Abstract
Menopause is a natural process that occurs in women’s lives as part of normal aging. Many women go through the menopausal transition with few or no symptoms, wholesome have significant or even disabling symptoms.
Keyword
Menopausal syndrome,Homoeopathy,lachesis,sepia,graphitis, material medica,repertory.
Introduction
Menopause is defined as the time of cessation of ovarian function resulting in permanent ammenorrhoea.1The mystery and magic of menopause has to do with the fact that it can be very variable among women as to just when it happens, how it behaves, and how long it lasts. As women age, their health becomes a multidimensional issue influenced by factors such as career, changes in home life, diet and physical activity, the economy, society and the environment. These changes, together with the natural process of ageing and the hormonal changes in the reproductive system, affect the well-being of women. The complex, interrelated nature of the process often makes it difficult to distinguish between the symptoms of aging or those resulting from the loss of ovarian functions, and the factors arising out of socio-environmental conditions.
Menopausal syndrome is usually a very gradual process. Early indications can include hot and cold flushes, episodic weakness, emotional disturbances (especially a feeling of depression), excessive or scanty menstrual bleeding and short or prolonged bleeding, and the time between periods that range from a weak or so too many months. Symptoms may precede changes in bleeding by several years and may reoccur with decreasing frequency and severity years after all bleeding stops.
Homoeopathy is the safest treatment before, during and after menopause because it stimulates the natural hormonal balance without the use of harmful drugs. Constitutional Homoeopathic treatment is best during the transitional period of menopause in order to balance hormonal levels and cure the many accompanying symptoms.
Menopausal Syndrome
Definition-
Menopause means permanent cessation of menstruation at the end of reproductive life due to loss of ovarian follicular activity. It is the point of time when last and final menstruation occurs.2
Epidemiology
Ninety-nine physicians in 8 countries took part in this study and included 438 patients with an average age of 55. Homeopathic medicines were prescribed to all patients; 98% of the prescription lines were for homeopathic medicines. Lachesis mutus, Sepia officinalis, Sulphur and Sanguinaria canadensis were the most prescribed. A non-homeopathic treatment and/or food supplement prescribed for 5% of the patients. This observational study revealed a significant reduction (p<0.001) in the frequency of hot flushes by day and night and a significant reduction in the daily discomfort they caused (mean fall of 3.6 and 3.8 points respectively, on a 10cm visual analogue scale; p<0.001). Ninety percent of the women reported disappearance or lessening of their symptoms, these changes mostly taking place within 15 days of starting homeopathic treatment.7
Etiology
Menopausal symptoms are caused by the lack of estrogen. The female hormone. It is the increasing shortage of progesterone (Corpus luteum hormone) which accounts for major disturbances. In some cases the first climacteric afflictions such as hot flushes & mood swings are likewise attributed to the onset of changes in the hormonal balance. The shortage of hormones affects the hormonal cycles because of the failure functions in the feedback mechanisms.
The exhaustion of the ovaries is due to the reduced reactivity of the gonadotropins released by the pituitary gland as well as to a decrease in the follicles numbers which are responsible for the ovulation.
The age at which menopause is reached varies with geographical, racial, nutritional and other factors. It does not depend on the age of menarche, marital status and parity, use of hormonal contraceptive, smoking or occupation.3
Clinical Features
- Amenorrhea
- Hot flushes
- Insomnia
- Cardio vascular changes
- Osteoporosis4
- Irritability, Depression
- Lack of concentration
- Thinning, loss of elasticity and wrinkling of the skin
- Dyspareunia, Vaginal infections, dryness, pruritus.
- Urgency, Dysuria and Recurrent UTI.
- Tachycardia and a tendency to Hypertension; Palpitation.5
Investigation Of Menopausal Syndrome
History of various symptoms.
- General Examination – Include Blood Pressure Recording, palpation of the Breasts, Weight and hirsutism.
- Pelvic Examination.
- Blood sugar, lipid profile.
- Estrogen (E2) level, FSH
Conservational Approach: 6
- Hormone Therapy
- Vaginal estrogen
- Low –dose antidepressants
- Gabapentin
- Medication to prevent or treat osteoporosis
Homoeopathic Treatment
‘Samuel Hahnemann’ in aphorism 43 says……
No organ, no tissue, no cell, no molecule, is independent of the activities of the others,
But the life of each one of those elements is merged into the life of the whole. The unit of human
Life cannot be the organ, the tissue, the cell, the molecule, the atom but the whole organism, the whole man. He called the force which keeps the harmony in the different parts of the body as “Vital Force”, later changed to vital energy. He said in aphorism 9 as, “In the health condition of man the spirit like vital force the Dynamics that animates the material body, rules with unbounded sway and retains all the parts of the organism in admirable harmonious vital operation as regards both sensations and functions, so that our indwelling, reason-fitted mind can freely employ this living healthy Instrument for the higher purposes of our existence.” While explaining the disease concept ho wrote in aphorism 11 as, “When a person falls ill, it is only this spiritual, self-acting (automatic) vital force, everywhere present in his organism, that is primarily deranged by the dynamic influence
Upon it of a morbific agent inimical to life; it is only the vital principle, deranged to such an
Disagreeable sensation, and incline it to the irregular processes which we call disease……” 14
Homoeopathic Therapeutics For Menopausal Syndrome
1. Lachesis: Hot flushes and hot perspiration; burning vertex headache, especially at or after the menopause. Women who have not recovered from the change of life “have never felt well since that time.”16
Climacteric troubles, palpitation, flashes of heat, haemorrhages, vertex headache, fainting spells; worse, pressure of clothes.
Acts especially well at beginning and close of menstruation.17
In females who never get well from the change of life -“have never felt well since that time”; may have unnatural unwell periods. During change of life, where she has flashes of heat all day, and cold flashes on retiring at night.18
Discharges; acrid, offensive, flushes of heat, rushes of blood. Climacteric troubles; palpitation, flushes of heat, hemorrhages etc.19
The flushes of heat and the surging in the head and the great circulatory disturbances that are found under Lachesis. This is also true of the complaints, the headaches, etc., that come in women at the climacteric period and at the menstrual period.20
ASCENDING SENSATIONS, in throat; from eyes over vertex; from nape; from ovary to heart; chills; FLUSHES OF HEAT; rushes of blood.21
Flushes of heat in different ages. Flushes of heat in different ages.22
Tickling-itching extends from the thighs into the genitals, which become swollen, with a voluptuous sensation, sexual desire, and tickling; then a cramp like contraction in the uterus, extending into the right side of the abdomen, hence into the breast. Frequently useful at the climacteric period.23
Displacement in connection with or in consequence of change of life. Prolapsus during climaxis, with flashes of heat, hot vertex; metrorrhagia and fainting; pain in left hypogastric and ovarian region. Uterine cancer, developing at climaxis, or as a consequence of change of life; pains increase rapidly, until relieved by profuse discharge of blood; violent pains, as if a knife was thrust through abdomen, which has to be relieved of all pressure. Uterine hemorrhages of the menopause. At menopause; flashes, hot vertex; metrorrhagia; fainting; uterine displacement; cancer; capillary circulation affected. Suitable at beginning and close of menstruation.24
2. Sepia:
Erythism: flushes of heat from least motion; with anxiety and faintness; followed by perspiration over whole body; climacteric; ascends, from pelvic organs.25
Menses Too late and scanty, irregular; early and profuse; sharp clutching pains.22
Sudden hot flushes of climaxes, with momentary sweat, weakness and great tendency to faint.17
Metrorrhagia at the time of climaxes. Sudden flushes of heat, with weakness and sweat during climaxis.18
The menstrual symptoms are of all sorts, no particular derangement characterizes Sepia. At one time it was thought that scanty menstruation was the more striking feature.19
Draggy, relaxed females -lithaemic, plethoric -subject to prolapses or easy dislocations. Uterine reflexes. WEAK, DRAGGING OR BEARING DOWN FEELING; must sit close or hold parts.21
Chilly, better by vigorous motion (not exactly restless). Tall, thin, wiry (like models), pointed features, long fingers. Hard, caustic and harsh, perhaps competitive, hard driving. “The female Nux vom.” Another Sepia is flabby, a little fat, beaten down, washer woman type, full of inertia, just can’t do it any more22.
Before the menses sensation as if the genitals were dilated, Prolapsus uteri, with inclination of the fundus to the left side, producing a numb feeling in the entire lower half of the left side of the body, with dull aching pain constantly; also the same aching pain in the pelvic region, somewhat relieved by the recumbent posture, especially when lying on the right side; tenderness of the os uteri (first and third days).24
3. Graphites:
Suited to women, inclined to obesity, who suffer from habitual constipation; with a history of delayed menstruation. – “What Pulsatilla is at puberty, Graphite is at the climacteric.”16
Menses too late, with constipation; pale and scanty, with tearing pain in epigastrium, and itching before.
Decided aversion to coitus. 17
Pain under left breast at menstrual period, often waking patient in the night. Hysterical melancholia with occipital headache. Leucorrhea profuse, in gushes, excoriating18
Menses; late, scanty, pale, irregular, painful.
Swelling and hardness of ovary (left) aggravation after menses.19
It is useful in people who are morbidly fat, or have been fat and are now emaciating; in women in these conditions whose menstrual habit is pale, late, short and scanty; Dryness and heat in the vagina; coldness in the vagina.20
Menses irregular; late, scanty, painful, etc.; cold taking, morning sickness or sweats during. Fat, relaxed, chilly and costive.21
In physical appearance, Graphites patients are generally overweight and flabby. They often have dark hair, and the skin colour tends to be earthy.22
Pressure sometimes towards the female genitals, when standing, A painful pressure towards the female genitals.23
Great aversion to coitus. During climaxis, cardialgia; gastric catarrh. Tendency to obesity. Uterine complaints.24
According to SYNTHESIS Repertory, the important rubric with medicines related to Menopause25–
FEMALE GENITALIA/SEX – MENOPAUSE
acon. Agar. alet. aloe alum. Aml-ns. ant-c. Apis aq-mar. aqui. Arg-n. arist-cl. aur. bar-c. bell. bell-p. bor-ac. Bry. Cact. calc. Calc-ar. camph. caps. carb-v. Carc. caul. Chin. Cimic. Cocc. coff. Con. Croc. CROT-C. Crot-h. Cycl. dig. ferr. ferr-p. Gels. Glon. GRAPH. ham. Helon. hir. Hydr. ign. Jab. Kali-bi. Kali-br. Kali-c. Kali-s. Kreos. LACH. laur. lil-t. lutin. lyc. mag-c. magn-gl. Manc. MANG. mang-act. mang-i. mang-m. mang-met. mang-n. mang-p. mang-s. mang-sil. meli. merc-sul. mosch. MURX. nat-m. nicc-s. nit-ac. Nux-m. Nux-v. ol-an. orch. Ov. ph-ac. Phos. phys. pilo. plat. plb. PSOR. Puls. rhus-t. Sabin. sal-ac. Sang. sanguiso. sars. Sel. semp. SEP. Stront-c. stront-m. stront-met. Sul-ac. SULPH. sumb. Tab. Ter. Ther. tril-p. tub. Ust. valer. Verat. viol-o. vip. vip-a. visc. xan. zinc. Zinc-val.
Conclusion And Summery
Menopausal syndrome is a major problem representing the leading cause of mental as well as emotional disturbance. Most of the females are likely to experience a midlife crisis i.e. menopausal syndrome. With the help of well selected homoeopathic treatment we can improve the quality of life of women and decrease absenteeism from work. Mental generals and physical generals should be given prime importance in the selection of the similimum. This study also showed the theory of individualization is very important for the effective homoeopathic treatment. This study received the Lachesis, Sepia & Graphites remedies that are more effective in menopausal syndrome.
Homoeopathy believes in the holistic and individualistic approach. A patient is to be treated as a whole and not in parts. Generalities of the patients should be given utmost importance while prescribing.
Indicated medicine along with general management like exercise, good balanced diet and dietary restriction e.g., Avoidance of oily fatty food, caffeine etc. Hot fomentation during acute attacks of pains etc. found to be highly efficacious in the management and treatment of menopausal syndrome as the majority of patients were improved.
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