Efficacy and significance of homoeopathy in Dysmenorrhoea

Dr Lizmy Jose

Efficacy and significance of homoeopathy in Primary Dysmenorrhoea

INTRODUCTION
Homoeopathy is now a system of medicine with growing acceptance all over the world. Homoeopathy is a specialised system of therapeutics based on the law of healing – Similia Similibus Curentur which means ‘let likes be treated by likes’. The beginning of this new idea was blossomed in the mind of Dr. Samuel Hahnemann and cherished in the minds of Dr. Herring, Dr. Kent, Dr. Boeninghausen, Dr. Farrington and many others to attain the present status.

Homoeopathy signifies a system of treatment based on  the similarity between symptoms of the patient and those obtained during proving of drugs on healthy human beings. The basic concept of disease is that, all natural diseases are due to derangement of the vital force of an individual resulting in abnormal sensations and functions manifested as signs and symptoms both in mental and physical plains. This image of the disease which we call as totality of symptoms is the sole guide for the physician to select the similimum – the curative remedy. Thus Homoeopathy is a system of medicine giving more importance to the diseased individual than the disease itself.

Dysmenorrhoea is one of the most common gynaecologic complaints in women who present to clinicians. Dysmenorrhoea is the general term for painful menstruation. Painful menstruation is when menstrual periods are accompanied by either sharp, intermittent pain or dull, aching pain, usually in the pelvis or lower abdomen. Primary dysmenorrhoea refers to menstrual pain that occurs in otherwise healthy women and is not related to any specific problems with the uterus or other pelvic organs. It is predominantly confined to adolescent girls. Secondary dysmenorrhoea is defined as menstrual pain resulting from anatomic and/or macroscopic pelvic pathology and so the treatment may require surgical intervention at times. On the other hand primary dysmenorrhoea is purely functional and homoeopathic medicines both constitutional anti miasmatic and specific medicines are highly effective in its treatment.

This is a humble effort made by me to show the homoeopathic fraternity and the whole suffering humanity, the efficacy and significance of homoeopathic medicines in the management of primary dysmenorrhoea.

We are here to add what we can to, Not to get what we can from, LIFE.– Sir William Osler 

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

• To determine the efficacy and significance of homoeopathic medicines in the management of primary dysmenorrhoea.
• To determine the medicines and the corresponding potencies frequently indicated in the management of primary dysmenorrhoea 

INFERENCE
The study shows that there is significant difference between the scores representing the symptoms of Primary Dysmenorrhoea before and after 8 months of Homoeopathic treatment. This difference is more than due to chance and it can be clearly attributed to be due to the homoeopathic medicines. Hence the study is highly significant and the treatment is effective. 

DISCUSSION
Twenty patients coming under the age group of 15-20 years were included in this study. The main parameters of the treatment process were the signs and symptoms.

The major clinical features were pain (100%), fatigue (85%), fainting (40%), nausea & vomiting (60%), chill & perspiration (60%), headache (40%) and irritability (45%).

All the 20 cases were under the different systems of treatment like Allopathy (60%), Ayurveda (20%) and Homoeopathy (20%). 65% of cases had a family history of Dysmenorrhoea. The predominant miasm was Psora in 60% of cases and Pseudopsora in 40%.

Each disease criterion was graded and scores were allotted. The outcome assessment was done after 8 months by post treatment scores as shown below –

After treatment

Criterion                      Grade                      Score

No symptom                   o                              o

Mild symptom                +                              1

Moderate symptom        ++                            2

Severe symptom             +++                          3

The cases were evaluated using Kent’s repertory giving importance to 1) mental generals, 2) physical generals and

3) particulars. The emotional symptoms like fear, anxiety, irritability, mildness, weeping tendency, sensitiveness etc, physical generals like sleep and dreams, desires and aversions, appetite and thirst, bowel movements, discharges etc were given more importance. The particulars were taken only if it added to improve the disease portrait.

Constitutional deep acting medicines based on symptom similarity were administered in all the cases. Pulsatilla was prescribed in 5 cases (25%) out of the total twenty cases studied. Nux vomica was prescribed for 3 patients (15%), Sepia & Calcarea carb for 2 patients each (10%). Ammonium carb, Lachesis, Lycopodium, Graphitis, Natrum mur, Phosphorus, Sulphur and Veratrum alb were prescribed in one case each (5%). This highlights the role of individualisation in homoeopathic prescription. It was observed that the higher potencies of medicines (1M and above) were more useful in giving a relief of symptoms for a longer period.

The treatment result showed cure / improvement in majority of the symptoms. Pain was completely cured in 55% of cases and 35% showed marked relief. Only 10% of cases had no change. The associated symptoms like nausea & vomiting, fainting, headache, fatigue and irritability were also cured / improved. But chill & perspiration showed only 50% cure / relief.

Statistical evaluation of the pre & post treatment scores was done using the paired t test which showed highly significant difference between the two, thus clearly establishing the effectiveness of homoeopathic medicines.

The study thus undoubtedly proves that well selected homoeopathic medicines covering the whole constitution of the individual giving importance to the mental and physical generals have definite action in correcting the peculiar constitution prone to dysmenorrhoea and in preventing its recurrence.

CONCLUSION 

• Homoeopathic constitutional medicines based on symptom similarity are effective in the management of Primary Dysmenorrhoea.
• Mental generals and physical generals should be given prime importance in the selection of the similimum.
• High potencies of the selected medicines are more effective in preventing the recurrance.
• Psora and Pseudopsora are the underlying miasms of Primary Dysmenorrhoea 

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