 “Getting long in the tooth” is a funny way of saying someone (or something) is getting old. Horses’ teeth apparently continue to grow with age. Age also wears the teeth down and makes it hard to determine the horse’s age (Martin 2023). So, I guess it stands to reason that someone who is getting long in the tooth may also have some issues with their teeth. According to the American Dental Association, dry mouth, cavities and periodontitis can be problems as we age. Additionally, 19% of seniors no longer have any natural teeth. Conventional medication use can cause dry mouth, which, in turn, raises the risk of oral disease (Raphael 2017). Homeopathy can't help bring your teeth back after you've lost them but for other oral issues, like dry mouth, it can be very helpful. One of my favorite homeopathic remedies for dry anything is Natrum muriaticum. (See: Salty Lips.) Nat Mur can be helpful, particularly if there is a dry mouth WITH thirst. It’s a very helpful remedy for all sorts of mouth issues, actually. Mouth sores and ulcers; bleeding gums; offensive breath; a bluish discoloration to the lips during a chill and gingivitis (the precursor to periodontitis (Ubertalli 2022). Contrary to all the dryness, Nat Mur may be helpful for mucus or slime in the mouth or excess salivation, even causing them to spit constantly at night. Sore pain in the mouth. Toothaches from chewing or from cold anything and they may be sensitive to touch. (I’ll just throw this one in here since we’re talking about dryness and Natrum muriaticum: Women with dry lady parts may find Nat Mur helpful, too.) Other generally dry remedies (homeopathically speaking) to consider for dental issues are Bryonia and Nux moschata. Homeopathic Bryonia may have dry, cracked lips and the person may have a tendency to lick them or pick them. The person may make a chewing motion with their jaws. Toothaches may seem to go from one tooth to another and the pain may be worse when lying down. The tooth pain may be sharp and there may be swelling cheeks with the toothache. Homeopathic Nux moschata has a dry mouth WITHOUT thirst. Slimy mucus may be found in this remedy, too. The palate is so dry that the tongue may get stuck up there. Or, the tongue may seem dry itself. Toothaches which are better from warmth. All three of these remedies may show other signs of dryness common in old age, like: dry stool (or constipation), dry skin, dry eyes, dryness inside the nose. To help combat cavities at any age, see “Smile On!” If you suffer from gingivitis and/or periodontitis, I suggest working with a professional homeopath. Here's to keeping your pearly whites for when you arrive at the pearly gates! Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits Reference list:
American Dental Association, 2012. Aging and Dental Health | American Dental Association [online]. Ada.org. Harvard Health Publishing, 2010. The aging mouth - and how to keep it younger - Harvard Health [online]. Harvard Health. Martin, G., 2023. ‘Long in the tooth’ - the meaning and origin of this phrase [online]. Phrasefinder. Murphy, R., n.d. Repertory, version 3. Accessed through Radar Opus software. Raphael, C., 2017. Oral Health and Aging. American Journal of Public Health [online], 107 (S1), S44–S45. Ubertalli, J. T., 2022. Periodontitis - Dental Disorders [online]. Merck Manuals Professional Edition.
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 Next up in my series on aging, "It's Never Too Late," is #2, Balance issues. What causes balance issues? Inner ear disorders, head injuries, neurological conditions and even medical issues such as diabetes, heart disease and thyroid problems, or, medications could be the culprit, too. In other words — it could be hard to find out what is causing these balance issues. There are a lot of avenues to investigate. It could make your head spin! Did I mention vertigo is a common cause of balance issues? One of the beautiful aspects of homeopathy is we don’t need to know if it’s a thyroid problem or an inner ear disturbance. We only need to know what symptoms play out with these balance issues. Can it help if we know the cause? Sure, but it’s not necessary. Let me be clear here, though. I am not suggesting to skip the investigation. Definitely figure it out with the help of a medical professional. Signs and symptoms of balance problems include (Mayo Clinic 2018):
This could become a long article with lots of twists and turns (a little vertigo-causing itself it could be, actually!) but we’re not going there. We’re going to make it simple. We’re going to look at the top homeopathic remedies for vertigo, dizziness, falling and the sensation of falling. Calcarea carbonica, Calc carb for short. Clumsy, awkward, falls easily. Feet may turn inward when walking. Get tired from a short walk. There may be a tendency to fall to either side, particularly the left side, or backward. Vertigo can be caused by turning the head, looking upward or going upstairs/uphill. This is an excellent remedy for the elderly in and of itself, regardless of a tendency to fall. Cocculus indicus has a fear of falling and a tendency to fall to either side. Cocculus has an affinity for the spine, and especially of its motor nerves. “There may be a weakness in the small of the back, as if paralyzed; the small of the back gives out when walking; the soles of the feet feel as if they were asleep; the thighs ache as if they had been pounded; first one hand then the other goes to sleep; sometimes the whole arm falls asleep … These symptoms lie at the foundation of the symptomatology of the whole drug; they all seem to depend upon spinal weakness” (Farrington 2010). In most cases which respond well to Cocculus, there is some component of vertigo at play and may be accompanied by nausea which may be worse in a sitting position or when changing from a reclining to a sitting position. Natrum muriaticum. Nat-mur has a fear of falling, too. With vertigo, this remedy has a tendency to fall forward or to the left. The vertigo feels as if they are falling and may be worse standing near a window (or looking out of a window) or on closing the eyes and is improved when lying with the head propped high. Vertigo may be worse in the morning, especially when getting out of bed and occasionally the vertigo may be accompanied by nausea or nosebleeds. Nux vomica fears falling, too, but particularly in the afternoon. (Homeopathy never fails to amaze me with its odd specificities!) With vertigo, a person who may benefit from Nux vomica isn’t so particular which way they fall: forward, backward or to the side. The vertigo of Nux-v feels as if the brain (and other objects) turn in a circle. Rhus toxicodendron tends to fall backward, forward, or, to the right. It’s a major remedy for the tendency to fall when rising from bed. Or, they may have the sensation as if they would fall over. There may be a fear of death or a weakness of memory during the vertigo. Vertigo may be worse when lying down. Rhus tox is also noted in a form of vertigo common in old age which gives a sensation of confusion and dullness (Choudhuri 2016). Stramonium popped up in the search as the only remedy listed for the following: tends to fall backward while walking; tends to fall in the dark; tends to fall to the right while sitting or rising from bed from a sitting position. There is also a tendency to hallucinations that they are falling. Vertigo is worse walking in the dark or when the eyes are closed. A few other remedies with some particular falling tendencies (single remedy rubrics): Phosphorus for vertigo with a tendency to fall from a chair. Causticum tends to fall to the left while looking upward. Spigelia tends to fall while looking down. Strength and balance training are always a good thing, despite your age. I know nothing about Elderlygym.com, but they had some good, common sense information and some clever exercises to get started on reclaiming your balance. Or, find a well-qualified yoga or pilates teacher who has experience working with people your age. If you (or a loved one) finds yourself no longer vertical on a regular basis, get it checked out. “To put everything in balance is good, to put everything in harmony is better.” Victor Hugo. Homeopathy can help with both. Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits Reference list
Choudhuri, N. M., 2016. A study on materia medica : an ideal text-book for homoeopathic students. Accessed through Radar Opus software. Noida, U.P., India: B. Jain Publishers (P) Ltd. Elderlygym.com, 2019. 12 Best Elderly Balance Exercises For Seniors to Reduce the Risk of Falls [online]. Eldergym® Senior Fitness. Available from: . Farrington, A., 2010. Lectures on Clinical Materia Medica in Family Order. Accessed through Radar Opus software. Mayo Clinic, 2018. Balance problems - Symptoms and causes [online]. Mayo Clinic. Morrison, R., 1998. Desktop companion to physical pathology. Nevada City, Calif.: Hahnemann Clinic Publ. Murphy, R., n.d. Repertory, version 3. Accessed through Radar Opus software.  It’s never too late to try homeopathy. In other words, homeopathy can work beautifully in addressing those conditions/symptoms that we generally attribute to “old” people. I don’t think people are as old as they used to be. Maybe it’s cuz I’m firmly ensconced in my middle years or, maybe, they just aren’t as old as they used to be. Wasn’t it declared that 60 is the new 40 a few years ago? I think it’s true. Regardless, barring the worst case scenario, aging is inevitable. Though we can kick the can down the road and we can treat ourselves well and keep things at bay, generally speaking, we’re all going to get there eventually and more likely than not, we’re going to feel our age at some point in time. What kinds of things am I talking about? According to Vital Record, 92% of seniors have at least one chronic disease and 77% have two (Smith 2018). [Note: I tried to find an age for “senior citizen” on the internet and it appears to be not a thing. Some places say 60-65, others say when someone retires or receives social security benefits. I thought it was a definite number. Who knew!?] What constitutes a chronic disease? According to “an official website of the Department of Health and Human Services” (Anon. n.d.), it is a condition that lasts 12 months or longer and either limits the person or it results in ongoing medical intervention (which could certainly limit a person, but I digress). Well, you certainly don’t have to be old to have a chronic disease, but I suppose it only makes sense that we rack a few of them up as we trundle along through this thing called life. American Senior Communities (2017) lists the following conditions as most common in the elderly.
Today begins a short series in addressing a few of these common “senior” conditions and how homeopathy may be of assistance. Cognitive decline. Vital Record says 47.5 million people worldwide have dementia and that number is expected to nearly triple by 2050. They also note that there is no cure for dementia, just a treatment plan and medications to manage the disease. I’m not going to say that homeopathy holds all the answers to all the problems in the world of health, but I believe strongly that it’s a good place to start! It’s important to remember, homeopathy works beautifully alongside conventional medical treatment. Homeopathy in Dementia (Teut and Doppler 2019) is a little book (75 pages, or so) listing short write-ups of 15 homeopathic remedies which may be of help in this difficult condition, followed by case studies. While I do know of some situations where homeopathic remedies are being lauded for a complete turn-around of cognitive decline following early intervention, that’s not where I’m headed in this article. With dementia and related conditions, there are always side issues that come along. This is where homeopathy can really shine… improving the quality of one’s life. Common side issues in dementia include:
This is certainly not an exhaustive list, just a sampling of quality of life issues which may possibly be helped through the use of homeopathic remedies. If you are noticing your own mental decline or a loved one is suffering with dementia, I strongly urge you to consult with a professional homeopath to see how homeopathy may help. “Homeopathic treatment is always worthwhile, even in individuals who are seriously ill and in need of care where there is no hope of complete recovery of health” (Teut and Doppler 2019). Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits Reference list
American Senior Communities, 2017. Top 10 Health Concerns for Seniors | ASC Blog [online]. Senior Living Communities & Nursing Homes in Indiana | ASC. Anon., n.d. Chronic Conditions | Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality [online]. www.ahrq.gov. Josh, 2022. 20 Most Common Medical Conditions Affecting Older People [online]. LifeConnect24. Smith, S., 2018. 10 common elderly health issues - Vital Record [online]. Vital Record. Teut, M. and Doppler, C., eds. 2019. Homeopathy in Dementia: Materia Medica and Case Studies. Emryss. |
Julia Coyte, CHomI am passionate about homeopathy and I love sharing this passion. Having a working knowledge of homeopathy shouldn't be kept a secret. If people have the ability to help themselves, their children and their friends when they have minor ailments, life just gets better for everyone. That is the purpose behind Ruminating on Remedies. Archives
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