Friday, April 18, 2008

Seasonal Allergies and Role Of Homeopathy in treating them

Seasonal Seasonal Allergies

Introduction : Seasonal allergies commonly known as hay fever occur only during certain seasons i.e. spring, fall or summer causing allergic rhinitis,allergic conjunctivities and allergic asthma.Although commonly seasonal owing to its relation to airborne pollens, other patterns and aetiologies occur.The use of term hay fever to describe seasonal allergies is a common convention but is literally inappropriate because the symptom complex is neither produced by hay nor associated with fever.
Pollen seasons vary in different parts of the country.People may react to one or more pollens, so a person's pollen allergy season may be from early spring to late fall.Pollen are tiny grains released from flowers which are carried by the wind or insects to cross polinate other plants of same type for reproductive purpose.When these pollen come in contact with a person's eyes,nose or lungs allergic reaction can take place in some people and cause allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivities etc. Levels of pollen tend to be highest from early morning to mid-morning, from 5AM to 10AM.
Grass pollen is the main cause of late spring and early summer allergies.Spring allergies are a result of pollen from trees such as oak,birch,maple,cypress and poplar
Weed pollen is the main cause of seasonal allergy in late summer and early fall.

Signs and Symptoms : Occur when pollens or other allergens come in contact with person's eyes, nose or skin.Usually seen in atopic individuals that is in person's with a family history of similar or related symptom complex and a personal history of collateral allergy expressed as urticaria or asthma.

• Sneezing
• Runny nose
• Conjunctival and pharyngeal itching
• Cough
• Watery eyes
• Congestion
• Swollen blue coloured skin under the eyes.
• Sleeplessness.
• Symptoms of asthma : Cough and wheezing.

Treatment and Management

Allergy testing can be helpful in predicting the times of the year that you are likely to experience allergy symptoms which is done by skin test or a blood test(RAST)
In most areas pollen is counted and measured.Find out the pollen counts and the types of pollen in your area and also to which types of pollen you are allergic.
Some tips to avoid pollen exposure:
• Stay indoors early morning between 5-10 a.m.
• Keep the windows of your car closed while travelling.
• Close the doors and windows during pollen season early morning.
• Avoid going out on windy days.
• Use air conditioning in your house and car.
• Don't hang your clothes outside for drying as pollen may stick to your clothes and towels.
• Wear a mask while doing outdoor activities.
• Clean carpets and curtains regularly to avoid exposure to dust mites.
• Keep your pets out of your bedroom to avoid exposure to animal dander.

Homeopathic Management
Allergy is a disorder of immune system.Genes and environment both are responsible for causing allergic reaction.Normally our immune system fights germs but in case of allergy our body responds to false alarm.Pollen, pet dander are harmless substances but if our body mistakes them as germs and responds then you get an allergic reaction.It occurs when the body's immune system overreacts to normally harmless substances.Homeopathy corrects our immune system and brings about a perfect balance within our system.It corrects the imbalance and the person is restored to health mentally and physically.The Homeopathic medicines act at the level Psycho neuro endocrinal axis.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Allergic Rhinitis and Homeopathy

ALLERGIC RHINITIS
Inflammation of nasal mucous membrane which occurs when susceptible individuals come in contact with certain substances known as allergens, the body produces antibodies due to which certain chemicals known as mediators i.e. histamine, trptase , chymase are released which cause running nose, itching and other symptoms.
CAUSE:
Allergic rhinitis is caused due to inhaled or ingested allergens.
Allergens are substances which cause allergy.
Inhaled allergens are pollens, animal dander, industrial pollution, strong smells.
Dust mite in carpets, pillows, stuffed toys can cause allergic rhinitis.
Ingested allergens include certain foods such as nuts, chocolates, non vegetarian foods such as shell fish, eggs etc.
Indoor pets can cause allergic rhinitis.
Family history
SYMPTOMS
Running nose.
Itching in nose and throat.
Watering of eyes and redness of eyes.
Headache
Sore throat.
Pain in ears.
Drowsiness.
INVESTIGATIONS
Complete blood count shows eosinophilia.
Skin tests to know the specific allergens to which the person is sensitive.
MANAGEMENT
Allergic rhinitis can be prevented by avoiding the known allergen. Try to find out what triggers your symptoms.
Keep children away from stuffed toys.
Clean your house regularly to keep away from dust mite present in carpets and pillows.
Avoid outdoor activities in mornings during the fall season when pollen are present in air, in case of seasonal allergic rhinitis.
HOMEOPATHIC MANAGEMENT OF RESPIRATORY TRACT DISORDERS
Homeopathic medicines help to increase the resistance of the person making him less Vulnerable to infections. Hence, if a child is taking Homeopathic medicines his resistance will increase and he will be less prone to allergies and infections. In case of asthma, the attacks will be less and the child feels better. Homeopathic medicines, balanced diet and regular exercise will help a person to lead a healthy life.
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Monday, April 14, 2008

Homeopathy

HISTORY OF HOMEOPATHY
Homeopathy was discovered by a German physician, Dr. Samuel Christian Fredrich Hahnemann in 1796. He was disillusioned by the system of medicine, it’s side effects and gave up his practice.
He always thought that CURE should take place in a rapid, gentle and permanent way, and health should be restored. The person should feel better mentally and physically and not only just removal of symptoms.
Dr. Hahnemann was working as a medical translator. As he was translating Cullen’s Materia Medica, he came across a sentence that Cinchona bark cures ague fever( malaria). He decided to experiment and he took a small quantity of Cinchona bark. To his surprise he developed symptoms of malaria like fever. He then tested it on his friends and relatives. All of them developed symptoms of malaria like fever. Then he gave a very small quantity of Cinchona bark to patients suffering from malaria and found that they were cured of malaria. Thus Homeopathy was born.
He continued to experiment it with different medical substances.
It is based on the principle of ‘SIMILIA SIMILIBUS CURRENTUR’ which means ‘LIKES CURE LIKES’. It means that if a substance is capable of producing disease symptoms in a healthy individual , it also has the capacity to cure the disease when given to a sick individual in an infinitesimal small dose.
PRINCIPLES OF HOMEOPATHY
If Homeopathy is practiced according to principles laid down by Dr. Hahnemann, CURE takes place in a rapid, gentle and permanent way. Some of the basic principles of Homeopathy as described by Dr. Hahnemann are:
Disease is deviation from health which is known through signs and symptoms.
Disease is disharmonious functioning of the vital force( Life force). Health is harmonious functioning of the vital force leading to a sense of well being. It is the natural tendency of vital force to restore the harmony. This natural tendency in some people is affected by certain hereditary factors leading to chronic relapsing states of ill health, generally difficult to cure. Thus, Hahnemann in his book on ‘ THE CHRONIC DISEASES’ stated that Miasms are responsible for all diseases of a chronic nature. Miasms are created through the use of suppressive medicine or other environmental factors.
INDIVIDUALIZATION
No two individuals are alike. Each and every person is different. In Homeopathy, medicine differs from person to person. If there are two patients having fever, one patient may like to drink small quantity of water at shorter interval, he may have sip by sip water after few minutes, whereas the other person may have one or two glasses of water after one or two hours. Even if both the patients would cover themselves while sleeping, one would like to keep his head and feet uncovered, whereas the other person would keep cover himself from head to toe. Thus, the medicine will differ in both the patients with similar complaints.
In Homeopathy, complete ‘Cure’ takes place and the symptoms are not suppressed.
The fundamental laws of Homeopathy are
Law of Similars : Homeopathy is based on the principle of ‘SIMILIA SIMILIBUS CURRENTUR’ which means ‘LIKE CURES LIKE’.
A substance which is capable of producing symptoms of an illness in an healthy individual also has the capacity to cure the illness when given in an infinitesimal dose (small dose). We find it’s reference in ancient Hindu medical texts and also in the writings of Aristotle, Hippocrates, Paracelsus and others.
Law of minimum dose: A smallest dose is necessary to stimulate the life force. The medicinal substances are diluted with water or ethyl alcohol and by the method of succussion( shaking the medicine vigorously and banging on a hard surface ) energy is released. Potency of the medicine is determined, more the dilution, more potent is the medicine.
Direction of cure: Cure takes place from above downwards,
* From within outward,
* From more important organ to less important organ,
* In the reverse order of appearance of a disease.
* The symptom which is first to appear is the last to disappear.
TOTALITY OF SYMPTOMS : In Homeopathy totality of symptoms is considered. After a detail case taking all the symptoms are considered. They are analyzed by a process known as repertorisation and a single remedy( constitutional medicine) is selected and given to the patient.
HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINES
Homeopathic medicines are prepared from plant kingdom, animal kingdom, mineral kingdom etc. by a process known as potentization. Drugs are diluted by a method called as succussion or trituration. The dose of the medicine is reduced progressively on centesimal and later on millesimal scale with an inert substance like sugar of milk or alcohol as the diluting medium. This method is known as potentization, as it increases the potency of the drugs to act as remedial agents.
The process of potentization releases energy which restores the lost balance through the use of similar force.
Homeopathic medicines are safe as the original substance is present in minimum dose. The original substance is not traceable in Homeopathic medicines after potentization. Cure takes place through the dynamic energy that is liberated during the process of potentization. The energy stimulates the deranged vital force (life force) to come back to normal healthy state.
PRECAUTIONS IN DIET DURING HOMEOPATHIC TREATMENT
Patient is advised to avoid raw onion, garlic or any strong smelling substance.
Avoid drinking coffee . All these substances may act as an antidote to Homeopathic medicines.

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