Role of constitutional Homoeopathic medicines in Menopausal syndrome

Dr Renuka S Patil  MD (Hom).

Abstract:
Menopause is described as complete cessation of ovarian follicular activity, which results in the cessation of menstruation for twelve months or more. Menopause and associated hormonal changes impact their standard of living in elderly women. Menopausal symptoms affects the quality of life the patient. Homeopathy is effective in treatment of menopausal women. In this article we see the effectiveness of homeopathy in menopausal syndrome through a case report.

Keywords:

Homeopathy, menopause, constitutional medicine, premenopausal, post menopause,

Introduction:
Menopause is described as complete cessation of ovarian follicular activity, which results in the cessation of menstruation for twelve months or more. Although it is physiological, menopausal symptoms can be so severe that they interfere with day-to-day activities. Unfortunately, most women are unaware about menopausal changes.¹

The North American menopause society estimates that menopause typically occurs between the ages of 40 – 65 years in worldwide. According to Indian menopause society, the estimated mean age of menopause is 46 years in India and which is much lower than that of the western which is 51 years.¹

According to the study on menopausal women of Dakshina Kannada between the ages 40-65 years was done using modified MRS. The mean age of menopause in our study was 51.33+3.36 years.¹

The quality of life of the ageing population is now becoming issue. Menopause and associated hormonal changes impact their standard of living in elderly women.²

Symptoms:²

• Hot flushes
• Sleep problems
• Heart complaints
• Depressive moods, Irritability, Anxiety, poor memory, avoiding intimacy
• Exhaustion
• Sexual problems such as decreased libido
• Vaginal dryness
• Bladder complaints
• Joint and muscular pains, lower backache,
• Night sweats

Classification:

• Perimenopause: It is a period 3-4 years before menopause and followed by 1 year of amenorrhoea also included. In perimenopause associated with Anovulation and menstrual problems such as menorrhagia, metrorrhagia.
• Premature menopause/ early menopause/ artificial menopause: It is mostly due to surgical intervention such as removal of the ovaries or damage to the ovaries.
• Post menopause: Period after menopause is considered.

Investigations:

Menopause can be easily diagnosed with the clinical manifestations of the patient.

If necessary we can test serum,

• FSH and LH
• Estradiol
• Anti mullerian hormone and mullerian inhibiting substance

Complications:

• Osteoporosis
• Coronary artery disease
• Breast cancer

Homeopathy approach:

In Homeopathy, we select the similimum on the totality of the patient. In holistic manner, we consider the mental, physical and particular symptoms of the patient and which helps the patient to heal in holistic manner.

The basis of conventional treatment is hormone replacement therapy, but some women prefer not to take it, and women with cancer are not likely to be offered oestrogen based therapies.

Adverse effects of the hormonal replacement therapy is such as weight gain, vaginal bleeding, dry mouth, constipation, drowsiness.³

Review of literature:

According to the article “alternative and complementary therapies for the menopause: an homeopathic approach”, Homeopathy is effective in menopausal treatment. Through observational evidence, we can prove that Homeopathy is clinically effective in treating menopausal women.⁴

According to a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase-2 clinical trial where Homeopathy medicine Capsicum frutescens was prescribed. The effect of medicne on the primary outcome, the intensity of hot flashes was superior to that of placebo over the 4 weeks of treatment. ( p < 0.001)⁵

According to the case report which was published in Indian Journal of Research in Homeopathy, 2008, the case improved by homeopathy. The baseline score of patient according to the symptoms was 18. And after the treatment, score reduced to 1.⁶

A case report which published in sagepub journal on 2020. According to this case report, patient was symptomatically better after homeopathic treatment.⁷

Important homeopathy medicines and indications:^8,9

1. Lachesis:

• Remedy for the climacteric period
• Hot flushes
• Haemorrhage black in colour
• Violent menstrual pain which is relieved by flow.
• Sleeps into aggravation.
• In females who never get well from the changes of life – have never felt well since that time

2. Sepia

• Sadness and irritability, alternating with indifference or sulkiness.
• Anxious over trifles; weeping
• Aversion to family, to those loved best.
• Aversion to coition or complaints after; Vagina painful especially on coition
• Hot flushes at menopause with weakness and perspiration
• Hair fall out after chronic headache at climaxis

3. Sulphur

• It causes irregular distribution of circulation causing local burning, throbbing or congestion; flushes of head, rush of blood to head, chest and heart
• Menses irregular, too late, short, scanty, thick, foul, black, acrid making parts sore
• Vagina burns much offensive perspiration
• Sulphur patients are always irritable, depressed, thin and weak even with good appetite
• Vertex throbs, hot, heavy and sore; Hot head with cold feet, sweaty scalp

4. China

• Suited to thin, dry, bilious constitution. Debility from exhausting discharges from loss of vital fluids, together with nervous erythism
• Indifference, sad no desire to live
• Face flushed after hemorrhage or sexual excess or loss of vital fluids <draught of air >pressure > warm room
• Menses; too early dark, profuse clotted with abdominal distention
• Bursting, throbbing pain in head with throbbing carotids

5. Belladonna

• Belladonna is always associated with hot, red skin, flushed face, glaring eyes, throbbing carotids, excited mental state
• Menses bright, red with clots, too early, too profuse, hot gushing offensive
• Scanty and hot discharges; Dryness and heat of vagina
• Throbbing head in temple region < motion >letting hair down
• Red streaked mammae

6. Gloninum

• Excellent for the intracranial, climacteric disturbances, or due to menstrual suppression
• Climacteric flushing; At climaxis, flushes of heat, pressure in head, nausea, loss of senses, vertigo, swelling of feet
• Climacteric Disturbances; Shudders and weeps during intermissions of pain
• Fears she has been poisoned
• Diarrhoea, with sudden stoppage of menses

7. Calcarea Ars

• Fleshy women at climacteric, slightest emotion causing palpitation
• Anger, anxiety
• Sleepless, cannot bear to lie down, After 3 a.m. sleepless, restless, and perspiring
• Rush of blood to head and left chest

8. Magnesium Carbonicum

• Sore throat before menses appear.
• Before menses, coryza and nasal stoppage.
• Menses too late and scanty, thick, dark, like pitch
• Menses flow only in sleep; more profuse at night , or when lying down; ceases when walking
• Menstruation, delayed. Metrorrhagia

9. Natrum Muriaticum

• Psychic causes of disease; ill effects of grief, fright, anger
• Depressed, particularly in chronic diseases
• Consolation aggravates. Wants to be alone to cry
• Irritable; gets into a passion about trifles
• Vagina dry; Hot during menses

10. Ustilago Maydis

• Congestion to various parts, especially at climacteric
• Nervous headache from menstrual irregularities
• Menorrhagia at climaxis; Oozing of dark blood, clotted, forming long black strings
• Irritability, < being asked a question or to repeat anything
• Vertigo at climaxis with profuse menstruation

11. Amyl Nitrosum

• Anxiety, as if something might happen; must have fresh air
• Surging of blood to head and face; sensation as if blood would start through skin, with heat and redness. Flushings, followed by sweat at climacteric
• Haemorrhage associated with facial flushing
• Climacteric headache and flushes of heat, with anxiety and palpitation
• Waking with frequent starts, and feels unrefreshed in the morning

12. Sanguinaria Canadensis

• It has marked vaso-motor disturbances, as seen in the circumscribed redness of the cheeks, flashes of heat, determination of blood to head and chest, distention of temporal veins, burning in palms and soles, and has been found very applicable to climacteric disorders
• Angry irritability; moroseness. Anxiety and dread preceding the vomiting
• Menses offensive, profuse, Soreness of breasts
• Painful enlargement of breasts at climaxis
• Delaying menses, chilliness followed by flushes of heat and occasional palpitation, faintness, vertigo, nausea, and violent vomiting, burning in esophagus, neuralgia in r. temple, in l. chest (mammae) and lower extremities, occasional hacking cough and gastralgia.

13. Carbo Vegetabilis

• The patient may be almost lifeless, but the head is hot; coldness, breath cool, pulse imperceptible, oppressed and quickened respiration, and must have air, must be fanned hard, must have all the windows open. This is a typical state for Carbo veg. The patient faints easily, is worn out, and must have fresh air.
• Haemorrhage from any mucous surface.
• During menstruation, burning in hands and soles
• Anxiety, esp. in the evening (4-6 p.m.)
• Slowness of apprehension, Aversion to labour

14. Graphites

• Suited to women, inclined to obesity, who suffer from habitual constipation; with a history of delayed menstruation. “What Pulsatilla is at puberty, Graphites is at the climacteric”
• Dejection, sadness and profound melancholy with discouragement and much weeping
• Sad, despondent; music makes her weep; thinks of nothing but death
• Constipation
• Decided aversion to coitus

References:

1. Sushmitha V, Shettian N. A study on the modified menopause rating scale as a tool in the assessment of prevalence of menopausal symptoms in women of Dakshina Kannada district: a cross sectional study. International Journal of Reproduction, Contraception, Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2021 Jan 1;10(1):138-45.
2. Bairy L, Adiga S, Bhat P, Bhat R. Prevalence of menopausal symptoms and quality of life after menopause in women from South India. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. 2009 Feb;49(1):106-9.
3. Thompson EA. Homeopathy and the menopause. British Menopause Society Journal. 2002 Dec 1;8(4):151-4.
4. Thompson EA. Alternative and complementary therapies for the menopause: a homeopathic approach. Maturitas. 2010 Aug 1;66(4):350-4.
5. da Silva Andrade DC, Carmona F, Angelucci MA, Martinez EZ, Pereira AM. Efficacy of a Homeopathic medicine of capsicum frutescens L.(Solanaceae) in the treatment of hot flashes in menopausal women: A phase-2 randomized controlled trial. Homeopathy. 2019 May;108(02):102-7.
6. Sharma B. Menopausal flushes: a bane for women.
7. Mahesh S, Denisova T, Gerasimova L, Pakhmutova N, Mallappa M, Vithoulkas G. Multimorbidity after surgical menopause treated with individualized classical homeopathy: a case report. Clinical Medicine Insights: Case Reports. 2020 Oct;13:1179547620965560.
8. Boericke W. Materia medica with repertory. InMateria medica with repertory 1927 (pp. 1049-1049).
9. Kent JT. Lectures on homoeopathic materia medica. Jain Publishing Company; 1980.

Dr Renuka S Patil  MD (Hom).
Professor and HOD, Department Of Materia Medica
Government Homeopathic Medical College And Hospital,Bengaluru