Piles or Haemorrhoids? They're all the same to me

Hi all. There are many ways in which pregnancy is a glamorous business: nausea, vomiting, utter exhaustion, and perhaps the diamond in the tiara: haemorrhoids, or piles to you and me. Here is some homeopathic and natural advice which might come in very handy.

Piles are swellings which contain enlarged blood vessels and are found in or around the anus. Women are liable to develop piles during pregnancy as some pregnancy hormones make your veins relax.

Below is some homeopathic and natural advice to self manage piles which are uncomplicated and not severe. The advice pertains not only to piles developed during pregnancy, but those which occur at other times of life too - for either gender.

The homeopathic remedy Hamamelis, which is prepared from Witch Hazel (pictured here) is the first remedy to think of in piles. Take Hamamelis three times daily for 4 days in addition to following the adjunctive advice below.

• Increase fibre dramatically

• Use homeopathic/herbal piles cream, for example Helios’ (Homeopathic pharmacy) Aesculus / Hamamelis / Paeonia Cream as and when required and definitely before passing stool

• If the piles protrude, pop them back in again with a sponge which has been smeared with the cream mentioned above with or natural soapy water

• Apply witch hazel compresses - just soak a sanitary towel with witch hazel and leave in place for 30 minutes at a time. Repeat frequently to shrink the piles.

• Avoid squatting or standing for long periods.

• Do pelvic floor exercises, especially those which focus on the muscles around the anus.

Don’t hesitate to get in touch if I can offer any further advice. Thanks for reading.

Remedies for a trip to the dentist

Visiting the dentist can be a tricky experience, both in terms of the anxiety that might arise and the discomfort of any procedure. Here are some homeopathic remedies that will ease both aspects for adults and children alike.

 Trauma - Arnica

Homeopathy’s number one remedy for trauma should be given before and after any invasive procedure.

 Wounds - Calendula

Give this soothing remedy if the gums have been cut or damaged to speed healing.

 Anxiety - Aconite

This is a principal remedy for anxiety, and could be very helpful in calming the nerves of anyone who finds visiting the dentist worrying. Give the remedy before the appointment.

 Nerve pain and damage - Hypericum

This remedy is specific for nerve damage, so if this is part of your symptom picture it will help in terms of pain relief and reducing recovery time.

 GA - Phosphorus

If you need a general anaesthetic, phosphorus taken afterwards can help bring you back down to earth and clear your mind of the post anaesthetic fog.

If you need any further information, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Homeopathy - pharmaceutical free healing.

Soothing cramping pains: homeopathy for colic, menstrual and growing pains.

Magnesium Phosphate is another must-have for your personal homeopathic pharmacy. It is the first remedy to think of for cramping pain, especially when the pain is better for warmth. So if you're accustomed to clutching a hot water bottle to your abdomen during the heavier days of your period, Magnesium Phosphate is your remedy. Similarly, Magnesium Phosphate comes in extremely handy for children suffering growing pains, or for babies who have colic and who draw their knees up to their abdomen with the pain; it can save you many a sleep deprived night.

Homeopathy: pharmaceutical-free healing. Please get in touch for further information.

Boost you and your child’s immunity with homeopathy now Autumn has come

I’m very excited to be mentoring some trainee homeopaths and looking forward to helping them gain experience of the consultation process. Therefore, I would like to offer homeopathic consultations and remedies at a reduced rate.

The consultation and treatment will be at exactly the same high standard usually provided by Southsea Homeopathy, the only difference being that students studying homeopathy will be present during the consultation. Their role will simply be to observe, and they will be bound by the same confidentiality regulations as myself. Sitting in with fully qualified and experienced homeopaths is an essential component of homeopathic training. 

The cost of combined consultation and homeopathic remedies will be £25. This offer applies only from 23/9/19 to 20/12/19. 

Homeopathy successfully addresses a wide range of health issues from recurrent colds or ear infections, to headaches and anxiety. Homeopathy harnesses the power of naturally derived remedies to address the root causes of illness to alleviate discomfort and prevent recurrence. Please get in touch for more information. 

5 good reasons to use homeopathy

1.     Sustainability. Homeopathy is one of the greenest and most sustainable healthcare options out there. Its dilution process creates thousands of doses from a single sample of the original substance. Unlike the pharmaceutical industry, it does not rely heavily on petrochemicals or involve lots of packaging. 

2.     Holism. Homeopathy considers the person as a whole: if you suffer stress headaches, your homeopathic prescription will encompass both the headaches themselves and your own personal response to stress. This kind of approach, which examines root causes, can not only remove symptoms but prevent recurrence. 

3.     No side effects. The process of creating homeopathic remedies refines the medicines to remove toxicity. In this way, homeopathy is safe enough for babies and use during pregnancy. 

4.     Pharmaceutical-free home prescribing. It is very easy to become a home prescriber and use homeopathy to treat simple problems that you or your family may have, such as cuts and bruises, minor burns and sprains, upset tummies, or insect bites and stings. 

5.     No animal testing. Homeopathic remedies are tested on healthy humans only. 

These five reasons are only the beginning of what makes homeopathy a real health alternative for you and your family. Please get in touch to find out more. 

Reduced cost Student observation clinic.

I’m very excited to be mentoring some trainee homeopaths and looking forward to helping them gain experience of the consultation process.

Therefore, I would like to offer homeopathic consultations and remedies at a reduced rate to smooth the transition into the British winter, which can often be a time for lower immunity and an increased number of illnesses in our children and ourselves. 

The consultation and treatment will be at exactly the same high standard usually provided by Southsea Homeopathy, the only difference being that students studying homeopathy will be present during the consultation. Their role will simply be to observe, and they will be bound by the same confidentiality regulations as myself. Sitting in with fully qualified and experienced homeopaths is an essential component of homeopathic training. 

The cost of combined consultation and homeopathic remedies will be £25. This offer applies only from 23/9/19 to 20/12/19. 

Homeopathy successfully addresses a wide range of health issues from recurrent colds or ear infections, to headaches and anxiety. Homeopathy harnesses the power of naturally derived remedies to address the root causes of illness to alleviate discomfort and prevent recurrence. Please get in touch for more information. 

 http://www.southseahomeopathy.com/contact

It's all about the biome

In conjunction with homeopathic treatment, it's imperative to bear in mind that maintaining healthy gut flora is without doubt the first health consideration we all need to have. Our gut flora is attacked from all angles by stress, poor diet, a lack of sleep, alcohol and of course by antibiotic use. 

Eating the "right" foods to keep the biome in good repair is perhaps slightly easier for us as adults; when I knock back my daily dose of apple cider vinegar, I turn red and feel as if my head might explode, but I can - and do - tell myself I'm doing it for my flora. Encouraging my kids to have a tablespoon of vinegar once a day, on the other hand, would require a bribe so enormous that I'd have to remortgage my house. 

If your kids have had repeated doses of antibiotics and are liable to have repeated illnesses, see a homeopath to address the health of their whole constitution, and consider adding a good probiotic to their smoothie. Good probiotics taste of nothing, so you can replenish their biome without having to take recourse to bankruptcy inducing bribes. 

Thanks for reading and please get in touch for further information. 

HRT Crisis. What crisis?

Doctors are saying that they facing difficulties prescribing HRT due to a national supply crisis. For GPs there is only one way to prescribe for the menopause, and that is HRT. Therefore, for a lot of women, the prospect of that prescription suddenly becoming unavailable is very distressing. 

What I would like to say here is that there is most definitely more than one way to manage peri menopausal or menopausal symptoms, ones which do not involve artificially delaying the inevitable cessation of the menstrual cycle. 

The homeopathic pharmacy offers many alternatives to HRT, the majority of which will be plant or mineral based (two are pictured here) and they do not have side effects. The selection of the best suited remedies would be based on the individual woman's experience of the menopause; homeopathy understands that no two people are exactly alike, which is see as one of its intrinsic beauties. 

So there may be an HRT supply crisis facing the NHS, but that need not be a crisis for any woman. 

Homeopathy for your summer holidays #5 Insect bites and stings

Here are a few homeopathic and natural remedies to help ease the upset and the pain of an insect bite or sting. 2 or 3 doses of the better indicated remedy at half hourly intervals will suffice.

Apis (homeopathic bee sting)

Apis is the homeopathic remedy prepared from a bee and as you would imagine is the first remedy to think of for bites or stings from any insect. When Apis is indicated, the affected area is swollen and red and will feel hot. It'll sting or burn and it'll feel better for something cool put on it. 

Urtica Urens (homeopathic Nettle)

If there is a rash which resembles a nettle rash or there are hives which come up after a bite or sting, think of this remedy.  Not surprisingly it's great for actual nettle rash too! 

Arnica (Mountain Daisy)

If all you have on you is Arnica, then give that. It'll help ease the shock and upset. 

In addition to these homeopathic measures, Calendula tincture or cream will be soothing on the affected area. Diluted vinegar or lemon juice on a wasp sting, and diluted bicarbonate of soda on a bee sting are also helpful. 

Feel free to get in touch for further information, and thanks for reading. 

Homeopathy for your summer holidays #4 Food poisoning

Food poisoning can lead to a nasty bout of vomiting or diarrhoea, or if you're really unlucky, both simultaneously. The following remedies can be very helpful to speed your child's recovery and get you back to enjoying your holiday all the sooner. Decide which remedy fits your child's symptoms most closely, and give it every half hour for up to 4 doses, then hourly for a further two doses, if required. 

Arsenicum Album 30c

This is the first remedy for food poisoning. As a student I was taught to give Arsenicum with one hand and have a bowl in the other ready; as a parent, I have found this advice invaluable! Arsenicum is very good at helping the body eject from its stomach what it doesn't want inside it. 

The child has frequent bouts of burning diarrhoea, which smells terrible and leaves their anus sore. Their vomit will also feel burning and give them a sore throat. The child will be very restless and needy, and though their vomit and diarrhoea will be burning, they themselves will be very chilly and want to be warm. They will be thirsty for just little sips of water at a time. 

Nux Vomica 30c

I am including this remedy as it is invaluable for kids who've eaten too much of the wrong thing, but it also can come in very handy for their parents' hangovers. If we focus on the kids, Nux Vomica is useful for food poisoning, but also if there's been an overindulgence in rich or junk food, when there's vomiting a couple of hours after overeating. Nux Vomica is useful also when there's retching and a feeling of wanting to be sick but bringing nothing up. 

The child feels temporarily better after they've passed stool, but will have diarrhoea again straight after they eat, or first thing in the morning. They will also have lots of wind and could well have a bloated abdomen. The child needing Nux Vomica will not be a mild-mannered patient; they'll be very grumpy and irritable.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you found this useful. Don't hesitate to get in touch for further information. 

Homeopathy for your summer holidays #3 Sunburn and Sunstroke.

It's hard to think of a better example of prevention beating cure than sunburn and sunstroke, but accidents happen and so the advice below might be useful. 

The symptoms of sunstroke are as follows: high fever, fast pulse, red hot skin but an inability to sweat, headache and nausea. 

There are three homeopathic remedies described here which could well apply to your child's situation. Give the one which most closely resembles your child's symptoms in a 30c hourly for up to 6 doses. As the symptoms reduce in intensity, reduce the dosage similarly. 

Sol 

This remedy is prepared from potentised sunlight and can be very useful in managing many ill effects of the sun: not only sunburn and sunstroke but also prickly heat and sun headaches. If your child is very fair skinned, or if they are prone to finding strong sun difficult to manage, and you are heading for a sunny holiday, give them a single dose twice daily for the first 3 days of your holiday to enable your child to adjust more comfortably.

Belladona 

This is an indispensable kids' remedy full stop. Give your child Belladonna if they produce a high fever, have red hot skin and perhaps appear delirious. Their pupils are liable to be dilated. 

Apis 

This remedy is produced from the honey bee, and is applicable when the skin is red, swollen and puffy. Your child will complain that their skin feels like it's burning or stinging. 

In addition to these homeopathic remedies, do make sure your child is well hydrated, and seek medical help if symptoms worsen. 

Many thanks for reading and don't hesitate to get in touch for further information. 

Homeopathy for your summer holidays #2 Jet Lag

A combination of three plants work very well to minimise the impact of jet lag on your system. The three plants are Cocculus (Indian Cockle), Gelsemium (Yellow Jasmine) and Arnica (Mountain Daisy). Take one dose before flying, another two doses spaced out en route, and another dose on landing to better enable you to hit the ground running! Don't hesitate to get in touch for further information, and happy holidays!

Homeopathy for your summer holidays #1 Travel sickness

If your holidays tend to get off to a tricky start with a child who is prone to travel sickness, consider the homeopathic remedies below.

The two biggest remedies for travel sickness are Cocculus and Tabacum. Look at the descriptions to see which remedy suits your child better, and give it to them slightly before you start out on your journey and again if the symptoms come on.

Cocculus

This remedy suits a child who suffers when travelling by car, boat or plane. The child feels dizzy and sick, and will want to lie down.

Tabacum

This remedy will help a child who wants to be out in the fresh air to help their nausea and dizziness; they’ll hate to be in a stuffy atmosphere. The travel sickness this child experiences may come alongside sweating and feeling chilly.

In addition to these homeopathic measures, consider taking some ginger biscuits along with you; ginger can reduce nausea very effectively.

Happy homeopathy, happy holidays!

Homeopathy for Mental Health

This is an article produced by the Society of Homeopaths. It might help shed some light on how homeopathy can help alleviate the symptoms of mental health issues. 

China

China is an excellent recovery remedy to help your child after a nasty bout of D and V or food poisoning. China is the number one remedy to lift the debility that remains following a loss of fluids or dehydration. Your child may be left with persistent watery, painless diarrhoea, with a lot of wind and a feeling of utter exhaustion. A few doses of China will clear the diarrhoea and restore your child's energy. 

Be sure to include China in your homeopathy first aid kit. Homeopathy: pharmaceutical-free healing. Please feel free to get in touch for more information. 

Kali Bichromium

Kali Bichromium, or Potassium Bichromate, is a brilliant remedy to help clear your child's (or your) stubborn snot. It is the first remedy to think of acute sinusitis, and is not a remedy for the beginning of a cold, but works wonders for shrugging off snot that otherwise refuses to budge. Characteristically, the kind of snot that Kali Bic will help get rid of is tough, stringy or glue-like and is yellow or green. There may be a similar kind of discharge from the ears, throat or even the eyes. Your child might complain of a headache over their eyebrows, and if they're old enough to be able to do so, a feeling of pressure at the root of their nose. A few doses of Kali Bichromium will help the snot to be expelled and not to make a comeback. 

Many thanks for reading, and please feel free to get in touch for further information. 

Ledum

Ledum is the first remedy to think of for puncture wounds. Give it straightaway if your child has received an insect bite or sting, or even if they have been bitten by an animal, to minimise the bruising and chance of infection. Ledum will still be effective even some time after the initial injury if the part is still purple-ish and puffy, and your child feels better if something cool is placed on top of the area. As an injection is a kind of puncture wound, think of Ledum if your child has a vaccination.

Ledum is also the number one remedy for black eyes from a blow to the area, and will work well after Arnica to speed healing. Many thanks for reading and feel free to get in touch for further information.

Drosera

Drosera is primarily a cough remedy that will ease bouts of dry, barking coughs that come on the very moment your child's head hits the pillow. The coughs come in spasms and can be so violent that they end in retching or vomiting. If your child is old enough to express it, they might tell you that the cough feels tickly, or that the bouts of coughing make them feel like they're choking. The worst time for kids needing Drosera is often from midnight into the small hours, but the cough can also come on as soon as they lie down, too. Drosera is also the number one remedy for whooping cough. For more information about how homeopathy can help your child, please feel free to get in touch.

Belladonna

Belladonna is an excellent fever remedy for children who react in a very big way to the onset of an illness. Belladonna isn’t your remedy if your child has a long lingering cold, but think of it at the very start of an illness when your child suddenly becomes burning hot, red but dry to the touch. Their pupils might appear dilated, and their fever may make them have hallucinations, or strike or kick out at you. With four children, I cannot count the number of times I’ve prescribed Belladonna at home, let alone in practise too. A well-timed dose of Belladonna can stop the onset of an illness in its tracks and save you from many a sleepless night.

Thanks for reading, and please feel free to get in touch for more information.

Calcarea Carbonica

Does your child suffer recurrent colds or ear infections? I couldn't run my practice without Calcarea Carbonica, or oyster shell. This mineral is indispensable for enabling children to build their immunity, boost tardy development and become less likely to develop coughs, colds and ear infections.

The child who typically would benefit from the homeopathic remedy Calcarea Carbonica is normally a little pudgy as they are enthusiastic eaters, loving especially dairy and eggs. They are also often sweaty, particularly around the head and neck, and their sweat, like their poo, can smell quite sour.

Calcarea Carbonica kids aren't the most confident as they tend to be worriers. Their worries can manifest in seeing monsters in the dark, which gives them nightmares. Things are easily exacerbated by images they see on TV. Despite this, Calcarea Carbonica kids are usually independent souls and will keep ploddingly slowly but determinedly (and stubbornly!) onwards till they get what they want.

If this brief profile rings any bells for you as a parent, please get in touch to find out how Calcarea Carbonica and other homeopathic remedies can help your child. Thanks for reading.