I am now back to a stable angina situation, getting pain or discomfort on exercise only. Ramipril also gave me the inevitable cough, quite bad on the high dose, but then, everyone gets that. – Michael Holloway, via e-mail

WDDTY replies: It is ironic that ACE inhibitors, prescribed to protect patients from heart disease, causes adverse heart reactions such as angina (as you unfortunately had to experience) and arrhythmias (irregular or abnormal heartbeats). Other side-effects of ACE inhibitors include diarrhoea, loss of taste, nausea, unusual fatigue, dizziness, skin rash, numbness in the limbs, breathing difficulties and abdominal pain.

Even in early pregnancy, the liver can become overwhelmed by the sheer number of metabolic and hormonal changes taking place.

The single exception is motion sickness, which stems more from the discrepancy between what the eye sees (rapid whizzing by of objects and scenery horizontally) and what the body feels (an up and down motion due to the form of transportation).

Nausea can also be caused by a deficiency of sodium or magnesium, or an excess of calcium or lithium. Low levels of stomach acid can also bring on nausea, as can chemical sensitivities or drug side effects.

For morning sickness, vitamins C and K taken together (under professional supervision) have been shown to resolve the condition within 72 hours in 91 per cent of cases (Am J Obstet Gynecol, 1952; 64: 416-8).

Acupuncture has also successfully controlled morning sickness (Am J Chin Med, 1979; 7: 356). The principal acupuncture points are Co-12, P-6 and Sp-4, with supplementary points Li-3, S-44 (for fire in Liver and Stomach) or S-40 (with phlegm and dampness obstructing the stomach).

Three herbs have a long track record of proven success in treating nausea and vomiting of any variety: Chamaemelum (Roman chamomile flowers); Chondrus crispus (Irish moss); and Cinnamomum cassia (cassia bark) (British Herbal Pharmacopoeia, 1976; Part I, 47-9; Part II, 53, 55). Cinnamomum zeylanicum, the bark of a close relation of cassia, has long been known to have a strong antibacterial effect (Science and Culture, 1949; 14: 315).

A tried and tested herbal cocktail for allaying nausea includes:

3.5 g Cinnamomum cassia (cassia bark)

15 g Mentha virides (spearmint)

3.5 g Eugenia caryophyllata (cloves)

3.5 g Rheum palmatum (rhubarb).

Infuse ingredients in half a litre of boiling water for 20 minutes and drink half a glass every half hour (Willard TL, Textbook of Modern Herbology, Calgary, Alberta: C.W. Progressive Publishing, 1988: 169-70). Cloves on their own can also work (Willard, as above, page 140).

Zingiber officinale (ginger root) remains the best known natural cure for nausea and vomiting, even with motion sickness. It works directly on the gastrointestinal tract, effectively slowing the interaction between the stomach and the brain’s nausea centre by neutralising gastrointestinal toxins (Lancet, 1982; i: 655-7). Ginger root can also relieve nausea related headaches (Tohoku J Exper Med, 1920; 1: 96).

One experimental double blind study used a mechanical rotating chair for patients known to have an extreme susceptibility to motion sickness. The result was that 940 mg of ginger root outperformed Dramamine (dimenhydrinate), the most popular motion sickness drug in orthodox medicine.

In a more true to life aspect of the same study, patients with motion sickness who took two to four capsules of powdered ginger root prior to travelling, and two capsules every hour or whenever they felt an attack of nausea, reported excellent results. The herb was found to be equally effective whether travelling by car, airplane, train or boat (Lancet, 1982; i: 655-7).

In a study involving naval cadets and seasickness, those who received 1 g of powdered ginger root had a 72 per cent reduction in vomiting and 38 per cent fewer symptoms than those in the control group (Acta Otolaryngol, 1988; 105: 45-9).

One note of caution ginger can have an inhibiting effect on certain aspects of the blood’s clotting mechanism. For this reason, you should take care and have your bleeding monitored if you are taking ginger for postoperative nausea.

!AHarald Gaier

Harald Gaier is a registered naturopath, homoeopath and osteopath.

Aches and pains

If you travel to areas where no osteopaths or chiropractors are to be found, you can buy or hire a small electronic device which will get rid of many simple neck, back or muscle pains. Transcutaneous electrical neural stimulation (TENS) reduces or eliminates pains by bombarding nerve endings with weak, adjustable, high frequency electrical stimuli through adhesive electrodes placed on the skin. These appear to be received by the brain in place of the pain stimuli (Lewith GT, Horn S, Drug Free Pain Relief, Wellingborough, Northants: Thorsons, 1987: 18, 25, 56-61).

Appendicism

Although acute appendicitis is nearly always a surgical condition, appendicism is a symptomatic discomfort in the region of the appendix. The routine emergency treatment for this is Iris tenax 2 every two hours.

Bruising

Apply Arnica montana tincture or oil to the area if the skin is unbroken. If the skin is broken, use a lotion of Hamamelis macrophylla (20 drops of tincture to 50 ml of distilled water). Also, take Arnica montana 3CH internally.

If you’ve bruised the bones, apply a lotion of Ruta graveolens (20 drops to 50 ml of distilled water) and take Ruta graveolens 3CH internally. For bruising of nerve rich areas like fingers, toes or spine, make up a lotion of equal parts of Hypericum perforatum tincture, alcohol fortis (95 per cent v/v alcohol) and distilled water, and rub it onto the injured area (if the spine) three times daily, or apply it onto cottonwool, then daub (if the extremities).

Burns and scalds (first degree)

Add 12 drops of Urtica urens to 50 ml of distilled water, or make up a lotion of Hamamelis macrophylla (20 drops to 50 ml of distilled water), then saturate a sterile gauze or dressing and place it over the burn. Moisten it again (in place) whenever it begins to dry out.

If you don’t have this tincture to hand and you’re out in the countryside, a lotion made by pouring boiling water onto freshly picked stinging nettles will do as well. Blisters should not be opened or drained.

Another possibility is to apply Echinacea angustifolia as a cleansing wash and then as a moist dressing.

Cold injuries and frostbite

Lie on your back. Initially, very gently rub the affected area with snow (forceful massage or compression is harm ful) and follow this by applying some room temperature (not icy) water to warm up slowly. This prevents your body from making vascular changes too suddenly, resulting in thickening of the blood. Only after you’ve taken this step should you move on to rapid rewarming using moist heat, keeping the water temperature like that of bath water (between 31-37 degrees C).

After rewarming, paint the affected part with Benzoin (Lindera). If frostbite occurs in the feet and hosiery is stuck to the affected limb, rub olive oil over the Benzoin tincture. The best next step is simply to expose the body part to air at room temperature (21-24 degrees C). Avoid using the affected part until the extent of any damage has been determined by a health professional.

Dysentery (with fever)

Stay in bed, keep warm and drink lots of water or fennel tea. If the condition is acute, take five to ten drops of Cuphea viscosissima; for a chronic condition, take ten drops of Vaccinum myrtillus every eight hours. As soon as you can, have yourself checked out for parasitic intestinal infection.

Electric shock

(including lightning stroke)

Make sure the current is switched off. If this is impossible, free the person from the source of the current while using an insulating material such as heavy duty insulating gloves, something made of wood or rubber, or even a folded newspaper. You can even use the victim’s clothing, so long as it is absolutely dry and you don’t touch his skin. If his breathing is failing or has stopped, begin resuscitation immediately.

Phosphorus 6CH is the homoeopathic drug of choice for the effects of lightning and electric shock.

Haemorrhage

The patient should be reassured and put to bed, avoiding any excitement and all stimulants. For external haemorrhages, apply pressure (20 minutes) and sterile cellulose alginate, a seaweed compound which is absorbed without causing local irritation (available from a pharmacy). Give Acalypha indica 6CH (or Achillea millefolium 3CH) and also possibly menadione (vitamin K3).

Hiccoughs

(persistent, severe and rapid)

The best homoeopathic remedy for hiccoughs that won’t go away is 60 drops of Scutellaria lateriflora 3DH repeated every two hours, or a single dose of Moschus moschiferus lCH. Stramonium 6CH (Datura) is another possibility. If none of the above is to hand, one foolproof method is rebreathing using a paper bag. Another is to have the victim drink a glass of water while using the fingers to press down just in front of the tragus, the little flap of cartilage at the opening of the ear, on both sides of the head.

High blood pressure

To help lower both systolic and diastolic blood pressures, take Spartium scoparium lCH three times a day. For dangerously elevated blood pressure, try to find a qualified acupuncturist, as classical acupuncture procedures are known to reduce high blood pressure speedily.

Insect bites or stings

Apply tincture of Ledum palustre to the sting. If you don’t have it on hand, you’ll get equally quick results from tincture or cream of Arnica montana, Calendula officinalis or Urtica urens.

Supplement this by taking two 15 drop doses of Grindelia robusta 10 minutes apart. For extremely red inflammation with excessive sensibility to touch or pain, gently massage the area and take a single dose of Cantharis vesicator 30CH. For a sting on the tongue or in the mouth, take one tablespoonful (15 ml) of Calendula officinalis tincture, pour it into the mouth and keep it there for as long as possible. The mother tincture of Pyrethrum parthenium applied to the skin will relieve the discomfort and hot sensations produced by stings or bites. An added advantage is that it repels insects.

Jellyfish sting

Rub on Acidum aceticum 1x to any affected areas.

Nausea and vomiting

Where no form of food is tolerated, the remedy of choice is 10 drops of Amygdalus persica or ucurbita pepo, or Zingiber officinale lx as an alternative. As soon as you can, investigate the possibility of parasitic infection if pregnancy or a hangover is not the obvious cause.

Septic conditions

Take 20 drops of Echinacea angustifolia in bottled or mineral water every two hours. The tincture can also be used locally as a cleansing and antiseptic wash.

Sunstroke or heatstroke

Take Glonoinum 6CH every two hours until you get relief from the bursting, pulsating headache, which cannot bear motion. Also apply a solution of Calcarea chlorinata (one part to ten of

distilled water) to any sunburnt skin.

If you don’t have that remedy to hand, a mixture of equal parts of freshly squeezed lemon juice and bottled or mineral water applied twice a day will minimize the ill effects. Stay in a cool, shady room. In severe cases, use whatever means are available to lower temperature, such as tepid sponging and constant vigorous massage of the extremities to promote circulation of the blood, which will cool the affected areas. The goal is to reduce rectal temperature (measured by a rectal thermometer) to 39 degrees C.

Wounds

For lacerated wounds, apply a lotion of Calendula officinalis (20 drops to 50 ml of distilled water) locally. Also, take Calendula officinalis 3CH internally every two hours.

For incised wounds, apply a lotion of Hypericum perforatum (20 drops to 50 ml of distilled water) and take Hypericum perforatum 3CH internally every hour.

Finally, for puncture wounds, apply a lotion of Ledum palustre (20 drops to 50 ml of distilled water) locally and take Ledum palustre 6CH internally every hour.

!AHarald Gaier

Harald Gaier is a registered osteopath, naturopath and homoeopath.

(Copyright is retained by the author.)

When my oldest child was 7 and had to have a shot to go back to school, he too underwent genital examination and was extremely uncomfortable. I asked the doctor if it was necessary. He said yes. I asked until what age it was necessary. He said until adulthood. Then he went on to say that oftentimes little girls are so uncomfortable that they have to transfer out to a female pediatrician. In the late 60s and early 70s, my mother found a pediatrician who also forced me to remove all my underclothes, lay on my back and spread my legs so that he could spread my vagina with his hands and get a “good look”. I never remember a visit forgoing this experience until I was well into my teens. No explanation was ever given to me, and my “panic attacks” prior to the visit were considered to be quite ridiculous. L B, Miami Springs, Florida…..Thank you for calling attention to this subject and for sending in photocopies from a medical textbook on physical examination of infants and children. It emphasizes that it isn’t essential that the child be completely undressed during the course of the examination only the part of the body being examined and that direct visualization of the vagina and cervix aren’t considered part of the ordinary physical examination.

Our advice would be for parents to avoid “well children” general examinations; to save doctor visits for times that something specific seems to be wrong, and then ask the doctor to only examine the relevant body part. If your child has something wrong with his plumbing requiring that his genitalia be examined, it would be wise for you to explain beforehand that the doctor is going to have a look at it and why, and perhaps for you to demonstrate it yourself so that your child is not taken by surprise. Of course make sure to always be present. If your child clearly doesn’t want it, never force or restrain him.

Cancer patients have been given the drug to help curb nausea and vomiting caused by the chemotherapy, but it has also been given to people who suffer general nausea attacks that are not improved through dietary changes.

It is used to treat or prevent allergy symptoms and motion sickness, and to promote sleep and sedation so what was intended as a fairly heavyweight drug to be given in hospitals has become a way of helping people to sleep better. It’s also been recommended for use with children aged from just one year.

While the manufacturer says the drug is well tolerated, and can even be taken safely while pregnant, others are not so sure. America’s Public Citizen Health Research Group says the drug can cause parkinsonism and tardive dyskinesia where the body twitches involuntarily especially if taken for a long time (Worst Pills, Best Pills, Washington, 1993).

Warning reactions to look out for include lip smacking, chewing movements, puffing of cheeks, rapid tongue movement, or uncontrolled movements of the arms and legs as these could indicate tardive dyskinesia. Signs of parkinsonism include difficulty with speaking, loss of balance, muscle spasms, stiffness of arms or legs, blurred vision and unusual twisting movements.

Other symptoms that should be reported to your doctor include fainting, skin rash, abnormal bleeding or bruising, fever and nightmares. The manufacturer also adds anorexia, hypotension, irregular heart beat and anaemia.

Worth it, though, for a decent night’s sleep, we suppose.

Jeremy has been suffering from dizziness, nausea and occasional blackouts, all of which caused him a lot of anxiety. His symptoms proliferated to such a point that, about five years ago, his anxiety reached phobic proportions, and he became housebound. After running the full gamut of blood tests, MRIs, CAT scans, etc., he was told there was nothing wrong with him – and he became almost suicidal.

Being a natural therapist at the time, I read a great deal and found that many of Jeremy’s symptoms matched those of people with severe anxiety disorder (‘panic agoraphobia’). We found a doctor who specialised in treating this disorder. Within 18 months of therapy, my brother was a new man! He rented an office, started his own business, renewed contact with an old girlfriend, got married and moved to Australia.

While the anxiety is now under control, he continues to suffer dizziness, nausea and fainting spells. Under the advice of a doctor, who suspects that this may be a case of Candida, he has been following a rigid diet (gluten-free, sugar-free, yeast-free) for over nine months now, but the symptoms simply have not subsided.

He has undergone a whole-blood analysis and another MRI scan and, although the results have not shown any signs of Candida overgrowth, I still believe it may be playing a role in his symptoms, but there is no way to prove it or treat it. Jeremy’s condition is not life-threatening, but his symptoms bother him and prevent him from leading an enjoyable life.

Jeremy (and I) would love to hear from others who have suffered, or are suffering, from this debilitating and depressing disorder in the hopes that someone, somewhere, has the answer! If there is one other out there, there are probably hundreds, if not thousands, of people who might benefit from a suggestion that worked for someone. – Mrs R. Woods, Australia

WDDTY replies: If you would like to share your experience with Candida or any treatment suggestions with Mrs Woods, please e-mail her at: robinluxor@ gmail.com.

The following factors have been suggested as playing contributory roles: low blood pressure and blood sugar levels; hormonal changes; emotional ambivalence towards pregnancy; and vitamin and mineral deficiencies (especially iron and vitamin B6). Eating too much refined, greasy or spicy foods is also blamed. Also, pressure on the stomach from the growing uterus can interfere with proper digestion, and this may be another cause of the condition.

Despite the sheer volume of women who suffer from the condition, morning sickness is not well understood and often poorly treated (J Perinat Neonatal Nurs, 2004; 18: 312-28).

A number of drugs can also cause nausea and vomiting as side-effects, including antibiotics, NSAIDs, thiazides, oestrogens and – ironically – iron. If you’re on any other drugs, check out their side-effects.

Some health practitioners believe morning sickness is more common in women carrying twins or triplets, but there is no conclusive evidence to say that this is so.

What doctors tell you
Although there is no currently approved medication for morning sickness, doctors may suggest taking antacids, sugar solutions or antihistamines, all of which can be purchased over the counter.

There are also drugs used to manage nausea and vomiting by acting either directly on the digestive tract or on the brain. Drugs that act on the digestive tract increase intestinal contractions and accelerate food transit. Centrally acting agents act on the vomiting centre (chemoreceptor trigger zone; CTZ) in the brainstem to block the nerve impulses that trigger nausea and vomiting. These include dopamine antagonists, anticholinergics and antiserotonin agents (ondansetron).

Severe vomiting is dangerous for both mother and baby, as vital minerals and nutrients can be lost through dehydration. Symptoms include dizziness, thirst, passing less urine than usual (or none at all) or passing dark urine. A midwife or GP can take a simple urine (ketone) test to confirm the degree of dehydration. In extreme cases, the patient may need to go to hospital, where fluids can be given through an intravenous drip.

Isabel Atherton

* Take B vitamins. B6 (pyridoxine) can ease NVP attacks (Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2003; 4: CD000145), and B12 can cut down how often you throw up. Be sure to take these vitamins before the waves of nausea strike.

* Consider homoeopathy, which can ease morning sickness (and labour) (Prof Care Mother Child, 1994; 4: 185-7). If the nausea is severe, consider Nelsons’ Nux Vomica 6c tablets, traditionally used for digestive disorders. It’s available from health stores as well as online from various websites.

* Try acupressure. Stimulating the P6 acupoint, which lies about 4 cm up from the wrist creases, significantly reduced NVP compared with stimulating a false acupoint and no treatment at all (J Reprod Med, 2001; 46: 835-9).

* Consider hypnosis, which may benefit both mother and baby by making pregnancy more comfortable and promoting healthier fetal development (Birth, 1999; 26: 248-54).

* Consult a herbalist. A wide range of herbs can help morning sickness. Chamomile and wild yam root, for example, aid digestion and have sedative effects, while balm and meadowsweet can be soothing. There is also anecdotal evidence that slippery elm can help to soothe the digestive tract.

Note, however, that some herbal preparations and medications can harm the fetus or cause birth defects; others can cause the baby to be born ill or too small. Always exercise caution when taking any supplements during pregnancy.

* Identify nausea triggers. The taste and smell of some foods can cause feelings of sickness, so avoid them.

* Eat small, frequent meals every two to three hours – even if you’re not hungry. Keep hydrated, and avoid diuretics such as coffee and alcohol. Crackers or dry toast, 20-30 minutes before getting up and while still in bed, slightly propped up, can help. Bland foods like pretzels may help.

Researchers treated 90 women who were up to 11 weeks pregnant and who complained of nausea; half were given acupressure on a recognized point known as PC-6, which is close to the wrist, while the rest had it applied wrongly.

Acupressure was performed for 10 minutes, four times a day, for seven days. The women given acupressure correctly reported an improvement in their condition.

The discovery follows an earlier Italian study which showed that Sea Bands, an elastic strap that holds a plastic button over an acupressure point, also helped to reduce nausea. The study was criticized for being too small.

The arrhythmia continued to the point where I was aware of it for most of the day. I also experienced disturbances to my sleep, waking in the early hours and then being unable to fall asleep again. From the tightness of my chest, I knew I was not getting enough oxygen.

I linked the onset of my symptoms to our acquisition of a laptop with a wireless modem. This ‘base station’ had been transmitting microwaves 24 hours a day at a frequency of 2.4 GHz, extending to a radius of 150 feet.

We disconnected the base station and replaced it with a fixed line. Within three weeks, I was totally free of any abnormality; my sleep and energy levels settled back to normal.

On looking back, during that summer, others in my family had been abnormally fatigued with disturbed sleep patterns. My 18-year-old daughter had an episode of dizziness lasting a whole day after close contact with the transmitter. My 22-year-old son experienced vomiting and vertigo after spending two hours within feet of the apparatus.

The base station is marketed by NET GEAR and is called a Wireless ADSL Modem Gateway DG824M. They are being placed in the foyers of airports, hotels, in GP surgeries, coffee shops and students’ halls of residence so that individuals can use their laptops with the minimum of fuss.

From March 2004, a number of airlines will have introduced them on their planes, following trials by BA and Lufthansa.

If this is how it affects a healthy family of adults over a short period of time, what will be the consequences on the general population, let alone those with recognised heart problems or pacemakers, the pregnant and the young?

What is the real price of convenience? – Francesca J. Fox, via e-mail