Homeopathy for Mother and Baby

Homeopathy is a highly effective and safe system of medicine for babies and children. It is easy to administer - the medicines have no nasty taste - and no side effects. Homeopathy works by stimulating the child's immune system and resolving problems from within.
The best preparation for a healthy pregnancy and birth is before conception. Homeopathic treatment can prepare your body for a healthy start for the baby. Difficulties in conceiving can often be helped by homeopathy and by improving hormone function generally, it can often help to reverse a tendency to early miscarriage.

Women often turn to homeopathy during pregnancy when they are suffering from morning sickness, tiredness and cramps and are looking for a solution that will not harm the unborn child. Sepia is invaluable when the pregnancy is accompanied by great tiredness and nausea. Ipecac is more useful for the type of nausea that is not improved by vomiting. Other self-help measures are eating little and often to maintain the blood sugar at a stable level and sipping ginger tea at regular intervals. Fresh air and exercise will also help.

During the pregnancy, homeopathy can help to tone the uterus and ensure that the labour and birth go smoothly. Birthing kits and first aid remedies are available to smooth the delivery and speed recovery afterwards. There is first aid help for the baby, too, if intervention should have been necessary. With the arrival of the baby comes a different range of problems. Sepia can be useful again when the mother is tired and low. Some babies seem to cry a great deal which can be very upsetting for the new mother. This can often be helped by homeopathic medicine, which can speed recovery from a traumatic birth and calm unsettled babies.

Women who wish to breast-feed are concerned to have a good plentiful milk supply. Homeopathy will establish a good flow of milk and can help to protect the nipples from cracking and soreness. It is also excellent and safe medicine for mastitis and other post-birth problems. This is often a difficult time for the mother with disturbing negative emotions rising unbidden to the surface. Post-baby blues are not unusual; they need to be acknowledged, and a visit to a professional homeopath will give the mother constructive support while homeopathic medicine will quickly re-establish normal hormonal balance. Homeopathy heals very gently from within and can help with the great sense of loss that accompanies a miscarriage or still-birth.

Sometimes, as though the mother did not have enough to deal with, a new baby can cause emotional or behavioural problems in older children who are finding it hard to adapt to the demands a new baby makes on the household. In such situations, homeopathy can help restore serenity and equilibrium to the whole family.
Homeopathy is safe, so it is ideal for babies with nappy-rash, colic and sleeping problems. In teething babies, the homeopathic remedy Chamomilla is exceptionally effective where the classic features of the remedy are present. These include restlessness and fury, with nothing seeming to pacify the distressed child except being carried. There may be slight feverishness with teething and possibly diarrhea. The choice of this remedy would be strongly indicated by the appearance on one flushed and one pale cheek. Exposure to chill makes symptoms worse, while being rocked or carried is soothing and calming.

Teething pains that lead to a flushed, red face and a marked feverishness with skin that id dry, hot and bright red may respond to Belladonna. Indications for this remedy are great irritability, acute sensitivity of the senses, and very restless sleep with a tendency to start awake. Bright lights and loud noises cause great distress, while a quiet and moderately warm room are soothing.

Teething that is accompanied by marked weepiness and clinginess, by be eased by Pulsatilla. Characteristic features of this remedy include a tendency to mucus discharges that are thick and greenish-yellow in colour. This can lead to mouth breathing and snoring at night. Sympathy and lots of cuddles and affection ease symptoms temporarily, while becoming overheated and lying still may make the situation worse. Usually the child is better for fresh air.

The remedies Chamomilla, Belladonna and Pulsatilla will be useful again with earache. Chamomilla may have earache linked to teething pains. The child's behaviour is the best clue to the remedy. Classic features of the remedy are extreme anger and frustration when in pain, a tendency to howl and throw toys to the floor. Choose Pulsatilla for earache that follows the child becoming cold and damp. Although chilly, there is likely to be a marked aversion to being in stuffy and over-heated rooms. The child will respond well to fresh air, gentle movement and plenty of sympathy and loving attention. Belladonna will have a more severe state of feverishness. Look for the bright red, hot, dry skin that is characteristic of this remedy. Earaches that respond well to this remedy are often right-sided or more severe on the right. Pains will be throbbing and may extend from ear to throat. If the symptoms have come on very abruptly and severely, often during the early part of the night, after exposure to sharp, cold winds choose Aconite. The ear will be hot and inflamed with great sensitivity to noise and to pain. Confirmatory symptoms include visible distress, restlessness and panic with pain.

Homeopathy has remedies to comfort and support mother and baby as well as for all the childhood problems that may arise. Home prescribing can be very rewarding but, if in doubt, do contact a professional Homeopath for advice and do visit a professional Homeopath when more serious or chronic conditions arise.

Homeopathy & Headaches

Headaches - we have all had them at least once in our life and they can be very unpleasant and come on at the least appropriate moment.
Numerous situations can trigger a headache for example; muscle tension, an illness, infection, or a disturbance in the blood vessels in the head. Disturbances in the blood vessels can cause a migraine headache. Migraine headaches return periodically and can have many different characteristics which can include; blurred vision, coloured spots, or blind spots, migraine headaches are usually aggravated by light, severe pain which can be on one side of the head, as well as nausea and vomiting.

Headaches can sometimes be an early warning signal that may warrant further investigation and if you have any concerns or suspicions you should consult your physician.

Headaches can also be caused by fever, allergies, epilepsy, brain tumors, high blood pressure, severe cavities, oral infections, some prescription drugs, a head injury and TMJ.

However, most headaches are related to stress and tension. A tension headache often feels like a tight band around the head but it can also be concentrated in one specific local area. The pain can be sharp and severe, or a mild dull ache. Tension headaches are usually worse from sudden movements and they can come on gradually or suddenly appear. Tension headaches are usually worse during the day and can be eased somewhat with rest, relaxation and sleep.

A migraine attack however can be triggered by tension, stress, food allergies, head injury, oral contraceptives, hormonal changes and can last for days. Sleep may or may not help depending on the person, just as vomiting may or may not provide relief. Migraine headaches also tend to run in families.

Learning how to relax and by becoming aware of what can trigger your headache or migraine is a very important part of treatment and depending upon your situation the homeopathic medicine chest is full of many useful, safe and effective remedies.
For headaches and migraines remedies include:

Bryonia. The person is irritable and generally aggravated from any kind of motion. Headache is left-sided, over left eye or forehead, and worse when coughing.

Ferrum. Has a great sensitivity to noise, a long continued headache lasting two to three days. Headache can be in one spot on the left temple or a general frontal headache.

Gelsemium. A headache that begins at the neck and gradually moves to the forehead. One can hardly lift the head off the pillow, as it feels so heavy.

Natrum Mur. Headache is worse from light, worse from the sun may feel sad or depressed. Pain feels like hammers thumping on the head.

Sanguinaria. Feels better after vomiting. Migraine headache is on the right side that starts at the back of the head or neck and extends to the forehead and eye.

There are many more remedies available and a totality of symptoms is a must before taking any homeopathic remedy. The above is just a small example of homeopathic remedies that are available and this list should not be used for self-administration. There are many constitutional remedies available for headaches and for children that tend to suffer from headaches a constitutional remedy could be the ticket.

By Dr. Christine BranchiDD, DIHom, FBIH

Homeopathic Remedies for Migraine Headaches

Migraines are extremely painful headaches that can be debilitating. Only one side of the head is involved in many cases. Circulation to the scalp and brain can be altered, which affects the person’s perception, muscle tone, and mental function—causing weakness, nausea, vomiting, sweating, chills, and visual disturbances. A tendency toward migraines often runs in families, and allergic factors seem to be involved. Attacks can be triggered by hormonal shifts, emotional stress, and exposure to offending foods and additives (such as nitrates, nitrites, sulfites, MSG, and artificial sweeteners), or chemicals (such as air pollutants, chlorine, pesticides, colognes, and ingredients in cleaning products). Homeopathic remedies can help to reduce the pain and sickness, especially if taken in early stages. Long-term constitutional care, with the guidance of an experienced practitioner, often helps to reduce the frequency and severity of migraines.

Belladonna: Migraines that start in the back of the skull or upper neck and spread to the forehead and temple (especially on the right) may indicate a need for this remedy. Pain is throbbing or pounding, and worse from jarring, light, and noise. Headaches often begin in late morning or afternoon, and may be worst around three p.m. The face may be flushed and red, and the skin feels hot, although the feet and hands are often cold. The pupils may be dilated, with sensitivity to light, and the person may either feel delirious or drowsy.

Bryonia: This remedy can be helpful if a person has a heavy or “splitting” headache, with steady pain that settles over one eye (especially the left) or spreads to the entire head. Pain is worse from any motion, even from moving the eyes, and the person wants to lie completely still and not be talked to or disturbed. Nausea with a heavy feeling in the stomach and vomiting may occur. The person can have a very dry mouth and usually is thirsty.

Cimicifuga: This remedy is often indicated for migraines with throbbing pains (“as if the top of the head would fly open”) or shooting pains in the eyes. Headaches are often associated with the menstrual period or come on after long-term study or worrying. The muscles of the neck are usually involved in the headache, feeling very stiff and painful. The person (normally talkative and energetic) feels mentally dull and gloomy, or even fearful, during a migraine. Pain is worse from motion and sometimes improved by eating.

Cyclamen: Migraines that start with flickering in the eyes, dim vision, or dizziness suggest a need for this remedy. Pain is often right-sided and may involve the ear—which can also ache or itch. The person feels very weak and sick (the nausea is often worse from fatty food) and is thirsty, very sensitive to cold, and worse from open air. People who need this remedy are sympathetic and emotional; they often have an anxious or remorseful feeling that they may have neglected some responsibility.

Gelsemium: When this remedy is indicated, the person feels weak and lethargic, with a heavy feeling in the face and eyes, and droopy eyes with diminished vision. Pain may be mostly felt in the back of the head and muscles of the neck. The person may tremble, and sometimes heat or chills run up and down the spine. Pain often is relieved by urinating. Worry, fear, or dread of a stressful event may precipitate a headache.

Ignatia: This remedy is helpful for migraines in sensitive people, especially headaches after emotional upsets or caused by grief. The headache is often focused on one side of the head, and may feel as if a nail is driven in. Twitching in the face or spasms in the muscles of the neck and back frequently occur. The person often sighs or yawns and may sometimes weep or seem “hysterical.”

Iris versicolor: Intense migraines with blurry vision and pain that extends to the face and teeth, along with vomiting and a burning feeling in the throat and stomach, can often be relieved with this remedy. The person feels worse from resting and better from motion.

Kali bichromicum: Migraines with excruciating pain that is felt in little spots, or pain that settles over the eyebrows (or one eye), suggest a need for this remedy. When the headache begins, the person is very sensitive to light, and vision gradually diminishes. Nausea and dizziness can be intense, but vomiting does not relieve the headache. The person may feel better from lying in bed and keeping warm.

Lachesis: Left-sided migraines with congested, pulsing pain that is worse from pressure or tight clothing may respond to this remedy. The person’s face looks deeply flushed or blotchy. Headaches are often worst before the menstrual period and better once the flow begins. The person feels worse from sleeping (either in the daytime or at night) and is usually worse from heat.

Natrum muriaticum: Migraines (often on the right) that are worse from grief or emotional upsets, worse from too much sun, or occur just before or after the menstrual period, are likely to respond to this remedy. The headache feels like “a thousand little hammers were knocking on the brain” and is often worse from eyestrain. The person may have numb or tingling feelings in the lips or face before the headache starts, and the eyes are very sensitive to light. The person often feels better lying in the dark and after sleeping.

Sanguinaria: Right-sided migraines with tension in the neck and shoulder, extending to the forehead with a bursting feeling in the eye, are often relieved with this remedy. Jarring, light, and noise aggravate discomfort. The headaches improve after vomiting, as well as from burping or passing gas, and are often better after sleep. A person who needs this remedy often comes down with migraines after missing meals, and also has digestive problems and allergies.

Sepia: Left-sided migraines with dizziness and nausea, worse from missing meals, and worse near menstrual periods or during menopause, often responds to this remedy. Pain may come in shocks or jerks, and the person feels worse indoors and from lying on the painful side. A person needing Sepia feels weary, cold, and irritable, wanting no one to make demands on them.

Silicea (also called Silica): Migraines that come on after mental exertion or near the menstrual period may indicate a need for this remedy—especially in a nervous person who is very chilly. Headaches are usually right-sided, starting in the back of the head and extending to the forehead, and are worse from drafts or from going out in the cold without a hat. The person may feel better from lying down in a dark, warm room and also from covering the head.

Spigelia: Excruciating headaches on the left side of the head, with violent throbbing, or stitching pains above or through the eyeball, may respond to this remedy. Pain may extend through the face and is worse from motion, touch, position changes, and jarring. The person may feel better from lying on the right side with the head supported, and keeping still.

Homeopathy Dosage Directions

Select the remedy that most closely matches the symptoms. In conditions where self-treatment is appropriate, unless otherwise directed by a physician, a lower potency (6X, 6C, 12X, 12C, 30X, or 30C) should be used. In addition, instructions for use are usually printed on the label.
Many homeopathic physicians suggest that remedies be used as follows: Take one dose and wait for a response. If improvement is seen, continue to wait and let the remedy work. If improvement lags significantly or has clearly stopped, another dose may be taken. The frequency of dosage varies with the condition and the individual. Sometimes a dose may be required several times an hour; other times a dose may be indicated several times a day; and in some situations, one dose per day (or less) can be sufficient.
If no response is seen within a reasonable amount of time, select a different remedy.