Shipra Vista Plaza

It is true that most people are aware of the fact that ‘angina’ is a term which has something or the other to do with the heart. That being said, very few would be able to answer a question regarding what exactly it is, in a satisfactory manner. So would it not make sense to know more about it and become one of the few?

The term is derived from the ancient language of Latin and refers to a tightness that is felt or a squeezing of the chest. This happens when there is not enough oxygen-rich blood which is reaching the area of the heart muscle. While many people think that angina is a disease, it is actually not true to think that it is! As a matter of fact, it is a symptom of coronary artery disease. It is this disease which is the most common disease which affects the heart.

But why exactly does a person experience angina? Well, the lack of blood which is rich in oxygen occurs when it so happens that the coronary arteries become narrower than they normally should be. This generally happens due to the build-up of plaque. The condition in which this happens is known as atherosclerosis.

When it comes to the sort of people who are at a higher risk of developing angina, it can be said that those who smoke tobacco really do increase their risk, as do those who are overweight or obese and have other lifestyle diseases such as diabetes.

In order to avoid angina, the most important thing a person can possibly control is his or her lifestyle. In fact, a lot of the risk factors related to angina are attributable to the lifestyle a person chooses to lead. Cholesterol levels can be controlled if a person puts enough attention and effort in. Also, avoiding a lifestyle that is sedentary by exercise can not only help with cutting the risk of angina but also the risks of other conditions such as high blood pressure. It is ironic that high blood pressure is one of the potential signals of angina!

It is to be noted that while most people just call angina as it is, there are various types-

1. Stable angina is when the heart is working harder than usual and medicine helps improve this.

2. Unstable angina occurs even at rest and is unpredictable. It may also be a signal of a coming heart attack.

3. Variant and microvascular angina is relievable by medicine and is generally rare.

Asthma is a condition that severely affects the lungs. The airways become narrow and the lungs become inflamed. Its characteristic features include bronchospasm, reversible airflow obstruction and variable and recurring symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and chest tightness. This might be caused up to 2 to 3 times a day.

Causes:

1. Daily use of Paracetamol
2. Vaccines
3. Daily use of antibiotics
4. Caesarean sections
5. Asthma in family

Asthma is usually triggered by:

1. Tobacco Smoke
2. Exercise
3. Polluted or Poor air
4. Cold Air
5. Emotional Stress
6. Allergies

Homeopathy is a system of medicine which tries to ‘cure’ this disease, instead of trying to provide symptomatic relief. While dealing with a case of asthma, a homeopath not only records the symptoms of the disease but also studies the medical history, family history, physical and psychological characteristics of a person. This helps to find the cause, the precipitating factors, and the hereditary tendency etc. Of special interest to a homeopath is the history of suppression of skin disease. Homeopaths believe that when there is a tendency or predisposition for a disease – it first manifests on the less vital organs, towards the periphery (like skin). If this manifestation is suppressed than the disease shifts inwards, towards the more vital organs (like lungs, heart, brain etc).

The fact that in children asthma is often preceded by eczema is observed by the allopaths also. This fact is written in all their textbooks of medicine. They say that children often ‘move-out’ of eczema and ‘move-into’ asthma. But they are unable to make a correlation. Homeopaths believe that the suppression of eczema with topical preparations, does not cure the disease/sensitivity of the person, it merely drives it inwards.

Now after ascertaining the symptoms and the cause, the homeopath tries to find a medicine which matches the symptoms as well as the general characteristics of the person. The medicine so selected is administered to the patient.

When a right medicine is given, the asthma disappears but the old eczema or skin rash reappears for some time, before finally disappearing itself. This reappearance of old symptoms is seen as a reversal of disease process and is considered a very good prognostic sign by homeopaths.

MEDICINES – There are lots of medicines in homeopathy for asthma symptoms and it is not possible to list them all here. Some of the common medicines are ars- alb, ipecac, lachesis, pulsatilla, spongia, sulphur, ignatia, antim-tart, hepar-sulph, nat-sulph, tuberculinum etc. The selection of medicine varies from patient to patient. Therefore, it is always recommended to consult a specialized homeopath for treating your individual case.