CareClin

The souvenir no one wants – post-war trauma

Combat related health issues are concerns that cannot and should not be ignored. While these are not complaints that only servicemen and women are ‘confronted with’, when returning home from deployment, they are also not always injuries to the physical body of the combat personnel. Many servicemen and women bringing home non-visual injuries.

Mental injuries and trauma are frequently ignored, by the sufferer, the care-provider and the society that army personnel returns to when coming home. Very often these complaints are also misinterpreted. Yet health issues such as anxiety and trauma disorders are increasingly becoming more prevalent. To date these complaints are insufficiently acknowledged, managed and treated.

PTSD, post-traumatic-stress-disorder, is the trauma issue that may evolve from the exposure to experiences of warfare, combat or terror. PTSD was first exhibited in Vietnam -War – veterans, but was only acknowledged and classified by the American Psychiatric Association as a mental disorder in 1980. Increasing numbers of military personnel exhibit symptoms associated with their experiences during deployment to war zones and engagement during battle.

These are not occasional states of anxiety, but mental conditions defined by distress that prevents people from living a normal life. Characteristic for these types of anxiety and trauma disorders are persistent, overwhelming states of worry and fear. These phases can be disabling, and may appear unmanageable. Panic, phobias, compulsion, and depression may combine, leaving the individual unable to lead a normal life.

Conventional medicine uses medicinal and psychoanalytical approaches to assist individuals suffering of PTSD. However, ever increasingly holistic and complementary therapies are being used by patients to alleviate the symptoms of trauma syndromes. There is little research into the effects of CAM (complementary and alternative medicine) treatments for PTSD, but experiential reports offer promising testimonials of effectiveness.

The CAM therapies are holistic therapeutic approaches that consider the totality of patients, taking into account the physical, mental and emotional plane of patients, thereby achieving amelioration, and recovery of the individual as a whole.

Homeopathy for PTSD? Really? The ‘Totality’ is key!

Homeopathy has to date been little investigated for its efficacy in the treatment of PTSD. However, states of anxiety, depression, panic, trauma, fear, irritability, sleeplessness, and mental and physical distress have long found relief by homeopathic treatment.

Homeopathy is a medicinal treatment considered as complimentary to conventional medicine. It is tailored to treating the individual in all of his or her entirety, holistically, and not just a disease or its label.

Homeopathy treats the patient on all levels, the spiritual, the mental/emotional and the physical plane; on specifically those planes on which the symptoms of PTSD are manifest and expressive.

Homeopathy is considered a ‘gentle’ treatment approach as it’s remedies are produced by diluting and rhythmically shaking them at various stages of the production process. This renders their action gentle and increases their strength. Homeopathy is considered devoid of side effects and adverse reactions.

In the homeopathic consultation the patient is given the space for him or her to fully express how he or she feels, and how he or she experiences the symptoms of his or her complaint. The aim is to provide a comfort zone within which the practitioner is able to identify from the patients narrative and explanations, the remedy which best fits the presenting state of the patient.

Particularly within the symptom complex of ‘Post-traumatic Stress Disorder’, there is a ‘mind – body’ connection. It is not infrequent that sufferers of PTSD develop comorbid complaints to their diagnosis of PTSD, such as chronic physical pain, cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal disorders and other health issues.

By considering the totality of the patient, taking into account the physical, mental and emotional presentation of complaints, Homeopathy can facilitate the reinstatement of well-being and the recovery of the individual as a whole. Homeopathy is one of the CAM therapies who´s action radius strongly recommends it for the treatment of PTSD.

Homeopathy is ‘gentle help’ for PTSD!

PTSD and Homeopathy

We are today at a time that sees a growing incidence of natural catastrophes, global terrorism, ongoing and potentially looming military conflict. The disasters of late and in particular the wars of the recent past have brought to the foreground frequently ignored, and often misinterpreted health issues. Anxiety and trauma disorders are increasingly becoming more prevalent.

One such particular ‘trauma’ issue is the so called PTSD, the post-traumatic-stress-disorder. This trauma, related to the experiences of warfare, combat and terror was first diagnosed in Vietnam -War – veterans and was only acknowledged and classified by the American Psychiatric Association as a mental disorder in 1980. Its introduction was controversial yet “filled an important gap in psychiatric theory and practice” [3, n.p.]. With this, it was for the first time, acknowledged that trauma could be produced from an external causative factor, and was not an immanent shortcoming of the particular patient showcasing the specific set of symptoms [3].

Railway Spine, Soldier’s Heart, Shell shock…

Although it was only acknowledged and labelled as such in the 1980’s, PTSD, post-traumatic stress syndrome existed much earlier.

When trains were initially introduced as means of travel and transportation this innovative creation gave rise to much excitement, critique and a new type of fear disorder. Travel became different, louder, faster, and the number of people transported with just one trip could be increased drastically.

Got a cold? – There’s homeopathy for that!

The common cold is the number one infectious disease that is most common in the population across the globe. Catching the cold challenges our immune system, makes us feel run down and tired. The symptoms of the common cold are very distinctive and are specific for an acute infection of the mucous membranes of the nose and throat. There is usually soreness of the throat, coughing, and a runny nose, which are frequently accompanied by headache, heaviness of the limbs and pain in the joints. Sometimes there may also be a slight fever.

Many of us seek relief from the cold by quickly reaching for over-the-counter conventional medicines and painkillers. However, in order to alleviate symptoms and speed up recovery there are gentler options if you wish to support your system. There is, for example, homeopathy.

Homeopathy is a great option as it facilitates properties that will stimulate self-healing responses in the body and will trigger the immune system to spur into action. As such, there are two over-the-counter homeopathic preparations that are available at most local pharmacies across the Algarve and Portugal that can assist the body at recovery from the cold.

A much promoted homeopathic remedy is Oscillococcinum. It is a homeopathic preparation that contains only one single remedy, and is manufactured by the French company BOIRON. It contains a highly diluted extract of Anas barbariae hepatis et cordis which has been found to be effective for the treatment of symptoms such as body aches, headache, feeling run down, fatigued, feverishness, and feelings of chilliness.

Another extensively available homeopathic preparation indicated for the cold is Gripp-heel, produced by the German company HEEL. This is a complex preparation that contains a number of homeopathic remedies that together have an action radius that covers most symptoms of the common cold, like the runny nose, soreness of throat, cough, aching muscles, and raised temperature. The contained homeopathic remedies are Aconitum, Bryonia, Lachesis, Eupatorium perfoliatum, and Phosphorus.

Instructions on how to take these preparations are given either on the packaging or in the package insert of these preparations.

These two homeopathic preparations are a great alternative to conventional medicines. They are practically free of side- and adverse- effects, have no contraindications and do not interact with other medications that one might be taking. Beyond that, research that has investigated the efficacy of these homeopathic preparations for the cold has shown both preparations to be effective at reducing the symptoms of the cold and the duration of the illness. Therefore, the next time you feel that cold coming, think homeopathy!