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Hiatus Hernia

October 21, 2007 Posted by

Hitaus Hernia can be defined as displacement of a portion of the stomach through the opening inthe diaphragm through which the oesophagus passes from the chest to the abdominal cavity. INthis disease, a part of the upper wall of the stomach protrudes through the diaphragm at thepoint where the gullet passes from the chest area to the abdominal area.The diaphragm is a large dome-shaped muscle dividing the chest from the abdominal cavity. It isthe muscle concerned with breathing, and it is assisted by the muscles between the ribs duringexertion. It has special openings in it to allow for the passage of important blood vessels and forthe food channel, the oesophagus. Hiatus hernia occurs at the oesophageal opening.The disease is common after middle age. It is estimated that about half the people above 60years of age suffer from it, although most of them may not have any symptoms. The correctdiagnosis of haitus hernia can be arrived at by means of berium meal x-ray test.

Symptoms

Hiatus hernia is characterised by pain in certain areas. The most common areas are behind the breast bone at the nipple level and lower, at the end of the breast one. Pain may also occur onthe left chest and this is often mistaken for angina.Other areas of pain are the base of the throat, right lower ribs and behind the right shoulderblade. The pain increases when the patients stoops with efforts and lies down. Other symptomsof this disease are heart-burn, especially after a meal, a feeling of fullness and bloatedness,flatulence and discomfort on swallowing.

Causes

The chief cause of the mechanical defect associated with hiatus hernia is faulty diet. Theconsumption of white flour, refined sugar and products made from them, such as cakes,pastries, biscuits and white bread as well as preservatives, and flavourings devitalise the systemand weaken the muscle tone. As a consequence, the muscles become less resilent, andconnective and fibrous tissue suffers through poor nourishment, and thus become more prone todecomposition and damage. This ultimately leads to disease like hiatus hernia.Drinks like tea, coffee, alcohol, also affect the mucous lining of the stomach and irritate thedigestive tract. These drinks, when taken with meals, encourage fermentation and produce gas.This increases the distension of the stomach, causing pressure against the diaphragm and theoesophageal opening and greatly increasing the risk of hemiation. Other causes of hiatus herniainclude sedentary occupations, without sensible exercise, overweight resulting from overeating,smoking, shallow breathing and mental and emotional tensions.

Treatment

In the beginning of the treatment, it would be advisable to raise the head end of the bed byplacing bricks below the legs of the bed. This will prevent the regurgitation of food during thenight. More pillow can also be used for the same purpose.The next important step towards treating hiatus hernia is relaxation. An important measure inthis direction is diaphragmatic breathing. The procedure is as follows : lie down with both kneesbent and feet close to buttocks. Feel relaxed. Put both the hands lightly on the abdomen andconcentrate the attention of this area. Now breathe in, gently pushing the abdominal up underthe hands at the same time, until no more air can be inhaled. Then relax, breathing out throughthe mouth with an audible sighing sound and allow the abdominal wall to sink back. Theshoulders and chest should, remain at rest throughout.It is important to be able to relax at any time and thereby prevent building up of physical andmental tensions which may cause actual physical symptoms. The best method for this is practiceshavasana, or ‘dead body ‘ pose. on yoga therapy.The patient of hiatus hernia should observe certain precautions in their eating habits. Theforemost amongst these is not to take water with meals, but half an hour before or one hour aftera meal. This helps the digestive process considerably and reduces the incidence of heart burn.Drinking water with meals increases the overall weight in the stomach, slows down the digestiveprocess by diluting the digestive process and this increases the risk of fermentation and gasformation, which distends the stomach and causes discomfort and pain. Another important factorin the treatment of this disease is to take frequent small meals instead of three large ones.Thorough mastication of foods is also essential, both to break up the food into small particlesand to slow down the rate of intake.The diet of the patient should consist of seeds, nuts and whole cereal grains, vegetables andfruits, with emphasis on fresh fruits, raw or lightly cooked vegetables and sprouted seeds. Thefoods which should be avoided are over-processed foods like white bread and sugar, cakes andbiscuits, rice puddings and over cooked vegetables. At least 50 per cent of the diet shouldconsist of fruits and vegetables, and the remaining 50 per cent of protein, carbohydrates and fat.Raw juices extracted from fresh fruits and vegetables are valuable in haitus hernia, and thepatient should take these juices half an hour before each meal. Carrot juice is speciallybeneficial as it has a very restorative effect, and is rich in vitamin A and calcium. It is an alkalinefood which soothes the stomach. All juices should be diluted with water on a 50: 50 basis asthey are concentrated.The hot drinks should always be allowed to cool a little before taking. Extremes in temperature,in both food and drink should be avoided, drinks should not be taken hurriedly, but sippedslowly. The patient should avoid condiments, pickles, strong tea, coffee, alcoholic beveragesand smoking.

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Dermatitis

October 20, 2007 Posted by

Dermatitis refers to an inflammation of the skin, both external and internal. It is characterised byredness, swelling, heat and pain or itching. Any part of the body may be affected by this disease.The genital areas and the exposed areas such as the eyelids, forearms, face and neck are moreprone to it.The cells of the epidermis ( the surface layer of the skin ) are normally protected from damageby the tightly packed squamae of keratin of the horny layer. The elasticity of keratin varies withits water content. This water content can be reduced by evaporation or by removal of the lipidwith which it retains moisture. Substances which produce inflammation of the epidermis ordermatitis by mechanical or chemical disruption of the horny layer are called irritants.Degreasing agents like soaps, if used too frequently over a short time, will cause dryness,redness, fissuring and irritation of the skin in almost everyone.

Symptoms

The appearance of dermatitis varies according to its severity and the stage of its evolution. Thefirst symptom is erythema or redness. This is usually followed by swelling of the skin due tooedema( excessive fluid retention ). Vesicle may appear thereafter .In case of their rupture, theirbases exude serum. This condition is known as weeping dermatitis. Later, the serum dries up toform crusts. IN some people the disease seems to come and go without any great change in theskin itself.

Causes

Chemical substances usually give rise to dermatitis. They may reach the skin from outside orfrom inside through the blood-stream. About 100 different plants are known to be capable ofcausing dermatitis in susuceptible persons. The onset is usually acute and begins an hour or twoafter contact. Dermatitis may be caused by external contact with mineral irritants. This includesmost cases of industrial dermatitis which arise on the hands or forearms which actually come incontact with the irritant.Certain drugs applied externally such as atropine, belladona, carbolic acid, iodine, mercury,penicillin, sulphonamides, sulphurs, tars and turpentine sometimes cause dermatitis. Othersubstances causing this disease include hair dyes, bleaches, skin tonics, nail polish, perfume,wool , silk, nylon, floor-wax and various detergents. Other causes of this disease are indiscretionin diet, deficiency of vitamin A and pantothenic acid , and nervous and emotional stress.

Treatment

As dermatitis may appear due to varied causes, treatment also varies accordingly. If, however,the trouble is constitutional arising from internal causes, the patient should commence thetreatment by adopting an all-fruit diet for at least a week. In this regimen, he should take threemeals a day of juicy fruits such as orange, grapes, apple, pineapple and papaya at five hourlyintervals.After an exclusive fruit diet, patient may adopt a restricted diet for ten days. In this regimen,breakfast may consist of orange juice or grapefruit. Raw salad, consisting of vegetablesavailable in season, with raisins, figs or dates may be taken for lunch and dinner may consist ofsteamed vegetables such as spinach, cabbage, carrots, turnips, cauliflower, along with a fewnuts or fresh fruit. Mild puddings and desserts such as jellies, jams and pastries, all condiments,spices, white sugar, and white flour and products made from them, tea, coffee and otherstimulating drinks should all be avoided.After the restricted diet, the patient should gradually embark upon a well-balanced diet,consisting of seeds, nuts and grains, vegetables and fruits. The emphasis should be on freshfruits and raw vegetables. In case of a severe condition, the patient should undertake a fast onfruit or vegetable juices for three to five days. This may be followed by a restricted diet for ten tofifteen days. Further fasts and a period on restricted diet at intervals may be adopted after theresumption of a normal diet.The warm water enema should be used daily to cleanse the bowels during the first week oftreatment and thereafter as necessary. Epsom-salts baths may be taken two or three times aweek. The affected areas may also be bathed twice daily in hot water with Epsom salts. About100 grams of Epsom salts should be added to a bowlful of hot water for this purpose. A littleolive oil should be applied after Epsom-salt bathing.The patient should avoid white sugar, refined carbohydrates, tea, coffee, and other denaturedfoods. He should make liberal use of fruits and vegetable juices. The combined juice from apple,carrot and celery is especially beneficial in the treatment of dermatitis. About 175 ml. each ofthese juices should be mixed to prepare 525 ml. of combined juice.No medicines of any kind should be used. In case of trouble due to external causes, the mosteffective treatment consists of applying a mixture of baking soda (bicarbonate of soda ) and oliveoil. The alkaline sodium neutralises the poisonous acids formed in the sores and oil keeps theflesh in a softened condition.The patient should undertake moderate physical exercise, preferably simple yoga asanas afterthe fast is completed and the start of the restricted diet. Exercise is one of the most valuablemeans for purifying the blood and for preventing toxaemia. The patient should also haveadequate physical and mental rest and fresh air. He should avoid exposure to cold, and adoptregular hours of eating sleeping.

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Cholera

October 19, 2007 Posted by

Cholera is one of the most severe diseases of the intestines. It is a serious affliction, involvingthe lower part of the small bowel. It is a waterborne disease and is common during themonsoons. The mortality rate for this disease has been quite high.The disease strikes suddenly and fills the intestinal canal with bacilli which die rapidly and leavethe person quickly , alive or dead. It comes as a fell epidemic and creates havoc but subsidesquickly in the locality. Those who are susceptible to it are carried away and those who are leftalive are immuned to it. Thus after an epidemic in a non-epidemic area, there is no re-visitationin the locality for two or three years.The original home of cholera is Bengal in India. It spread from this country during the 19thcentury in a series of epidemics along the trade routes. It reached Japan and also Astrakhan, inRussian, in 1817. The disease spread to Moscow in 1826, Berlin in 1831 and London and Parisin 1832. Subsequently, it spread to Canada and several countries in Europe. However, by 1895,cholera had disappeared from Europe.

Symptoms

Cholera appears in three stages. In the first stage, the patient suffers from mild diarrhoea andvomiting, which worsens rapidly. The motions become watery, containing no feacal matter. Thepatient feels severe cramps in the muscles of the abdomen and limbs, resulting from lack ofsalts. The temperature rises but the skin is generally cold and blue and the pulse is weak.Taking water to quench thirst dilutes the body salt still further, and makes the cramps worse.In the second stage of collapse, the body becomes colder, the skin dry, wrinkled and purple.Voice becomes weak and husky while the urine looks dark and formation is less, or altogetherabsent. It is in this ‘algid’ stage that the patient may die, as early as 24 hours after the onset ofthe symptoms.In the third stage,recovery follows in favourable cases. All the changes seem to reversethemselves, the fluid loss decreases and there is improvment in the general condition. Even atthis stage, a relapse may occur or the patient may sink into a condition resembling typhoid fever.The condition may deteriorate over a period of two or three weeks. During this stage of reaction,the temperature may rise and the patient may be in danger from penumonia.

Causes

Cholera is caused by a short, curved, rod-shaped germ known as vibrio cholera. This germproduces a powerful poison or endotoxin. It is spread by flies and water contaminated by thegerms. The real cause of disease , however, is the toxic and devitalized condition of the systembrought about by incorrect feeding habits and faulty style of living. This condition facilitatesinvasion of cholera germs.

Treatment

The treatment should in the beginning aim at combating the loss of fluids and salts from thebody. To allay thirst, water, soda water or green coconut water should be given for sippingalthough this may be thrown out by vomiting. Therefore, only small quantities of water should begiven repeatedly, as these may remain for sometime within the stomach and stay of every oneminutes means some absorption. Ice may be given for sucking. This will reduce internaltemperature and restrict the tendency to vomit. Intravenous infusions ofsaline solution should begiven to compensate for the loss of fluids and salts from the body. The patient may require fivelitres or more a day. Care should, however, be taken to avoid waterlogging the patient.Potassium may be added to the infused fluid. Rectal saline may sometimes prove useful foradults. Normally, half a litre of saline , with 30 grams of glucose, should be given per rectumevery four hours until urine is passed freely.After the acute stage of cholera is over, the patient may be given green coconut water andbarley water in very thin form. When the stools begin to form, he should be given butter-milk. Ashe progresses towards recovery, rice softened to semi-solid form mixed with curd, may be given.The patient should not be given solid food till he has fully recovered. Liquid and bland foods,which the patient can ingest without endangering a reoccurrence of the malady, are best.Lemon, onion, green chillies, vinegar and mint should be included in the daily diet during anepidemic of cholera.

Home Remedies

Certain home remedies have been found beneficial in the treatment ofcholera. The foremostamong these is the use of lemon ( bara nimbu). The juice ofthis fruit can kill cholera bacilli withina short time. It is also a very effective and reliable preventive food item against cholera duringthe epidemic. It can be taken in the form of sweetened or salted beverages for this purpose.Taking of lemon with food as daily routine can also prevent cholera.The root bark of guava (amrud) is another valuable remedy. It is rich in tannis and can besuccessfully employed in the form of concentrated decoction in cholera. It will arrest vomitingand symptoms of diarrhoea.According to Culpepper, an eminent nutritionist for children and young people, nothing is betterto purge cholera than the leaves and flowers of peach (arhu). They should be taken in the formof syrup or conserve. The leaves of drumstick (sanjana) tree are also useful in treatment of thisdisease. A teaspoon of fresh leaf-juice, mixed with honey and a glass of tender coconut water,can be given two or three times as a herbal medicine in the treatment of cholera.Onion is very useful in cholera. About 30 grams of this vegetable and seven black peppersshould be finely pounded in a pestle and given to the patient. It allays thirst and restlessness andthe patient feels better. The fresh juice of bitter gourd (karela) is another effective medicine inthe early stages of cholera.Two teaspoons of this juice, mixed with an equal quantity of white onion juice and a teaspoon oflime juice, should be given Cholera can be controlled only by rigid purification of water suppliesand proper disposal of human wastes. In case of the slightest doubt about the contamination ofthe water, it must be boiled before use, for drinking and cooking purposes. All foodstuffs must bekept covered and vegetables and fruits washed with a solution of potassium permanganatebefore consumption. Other precautions against this disease include avoiding all uncookedvegetables, thorough washing of hands by all those who handle food, and elimination of allcontacts with the disease.

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Goiter

October 18, 2007 Posted by

Goiter is a disease of the thyroid gland. It generally refers to a swelling of the thyroid gland in theneck. The disease can, however, also occur without any swelling of the neck. The thyroid glandis best known for its ductless glands. Through its secretions, it regulates the day to day activities,maintains homeostatis through periods of stress and strain and provides a fine balance to theregulatory systems of the body. No part of the body seems to escape its influence.Women are more prone to this serious disease. It is more common in women who are overworked and who do not get sufficient rest and relaxation. The periods in a woman’s life whenshe is more likely to be affected by goitre are at puberty, during pregnancy, at menopause orwhen there is extra physical strain on the body.

Symptoms

It is difficult to recognise the first symptoms of goitre because they are of a very short duration.They usually appear as emotional upsets and can pass almost unnoticed. These spells ofemotional upsets gradually increase in duration, when other symptoms also appear. Theseinclude loss of power of concentration, depression and weeping. The patient appears to be veryeasily irritated. The approach of a nervous breakdown is often suspended.The thyroid gland may swell but this has no relation to the severity of the ailment because manyserious cases have practically no visible swelling. There is always a rapid though regular heartbeat and any undue excitement increases this to a quick pulsation which may even be conveyedto the thyroid gland. There is, in most cases, a tremor of the hands and a feeling of extremetiredness, together with a lack of power to make any real muscular effort. The eyes may inclineto protrude although this does not appear in all patients.A most alarming symptoms of goitre is the loss of weight which no treatment seems to check,and this can persist till the patient feels extremely weak. All the symptoms appear very graduallyand that is why so many women do not complain until the trouble has reached seriousproportions.Whenever goitre occurs, it must not be assumed that it is sudden flaring up because disease isnot an abrupt derangement of a healthy system nor a sign that there has been a gradual loss ofhealth. In practically every instance a bowel is clogged and there has been a slow poisoning ofthe entire system over a period of years.

Causes

Deficiency of iodine in the diet is the most common cause of goitre. The thyroid gland makes useof organic iodine in its secretion and a diet deficient in organic iodine is a predisposing factortowards the appearance of this disease incertain cases, especially if other physical andemotional disturbances are present.People living near the sea rarely contract goitre, because all sea foods are rich in organic iodine.It should, however, be concluded from this that fish and other sea foods are essential to the dietto avoid goitre, or that people who eat plenty of fish are necessarily immune from this disease.IN fact, organic iodine is present in practically all foods which come from the earth as well asfrom the sea. Goitre gradually affects those who habitually live on denatured, that is cooked andrefined foods, and not those who eat much of their food in the raw or uncooked state.

Treatment

The only real treatment for goitre is cleaning of the system and adopting of a rational dietarythereafter, combined with adequate rest and relaxation. To begin with, juices of fruits such asorange, apple, pineapple and grapes may be taken every two or three hours from 8 a.m. to 8p.m. for five days. The bowels should be cleansed daily with lukewarm water.After the juice fast, the patient may spend a further three days on fruits and milk, taking threemeals a day of juicy fruits, such as apple, pineapple, grapes, papaya , with a glass of milk, at fivehourly intervals. Thereafter, a balanced diet on the following line may be adopted.

Breakfast : Fresh acid foods such as apples, grapefruit, oranges, pears, grapes, a glass ofwhole milk and a handful of raw nuts.

Mid-morning : A glass of fruit or vegetable juice to which a table- spoon of yeast has beenadded.

Lunch : Steamed vegetables, whole wheat chappatis and a glass of buttermilk.

Mid-afternoon : A glass of milk or fruit juice.

Dinner : Vegetable soup, a large bowl of salad of raw vegetables in season such as lettuce,tomato, cabbage, carrot, turnips and celery, sprouts such as alfalfa seeds and mung beans andhome made cottage cheese or nuts.

Before retiring : Milk or fruit juice.The patient should take plenty of rest and spend a day in bed every week for the first twomonths of the treatment.

More and more exercise should be taken after the symptoms subside.The appetite of the thyroid patient is usually very large and the weight reduction cannot beprevented for some time. This is because until the heart beat slows down and the tremors stop,there will be incomplete assimilation of the food. But as soon as the balance is restored, weightwill slowly increase. To held the absorption of food, a narrow waist compress and, later , a neckcompress should be worn for five nights a week.As weight increases, the almost constant hunger will gradually disappear ; on no account shouldany stimulants be administered to create an appetite.Certain foods and fluids are extremely injurious to the goitre patients and this should be avoidedby them. These include white flour products, white sugar, flesh foods, fried or greasy foods,preserves, condiments, tea, coffee and alcohol. No drugs should be taken as they causeirritation in the tissues. Iodine is undoubtedly most helpful in many cases. But it should beintroduced in organic form. All foods containing iodine should be taken liberally. These areasparagus, cabbage, carrots, garlic, onion, oats, pineapple, whole rice, tomatoes, watercress,and strawberries.Great care must be taken never to allow the body to become exhausted and any irritation likelyto cause emotional upset should be avoided. The cure of goitre is not a speed one and there isoften a recurrence of symptoms but these should gradually become less pronounced. Strictadherence to a suitable diet is essential for complete cure.Half the daily intake of food should consist of fresh fruits and vegetables and the starch elementsshould be confined to whole wheat products and potatoes. Potatoes are the most valuable formof starch. They should preferably be taken in their jackets. The protein foods should be confinedto eggs, cheese, peas, beans , lentils and nuts. Milk and all flesh proteins must be avoided. Thediet outlines here should be strictly adhered to for a year, and the compresses on the neck andthe waist applied for five consecutive nights in a week for two months and discontinued for onemonth.Water treatments should be taken to increase skin elimination. Application of a sponge to theentire body before retiring and a cold sponge on rising will be very helpful. It is most importantthat the bowels are kept working efficiently to avoid danger of a toxic condition of the bloodarising from that source.All efforts should be made to prevent emotional stress. There may be a light recurrence of thisextremely nervous complaint for some time, but the attacks will become less severe and ofshorter duration as the treatment progresses. And above all, there must be no lessening of thewoman’s efforts to help herself because success can only be attained by assiduous effort.

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Hysteria

October 17, 2007 Posted by

Hysteria is a mental and nervous disorder arising from intense anxiety. It is characterised by alack of control over acts and emotions and by sudden conclusive seizures and emotionaloutbursts. It often results from repressed mental conflict.This disorder appears in both sexes, but is far more common in young women of the age groupbetween 14 and 25 years because of their natural sensitivity. In many cases it tends to occuraround the period of adolescence and becomes less frequent after the age of 25. It isuncommon after the age of forty-five years.Hysteria is an ancient disorder. The term is derived from the Greek word hystron ,meaninguterus. The diagnosis dates back to ancient Greek medicine, according to which a variety ofsymptoms was attributed to a wandering of the womb through the body. The recorded history ofthe diagnosis begin in ancient

Egypt with the Kahnus Papyrus dating from about 1900 BC, whichenumerates a series of morbid states attributable to displacement of the uterus. In the MiddleAges hysteria was associated with ideas of demoniacal possession, witchcraft and religiousfanaticism. Later it came to be solely related to the female sex.Osler, an eminent psychiatrist defines hystria as ” a disorder chiefly of young women, in whichemotional states control the body, leading to perversion of mental, sensory, motor and secretoryfunctions. “

Symptoms

A wide range of symptoms are regarded as hysterical The onset of hysterical attacks may besudden, provoked especially by strong feelings or may be heralded over a period of severalhours by prodromal features. The main symptoms include inappropriate elation or sadness,crying without cause, almost conclusive laughter, deep sighing, cramps in the limbs, mildrumblings in the belly and sense of constriction in the throat.The symptoms of hysteria are of two degrees. In the first degree, the patient may feel heavinessin the limbs, more severe cramps, strong feeling of ascending abdominal constriction, continualsightings, difficulty in breathing, construction in the chest, palpitations, feeling of a foreign bodylodged in the throat, swelling of the neck and of the jugular veins, suffocation, headache,clenched teeth, generalized and voluntary tensing of muscles of locomotion. The patient remainsconscious during paroxysms. The convulsions are usually milder and occur more often duringthe bending and extending of limbs.In the second degree, additional symptoms, besides the preceding ones, are noticeable andthese may include wild and painful cries, incomplete loss of consciousness, enormously swollenneck, violent and tumultuous heart-beats, involuntary locomotor muscle contraction, frighteninggeneralised convulsions, violent movement and frequent spitting. Sometimes the patient jumpsabout on his / her bed and at other times adopt almost tetanic postures. The attack may lastseveral hours. There may be prompt return of consciousness immediately after the convulsions.The psychical symptoms include a weakness of the will, a craving for love and sympathy and atendency to emotional instability. Hysterical people tend to react too readily to suggestion andthrough this suggestibility they are swayed greatly by their surroundings. The morbidexaggerated moods led to impulsive conduct which may often seem irrational. Such people areliable to be much misunderstood and misjudged. At times there may be muchabsent-mindedness, and loss of memory about events or for definite periods. If this mentaldissociation is severe, one may develop hysterical wandering attacks, a state of doubleconsciousness or dual personality.Hysterical trances may last for days or weeks. Here the patient seems to be in a deep sleep, butthe muscles are not usually relaxed. In the most severe instance of this, the heart action andbreathing may be scarcely apparent that death may be suspected and the person buried alive.Somnambulism or sleep-walking and catalepsy, where limbs remain in any position in whichthey are placed, are other hysterical states.

Causes

The most common causes of hysteria are sexual excess, or sexual repression, perverted habitsof thought and idleness. Heredity plays an important part in its causation. A nervous family, taintand faulty emotional training, when young, are predisposing causes. The emotional shocks mayhave been caused by mental or physical factors such as mental strain, stress, fear, worry,depression, traumatism, masturbation and prolonged sickness.Hysteria is an extremely mental phenomenon which may take varying forms. In certain types thedisorder may result from some situation to which ne is unable to adapt oneself such as marriage,engagement, position of responsibility, the death of relations or loss of love. Factors involvingthe sexual life in some way are frequently present.A number of studies have indicated a possible connection between hysterical symptoms andorganic brain disease. A patient with epilepsy has often been found to get hysterical attacks.Drug intoxication is another organic brain disease closely associated with hysteria.

Treatment

Hysteria is curable in nearly all cases. Since the causes of hysteria are both physical andmental, treatment should be directed toward both the body and the mind. Regard for one’sphysical welfare is of primary importance. A healthy, well-functioning body is best able to keepthe reasoning mind in control of the total organism.The measures on the physical side should include a well- ordered hygienic mode of living, anutritious and bland diet, adequate mental and physical rest, daily exercise , agreeable,occupation, fresh air, regular hours of eating and sleeping, regulation of the bowels andwholesome companionship with others.On the mental plane, the patient should be taught self-control and educated in positive thinking.Her mind must be , by some means drawn away from herself. Proper sex education should begiven immediately, especially as regards sublimation of sexual desire or normal sexualindulgence for the married patient.In most cases of hysteria, it is desirable for the patient to start treatment by adopting an all-fruitdiet for several days. She should have fresh juicy fruits such as orange, apple, grapes,grapefruit, papaya and pineapple during this period. The all-fruit diet should be followed by anexclusive milk diet for about a month.Most hysteria patients are considerably run down and the milk diet will help build better bloodand nourish the nerves. If the full milk diet is not convenient, a diet of milk and fruits may beadopted. The patient, may, therefore, gradually embark upon a well balanced diet of seeds, nutsand grains. Vegetables and fruits. The patient should avoid alcohol, tea, coffee, tobacco, whitesugar and white flour and products made from them.Jambul fruit, known as jamun in the vernacular, is considered an effective home remedy forhysteria. Three kgs. of this fruits and a handful of salt should be put in a jug filled with water. Thejug should be kept in the sun for a week. Women suffering from hysteria should take 300 gramsof this fruit on an empty stomach and also drink a cup of water from the jug. The day she startsthis treatment, three kgs. more of these fruits together with a handful of salt should be put inanother jug filled with water, so that when the contents of the first jug are finished, contents ofthe other may be ready for use. This treatment should be continued for two weeks.Honey is regarded as another effective remedy for hysteria. Two of the main causes of hysteriaare irregularity of the menstrual cycle and insanity. Honey is invaluable for both these conditions.It causes good bleeding during the cycle, cleans the uterus, tones up the brain and the uterinemusculature and keeps the body temperature at a normal level. It is advisable to use honeyregularly and increase the quantity after the first start. It will bring down body temperature thuspreventing further fits.Exercise and outdoor games are important in the prevention and cure of hysteria . They take themind away from one’s self and induce cheerfulness. Yogasanas which are useful in hysteria arebhujangasana, shalbhasana, matsyasana, sarvangasana, dhanurasana, halasana,paschimotanasana, yogamudra and shavasana. Weak patients, who are not able to take muchactive exercise , may be given massage three or four times a week.Other measures useful in the treatment of hysteria are air and sun baths. They are calming andat the same time invigorating to the nerves. Daily cool baths are also an excellent tonic. Suitablephysical activity must be balanced with adequate rest and sleep.In case of hysterical fit, the clothing of the patient should be loosened and her head lowered bylaying her out flat at once.She should not be allowed to assume an erect position for sometimes after the fit. She should beslapped gently in the face and mustard plasers applied to the soles of the feet and the wrists. Inordinary cases no further treatment is necessary and the symptoms will soon pass off or cease ifthe patient is left alone.In a genuine hysterical attack, the most effective means of interrupting the paroxym is theapplicatin of cold water in some form to the head and spine. Either the cold water may be pouredor cold pack or ice pack may be applied to the hand and back of the neck. If this cannot be done,cold water may be splashed on the face. The patient should be provided with plenty of fresh airand some of her clothing should be removed to facilitate easy breathing and to expose the skinto fresh air.In a violent seizure of hysteria, pressure on the ovaries often checks the attack. The patientshould be made to lie on the back and the first forcibly pressed into the iliac region. As soon aspossible, a neutral immersion bath at 98 o to 100 o F. may be given and continued until theexcited condition subsides. If this is not convenient, a hot foot bath , with cold applications to thehead, may be used instead. Following an attack the patient should have rest, quietness,darkness and if possible, sleep until the lost energy has been gradually recovered.

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