07/08/2020
Menopause...............
Technically Menopause is the
cessation of me**es and usually
occurs for most women around the
age of 50 but can occur as early as
at 35 years. There is no set pattern
of its occurrence -the period can
stop suddenly or there can be a
gradual decrease in blood loss or
gradually more infrequent periods.
Women who have had their ovaries
removed will experience early
menopause.
Most of the descriptions of
menopause concentrate on the
physical symptoms, but it is also a
time of emotional change for most
women which may result in profound
psychological symptoms. It can be a
time for women to take stock of
there lives, feminity and career
paths. It has been common to
describe the menopause as a time
when women will feel less womanly
and develop unpleasant physical
symptoms (tiredness, hot flushes,
irritability, mood swings).
However it is important to remember
that it is a normal part of a woman's
life and is not necessary associated
with unpleasant symptoms. For many
women throughout the world, the
idea of treating the menopause as if
it were a "disease" would be
unthinkable.
CAUSES
The menopause occurs because the
ovaries reduce their production of
the hormone oestrogen; this causes
the cessation of menstruation and
ovulation. It signals the end of
fertility, although it has been known
for women to become pregnant up to
one year following cessation of
periods.
SYMPTOMS
As mentioned above for the majority
of women the menopause is a
significant state and indeed it may
coincide with a feeling of liberation
and increased energy.For others the
reduction in oestrogen will produce
unwelcome local symptoms (dry
va**na, painful in*******se ,dry
wrinkled skin) and more general
symptoms that are also
undesirable ,typically hot
flushes ,night sweats ,decreased
s*xual interest and libido ,tiredness,
depression and irritability.
Headaches can also occur and at
times it can be difficult to separate
the physical causes from the
psychological ones.It is often
important to explore the marital,
social and economic context in which
the menopause occurs. It is
regrettably true that for up to 25% of
women menopausal symptoms can
be fairly distressing and may require
treatment. Most menopausal
symptoms run their course (if
untreated) within a year or eighteen
months.
The more serious effects of a
lower oestrogen level include
development of osteoporosis and the
increased risks of developing heart
disease (oestrogen protects against
the development of arteriosclerosis)
PREVENTION AND SELF HELP
Anticipating the onset of the
menopause can help in adjusting to
the physical and psychological
effects that may be experienced and
many women have found self help
groups and information leaflets of
value in helping them prepare for
the change. Openly discussing the
onset of menopause with your
partner will also ensure that anxiety
about loss of s*xual attraction is
addressed.Symptoms are often made
worse by over work and stress:
paying a routine habit in your life
(exercise, good diet ,relaxation) will
be important at this time.Specific
symptoms can be helped by
HOMOEOPATHIC
TREATMENT.However it is important
to keep reminding your self that this
is a normal occurrence during every
women's life and it should not be
seen as a disease which immediately
requires treatment ,whether it be
complementary or orthodox.
The menopause is a time of change,
but it does not have to be
unwelcome. Try to find time for your
self and plan some relaxation.
However the final period is only one
of a number of events that occur
around this time of life which is
frequently called 'the change' or
'change of life'.These are excellent
descriptions as there are many
changes that occur as a result of
decreased hormone levels. The
medical term is the 'climacteric'.
PERIODS AND FERTILITY
Most women notice changes in their
menstrual cycles sometime after the
age of 40 years. First the length of
the cycle of ten shortens by as much
as 10 day then it becomes longer
and eventually the periods cease,
sudden cessation of periods is
unusual. Ovulation does not occur
with every cycle in the forties and
thus fertility drops rapidly at this
time, however doctors advise that
you should continue to use
contraception until hormone levels
suggest that menopause has
occurred.You should consult your
doctor about very heavy, painful
periods and also bleeding between
periods as these are not necessarily
caused by the change.Bleeding that
occurs more than a year after your
last period also needs to be
investigated,
BODY CHANGES
Decreased hormone levels cause a
number of physical changes. The
most obvious are hot flushes and
night sweats, va**nal dryness and for
some women the risk of painful
joints, angina and heart attacks
increases and the bones lose calcium
more quickly. As the change
progresses, the tissues under the
skin become flabbier and loss of tone
in the pelvic muscles can lead to
prolapse and stress incontinence.
Symptomatic homoeopathic
medicines for many of these
conditions are suggested but
constitutional help may also be
needed.
HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY
(HRT)
Your doctor may suggest using HRT
which often eases the symptoms that
occur during the change ,however
HRT does not suit or even help every
women and if personal preference or
medical reasons dictate that it
should not be used ,then
Homoeopathy can offer considerable
help in smoothing the change for
the women from the reproductive to
non-reproductive state.The decision
is obviously a complex one and it is
wise to discuss the whole matter
with your doctor who may consider
prescribing oestrogen cream for
va**nal dryness if this is an isolated
problem that is not helped by using
a lubricating cream, such as KY jelly.
MENTAL SYMPTOMS
Falling oestrogen levels may cause
mild anxiety or depression and these
can cause great concern but you
may be reassured to know that
serious depressive illness is no more
likely during the change than at
other times of life.However other
events such as the so-called "empty
nest syndrome" when the children
leave home or the death or
increasing dependence of elderly
relatives often occur at around the
same time and may cause some
psychological stress.During the
change ,some women experience a
lack of interest in s*x and an
inability to reach or**sm sometimes
they also experience a greatly
increased s*x drive and this may
lead them to seek extra-marital
relationships.
Many women feel secretly or openly
unhappy about the changes in their
looks, some times made worse by the
onset of skin problems such as
dryness or acne rosacea and
occasionally they loose interest in
their personal appearance, their
work and the home. All these
psychological difficulties respond
well to Homoeopathy but
constitutional treatment may be
required so if you are not helped by
the medicines suggested in either
this section or the section emotional
problems, it is well worth consulting
a 'Homoeopath'
AFTER THE MENOPAUSE:
Today, many more women can look
forward to 30 or more years of life
after menopause.You may not be
able to take good health for granted
in quite the same way as you once
could but there is much you can do
to help you live these years to the
full. Some of the discomforts
associated with menopause are:
1. OSTEOPOROSIS:
The density of bones decreases in
older people and is particularly
marked in women after the
menopause.Osteoporosis is a serious
condition as thin bones will fracture
easily.The standard medical
treatment is to recommend HRT but
about 80% of women can not or do
not wish to use it ,If you are one of
them ,you can adopt other measures
to decrease your risk of
osteoporosis ,bones, particularly
those in the spine and pelvis ,lose
calcium and become less dense with
age symptoms vary considerably and
in some women there may be none
at all, usually ,however there is
some degree of pain, especially in
the back thinning of the bones
means that fractures occur very
easily.When this occurs in the spine
there may be a consequent loss of
height.
Symptoms: Rheumatic type pains
are felt after exposure to damp
conditions Medicine: CALCAREA
CARBONICA. Pain and weakness in
the back , especially lower
back,curvature of the upper part of
the spine.Symptoms improve when
lying on the painful area. Stiffness
and pain with a cold numb feeling.
Pain in the lower back and around
the hips which can be so bad that it
may feel as if a bone is broken pain
is worse in changeable weather.
CALCAREA PHOS. there is weakness
in arms and legs. Sciatica pains is
felt in the hips,legs,and feet. pain is
better for warmth and in wet ,humid
weather
SILICEA is useful for treating
fractures caused by osteoporosis
medicines.
SYMPHYTUM Dosage:use 12c
potency twice a day for 4
weeks ,then repeat when necessary
2. URINARY INCONTINENCE : if
Accidental leakage of urine often
happens when there is sneezing
laughing.It occurs because the
muscle closing the bladder is
unable to remain closed Although it
is generally more common in women
who have had several children, it is
also part of the aging
process.
Urinary
incontinence is worse at night and
smart-:APIS MELLIFICA
Involuntary
urination occurs during sleep when
coughing, blowing the nose or
sneezing. Problems in starting to
urinate and difficulty in passing the
last few drops. :CAUSTICUM
constant incontinence -urine spurts
with coughing NAT. MURIATICUM,
Tendency to pass a few drops of
urine when coughing ,when passing
wind or after a surprise PULSATILLA
Passes urine when
laughing ,coughing or sneezing.
Involuntary urination occurs during
first sleep:SEPIA.
Involuntary spurting of urine
happens when coughing or sneezing
pain is felt over the bladder:
ZINCUM METALICUM. -----DOSE:use
the 12c potency ,twice a day until
an improvement ,is maintained.
3. ABSENT MINDEDNESS (poor
memory)
The symptoms outlined below occur
in addition to the absent
mindedness.
Nervous indigestion is
noticed.Depression and irritability is
felt. A decreased sense of smell,
sight and hearing: ANACARDIUM.
A weak memory becomes
apparent :ARGENTUM NITRICUM.
Feelings of apathy and
lifelessness :ARUM METALLICUM.
There is debility and hypocondriasis
Medicine :CONIUM METALLICUM.
Poor memory is accompanied by
disorders of the urinary tract and
s*xual weakness. :CONIUM
MACALATUM.
Incoherent conversation with silly
and non sensical
behaviour:DUBOISIS.
There is impaired co-ordination,
Numbness and tingling in the
limbs.:KALI BROMATUM.
Memory is weak ,confused thought
Mistakes are made when writing and
spelling :LYCOPODIUM.
Loss of will power ,weak
memory :MERCURIUS SOLUBILIS.
Confusion and an impaired
memory. :NUX MOSCHATA.
Slow perception, Memory is
weak :OLEANDER.
Dizziness and a feeling of
haziness. :PHYSALIS. Dosage-use the
12c potency take twice a day until
an improvement is maintained
4. SLEEP DISTURBANCES:
An inability to sleep well is a
frequent trial of the menopause,
commonly, women find it difficult to
fall asleep and then to remain
asleep. This is a time when it is
therefore very easy to get into the
habit of taking conventional sleeping
tablets ,unfortunately this is not the
best thing to do as dependence is
quickly established and the may
need to be steadily increased to
guarantee sleep
Homoeopathic remedies which are
available from most Homoeopathic
pharmacies, offer a safe gentle, non
addictive alternative with no risk of
a "hangover" feeling in the
morning.There are also some self-
help methods you can try to help
you get to sleep.
1. Relax before going to bed ; read a
book ,have a warm bath, make love.
2. Avoid large meals late in the
evening.
3. Take a bed time drink of warm
milk or a herbal infusion, but avoid
drinking tea, coffee or chocolate,
drinks that contain caffeine.
4. Extra exercise earlier in the day
will make you more tired physically.
5.If you wake in the night don't toss
and turn , get up and do something
for half an hour.
6. Get up at the same time everyday
even if you have had a bad night.
5 . FIBROIDS:
Fibroids are non cancerous tumours
lying in the walls of the uterus or on
its surface. They are very common
after the age of 35 but often
disappear naturally after about 45.If
your fibroids are small you may not
experience any symptoms but they
are a cause of heavy sometimes
painful periods occasionally they
grow large enough to interfere with
the normal activities of the bladder
and bowel, they may be the reason
for failure to conceive or recurrent
miscarriages. Conventional treatment
is surgical, Homoeopathic treatment
is usually constitutional, but you
may find the following medicines
helpful. You should consult your
doctor if bleeding occurs between
your periods.
Uterus is enlarged and may be
painful va**nal spasms and a
constant va**nal discharge. : AURUM
MURIATICUM.
There are small fibroids with a
yellow va**nal discharge may
experience period pains before the
period starts :CALCAREA IODATUM.
Short painful periods and an
intolerance of clothing or covers.
Symptoms are relieved as the period
starts. A remedy that is particularly
useful at the menopause medicine:
LACHESIS.
Large fibroids -periods are heavy,
painful and occur early.
restlesseness. TARENTULA
HISPANIA. Use 12c potency twice a
day until an improvement occurs,
then stop repeat as and when
necessary.
6. ACNE ROSACEA:
Acne rosacea is a skin complaint
that appears on the flush areas on
the cheeks. It develops particularly
in women at the menopause .The
small blood vessels near the skin
surface dilate and the sebaccous
follicles increase in size.Rosacea is
often complicated by an acne type
eruption. Excessive tea drinking is
often associated with this compliant
as are oranges orange juice and
chocolate.
Rosacea with violet pimples on the
nose worse in the spring.
ARSENICUM BROMATUM.
Skin feels dry and hot but may
alternate between redness and being
pale. BELLADONNA.
Rash is more copper coloured than
red "KALI HYDRIODICUM.
A yellow brownish rash involving the
cheeks and nose in a saddle like
distribution is apparent.: SEPIA.
Scanty periods and poor circulation,
Hot flushes and red cheeks that are
both worse for
warmth :SANGUNARIA.
A rash on the tip of the nose as well
as the cheeks. :CAUSTICUM.
Small red pimples on the
face :PSORINUM , Dosage-use the
6c potency ,take twice a day until an
improvement occurs. Then
stop .repeat in the same way as and
when necessary.
7. HOT SWEATS AND FLUSHES ::
Flushes and sweats are possibly the
most common and certainly among
the most distressing features of the
menopause. Hot flushes that are
associated with severe head aches
can be relieved by
'sANGUNARIA.CANNDENIS"
Flushing is always followed by
sweating. :AMYLENIUM NITROSUM.
The hot flushes are sudden and
violent:GLONINE.
Sudden flushes of heat are followed
by nervousness and weakness made
worse by the slightest motion.:
DIGITALIS
Hot flushes are frequent and can
precede a head ache in which the
top of the head feels hot while the
feet feel cold :LACHESIS.
A feeling of being permanently over
heated :MANGANUM ACETICUM.
Hot flushes and sweats lead to
waking up several times a night .The
sweats continue into the day time
especially in a hot ,airless room so
the window is kept open.the tongue
feels dry but there is no
thirst :PULSATILLA.
May feel cold ,chilly ,despite
suffering from frequent hot
sweats :SEPIA.
The main and sometimes only
symptom is hot flushes patient may
become very quarrel some:
VERETRUM VIRIDE. Dosage:use 12c
potency ,twice a day until the
symptoms have lessened for
approximately 48 hours the medicine
may then be stopped but restarted
if the symptoms begin to return if
new symptoms develop. The
medicine may need to be changed
8. PROLAPSE:
When an organ or part of an organ or
tissue drops down from its normal
position , the condition is called a
prolapse .women most commonly
suffer a prolapse of the uterus
(womb) which frequently results from
straining and stretching the pelvic
tissues during child birth. This
condition requires professional help
as surgery may be necessary.
Prolapse occurs with a severe
bearing down sensation:AGARICUS
MUSCARIUS. Prolapse , pain, in the
left o***y and back Heavy
periods-:ARGENTUM METALLICUM.
Dosage---use 12c potency take 3
times a day for 3 days.
9. PERIOD PROBLEMS DURING THE
MENOPAUSE:
Periods become scanty for some
women as they approach the
menopause, but you may be
unfortunate enough to experience
very heavy periods which may also
occur at frequent intervals. Non-
menopausal causes of flooding
require conventional diagnosis and
treatment and you should consult
your doctor about this. Cancer of the
uterus is most serious cause of
flooding or irregular bleeding but it
is relatively rare and you are likely
to be cured completely if the
diagnosis is made early. One of the
following medicines may provide
help but constitutional treatment is
sometimes needed.
Marked fatigue and exhaustion:
CHINA OFFICINALIS.
Severe period pain that comes and
goes is relieved when the period
starts.Frequent hot flushes an
intolerance of heat ,tight clothing
and heavy bed clothes.There have
been several previous pregnancies :
LACHASIS.
Erratic and scanty periods:
MANGANUM ACETICUM.
Heavy period with dark clots ,the
blood flow increases with any
movement :MEDORRHINUM
Severe period pains , starting in the
lower back and extending to the
front, flow of gushing, bright red
blood. Symptoms may be relieved by
walking about SABINA. Continuous
loss of dark, thin blood. Feels cold
but is intolerant of heat. SECALE
CORNUTUM.
Periods come early and are heavy.A
dragging- down feeling as if the
contents of the pelvis might fall out.
An aversion to s*x or being touched
s*xually. Hunger not relieved by
eating :SEPIA.
Very heavy periods with dark clots
accompanied by dizziness :USTILAGO
MAYJUS.dosage-30c -4 times a day
for 4 days when the bleeding starts.
10. VAGINAL DRYNESS:
Dryness of the va**na is a frequent ,
unpleasant and sometimes
distressing condition that often
starts during the menopause.It is
due to the natural aging process in
the body ,which leads to thinning
and drying of va**nal lining.
However it is likely that these
symptoms are also related to the
hormonal changes of the
menopause.It results in painful
in*******se ,which may place a strain
on a woman's relationship with her
partner and an increased
susceptibility to va**nal
infections.Various lubricating creams
such as KY JELLY are available in
most pharmacies and may help to
improve the condition in some
cases.After they have been
homoeopathically prepared ,the
spores from LYCOPODIUM
CLAVATUM can deal conditions such
as va**nal dryness.
Va**na is dry hot and
sensitive :ACONITE.
Va**na feels raw and sore , a va**nal
discharge is worse at night . An
involuntary passage of urine with
coughing sneezing and nose
blowing CAUSTICUM.
A dry hot feeling in va**na, va**nal
spasm and pain on attempting
in*******se FERRUM POSPHORICUM.
An extreme va**nal itch an acrid,
offensive discharge. KREOSOTUM.
Dryness of va**na leads to soreness
during and after in*******se. An
acrid discharge that burn
va**na. :LYCOPODIUM
