Practical homeopathy newsletter

WINTER
 
COLDS
The symptoms of a cold arise when the immune system is trying to resolve a viral infection of the membranes that line the nose. These membranes become inflamed and produce a watery discharge in an attempt to wash the virus away. There is also sneezing, which can spread the virus if not caught in a handkerchief. If immunity is low, infection can spread to the sinuses, throat, larynx, windpipe or lungs causing sinusitis, middle and inner ear infections, tonsillitis, laryngitis, tracheitis and bronchitis. Recurrent colds are usually a sign of a weakened immune system, perhaps due to stress or poor eating habits, and constitutional homeopathic remedies may help to reduce a person's susceptibility to these infections.
 
A mild cold can be a good sign that the immune system is working well and that the body is having a bit of a "clear out". In these cases, if the person is experiencing only a few symptoms, it is best not to interfere with the healing process. However if symptoms persist and mood, sleep and/or appetite are affected, then a well indicated homeopathic remedy may help the sufferer. Consider:-
 
ACONITE - a single dose at the first sign of a cold or sore throat may stop them progressing. Particularly indicated after exposure to cold, dry winds. Comes on quickly, often at night and the person may be restless and anxious.
 
ARSENICUM - eyes and nose run with a watery, burning discharge. The area under the nostrils often looks burnt/sore. The lips may crack and bleed and the sufferer feels worse in the evening.
 
BRYONIA - symptoms develop slowly and the person feels off-colour for a few days before the cold starts. Cough, and headache made worse by coughing. Person has a dry mouth and is very thirsty. Irritable - wants to be left alone. Symptoms worse for the slightest movement.
 
PULSATILLA - Colds with thick yellow-green catarrh. Nose is blocked indoors but runs (and so feels better) outdoors. Sufferer wants lots of attention and sympathy - they are miserable, whiney and tearful.
 
NUX VOMICA - nose often runs during the day but is blocked at night making sleep difficult. Sufferer feels chilly with frequent sneezing and watery eyes. Often appear very irritable and critical.
 
GENERAL ADVICE FOR COLD SUFFERERS;-

  • Rest as much as possible.
  • Drink plenty of fluids.
  • Eat light healthy food (if appetite allows) - soups, raw fruit, vegetables.
  • Notice whether dairy products increase mucus production and if they do, decrease these during the cold.


SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER SYNDROME (SADS)
Is a disorder in which the mood of the affected person is said to change according to the season of the year. Typically, with the onset of winter, there is depression, general slowing of mind and body, excessive sleeping and overeating (often a desire for carbohydrates and sweet foods) with consequent weight gain, anxiety and loss of libido.
 
SADS occurs throughout the northern and southern hemispheres but it is extremely rare in those living within 30 degrees of the equator, where daylight hours are long, constant and extremely bright.
 
Apart from SADS, others may experience a drop in mood in the early months of the year as an anti-climax after the festivities of December and the New Year.
 
It is hard to see yourself objectively when you are feeling low and self-prescribing is not recommended for this sort of state. Homeopathy may help a person suffering in this way.
 
SPRING
 
EXAM STRESS
This has probably affected everyone at some time in their lives. The pressure to perform well can lead to anxiety, worry, insomnia and to physical symptoms such as digestive upsets, skin conditions and even bed-wetting in children. Life is full of tests - from exams to change schools, through qualifications, job interviews, driving tests, stage fright... And many people have nightmares for years afterwards, reliving the ordeal. So the stress can affect someone before, during and after the event.
 
Homeopathic remedies can help a person suffering with the symptoms of such stress. In order to choose the correct remedy, it is important to consider how the sufferer is reacting to the stress both emotionally and physically. The following remedies can be bought over the counter, but if symptoms do not improve in a day or so, consult a professional homeopath. This is particularly important if physical symptoms such as skin complaints or palpitations develop.
 
ARGENTUM NITRICUM - people needing this remedy are quick, impatient and impulsive - they tend to act first and think later. Punctuality is important to them and they like arrive early in order to steady their nerves. They are "highly strung". They tend to live in the future during exam time and fantasise about how wretched their lives will be if they fail. The more anxious they become the more hurried they feel and can start to walk and talk more quickly than they did before.
 
They can suffer from panic attacks and claustrophobia but definitely feel better when they have people around them who can listen to their fears and reassure them. In extreme cases they can have palpitations which become worse the more they think about them. There can be such a fear of failure that they stop revising altogether and find it impossible to start again. Inside they are panicking and the feelings are so overwhelming that they can't concentrate on anything else.
 
When feeling particularly anxious they crave sugar, which aggravates their digestion causing diarrhoea and flatulence. When the exams are finally over they don't feel elated but exhausted and worn out.
 
GELSEMIUM - is a good remedy for people who feel almost paralysed - both mentally and physically - before the important event. They go into the examination room and start to feel dull and heavy and unable to collect their thoughts. Their legs may even start to tremble and they may feel an urgent need to go to the toilet. These can be students who study hard and then don't turn up for an exam because they think they are going to fail. They lack confidence and have negative thoughts. It is a good remedy to think of for stage fright when an actor can't remember lines and feels that their legs are turning to jelly off-stage.
 
LYCOPODIUM - for hardworkers who tend to over-prepare for an exam. They have low self-confidence and they over-compensate by working harder than their fellow students in an effort not to be found out. Their big fear is public speaking which petrifies them and they may start to sweat profusely even thinking about it. Although they are nervous about not performing well on the day, when the exam actually starts they feel much better and usually do well.
 
Symptoms are often worst between 4pm and 8pm and if they have missed a meal - anxiety goes straight to their stomachs - and they feel better if they eat something. It is an important remedy to help ambitious people with anticipatory insomnia.
 
BACH FLOWER RESCUE REMEDY - as an emergency measure, add a few drops to a small bottle of water, shake it well and sip it whenever you are feeling anxious. It can help you feel calmer.
 
POST-VIRAL ILLNESS
Sometimes, when you suffer from a bacterial or viral illness, the effects can be long-lasting. This is often the case after mononucleosis (glandular fever). The persistent illness is known by many names - post-viral syndrome, myalgic encephalitis (ME), chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) or "yuppie flu". After the acute illness, the person never seems to recover fully and feels generally unwell, has fatigue, headaches, body aches and exhaustion.
 
It is quite normal to feel tired and lethargic after an acute illness and, in most cases, these symptoms will disappear after a few weeks. However, if symptoms do persist, homeopathy can help the sufferer. With this type of condition and the usually low reactive power of the patient, it may take a while for the person's energy and sense of well-being to increase, but it is worth persevering.
 
This is not an illness that you can self-treat with homeopathy as it is hard to see yourself objectively when you are feeling low. A professional homeopath has a clear perspective and can monitor progress and change remedies as the condition alters and becomes less severe.
 
SUMMER
 
HAY FEVER
The discomfort and misery of hay fever, or allergic rhinitis, can last from about April to September each year. Symptoms can include prolonged bouts of sneezing, itchy and runny eyes, a throat and palate that are congested and itchy, and a constantly dripping nose. The membranes lining the respiratory tract become swollen, red and inflamed.
 
Hay fever is triggered by pollens or allergens. The body reacts in an effort to neutralise and expel them. Most conventional treatments include anti-histamines which can have the major side-effect of causing drowsiness. Homeopathic remedies may successfully help a person suffering with hay fever symptoms. Some useful remedies are detailed below.
 
A long term strategy can be to see a homeopath during the winter when the condition is dormant. Homeopathy may help to increase the body's natural resistance so that it can become less sensitive to outside factors - be they allergens or germs. The hay fever symptoms may gradually reduce until they are no longer a problem in the summer months
 
Your homeopath will aim to match an acute remedy to your symptoms very closely, but the remedies below may help people with their own particular symptoms of hay fever:-
 
ALLIUM CEPA - eyes water and smart and become light-sensitive. Much watery, burning discharge from the nose with bouts of sneezing. Symptoms are better in the open air and worse in a closed warm room, especially in the morning. Sometimes the nasal discharge leaves sores on the nostrils and upper lip. Irritable sore throat.
 
DULCAMARA - the trigger is often newly mown grass. Profuse, watery nasal discharge with repeated sneezing. The eyes ache and have a thick yellow discharge. Symptoms are worse in the open air, especially if the weather changes to cold and wet, and better for going indoors to a warm room. Feels better to keep the head warm.
 
EUPHRASIA - when the problem is centred on the eyes, which swell, are red and itch and discharge yellow acrid mucus. They feel worse from warm wind and air and better for being bathed in cold water.
 
GELSEMIUM - red, swollen tired eyes which are heavy and droopy and the sufferer looks and feels listless and giddy. The skin can feel dry and hot with small itchy spots. Much sneezing and the nose runs with a watery, acrid discharge - it can even feel as if hot water is coming out of the nose. The symptoms can make a person feel shaky and weak.
 
SABADILLA - frequent bouts of sneezing. The nose itches and tingles with a thin and copious acrid discharge. Symptoms can be triggered by the smell of fruit or flowers. Headache around eyes and sinuses. A feeling of something in the throat can cause repeated swallowing.
 
Other remedies to consider: Arsenicum-album, Pulsatilla and Wyethia.
 
GENERAL ADVICE FOR HAY FEVER SUFFERERS;-

  • Increase fluid intake to replace that lost in watering eyes and nasal discharges.
  • Rinse the eyes and nose with sterile water to dilute the pollen.
  • Inhaling steam can help relieve swollen airways.
  • Try to take the indicated acute homeopathic remedy as soon as you feel your hay fever starting.


HOMEOPATHIC FIRST AID FOR THE TRAVELLER
Small boxes of remedies for travellers are available (links), which can be an economical way to buy a relatively large number of useful remedies. These kits give detailed instructions about choosing remedies and how to take them.
 
Try the following for people with a FEAR OF FLYING;-
 
ACONITE - terrified even thinking about flying. They may be helped by taking a dose before they get to the airport and then by taking frequent doses throughout the flight.
 
ARG-NIT - fear of heights or of being enclosed within the plane. Goes weak at the knees and may suffer wind or diarrhoea.
 
GELSEMIUM - gets mentally or physically paralysed and 'goes cold'. Trembling and weakness of the knees. May work better than alcohol!
 
KALI-MUR - try a single dose for someone with the first sign of any EARACHE CAUSED BY IN-FLIGHT CHANGES IN AIR PRESSURE.
 
For JET-LAG, a dose of ARNICA before, during and after the journey may make a person feel less disorientated. If somebody feels that their sleep has been disturbed due to travelling through different time zones, and wishes to restore their normal sleep patterns, they may be helped by COCCULUS.
 
AUTUMN
 
SORE THROATS AND TONSILLITIS
The symptoms of a sore throat can vary from person to person but often include pain on swallowing (food, liquids or 'empty' swallowing), redness, dryness, fever and exhaustion. The glands in the neck are often swollen and there can be white spots or ulcers on the throat or tonsils.
 
Carefully chosen homeopathic remedies may help someone suffering with the symptoms of a sore throat and may speed recovery.
 
To choose the most appropriate remedy, it is important to consider what has changed for the sufferer - for example, whether they are feeling pain on a particular side of the throat, their thirst, appetite, temperature and perspiration, their mood... It is also important to consider what improves their symptoms or makes them worse. All these can narrow down the search for the most appropriate remedy.
 
It is best to receive constitutional support from a professional homeopath for recurrent sore throats or tonsillitis. The remedy may help to decrease susceptibility to these conditions.
 
Some common remedies for sore throats include:
 
APIS - throat is red and swollen. The mouth and throat are dry but there is very little thirst. The throat can feel constricted. Worse for warmth - warm room, warm bed, warm drinks. Better for cold, open air.
 
BELLADONNA - may start suddenly after being out in a cold, dry wind or from getting the head wet. The throat throbs and looks very red and there may be a painful, burning feeling. The glands feel swollen and tender. The pain is often worse on the right side and is worse for swallowing drinks. The pain may radiate up into the right ear on swallowing. The patient feels hot and feverish, although there may be a complete lack of thirst.
 
LACHESIS - pain often starts on the left and then moves to the right. The throat may look purple in colour and the pain can feel better for swallowing solids. Drinking and 'empty' swallowing are particularly painful. Unfortunately, the patient can have a constant desire to swallow because they feel that there is a lump in the throat. They dislike anything touching the throat and feel better for fresh air.
 
MERC SOL - raw, sore throat with lots of saliva, bad breath, sweatiness and thirst. Throat is often ulcerated and there may be a metallic taste in the mouth. The pain can shoot into the ears on swallowing and the patient may feel worse in the evening and for cold damp weather.
 
It may help to gargle with a salt or salt-and-Hypercal solution. For the latter, dissolve one teaspoon of sea salt in a quarter of a pint of hot water. Allow it to cool to a manageable temperature, then add 40 drops of Hypercal tincture and gargle as frequently as necessary.
 
SELF-PRESCRIBING
A good way to get used to homeopathy is to get a homeopathic First Aid Kit and to experiment with the remedies inside it for minor problems and injuries. Treat the sort of conditions that are probably going to get better anyway, with or without treatment, but could be cleared up much more quickly with the correct homeopathic remedy. For example, if your child falls over and bruises their leg badly, a few doses of Arnica could speed up recovery.
 
It is wise to visit a professional homeopath if there is something wrong that just is not getting better or if you are constantly swapping one set of symptoms for another. Emotional symptoms are just as important as physical ones - for example, feeling permanently stressed or unable to get through a grief. Or you may feel that what is wrong is vague - for example, constant tiredness, difficulty concentrating or the feeling that something is not right.
 
It takes years for a homeopath to be trained, and knowledge and experience are needed to decide the appropriate remedy to help a person with anything other than a superficial complaint. Homeopaths consider people individually and so what will help one person will not necessarily work for another person.
 
HOW TO TAKE A REMEDY FOR AN ACUTE COMPLAINT

  • Select your remedy to match symptoms and choose the potency - the 6C is the weakest, the 12C stronger and the 30C the strongest. Start low.
  • Do not touch the pillule. Tip one into the cap and then straight into your mouth. Do not swallow it but allow it to dissolve under your tongue. Try to avoid eating or drinking for 20 minutes before and after the remedy, but if this is not possible, don't worry too much. For babies or young children, it is best to crush the remedy between two spoons and shake that powder into their mouth.
  • Give up to 3 doses of a remedy as needed (approximately 20 minutes apart). If there is no change at all, it is probably the wrong remedy.
  • If there is a change for the better, continue with that remedy but maximise the time between doses.
  • If there is a real improvement, stop the remedy completely.
  • If symptoms return after improving, repeat the original remedy.


HEALTH INSURANCE POLICIES THAT COVER COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES
For a regular monthly payment, claim back some or all of the consultation fees. Policies vary but it is worth having a look at the following that all cover homeopathy, as well as other therapies:-
 
H.S.A. - www.hsa.co.uk (0800 072 6712)
Healthsure - www.healthsure.org.uk (0800 169 6989)
HealthShield - www.healthshield.co.uk (01270 58855)
 
If you would like to discuss how homeopathy could help you or have any questions, do contact me on 020 7813 9490 or email mary@acanthushomeopathy.co.uk