BLOG POST:
HEAVY & PAINFUL PERIODS...STOP
SUFFERING & START LIVING!
Written by Nina Garrard
JANUARY 2023
As part of my homeopathic training in my 3rd and 4th years of study I took on supervised case studies. I told a few friends I was available and word spread!
I soon had mum’s at school sidling up to me in the playground to ask about whether Homeopathy could help with their periods…
I was rather stunned that so many women were silently suffering with really debilitating and quality of life affecting symptoms. It really struck me, in hearing their stories, that if homeopathy could improve their symptoms then the impact for them and their families would be huge.
The results I saw in the following months were amazing, not just for those individuals but for me too.
The joy I felt at seeing the positive impact Homeopathic remedies had in those women’s lives will stay with me a long time. When it came to choosing a topic for my dissertation it was easy to see where fate was directing me. I read some inspirational thought-provoking books along the way including ‘Wild Power’ by Alexandra Pope and Sjaine Hugo Wurlitzer and ‘The Period Repair Manual’ by Lara Briden, both of which I’d highly recommend to anyone wanting to understand their monthly cycle more.
The following extracts are taken from my dissertation….
“Researching for this project has brought about an unexpected and blooming relationship. I’ve come to realise just how wonderful and special our monthly cycles are and why we need to fly the flag for periods! This natural creative power we are blessed with is something to be revered and worshipped for all that it brings to the table of creation. How else could we, the human race, have survived without it? “ The ebb and flow of the hormones in our bodies gives rise to empathy, creativity and intuition and by embracing these fluctuations and patterns we can feel more synchronised with our bodies and use the knowledge to rejoice in what that pattern brings us” (Alexandra & Sjanie, 2017)”
“In just a short amount of time researching this subject I have been astounded with some of the negative rhetoric around the menstrual cycle. This life giving force is treated with disdain, disgust and prejudice by such large numbers of societies in both developed and developing countries that it is little wonder those women suffering with painful or heavy periods often stay silent about their monthly nightmare. They may miss days from school, take sick days from work or have to somehow battle on regardless because they feel they can’t go to an employer with their issues, due to the embarrassment and shame that is felt about suffering with menstrual problems. And this isn’t something that happens to just a few women….”
“The prevalence of Dysmenorrhea (medical term for painful periods) varies from 16-91% in women of reproductive age, with severe pain in 2-29% of the women studied (Hong Ju, 2013). In the American Family Physician, they report up to 20% of women suffer from cramping severe enough to interfere with daily activities (Pallavi Latthe, 2012). Heavy Menstrual Bleeding (HMB), or Menorrhagia, is a common condition affecting 20-30% of women of reproductive age. It is estimated that in England and Wales about 80,000 women with HMB are referred to secondary Care (i.e. Hospital referral) and of those approximately 28,000 undergo surgical treatment (RCOG, 2011).”
So, what do alternative therapies like Homeopathy have to offer women suffering every month?
My own journey with Homeopathy and Dysmenorrhea has already given me an opportunity to see first hand what can be achieved. In 2018 I had the opportunity to take on case studies for the first time and 5 ladies suffering with these symptoms found their way to me. I hadn’t made up my mind, at that point, what I’d like to do my final year project on, but after working with these 5 ladies my mind was made up.
The results were so good that I felt I had to dedicate time to expanding my knowledge on the subject so that I could continue too help other women.
I hope you have found this Blog interesting. I will be posting more blogs on Women’s Health in the near future including my Top 5 Remedies for Painful Periods. Meanwhile you can read more about Heavy and Painful Periods via my client testimonials here.
Warmest wishes,
Nina