Homeopaths come across good number of gastrointestinal problems. Acute digestive problems often get relieved with one or two doses of indicated remedy; whereas chronic gastric problem may need more than one remedy as sequence or at a time, based on prescribing trend. Gastrointestinal problems are from simple acidity, acute gastritis, dyspepsia and reflex oeasophagitis to complicated or severe ulcerative colitis. Homeopathic medicines help a lot alone or with certain specialised medical care. Homeopathy has wider scope in many gastrointestinal diseases. Many homeopaths have been prescribing rare or clinically established remedies in mother tincture or low attenuation with assured results, without limiting with polychrests only.
Causes and indications of gastrointestinal problems
Indications of gastrointestinal problems include dyspepsia, nausea, vomiting, hiccups (singultus), constipation, belching (eructation) and flatus, diarrhoea and gastrointestinal bleeding. Dyspepsia or indigestion may be caused by any of the following; overeating, having too much of spices, caffeine or fatty and greasy food, smoking, alcohol, some conditions like gastritis, pancreatitis and peptic ulcer, drugs such as antibiotics and NSAIDs.
Hiccups, in some cases, may be due to abdominal surgery, any disease or disorder (like pleurisy and pneumonia) that irritates the nerves that control the diaphragm, hot and spicy foods or liquids, noxious fumes, stroke or tumour affecting the “hiccup center” in the brain. There may not be any obvious cause for hiccups. Choice of medicine in hiccups is more often limited to Cicuta virosa, Cuprum metallicum, Cyclamen, Ginseng, Morphinum, Moschus, Nux vomica, Oleum cajuputi and Zincum valerianum.
Constipation, i.e. infrequent and hard stool with difficulty in passing, is more often caused by one’s own life style or certain medical conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, underactive thyroid or serious problem like colon cancer. Depending on the cause of the belching and its intensity there could be different medicine. Flatus cover irritable bowel syndrome and malabsorption, and use of drugs like antibiotics. Acute diarrhoea is caused by viral, protozoal or bacterial infection, where as chronic diarrhoea has various causative factors. Gastrointestinal bleeding results either with haemetemisis or melena. It is due to different causes from local peptic ulcer disease to portal hypertension.
Homeopathic approach
Homeopaths often manage certain acute cases like diarrhoea, dyspepsia, colic and vomiting by use of mother tinctures and low potencies. Whereas potencies like 30 and 200 are being used for subacute and chronic multi symptomatic conditions. Advantages of these mother tinctures are case specific and certainty in its employment, as it possesses pharmacodynamic activity.
Rare and clinically established mother tinctures with its indications
Abies nigra is used for dyspeptic troubles and constipation, especially after tea and tobacco. Acalypha indica, a well known traditional Indian remedy, effective in bacillary dysentery and haemorrhoidal bleeding. Achyranthes aspera is used for diarrhoea and dysentery. Aegle folia is known for bleeding piles, diarrhoea and dysentery. Aloe socotrina (commonly used potencies: 6, 30 and 200) is well indicated for bad effects from sedentary habits. Useful in haemorrhoids like bunch of grapes with stitching pain and bloating and heaviness of abdomen. Althaea offinalis is reported to be usefull in hyperacidity, gastritis, peptic ulcer, colitis and irritable bowel syndrome. Angelica archangelica has been given five drops, three times a day to produce disgust for liquor. It is also useful in dyspepsia. Anisum (Pimpinella anisum) reduces wind and bloating and relieves colic in children.It also eases nausea and vomiting in all ages. Atista indica is an excellent medicine for worms, colic pain and dyspepsia.
Baptisia tinctoria is a well-known remedy for fever due to gastrointestinal infection. Diarrhoea and dysentery, with very offensive, thin and bloody stool. Carum carvi relieves colic, gripping pain and flatulence, and improves appetite. Caryophyllus is useful in vomiting, spasmodic pain and toothache. Cascara sagrada is used for chronic indigestion, haemorrhoids, constipation and gastric headache. Centaurium erythraea is indicated for nausea and retching, constipation with hard and knotty stool. Chelone glabra relieves nausea, vomiting and intestinal colic, and it has mild laxative action. Colocynthis (commonly used potencies: 6, 30 and 200) has been prescribed for agonizing pain causing person to bend over double. Diarrhoea and dysentery from even least food or drink. Camphor isa well known remedy for excessive diarrhoea followed by great weakness. Columbo is a recent entrant to homeopathy for increasing secretion of gastric juice. It makes stomach more acidic and therefore hostile to pathogens and prevents gastric infection, improves breakdown and absorption of food. Also used in cases of dysentery. Coriandrum sativum is a well known and being traditionally used Indian medicine, for hyperacidity and gastritis. It is a gentle remedy for flatulence, bloating and gripping. Cucurbita pepo is a remedy used for nausea immediately after eating, vomiting during pregnancy and seasickness.
Dioscorea villosa is specially for colic, flatulence and problems of tea drinkers, improves digestion, used in painful affections of abdominal and pelvic viscera. Elaeis guinensis has been used for gastric affections, foul eructation, flatulence and colic after cold drink. Epilobium palustre is mainly used for nausea, dysphagia, irritable bowel syndrome and colitis. Fucus vesiculosus improves digestion and diminishes flatulence. A research shows its anti-obesity properties. Geranium robertianum, though similar to Geranium maculatum, is good for peptic ulcer. Granatum is used for increased salivation with nausea and vertigo. Holarrhena antidysenterica (Kurchi) is well known for acute or chronic dysentery and fever. Ipecacuanha (commonly used potencies: 6, 30 and 200)is the first remedy homeopaths think for nausea and vomiting. Persistent nausea, dyspepsia after indigestible food, clean tongue, cutting pain around navel and dysentery like frothy molasses are the other indications.
Marrubium vulgare is used as laxative and anti diarrhoeal agent. Matico, is similar with camphor in its compounds and sphere, has been used for peptic ulcer, diarrhoea, dysentery and haemorrhoids with bleeding. Momordica balsamica is used in cases of griping colic, hypogastric pain and accumulation of flatus in splenic flexure of colon.Nux vomica (commonly used potencies: 6, 30 and 200) is considered as chief remedy for gastrointestinal problems. Nausea after eating, flatulence, spasmodic colic, bad effects of spices, frequent urge to pass stool, constipation and haemorrhoids are the common indications of this remedy. Nux moschata is a remedy with extreme dryness of gastrointestinal mucous membrane. Excessive bloating, flatulent dyspepsia and faintness during and after stool are the key indications. Okoubaka is indicated for flatulent dyspepsia and clinical studies confirm its action on liver, gall bladder and pancreas. Oleum cajuputi has marked action in cases of flatulence with affections on the tongue, and in hiccups. Podophyllum is used for painless and early morning diarrhoea. Rumbling and shifting of flatus in the ascending colon, constipation alternate with diarrhoea are the other indications. Potentilla anserine is known for its usefulness in diarrhoea and used externally to stop bleeding from piles. Rhamnus catharticus is indicated for coated tongue with extremely bitter taste, loss of appetite, watery diarrhoea, abdominal colic and haemorrhoids. Sassafras is generally used as carminative and it increases and regulates appetite.