Dr. Deepali Panday

When someone intends to describe'intercourse, the adjective painful is not the first thing to spring up in your mind. But more often than not, you or your partner might be suffering from a painful experience under the sheets that further complicates your relationship. 

But to paraphrase, it doesn't have to be like this. If you are encountering pain on a regular basis, it is best to talk to your partner and to a doctor to get rid of the problems. 

Below is a list of 6 reasons that could be responsible for a painful intercourse:

• Lack of sufficient lubrication: When the female member is turned on because of foreplay, there is an adequate amount of white mucous discharge in the vagina which works as a natural lubricant and makes penetration easy and comfortable. A lack of sufficient foreplay or a side effect of usage of medications for allergies and antidepressants might make your vagina dry which can cause pain. Also, intercourse before your menstrual period can also facilitate the painful experience. This condition can be checked upon by usage of lubricants which will sufficiently moisturize the vagina.
• Inflammation of the bladder region can also cause pain during sex: It is recommended to urinate after sex in order to drain away the bacteria that might have entered your body during intercourse.
• Infection: Infection in the vagina, which can be denoted by the change of color in the vaginal discharge can be a reason for the pain. Also itching in the vagina (vaginitis) in case of women or infection to certain contraceptives for men can also give rise to pain. Inflammation of prostate gland: for males, severe pain just a few moments before ejaculation might be a result of prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate gland) and should be immediately diagnosed.
• Medical conditions: If the pain during intercourse affects your whole body, then there is a possibility that the pain is a reason for some underlying serious medical condition like problems in the uterus, irritable bowel syndrome or ovarian cysts.
• Hormonal imbalance: If you are pregnant or you have given birth just a few months back, you might feel pain during intercourse as changes in hormones during pregnancy might cause your vagina to dry up.
• For more info you can consult with our herbal experts.

Uric acid is a product of the metabolic breakdown of purine nucleotides, and it is a normal component of urine. High concentrations of uric acid can lead to gout and are associated with other medical conditions including diabetes and formation kidney stones.
To lower the uric acid value:

• Increase water intake 
• Consume more citric fruits
• Have tomatoes, cherties, vegetable juices, apples, green tea etc.

Menstruation is a healthy experience of a woman’s life, and it must come habitually every 28 days, for a period of 3-4 days without coagulating, and the blood loss should correspond to about a quarter of a cup. For a woman, menstrual cycle is a virtuous indicator of her overall wellbeing. Some women get irregular periods that appear at longer intervals, an unpredictable discrepancy in the duration of the cycle and the normal twenty-eight day cycle is missing. Some women have very insignificant problems with menstrual cycles, while others experience a monthly torture.

Irregular menses is typical in early puberty and not generally perturbing. Women should be alarmed when periods are spaced out for more than two months, as this may suggest hormonal imbalance and ovulation problems. A woman’s customary hormonal cycle is contingent upon a subtle equilibrium between different hormones. Several potential triggers can stimulate hormonal imbalance leading to irregular menses. If a woman fails to ovulate, her ovaries will not receive a signal to produce a hormone called progesterone. Progesterone is essential in regulating the Uterine lining called endometrium, which is discarded during menstruation. Without progesterone, the endometrium persistently grows until it starts to break down and is disposed off as a very heavy uterine bleeding. The endometrium may also shed partially and intermittently, and bleeding becomes irregular or prolonged.

Causes of Irregular Menses:

• Puberty.

• Birth control pills.

• Stress.

• Poor diet due to anorexia, bulimia can influence your hormones.

• Excessive weight loss or gain.

• Intense exercise.

• Breast-feeding.

• Anxiety regarding pregnancy.

• Anemia.

• Menopause.

• Excessive production of Androgen (a steroid hormone such as testosterone that controls the development and maintenance of masculine characteristics).

• Uterine fibroids, cysts, polyps.

• Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (in this condition the ovary does not make all the hormones needed for any egg to mature fully, due to which some follicles remain as cysts, ovulation does not occur and the hormone progesterone is not made. Without progesterone a woman’s menstrual cycle is irregular or absent).

• Endometriosis (this is a condition where cells similar to those found inside the uterus grow and are attached outside the uterus forming implants. This can lead to infertility and irregular menses).

• Pelvic infection.

• Ovarian cancer.

• Inflammatory Bowel disease.

• Thyroid disease.

• Heart disease.

Symptoms of Irregular Menses:

• Inconsistency in the length of menstrual cycle.

• Acne.

• Bloating.

• Low energy levels.

• Sore breasts.

• Fever.

• Chills.

• Changes in sexual desire.

• Infertility.

• Depression.

• Osteoporosis.

• Uterine cancer.

• Endometrial Hyperplasia (excessive cell growth in the inner lining of the uterus due to excessive estrogen production as a result of delayed ovulation).

Homeopathic Approach to Irregular Menses:

Homeopathy offers an extensive range of options than conventional medicine. Homeopathic treatment for Irregular Menstruation is very competent, non-invasive, safe and inexpensive. Homeopathy treats the patient as a whole and looks deeper into the problem, promotes the immune function and maintains uterine health by eliminating the causative factor. Homeopathic Constitutional treatment based on the holistic approach stimulates the natural hormonal balance without administering any harmful hormone preparations. The goal of this Homeopathic approach is to enliven the body's natural healing and self-repair ability to treat the underlying condition, to prevent it and to create the highest state of health and well-being.

Constitutional Homeopathic treatment with the management of an experienced and professional Homeopath is an excellent choice for Irregular Menstruation. Some Homeopathic remedies that are commonly used to treat Menstrual Irregularities are given below. These are just a few of the commonly used Homeopathic remedies and are mentioned only to create awareness about the effectiveness of Homeopathic medicines in Menstrual Irregularity. It is not advisable to resort to self-medication for any disease.

Homeopathic remedies for Irregular Menses:

1. Pulsatilla: Pulsatilla is one of the first remedies thought of, in affection, peculiar to women. It's essentially feminine disposition of gentleness timidity, mildness, docility – “excellent thing in woman” – is most characteristic of the drug; even tearfulness, another feminine attribute, strongly points to Pulsatilla. Then, we have fickleness, indecision and changeableness, which are certainly characteristic of Pulsatilla and of some women. Dark menses which are delayed and accompanied with this severe menstrual colic and the characteristic temperament will be the indications. The menses of Pulsatilla, besides being scanty, are quite apt to appear too late. 
2. Caulophyllum: This is a valuable remedy in treating irregular periods, difficulty becoming pregnant or slow childbirth due to weak muscle tone of the uterus. The patient feels menstrual discomfort with heavy bleeding and drawing pains in the pelvic region, thighs, and legs. These patients complain of habitual abortion due to uterine debility.
3. Cimicifuga Racemosa: This remedy is intended for irregular and painful menses, with shooting pains that go down the hips and thighs, or cramps similar to labor-pains that are felt in the pelvic area. Women become restless, fearful, and depressed before a menstrual period. These women are strong, talkative, depressed, they try to injure themselves, and have dreams of impending evil, with fear of riding in a closed carriage.
4. Lachesis: This remedy is suggested to women who are passionate, with a tremendous need for an outlet, both physically and mentally. The menstrual flow is irregular, heavy and brings relief of tension. These patients are very outspoken with strong feelings of suspicion or jealousy. They have an intolerance of restrictive clothing around the waist or neck.
5. Lycopodium: This is an outstanding remedy for delayed menses that follows a heavy flow lasting more days. These patients have a ravenous appetite with a strong craving for sweets. They complain of abdominal bloating and flatulence, and always have a worried look with lack of confidence, though they may be bossy with their family.
6. Murex Purpurea: This remedy works amazingly in Irregular Menstruation with large clots and feeling of protrusion. These patients feel very weak, are very conscious of a womb, and feel as if something is pressing on a sore spot in the pelvis. This sore feeling is worse on sitting, hence the patient always sits with legs tightly crossed. Least contact of parts causes violent sexual excitement in these women.
7. Secale Cornutum: This is a useful remedy for Irregular menses in thin, shriveled skinned women. Their whole body is pervaded by a sense of great heat and they have burning pains in the uterus. Menses is irregular, dark and at times, there is continous oozing of watery blood until the next period. Their pregnancy concludes in a threatened abortion in the third month
8. Sepia: This remedy is best suited to women who feel weary and dragged-out, and are indifferent to their own family members. She feels taken for granted and overworked, becomes irritable and sarcastic if demands are made. Menses is delayed with a feeling that the pelvic floor is weak, or as if the uterus is sagging.

Self-care measures for Irregular Menses:

• Relax and ease stress.

• Avoid exhausting physical exercise.

• Eliminate any eating disorders.

• Eat a balanced diet with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.

• Reduce your intake of salt and caffeine.

Hence, appreciate a natural way to a healthy uterus, convalesce healthy living and curtail the changes that happen during your menstrual years. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a homeopath.

The bio-initiative reports of 2007 and 2012 have proposed a safe radiation density of 1 milliwatt/m{+2} for outdoor, cumulative radio frequency (rf) exposure and 0.1 milliwatt/m{+2} for indoor, cumulative rf exposure.

Adverse health effects occur within a few years of continuous exposure at 1 milliwatt/m{+2}. The most common complaints are - sleep disorder, headache, irritability, memory loss, depression, hearing loss, joint problems. More severe reactions include seizures, cardiovascular problems, miscarriage, irreversible infertility, and cancer.
 

Diabetes is often considered as deadly as cancer. It is a disease that requires lifestyle changes and diet modifications. It is also a disease that affects almost the entire system of your body. Whether you have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, it will do you a world of good to understand the effects of diabetes. Neurovascular damage is one of the most common effects, this means that diabetes will affect the nerves and blood supply of the body.

While Type 1 diabetes makes its presence felt much earlier and is hereditary quite often, Type 2 appears later in life with age and cumulative stress. The effects of diabetes are related to the duration of the disease. Therefore, people with Type 1 diabetes are more likely to have the symptoms early on and need to learn to manage them. Type 2 makes its appearance later, but needs good monitoring for the effects to not surface or prolong the severity of symptoms.

As we all know, all body systems are affected by diabetes, sexual health is no exception. Diabetes decreases blood supply and impacts the nerves in the genitals, thus causing a series of issues right from reduced libido and erectile dysfunction in males to vaginal dryness and painful coitus (perunia) in females.

Listed below are issues diabetic men and women face in terms of sexual health:

In Men:

1. Diabetes reduces testosterone levels, which is directly reflected in reduced libido. Altered nerve function does not provide proper signals to the penis and there is also reduced blood flow to the organ. Both these can diminish the chances of a good erection. Studies have shown that among men who have had diabetes for 10 years, about 50% have experienced erectile dysfunction. Pregnant
2. The affected nerve function also leads to difficulties in reaching a climax. Diabetes in men can additionally cause Peyronie's disease, which leads to a curved penis, and this leads to painful and difficult erections and coitus.

In Women:

1. It leads to reduced sexual desire due to testosterone levels. Vaginal dryness is very common in females with diabetes and therefore, there is a definite decline in the urge.
2. The above mentioned neurovascular damage also prevents women from reaching a good climax, as the nerve supply is affected.
3. Diabetes also increases the predisposition to urinary tract infections, which can lead to painful sexual experience due to additional vaginal dryness and itching.

Finally, as much as it may sound as a cause for concern, it is not. People with diabetes know that making small lifestyle changes can go a long way in terms of onset of symptoms, their severity, and the leading of a normal life. Modifications in diet and lifestyle to include healthy eating, reduced stress, and exercising are very useful. It is also very important to talk to your doctor about how your sexual health has changed with diabetes. It is a sensitive and private topic, but if you are concerned about it, then do not hesitate to seek help. If you wish to discuss any specific problem, you can consult a sexologist.