Helen Saunders, RSHom LCH Registered Homeopath

Homeopathy News

Homeopathy News 14 - Spring/Summer 2010

Subjects Covered: Can Homeopathy help with the Menopause
Do you suffer with PMS?
First Aid Corner - Cystitis

Can Homeopathy help with the Menopause?

Yes, it certainly can. With many women now thinking twice about HRT, Homeopathy can provide a safe and effective treatment for menopausal symptoms.

Going through the menopause involves a process of change - and every woman experiences this transition in a unique and individual way.

Whilst a lot of women sail through the menopause and look foward to the next stage of their lives with renewed vigour, many dread reaching the transition and find the symptoms really affect their day-to-day lives.

Timing is such that many women are also facing "empty nest syndrome" as children become more independent and start to leave home. This can leave women feeling empty and questioning what is next?

Homeopathy is effective at helping women cope through the menopause, both emotionally and physically.

Most of the symptoms of the menopause such as hot flushes, fatigue and mood swings are temporary. However, osteoporosis ("bone thinning") which effects some women, is the one effect of the menopause which is permanent and turns women to treatments such as HRT. Again, homeopathy coupled with good dietary and supportive advice such as doing weight bearing exercise can minimise the effect osteoporosis can have on the body.

Other physical symptoms can include urinary disorders, stress incontinence, vaginitis and thrush. Dietary and lifestyle advice can also help here in conjunction with homeopathic treatment. Even skin care advice is given as women tend to feel their skin is drier as they go through this phase of their lives.

What is the menopause?
The menopause itself is the point at which a woman has her last period because her ovaries have stopped producing eggs.

It starts with the peri-menopause, which can commence as early as the age of 35 and is the beginning of hormonal changes in the body. It can be a start-stop process that may take many months or years. 'Climacteric' is another word for this period.

The ovaries production of oestrogen slows down during the peri-menopause. Hormone levels fluctuate and it can often cause more intense emotions than those experienced during adolescence.

Women in peri-menopause have reduced fertility but they are not infertile. For most women the perimenopause will last for 2 to 3 years, though for some it lasts as long as 10 to 12 years.

Women reach menopause at different times. The timing does not seem to be related to any particular factor such as race or how many pregnancies they may have had. The average age is 51 and the range can be between 45 to 55.

A Patient's experience of Homeopathy for the Menopause

MB - Aged 52

I had a hysterectomy at the age of 47 suffering with endometriosis and fibroids causing heavy bleeding and painful periods. I was prescribed HRT after that as I was suffering hot flushes, palpitations and severe migraines. The HRT caused a lump on my breast and chest pains. I was told to stop it after 6 months. This is when I turned to homeopathy and found Helen who actually listened to me and helped me through a difficult time. She has reduced my Hot flushes, the palpitations have gone, the migraines are a lot better and the lump has disappeared. I don't honestly know what I would have done if I hadn't gone to Helen. I strongly recommend her.

Do you suffer from PMS?

Pre-menstrual syndrome affects a large number of women. It is estimated that between 70 to 90% of women suffer each month with symptoms that can include breast tenderness, mood swings, cravings, lack of energy, irritability, etc. 40% of women have symptoms so severe they interfere with daily life. The condition is given the title syndrome because 150 different symptoms have been attributed to it. A woman is more likely to suffer from PMS if any of the follwing apply: she is in her 30s or 40s, has 2 or more children, her mother suffered from it, has recently suffered hormonal upheaval - having a baby, termination or miscarriage or sterilisation, or has experienced several pregnancies in quick succession.

Homeopathy is effective at treating women with PMS/PMT. Both the emotional and physical symptoms of the condition can be addressed.

A Patient's Experience of Homeopathy

Homeopathy can be extremely effective and powerful at treating all sorts of problems, especially those problems where conventional medicine deals only with the symptoms, not the underlying cause. I have suffered for years with PMS, and it has been extreme in recent years. Being fit and active and eating a healthy diet all helps, but it hasn't eradicated the PMS. Taking the homeopathic remedy recommended by Helen calmed my symptoms and enabled me to bring back some control of my life at those times of month. And once the correct remedy is found, it simply entails taking one or two pills. For such problems, there's not much to lose and there's a lot to gain in trying homeopathy.

First Aid Corner - Cystitis

With this edition being focussed on women's health the subject of First Aid Corner is a condition which seems to affect women more frequently than men, Cystitis. Acute cystitis can be treated very effectively with homeopathic remedies. However, it is important to recognise that if you are prone to constant bouts of Cystitis (or other urinary tract infections) then it is important that you seek professional help from your doctor and from a professional homeopath.

There are several remedies that can be used for Cystitis. Causticum and Staphisagria are featured here.

Causticum is indicated if there is burning pains during urination, there is a frequent urge to urinate but on attempting to do so the person has difficulty passing water or can't pass any water at all. However, there may be involuntary urination when coughing sneezing or blowing the nose.

Staphisagria is indicated if you notice that your cystitis comes on after sex. It may have followed a sense of being assaulted either physically or emotionally where your own feelings and/or needs were not expressed.

WHY NOT CALL THE NUMBER BELOW FOR HELP WITH YOUR CYSTITIS.

HOMEOPATHY AWARENESS WEEK - 14TH TO 21ST JUNE - HOMEOPATHY AND WOMEN'S HEALTH

During Homeopathy Awareness Week I will be offering an introductory 10% off my first consultation fee for any new patients who are treated during this period or who book their first appointment for the future during this period.