The Medical Care Of The Child During Its First Two Years Of Life Not Merely Requires Of The Physical, But Also Of The Mental Health And Development. This Begins, Not At The Time Of Birth But In Utero. It Is Essential To Guard The Health Of The Mother During Pregnancy, Her Mental And Physical If The Best Possible Child Is To Be Born. There Are Various Disabilities From Which The Mother May Suffer Which Have An Adverse Effect On The Unborn Infant. Some Are Conditions Peculiar To Pregnancy: Others Are Ailments Which Attack Indiscriminately The Pregnant And Non-pregnant. Let Us Take First A Few Of The Conditions Peculiar To Pregnancy. On The Physical Side We Have Excessive Vomiting, Albuminaria, Constipation With Toxic Absorption, Or Diarrhoea. On The Mental Side There Are Such Things As Undue Depression, Morbid Fears, Sleeplessness, And The Effects Of Frights. In This Sphere Homoeopathy Has Much To Offer In Advance Of Ordinary Medicine. For Example: Excessive Vomiting Of Pregnancy, If Allowed To Continue, Will Lead To The Death Of The Foetus, Either Naturally, Or Artificially Induced To Save The Life Of The Mother. In A Very Large Percentage Of Cases, When The Vomiting Of Pregnancy Starts, A Few Homoeopathic Doses Of Ipecacuanha Will Completely Control It. The Danger Is Prevented And Does Not Need To Be Met. In Those Unfortunate Cases In Which The Condition Has Not Been Homoeopathically Treated From The Start, The Response To The Homoeopathic Drug Is Startling, Though The Choice Of The Drug Is More Difficult And Is Dictated By The Symptoms Of The Individual Case. Albuminuria Of Pregnancy Is One Of The Terrors Of The Obstetrician. It Is One Of The Great Danger Signals, One Of The Signs That The Strain Is Telling On The Mother, And Through Her On The Child. It Is The Precursor Of Convulsions With All Their Horrors And Anxieties. Small Pills Of Homoeopathy Remedies Like Apis, Plumbum, Acidum Phosphoricum Or Terebinthina Remove The Albumin From The Urine And Make The Case Settle In No Times. Constipation In Pregnancy Is A Common Trouble. Where It Exists Toxic Absorption Is Bound To Follow, And While It Persists The Patient Is In Danger Of The Severer Complications Due To Infection By The Bacillus Coli. In The Great Majority Of Cases A Few Doses Of Nux Vomica, Opium, Or Alumina Will Put Matters Right, Provided The Mother's Diet Is Rational. Diarrhoea In Pregnancy Is Always A Serious Matter, And If Not Speedily Relieved May Lead To Miscarriage. The Gentle Action Of A Small Dose Of Aloe, Podophyllum Or Mercurius Can Give An Instantaneous Relief. Rubella, Or German Measles If Acquired During Pregnancy, Especially During The First Four Months, May Have An Adverse Effect On The Unborn Child. In The Event Of Exposure To Infection During Pregnancy It Would Be Wise To Prescribe The Rubella Nosode. On The Mental Side The Effects Of Morbid States In The Mother Have A Very Definite Effect On The Foetus. The Morbid Depression Will Fade Away After The Judicious Administration Of Pulsatilla, Aurum, Or Sepia. Fears Lose Their Terror Under The Action Of Aconitum Napellus, Arsenicum Album, Argentum Nitricum, Ignatia Amara Or One Of The Dindred Drugs. Sleep Returns To The Weary Mother Helped By Aconitum Napellus, Belladonna, Coffea Cruda, Nux Vomica, Etc., And The Fright Loses Its Evil Effect Under The Sedative Influence Of Aconitum Napellus, Ignatia Amara, Opium, Phosphorus, Pulsatilla Nigricans, Etc. The Mother's Nervous System Has Not Been Dulled, Not Has The Unborn Infant Been Poisoned By Any Of These Drugs. The Next Factor Seriously Affecting The Well-being Of The Child Is Its Birth. Here There Are Great Possibilities Of Injury; Unavoidable Injury At The Hands Of The Most Skilful Attendant, Due To The Necessity For Manipulation Of Instruments, Or Injury Due To Prolonged And Difficult Labour, Without Any Outside Interference. These Injuries May Be To Limbs Or, Much More Serious, May Involve Intracranial Haemorrhages And Consequent Brain Damage. There Are Two Problems To Be Considered Here: How To Avoid The Risk, If Possible; And What Can Be Done For The Infant Who Is Suffering From The Effects Of A Difficult Labour. It Is An Experience Common To Homeopathic Doctors Everywhere, Who Are Conducting A General Practice, That Their Patients Do Not Suffer From Difficult Labour. That Does Not Prove Anything, But It Is A Fortunate Fact For The Patients. There Are Two Factors Which Have A Bearing On This Happy Experience: A Pregnant Woman Who Is Treated Throughout Her Pregnancy With Homoeopathic Medicine Will Approach Her Confinement Freed From The Physical And Mental Ailments Which So Often Are Factors In The Production Of An Unsatisfactory Confinement; And, There Is A Drug, Caulephyllum, Which Has The Power Of Regulating The Processes Of Labour, A Fact Which Was Known And Used By Homoeopaths Many Years Ago, And Is Equally True To-day.

Most People Think Of Pain As Resulting From Physical Injury Or Disease,but Psychological Factors Play A Huge Role In Pain Perception. Pain Is Intimately Tied To Brain Functions That Govern Behaviour And Decision Making, Including Expectation, Attention And Learning. Pain Makes One Feel Tired; It Is Mentally Draining, Making One More Irritable, Emotional And Unable To Remain Positive. It Is Hardly Surprising That As A Result, Things Can Rapidly Spiral Out Of Control. After All, If A Person Goes From Being Energetic, Fun-loving And Happy, To Being Edgy, Withdrawn And Lethargic Because Of The Pain, It Is Inevitable That Very Quickly Family & Social Relationships Begin To Change. An Employer Or Colleague Who Sees A Promising Employee Beginning To Look Tired, Stressed And Tearful, May Quickly Change Their Opinion About That Person’s Abilities To Cope. A Definition Of Pain Pain Is Not Easy To Define. In 1979, The International Association For The Study Of Pain(iasp) Published Its First Working Definition Of Pain: “an Unpleasant Sensory And Emotional Experience Associated With Actual Or Potential Tissue Damage, Or Described In Terms Of Such Damage.” This Definition Emphasizes Not Just The Sensory Nature Of Pain And Its Relation To Tissue Injury, But Also Its Unpleasant Emotional Component And The Fact That It Can Be Felt Just The Same Without An Obvious Cause. The Definition’s Significance Is Exemplified By Pain Lasting Beyond The Point Of Tissue Repair (spinal Cord Injuries) Or Appear Without Tissue Damage (migraines) Or Be Felt By Stimuli That Do Not Normally Evoke Pain, Like Lightly Touching The Skin (post Herpetic Neuralgia). So There Is Much More To Pain Than A Simple Sensory Process. Psychogenic Pain Psychogenic Pain, Also Called Psychalgia Or Somatoform Pain Is Pain Caused, Increased, Or Prolonged By Mental, Emotional, Or Behavioral Factors. Headache, Back Pain, And Stomach Pain Are Sometimes Diagnosed As Psychogenic. Sufferers Are Often Stigmatized, Because Both Medical Professionals And The General Public Tend To Think That Pain From A Psychological Source Is Not “real”. However, Specialists Consider That It Is No Less Actual Or Hurtful Than Pain From Any Other Source. “the Term ‘psychogenic’ Assumes That Medical Diagnosis Is So Perfect That All Organic Causes Of Pain Can Be Detected; Regrettably, We Are Far From Such Infallibility… All Too Often, The Diagnosis Of Neurosis As The Cause Of Pain Hides Our Ignorance Of Many Aspects Of Pain Medicine.” Ronald Melzack, 1996. Why Visit A Psychologist For Pain? One Might Wonder “why Consult A Psychologist If I Have Pain? Are You Telling That The Pain Is All In My Brain?” In One Word, No! Pain Is Seldom, If Ever Exclusively Psychologically Caused. However, The Mind And The Body Are Tied Together In Physiological & Philosophical Terms, And The Mind Can Either Be Of Incredible Help In Healing Or Can Be An Overwhelming Obstacle. Consulting A Psychologist Certainly Does Not State That The Pain Is All In The Person’s Brain, As Unfortunately Some Clients Have Been Advised By Physicians Unable To Establish The Physical Basis Of The Pain. How Can Psychology Help? Psychology May Reverse Some Of The Impact Of The Pain Giving People A Greater Sense Of Control, Reducing Anxiety, Whilst Improving Memory, Concentration And Self-esteem. The Aim Is To Help People Work Out How To Live Their Life As Normally And In The Most Satisfying Way Possible, Despite The Pain. The Psychologist Will Not Tell How To Live One’s Life- After All You Are The Best Expert On How To Be Yourself. Our Role Is To Help One Explore And Discover What Things In Life Are Important And Meaningful, And What Factors Past And Present Stand In The Way Of Regaining Control Of His Or Her Life. Psychologists Assess And Treat Individuals Coping With Chronic Pain. Assessment Often Involves Examination Of Coping Skills And Looking For The Presence Of Depression, Post-traumaticstress And Other Disorders Which Can Occur In Chronic Pain And Traumatic Injuries. Psychologists Employ Treatment Strategies Such As Muscle Relaxation And Cognitive-behavioural Approach To Help Manage Pain And Improve Functioning. Chronic Pain Causes Disruption Of Self-esteem, Occupational & Family Roles. Stress Reactions And Pain Cause The Mind & Body To Become Aroused And Ready For Action. Increased Emotional And Physical Tension Accompany This State Which May Become Chronic, Resulting In Further Increased Pain, Reduction Of Function And Increased Risk Of Anxiety & Depression. Chronic Pain Sufferers May Find It Difficult To Focus On Things Other Than Their Pain, And Lose Access To The Satisfying Things They Previously Enjoyed. Others May Find It Difficult To Reduce Their Expectations And May Overdo Activities Resulting In Further Injuries Or A Cycle Of Overwork And Disability. Relaxation Therapy Along With Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Is Our First Line Of Treatment, Along With Medical Interventions. It Is Customized To One’s Individual Needs, And May Include: Relaxation Training Cognitive Restructuring Stress Management Sleep Hygiene Activity Pacing Coping Strategies & Assertiveness Training The Psychological Interventions Which We Provide At Axon Pain Management Are Highly Effective In Reducing Pain, Disability And Distress, With A Positive Impact On Your Quality Of Life. About The Author: Dr Johnsey Thomas Is A Registered Practitioner Of Clinical Health Psychology In Hyderabad – India, Associated With Axon Pain Management. He Deals With A Wide Range Of Problem Areas, With A Passion For Working With People Suffering From Pain. He Mentions Chronic Pain As One Of The Most Demanding Problem People Come Across With, Which Can Devastate Lives In Terms Of Work, Activities And Relationships

Why Am I Feeling So Anxious About Everything? Many People Have This Thought Once In A While. Anxiety Is A Protective Phenomenon Fitted In The Brains Of People By Nature. Yes Buoyant Individuals Without Any Anxiety Whatsoever About Anything Rarely Can Perform Well In Life. This Statement Can Be A Great Reliever For Neurotic People Feeling Anxious About Anxiety Per Say! Hypochondriacal People Always Have Heightened Susceptibility To Stimuli That Lead To Excess Anxiety And Worry About The Apparently Casual Situations. In Such Cases, Anxiety Becomes Morbid At Times And Out Of Proportion To The External Circumstances. Also It May Last Long After The Threatening Situation Is Gone. This Kind Of Anxiety Needs Intervention And Good Psychological Counseling. Causative Factors Of Anxiety- (1) Psychological Illnesses Like Depression, Schizophrenia, Etc (2) Long Standing Illnesses (3) Certain Familial Traits And Genetic Contribution To Anxiety Cannot Be Denied (4) Unexpected Life Events With Poor Tolerance Level (5) Sometimes It May Be The Result Of Relatively Minor Day To Day Events (6) Some Physical Illnesses Like Hyperthyroidism, Hypoglycemia, Alcohol Withdrawal, Epilepsy, Pheochromocytoma, Arrhythmias, Etc Clinical Features Of Anxiety- (1) Fear Of Impending Disaster Is One Of The Chief Presenting Symptoms In Most Cases (2) Excessive Irritability (3) Restlessness With Fidgety Feeling All Over The Body (4) Tremors, Sweating, And Palpitations May Be There (5) Some Patients Complain Of Dizziness, Headache, Sudden Diarrheic Spells, Enhanced Frequency Of Urination, Etc (6) Breathlessness, Headache, Insomnia (typically During Initial Sleep), And Poor Concentration Are Observed Too (7) Severe Anxiety Can Result In Some Or The Other Physical (somatic) Illness Including Fever, Malaise, Dullness, Body Ache, Etc Some Peculiar Types Of Anxiety- There Are Many Types Of Anxiety; However, Mainly We Can Classify It Into Phobic Anxiety (phobia) And Panic Disorder. An Abnormal Fear Brought On By A Particular Object Or Situation Because Of Which The Person Avoids That Stimulus Is Termed As Phobia. Phobias Are Commoner In Women And Genetic Contribution Is Important To Consider. Scientists Have Attributed These Types Of Phobic Anxieties To Some Traumatic Event On The Childhood Of The Patient. This Boosts The Homeopathic Physician’s Concept Of Seeking Detailed Childhood History Of The Patient, In Which Lies The Answer To His Or Her Anxiety In Adulthood. Panic Disorder Is Sudden Onset Of Unpredictable And Severe Anxiety. They Usually Are Not Related To A Specific Situation And They Are Linked With Depressive Disorder. In This Variety, The Physical Symptoms Like Palpitations, Chest Pains Etc Are Prominent. The Patient Fears That He Is About To Die. Management Of Anxiety- Choice Of Treatment Goes A Long Way In Establishing The Normal Homeostasis In The Emotional Sphere Of Patient’s Life. Many People Deny That Anxiety Needs To Be Treated. But It Is Evident That Without Treatment, Sulking, Brooding, Irritability, And Excessive Worry Do Not Lessen But Aggravate To Take Graver Form. Therefore, Management Of Anxiety Is A Very Important Step Towards The Person’s Brighter Future. Psychological And Homeopathic Approach- Psychological Counseling Is The Most Important Pillar Of Anxiety Treatment. An Expert Psychologist Can Reassure The Patient And Can Inculcate In Him The Confidence That He Can Get Better. As Homeopathy Deals With Mind Effectively, A Homeopath Himself Is A Great Psychologist. Seeking Apt Data From The Patient Is An Art And Only That Homeopath Succeeds In Treating The Patient, Who Has In-depth Understanding Of The Patient’s Psyche. Therefore We Can Say That Psychological Counseling And Homeopathic Case Taking And Analysis Go Hand In Hand. They Cannot Be Separated. Even For Psychosomatic Anxiety, Importance Of Counseling Cannot Be Underestimated. Specific Relaxation Techniques Help A Great Deal In Patients Of Anxiety. Specific Yoga Techniques, Pranayam, And Homeopathy Together Can Work Marvelously Well In These Patients. Anxiety Is A Disorder In Which Conventionalists Have Very Limited Role. If You Do Not Want To Fall Prey To Heavy Doses Of Anti-depressants That May Leave You Dizzy All Day Long, Seek An Expert Counselor Homeopath That Can Help You Find The Best Equilibrium In Your Physical, Mental, And Emotional Realms. Talking To A Homeopath Is A Great Way To Find The Best Emotional Catharsis For Sure!