Constitutional Remedy / 什麼是體質療劑

What is a constitutional remedy? How does it help with stress and anxiety related problems?

In Hong Kong, and the world in general, stress levels are very high.

Continuous stress and anxiety gives rise to many health problems like:

  • Sleeplessness,
  • Irritability,
  • Indigestion,
  • Headache,
  • Skin problems etc.

How can constitutional remedy help you to overcome all these?

Constitutional prescribing (classical prescribing) takes a holistic, individualised approach. In simple language, this means that the remedy is chosen according to your personality, emotional and physical make-up. It is administered over a period of time at certain intervals, to arouse the person’s vital power (what is called ‘chi’ in Chinese Medicine). The vital force is restored to health, and this itself fights the disease to bring the cure..

Classical Homeopathy is used to address a wide range of diseases, most of which are chronic in nature. These include (amongst many others): allergies, arthritis, anxiety related disorders, respiratory, digestive, joint and connective tissue disorders. Certain autoimmune diseases like colitis , rheumatoid arthritis, lupus erythematosus, thyroid conditions, etc. can also be treated. Lupus erythematosus.

To decide a constitutional remedy, it takes lot of patience, and truthfully answering many questions. Sometimes, even this much is not enough. Repertorisation of symptoms is done to arrive at remedy. This can take some more time and may be couple of follow ups.

Example: Stress
Let’s talk about the most common ailment found worldwide, stress. Stress affects different people in different ways, because people differ in their nature. Stress may show itself as fatigue, sleeplessness, irritability, headaches etc. Continuous stress for a long duration may give rise to conditions like high blood pressure, skin problems, allergies, digestive disturbances like colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, acid reflux, rheumatoid arthritis, hormonal changes, diabetes mellitus etc. In many cases, the person will not realise that he is stressed until some disease manifests.

How does the remedy act?

Constitutional remedies not only give relief to pain and other discomforts, but also go to the root of disease and address the cause of the disease condition. You may wonder how a remedy can take away stress – for example a person has to meet deadlines every day. He is tense because the work is not done on time, and this situation happens frequently. He keeps thinking about this at home, too, and has sleepless nights. He can’t let the stressful thoughts leave his mind, and that takes a toll on his health. A constitutional remedy will not change the situation (work deadlines), but after taking the constitutional remedy, the person’s attitude changes to, for example

1) “Oh, just let it be. The customer isn’t going to stop using my services in the future”.

2) If he were anxious about his skin problem, he might say that he no longer worries about his skin.

Just changing the attitude, getting enough good sleep, and eating a balanced diet reduces the impact of the stress. Diet and environment has a very important role to play. A low sugar diet is recommended to reduce the effect of stress.

Anxiety
Anxiety is fear and inner tension. Stress can also show as anxiety. Some people get anxious easily. Hereditary factors play small part. Women are twice as likely to suffer from anxiety than men.

More important is an emotionally disturbing experience during one’s formative years. This emotional trauma may not be apparent for several years, but a setback in early adult life may precipitate emotional illness in adulthood. Painful events such as the end of a relationship, disappointment in one’s career, or being obliged to contend with disagreeable people at work, may cause a vulnerable individual to succumb to feelings of anxiety, which interferes materially with the ability to cope with his/her daily routine.

In homeopathy this history is important, but sometimes the patient will not immediately think of these past events. Therefore, while taking the patient’s history, we always inquire about their dreams. People may ask what their acid reflux or skin problem has to do with his/her dreams. This is precisely one of the reasons to inquire about their dreams.

While stress is a side effect of our modern and fast-growing world, people use many natural methods to combat it, such as yoga, meditation, naturopathy, massage therapy, music therapy and others. Please beware of conventional lines of treatment for stress, as allopathic medicines may have many side effects.

Common remedies for stress-

Ignatia – emotional stress. Failure in love or loss of a loved one, giving rise to depression, loss of sleep, muscular pulling etc. someone who is shocked that she can’t cry.

Gelsemium – stress before performing in front of people or before exams in students who get diarrhea, dullness and sleepiness (but can’t sleep). Shock after exciting news.

Ars alb – stress giving rise to a restless mind with anxiety. Suffocation and restlessness at midnight. Fear and delusions of having enemies around herself. Conditions like Irritable Bowel Syndrome, bronchial asthma, and eczema are treated well with this remedy.

Mag phos – menstrual colic, pain in abdomen improved by bending over double.

Nux vomica – stress at work giving rise to irregular eating and sleeping habits. There are strong cravings for stimulants like coffee, alcohol, smoking.Digestive disturbances, constipation, sleepless at night and sleepy in early morning. Person becomes very irritable and angry.

Kali phos – this is usually given in l ow potency like 6x or 12x for calming effect. It should be taken at bedtime, for those who are over anxious and get sleepless nights. After mental work, For students having exam tensions.

Sepia – this is very good remedy especially for ladies. Menopausal syndrome is treated well with this remedy. Weepiness or indifference to everyone and to everything, fluid retention in body, weakness, dryness of of vagina giving rise to difficult coition. Stress after caring for sick for long duration. For example baby is sick and has to be cared day and night for long period. This often gives rise to health problems in mothers. But they are so busy with the sick one that they do not realize this. This remedy is very good in this situation.

Picric acid – weakness, heavy, tired feeling; in body and mind. Mental and physical exhaustion, worsened by exertion or study.

These are only a few examples. The above-mentioned remedies are also used for many other different ailments, and there are also many more remedies. Each remedy has a specific action on certain body organs. While deciding the remedy for the patient’s personality, it is also vital to consider which organ is affected the most. For example: remedies that have an affinity for skin are sulphur, silicea, graphites. Remedies for women’s health are sepia, ignatia, lachesis, pulsatilla, and others. For sleeping disturbances, some remedies are nux vomica, nux moschata, coffea, opium. For general prostration and debility, ars alb, phosphoric acid, and picric acid are commonly used.


什麼是體質療劑?如何有助解決與壓力和焦慮有關的問題?

 

香港以至整個世界的壓力水準普遍都非常高。
持續的壓力和焦慮引致許多健康問題,如:
失眠,

煩躁不安,
消化不良,
頭痛,
皮膚問題等。

 

體質療劑如何幫助你克服了這一切?
體質處方(傳統處方)採用一套全面且針對個別需要的方法。簡單而言,即是根據你的個性、情緒和身體構造處方。在一段時間內處方若干次數,喚起人的生命力(中醫謂之「氣」)。身體有了氣,便能藉此對抗疾病並治癒。
傳統順勢療法用作治療廣泛的疾病,其中大部分是慢性病,包括(未能盡列):過敏、關節炎、焦慮相關疾病、呼吸道、消化道、關節和結締組織疾病。某些自身免疫性疾病,如結腸炎、類風濕性關節炎、紅斑狼瘡,甲狀腺狀況。

 

決定採用哪種體質療劑時需要很大的耐心,並需要患者如實回答許多問題。有時,這樣還不夠。

 

用症狀對照書來挑選療劑,有可能需要更多時間或有一些跟進工作。
例子:壓力
讓我們來談談全球最常見的疾病:壓力。因為個人體質有異,壓力以不同的方式影響不同的人。壓力會表現為乏力、失眠、煩躁、頭痛等。持續的壓力或長時間受壓 會引致高血壓、皮膚病、過敏、消化系統紊亂如結腸炎、腸道過敏症候群、胃酸倒流、類風濕關節炎、荷爾蒙變化、糖尿病等。許多情況下,直到某些疾病出現,自 己才意識到受壓。

療劑起什麼作用?
體質療劑不僅緩解疼痛和其他不適,同時深入病源,解決致病成因。你或會不解療劑如何能消除壓力。舉個例子,有個人需要每天在期限前完成任務。他很緊張,因 為工作無法按時完成,而且這種情況經常發生。他在家一直掛心,難以入睡。他的腦海放不開緊張的思緒,付出的代價是健康。體質療法不會改變境況(工作期 限),但是服用療劑後,態度會有所改變,例如︰

 

1 )「哦,順其自然吧,客戶將來是不會停用我的服務的。」
2 )如果他擔心自己的皮膚問題,他或會說他不再擔心自己的皮膚了。

 

透過改變態度,保持充足良好的睡眠和均衡的飲食便可減低壓力的影響。飲食和環境發揮非常重要的作用。建議低糖的飲食以減少壓力的影響。
焦慮
焦慮是恐懼和內在緊張。壓力也可以呈現為焦慮。有些人容易焦躁。遺傳因素起很小的作用。女性患上焦慮的機會率比男性高兩倍。

 

更 關鍵的是在一個人在成長期的不快經歷。這些情感創傷可能好幾年都不形之於色,但在成年期初期的生活挫折可能形成成年期心理疾病。痛苦的往事,例如一段關係 的結束、事業失敗,或被迫與難以相處的人共事,這些都有機會導致脆弱的個體抵擋不住焦慮感,干擾他/她應付日常工作的能力。

 

對順勢療法來說,患者的過去舉足輕重,但有時病人不會馬上想到這些往事。因此,除了瞭解病人的過去,我們往往會詢問他們的夢想。有人會問他們的胃酸倒流或皮膚問題與他/她的夢想有何關係。這正是詢問他們的夢想的原因之一。
壓力是我們現代快速增長的世界所導致的副作用,人們使用許多自然的方法來抗衡它,譬如瑜伽、冥想、自然療法、按摩療法、音樂療法等。請特別注意一般治療壓力的方法,因為對抗療法藥物或有很多副作用。

 

治療壓力的常用療劑

呂宋果(Ignatia) – 情緒緊張。失戀或喪親導致抑鬱、睡眠不足、肌肉拉傷等,又或是驚嚇以至欲哭不能。

矮素馨(又稱斷腸草Gelsemium) -學生在人群前表演或考試前面對壓力,以至腹瀉、遲鈍、嗜睡(但睡不著)。聽到令人激動的消息後感到震撼。

砷(Arsalb)- 壓力導致心煩意亂,焦慮不安。窒息和午夜坐立不安。恐懼和幻想自己被敵人包圍。這療劑能治癒腸道過敏症候群、支氣管哮喘和濕疹。
磷酸鎂 (Mag phos)- 經痛、腹痛,透過用力按住腹部得到舒緩。
馬錢子(Nux vomica) – 工作壓力導致飲食睡眠不定時。強烈渴求興奮劑如咖啡、酒精、煙。消化系統紊亂、便秘、晚間失眠、清晨發睏。人變得非常暴躁和易怒。

化鉀(Kali phos) – 通常是藥力低,6x或12 x,起鎮定效果。過分憂慮和夜裡失眠的人能在睡前服用。腦力勞動後,適用於考試緊張的學生。

 

烏 賊汁(Sepia)-這是很好的療劑,特別是對女士們,對治療更年期綜合症非常有效。泣或對人對事漠不關心,水腫,四肢無力,陰道乾澀引起性交困難。長時 間照顧病人所形成的壓力。例如寶寶生病了,必須日以繼夜長時間照顧他。這往往令母親健康出問題,但由於忙著照顧病人而沒意識到。在此情況下,療劑大有幫 助。
苦味酸(Picric acid) – 無力、沉重、疲倦;身心出現以上狀況。身心疲憊,因勞累或讀書而惡化。

這些只是寥寥 幾個例子。上述療劑也用於許多其他不同的疾病,當然有更多的療劑。每個療劑對某些身體器官起特定作用。按患者的特質選擇療劑時,必須考慮哪些器官受影響最 大。譬如︰與皮膚密切相關的療劑為硫、矽、石墨。針對婦女健康的療劑是烏賊汁、呂宋果、南美蛇毒、白頭翁等。針對睡眠干擾的一些療劑有馬錢子、肉荳蔻、咖 啡、鴉片。針對一般的虛脫和虛弱,常用療劑如砷、磷酸和苦味酸。