Alternative treatment for Shingles

I have been asked a lot about Zostavax the zoster vaccine for shingles.  I have spoken to a number of older people who are concerned about shingles and they have heard a lot about this new vaccine.  I will always tell my patients it is necessary to speak to your doctor and do the appropriate research before making any decisions about getting a vaccine or deciding to not to do so.  It has to be your own decision and one about which you are confident and happy.  I will not advise you as to what to do.  However, what I can do is tell you that there are homeopathic remedies to help you should you get shingles.

If you need more information about what shingles is, you can read up about it at the Mayo Clinic website:http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/shingles/basics/definition/con-20019574

There are more than a hundred number of homeopathic remedies for shingles and so you need to observe closely to match your particular symptoms to the right remedy.  I list below only a handful of the most common remedies for shingles.  Try a remedy from below of it seems to fit your picture and consider consulting a professional homeopath if you see no results on self-prescribing.  Remember that with homeopathy the success of the prescription depends on matching the picture well.  Only take a remedy up to 3 times and if it offers no improvement move onto your next choice.  I would recommend you use 30C.

If you are already seeing a homeopath you should contact him or her first but if you cannot reach anyone and you have your constitutional remedy - it would be the first place to start.  Take that remedy and see if it helps you.

Rhus Toxicodendron (Rhus tox) is a classic remedy for chicken pox.  It also happens to be rather useful for shingles.  Rhus tox is in fact the poison ivy plant and it is significant to note that the rash one would have after brushing against such a plant produces a very similar looking rash as that produced by the shingles (zoster) virus.  There is inflammation, intensely painful blisters and unrelenting itching.  In order for this remedy to work it must fit the picture: you get temporary relief on applying a warm compress or having a warm bath; you are very restless and moving about a lot in an attempt to feel better; you are more likely to have left sided symptoms with this remedy picture.

Ranunculus Bulbosus is an effective shingle remedy when there is severe nerve pains that can feel like stabbing pains around the ribcage; these are worse for the slightest touch; and moving makes the pain worse.  This remedy picture can include a rash on the left side of the chest that are slightly bluish in hue.

Iris Versicolor is indicated when the rash is worse on the right; often on the right side of the abdomen and under the right arm.    There could also be headaches, burning in the stomach and vomiting which are ameliorated with a walk outside in fresh air.

Arsenicum Album is another useful remedy for someone who is very chilly, extremely restless and anxious, tremendously fatigued and worse after midnight.  The interesting thing with this remedy type is that they have burning pains that paradoxically feel better for warmth.  This patient is usually very thirsty for cold drinks and will sip their drink frequently.

Mezereum is worth trying if the rash is intensely painful and itchy where the blisters are oozing, bright red and the blisters may burst to form brown scabs.  The rash is made worse for hot applications or getting warm in bed and may be better for cold compresses.  This remedy's rash is found most often on the scalp and face. This patient feels "cold to the bone" or "frozen".

Other remedies for shingles include:  Apis; Cantharis; Lachesis; Mercurious; Natrum Muriaticum; Petroleum; Pulsatilla; Sepia; Sulphur; Thuja; and Variolinum (to name but a few of the many options.)

Wondering what can help you get through a stressful holiday season?

It has been a busy fall and I can't believe it is already December.  I have been growing much busier with my home-based practice and I also joined the wonderful team at Ottawa Holistic Wellness and have been going there 2 days a week to see patients.   Since its inception in the spring I have also been teaching at the Canadian Homeopathic Institute in Ottawa every second weekend.  All this to say, I have been extremely busy and remiss in writing here on my blog.  That said I want to provide some useful information as the holiday season is quickly approaching and it can be a stressful time of year.  

Homeopathy works best if it is individually prescribed.  This means that one person's stress can look very different from another person's stress and it is the individuality and uniqueness of each person's symptoms that need to be examined and prescribed for in order to find a successful homeopathic remedy.   For example, one person might suddenly become very restless, experience shallow breathing, agitation and palpitations.  They could begin to see a tendency of quickly getting into a state of panic.  If this person's symptoms fit a particular picture they might benefit from the homeopathic remedy Aconite.  But there are many different remedies used in homeopathy that are useful during times of stress.  If you find yourself often feeling the effects of stress you might consider visiting a professional homeopath who can help you regain balance so that the stress doesn't begin to create more serious physical, mental or emotional symptoms.

In the meantime for the holiday season you might find it helpful to keep a bottle of Bach Flower Rescue Remedy on hand.  This is a combination of wild flower remedies that is very useful at times of anxiety, tension and crisis.  You can put a few drops straight on your tongue or put a few drops in a glass or bottle of water that you can sip on from time to time as you need a dose.  It will help to take the edge off and will make you feel more relaxed, focused and calm.  Use this remedy for stressful work holiday parties, visits with family and in-laws,  for stressful road trips and air travel (especially if you are nervous flying.) By the way, Rescue remedy is also useful for your pets if they don't travel well and you are travelling over the holidays with your furry family members!

Here is a link to the official website if you would like more information about this product.

http://www.bachflower.com/rescue-remedy-information/


I wish you all happiness, health and joy going into this holiday season.

Homeopathy for hangovers and students

One might ask how homeopathy would be helpful for students.  To begin with homeopathic  remedies are not very expensive, are easier to find these days (in health food stores and alternative pharmacies) and they keep practically forever as long as they are stored properly.  But why else might they be of interest to a student…?  Well, the first remedy students might want to know about is Nux Vomica (AKA Columbrina)  This is actually a stomach and liver remedy and so – you guessed it – this makes it a fantastic hang-over remedy.  It is for after you have had too much food and alcohol and you feel nauseated; headache-y; sensitive to light, odours, or noise; and/or as if you want to vomit but even if you do - this doesn’t bring you relief; and also for when you feel worse on first waking in the morning.  This occasion then calls for Nux Vomica.  It is important to note that homeopathic remedies should be prescribed for the individual and that they will only work if the remedy and patient closely match one another.  In other words, the  person needing Nux Vomica is ambitious, hard-working, and has a type “A” personality.  They are competitive, impulsive, impatient, fastidious sorts who often crave stimulants such as coffee, chocolate, alcohol, tobacco and drugs in order to maintain their intense, frenetic craziness.  The Nux Vomica person likes to work hard and play hard.  But eventually this can lead to an inability to concentrate, and ultimately burn out and collapse.  As well as being a popular hangover remedy it is also a well known remedy for collapse from overwork.  A person who would benefit from Nux Vomica is often chilly; is sensitive to drafts; prone to migraines, hayfever, gastro-intestinal issues like heartburn, indigestion, gas and constipation from rich food; insomnia,  and headaches accompanying constipation.  Oh…and this person can be extremely irritable, critical and easily angered,

Take Nux Vomica 30c once and then wait to see how you are feeling. Repeat the dose after a half an hour.  Take up to three times then stop.  If you aren’t feeling any better after a third dose then this isn’t the remedy for you and you aren’t as irritable as you might have thought you were.  It is important to note that you MUST STOP TAKING THE REMEDY as soon as you have any improvement.  Your body will continue to heal itself and so must be given the chance to do so.  If you repeat the remedy too often that can stop it from working and you’ll have no chance of recovering from that blasted hangover. (Just kidding!)

School can be stressful with deadlines, exams, extreme mental effort, parties, stimulants and not enough sleep. This is why if this picture above of the hardworking, hard playing, ambitious, over-extended picture of a Type A personality is YOU – then consider Nux Vomica.  It will even be good to have in your bag when you return home for Thanksgiving or Christmas holidays because not just unhealthy things can cause someone to need Nux Vomica.   Too much of anything (even good home cooking) can cause you to feel this way and can be helped with a dose or two of this remedy.  

Homeopathy is effective for earaches and ear infections

I gave my sons homeopathic remedies when they had ear infections.  The remedies worked wonders.  I always used homeopathy as our first line of defence - and it certainly served us all well.  There are several remedies that could be used for ear infections so it is important to look carefully at your child's symptoms and try to match carefully the right remedy to your child's particular symptom picture.  If you have difficulty identifying the best one or you have tried one or two with no success, please consider contacting a professional homeopath.  Here is a post found at  Homeopathy Plus website about useful remedies to consider in the case of an earache or ear infection.

http://homeopathyplus.com.au/ear-infections-and-earaches-homeopathic-treatment-better-than-antibiotics/

A burn on the barbecue

A patient of mine contacted me one evening as she had just burned herself on the barbeque.  It was the evening and I told her if she wanted to come straight over I could give her a homeopathic remedy that would help.  However, she lives a good 25 minutes away and instead she chose to drop by the next morning on her way to work.  When my patient came the following morning she showed me the blister and told me that it was still smarting.  I gave her Cantharis 30C which works well for second degree burns when there is blistering.  She called me later in the day to say she couldn't believe how well the remedy had worked.  Within minutes the pain was gone and within 30 minutes the blister had also disappeared.  She said that if she hadn't experienced it herself she wouldn't have believed it - it worked so quickly and so well.

There are different remedies for burns depending on the degree of the burn and the modalities - i.e. what makes it feel better and worse.  For example, I might use Urtica Urens for a less severe burn and Causticum for a more serious burn.  It is important to know also that - Cantharis is for when there is a great amount of pain and the pain is better for a cold compress whereas Urtica Urens and Causticum are usually worse for cool/cold bathing.

It is really important to consider carefully what the most predominant symptoms are and what makes them better or worse.  This can help one to find the best homeopathic remedy for any given issue.  Individualized prescribing is necessary if one is to have optimum results. Too often people choose a homeopathic remedy that doesn't quite fit the picture and then when it doesn't help they claim homeopathy doesn't work.  Take the time to try to get the whole picture and to match it to the best of your abilities to the closest matching remedy picture.  Take the remedy 3 times.  If it doesn't help then move onto your second choice - the next remedy that seems to closely match the symptom picture.

Some possible books to start with for basic information on prescribing for yourself and your family are:

Miranda Castro's Complete Homeopathic Handbook

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Homeopathy-Handbook-Effective-Complaints/dp/0312063202/ref=la_B001ILOCZO_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1404757344&sr=1-1

Homeopathic Prescribing by Steven B Kayne and Lee R Kayne

http://www.amazon.com/Homeopathic-Prescribing-Pocket-Companion-Steven/dp/0853696977/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1404757511&sr=1-2&keywords=homeopathic+prescribing

Irritable Bowel Syndrome and homeopathic treatment

A three-armed trial was conducted in the UK in which three forms of treatment for irritable bowel syndrome were compared:  usual care, homeopathic treatment plus usual care, and supportive listening plus usual care.  By the end of the 26 weeks there was a significant difference in favour of homeopathic treatment plus usual care, in comparison to usual care alone.  62.5 percent of patients in the homeopathic treatment arm achieved a clinically relevant change in irritable bowl symptom severity -- compared to 25.0 percent of those in the usual care arm.


http://www.homeopathyjournal.net/article/S1475-4916(14)00051-4/abstract

Motion sickness

Getting sick on the way to your holiday destination can make for a miserable start to what should be a good, fun and relaxing time.   Motion sickness (AKA travel sickness) is an acute issue that can come on while travelling in a car, boat or plane.    It is far more common in children and is often out-grown.  But in the meantime there are some homeopathic remedies that can help alleviate the symptoms of motion sickness  no matter the age of the patient or the mode of transportation.

Symptoms of motion sickness include:  dizziness (vertigo), sweating, headache, pale skin, increased salivation, stomach pains, nausea, and vomiting.

Take a look at the most common remedies for motion sickness listed below.  Consider carefully what symptoms are present and what makes the patient feel better or worse.  This will help you choose the appropriate remedy.  Use a 30c potency and only repeat 3 times.  If there is no improvement move onto your second choice remedy.

	Symptoms	Better for	Worse for
Cocculus	#1 remedy for motion sickness  Great nausea, dizziness, faintness, loss of orientation Can have increased saliva	Cool air Lying still	Loss of sleep After eating Emotional excitability
Petroleum	Persistent nausea - empty feeling in stomach Accumulation of saliva in the mouth, stiffness at the back of the head or neck, vomiting and giddiness  Possible heartburn and burping	Eating Warmth	Smell of gas Dampness Llight Noise Sitting up from a lying down position
Tabacum	Nausea, giddiness, vomiting, icy coldness (cold sweats) Sinking feeling in stomach Yellow or yellow-green vomit Headache like a tight band around the head	Fresh air Eyes closed	Smell of tobacco smoke Extreme hot or cold temperatures Sightest movement
Borax	Fear of falling or worse from downward motion e.g. change in altitude in airplane;descending in flight; turbulance with falling sensation; on landing. In car – going down a steep hill.  On a boat – when exposed to big waves. There can be dizziness, nausea, abdominal distension and a great sensitivity to sudden noises	Cool weather	Noise Tobacco smoke
Nux vomica	With possible sour taste in mouth, much retching, and constipation	After sleeping Better vomiting although finds it difficult to vomit	Eating, especially spicy food.