High Blood pressure and Homeopathy
Hypertension, or abnormally high blood pressure, is often referred to as the “silent killer.” This is because it does not usually manifest any symptoms while causing damage to the heart, brain, kidneys, and eyes.According to the World Health Organization, “Hypertension affects 600 million people worldwide. Yet many are unaware that they have the disease and are at risk of developing a stroke, heart disease, blindness and kidney failure. Hypertension causes five million premature deaths per year, yet there is no proper solution for curing hypertension.”
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There are two types of hypertension – primary and secondary. Primary hypertension does not have any specific identifiable causes, whereas secondary hypertension results from identifiable and often correctable causes. Only about five to ten percent of hypertension cases are thought to result from secondary causes, the most common of which are kidney disease, adrenal gland disease, narrowing of the aorta, and sleep apnea, among others.Homeopathy, a branch of alternative medicine based on the Law of Similars, is one of the most effective hypertension treatments, in my opinion. Homeopathic theory views disease as a dynamic disturbance that affects the whole, as opposed to a specific part of the body. Homeopathy believes in holistic, totality, and individualized approaches. A holistic approach means that every manifested symptom in a body relates to a mental or emotional state. In a totality approach, homeopathy does not aim to treat a specific organ, but the body in its entirety. Many factors affect an individual’s life, including the environment and inherited diseases. Consequently, every individual experiences and manifests the same disease differently, and must be treated individually as a result.
Cause of Hypertension
Doctors are often unable to pinpoint the exact cause of hypertension. However, it is a known fact that many prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs such as corticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs can cause or exacerbate hypertension. Medication taken for pain and inflammation, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors may also raise blood pressure, because their anti-prostaglandin properties affect the kidneys. As well, tobacco products (cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco) contain nicotine, which temporarily increases blood pressure (for about 30 min. or less). Chronic overuse of alcohol is a potentially irreversible cause of hypertension. In fact, 30 to 60% of alcoholics suffer from hypertension. Alcohol-induced hypertension is more likely to occur in women than men. Caffeine intake may also cause an acute (rapid but brief) increase in blood pressure.
First follow-up: After the first dose, her hot flashes had subsided and her fibromyalgia pain had decreased to some extent. Her knees, elbows, wrists, and shoulders felt fine, and the only problem was pain in her thumb and middle finger.
Plan: Repeat the same remedy. Potency – same.
Second follow-up: The patient returned to my clinic two months after last follow-up. She was very happy, and said that two weeks prior, when she took the second dose of remedy, she was hospitalized due to abnormally low blood pressure. Her doctor suggested that she stop taking her blood pressure drugs and so she did. Her blood pressure was now 110/90, she still had pain in her joints, and her fibromyalgia still bothered her.
Plan:Repeat the same remedy; Potency – same.
Case Study
A 52-year-old woman came to my clinic complaining of hot flashes and fibromyalgia. She had been using hypertension drugs for five years, which had stabilized her situation without any symptoms. Her blood pressure was 130/95 with the use of Losartan, an anti-hypertension drug.
I prescribed homeopathic Galeo-C. This remedy was chosen because it matched both her disease picture (hot flashes, constipation, etc.) and her personality (a need to be in control; stress related to eating).
Potency: 200 C; one dose every 3 weeks for two months.
Third follow-up: The patient returned to my clinic, very happy and calm. Her blood pressure had dropped to 100/75 (she mentioned before her hypertension troubles that her blood pressure reading was always low) so she had returned to her previous health state wherein her blood pressure was completely stabilized. Her only problem was painful tendonitis in her thumb. She was no longer experiencing hot flashes, fibromyalgia, or hypertension.
Plan – wait
Fourth follow-up: At this point, the patient’s constipation was much better – she decreased her intake of a laxative herb, and no longer suffered from headache, hot flashes, or fibromyalgia. Her only remaining problems were the ganglion on her wrist, and tendonitis. Her blood pressure was now stable at 110/80.
Plan: Calc-f tissue salt
Conclusion
Research indicates that about 62% of strokes and 49% of heart attacks are caused by hypertension. Homeopathy can help high blood pressure, determining its cause through a holistic approach that looks to cure the individual as a whole. Homeopaths simply use symptoms, and the sensation of experiencing those symptoms, to determine which homeopathic remedy will most effectively trigger the body’s healing response. Homeopathic treatment is recommended because it not only can lower and stabilize blood pressure, it also has a positive effect on overall health.
Here are some acute hypertension remedies, along with their symptom pictures. Please keep in mind that these remedies may be used for immediate situations in a palliative manner. They won’t necessarily cure hypertension unless the remedy appropriately matches the individual’s personality.
