SUMMER SKIN CARE

                                                                         

Summer sun and temperatures are beloved because they provide us with the opportunity to spend more time outdoors doing the things as we love. However, the sun and temperatures come at a price and it is our skin that pays that price. Sun damage can lead to premature aging of the skin, wrinkles, marks, dry skin, and even skin cancer over time. The hottest season of the year requires careful thought for your skin even as you enjoy the heat and freedom of summer. With the enhanced flow of skin's oily discharge, epidermal layer may be prone to dullness, loss of luster and blemishes. Secondly, owing to the increased susceptibility to the damaging UV rays of sun, there is a consequential increase in the formation of patches and wrinkles. In order to overcome the seasonal blemishes and loss of collagen, it is important to comply with certain skin care regimen.

With the enhanced flow of skin's oily discharge, epidermal layer may be prone to dullness, loss of luster and blemishes. Secondly, owing to the increased susceptibility to the damaging UV rays of sun, there is a consequential increase in the formation of patches and wrinkles. In order to overcome the seasonal blemishes and loss of collagen, it is important to comply with certain skin care regimen.

Sun allergy is an immune system reaction to the sun. It can occur at any time in someone’s life, but typically it occurs in people in their 20s and their 30s. Sun allergy can affect people of all skin types and the exact cause of this disorder is still unknown.

Main types of sun allergy:

Polymorphic light eruption  - the most common type of sun allergy; tiny bumps on itchy red skin in spring and early summer

Solar urticaria - hives, itching and blisters in older adults

Actinic prurigo - red and itchy patches and bumps in children in summer

Chronic actinic dermatitis - thick patches of dry, itchy and inflamed skin

General Skin Care Tips for Summer:

In order to overcome the seasonal blemishes and loss of collagen, it is important to comply with certain skin care regimen.

·        Drink at least 15-20 glasses of water to keep yourself hydrated. Other than providing the necessary moisture, it will help flush the toxic content.

·        Avoid the sun during peak hours (between 10am and 3pm). Wear sunglasses, a hat and protective clothing with long sleeves and long trousers.

·        Use of moisturizer watery in base is necessary during summer. Rose water which happens to be an effective toner cum moisturizer may be used as part of toning and moisturizing.

·        Juice extracted from cucumber or watermelon may be similarly used for moisturizing facial skin.

·        Application of moisturizer containing aloe extracts or for that matter application of aloe gel serves to be an effective summer healing option.

·        As far as caring of feet and hands are concerned, soaking hands and feet in water enriched with a pinch of salt will help boost blood circulation.

·        Avoid wearing closed shoes that block free circulation of air, in its place go for flats and sandals that make for necessary circulation.

·        Other than avoiding moisturizer with oily base, it is also necessary that one avoids using synthetics and silk preferable during winter.

·        For excessively dry skin types, olive oil may be used as an alternative to oily based moisturizers and toners.

·        Make sure that the sunscreen used is applied at least fifteen to thirty minutes before stepping out in the sun.

·        According to dermatologists and skin care specialists sun protective formula meant for summer should have a higher SPF (sun protection factor) content. SPF-30 should be used during summer.

·        Similarly special care should be taken to have it applied twice or thrice during summer, other than using the same prior to stepping out in the sun.

·        For those choosing to swim and bask in sun, sun protective formula should be applied every hour and twenty minutes to overcome the damaging impacts of sun burn, rashes and blister formation

·        In order to make for healthy breathing and free circulation of the epidermal layer, tight fitting clothes blocking circulation should be avoided.

·        Exfoliating the facial skin by means of a homemade scrub prepared out of half a cup yogurt, five table spoons of gram flour, a dash of turmeric and six drops of rose water can prove to be an effective option.

·        Exfoliation followed by the application of facial pack consisting of three table spoons of mashed papaya , one table spoon of honey or lemon juice and white of an egg will serve to revive radiance and glow lost during summer.

·        In case you want to avoid the use of egg white, the resulting blend of cucumber, honey and yogurt may be used to provide cooling touch to the skin

·        In order to get rid of uneven summer tanning, go for a blend of gram flour, yogurt and squeezed juice of half a lemon, to apply the same on parts affected.

·        Mixture consisting of honey and potato juice serves to be a good option for overcoming tan.

·        Honey is similarly effective in overcoming conditions of scars and rashes.

·        Avoid carbonated drinks containing soda and high doses of sugar. Instead go for juices extracted out of fresh fruits like lemonade and that extracted from unripe green mango.

·        In cases of bites and stings during summer, soothing the affected part by means of an ice pack will prove to be healthy.

·        Eat healthy, exercise and sleep well! The holy trinity of good health and glowing skin holds true for the whole year. So along with all the tips above,  don’t forget to eat a balanced diet, work out for at least 45 minutes everyday and get 6 to 8 hours of sleep. Enjoy the summer!

HOMOEOPATHIC MANAGEMENT

Homoeopathy is safe and effective treatment for summer skin problems. It is better to start a preventive treatment a few weeks before going on vacation or before summer’s onset

SUNBURN

Commonly used Homoeopathic Medicines for Sunburn / Rash:

Acon, Agar, Ant-c, Bell, Bry, Bufo, Canth, Camph, Hyos, lach, Kali-c, Lyc. Mur-ac, Nat-c, Nat-m, Puls, Seln,Sulph. Valer, Verat.

Urtica urens - Indications for use are redness and intense burning heat with a violent itching or a stinging, pricking quality. The burnt skin resembles a rash with little white bumps. This remedy originates from Stinging Nettle.

Cantharis - The skin is red with very painful burning, rawness, and smarting, and is better from cool applications that the person doesn’t want to take off. This is our main first-aid remedy for any type of burn.

Causticum - This remedy is for more serious burns that blister and ooze or for the ill-effects of old burns. Topical applications can be very soothing to a burn:

Calendula or Hypericum tincture diluted in water, 1 to 10 parts. Apply cool compresses to the sunburned skin, refreshing them frequently as they warm up against the skin.

SUN ALLERGY

Apis mellifica - Burning and itchy pink swollen patches, improved by cold compresses.

Belladonna - Hot bright red rash; sun allergy can be accompanied by fever.

Hypericum - Herbal and homeopathic preparations of St.John`s wort have a completely different action when it comes to sun allergy. Herbal preparations make the skin more vulnerable to sunlight while daily doses of homeopathic dilutions of St.John`s wort have the opposite action - they can desensitize the skin. The skin becomes accustomed to UV light and symptoms caused by sun exposure are reduced.

Muriaticum acidum - Red papules and vesicles with violent itching

Natrum mur - Sun allergy is worse at the sea side; various chronic skin disorders - urticaria, eczema,acne, herpes; skin and respiratory allergies.

Pulsatilla - Thin mottled skin, sensitive to sunlight and cold - prone to sunburn and sun allergy in summer and to frostbites in winter; slow digestion with intolerance to fatty foods; ENT and urogenital disorders with yellow-greenish discharge.

Sulphur - Severe sun allergy with violent burning and itching worse by bathing and heat; skin and body

orifices turn red easily, prone to various skin disorders and multiple allergy; heat intolerance.

BEE/WASP STINGS AND INSECT BITES

Ledum palustre is the main remedy for puncture wounds from insect stings and spider bites as well as a good, first choice for any kind of bite (including a dog or cat bite) that burns, itches, and stings. The site of the sting is bluish in colour with hard, white swelling that feels cold to the touch. The person is usually chilly but better from very cold applications, which is unusual, and therefore, the guiding symptom to use of this remedy. Topical Ledum (prepared as above) relieves itchy mosquito bites.

Apis mellifica - derived from the honey bee, is another frequently indicated remedy, when there is tremendous red puffy swelling at the site of the bite, along with a burning, throbbing, stinging sensation. The person is hot and restless, worse with heat, and relieved by cold applications and cold air.

Carbolic acid - For an allergic or anaphylactic reaction and collapse following a bee or wasp sting, with marked swelling and a choking feeling. The person is usually covered in hives, with a swollen face and tongue

Caladium - For intensely itching flea, fly, and mosquito bites with no other major complaints. For inflammation and infection from every mosquito bite.

Urtica urens - For urticaria (hives) caused by allergic reactions to insect bites and jellyfish stings, characterized by burning, prickling, and itching pain, which is better from constantly rubbing the area.

Vespa - A very useful remedy for a wasp sting followed by severe stinging, piercing pain, along with staring into space, convulsions, and loss of consciousness.

Usually Ledum and Apis will take good care of the majority of insect bites and stings.

HEAT EXHAUSTION

Sun exposure during very hot weather can also bring on the added risk of heat exhaustion, when a person becomes dehydrated from lack of water, excessive sweating, overexertion, and/or consuming alcoholic beverages.

Symptoms include pallor, cold and clammy skin, excessive sweating, increased pulse and breathing, weakness, dizziness, nausea, headache, and muscle cramps. Veratrum album corresponds to the above common symptoms of heat exhaustion.

Cuprum Metallicum may be indicated if muscle cramping is predominant.

Magnesium Phosphoricum is indicated when abdominal or leg cramps predominate.

Gelsemium is characterized by dullness, dizziness, and drowsiness. The face is hot and dusky red, the head is congested, with a feeling of emptiness or weakness in the stomach, along with the characteristic nervous, shuddering chill. The person is worse with motion and wants to lie down quietly.

SUNSTROKE/HEATSTROKE

If heat exhaustion goes untreated, heatstroke may follow, which is a life-threatening condition in that the body cannot regulate its own temperature. Sweating may cease, and the body temperature can rise to 40ºC/104ºF or higher, with a rapid and strong pulse. Sunstroke presents with dry skin, a hot head, and a severe headache. The person may be vomiting, confused, convulsing, or unconscious.

If suspect heatstroke, simple measures to provide additional comfort and rest should be taken before you even select a homeopathic remedy. Move the person to a cool place, remove clothing, and sponge down with cool water. Administer the indicated remedy while awaiting medical assistance.

Belladonna - Characteristically, of sudden onset, with a hot and flushed-red face, while the rest of the body (or just the hands and feet) is chilled or cold. The severe, throbbing, right-sided headache is worse from jarring, motion, light, or noise, and better from cold applications or bending the head backward. The pupils are dilated, and the person seems to be in a stupor.

Glonoinum - Presents with a violent, pounding, or throbbing headache, with visible pulsation of the carotid artery along with a bounding pulse. The headache is worse from applying cold water and bending the head backward, and better from elevating the head. The skin is hot and dry, with a flushed, bright-red face and bulging eyes. There is a heavy, confused, drowsy state, with vertigo and dizziness as well as frequent urination.

 Carbo vegetabilis - The person becomes weak and faints or collapses as a result of the heat exhaustion. He is cold and clammy, with marked nausea and diarrhea after exposure to heat and sun. Needing air and wanting to be fanned are the guiding symptoms to the use of this remedy.

Natrum Carbonicum - A good overall remedy if there are no clear modalities, and often works when others don’t. Sensitive to sunstroke, and for repeated sunstroke or the chronic effects of sun exposure. Severe headache from the least sun; weakness after walking in the sun; confusion and vertigo after exposure to the sun.

Gelsemium - A flushed face and headache, with the characteristic trembling and weakness.

General Management - Rest for at least 24 hours after sunstroke or heat exhaustion. Hydration an d electrolyte replacement to replenish fluid levels internally are very important. And because of increased susceptibility in the future, special attention should be paid to keeping the head covered.

Prevention is the best cure. Stay in the shade during the most intense heat of the day, drink plenty of water, moderate your exercise routine, and avoid alcoholic beverages.

COUGH – ITS TYPE AND WHAT THEY MEAN, HOMOEOPATHY FOR DIFFERENT NATURE OF COUGHS

Cough is a rapid expulsion of air from the lungs typically in order to clear the lung airways of fluids, mucus, or material. Cough is also called tussis. Cough can be categorized as acute (less than three weeks) or chronic (greater than three weeks). There are many different types of cough and you can hear them all during winter – tickly coughs, chesty coughs, croupy coughs – but they all have one thing in common; they cause distress and discomfort to the sufferer (not to mention the listener!) They lead to irritability, sore muscles, and lack of sleep.

Frequent coughing usually indicates the presence of a disease.  Many viruses and bacteria benefit evolutionarily by causing the host to cough, which helps to spread the disease to new hosts. Most of the time, irregular coughing is caused by a respiratory tract infection but can also be triggered by choking, smoking, air pollution, asthma, gastroesophageal reflux disease, post-nasal drip, chronic bronchitis, lung tumors, heart failure and medications such as ACE inhibitors.

A cough is a protective reflex in healthy individuals which is influenced by psychological factors. The cough reflex is initiated by stimulation of two different classes of afferent nerves, namely the myelinated rapidly adapting receptors, and nonmyelinated C-fibers with endings in the lungs. A cough in children may be either a normal physiological reflex or due to an underlying cause. In healthy children it may be normal in the absence of any disease to cough ten times a day.

Types of Cough By Sound

"One of the best ways to diagnose a cough, and the way we do it, is by listening,"

• A sharp gasp for breath at the end of a long coughing spell characterizes whooping cough, it puts infants at risk and kills one to three babies a year
• Infamous for its "barking" cough, croup is a viral infection that results in swollen vocal chords and throat. It commonly affects children and worsens at night,
• A dry cough is so called because it doesn’t produce phlegm. It can result from a wide variety of problems, from mild environmental irritants,such as smoke, to disorders or infectious diseases, such as asthma, the flu or pneumonia.
• Productive/Wet Cough - Just a regular old cold gives you wetness in the cough because again all that junk in your nasal passages it goes back into your throat into your airways, you’re coughing it up, Besides a cold or influenza, bronchitis and pneumonia can also cause wet coughs.

Conditions that cause coughs

Colds and Flu - Almost all coughs due to the common cold come and go without trouble; still they can be a big hassle if they keep you up all night or doubled over during the day.

Post-nasal drip - Most types of coughs are caused by postnasal drip, triggered by allergies, fumes or an upper respiratory infection. The sinuses produce fluid that drips down the throat and that produces a cough, because your body won’t let you drown in your own secretions,” she says. The cough can be dry or wet, accompanied by a tickling or sore throat.

Sinusitis/Rhinitis - Sinusitis, an inflammation of the sinuses, causes that tickling, dripping sensation down the back of the throat that triggers various types of coughs.

Rhinitis is inflammation of the nasal passages, which also leads to postnasal drip.

Allergies - Coughs related to rhinitis, sinusitis and post-nasal drip all can be triggered by allergies.

Asthma - The second most common cause of coughs is asthma, some people, instead of loud wheezing, get only a cough.

Smoker’s cough - Many smokers think of it as a morning cough.  But a cough can be a sign of a more serious disease like COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) or lung cancer.

Acute bronchitis/Pneumonia, Acute – sudden, but short – bronchitis is essentially a cold or a viral infection. It can also be bacterial. Pneumonia, an infection of the lungs, also can be viral or bacterial.

Reflux (GERD) - Surprisingly, if you have acid or non-acid reflux – the back-up of stomach fluids into your esophagus – your only symptom may be a cough, not heartburn. More than half of people with reflux disease have only a cough.

Classification of Cough:

A cough can be classified by its duration, character, quality, and timing. The duration can be either acute (of sudden onset) if it is present less than three weeks, subacute if it is present between three and eight weeks, and chronic when lasting longer than eight weeks. A cough can be dry or productive, depending on whether sputum is coughed up. It may occur only at night, during both night and day, or just during the day.

Acute Cough:  The cause of the acute cough is usually determined by the person’s history and physical exam.

·         If cough is present less than three weeks.

·         Most commonly relates to

o   Viral – induced lower respiratory tract infections.

o   Post-nasal drip resulting from rhinitis or sinusitis.

o   Throat - clearing secondary to laryngitis or pharyngitis.

Post-nasal drip: Mucous accumulation in the back of the nose and throat leading to or giving the sensation of mucus dripping downward from the back of the nose.

Subacute Cough: if it is present between three and eight weeks.  The most common causes are: Post infectious Cough, Acute Sinusitis, Asthma.

Chronic Cough:

·         When cough lasting longer than eight weeks.

·         Patients with chronic cough often represent more of a diagnostic challenge like individuals with a normal examination, chest radiograph and lung function tests.

·         Most cough can be explained by Post-nasal drip secondary to nasal or sinus disease. Asthma , where cough may be the principal or exclusive clinical manifestation   Or Gastro-oesophageal reflux (may require ambulatory pH monitoring or a prolonged trial of antireflux therapy to diagnose.

Dry Cough:

Cough is dry i.e. there is no phlegm when a person coughs. The throat feels itchy and scratchy due to the dryness. The throat pains due to excessive coughing. It is difficult to eat due to excessive coughing. Fever may accompany the cough but it is not a necessary symptom.

The dry, hacking cough is caused by: a virus infection, cold or dry air, or Air pollutants such as cigarette smoke, smog and dust. This sometimes feels like a tickle at the back of your throat.

Productive Cough:

Productive cough are coughs that produce phlegm, in contrast to dry coughs. Productive cough may be associated with tuberculosis, bacterial pneumonia, and bronchitis . The loose productive cough is a sign of chest congestion or infection due to colds or flu. It clears the lungs and air passages of excess mucus.

Phlegm is a sticky material from your mucous membranes in our respiratory system. When have a cold it might be yellowish brown. If there's an infection, it might be greenish brown. Normal phlegm is usually clear.

Characteristics of cough originating at various levels of Respiratory Tract:

Origin	Causes	Characteristics
Pharynx	Post nasal drip	Usually Persistent.
Larynx	Laryngitis, tumor, whooping cough, croup	Harsh, barking, painful, persistent, often associated with strider.
Trachea	Tracheitis	Painful
Bronchi	Acute Bronchitis and COPD	Dry or Productive, , worse in mornings
	Asthma.	Dry or productive, worse at night.
	Bronchial Carcinoma	Persistent often with haemoptysis.
Lung Parenchyma	Tuberculosis	Productive, often with haemoptysis.
	Pneumonia	Initially Dry, Productive later.
	Bronchiectasis	Productive
	Pulmonary edema	Often at night ( may be productive)
	Interstitial Fibrosis	Dry, irritant and distressing.

General Management

v  Eat healthy food and avoid sugar or sugary foods which suppress the immune system for up to 5 hours after being eaten.

v  Get plenty of rest so your body can recover

v  Maintain hydration and keep your mucus membranes moist with frequent drinks of water or soothing teas.

v  Soothe inflamed airways and loosen mucus with steam inhalations and warm showers.

v  Avoid cigarettes and tobacco smoke which paralyse and eventually destroy the microscopic hairs that line your airways.These fine hairs, called cilia, normally sweep the mucus upwards in waves, away from your lungs.

Natural Home remedies

A specific tip for coughs involves black pepper. Pepper has an antimicrobial effect but in truth, its ability to soothe coughs probably has more to do with the homeopathic effect of ‘like treats like’; pepper can induce coughing in a healthy person and so will relieve it in someone suffering from a cough. Pepper is best added to raw honey and taken by the spoonful several times a day.

Cinnamon is another natural antibiotic. It is rich in compounds that inhibit bacterial growth and strengthen resistance. Add it to your food or drinks to boost your immune system. Turmeric contains an anti-inflammatory compound called curcumin, which has strong cold and flu fighting properties. Stir a teaspoon into a glass of water or use it in your cooking

Honey and lemon soothe the mucous membranes of the throat and have an antibacterial effect – raw honey is best. Research shows that children who take a spoonful of honey before bed cough less and sleep better than those who take over-the-counter products for coughs and colds. Adding a little lemon to the honey will increase its anti-microbial effect. Honey and lemon can also be combined with hot water to make a soothing tea.

Chocolate and cough - Chocolate can help a cough! Theobromine, a compound found in the cocoa bean, will suppress coughs just as effectively as many cough medicines but without their sideeffects. Milk chocolate contains very little theobromine compared to dark chocolate. To obtain an effective dose, need to eat 50 – 100g of dark chocolate. Enjoy!

Allopathic treatment uses suppression or palliation to relieve symptoms for short periods of time. The drawback is that in the long run, continual suppression leads to worsening

health. Depending on whether the cough is wet or dry, conventional medicine will offer a suppressant or an expectorant.

HOMOEOPATHIC MANAGEMENT

Homoeopathic Research

One interesting study with seriously ill patients on respirators in an intensive care unit showed that homeopathy not only effectively reduced their respiratory secretions but also helped them come off their respirators more quickly. The length of time they spent in the unit was also shorter and without respiratory complications. In contrast, those in the control group who had not received homeopathic treatment took considerably longer to recover. Some also had to be returned to the respirator after extubation because they were struggling to breath from excessive secretions in their airways – something that was not a problem for the homeopathic group. As excess respiratory secretions are a major trigger for coughs, the homeopathic treatment would also have reduced the incidence of coughs – something that is also substantiated clinically.

Another study of children with upper respiratory tract infections, including coughs, showed that those who received homeopathic treatment recovered much more quickly than those who were treated conventionally in the control group.

A third study showed that those children whose colds (and accompanying coughs) were treated with homoeopathy were more likely to feel and do better than those children whose colds had been treated conventionally. The homeopathically treated children had fewer complications, and their parents took significantly less sick-leave than the parents of those children treated with antibiotics.

Homoeopathic Remedies

Homoeopathy is a safe and effective system of medicine which uses natural herbal and mineral products to treat disease. Homoeopathic Remedies are holistic, which means homoeopathy relies on making a diagnosis from analysis of all of a patient's complaints before prescribing any treatment. Homoeopathic medicines are often effective in treating the acute symptoms of coughs, though professional constitutional care is usually necessary to achieve a deeper level of cure of chronic respiratory problems.

Aconite - Sudden onset often after exposure to cold air. Dry croupy cough with runny nose and sneezing. Irritation of respiratory tract, hoarseness/dryness of throat. Worse: cold dry winds, talking and deep breathing. Better: lying on back.

Anti Tart  - Noisy, rattling, loose cough as if chest full of mucus. Young children or elderly with cough too weak to expel the mucus. Worse: night, especially from 10 pm until after midnight, lying flat, eating. Better sitting up and after expectoration

Bryonia - Dry hacking cough in the evening and night without sputum. Spasmodic cough shaking the whole body, pain in the head an abdomen from coughing, better for holding the painful part. Dryness of all air passages with thirst. Worse: movement, deep breathing, lying in bed. Better: fresh air and for pressure of painful part.

Causticum  - Cough with raw, sore feeling in chest. Hollow, hard, dry cough from tickling in throat pit. Expectoration not easy to cough up and slips back down the throat. Worse: lying down, talking and bending head forward. Better: cold drinks

Coccus Cacti  - Paroxysmal, hard, short hacking cough ending in copious thick, ropes of mucus. Worse: 6-7 am or after 11.00 pm, becoming heated, warm rooms. Better: cold, open air, cold drinks.

Drosera  - Spasmodic, dry irritating coughs like whooping cough. Barking cough which is dry in the evening and loose in the morning. Sputum is yellow/green, bitter or offensive, bloody or pus like. Retching after spasmodic cough. Worse: after midnight, lying down, singing, laughing and drinking. Better: holding chest.

Hepar Sulph - Productive cough with thick, yellow mucus. Also dry, croupy cough. Worse: slightest drafts, uncovering, cold dry air Better: warmth, from expectoration.

Ipecacuanha - Almost always totally dry cough which comes in paroxysms causing choking, gagging or vomiting. Worse: night, deep inspiration especially in morning while lying in bed, warm room. Better: after expectoration and cold drinks. A good children's cough remedy if the symptoms fit.

Phosphorous  - Cough may be dry or loose, (useful in the early stages of bronchitis/pneumonia) Every cold descends to the chest. Burning in the chest with raw larynx and feeling of tightness. Scratchy sensation in the throat, tickling cough. Worse: change from warm air to cold air, talking, laughing. Better: heat, sleep and lying on right side

Pulsatilla  - Catarrhal cough with copious yellow/green lumpy mucus. Dry cough at night, loose in the morning. Worse: warm stuffy rooms, lying down, becoming warm in bed. Better: fresh air, gentle walking, sitting up in bed.

Rumex  - Main remedy for tickling irritated coughs. Incessant, violent, tickling cough with scant expectoration. Intense tickling in the larynx and trachea , worse cold air. Covers mouth when goes out in the cold air. Teasing cough preventing sleep. Worse: slightest inspiration of cold air, going from warm room to cold, talking. Better: warm air

Spongia  - Barking, dry croupy cough with wheezing and rasping. Great dryness of all air passages. Scanty expectoration tasting salty, looser in the morning but no mucous rattle in the chest. Cough sounds like a saw being driven through a pine board. Sensation as if had to breath through a dry sponge. Worse: warm room, talking before midnight. Better: swallowing, especially warm drin ks, sitting up and bending forward.