2. Suppression from fright. Aconite, Opi or Verbascum
3. From mental emotions. Chamomilla or Coloc. (anger); Ignatia or Hyoscyamus (grief); Coffea or Opi. (excessive joy).
4. Chromic cases. Coni., Senec., Sepia
5. Gradual suppression. See the remedies under “Delayed Menstruation.” This is generally associated with some deep constitutional disease, such as Consumption, and should be placed under the care of a physician without delay.
Aconitum. Suppression attended by a rush of blood to the head, producing pain, redness of thee cheeks, faintness or giddiness on rising from a recumbent position, weight in the loins; cold relieves but heat aggravated thee sufferings; there is also heat aggravates the sufferings; there is also heat, thirst, and a general feverish condition.
Cimicifuga. Intense headache, pain in the aye-balls, back, and limbs, especially of the left side; palpitation, depression of spirits, and nervousness.
Pulsatilla. This is a chief remedy, especially in females of mild, timid, and amiable disposition, who are easily excited to tears or laughter; also when there is languor, pain across the small of the back and lower part of the bowels, palpitation, nausea and vomiting, sensation of fullness in thee head and eyes, and disposition to general coldness, frequent urination, and Leucorrhoea.
Sepia is also important remedy, and may follow the last medicine particularly in females of a delicate constitution and sallow skin; the sufferings are often mitigated by exercise, and aggravated by rest; bearing down in the lower parts of the abdomen and pains in the loins, melancholy mood, and morning headache.
Belladonna. In addition to the Aconitum symptoms, there are sparks before the eyes, dizziness, confession of the head, aching pains in the eyeballs and sockets, shooting pains in thee eyeballs and sockets, shooting pairs about the womb and ovaries, bearing down, with heat and dryness of the vagina.
Bryonia. Vertigo, bleeding of the nose, stitches in the sides and chest, dry cough, confined bowels, severe pressing pain in thee stomach, irritability of temper.
Opium. Useful in recent cases, attended with great heaviness of the head, dizziness, lethargy, and drowsiness, especially if there be also obstinate constipation and retentions of urine.
Conium. Very efficacious in retarded or suppressed menstruation of long standing, when not depending on constitutional causes.
Administration. A dose thrice daily at the commencement of the treatment; afterwards, as improvement ensues, night and morning. The remedy may be continued for ten days or a fortnight, if doing good, or earlier changed for a more suitable one.
ACCESSORY MEASURES. The cause of the suppression should be found out and removed if possible. All physical or mental depression, or undue excitement, night air, late hours, stimulating drinks, and highly=seasoned food, should be avoided. Meals should be taken with regularity, the stomach never over- loaded, the food being simple and nourishing. The drink should be cocoa, black tea in great moderation, not oftener than once a day, and pure water. Green tea, coffee, and all stimulating drinks must be abandoned. Out-of-door exercise, useful employment, and agreeable company or books will greatly aid recovery. While hoping for a return of the menstrual discharge, the exercise of patience is sometimes necessary, as the general health is often greatly improved before this crowing evidence of cure is obtained.
Caution-See page 33.
IX. Too Scanty, Short-lasting, Deficient Menstruation. (Menstrua exilia.)
This condition, like :Delay of the First. Menstruation,” is often due to constitutional causes, and must be treated accordingly. At the same time, if the patient enjoy good health notwithstanding the scanty flow, no medicinal interference is justifiable. If, on the other hand, sufferings are present during the monthly period, and there is a general derangement of the system, medicinal and general means must be adopted to correct the morbid condition.
TREATMENT. Pulsatilla. Pale, scanty and watery menses, preceded and accompanied by cutting pains in the loins, dejected mood, chilliness, etc., in patients of light complexions and mild disposition.
Sepia. Patients with torpid skin-action, weariness, sensitiveness to cold, subject to sick-headaches and Leucorrhoea.
Mercurius. Scanty menses, with sallow unhealthy appearance, deranged liver, or general feebleness, dyspnoea, etc.
Helonias. Anaemic patients. Aconitum or Belladonna, Plethoric patients.
Graphites. Patients who suffer from constipation and unhealthy skin.
Natrum Muriaticum. Subjects of earthy complexion. Constipation.
Senecio. Irregular, late, painful.
Other remedies are: Coni., Sulphur, Nux V., Phosphorus, Iodium, Ferrum, Platina, Cimic., Senec., etc., The previous two Sections should also be consulted.
X. Irregular Menstruation
Sometimes the period comes on twice or three times consecutively and then is absent one or more months; or it may occur at one time too early and at another too late. These and other irregularities usually depend on defective constitutional vigour; or on circumstances connected with the patient’s habits, such as close confinement indoors, sedentary occupations, want of variety in mental and physical employment, etc.
TREATMENT. Injurious habits must be corrected, and measures taken to remedy the defective health. The Sections on “Delayed Menstruation,” page 27, “Too profuse, frequent, or long-lasting Menstruation,” page 50, and the following Section should also be studied. China or Quinine will be most likely to aid Pulsatilla, or any other suitable remedy, when simple irregularity is the most prominent fault. Pulsatilla may be taken for three days, then China for three days, and the course repeated as necessary.
XI. Vicarious Menstruation.
Sometimes in absent or scanty menstruation there is spitting or even voting of blood, bleeding from the nose, Leucorrhoea, or some other periodical discharge, which seems to be substituted for the true menses, and hence is said to be vicarious.
No anxiety need be excited by these discharges, except to restore the equilibrium of health. This should be done promptly, lest the condition become chronic, and further mischief result.
TREATMENT. Bryonia. Spitting of blood with stitches in the chest, painful cough, etc.
Ipecacuanha. Vomiting of blood, with much nausea.
Pulsatilla. Frequent haemorrhage form nose and ears; hot, dry skin; pains in breast.
Hamamelis may be used for haemorrhage from any part when other medicines have failed to effect a cure; also for Leucorrhoea occurring vicariously, when there is pain in the groin, painful smarting in passing water, bleeding from piles, etc. In the latter case Collinsonia, Nux V., or Sulph. may also be required.
Senecio. Troublesome cough, with spitting of blood, debility, paleness of face, wasting, and scanty or suppressed menstruation. It is especially suited to those who have a consumptive tendency. Ferrum, or Phosphorus may also be necessary.
GENERAL MEASURES. See previous Sections.
XII. Painful Menstruation-Menstrual Colic-(Dysmenorrhoea).
Menstruation may bee painful, with either too scanty or profuse discharge, when the function may be otherwise healthy performed.
SYMPTOMS. Severe bearing-down pains in the uterine region, resembling the pains of labour, and occurring in paroxysms; aching in the small of the back, loins, pelvis, sometimes extending to the limbs; headache, flushed cheeks, hurried breathing, palpitation, cutting and pressing pains in the abdomen. The pain sometimes precedes the flow several hours or days, continuing for a longer or shorter period, and may or may not cease when the discharge is established. At other times the pain continues till a membranous abstains is expelled, after which a healthy discharge may take place. In some cases the breasts become extremely sensitive and painful through sympathy with thee corresponding organs of generation. Females subject of Dysmenorrhoea are generally troubled with confined bowels and frequent headaches, from congestion in the interval between the monthly periods.
CAUSES. An inflamed condition of the secretory vessels of the uterus; disease of the ovaries; inveterate constipation, and a contracted state of the canal of thee neck of the womb. The first of these causes is most common ton females of a full plethoric habit, of strong passions, who are found of the pleasures of the table and of the gaieties of life. In obstinate constipation, the rectum may become so distended with impacted faecal matter, as by its pressure on the neck of the womb to render the escape of the menstrual fluid difficult and painful. Ovarian irritation, sometimes induced by self-abuse, is not and uncommon cause. In congenital contraction of the neck of the womb, the cause of pain is apparent, and may be explained: the cavity of the unimpregnated healthy: the will only contain a small quantity of fluid; and as soon as the menstrual blood accumulated, unless it finds free exit, it will distend the uterus, and thus give rise to great pain.
LICENTIATE OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS; MEMBER OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS; LICENTIATE IN MIDWIFERY, LONDON AND EDINBURGH, ETC. PHYSICIAN TO THE READING AND BERKSHIRE HOMOEOPATHIC DISPENSARY.
Author of "The Stepping Stone to Homeopathy and Health,"
"Manual of Homoeopathic Treatment". Editor of "The Homoeopathic World."