HOMEOPATHY FOR HEAVY BLEEDING DURING MENSES or MENORRHAGIA

It is the passage of more than 80ml of blood each period, which is seldom realistic or practical, so doctors rely on the woman's description of her period.

This is a very common problem seen in menstruating women of all ages. At times the cycles are irregular but more often than not, they are regular but the bleeding is excessive. Apart from a lot of discomfort it can also lead to anaemia due to blood loss. 

Periods are considered heavy when:

·         A woman bleeds for more than 8 to 10 days, especially if this is repeated month after month.

·         A woman bleeds so much that it is difficult for her to attend her job. She may be forced to plan her holidays and leisure time according to the timings of her period.

·         The bleeding is continuously so heavy that the woman becomes anaemic.

·         The presence of other than small clots for more than one or two days suggests heavy periods.

Causes

·         Hormonal Imbalance during adolescence or menopause; Temporary hormone imbalance in younger women, which eventually  corrects itself.

·         Uterine Fibroid

·         Cervical and endometrial polyps

·         Pelvic inflammatory disease

·         DUB: Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding. This refers to heavy bleeding with no apparent explanation.

Management

·         If a woman is experiencing heavy or irregular periods that are interfering with her quality of life, then she should consult a GP or gynaecologist.

·         Blood tests to look for a bleeding disorder, anemia, or thyroid disease

·         Pelvic examination

·         Pelvic Ultrasound scan and pelvic biopsy to rule out any abnormality with the cells of the lining of the womb.

·         A hysteroscopy, which uses a small telescope to look inside the uterus.

Allopathy offers hormonal treatment which only temporarily keeps the problem under control but with a lot of side-effects of the hormones. But the condition can be cured with about 6-8 months of homeopathic treatment.

Commonly used homeopathic medicines / remedies for excessive bleeding during periods / menses are: Sepia, Caulophyllum, Secale cor, Sabina, Melifolium, Hamamelis, Trillium pendulum,Cyclamen etc.

HOMEOPATHY FOR MENOPAUSAL TROUBLES

Menopause is the period in a woman's life when menstruation stops.

Natural menopause is recognized after 12 months of amenorrhea that is not associated with a pathological cause. The average age of menopause in the United States is 51. The last few years prior to menopause, also called the climacteric, menstrual cycles become irregular in many women

Some women adapt very well to the physical & psychological changes associated with menopause while others face a range of problems with varying severity & may need treatment for the same.

Symptoms: All the symptoms faced during the menopausal period are due to hormonal changes occurring in the body associated with menopause. 

Some of the common complains are:

·        Hot flushes and / or Cold flushes

·        Depression,

·        Mood Swings, sudden tears, irritability,

·        Irregular Periods, Menstrual Irregularities,

·        Loss of Libido i.e. decreased sexual desire,

·        Dryness of vagina

·        Fatigue: It is one of the most common menopause symptoms. The patient experiences an ongoing and persistent feeling of weakness, tiredness, and lowered energy level.

·        Hair Loss or Thinning, Head, Pubic, or Whole Body and Increase in Facial Hair

·        Joint pains,

·        Weight Gain

·        Increased perspiration

·        Palpitations

·        Headaches

·        Incontinence, especially upon Sneezing, Laughing, Urge Incontinence

Management

·        Most of these are treatable with some counseling & medicines. 

·        Biopsy: In case of irregular menses with very heavy bleeding which does not stop without the help of hormonal treatment a biopsy is advised to rule out a cancer, but the biopsy reports often point to a hormonal cause.

·        The patient is then subjected to a curettage & put on a course of contraceptive pills all with the aim of controlling the bleeding but the problem usually recurs within 2-3 months. 

·        Removal of Uterus: As a last resort the patient is then advised removal of the uterus.

·        However, homeopathic treatment can often avoid the surgery apart from curing the other above mentioned problems without the use of HRT.

Common used homeopathic medicines / remedies for menopause related problems / menopausal complains are : Cimcifuga, Graphites, Ignatia, Lachesis, Pulsatilla, Ignatia, Sepia, Conium, Gelsemium etc. 

HOMEOPATHY FOR LEUCORRHOEA (WHITE DISCHARGE)

Leucorrhoea is secretion of excessive white discharge through the vagina.

Normally an increased secretion is observed during the mid-cycle i.e at about 12th-15th day after the menses & lasts for 3-4 days.

Symptoms

·         This is a normal phenomenon & does not need to be treated if it causes no symptoms, like itching of the private parts or burning while passing urine. However if the symptoms are present or if the discharge continues longer than normal it needs to be treated. 

·         In case of advanced, chronic inflammatory conditions of these organs, it leads to discharge with pus, offensive in odour and colour varying from cream to yellow or light green.

·         In addition to the whitish discharge from the vagina, the patient of Leucorrhoea feels weak and tired. She also suffers from pain in the lumbar region and the calves and a dragging sensation in the abdomen.

• constipation
• frequent headaches 
• intense itching and
• Burning while passing urine

Causes

In virgins, the cause is usually poor personal hygiene,  irritation of the genital organs caused by various factors such as dirt, soiled under garments, intestinal worms and excessive mental stimulation of sex or masturbation.

In sexually active women, it could be due to a 

·         fungal infection acquired during intercourse,

·         Any uterine,cervical or vaginal infection,

·         Retained contraceptives, tampons,

·         Any local applications,

·         General ill-health,

·         Diseases like diabetes &

·         Uncommonly form uterine diseases like fibroids.

Management

Thorough history & examination is a must to trace the cause before treatment can begin. This is an absolutely curable condition with no serious implications for the future.

commonly used homeopathic medicines/remedies for leucorrhoea are: Alumina, Borax, Kreosote, Mag carb, Merc sol, Sepia, Pulsatilla, Medorrhinum, Ammon mur etc.

HOMEOPATHY FOR IRREGULAR PERIODS

Many young girls often complain of irregular menstrual cycles. There is no fixed duration between any 2 consecutive cycles. At times it is 1-1/2 months while at others it is even 3 months. As a result the bleeding pattern also varies. The cause is either anovulatory cycles or the improper functioning of the hormonal axis which works in a switch-on, switch-off manner ensuring regular cycles. Investigations in such cases are usually normal. Allopathy offers no treatment, but homeopathy has very high cure rates .The duration of treatment is usually 6 months.

Commonly used homeopathic medicines / remedies for irregular menses / periods are: Sepia, Cimcifuga, Natrum mur, Pulsatilla, Calcarea carb, Lycopodium, Graphites, Ignatia etc.

HOMEOPATHY FOR FIBROIDS

Fibroids are non-cancerous growths in the uterus. They can occur in the wall of the uterus or inside the uterine cavity, in the cervix (the part below the uterus) or at times even on the outer side of the uterus. They are usually made of the muscle tissue of the uterus & some blood vessels. They are often asymptomatic & usually go undetected till they start producing symptoms.

Symptoms

·         Most women with uterine fibroids have no symptoms or just mild symptoms and do not need treatment.

·         Painful menstruation, heavy bleeding during menses: Excessively heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding is a common symptom. Passing blood clots and being unable to leave the house during the heaviest day of flow. As a result, may lead to anemia, also known as a low blood count.  Anemia can cause fatigue, headaches and lightheadedness.

·         Pelvic Discomfort — Women with large fibroids may feel heaviness or pressure in their lower abdomen or pelvis. Often this is described as a vague discomfort rather than a sharp pain. Sometimes, the enlarged uterus makes it difficult to lie face down, bend over or exercise without discomfort.

·         Dull pain in the pelvic region: Usually, the pain is localized to a specific spot and improves on its own within two to four weeks. However, chronic pelvic pain can also occur. This type of pain is usually mild but persistent and confined to a specific area.

·         Bleeding in between 2 menstrual cycles

·         Bladder Complaints: The most common bladder complaint is needing to urinate frequently due to pressing of fibroid against the bladder. Occasionally, women are unable to urinate despite a full bladder.

·         Infertility can be a Serious complication.

·         Interference with the growth of the fetus during pregnancy & could also cause problems during delivery.

·         Other complications could be infection, severe haemorrhage or occasionally it may develop into cancer.

Management

Allopathic treatment usually consists of surgery as there is no medical cure for it, but homeopathy can avoid surgery especially if treatment is begun before the fibroids become too large.

Common used homeopathic medicines / remedies for fibroids are:Conium, Hydrastis, Hydrocotyl, Merc sol, Nitric acid, Trillium pendulum, Thlapsi bursa pestoris

HOMEOPATHY FOR PAIN DURING MENSES/ DYSMENORRHOEA

Dysmenorrhoea means painful periods.

Primary Dysmenorrhoea : Normal menstruation that happens to be painful .

Secondary Dysmenorrhoea: Period pain caused by certain reproductive disorders, such as endometriosis or fibroids.

This problem is faced by about 10% of the female population.

Symptoms: Pains of dysmenorrhoea can  include:

The pain ususally starts either with the onset of menses or 1-2 days before it.

The first 24 hours is the most painful

 Pain low in the abdomen that can spread to the lower back and legs

 Pain that is gripping or experienced as a constant ache, or a combination of both

 Clots are passed in the menstrual blood.

Causes:

Primary dysmenorrhoea:  In patients who have no other uterine disease, the cause could be either a narrow cervical opening or excess of certain hormones or simply severe spasms of the uterus.

Secondary dysmenorrhoea: Other causes could be, uterins problems like fibroids, use of intra-uterine contraceptive devices, uterine infections or some diseases of the ovary.

Management

• A short history & examination followed by a sonography of the pelvis is sufficient to locate the cause. Usually when no disease is found & the cause seems simply hormonal, the following can be done to get temporary relief.
•  Bed rest during the first day or so of the period
•  Applying heat, such as a hot water bottle, to the abdomen
•  Regular exercise and attention to overall physical fitness.
•    Relaxation techniques
• Homeopathic intervention: But homeopathic medicines if taken continuously for about 4-6 months could cure the problem permanently.

commonly used homeopathic medicines remedies in dysmenorrhoea (menstrual pains) are: Belladonna, Borax, Cactus, Caulophyllum, Coccus, Pulsastilla, Secale cor, Vibernum, sabina, Mag phos.