Presenting condition: Allergic dermatitis reaction to facial skincare product Brief history: Eczema type reaction to new skin serum used on face about 1yr ago. Skin is hard scaly and itchy. Client finds this unsightly as she has face-to-face work with clients. Areas affected are inner eyebrows, upper eyelids, under the chin, sides of mouth,…
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Ear infections and treatments Ear infections can be extremely painful, especially for children. They are more common in children and young babies as the Eustachian tube is predominantly horizontal. This means it is more prone to filling up with mucus or fluid from the common cold. 20% of UK adults have suffered with an ear…
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Cough symptoms and treatments Coughs can be irritating, painful and stop you sleeping. Coughs are linked to the lung energy in Chinese medicine. Here is a break down of different types of cough and what you can do to help treat them. What is a cough? A cough is defined as a forceful, reflex action…
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Eczema inner elbows Case study Presenting condition: Red itchy unsightly eczema in the crook of both elbows Brief history: 8yr old girl with eczema in both inner elbows which she had suffered for 6yrs Relevant timeline incidents: 0yrs Jaundice after forceps delivery. Mother had suffered a miscarriage prior to conceiving this girl.…
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Urticaria Case study Presenting condition: 2yrs of urticaria which presented as itchy skin with hives, redness, pinprick rash all over her body. Brief history: Hands, legs, back, face, head and neck all affected. Can’t wear tight clothing or have warm showers. Relevant timeline incidents: 71yrs Beloved sister died in India. Too upset to…
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How To Get Rid Of A Blocked nose Sitting in the centre of our faces, our nose is an amazing piece of engineering that allows us to breathe, smell scents and keep us healthy. Here are 4 main nasal issues and what to do about them: Blocked nose: This is defined as a sensation of…
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Excessive Sweating Treatment Sweating is one of our natural lines of elimination, with stools and urine being the other two. These lines should be kept ‘open’ and free-flowing to make sure toxins leave our bodies. However, excessive sweating can be a real problem both socially and physically, as it can cause dehydration. Excessive sweating is…
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Choking nocturnal cough Case study Presenting condition: 54yr old lady with suffocating dry cough at night time for 18months. Brief history: Blue inhaler relieves but only for a short time. Cough wakes her in the night 2-3 times and she is then awake for 1-2 hrs. Constant coughing which she can’t stop once…
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Thrush and fungal infections Thrush can be very itchy and annoying! It is caused by a fungus, Candida albicans. However, many fungal infections can cause us issues. Here are 4 of the most common ones: Thrush: Vaginal thrush is thick white bland discharge (like cottage cheese) with no odour. The vulval area will be extremely…
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Presenting condition: Excruitating period pain Brief history: Ever since starting her periods 5yrs ago, she suffered with lower back and lower abdominal pain extending into legs and thighs. She had to be in bed with a hot water bottle which was essential for pain relief. This had a major impact on her life as…
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How to balance your hormones Hormones! As women, it is a word we have been conditioned to fear or moan about. These little chemical messengers seem to be the source of all our menstrual and/or menopausal issues! Yes, they can cause a lot of physical and emotional problems, e.g. bloating, uterine cramps, irritability, crying, sore…
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Stomach pain Case study Presenting condition: Stomach/abdominal pain Brief history: Stabbing pain just under ribcage after each meal for 10yrs+ Relevant timeline incidents: 18yrs Failed his A-levels and had to go through clearing to go to University. He experienced bullying at university, but then found friends. Difficult relationship with his dad. Mum and dad…
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Hair loss and other scalp conditions Our hair is our crowning glory! Hair loss, dandruff or hair thinning can really affect our confidence and mood. Hair loss: Male pattern baldness affects up to 85% of males by the age of 50 and up to 40% of females. Causes can be : hereditary, alopecia, iron deficiency,…
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Perimenopausal anxiety Case study Presenting condition: Low energy, anxiety and weigh gain all associated with perimenopausal time. Brief history: Currently on HRT. Energy rated at 6/10 Relevant timeline incidents: 44yrs Feet and body started aching 1st thing in the morning. Anxiety and poor sleep also started at this time. 47yrs Anxiety presenting as tightness…
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Haemorrhoid symptoms and treatment Haemorrhoids or Piles are generally an embarrassing subject especially here in the UK. However, up to 80% of the population suffer at some point or another in their lives. 36% seek medical help for this painful and uncomfortable issue. What are haemorrhoids? Piles or haemorrhoids are swellings containing rectal veins. They…
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Gallbladder pain Case study Presenting condition: Gallbladder feels inflamed with pain upon eating fatty foods Brief history: Trapped cranial nerve 2yrs ago and step-daughter moved in. Relevant timeline incidents: 34yrs Trapped cranial nerve which then progressed to several nerve symptoms like electric shocks, tongue and lip swelling and burning sensations down both arms. Was…
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Perimenopausal rage Case study Presenting condition: USA resident lady exploding with rage and gained weight. Also has wart on foot for many months, with no success with burning/freezing treatments. Brief history: Client convinced she is suffering from perimenopausal anger and increased weight due to hormonal issues. Relevant timeline incidents: 45yrs Husband took a new…
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‘Flu symptoms and treatments Influenza or ‘flu is defined as a common viral illness which is more prevalent in the winter months. Viruses mutate so you can suffer from different strains throughout your lifetime. Symptoms: high temperature, sweating, shivering, aching body and muscles, lethargy, dry cough, sore throat, headache, loss of appetite, and can last…
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Dry cracked czema Case study Presenting condition: Dry cracked eczema on hands/fingers and back of knees Brief history: Suffering for 4yrs and now can’t bend fingers without the skin cracking and bleeding painfully. Relevant timeline incidents: 0yrs During pregnancy, parents split up due to infidelity. Mother suffered the loss of possessions due to a house…
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Indigestion (Dyspepsia): Pain or discomfort in the upper abdomen Heartburn: Burning pain behind breastbone (sternum) Reflux (GORD): Acid reflux from stomach irritating oesophagus. Stomach acid can also cause burning sensation at the back of the throat. Indigestion is suffered by 40% of UK adults with 25% suffering from heartburn. Reflux is prevalent in 20% of…
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Itchy Leucorrhoea Case study Presenting condition: Recurrent threadworm infections with itchy lumpy vaginal discharge causing insomnia Brief history: Recurrent threadworm infections from her children but the vaginal discharge continued with or without the live parasites. Client was up several times in the night with intolerable vulval itching. Relevant timeline incidents: 7yrs Suffered with threadworms as…
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Burns are defined as an injury to the skin or other tissue caused by heat (thermal, friction, chemical etc.). Symptoms: red skin, pain, swelling, peeling skin, and fluid-filled blisters. Burns are classified into the following categories: 1st degree = Top layer of skin involved (epidermis) which becomes red and painful. E.g. Mild sunburn 2nd degree…
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Impetigo Case study Presenting condition: Severe Impetigo on face, neck and extending on to chest and abdomen Brief history: Had impetigo 3 or 4 times before and used antibiotic cream to resolve it. This time much worse and mother not keen to use steroid creams on the face. Constipation present. Relevant timeline incidents: 0yrs…
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Probably not a topic for polite dinner conversation but do you know what is ‘normal’ for the contents of your pants? Normal vaginal discharge should be painless, odourless, clear and resemble egg-whites around ovulation time, but be slightly more scanty or drier at other times. I’m going to discuss 3 of the most common types…
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Male and female infertility literally affects us all and the survival of our species. 1 in 7 UK couples suffer with fertility issues and its 1 in 5 in the USA. The cause is split 60% female and 40% males. Female causes: not ovulating regularly or at all, blocked or damaged fallopian tubes, endometriosis, uterine…
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This is a painful sore skin condition that presents as shiny white patches on the external genitals, anal and perineal areas. It is very itchy and the skin is very thin and fragile. 1% of UK women suffer with this condition. Men and children can suffer too but it is much more common in women.…
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0.3% of UK adults suffer with a gastric ulcer. Peptic ulcers can be found in the stomach or the duodenum. They are caused by the stomach lining being damaged and the stomach acid attacking the tissue. NSAID drugs, stress, smoking and H.pylori infections can all cause stomach ulcers. Symptoms include: burning or knowing pain which…
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Presenting condition: Dry cracked eczema on various locations around the body Brief history: Cracked painful eczema on back of both hands, inside both elbows, back of neck, and a little around the mouth. Relevant timeline incidents: 10yrs Was anxious to leave primary school to go to senior school, as she was scared of change and…
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Dysmenorrhoea is the medical term for painful periods. Up to 90% of UK women suffer! Symptoms include: severe cramping pain in lower abdominal area/lower back and possibly radiating down thighs, nausea with the pain, fatigue. One of my teenage clients described it as ‘like a knife twisting in my side.’ The cause is the womb…
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Presenting condition: IBS with migraines and sleep deprivation too Brief history: IBS started about 1yr ago but poor sleep and migraines have been present for years. Low fat yogurt, bananas and cooked green cabbage all result in rushing to the toilet early in the morning to avoid an accident. Relevant timeline incidents: 30yrs Part…
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Presenting condition: Depression for 45yrs Brief history: Mother died when he was just 13yrs old. Dad was very unemotional and had no other comfort from school or family. Relevant timeline incidents: 13yrs Mum died of colon cancer. Her bed was in front room of house, and he would sit and chat with her. They were…
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Presenting condition: 52yr old male with short-term memory loss which is presenting as forgetting location of physical items, events in calendar and difficulty with technology. Brief history: This has been present for over 1yr but worse in last 6 months and noticeably so since no longer working. Main remedy given: Alumina After 1st prescription: Still…
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Presenting condition: Dysmenorrhea and flooding periods Brief history: Had flooding and excruciating painful periods since teenager. Suffering for 20yrs. Relevant timeline incidents: 9yrs Adult male ‘family friend’ abused her sexually. Only told her mother about this recently as a 30yr+ adult now. 12yrs Started periods but mother did not tell her about them prior to…
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Genital Herpes recurrent flare up Presenting condition: Recurrent painful genital herpes blister flare ups every 14 days, lasting for 5 days at a time. Brief history: 67yr old French resident female has been suffering for 5yrs now from painful herpes simplex virus blisters in the genital area, triggered by stress. Relevant timeline incidents: 38yrs Met…
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Kidney infections and kidney stones Kidneys play an important role in purifying the blood and producing urine as a waste product. They regulate blood pressure by releasing certain hormones and balance fluid levels in the body. They have a role to play in making red blood cells and produce a form of Vit D too.…
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Gallbladder and Gallstones The gallbladder is tucked just under the liver and stores bile which is produced by the liver. Bile ducts carry the bile to the intestine where it helps to digest fats in our diet. You could say that bile is our own ‘washing up liquid’! Gallstones can cause the bile ducts to…
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Presenting condition: Suffering with Ulcerative colitis for 13yrs. Stools during a flare up are ‘jelly-like’ with copious abouts of wind, mucus and blood in stools. Brief history: Flare ups can be as long as 2yrs. Has had lots of drugs from the GP as well as invasive procedures to check on the bowels. Relevant timeline…
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Dementia and Alzheimer’s 7% of UK adults aged 65+ suffer with dementia. Dementia is most commonly caused by Alzheimer’s. Common dementia symptoms include memory loss, difficulty concentrating, struggling to follow a conversation or find the right word, confusion about time or place, mood changes. There can be changes in perception e.g. thinking a blue carpet…
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Thyroid Issues 1 in 20 people have a thyroid issue in the UK. Our thyroid and parathyroid glands are in your throat near your trachea. They are part of the endocrine system and produce T3 and T4 thyroid hormones which control our metabolism (the process that turns food into energy). These hormones are called triiodothyronine…
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PCOS, Endometriosis and Uterine Fibroids This blog covers 3 lesser know ‘period-related’ issues for women in detail. I have included links for charity support groups for all. 1. PCOS PCOS or Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome affects 1 in 10 women in the UK. 50% of women are undiagnosed. Having PCOS comes with a 3-fold risk of…
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Presenting condition: Loose bowels and pant soiling in 7yr old boy. Brief history: Child is potty trained but frequently doesn’t go to the toilet for stooling and hence has an accident. Relevant timeline incidents: 0yrs Mother didn’t feel safe during her pregnancy. Had an ongoing court case with the father of the older sibling, and…
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Understanding Diabetes 1 in 20 people suffer with Type 2 diabetes in the UK alone. This can be caused age-onset diabetes but unfortunately, we are seeing younger and younger people diagnosed with diabetes. In the USA, children as young as 10yrs have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Symptoms include: repeatedly getting thrush, feeling tired…
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Depression and PND Mental health is quite the hot topic nowadays, and rightly so in my opinion. 1 in 5 adults in the UK will suffer from depression or mental health illness in their lifetime. Women are twice as likely to suffer than men. On average a depressive episode can last 6-8 months. PND or…
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Frequent tonsilitis case study Presenting condition: Recurrent frequent tonsilitis every 4-6 weeks. Relevant timeline incidents: Age 0 Born 6 weeks premature. Umbilical Cord wrapped about neck twice Age 5 Bullied at school Age 7-8 Frequent ear infections with lots of antibiotics Age 11 Front door kicked in by bailiffs. Wrong house! Quite scared and traumatized.…
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Psoriasis and Rosacea These 2 skin conditions can be unsightly, uncomfortable and unbearable. Whilst they are both distinct and separate skin conditions, both are linked to the bowels and lung energy in Chinese medicine. 1. Psoriasis 2% of the UK population suffer with psoriasis. It is an auto-immune skin condition characterized by ‘plaques’. These are…
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Unresolved Grief and constipation Presenting condition: Mother died 2yrs ago. Bowels are constipated. Close friend currently very ill with cancer. Relevant timeline incidents: 0yrs Two older siblings had died prior to her birth due to rare metabolic disorder. Mother smoked during her pregnancy. She swallowed some meconium during the birthing process. 2yrs Hypoglycemic coma,…
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Coping with OCD OCD stands for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Most people associate this with excessive and frequent handwashing or perhaps being too clean and tidy. However, it is a much more complex issue. ¼ of a million people in the UK suffer with this condition which affects their day-to-day lives. Symptoms include: repetitive behaviors, rituals…
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Female brain health Dr Mosconi describes female medicine as ‘bikini medicine’. This describes the notion that we only differ from our male counterparts due to our reproductive system. That is the parts of our bodies covered by a bikini! However, recent studies have shown that we differ in our brain structure, metabolism and so much…
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Anxiety and depression for 10yrs Presenting condition: 10yrs of feeling anxious and depressed with indecision. Brief history of condition: Felt agitated with recent health scares e.g. bowel cancer. Felt very anxious generally with her health. Current medication: None but uses Bach Rescue Remedy frequently everyday. Other relevant factors: Works within a school and volunteers for…
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Debilitating migraines and sleep robbing hot flushes Presenting condition: Debilitating migraines lasting 36hrs but client is unable to function properly for 2-3 day afterwards. These are occurring 2-3times per month. Night sweats are waking her up several times in the night and nightclothes are soaked. Brief history: Menopausal symptoms started 6yrs ago but GP dismissed…
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What you NEVER knew about your period. Most women remember getting their first period. But how much do you know about your period? I’m not a doctor or a gynae nurse. However, I was the sexual health pharmacist in a busy community pharmacy for at least 10yrs. This involved speaking to young people (20yrs and…
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8 different types of eczema blog Most people have heard of eczema and know someone who suffers. There are actually 8 different types of eczema. 1.Atopic dermatitis Atopic dermatitis is the most common and chronic form of eczema. This is normally what people refer to when they say the word eczema. It is the…
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How Bach flower remedies help with emotional issues Bach flower remedies are made from the flowers of 38 separate plants and trees. An British doctor, Dr Edward Bach invented this system in 1934. The most well known and popular one of these is Rescue Remedy™. They are gentle but powerful in dealing with emotional issues.…
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Children’s constipation and other bowel issues As soon as you become a parent, you seem to spend an awful lot of time discussing your child’s bodily functions! Especially wee and poo. Babies tummies are the perfect place to blow a raspberry. However when children have issue with their bowels, this can lead to real pain…
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Cystitis and bladder infections Cystitis is a very common issue. 60% of all UK women have suffered with a urinary tract infection (UTI) in their lifetime, with almost 20% aged between 18-24yrs old. It is more common in women as we have a shorter urethra (tube which carries urine out from the bladder) than men.…
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Itch, Scratch, Repeat! Eczema is very common. 20% of all children under 5yrs old suffer with eczema in the UK. This and other dry skin conditions can be very itchy, miserable and painful. Alarmingly, its not just the skin it can affect. 60% of children also suffer with broken sleep due to the itch-scratch cycle…
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22yr old IBS symptoms ruling my life Presenting condition: IBS diarrhoea with urgency, which was impacting on daily life and activities. Brief history of condition: IBS symptoms for last 2yrs but intensity and frequency during last 6 months. Main symptoms are mucus in the stool, diarrhoea (type 5-6 on Bristol stool chart) with severe urgency…
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Crohn’s Disease and Colitis Symptoms Crohn’s Disease and Colitis are two chronic auto-immune diseases that affect the gastro-intestinal (GI) tract. They share similar symptoms as described separately below. Crohn’s disease; Crohn’s Disease affects the whole gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Patches of healthy tissue are seen between the inflamed areas. Normally, Crohn’s disease affects the last part…
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Acne and Acne Treatments! Acne affects 95% of the UK population aged 11-30! That’s a lot of people suffering with their skin. Because it’s a very visible condition, most people are mocked or ridiculed for it somehow. ‘Pizza-face’ ‘Spotty’ ‘Don’t you wash your face?’ ‘Crater-face’ These offensive and rude remarks can often make the acne…
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Treating Bedwetting in Children! Bedwetting in Children can be a distressing and stressful issue for parents and children alike. Children do not have enough of the hormone vasopressin before age 2. But most children have enough by the age of 4. Vasopressin controls fluid balance at night. Less urine is produced at night, so sleep…
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Anxiety, Stress And Panic Attacks What do we know about anxiety, stress and panick attacks? Here’s some facts: 8.2 million cases of anxiety were reported in the UK with women twice as likely to suffer as men. 74% of adults in the UK have felt stressed, overwhelmed or unable to cope at some point in…
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The Endocrine System – A Delicate Balance Our endocrine (hormonal) system controls quite a few important bodily functions that we take for granted. This all happens efficiently when there is balance in the system, just like a world famous orchestra playing. It’s no co-incidence that the Chakra points are directly linked to the endocrine glands…
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Anal Fissures Post-Partum – Case study: 42yr old suffering from a severe case of anal fissures after the birth of 4th child. She couldn’t see the GP physically initially due to lockdown restrictions. They had given her a cream to use for piles. This didn’t help, so she then saw the GP in person. They…
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Eczema and other common skin conditions 1.Eczema vs psoriasis Whilst both are dry skin conditions, they present in different areas on the body and look very different too. Eczema normally presents in the skin flexures like the back of the knee or inner elbow. Psoriasis presents on the outer elbow, outer knee, scalp, shin and…
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Understanding Grief and the 7 Stages of Grief What is Grief? Definition: Intense sorrow especially caused by someone’s death. Grief is normally used for losing a loved one. But the emotion of grief can be expressed by anyone who suffers a loss: E.g. relationship breakdown/ death of a beloved pet/ redundancy/ retirement/ miscarriage/ infertility etc.…
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Homeopathy For Babies Using Homeopathy for babies can help give you a happy and healthy baby! Your baby will grow more rapidly in the first 2yrs of their lives than at any other time! Those first steps, teeth and smiles are all amazing milestones. But some common ailments can cause your cute baby to cry…
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Panic Attacks and Anxiety Case Study Presenting condition: Panic attacks and anxiety. Sore blistery hand rash, which appears as a delayed reaction to panic attacks. Brief History of Panic Attacks Condition: Anxiety triggered by lockdown March 2020. Other relevant factors: Current medication: Oral combined contraceptive pill. Stressful job, house move and lots of travelling between…
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Post Birth Recovery – Life after Birth – Post-Partum Now you’re a mum! It’s time to focus on your post birth recovery. Either for the 1st time or you already have little ones at home. But it takes time to heal from the birthing process. Here are five common post-birth recovery issues and some tips…
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Pregnancy Symptoms and Relief “Bun in the oven”, “Up the duff”, “Growing a human” or just “Expecting a baby!”… There are many ways to say you are pregnant! However, what should be a happy time period can often be ruined by pregnancy symptoms and minor health niggles. Here are 5 common Pregnancy Symptoms and how…
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44yr old Female with recurrent cystitis Presenting condition: Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) starting on day 3 of the menstrual cycle. A brief history of condition: 2019 – suffered every month. Jan-Jun 2020 – suffered every 2nd month whilst on long-term preventative antibiotics (Nitrofurantoin). Has had several lots of antibiotics to treat the acute condition.…
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Social Anxiety in a 70yr old Male At his first appointment for social anxiety, this gentleman was presenting symptoms at 1st appt: Anxious pale man, rocking back and forwards whilst telling his story. Social anxiety presents as an empty feeling in the pit of the stomach. Head often held in both hands. Energy Levels reported…
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Eczema myths and facts Eczema or atopic dermatitis is very common, with 20% of children and 10% of adults being affected in the UK. The usual areas to suffer are in the skin flexures such as the inner elbow or back of the knee. However, sometimes other areas are also involved or the eczema can…
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Sleepy, Dozy and Exhausted! So these are not all in the 7 dwarfs, but may ring true for thousands of people worldwide who suffer with insomnia or sleeplessness.
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Contraception and your period Contraception is a long-talked-about taboo that’s had countless rumours and speculation since time began. But how does it affect your periods? Females are only fertile for 6 days. Eggs are only viable for 24 hours, but sperm can live for up to 7 days. So does the majority of contraception methods…
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Menopause myths and facts What is menopause? Menopause technically refers to a woman’s last ever period but more commonly this word is now used to mean the months and years leading up to this event. Perimenopause is a better term as this describes the time frame leading up to menopause when women may be suffering…
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Period myths and facts Period Myths and Facts aims to dispell all of the anxiety created by the sheer volume of false information online. Each month, women and girls of menstruating age have a period (menstrual bleed). Your first period is called the ‘menarche’ whilst your last period is called your ‘menopause’. Fact: Women have…
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Mental Health in Lockdown *About and during the March Covid-19 Lockdown of 2020* It is hard sometimes to do the right thing to take care of your Mental Health in Lockdown. Staying at home and not seeing loved ones or friends is hard. Not going to restaurants, pubs or the gym is hard. However, it’s…
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Infertility Treatment – Overcoming challenges in my life Infertility and infertility treatment can be a huge taboo for people to talk about! We all face challenges in our lives. Some big, some small. Life is never easy all the time! I want to share some of the struggles that I have overcome in my life.…
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The Passions and Quirks of a Homeopath. While looking for a homeopath near me you may have read my About Me page here on my website or even read a few of my homeopathy blogs. But how well do you know your local homeopath? Well, if you’re sitting comfortably, I’ll begin. My Passions of a…
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The Annual January Health Month can be amazing! New Year – Same amazing you Happy New Year! January can be a miserable time of year. The weather is cold and grey. The credit card bill has arrived. Everywhere you look there are adverts for losing weight, giving up smoking or getting fit. However, my blog…
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Avoiding Christmas Stress. Christmas and the weeks leading up to it are extremely busy for most people, often causing Christmas stress. You are encouraged to eat lots of rich food, drink lots of alcohol and attend lots of late night social events. All when nature is hibernating, and you should be too! Here are my…
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Avoiding Colds Avoiding colds every winter during “Sneezing Season” can seem impossible right? Facts: The average adult has 2-3 colds/year and up to 5 coughs/year. This number rises for children who suffer up to 12 colds/year! This is because children’s immune systems are not fully developed until they are about 8yrs old. Therefore they’re more…
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Headlice and Headlice Treatment New school term – New bugs? Headlice infestation? Headlice treatments! Urgh…….not again! New school uniform ripped on day 1? Tick. New shoes scuffed on day 3? Tick. Back to school can be stressful for all sorts of reasons but head lice shouldn’t be one of them! Head lice are a parasitic…
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Magnesium Deficiency Magnesium deficiency affects 80% of the Western world, due to soil depletion and processing of foods. Shocking, isn’t it? Especially considering how important magnesium is for our health. You can experience depression, insomnia, anxiety and migraines if you are running low on magnesium. It can also help decrease the frequency of panic attacks.…
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