vision, zigzag pattern, mental fuzziness and mood changes are a part of it.
What are the causes of migraine?
The pain during the migraine attack is usually caused by the dilation of the arteries (vessels carrying blood) and an increase in the blood supply to the particular area in the head. This is in response to an initial contraction of the arteries caused by the trigger factors.
What are the common trigger factors?
Stress, emotional disturbances, tobacco smoke, fasting-hunger, lack of proper sleep, excessive tea or coffee intake, foods containing monosodium glutamate, hormonal changes, weather changes. Genetic predisposition is supposed to play a major role.
Homeopathy can treat the disease effectively, though it may take some time before the recurrence of headache are completely stopped. It also depends on the factors such as patient compliance, medicine intake regularity, knowledge and avoidance of trigger factors and the chronicity of migraine attacks.
With the correct prescription, one may slowly notice the problem receding, the attacks becoming less frequent and also their decreasing severity. Sanguinaria, Nux Vomica, Iris and Spigelia lead the homeopathic table in treating this disorder.
Another medicine that needs a special mention is Epiphegus, because the symptom it treats are so often found in patients, especially women. Headache comes when one deviate from one’s normal routine. It is made worse by going out in the sun, by any exertion.
Prevention tips
Keep a headache diary: This may help you in identifying the trigger factors such as foods, activities and weather
Exercise regularly: Regular exercise, yoga and relaxation techniques such as meditation can also be of great help.
Keep regular sleep patterns: Sleep adequately. Sleeping too much or too less can trigger migraine.
Watch out what you eat:Foods such as caffeine and Chinese foods that contain monosodium glucamate and chocolates cheese are well-known trigger factors.
Eat regularly: Fasting is a very common trigger in many people. If it is such a factor for you too, make sure that you eat at regular intervals.
This feature ( authored by Dr. Vikas Sharma ) was earlier published in The Tribune(north India’s largest circulated daily newspaper). Dr. Vikas Sharma is regular Homeopathic columnist for The Tribune. mail him : vikas@drhomeo.com
