DIABETES

EXCESSIVE SECRETION OF URINE

This disease is characterized by copious discharges of sweet urine of a pale yellowish or greenish yellow color, and sometimes of a faint sweetish odor. The saccharine matter resembles grape sugar. The first symptoms which usually attracts the attention of the patient is the frequency of the calls to pass urine, and he generally soon notice that the quantity is increased, and sometimes he accidentally discovers that it is sweetish to the taste. The patient soon begins to be trouble with great thirst, the appetite often becomes craving, the mouth and throat dry and perched. There is a sensation of hollowness or sinking, with faintness at the pit of the stomach, and other dyspeptic symptoms with great debility and emaciation. The quantity of urine discharged usually varies from ten to twenty, and sometimes from thirty to fifty paints or more in twenty-four hours, and this often for weeks or months together. The specific gravity or weight of the urine is generally increased owing to the present of sugar. If sugar is present in any quantity you can detect it very readily short of tasting. Add a little yeast to some of the urine and set it down in a warm place, and if there is sugar present it will begin to ferment within twenty-four hours, whereas healthy urine will not go through the same process. Albumen is also sometimes present. This disease is very slow in its progress, sometimes lasting for many years, and in many cases patients die of some other affection, such as consumption, disease of the brain, liver, or stomach. Occasionally they die early in the disease from exhaustion occasioned by the profuse secretion.

We sometimes have a profuse glow of urine without the presence of sugar, caused by various nervous affections, especially hysteria, but this form of the disease is not usually serious.

The cause of sugar being found in the urine in diabetes has been long a question with medical writers. Some have supposed that the stomach and bowels are chiefly in fault, others that the liver secretes an excessive quantity in this disease, and some of the latest writers attribute it to deficient action of the lunge, in that the sugar which is formed in the blood which comes from the liver on its arrival in the lunges fails to be decomposed by the oxygen of the air, and to disappear as in health, but passes in the general circulation to the kidneys, and is there separated from the blood.

Treatment

General measures are perhaps more important than medicine, although the letter bay be of great service. As to diet it is necessary that it should be nutritious, but that it should contain neither sugar nor starch, therefore potatoes and fine flour in every form should be omitted. Give bran or canel bread with butter, beef or mutton, fowls and eggs, also cabbage and turnips. Let the patient drink moderately at a time, but in all about enough to relieve his thirst. Let him spend his time in the open air in taking active exercise, and follow the direction as to particular exercises contained in the section on consumption.

Carbo veg:

Give a dose of this remedy night and morning for two weeks, then continue it if there is any improvement, and as long as long as the patient continues to mend. After the above remedy has ceased to act, give Mercurius Viv. Night and morning, and continue it as long as there is any improvement. Veratrum can follow the above if it is needed, also Natrum Mur.

SLEEPLESSNESS

Hearty or late suppers frequently cause disturbed sleep, and sometimes sleeplessness. The use of coffee and tea, late rising in the morning, strong mental emotions, reading, writing, and mental application, during the evening, are among the chief causes of this derangement. 

Treatment

If sleeplessness or disturbed sleep, arises either from eating too much at supper, or from late suppers, let the patient avoid the former, and abandon forever the Katter, and take Pulsatilla about one hour before retiring. Give Aconite when sleeplessness is caused by mental anxiety, or by alarming events, fear, fright, or chagrin, especially if there is fullness of the head.

Give Belladonna one hour before retiring, when the patient feels sleepy, but on sleep follows; also when he cannot restrain his thoughts; and when frightful visions occur during sleep.

Nux Vomica is the proper remedy when the sleeplessness is caused by thinking, reading, or writing late at night, and when all sorts of ideas crowd upon the patient’s mind; it is especially useful in the case of coffee-drinkers, and of those who use alcoholic and fermented drinks.

Ignatia, when the sleeplessness is caused by grief, sadness care, mental anxiety, and depressing emotions. Opium will be required for the sleeplessness of aged people also give it to others if Aconite does not relieve this symptom, when it is caused by fear or fright.

Give Hyoscyamus when sleeplessness occurs during the progress of fevers and other disease or while recovering from them. If it fails, select some other remedy.

For sleeplessness of young children, give Aconite, especially when there is fever or restlessness, and if the symptoms are not relieved in an hour, give coffea; repeat  these remedies if necessary. Belladonna may be given if the child cries without apparent cause; and if there is sudden starting or twitching which is not relieved by it, give Chamomilla. Give Chamomilla when the child is trouble with colic, or earache, and if it fails give Belladonna. Repeat the dose of either medicine every hour until relief follows.

Jaundice

Jaundice is a disorder caused by liver-dysfunction and characterised by a yellow discoloration of the skin, nails, eyes, mucous membranes and excretions.

Treatment

Check if most symptoms of any of these medicines match with most of your symptoms:

Carduus marianus 30:

Diminished appetite, bitter taste in the mouth, nausea, bilious vomiting, bright yellow hard stools and pain in the liver region are feature of this medicine.

Chelidonium majus 30:

Dirty yellow eyes; large yellow tongue with imprint of teeth; nausea relived by drinking hot water, desire for hot foods / drinks; dark yellow urine foaming like beer; dry, hard ball-like, creamish stllos; pain in the liver region (and back, near the lower tip of scapula) are important feature of this medicine.

Chionanthus 30:

Sickening, dull headache; yellow eyes, tongue with thick yellow fur; dark urine and light coloured pasty stools are feature of this medicine.

Myrica 30:

Severe jaundice with bronze-yellow skin dull headache on waking in the morning; nausea followed by vomiting of thick tenacious fluid and excessive gas which is constantly discharged when walking or trying evacuate bowels are the feature of this medicine.

Notes:

• Taking complete rest and consuming a high carbohydrate, low fat diet are very important.
• Discontinue the medicine as soon about fifty percent improvement occurs. Restart-listed medicine if symptoms worsen again or reappear later.
• If the selected medicine does not help, consult a competent homoeopathy doctor.

BRIGHT’S DISEASE OF THE KIDNEYS

GRANULAR OF FATTY DEGENERATION OF THE KIDNEYS

This is somewhat rare disease, and in the acute from, the symptoms resemble those of acute inflammation of the kidneys, but it is distinguished from the latter affection by the urine containing albumen, or a substance similar to the white of an egg; and often by the occurrence within a few of days of symptoms of acute dropsy. To detect albumen in the urine, if it is cloudy or muddy, strain it, then heat it in a silver spoon, earthen dish, or tin cup, to the boiling point, then if there is no change in its appearence, drop in a few drops of vinegar and heat it again. If the urine contains albumen when it is thus treated, there will soon appear white curdy flakes, if the quantity is considerable, but if it is small, there will merely be a whitish cloudiness.

The chroine form of this disease is much more common than the acute. The symptoms are often very obscure at their commencement. A growing weakness, some derangement of the digestive organs, an occasional tendency to frequent passages of urine. With diminution of the quantity discharged, or some irregularity in its appearance, with perhaps obscure pains in the small of the back, are usually among the first symptoms noticed; and even these may escape notice, or least may not caused the patient to a physician until dropiscal swellings appear, which commence in the face and extend over the whole body. There may be some tenderness over the region of the kidneys on strong pressure, and the quantity of urine discharged is found to be less then during health, and its density or weight is also diminished, and it usually contains more or less albumen. As the discharge progresses the blood gradually loses its coloring matter, and the patient become very pale. The albumen although generally present in the urine, is no always constantly so, but its specific gravity, or weight, in equal quantity compared with healthy urine, gradually diminishes, and the countenance of the patient, from the loss of the red globules of the blood, often acquires, before death, a waxen yellowish white deathlike hue. Dropsy generally attends this disease, but it is not always present; not is the presence of albumen in the urine always positive evidence of the existence of this affection; but when the urine is scanty and contains more or less albumen, although perhaps free from it at times, and when at the same time the specific gravity or weight of the urine is steadily diminishing until it is considerable less than during health, you may be reasonably sure that the patient is suffering from this disease; and he occurrence of dropsy and pale and bloodless countenance, will strengthen this opining. Diseases of the heart, especially enlargement of the heart, and also disease of the liver, are frequent complications of this affection, and patients suffering from this disease are very subject to inflammatory diseases.

Treatment

The treatment in both the acute and chronic form of the disease is very similar to that recommended inflammation of the kidneys. In acute cases Aconite, Cannabis and Cantharis may be given as there directed. Belladonna will not be required. In chronic cases the last two remedies will often be useful also Lycopodium, Calcarea carb, and especially spirits of turpentine. If symptoms of dropsy occur in either case give Apis Mel. Once in four hours, and if within a few days there is no improvement, alternate it with Arsenicum at intervals of four hours.

PILES (HEMORRHOIDS)

This disease is frequently caused by sedentary and indolent habits, and by occupations which confine to the sitting position. Sitting on cushions favours the development of piles by heating the parts. High-seasoned food, stimulating and fermented drinks and cathartic remedies are also among the causes which give rise to this affection.

Symptoms

A sensation of fullness, heat, and perhaps itching is felt about the anus, caused in the great measure by the dilatation of the veins of the lower part of the intestine or rectum, and in the anus or external passage. The swelling increases until small tumors from which are sore and painful. These may be external and visible or internal, and are often of a bluish color, and when inflamed they are very sore and painful to the touch. There is frequently a discharge of bold, especially from internal piles, and such discharges often return repeatedly until a habit is established, and there is a feeling of fullness before and relief after such discharges. 

Treatment

If there are much inflammation, heat, pain, soreness, and fever, give Aconite once in two hours until these symptoms are relived. If there is hemorrhage give Nitric acid once in two hours until it is relived, and then give a dose every morning and dose of Nux vom. Every night for two weeks, after which give Nux vom. At night and Sulphur in the morning. These two remedies may be continued for several months. If not withstanding the above remedies hemorrhage returns a dose of Calcarea carb. Given night and morning for a few weeks will rarely fail to relive this symptom, and also to benefit the piles. If the flow of blood is very profuse give a dose of Ipecac every hour until it is relieved. If there is no hemorrhage and the patient is either of sedentary habits or a high liver, give Nux vom. At night and Sulphur in the morning. With females Pulsatilla sometimes dose better then Nux vom. In obstinate cases if the piles are bluish and there is burning in them, give Carbo veg night and morning.

If the patient expects a permanent cure of this disease, he must shun the causes which have produced it, or he can never obtain anything more than palliative relief from the best remedies. He must shun all stimulating drinks and spices, use brown bread, and but little meat, and eat temperately, and take active out-door exercise. Lie with the face downward, and sustain the weight of the body by the elbows and toes, resting on a sofa or bed, for a few moments, and then slowly raise the hips and lower them five or six times; this tends to relive the congestion of the veins about the anus, and if repeated two or three times a day, but also fore felling of the bowels, as well as for failing of the womb. 

Myopia (short-sightedness)

Myopia is a visual defect in which near vision is good but distance vision is blurred. The victim, usually a child or a youth, requires minus (concave) glasses to see clearly at distance. In young age, myopia is progressive so that glasses gradually grow thicker.

Treatment

Check if most symptoms of any of these medicines match with your symptoms:

Physostigma 30:

Increasing myopia, with small pupils and twitching eye-muscles. The eyes feel tired and irritated even after a little use. Soreness of tongue-tip and a fluttering of the heart (which is felt even in the throat) are other features of the remedy.

Phos 30:

Short-sightedness in tall, lean, narrow-chested person. Black floaters before the eyes. Lights seem to be surrounded by a green halo. Letters appear red. Puffiness all around the eyes. An oversensitive nature and an irresistible desire for cold drinks and foods (e.g., ice cream) are other pointers to this remedy.

Notes:

1.   Since myopia is a progressive defect tending to increase during the entire childhood and adolescence, other therapeutic measures like eye-exercises, Acupressure and Magnet Therapy are, perhaps, more important than medicines. Details of these measures are given in the book ‘Vision Training Programme’ by the same author.

Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis means an inflammation (swelling) of the most superficial membrane covering the eye. It is characterised by redness of and discharge from the eyes, causing their agglutination in the morning.

Treatment

Check if most symptoms of any of the below-given remedies match with most of your symptoms:

Aconite 30:

Sudden, acute conjunctivitis with red eyes and swollen eye-lids. The eyes are dry and hot and there is a feeling of sand in them. The victims is restless and anxious and feel he is going to die. There is an unquenchable thirst for cold water.

Argentum n 30:

Severe conjunctivitis, the inner corners of the eyes looking especially red. There a profuse, pus-like discharge from the eyes. There is a tired, aching feeling in the eyes which lessens on tightly closing the lids, or applying cold compresses. A craving for sweets and an apprehensive nature (causing diarrhoea) are other features of this medicine.

Belladonna 30:

Sudden, severe conjunctivitis, Not only the eyes, but the whole face appears red. Throbbing pain and burning in the eyes. The pupils are abnormally large (dilated).

Euphrasia 30:

Acute conjunctivitis with redness and itching of the eyes. The tears, which flow out constantly, are acrid, causing burning of the eyes. Simultaneously, the nose also waters. But this fluid is bland (non-burning). Warm applications to the eyes seem to worsen the problem.

Notes:

•     Redness and pain, without any discharge from the eyes excludes conjunctivitis and signifies some other (perhaps serious) eye-problem, warranting the attention of eye-doctor.

2

•     If redness and discharge do not diminish in a day or two, consult an eye-doctor without further delay.