Homeopathy & Menopause

Nature is truly extraordinary. More so, for a woman. Picture this. A woman’s last [monthly] periods are usually signified by an extended phase of ‘change over.’ This can begin in one’s late-30s; it can go on up until one’s late-40s, varying from 2-10 years, or longer, before the final stoppage of periods. This long-drawn, switchover stage in a woman’s life is called perimenopause. Ironically, however, the arrival of perimenopause for a woman heralds the process of regaining one’s individual authority.

What is menopause

Menopause is the stoppage of periods, or monthly cycles, in women. Yet, the fact is: most women who expect menopause to set in at a certain ‘accepted’ point of time are often caught on their wrong foot. They may not, for the most part, be aware of certain subtle changes happening inside their bodies, all through. Or, they may wait for classical symptoms of menopause, or the complete termination of the menstrual cycle, to emerge.

What research says

From time immemorial, cultural dogmas have ‘influenced’ every generation to believe that a woman’s mood swings, before menopause, are a consequence of emotional spikes, or variations.

The fact, in medical terms, is just the contrary. Research evidences that repetitive stress, moody blues, bringing up children, job pressures, or job loss, or any life concern, may activate a surplus of hormonal changes in the brain and body. All of these and more can have a snowballing effect in perimenopausal hormonal changes — much more than cultural beliefs.

It is also a fact of life that all distressing symptoms get overstated before menopause — more so, when a woman is overburdened with excess emotional luggage. This can lead to a state of denial — that what she’s going through can’t yet be menopause.

There are certain bodily and hormonal changes that begin at perimenopause. This may include a slow, but sure, decline in the hormone, progesterone, although the other hormone, oestrogen, remains more or less the same, or may markedly increase. The latter may also lead to what is called as oestrogen ‘load,’ bringing on symptoms such as bloating [water retention and weight gain around the waist], irregular periods, diminished sex drive, mood swings and ‘migraine-type’ of headaches, before periods.

Homeopathy: The safe, effective treatment for menopause

While prescribing a suitable homeopathic medicine for menopause, or its symptoms, your homeopathic doctor will not merely look at a given, or not given, problem, or catalogue your body as being composed only of parts. They will analyse your disposition, and look at the health issue in its totality — including your emotional, or psychological, contexts.

Homeopathy also pays the greatest attention to the precise symptom-picture and personality portrait of each individual presenting with perimenopausal symptoms, or concern. It evaluates every woman’s likes and dislikes, emotional patterns, sensibilities and sensitivities. This includes their family and medical history, such as age of menarche [first periods], age of onset of symptoms, pregnancy, sudden or gradual menstrual problems, change in weight, environment, occupation, or lifestyle. Or, moods, or hot flushes — better, or worse, when, at what time, and so on — besides eliciting information on the use of conventional, or other, medications and contraceptive pills.

In a clinical study, researchers at the Tunbridge Wells Homeopathic Hospital, UK, enrolled a group of women outpatients who complained of menopausal hot flushes. They were treated using individualised homeopathic medicines. After their initial consultation, and follow-up, the patients completed their own self-assessment rating of the treatment. 79 per cent of the women enrolled in the study reported a reduction in both the severity and frequency of hot flushes, as a result of homeopathic treatment, with no side-effects.

Self-Help

• Keep cool, wear light clothing, relax; avoid caffeine and spicy food
• Sleep well in a well-ventilated room
• Exercise regularly. Or, walk 30 minutes daily, five days a week
• Follow-up with your homeopathic doctor on a regular basis.