DYSMENORRHOEA - Painful menstruation

DYSMENORRHOEA

Dysmenorrhoea is the term used for painful menstruation. Around 50 to 60 % of females suffer from pain in relation to menses. The extent of pain may vary from a mere discomfort to sever pain incapacitating the patient from her normal daily activities. The pain is usually experienced in lower abdomen but may extend to back and thighs.

TYPES OF DYSMENORRHOEA

• 1. Primary Dysmenorrhoea: It usually occurs in girls and young females and tends to improve with increasing age. The patients have complaints of pain ever since the periods started. The pain is usually spasmodic or colicky in character and is worse on first 2, 3 days of menses and eases as the flow establishes. There is usually no underlying medical problem.
  

Personality:

She was a very timid and mild girl, having fear of darkness. She would wake up at night if light is switched off.
A reserved person by nature, especially shy in front of strangers. She was very good in studies, always studied on her own, with lots of anticipatory anxiety before exams.
She couldn’t tolerate cold weather.

Medicine prescribed:

After a detailed analysis of her case she was prescribed a dose of a homeopathic remedy called SILICEA 1M and she was called after 1 month for her follow up.

Follow ups:

First follow up after 1 month - She had pain in abdomen but during first day of menses only.
During her second visit, she had a rash over her arms which disappeared in a short duration. With subsequent follow ups her menstrual pain reduced slowly and she started having normal periods with some improvement in her myopia too.

4. A CASE OF PROFUSE MENSTRUATION

A lady aged 46 yrs with complaint of profuse uterine bleeding, having clots for the past one month. Her Hemoglobin was reduced to 5 gm/dl.

Associated complaints:

• Breathlessness on walking
• Climbing stairs
• Weakness
• Sleepiness
• Leucorrhoea
• White thick discharge
• Cracks on heels.

Past History:

High fever with septicemia 8 months back. She was given lots of medicines for that.

Personality:

A very anxious person by nature. Always anxious about her health. Very fastidious, particular about cleanliness. A reserved person by nature but having fear of being alone. Hurry haste to finish her work.

Other Physical symptoms:

• Traveling sickness
• Very sensitive to cold weather
• Desire: salty food , juices
• Thirst less

Medicine prescribed:

Arsenic album 200

Follow ups:

With in 10 days of medicine she had some loose stools, her clots were reduced though bleeding was marginally reduced. On her next visit after 15 days her bleeding was much reduced with almost negligible clots.
With each subsequent visit her bleeding totally stopped and gradually weakness and breathlessness was much better, with rise in blood hemoglobin levels.

5. A CASE OF SEVERE ANEMIA AND HEMANGIOMA LIVER

This is a case of 46 years old man suffering from hemolytic anemia with hemangioma of liver.

Associated complaints:

• Excessive weakness+++ on least exertion, walking, talking.
• Breathlessness on talking, walking and exertion.
• Black stools
• Cramps in legs.
• Occasional bleeding from nose.

Past History:

• Renal stones
• Jaundice
• Anal Fissure

Personality:

He was a very emotional person. His problem started after he had a financial set back and he was dependent on his brother for upbringing of his family. This made him feel very guilty. He was a very helpful and benevolent person by nature. Felt he was an unwanted person in his family. He had lost all interest in work or any pleasure activities.

Physical symptoms:

• Very sensitive to hot weather./li>
• Couldn’t tolerate sun and especially sunlight which gave him headaches.
• Sensitive to strong odors.
• Desire: cold drinks+++
• Aversion: sweets+, milk++

Medicine prescribed:

He was prescribed Nat-Mur 200

Follow ups:

He felt much better within 15 days of medicine.
His nose bleeding totally stopped, stool became normal in color. With in a month of medicine his weakness and breathlessness were much better. Mentally he felt much better and he started working and felt happier. He is still under my treatment, feeling much better. His hemoglobin has raised from 7.3gm/dl to 12gm/dl. His liver function tests also show marked improvement.

6. A CASE OF LEFT VENTRICULAR HYPERTROPHY

Name: Mr. Sushil Kumar

Age: 30 yrs
C/O Sudden pain in region of heart aggravated by deep breathing. Pain was felt like an electric current.
Patient also complained of pain in heart aggravated by lying on left side.
C/O Palpitation of heart aggravated by exertion.
C/O Dryness of mouth.
C/O Total loss of taste

Appetite: Normal

Thirst: Normal

Thermal reaction: Patient more sensitive to hot weather

Perspiration: Profuse

Mental state: Patient was very sad with loathing of life and no desire to live.
Very angry with his children with desire to kill them but felt very guilty after his outbursts of anger.
Had lot of guilt feelings if he was not able to go to work.
Patient was very expressive and talkative.

Medicine prescribed:

He was prescribed Sulphur 200

Follow ups:

With in a week he felt better regarding his piercing pains.There was gradual improvement regarding his palpitation in coming weeks and he had occasional episodes of pain on exertion, which slowly faded away. He became much better regarding his mental state and felt much happier and also could control his anger.