Dr. Manoj Jain

Nothing in the world can be more precious and valuable than holding and cuddling your baby for the first time. For most, pregnancy and parenthood gives a new dimension to their lives. It completes their family. People wait with bated breath for the beautiful phase to unfold. However, of late, infertility has been on the rise. As per a survey, 1 in every 1000, suffers from infertility issues. Infertility in males, as well as females, can be triggered by factors such as stress (personal or professional), unhealthy and sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy food habits, obesity, medical complications.

Medical assistance and treatments are available, but some of the treatments are way too expensive or have harmful and undesirable side effects. In this regard, homeopathy comes as a much-needed blessing. It is natural and has negligible or no side effects. Furthermore, most of the homeopathic medications are affordable, leaving you with only a small pinch in the pocket.

The first step in homeopathic treatment is identifying the root cause of infertility. In males, infertility can be due to

1. Erectile dysfunction.
2. Low semen count.
3. Sexually transmitted infections like gonorrhea and chlamydia.
4. Small testes or testicular injury.
5. Abnormal or premature ejaculation.
6. Obstruction in Vas deferens (Ejaculatory duct).
7. Varicocele, Prostatitis.

Female infertility may be due to

1. Thyroid problems.
2. PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome), Endometriosis.
3. Hormonal imbalance and irregular periods.
4. Uterine fibroid.
5. STD's like gonorrhea and chlamydia.
6. Blocked fallopian tube.
7. Uterine (cervix) abnormality.

Certain lifestyle habits and environmental factors also contribute towards male and female infertility.

Homeopathy to treat male infertility:

Some of the homeopathic medicines work wonders to improve male infertility.

1. Caladium Seguinum: Erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation can be effectively treated with Caladium Seguinum (American Arum). In some men, erectile dysfunction results in pruritus (severe itching) in the genital organs. Caladium is the best bet to deal with pruritus.
2. Agnus Castus (Chaste Tree): Agnus Castus is used to treat both male and female infertility. Men with erectile dysfunction, low libido, and low sperm count benefit immensely from this medicine. This medicine is a blessing for women with menstrual problems (irregular periods, heavy or scanty periods).
3. Lycopodium Clavatum (Wolf's Foot): Men with serious erectile dysfunction (due to stress, anxiety) benefit from this medicine.
4. Calcarea Carbonica: This medicine is helpful for men with a high libido but premature ejaculation.
5. Conium: Conium is used to treat low libido and weak erections in men.

Homeopathy to treat female infertility:

1. Pulsatilla: This homeopathic medicine comes as a relief for females who have infertility due to PCOD and irregular periods.
2. Sepia: Infertility resulting from menstrual problems (scanty and short periods) can be successfully treated with Sepia. It is also helpful in case of women with hypoactive sexual desire.
3. Natrum Carb: This homeopathic medicine is used to treat women who are unable to retain the sperm.
4. Aletris Farinosa: This medicine is used to treat infertility triggered by heavy periods.

Though effective, these medicines should not be used without medical prescription and recommendation. Self-medication will do more harm than good. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Homeopath.

There are more than hundred varieties of blood cancer, but the most common ones are leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a type of leukemia, is when the white blood cells in the marrow begin to grow uncontrollably. This is an acute condition and both the onset and progress are very rapid. The cause is not known, and given the rapid progress, even treatment is often difficult. A more severe form of AML is the APML which is acute promyelocytic leukemia, which leads to reduced number of white and red blood cells and plasma.

This causes the following symptoms:

• Anemia
• Increased incidence of infections
• Excessive bleeding from even minor cuts
• Bleeding from nose and gums
• Easy bruising
• Blood in the urine
• Extreme paleness and tiredness

What is different about APML?

There is one distinguishing factor with APML, which is that they contain a protein which when released into the bloodstream can cause severe bleeding, which may be very difficult to control. Chemotherapy kills these cells and so releases the proteins into the bloodstream. These cells need to be managed without chemotherapy, as the patient can even die of uncontrolled bleeding. With medical advances, two non-chemotherapy agents have been identified – all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA, vesanoid, or tretinoin) and arsenic trioxide (ATO or trisenox).

1. ATRA: This is a type of vitamin A which is used either alone, in combination with chemo, in combination with arsenic trioxide, and also in combination with both chemo and arsenic trioxide. The effect is different in different people – helps control spread, helps prevent recurrence, and helps control symptoms. In many people, it has been successfully used instead of chemotherapy. ATRA is also used as a long-term maintenance agent. Side effects from ATRA include fever, dry skin, rashes, mouth sores, increased cholesterol, and swollen feet. These go away with stoppage of the drug.
2. ATO: Arsenic is poisonous when given in large amounts. However, it was discovered that it could be used to treat APML with effects similar to ATRA. It is used alone, in combination with chemotherapy, with ATRA, or with both. It helps control the growth of cells and also helps in long-term maintenance therapy. ATO dosage needs to be monitored as it can cause heart rhythm issues.

With both these drugs, there is a significant side effect, known as differentiation syndrome - symptoms include fever, breathing difficulty. Often seen during the first cycle of treatment, this happens when the leukemia cells release a protein into the blood. Symptoms include fever, breathing, kidney damage, and severe fluid buildup. With these two drugs being widely used effectively, chemotherapy is not the only treatment option for APML. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!