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Homeopathy and the Menopause
The menopause and its orthodox medical treatment with HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) hit the headlines recently with regard to the links between cancers, such as breast cancer, and long term HRT use. Due to this increasing awareness of the dangers of hormone replacement therapy more and more women are turning to complementary medicines in order to help them with this transition in life. Treating the symptoms of the menopause is a common part of the remit for any homeopath, and thankfully it responds well to homeopathy.
Homeopaths have over 150 remedies that could be applied to a menopause case in order to treat hot flushes, loss of libido, mood swings and vaginal dryness. Many of them are among the smaller and more obscure remedies such as:-
- Cactus
- Cyclamen
- Glonoinum
- Helonius
- Mancinella
- Murex
- Sanguinaria
Of the most often prescribed remedies for menopausal symptoms Sepia, Lachesis and Pulsatilla are probably right up at the top.
Sepia, made from the ink of a cuttlefish, is indicated when there are hot flushes leaving the woman very weak, they might even be so strong as to make her tremble and have associated palpitations. Her libido will have dropped off and she complains about everything ? even the sex if she has been up for it! She is very tired and snappy, especially with any family members. All of the symptoms are better for her being able to get outside for a long fast walk or perhaps down to the gym to thrash out her frustrations. There may be an odd sensation as if the reproductive organs are pressing downwards and might even slip out of the vulva!
Lachesis is made from the venom of the Bushmaster snake ? donft worry it is prepared homeopathically so the remedy only contains the energy imprint of the venom and not the venom itself, so it is quite safe to take. This remedy is indicated with flushes of heat starting lower in the body and rushing upwards. Ladies may often describe it as feeling like a grush of blood to the headh. Headaches, especially those at the top of the head, that come on during the menopause might respond to Lachesis, especially if the pain has a left sided tendency. The Lachesis patient is worse for a warm room and prefers cooler, open air environments. They donft like things round their necks (scarves, ties and buttoned collars), feeling better for opening clothing and relieving the pressure. This remedy is classically indicated in women who talk rapidly, ten to the dozen and change the topic frequently, barley finishing a sentence.
Pulsatilla is made from the Pasque or Wind Flower, a type of fritillary. One of the main indications of this remedy is that the symptoms are ever changing in their presentation. For example one flush may be very strong and start in the chest rising to the head, another might be mild and body wide. Like the other two remedies the Pulsatilla patient is also better for fresh air and being out of doors. Their character type may be mild, timid, emotional (lots of tears) and needy for company or approval from those around them.
A general 'cover-all' remedy is provided by complex homeopathy in the form of Klimact-Heel produced by Heel and available from Bio Pathica (01233-636678). This preparation contains seven different remedies all at a low potency which together cover most of the menopausal symptoms.
Many homeopaths will also support any homeopathic treatment for the menopause with Salvia tincture. This is a tincture made from the sage plant which is particularly helpful for dealing with hot flushes. The best way to take it is 5-8 drops in a glass of water twice daily.
In order to protect against osteoporosis associated with the menopause homeopaths may recommend the use of tissue salts such as Calcarea carbonica and Calcarea phosphorica. Tissue salts form a branch of homeopathy, they are prepared at a very low strength and can be repeated often. Alongside this the patient would be given adjunctive advice on their diet and lifestyle, for example reducing tea and coffee, stopping fizzy drinks and doing weight bearing exercise.
When I treat the symptoms of the menopause I will often use flower essences to support the homeopathy. Among the Bach Flower range Walnut is probably the most commonly used one, this is for helping the body and mind in adjusting to change. Among the Australian Bush Flower range Bauhinia, Bottlebrush, She Oak, and Swamp Banksia could be very useful. The indications are as follows: -
- Bauhinia - helps to break down a resistance to change
- Bottlebrush - is indicated if the person is overwhelmed by the changes occurring in their body, or even in their life
- She Oak - is indicated in all forms of hormonal imbalances in women
- Swamp Banksia - is for low energy, the person is weary and frustrated
All of the single remedies and the tincture are available from any homeopathic pharmacy. However, the menopause as a whole can be a complex area to treat and for the best homeopathic results I would always advise consulting a fully qualified homeopath who could tailor make the selection of the remedy based on your case. As I mentioned earlier we have about 150 menopause remedies and it might be that yours is one of the more obscure remedies that only a qualified homeopath would be able to track down. To find a homeopath in your area call the Society of Homeopaths for a copy of the Register on 0845-4506611.
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