HOMOEOPATHY AND PAIN

A few pointers when describing pain symptoms to your homoeopathic physician. 

Give the exact location on the head, body, arms, hands, legs, feet, etc. ; right side or left side ; make this location as minute as you can.

State whether the pain remains in one place, or whether it changes places ; if moving or changing place state just how, and to what place it goes.

Always mention the place where it starts and then where it goes, and how it goes.

1.      State how the pain makes you feel ; the effect on you ; how you act during the pain ?

2.      Is there anything, any act, any position, any part of the day or night, application of cold or warm water, or dry heat or cold, any change in the weather, cold or warm air, or any other circumstance that causes the pain to be easier or worse, or removes it entirely ?

3.      Is there any change in the appearance or feeling of the skin, flesh or bone after the pain leaves ?

4.      What is your general feeling after the pain leaves ?

5.      How does the pain come, quickly or slowly ?

6.      Anything that seems to bring it on ?

7.      How does the pain leave, quickly or slowly ?

8.      What seems to cause it to leave ?

9.      What kind of pain is it ?

10.  What does it seem like to your feeling or imagination ?

11.  This is very important as there are various kinds of pain, such as cutting, boring, digging, bruised, sore, aching, biting, burning, cramp-like, dull, drawing, gnawing, jerking, labor-like, oppressive, paralytic, piercing, pinching, pressing, pricking, pulsating, stitching, shooting, tearing, violent, wandering (changing place), as from ulceration, as from excoriation or a raw place.

12.  Express the sensation of pain in your own language-just as it feels to you.

13.  How much of the time do you have the pain ?

14.  When is it likely to come on ?

15.  When are you likely to be free from it ?

16.  Is there any sore, eruption or swelling at the seat of the pain ?

17.  Any change in the color of the place or in the usual appearance of the skin ?

Mention anything else about the pain that occurs to you, especially anything that appears to be unusual or singular.

Reference: What the doctor needs to know in order to make a successful prescription by Dr. James Tyler Kent

IRON SUPPLEMENTATION TIPS

A person taking iron supplements should check his/her complete hemogram by blood test. Get your blood test done to assess the hemoglobin and blood indices to know about the efficacy of the supplements. Never take iron supplements haphazardly for a month or two and discontinue them; always confirm its action and verify whether it needs to be continued further.

There is no fixed course for iron. You need to continue till your body stores are adequate in iron. A regular follow-up blood test is essential to prevent iron overload. There is no need to take extra supplemental iron unless indicated.

Continue using food sources of iron even after stopping the tablet/syrup as food sources will never cause iron overload. Common foods are beet, green veggies, dates, figs, raisins, sesame seeds, and almonds.

If you are not responding to the iron or your hemoglobin keeps dropping frequently, you need to rule out hemoglobin-related disorders.

But, but, but.......... try doing this first -

Include vitamin A (carrots, peach, papaya, mango, green vegetables), copper (whole grains, almonds, pista, figs, dates, walnuts, raisins), and VITAMIN C to improve the absorption of iron.

Our Indian dish 'aloo-palak' is a good example of a food combination to maximize the efficacy of nutrient absorption. 

Forget the technical jargon...
what I mean is that you get iron from palak and vitamin C, vitamin A, and copper from the potato, so it enhances iron absorption.

Point to note: 

Do not take your anti-acidity syrups, tablets, or capsules with iron. It will just not allow that iron to be absorbed. 
Do not drink cow or buffalo or soya milk to gulp that iron tablet, it will just not allow......
Do not take tea or coffee with iron tablets; it will just not allow......

So, get the best out of that iron tablet, so that you can discontinue it sooner.