Homeopathy Remedies Online



A CASE OF CHRONIC INSOMNIA CURED BY HOMOEOPATHY

Gyandas G Wadhwani MD (Hom)

Chief Medical Officer (H), Directorate of Ayush (Homoeopathic Wing), Govt of National Capital Territory of Delhi, India. Email: drgyanwadhwani@yahoo.co.in

Summary

A 62 years old lady consulted for chronic insomnia of 10-12 years duration, which had deeply impaired her day-to-day functioning. Homoeopathic remedy Gelsemium sempervirens, in LM potencies, provided relief in a short span of 7 days. The remedy was continued for another 3 months after which she did not feel the need for further medication. Homoeopathic treatment not only relieved her long-standing complaint but also improved the quality of her life.

Keywords

Insomnia, Homoeopathy, Gelsemium sempervirens

Introduction

Insomnia is the most common sleep complaint affecting nearly 30-35 percent of adults. Insomnia may include:

• Difficulty falling asleep

• Waking up often during the night and having trouble falling asleep

• Waking up too early in the morning

• Feeling tired upon waking

It is classified as short-term and chronic or primary and secondary.

• Short-term insomnia lasts for up to three months. It occurs in 15 to 20 percent of people. 

• Insomnia is called chronic when a person has insomnia at least three nights a week for three months or longer.

• Primary insomnia means that a person is having sleep problems that are not directly associated with any other health condition or problem.

• Secondary insomnia means that a person is having sleep problems because of something else, such as a health condition (like asthma, depression, arthritis, cancer, GERD etc), pain, drugs, alcohol etc.

It is more common in groups such as older adults, women, people under stress and people with certain medical and mental health problems such as depression. Other major causes include:

• Significant life stress (job loss or change, death of a loved one, divorce, shifting etc)

• Illness

• Emotional or physical discomfort

• Environmental factors like noise, light, or extreme temperatures (hot or cold) that interfere with sleep

• Some medications may interfere with sleep

• Interferences in normal sleep schedule (jet lag, shift duties etc.)

• Pain or discomfort

• Depression and/ or anxiety

• Etc.

Though acute cases may resolve on their own, treatment of chronic cases can be a tricky terrain. Techniques such as sleep hygiene, relaxation exercises, sleep restriction therapy and reconditioning may prove to be useful. It is strongly recommended to avoid using over-the-counter sleeping pills because they tend to lose their effectiveness over time besides causing undesired side-effects.

Homoeopathy can prove to be a boon to the insomniacs. There is no such thing as a sleeping tablet in homoeopathy, and the classical homoeopathic approach (case perceiving as per guidelines of Organon and homoeopathic philosophy), considering the sleep disturbance as part of the overall clinical picture helps in identifying the suitable remedy. The determined remedy, which resonates the pattern of the sleep disturbance, solves the problem, as we experienced in the following case.

Case study

A lady of 62 years first consulted us on 12/08/2014 for insomnia. She was of an average built and height, having coloured hair, puffiness under the eyes and dry lips.

• Her sleep had been disturbed off and on since past 10 to 12 years. She generally went to bed by 9:30 - 10:00 PM and left it by 6:30 AM. On (few) good days she was able to sleep in half hour and on other days she lay awake till about 1:00 AM. She usually woke up 2-3 times at night, thinking something, and had an urge to pass urine. The frequency was more if she was disturbed by some recent happenings or news (viz. death). She could however, fall asleep again.

The complaints had started after her husband had been transferred to Middle East. She had to leave her sons behind and she worried constantly how they would manage. Also the apartment where she stayed was on the top floor and in spite of constant air-conditioning, extremely hot. Another factor was her husband’s official visits to desert areas for couple of days frequently, when he would be out of communication. This added to her anxieties and she would pass sleepless nights imagining what if something happened to her? Any news of death in family, hearing or reading of someone’s death would make her conditions worse.

Preferred sleeping on sides; liked a dark room but able to sleep in slight light also; no salivation during sleep.

• Since the same time, she also felt a poor stamina for work; mornings were usually dull and she needed time till afternoon to settle

• She would lose her appetite and feel nauseous, especially when sleep was disturbed.

• Since one and a half years, felt slight pain in the proximal inter-phalangeal joints of hands during winter, which improved by rubbing and massage.

TREATMENT TAKEN

▪ Alprazolam 0.25mg for the nearly10 years, however sleep continued to be disturbed; discontinued 2 years back

▪ Homoeopathic treatment for last two years without relief.

PAST ILLNESSES

▪ Superficial occipital head injury in 1980 due to a road accident.

▪ Severe right hip pain on rising fromfloor for a few months in 2007;improved with exercises and physiotherapy

FAMILY ILLNESSES

• Mother: HT

• Brothers: HT and DM

• Sister: HT

PERSONAL HISTORY

Diet: Eggetarian

Education- Graduate

Married since 1973;she is a homemaker

Menopause 10-12- years earlier

G2P2A0

GENERALS

• Appetite:generally poor; lesser when sleep is disturbed; can fast comfortably

• Thirst- 7 to 8 glasses per day; doesn’t like very cold water

• Desires- Salty, cottage cheese, curd, banana (especially while she was staying in Middle East)

• Aversion- milk

• Urine- D7-8 N2-3

• Perspiration- poor

• Thermal reaction- feels very cold in winters (chilly)

MIND & DISPOSITION

Domineering by nature

Anxious and apprehensive

Found it difficult to forget her previous happenings

GPE

Weight -51.6 kg,

B.P.- 140/80 mmHg,

CASE ANALYSIS

The most characteristic aspect of the case appeared to be the circumstances of onset and her reaction to it. Her apprehensions during her stay (how would her sons manage or what if something happened to her etc.) and the overpowering heat of her residence brought to mind the remedy Gelsemium sempervirens. Further reference to the materia medica confirmed the choice of the remedy.

As the case demanded frequent repetition of the remedy hence LM potency scale was chosen, as per the directions of Hahnemann in 6th edition of Organon.

PRESCRIPTION AND FOLLOW UP

|DATE |GPE |STATUS |Rx |

|12/08/14 | | |Gelsemium semp 0/1 OD |

|02/09/14 |BP-100/70mmHg Wt- 51.5 kg |Sleep: 1st seven days sleep was same,|Gelsemium semp 0/2 OD |

| | |though appetite improved. Thereafter | |

| | |sleeping daily from 10:00 PM to 6:00 | |

| | |AM | |

| | |Occasionally urinary urge | |

| | |incontinence (also happened earlier) | |

|20/09/14 |BP-110/70mmHg Wt- 52.6 kg |Feels more active and alert |Gelsemium semp 0/3 OD |

| | |Flatulence present on most of last | |

| | |few days; | |

| | |Appetite improved; | |

| | |Sleep: 10 PM to 6 AM; not | |

| | |continuous; breaks early if sleeps | |

| | |early or may wake up 2-3 times. | |

|14/10/14 |BP-100/70mmHg Wt- 52.3 kg |Feels generally active |Gelsemium semp 0/4 OD |

| | |Appetite good; | |

| | |Sleep better than before 10 PM to 6 | |

| | |AM; | |

| | |Bowels: regular; disturbed when | |

| | |travelled to Jaipur | |

| | |Urinary incontinence on bumpy roads | |

|13/11/14 |BP-100/70mmHg Wt- 51.7 kg |Manages daily chores even during |Gelsemium semp 0/5 OD |

| | |morning hours as she feels active and| |

| | |energetic | |

| | |Sleeping daily around 10:00 PM, wakes| |

| | |up in between, however can fall | |

| | |asleep again after 10 to 20 min. | |

| | |Urine control is good | |

She did not report for follow up thereafter. However, her son who consults regularly said that she sleeps very well and does not feel any need to visit the dispensary again. Her overall activity levels are good.

Discussion and conclusion

We have read in materia medica that Gelsemium sempervirens personality suffers severely from anticipation of any ordeal or happening. Cyrus Maxwell Boger writes this as ‘Dread of an ordeal’. As Henry Newell Guernsey has explained, “This Gelsemium fright is an awe-stricken feeling, a deep-seated fright or fear, that has made a deep impression”. And thus we found in the above mentioned case.

Another interesting point of discussion is that Gelsemium sempervirens is usually identified as one of the drowsy and sleepy remedies of our homoeopathic materia medica. However, Constantine Hering in his Guiding Symptoms mentions nearly 21 symptoms under the section on sleep, out of which 9 symptoms refer to sleeplessness, and that too in highest grade!

The symptoms are reproduced for reference:

• Cannot get to sleep on going to bed at night, on account of thinking, which she cannot control.

• Sleeplessness from nervous irritation.

• Sleeplessness ; a wide awake feeling.

• Wakeful or lies in a half awake state ; incoherent talk.

• Languid, drowsy, but cannot compose mind for sleep.

• Sleeplessness during dentition.

• Sleeplessness in delirium tremens.

• Sleepless from violent itching of face, head and shoulders ; also from exhaustion.

• Very restless during night, especially towards morning ; unpleasant dreams after midnight.

This case highlights the multi-dimensional applicability of the homoeopathic remedies. The same drug that proves to be helpful in those patients who are drowsy and sleepy may also prove to be of value in those who are unable to sleep, if symptoms agree!

The effects of insomnia can impact nearly every aspect of your life. Studies show that insomnia negatively affects work performance, impairs decision-making and can damage relationships. In most cases, people with insomnia report a worse overall quality of life.

3½ months of homeopathic treatment in the said case restored the quality of her life back to optimum, lost due to 10-12 years of chronic insomnia. As Hahnemann has pointed out in in the 2nd aphorism of Organon, the above mentioned case study highlights restoration of health in shortest possible duration!

Bibliography

1. as accessed on 24-1-16

2. as accessed on 24-1-16

3. as accessed on 24-1-16

4. Hahnemann S. Organon of Medicine. 5th and 6th ed. India: B Jain Publishers (P) Ltd.; 2009.

5. Boger CM. A Synoptic Key to the Materia Medica. India: B Jain Publishers (P) Ltd.; 1999.

6. Guernsey HN. Key-notes to the Materia Medica. India: B Jain Publishers (P) Ltd.; 1999.

7. Hering C. The Guiding Symptoms of our Materia Medica. India: B Jain Publishers (P) Ltd.; 1997.

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