Childhood Conditions Treated Online in this Cyberclinic
Fever* ear infection, cough, cold, flu Cough* cold, flu, croup, whopping c. Rash only acute allergic Rx or bites Injury* small cuts or bruises Infections* chicken pox, measles, mums, etc. Constipation Crying in babies Nosebleeds Bedwetting Diarrhea* Night Terrors Fears Sleeplessness restless, wakeful sleep Women's Conditions Treated Online in this Cyberclinic
Hot flushes Infections genital or urinary tracts Constipation Diarrhea IBS Fatigue Anxiety Insomnia Low libido Eating disorder * online we can only treat conditions that do not require immediate heroic measures and hospitalization (i.e., infections like pneumonia or meningitis). Homeopathic medicine, however has an excellent track record of cure of many life-threatening childhood infections, but in this case you must find a doctor in your area to treat your child at her or his bed side. For lists of homeopaths in your area visit Other Lands or ask Marcia.
Baby With Colic
Question:
My three-week-old baby seems to be unable to tolerate his formula. Almost as soon as he finishes his bottle, he curls up into a ball, gets very red, and starts screaming. There is nothing we can do to make him feel better; he screams even more angrily if we try to comfort him. He cries until the next feeding.
Homeopathic doctor: It looks like your baby needs Colocynthus for his colic. If this homeopathic remedy only works for a short time and the condition returns a few days after each administration, you should seek a constitutional treatment for him.
Very often new mothers choose a bottle in favour of breast milk because they are susceptible to the propaganda of the manufacturers of breastmilk substitutes, and they lack the support of health care practitioners and members of their own families. Where breastfeeding is concerned, everyone seems to be an expert, and everyone wants you to stop nursing. As a result, our babies suffer serious and unnecessary damage by ingesting fluids that neither God nor Nature intended for them. Remember, there is always a possibility that you can recommence breastfeeding with the help of some herbs, hormones, homeopathy, and a willing baby. For more information on that see our Lactation page.
Naturopathic doctor: Often, colicky babies feel a little better if firm pressure is applied to their tummies; that is why your baby curls and brings his knees up. Perhaps, when you pick your son up to comfort him, you inadvertently straighten his legs. Try wrapping a warm towel around his belly and press him firmly against your chest. Let him sleep on his stomach if he likes it.
It may also be a good idea to try smaller and more frequent feedings. Use the nipple with the smallest hole you can find and burp him very frequently during a feeding to avoid his swallowing too much air. Feed your baby on demand, not at a certain hour of the day, and don't let him get very hungry as he will then drink too quickly. Also, try changing his formula; find out if human milk is available in your city.
Child psychologist: This condition may be the result of several factors which cause your son a great degree of frustration. First of all, make sure your son feels comfortable during the feeding; never leave him alone with a bottle, and never fight with your family while holding your child. Secondly, examine your own feelings and state of mind. Anger is a very powerful emotion that is often felt in the abdomen.
Discuss with your family or a professional your feelings about your pregnancy, labour, and motherhood. Is there anyone who helps you with your baby? Is his father involved? How do you view his participation? A little child, who is totally dependent on you, easily perceives your emotional state and may, in turn, experience fear, anger, or anguish as a result of your turmoil or suffering. If you know that there is a problem, consider treating yourself homeopathically too; homeopathy can often heal deep emotional wounds. Come and share your feelings with us in our Chat Valley.
Postsurgical Recovery
Question:
"Our eleven-year-old daughter was born with hip problems and over the years has had a number of corrective surgeries. These surgeries improved her abilities and considerably raised her self-esteem.
Unfortunately, now, when everyone expects her to keep up with her friends, and to be able to walk and run easily, she hasn't the energy to do so. This problem has crept into her life very gradually. Although her surgeons and physicians deny it, it seems that after every surgery she has had less and less energy, and for a while she even lost her will to live. During the past year, since her last surgery, she has mostly stayed at home and watched TV after school; on weekends, she has trouble getting out of bed at all, preferring to sleep all day long. This worries us a great deal.
Since her doctors could not help her—and even referred her to a psychiatrist, who was no help either—we turned to alternative medicine. The results are still not very encouraging. She has been taking many good vitamins and natural herbs that stimulate healing. She looks a little rosier now, but her depression and fatigue have not diminished. Is there anything you can recommend? At this point we are beginning to be afraid for her life. Please, help."
Homeopathic doctor: Even though many natural products can boost the immune system and help speed up the recovery from an injury, there is another important aspect of surgery that should not be overlooked. Modern plastic and reconstructive surgery can be considered perhaps one of the greatest human achievements. Advanced surgical techniques can bring great benefits—but only if the body can recover from the surgery itself. The process of recovery involves physic (the science of drugs and medicinal agents), and in this area allopathic medicine falls far behind homeopathy.
As well as causing necessary damage to the tissues, which must heal afterwards, surgery also injures parts of the central nervous system, due to the lasting effect of anaesthetic drugs used in almost every surgical procedure. Homeopathic physicians have learned through their studies that this damage is similar to the effect that phosphor and its compounds produce upon the nervous system. Homeopathy is the science of Similia: it seeks therapeutic principles by observing such similarities and applies these principles consistently to achieve its beneficial results. Homeopathic physicians therefore use phosphoric acid in the treatment of patients recovering from major surgery. Phosphoricum acidum—the homeopathic preparation of this substance—is the medicine recommended for fatigue and depression following surgery or any prolonged illness that has involved considerable loss of body fluids.
Homeopathic phosphoric acid is also used to treat severe states of depression caused by the loss of a loved one; it is recommended for a bereaved person who becomes more and more withdrawn from life, and who may prefer to stay in bed, watching TV all day long, or just lying, face turned toward the wall.
To aid recovery from a surgery, we recommend the following protocol:
Postsurgical Recovery Protocol
1. Give repeated doses of Arnica montana, in high potencies, as soon as possible after the surgery. (Do not hesitate to talk to your surgeon about this: many do not object to homeopathy, and others, perhaps, may be led to appreciate how homeopathy can complement surgical techniques.)
2. Follow Arnica with Phosphoricum acidum, in high-potency dosages, on the second day.
3. On the third day following the surgery, give two or three doses of Hypericum to help heal the tissues that were cut or punctured during the surgery and to restore damaged nerves. Hypericum is often more effective than morphine as a painkiller; it is excellent for dental surgery. (In an ideal world, every dental office would be stocked with Arnica and Hypericum. Hypericum, since it heals injured nerves, is also the drug of choice for coccygodynia, a pain in the "tail bone" from which women may suffer for years after giving birth.)
4. Several days after the surgery you can begin to treat the recovering person according to his or her current state of health which would be revealed by his or hers signs and symptoms. If soreness predominates or bleeding is persistent, repeat Arnica as necessary, or follow it with Sulphuricum acidum. For a persistent bruised feeling in the joints try Ruta graveolens; but if the pain is deep inside the body in chest or pelvic organs, Bellis perennis is needed. If the bruising is very extensive and dark, give repeated doses of Ledum. For surgery involving bones or eyes, administer Symphytum. If the person complains of stiffness or pain on getting out of bed or beginning a movement and becomes sensitive to weather changes, give Rhus toxicodendron. When the surgical procedures involve considerable stretching of tight narrow tissues, as in cauterization or cystoscopy, use Staphysagria.
Sore Nipples
A woman, who has been a patient in our clinic for some time, phoned to say that she had just became a grandmother for the first time. The excitement was mixed with some worry, however, as her daughter was having a very difficult time nursing her newborn. The grandmother knew a little homeopathy and had already given her daughter Phytolacca and Bryonia with very little improvement.
The pain was quite severe, causing the new mother to cry and fear each approaching feeding. Both nipples and breasts were very tender, nipples were cracked and so sensitive that even the touch of clothes or air, blowing from a heater, were causing her great discomfort. In fact, her entire skin felt very sensitive to touch, she complained of a "bad" feeling in her skin. She was also extremely chilly (since the time before delivery, when she caught a little cold), very irritable, and wanted to drink lemonade.
Two doses of Hepar sulphuris put an end to her trouble.
Swollen Breasts
A young woman came in with a very fussy two-week-old baby who nursed constantly. Her nipples very cracked and bleeding and she was very discouraged. The breasts had hard swollen lumps under the nipples; this area also appeared dark red and hot. She only experienced pain at the beginning of each lactation, but it was quite strong. It seemed that the breasts were very full of milk which the baby was not able to get out due to a very poor latching. This was causing the ducts to block and inflame. The bleeding was probably due to the fact that her little son sucked on the nipples instead of the surrounding area. After being taught a better nursing technique, the mother was given Phytolacca to help heal the breasts. She had to repeat it for a few weeks until she and her baby were able to establish comfortable and productive nursing.
Morning Sickness
A young woman came to us with terrible morning sickness. This was her first pregnancy; she "never expected it to be so bad." She experienced almost constant nausea with occasional vomiting and was unable to eat. We gave her a dose of Ipecacuanha 30C at the office, which made her feel much better immediately, and told her to repeat it at home when necessary.
However, the following week she came back, complaining that her nausea returned with a vengeance. At that appointment, we learned that her husband is a chef. Her sense of smell had become so exaggerated with pregnancy that, unless he took a shower as soon as he came home, the smell of food emanating from him made her nauseous. (They stopped cooking at home because of her extreme sensitivity to smells.) We gave her a dose of homeopathic Colchicum 1M and soon her nausea became bearable; it gradually disappeared within two weeks.
Panic in Labour
At the very beginning of her labour this patient became extremely frightened. Gelsemium 200 C was administered and her anxiety subsided significantly. Shortly after, however, she started shivering. As her contractions grew stronger and more frequent, the shivering intensified to the point where her whole body was violently shaking; her teeth chattered so much that she was unable to talk. This condition made her anxious again; she was worried that she would not be able to push.
She did not want to be touched or caressed by her family; she felt smothered. As her fear grew, she believed that something horrible is going to happen to her. She wanted to run away from the labour room because she was sure she was going to die there. She was restless and wanted to move around, but her shuddering confined her to bed. She was also very afraid of the pain but was reluctant to admit it, since she did not want to traumatize her daughter, who was present. A dose of Aconitum 1M stopped her shivering and put her mind at ease. The rest of the labour and delivery was fast and efficient.
Postpartum Depression
A young woman, a writer with a very challenging and interesting career, had recently given birth to her second child. She came to our office because she felt overwhelmed by her duties. Even though her daughter is only three months old, she cannot wait to go back to work, to escape the housework, the constant demands of her children and husband, a workaholic who "is never there for" her.
After reviewing her history and symptomatology, we prescribed two doses of Sepia 200C, taken a day apart. Her depression and anxiety disappeared almost completely during the next month, and, since she no longer felt overwhelmed by her children, she decided to stay with them and, later, take a part-time job working from home. She and her husband started marital therapy, and she brought him to us for a treatment as well. (We gave him Aurum metallicum.)
Excessive Enlargement of the Womb
The following case is a rather charming period piece about a Victorian woman whose health was severely compromised by doing just what was expected of her. Written by one of the best-known British homeopaths, J. Compton Burnett, MD, this case presents a triumph of homeopathy in the service of humanity. The article is excerpted from Burnett’s book Organ Diseases of Women. As you can see, the subject matter is still as significant today as it was a century ago.
Two or three years ago—rather more, perhaps—a lady resident in London was in the habit of consulting me about her skin and about her children’s ailings. We had many friendly chats, and latterly she was often tearful and seemingly in much distress.
What is the matter? said I.
Oh! my favorite sister is so very ill, the doctors have but very little hope of her.
This kind of thing recurred repeatedly, and finally she told me that all the doctors had decided that nothing but a very severe operation would now avail anything, and arrangements had been made to have it carried out forthwith and rooms had been engaged off Cavendish Square for the purpose.
Great operations on women are common enough, and I did not heed the lady’s laments very much, and I should not have done so had she not broken down with grief, and begged me to see whether the terrible operation could not be averted.
"They are going to take the whole womb right away, it is so big that the body cannot contain it, and all the five doctors declare that is the only thing that can be done."
It was arranged that the patent should be brought to me on the following Monday, the operation being fixed for Tuesday. Mrs. John X., a mother of six children, aged 38, was brought to me in July 1892. She came—was brought that is—merely to please her heartbroken sister, and to prove to her that nothing could possibly be of any service save the formidable operation to be performed next day. Briefly, it was a case of a hugely hypertrophied uterus, that was so much in excess of the space Nature had for its storage, that the unfortunate lady could do nothing whatever, and it was barely possible to even keep the immense mass somewhat propped up with the aid of a very large pessary. The womb had been scraped by one eminent surgeon, systematically curetted by another, and vigorously cauterized by a third, but seemingly only got bigger.
There had been at one time a severe rent in the womb at one of her confinements; later on there was adherent placenta, and thereupon followed divers flooding, till, when I examined her, the uterus was big, hard, heavy, and thick. Patient was well preserved in person, and quite free from disease in the ordinary sense, and, in fact, apart from the huge uterus, she was fairly well herself, except that she was pale and anaemic from her too frequent periods. I had the very greatest difficulty to persuade the lady that I thought medicines would quite cure her, and that such a terrible mutilation of her person was not necessary.
"But the operation is fixed for tomorrow morning!" "'What if it is? Have it put off; at any rate." "But I have come all across the world for the purpose of having the operation done; its too late to alter now."
The lady could not be persuaded to have the operation postponed, inasmuch as she had come over on purpose, and she had been terribly tortured with her poor womb, and she had borne the long voyage bravely, in the joyful anticipation of being finally rid of the unbearable burden for good and all.
"How old are you ?'" said I. '"Thirty eight," "And your husband, is he a worn-out old man ?" "Oh dear, not at all: he is really a young man still, and very strong." "And you are going to have yourself thus mutilated—you with a strong young husband?"
The contemplated operation was abandoned for a time to see whether our medicines would do any good. I removed the pessary and ordered the lady five drops of the strong tincture of Fraxinus Americanus three times a day in water. In a week already the operation given up provisionally; in three all idea of an operation was given up as certainly needless, and in seven weeks the patient could and actually did go to Scotland, and there took long walk on the moors without even a backache. The womb had simply diminished to about its normal volume, and gravitated back into its proper place—and this under the sole influence of one medicine only—viz., the Fraxinus Americanus at first in five, then in six, and latterly in ten-drops doses.
More than three years later—December 1895—an aunt of this lady called upon me on her own account, and on my inquiring after my Fraxinus patient, she exclaimed, "Oh! she is splendid, and her social duties are very heavy, owing to her husband’s official position. Nobody can understand it."
No physician can demand a better clinical result than this and my contention that organ remedies cure organ diseases stands again confirmed; and I again contend that it lies within the homeopathic sphere of influence. Not that I claim to hold a brief for homeopathy; if homeopathy be not the very best thing in drug therapeutics, then it be swept away; only it seems to me that organopathy and elementary homeopathy are identical and that, what is healthier for the person, that shall sweep homeopathy away, is not yet planted. Whether it lies within homeopathy, as I contend, or not, it is true—very true at the bedside—and that is good enough for me. It will not cure constitutional disease at all, whose environment is the macrocosm, but it sets right the relationship of the organ to the microcosm of the organism.
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