Therapeutic Baths

Water has been used as a valuable therapeutic agent since time immemorial. In all major ancient civilizations, bathing was considered an important measure for the maintenance of health and prevention of disease. It was also valued for its remedial properties. The ancient Vedic literature in India contains numerous references to the efficacy of water in the treatment of disease. In modern times, the therapeutic value of water was popularised by Vincent Priessnitz, Father Sebastian Kneipp, Louis Kuhne and other European water-cure pioneers. They raised water cure to an institutional level and employed it successfully for the treatment of almost every
known disease. There are numerous spas and "Bads" in most European countries where therapeutic baths are used as a major healing agent. Water exerts beneficial effects on the human system. It equalises circulation, boosts muscular tone and aids digestion and nutrition. It also tones up the activity of perspiratory gland and in the process eliminates the damaged cells and toxic matter from the system. The common water temperature chart is : cold 100C to 180C, neutral 320C to 360C and hot 400C to 450C. Above 450C, water loses its therapeutic value and is destructive. The main methods of water treatment which can be employed in the healing of various in a do-it-yourself manner are described below.
ENEMA
Also known as rectal irrigation, an enema involves the injection of fluid into the rectum. In nature cure treatment, only lukewarm water is used for cleaning the bowels. The patient is made to lie on his left side extending his left leg and bending the right leg slightly. The enema nozzle, lubricated with oil or vaseline, is inserted in the rectum. The enema can containing the lukewarm water is then slowly raised and water is allowed to enter into the rectum. Generally, one to two litres of water is injected. The patient may either lie down on his back or walk a little while retaining the water. After five to 10 minutes, the water can be ejected along with the accumulated morbid matter. A warm water enema helps to clean the rectum of accumulated faecal matter. This is not only the safest system for cleaning the bowels, but also improves the peristaltic movement of the bowels and thereby relieves constipation. A cold water enema is helpful in inflammatory conditions of the colon, especially in cases of dysentery, diarrhoea, ulcerative colitis, haemorrhoids and fever. A hot water enema is beneficial in relieving irritation due to inflammation of the rectum and painfull haemorrhoids. It also benefits women in haemorrhoids.
COLD COMPRESS
This is a local application using a cloth which has been wrung out in cold water. The cloth should be folded into a broad strip and dipped in cold water or ice water. The compress is generally applied to the head,neck, chest, abdomen and back. The cold compress is an effective means of controlling inflammatory conditions of the liver, spleen, stomach, kidneys, intestines, lungs, brain, pelvic organs and so on. It is also advantageous in cases of fever and heart disease. The cold compress soothes dermities and inflammations of external portions of the eye. When the
eyeball is affected, the cold compress should follow a short fermentation.
HEATING COMPRESS
This is a cold compress covered in such a manner as to bring warmth. A heating compress consists of three or four folds of linen cloth wrung out in cold water which is then covered completely with dry flannel or blanket to prevent the circulation of air and help accumulation of body heat. It is sometimes applied for several hours. The duration of the application is determined by the extent and location of the surface involved, the nature and thickness of the coverings and the water temperature. After removing the compress , the area should be rubbed with a wet cloth and then dried with a towel. A heating compress can be applied to the throat, chest, abdomen, and joints. A throat compress relieves sore throat, hoarseness, tonsillitis, pharyngitis and laryngitis. An abdominal compress helps those suffering from gastritis, hyperacidity, indigestion, jaundice, constipation, diarrhoea, dysentery and other ailments relating to the abdominal organs. The chest compress also known as chest pack, relieves cold, bronchitis, pleurisy,
pneumonia, fever, cough and so on, while the joints compress is helpful for inflamed joints, rheumatism, rheumatic fever and sprains.
HIP BATHS
The hip bath is one of the most useful forms of hydrotherapy. As the name suggests, this mode of treatment involves only the hips and the abdominal region below the navel. A special type of tub is used for the purpose. The tub is filled with water in such a way that it covers the hips and reaches upto the navel when the patient sits in it. Generally, four to six gallons of water are required. If the special tub is not available, a common tub may be used. A support may be placed under one edge to elevate it by two or three inches. Hip bath is given in cold, hot, neutral or alternate temperatures.
COLD HIP BATH
The water temperature should be 100C to 180C. The duration of the bath is usually 10 minutes , but in specific conditions it may vary from one minute to 30 minutes. If the patient feels cold or is very weak, a hot foot immersion should be given with the cold hip bath. The patient should rub the abdomen briskly from the navel downwards and across the body with a moderately coarse wet cloth. The legs, feet and upper part of the body should remain completely dry during and after the bath. The patient should undertake moderate exercise like yogasanas, after the cold hip bath, to warm the body. A cold hip bath is a routine treatment in most diseases. It relieves constipation, indigestion, obesity and helps the eliminative organs to function properly. It is also helpful in uterine problems like irregular menstruation, chronic uterine infections, pelvic inflammation, piles, hepatic congestion, chronic congestion of the prostate gland, seminal weakness, impotency,
sterility, uterine and ovarian displacements, dilation of the stomach and colon, diarrhoea, dysentery, hemorrhage of the bladder and so on. The cold hip bath should not be employed in acute inflammations of the pelvic and abdominal organs, ovaries and in painful contractions of the bladder, rectum or vagina.
HOT HIP BATH
This bath is generally taken for eight to 10 minutes at a water temperature of 400C to 450C. The bath should start at 400C. The temperature should be gradually increased to 450C. NO friction should be applied to the abdomen. Before entering the tub,the patient should drink one glass of cold water. A cold compress should be placed on the head. A hot hip bath helps to relieve painful menstruation, pain in the pelvic organs, painful urination, inflamed rectum or bladder and painful piles. It also benefits enlarged prostatic gland, painful contractions or spasm of the
bladder, sciatica, neuralgia of the ovaries and bladder. A cold shower bath should be taken immediately after the hot hip bath. Care should be taken to prevent the patient from catching a chill after the bath. The bath should be terminated if the patient feels giddy or complains of excessive pain.
NEUTRAL HIP BATH
The temperature of the water should be 320C to 360C. Here too, friction to the abdomen should be avoided. This bath is generally taken for 20 minutes to an hour. The neutral hip bath helps to relieve all acute and sub-acute inflammatory conditions such as acute catarrh of the bladder and urethra and subacute inflammations in the uterus, ovaries and tubes. It also relieves neuralgia of the fallopian tubes or testicles, painful spasms of the vagina and prorates of the anus and vulva. Besides, it is a sedative treatment for erotomanis in both sexes.
ALTERNATE HIP BATH
This is also known as revulsive hip bath. The temperature in the hot tub should be 400C to 450C and in the cold tub 100C to 180C. The patient should alternately sit in the hot tub for five minutes and then in the cold tub for three minutes. The duration of the bath is generally 10 to 20 minutes. The head and neck should be kept cold with a cold compress. The treatment should end with a dash of cold water to the hips. This bath relieves chronic inflammatory conditions of the pelvic viscera such as salpingitis, ovaritis, cellulitis and various neuralgias of the genito-urinary organs, sciatica and lumbago.
SPINAL BATH
The spinal bath is another important form of hydrotherapic treatment. This bath provides a soothing effect to the spinal column and thereby influences the central nervous system. It is given in a specially designed tub with its back raised so as to provide proper support to the head. The bath can be administered at cold, neutral and hot temperatures. The water level in the tub should be an inch and a half to two inches and the patient should lie in it for three to 10 minutes. The cold spinal bath relieves irritation, fatigue, hypertension and excitement. It is beneficial in almost all nervous disorders such as hysteria, fits, mental disorders, loss of memory and tension. The neutral spinal bath is a soothing and sedative treatment, especially for the highly strung and irritable patient. It is the ideal treatment for insomnia and also relieves tension of the vertebral column. The duration of this bath is 20 to 30 minutes. The hot spinal bath, on the other hand, helps to stimulate the nervous, especially when they are in a depressed state. It also relieves vertebral pain in spondylitis and muscular backache. It relieves sciatic pain and gastrointestinal disturbances of gastric origin.
FULL WET SHEET PACK
This is a procedure in which the whole body is wrapped in a wet sheet, which in turn is wrapped in a dry blanket for regulating evaporation. The blanket should be spread on the bed with its edges hanging over the edge of the bed. The upper end should be about eight inches from the head of the bed. Then spread a linen sheet wrung out in cold water over the blanket so that its end is slightly below the upper end of the blanket. The patient should lie on the bedsheet with his shoulders about three inches below the upper age. The wet sheet should be weekly wrapped round the body of the patient, drawn in, tightly tucked between the legs and also between the body and the arms. The sheet should be folded over the shoulders and across the neck. Now
the blanket should be drawn tightly around the body and tucked in along the side in a similar manner, pulling it tightly. The ends should be doubled up at the feet. A turkish towel should be placed below the chin to protect the face and neck from coming into contact with the blanket and to exclude outside air more effectively. The head should be covered with a wet cloth so that the sculp remains cold. The feet should be kept warm during the entire treatment. If the patient’s feet are cold, place hot water bottles near them to hasten reaction. The pack is administered for half an hour to one hour till the patient begins to perspire profusely. He may be given cold or hot water to drink. This pack is useful in cases of fever especially in typhoid and continued fevers, and benefits those suffering from insomnia, epilepsy and infantile convulsions. It is useful in relieving chronic cold and bronchitis and helps in the treatment of rheumatism and obesity.
HOT FOOT BATHS
In this method, the patient should keep his or her legs in a tub or bucket filled with hot water at a temperature of 400C to 450C. Before taking this bath, a glass of water should be taken and the body should be covered with a blanket so that no heat or vapour escapes from the foot bath. The head should be protected with a cold compress. The duration of the bath is generally from 5 to 20 minutes. The patient should take a cold shower immediately after the bath. The hot foot bath stimulates the involuntary muscles of the uterus, intestines, bladder and other pelvic and abdominal organs. It also relieves sprains and ankle joint pains, headaches caused
by cerebral congestion and colds. In women, it helps restore menstruation , if suspended, by increasing supply of blood especially to the uterus and ovaries.
COLD FOOT BATH
Three to four inches of cold water at a temperature of 7.20C to 12.70C should be placed in a small tub or bucket. The feet should be completely immersed in the water for one to five minutes. Friction should be continuously applied to the feet during the bath, either by an attendant or by the patient by rubbing one foot against the other. A cold foot bath, taken for one or two minutes,relieves cerebral congestion and uterine hemorrhage. It also helps in the treatment of sprains, strains and inflamed bunions when taken for longer periods. It should not be taken in cases of inflammatory conditions of the genito-urinary organs, liver and kidneys.
STEAM BATH
Steam bath is one of the most important time-tested water treatments which induces perspiration in a most natural way. The patient, clad in minimum loin cloth or underwear, is made to sit on a stool inside a specially designed cabinet. Before entering the cabinet, the patient should drink one or two glasses of cold water and protect the head with a cold towel. The duration of the steam bath is generally 10 to 20 minutes or until perspiration takes place. A cold shower should be taken immediately after the bath. Very weak patients, pregnant women, cardiac patients and those suffering from high blood pressure should avoid this bath. If the patient feels giddy or uneasy during the steam bath, he or she should be immediately taken out and given a glasss of cold water and the face washed with cold water. The steam bath helps to eliminate morbid matter from the surface of the skin. It also improves circulation of the blood and tissue activity. It relieves rheumatism, gout, uric acid problems, and obesity. The steam bath is helpful in all forms of chronic toxemias. It also relieves neuralgias, chronic nephritis, infections, tetanus and migraine.
IMMERSION BATHS
This is also known as full bath. It is administered in a bath tub which should be properly fitted with hot and cold water connections. The bath can be taken at cold, neutral, hot, graduated and alternate temperatures.
COLD IMMERSION BATH
This may be taken for four seconds to 20 minutes at a temperature ranging from 100C to 23.80C. Before entering the bath, cold water should be poured on the patient’s head, chest and neck and the head should be protected with a cold moist towel. During the bath, the patient should vigorously rub his or her body. After the bath the body should be quickly dried and wrapped up in a blanket. If the climate is favourable, moderate exercise should be undertaken. This bath helps to bring down fever. It also improves the skin when taken for five to 15 seconds after a prolonged hot bath, by exhilarating circulation and stimulating the nervous system. This bath should not be given to young children or very elderly persons, nor be taken in cases of acute inflammation of some internal organs such as acute peritonitis, gastritis, enteritis and inflammatory conditions of uterus and ovaries.
GRADUATED BATH
The patient should enter the bath at a temperature of 310C. The water temperature should be lowered gradually at the rate of 10C per minute until it reaches 250C. The bath should continue until the patient starts shivering. The graduated bath is intended to avoid nervous shock by sudden plunge into the cold water. This bath is often administered every three hours in cases of fever. It effectively brings down the temperature except in malarial fever. Besides, it also produces a general tonic effect, increases vital resistances and energises the heart.
NEUTRAL IMMERSION BATH
This bath can be given from 15 to 60 minutes at a temperature ranging from 260C to 280C. It can be given for long duration, without any ill-effects, as the water temperature is akin to the body temperature. The neutral bath diminishes the pulse rate without modifying respiration. This treatment is the best sedative. Since the neutral bath excites activity of both the skin and the kidneys, it is recommended in cases relating to these organs. It is also beneficial for cases of organic diseases of the brain and spinal cord, including chronic inflammatory conditions such as
meningitis, rheumatism and arthritis. A neutral immersion bath taken for 30 to 60 minutes is highly beneficial in general dropsy, due to cardiac or renal diseases. It also helps those suffering from multiple neuritis, alcoholism and other narcotic habits, chronic diarrhoea, peritonitis and chronic affections of the abdomen. In
such cases the bath may be given daily for 15 to 30 minutes. This bath is also useful in the toxemic conditions caused by dyspepsia and pruritus. The neutral bath should not be prescribed in certain cases of eczema and other forms of skin diseases where water aggravates the symptoms, nor in cases of extreme cardiac weakness.
HOT IMMERSION BATH
This bath can be taken from two to 15 minutes at a temperature from 36.60C to 400C. Generally this bath is started at 370C and the temperature is then gradually raised to the required level by adding hot water. Before entering the bath, the patient should drink cold water and also wet the head, neck and shoulders with cold water. A cold compress should be applied throughout the treatment. This bath can be advantageously employed in dropsy when there is excessive loss of tone of the heart and blood. This bath also relieves capillary bronchitis and bronchial pneumonia
in children. It relieves congestation of the lungs and activates the blood vessels of the skin muscles. The bath should be terminated as soon as the skin becomes red.
In pneumonia and suppressed menstruation, the bath should be administered at 37.70C to 400C for about 30 to 45 minutes. This bath should be given when the menstruation is due and may be repeated for two to three days in succession. In dysmenorrhoea, this bath should be given at 380C to 44.40C for 15 minutes. In chronic bronchitis a very hot bath taken for 5 to 7 minutes should be accompanied with rubbing and friction. This relieves congestion of the mucous membrane and provides immediate
relief After the bath, oil should be applied to the skin if necessary. The hot bath is a valuable treatment in chronic rheumatism and obesity. It gives immediate relief
when there is pain due to stones in the gall bladder and the kidneys. The hot bath should not be taken in cases of organic diseases of the brain or spinal cord, nor in cases of cardiac weakness and cardiac hypertrophy.
EPSOM SALT BATH
The immersion bath tub should be filled with about 135 litres of hot water at 400C. One to 1 1/2 kg. of Epsom salt should be dissolved in this water. The patient should drink a glass of cold water, cover the head with a cold towel and then lie down in the tub, completely immersing the trunk, thighs and legs for 15 to 20 minutes. The best time to take this bath is just before retiring to bed. This is useful in cases of sciatica, lumbago, rheumatism, diabetes, neuritis, cold and catarrh, kidney disorders and other uric acid and skin affections.
Precaution
Certain precautions are necessary while taking these therapeutic baths. Full baths should be avoided within three hours after a meal and one hour before it. Local baths like the hip bath and foot bath may, however, be taken two hours after a meal. Clean and pure water must be used for baths and water once used should not be used again. While taking baths, temperature and duration should be strictly observed to obtain the desired effects. A thermometer should always be used to measure the temperature of the body. Women should not take any of the baths during menstruation. They can take only hip baths during pregnancy till the completion of the third month.

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Treating Pneumonia

Pneumonia refers to the acute inflammation of the lungs. It is one of the most serious infectious disease. There are basically two types of penumonia, called lobar pneumonia and bronchopneumonia They, however, run into each other and are treated in the same way. The disease becomes more serious if both the lungs are affected. It is called double pneumonia in common parlance.
Pneumonia Symptoms
Most cases of pneumonia begin with a cold in the head or throat. The patient generally feels chill, shivering, difficulty in breathing and sharp pain in the chest. This may be followed by a cough with pinkish sputum which may later become brownish. The patient usually suffers from fever and headache. In more serious cases of pneumonia, the sputum may be of rusty colour. In your children, the disease may cause delirum and convulsions. Most patients feel very miserable and sweat profusely. The temperature may rise to 105 o F and pulse may go upto 150 beats per minutes. A common complication of all kinds of pneumonia is pleurisy.
Pneumonia Causes
Pneumonia is caused by various types of germs such as streptococus, staphyloccus and pneunococcus variety. At times, certain viruses are also responsible for the disease. Other causes of diseases are fungal infection, irritation by worms, inhaling foreign matter, irritant dust or noxious gases and vapours such as ammonia, nitrogen dioxide or cadmium. The real cause of pneumonia , however, is the toxic condition of the body, especially of the lungs and air passages, resulting from wrong feeding and faulty life style. Persons with healthy tissues and strong vital force are unlikely to catch pneumonia. It is only when the system is clogged with the toxic matter and the vitality is low that the germs of pneumonia invade a person.
Treat Pneumonia
To begin with, the patient should be kept on a diet of raw juices for five to ten days, depending on the severity of the disease. In this regimen he should take a glass of fruit or vegetable juice diluted with warm water every two or three hours. Fruits such as orange, mosambi, apple, pineapple and grapes and vegetables like carrots, tomatoes may be used for juices. After a diet of raw juices, when the fever subsides, the patient should three or four further days on an exclusive fresh fruit diet, taking three meals a day of juicy fruits such as apple, grapes, pineapple, mangoes, orange, lemon and papaya. Thereafter, he may gradually adopt a ell-balanced diet of natural foods consisting of foods , seeds, and grains, vegetables and fruits with emphasis on fresh fruits and raw vegetables. The patients should be given warm enema daily to cleanse the bowel during the period of raw juice therapy and all fruit diet and thereafter, when necessary. The patient should avoid strong tea, coffee , refined foods, fried foods, white sugar, white flour and all products made from them, condiments and pickles. He should also avoid all meats as well as alcoholic beverages and smoking. To reduce temperature naturally, during the course of the fever, the procedure outlined in the chapter on malaria may be followed. Sipping of cold water has also been found beneficial in the treatment of pneumonia. The patient should sip cold water at short intervals so long as the fever continues. The cold water is cooling to the feverish blood.
Home Remedies
Certain home remedies have been found beneficial in the treatment of pneumonia. During the early acute stage of this disease, a herbal tea made from fenugreek seeds will help the body to produce perspiration, dispel toxicity and shorten the period of fever. In can be taken upto four cups daily. The quantity should be reduced as condition improves. To improve flavour, a few drops of lemon juice can be used. During this treatment, no other food or nourishment should be taken as fasting and fenugreek will allow the body to correct these respiratory problems in a few days.
According to Dr. F.W. Crosman, an eminent physician, garlic is a marvellous remedy for pneumonia, if given in sufficient quantities. This physician used garlic for many years in pneumonia, and said that in no instance did it fail to bring down the temperature as well as the pulse and respiration within 48 hours. Garlic juice can also be applied externally to the chest with beneficial results as it is an irritant and rubefacient. Sesame seeds ( til ) are valuable in pneumonia . An infusion of the seeds, mixed with a tablespoon of linseed,a pinch of common salt and a desert spoon of honey, should be given in the treatment of this disease. This will help remove catarrhal matter and phelgm from the bronchial-tubes. The pain of pneumonia can be relieved by rubbing oil of turpentine over the rib cage and wrapping warmed cotton wool over it.

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Eczema Home Remedy

The term ‘eczema’ is derived from a Greek word meaning ‘to boil.’ It refers to an inflammation of the skin which results in the formation of vesicls or pulstules. It is the most common and most troublesome of all skin diseases. Eczema is essentially a constitutional disease, resulting from a toxic condition of the system. The disease covers a wide variety of forms, the majority of them being of a chronic variety.
Eczema SymptomsEczema in its acute form is indicated by redness and swelling of the skin, the formation of minute vesicles and severe heat. If the vesicles rupture, a raw, moist surface is formed. From this, a colourless discharge oozes, which forms skin crusts when it accumulates. The disease is usually worst at night when the heat of the body is retained by the bed-clothes. The skin itches at all stages. In the wet stage, it may become infected with bacteria. The healing of the condition is affected by scratching in response to the irritation. Scratching not only spreads infection but also lengthens the stage of dryness and scaling.
Causes
Allergies play an important part in causing eczema. Some women get eczema on their hands due to an allergy to soap or detergents used to wash clothes or dishes. Some persons develop it around the fingers when they wear rings because of allergy to metals. Researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Centre at San Antonio, in a recent study of children with atropic eczema, found that 75 per cent were allergic to a number of foods. The most common triggers for sensitive persons are eggs, peanuts, chocolate, wheat, cow’s milk, chicken and potato. The real cause of eczema however is the failure of the human system to excrete the poisons from the various orifices of the body. Waste matter is excreted from the rectum through stools, from the bladder through urine, from the lungs through breath and from the pores of the skin through sweat. Sometime the pores of the skin are overworked as waste matter is not properly eliminated from the other orifices. If the pores are not given the chance to perform their function, the sweat will be full of morbid matter and this gives rise to skin diseases like eczema, acne, boils and other eruptions. Other causes include faulty metabolism, constipation, nutritional deficiencies and stress brought about by nagging spouses, jealousy, frustration and a host of other emotions. Suppressive drug treatment of the formal disease is also a most potent subsidiary causative factor in many cases.
Eczema TreatmentsSkin applications to cure eczema may give temporary relief. If the exudation is suppressed, some other more serious disease may develop. The best way to deal with eczema is to cleanse the blood stream and the body. The treatment should start with a fast on orange juice and water from five to days, depending on the severity and duration of the trouble. Juice fasting will help eliminate toxic waste from the body and lead to substantial improvement. In some cases, the condition may worsen in the beginning of the fast due to the increased elimination of waste matter through the skin. But as fasting continues, improvement will manifest itself. Fruits, salt free, raw or steamed vegetables with whole meal bread or chappatis may be taken after the juice fast. Carrot and musk melon are particularly beneficial. Coconut oil may be used instead of ghee. After a few days, curd and milk may be added to the diet. The patients may thereafter gradually embark upon a well-balanced diet of three basic food groups, namely (i) seeds, nutsand grains (ii) vegetables and (iii) fruits. The large proportion of the diet should consist of raw foods. Seeds and beans such as alfalfa, mung and soyabeans can be sprouted. This diet may be supplemented with cold-pressed vegetable oils, honey and yeast. Juice fasting may be repeated at intervals of two months or so, depending on the progress being made, in chronic and more difficult cases of eczema, patient should fast atleast once a week till he is cured. The patient should avoid tea, coffee, alcoholic beverages and all condiments and highly flavoured dishes. He should also avoid sugar, white flour products, denatured cereals like polished rice, and pearled barley and tinned or bottled foods. He should eat only pure and wholesome foods. Raw vegetable juices, especially carrot juice in combination with spinach juice, have proved highly beneficial in the treatment of eczema. The formula proportions considered helpful in this combination are carrot 300 ml. and spinach 200 ml. to make 500 ml. or half a litre of juice. The patient should get as much fresh air as possible. Restrictive clothing should not be worn. Two or three litres of water should be taken daily and the patient must bath twice or thrice a day. The skin, with the exception of the parts affected with eczema, should be vigorously rubbed with the palms of the hands before taking the bath. Coconut oil may be applied to the portions with eczema. It will help the skin to stay soft. Walking or jogging should be resorted to in order to inactivate the bowels. Sun bathing is also beneficial as it kills the harmful bacteria and should be resorted to early in the morning, in the first light of dawn. A light mudpack should be applied over the sites of the eczema is also helpful. The pack should be applied for an hour at a time and should be repeated twice or thrice a day .
Water Treatment
In cases of acute eczema, cold compress or cold wet fomentations are beneficial. The affected part should be wrapped with a thick soft cloth. The cloth should be moistened with cold water (55 o - 60 o F) every 15 to 30 minutes for two hours at a time. The bandage should be left intact, keeping the cloth cold. There may be intensification of itching or pain initially but this will soon subside. A cold compress may be applied twice daily for a week or so.

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Bleeding Piles

Piles or haemorrhoids are among the most common ailments today, especially in the Western world. They are a varicose and often inflammed condition of the veins inside or just outside the rectum. In external piles there is a lot of pain, but not much bleeding. In case of internal piles there is discharge of dark blood. In some cases the veins burst and this results in what is known as bleeding piles.
Symptoms of Piles
Pain at passing stools, slight bleeding in the case of internal trouble and a feeling of soreness and irritation after passing a stool are the usual symptoms of piles. The patient cannot sit comfortably due to itching, discomfort and pain in the rectal region.
Piles Cause
The primary cause of piles is chronic constipation and other bowel disorders. The pressure applied to pass a stool to evacuate constipated bowls and the congestion caused by constipation ultimately lead to piles. The use of purgatives to relieve constipation, by their irritating and weakening effect on the lining of the rectum, also result in enlargement and inflammation of veins and bleeding of the mucus lining. Piles are more common during pregnancy and in conditions affecting the liver and upper bowel. Prolonged periods of standing or sitting, strenuous work, obesity and general weakness of the tissues of the body are the other contributory causes of piles. Mental tension is also one of the main causes of harmorrioids. Persons who are always in a hurry often strain while passing stools. They rush through defecation instead of making it a relaxed affair. The pressure thus exerted by the anal muscles affect the surrounding tissues. The extra rectal pressure and the resultant congestion of veins ultimately leads to haemorrhoids. There is probably a hereditary factor also involved in the development of piles.
Treatment of Piles
The treatment of the basic cause, namely, chronic constipation, is the only way to get rid of the trouble. To begin with, the whole digestive tract must be given a complete rest for a few days and the intestines thoroughly cleansed. For this purpose the patient should adopt an all-fruit diet for at least seven days. After the all-fruit diet, the patient may adopt a diet of natural foods aimed at securing soft stools. The most important food remedy for piles is dry figs. Three or four figs should be soaked overnight in water after cleansing them thoroughly in hot water. They should be taken the first thing in the morning along with water in which they were soaked. They should also be taken in the evening in a similar manner. This treatment should be continued for three or four weeks. The tiny seeds of the fruit possess an excellent quality of stimulating peristalic movements of intestines. This facilitates easy evacuation of faeces and keeps the alimentary canal clean. The pressure on the anus having thus been relieved, the haemorrhoids also get contracted.
Mango seeds are regarded as an effective remedy for bleeding piles. The seeds should be collected during the mango season, dried in the shade and powdered and kept stored for use as medicine. It should be given in doses of about one and a half gram to two grams with or without honey. The jambul fruit is another effective food remedy for bleeding piles. The fruit should be taken with salt every morning for two or three months in its season. The use of the fruit in this manner in every season will effect a radical cure and save the user from bleeding piles during his / her
entire life. White radish is considered highly valuable in the treatment of piles. Grated radish mixed with honey may be taken in this condition. This vegetable can also be taken in the form of juice mixed with a pinch of salt. It should be given in doses of 60 to 90 ml. in the morning and evening. White radish well ground into a paste in milk can also be beneficial applied over inflammed pile masses to relieve pain and swelling. The patient should drink atleast six to eight glasses of water a day. He should avoid straining to pass a stool. Cold water treatment helps the veins to shrink and tones up their walls. The treatment is done by sitting in a tub filled with cold water for two minutes with knees drawn up to your chin. The water level should cover the hips. This should be done twice a day. Other water treatments beneficial in curing piles include cold perennial douche and cold compress applied to
the rectal area for an hour before bed time. A patient with piles must make an all out effort to tone up the entire system. Exercise plays an important corrective role in this condition. Movements which exercise the abdominal muscles will improve circulation in the rectal region and relieve congestion. Outdoor exercises such as
walking and swimming are excellent methods of building up general health. Yogic kriyas like jalneti and vamandhouti and asanas such as sarvangasana,viparit karani, halasana, gomukhasana are also useful. Sarvangasana is especially beneficial as it drains stagnant blood from the anus.

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Treat Cystitis

The term ‘Cystitis’ refers to ‘inflammation of the bladder’. It is a most common complaint in women. Escherichia coli infections are considered the primary culprit in cystitis. The female anatomy makes it more convenient for e.coli bacteria, which normally inhabit the colon., to travel from the rectum to the vagina, up the urethra and into the bladder. This condition is rarely dangerous but it is generally a forerunner to more serious troubles. The reoccurrence of cystitis may in some cases be associated with kidney troubles. The kidney and bladder are the principal strikers in the urinary system. The kidneys are situated on the back of the abdomen, one on each side of the spine at about the level of the lowest rib. The bladder is situated in the lower abdomen, in the pelvis. The body is relieved of the greater
part of the waste matter, resulting from the complex working of the whole body’s vital processes by means of these two organs.
Symptoms of Cystitis
Cystitis is characterised by symptoms which may cause great discomfort. The patient complains of frequency and burning on urination as well as an almost continual urge to void. There may be a feeling of pain in the pelvis and lower abdomen. The urine may become thick, dark and stingy. It may have an unpleasant smell and may contain blood or pus. The ‘scalding’ sensation on passing urine indicates that the inflammation has spread to the urethra. Some pain in the lower back may also be felt in certain cases. In an acute stage there may be a rise in body temperature. In the chronic form of cystitis, the symptoms are similar but generally less several and without the rise in temperature. The persistence of the chronic form of the disease indicates a process of deterioration, almost invariably due to wrong treatment of the acute form by suppressive drugs.
Cystitis Causes
Cystitis may result from infections in other parts adjacent to the bladder such as the kidneys, the urethra, and the vagina. Local irritation and inflammation of the bladder may be caused if urine is retained there for an unduly long time. It may also result from severe constipation. Continual draining of pus and germs from an infected kidney may injure the epithelial lining of the bladder. Trouble may also arise from the presence of a stone in either bladder or kidney. Childbirth injuries and major surgical procedures within the pelvis may also lower the resistance of the bladder-wall and predispose to the development of the cystitis. There is also the problem of new brides who sometimes suffer from so-called honeymoon cystitis. The bladder wall may become swollen and ulcerated so that the bladder cannot hold the normal amount of urine. Germs may then find their way into the bladder and bring about chemical changes in the urine. Calcium or lime may thus be deposited in the walls of the bladder, increasing the patient’s discomfort.
Cystitis Treatments
At the onset of acute cystitis, it is essential to withhold all solid food immediately. If there is fever, the patient should fast either on water or tender coconut water for three or four days. If there is no fever, raw vegetable juices, especially carrot juice diluted with water, should be taken every two or three hours. By so doing the biochemical energy needed for digestion and metabolism of
food is diverted to the process of eliminating toxins and promoting healing and repair. It is advisable to rest and keep warm at this time. Pain can be relieved by immersing the pelvis in hot water or alternatively by applying heat to the abdomen, using a towel wrung out in hot water, covering it with dry towel to retain warmth. Care should be taken to avoid scalding. A little vegetable oil gently rubbed into the skin , will avoid too much reddening. This treatment may be continued for three or four days, by which time the inflammation should have subsided and the temperature returned to normal. For the next two or three days, only ripe sub-acid fruits may be taken three or four times daily. These fruits may include grapes, pears, peaches,apples, and melon, as available. While the hot compresses are intended to relieve pain, the use of cold water compresses to the abdomen is most valuable, if correctly applied, in relieving pelvic congestion and increasing the
activity of the skin. Care should, however, be taken to ensure that compresses do not cause chilling. After the all-fruit diet, the patient may gradually embark upon a well-balanced diet, consisting of seeds, nuts and grains, vegetables and fruits. The patient should avoid refined carbohydrates and salt, both at table and in cooking. Salt disturbs the balance of electrolytes and tends to raise blood pressure, which is frequently already raised in kidney troubles. The prescribed dietary should exclude meat, fish and poultry. They produce uric acid. Most cases of food poisoning and infections, which may lead to gastritis and colitis, are also caused by the flesh foods. In case of chronic cystitis, the patient should commence the treatment of strict adherence to the dietary programme, designed to cleanse the blood and other tissues and at the same time provide a rich source of natural vitamins and minerals in balanced proportions. The patient may adopt the following restricted diet for seven to ten days.
Upon arising : A glass of unsweetened apple juice or carrot juice
Breakfast : Fresh fruits, selected mainly from apple, pear, grapes, melon, peach and pineapple and a glass of buttermilk, sweetened with a little honey.
Mid-morning : Tender coconut water.
Lunch : A salad of raw vegetables such as carrot, beetroot and cabbage, mixed with curd and a tablespoon of honey. This may be followed by a ripe apple.
Mid-afternoon : One cup of unsweetened grape juice.
Dinner : A salad of green leafy vegetables and a fresh fruit, preferably a portion of melon sweetened with a teaspoon of honey.
Before retiring : One glass of mixed raw carrot and beetroot juice.
After the restricted diet, the patient should gradually embark on a well-balanced diet , consisting of seed, nuts and grains, vegetables and fruits. Even after the recovery from the chronic condition, it will be advisable for the individual to live exclusively on vegetables or on tender coconut water or raw vegetable juices for a day or two, every month. The water treatment and other health building methods should , however, be continued to the greatest extent possible, so that the patient may stay cured.

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Inflammation of the Uterus

The uterus, often called the womb, is the most delicate organ of woman. It is liable to disorders of various kinds. Inflammation of the uterus is common occurrence in women. It may be acute or chronic. The uterus is a hollow, pear-shaped muscular organ, situated in a bonny frame called the pelvis. It is seven centimeter long,five cm. in breadth and about 2.5 cm. thick. Its capacity is roughly three cubic centimeters. The lower narrow end of the uterus which opens into the vagina is called the cervix. The upper broad part is called the body of the uterus or the corpus. The inflammation which may affect the lining membrane of the uterus is called endometritis. When it affects the muscular coat and substance of the uterus, it is termed metritis. Endometritis may be confined to the lining membrane of the cervix or neck of the uterus or it may attack the lining membrane of the entire organ. Commonly it is called catarrh of uterus.
Symptoms of endometriosis
The symptoms of acute endometriosis are slight fever, headache, general debility, loss of appetite, pain in the back and lower part of the abdomen and pelvis, and itching tendency in the vagina. In chronic endometriosis, symptoms are the same, but not so severe as in the acute form. The only troublesome symptom is the discharge which may be either clear or opaque and yellow. This disease may produce sterility. Chill, fever, rapid pulse and breathing, nausea, local pain and discharge are the symptoms of acute metritis. This is a very rare case, but it may occur after confinement on account of infection. Chronic metritis may occur for many reasons and is probably the most common diseases among women. The symptoms are disorders of menstruation, more or less profuse leucorrhoea, constipation, lack of vitality, weakness in the back and the limbs, pain in the lower portion of the back and a tendency to abortion.
Causes of Inflammation of the uterus
Inflammation of the uterus may be caused by sudden chill, or by exposure to cold during menstruation. The disease sometimes occurs because of the medicines applied for the purpose of stimulating the menstrual flow. Other causes are the use of irritants to produce abortion, the use of strong purgatives, the insertion of instruments and preventives, and excessive sexual indulgence. Sometimes bicycle riding, hose back riding and dancing may also cause inflammation of the uterus among weak and underweight women. The displacement of the uterus in any form may also lead to this condition.
Treatment of Inflammation of the uterus
If the inflammation is caused by a chill or exposure to cold during menstruation, the patient should start the treatment with a hot leg bath. This may be replaced by hot hip bath after two or three days. In case of pain, hot and cold hip baths will be beneficial. The water should be changed from hot to cold, every two minutes and this should be repeated thrice.As this disease produces the tendency towards constipation, the patient should take an enema once daily with warm water as can be comfortably borne by the patient. It is also advisable to apply alternate compress on the abdomen just before employing enema. In the chronic form the treatment should aim at increasing the general vitality. To begin with, the patient should resort to fasting on orange juice and water for two or three days. The procedure is to take every two hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. the juice of an orange diluted with warm water on 50 : 50 basis. If the orange juice does not agree, juices of vegetable such as carrots and cucumber may be taken. A warm water enema may be taken each day while fasting to cleanse the bowels. After the short juice fast, the patient may adopt an all-fruit diet for about two days, taking three meals a day of fresh juicy fruits such as apples, pears, grapes, grapefruit, orange, pineapple peaches and melon. After the juice fast the patient should follow a well- balanced diet of seeds, nuts, and grains, vegetables and fruits. This diet should be supplemented with milk, yogurt, butter-milk, vegetable oil and honey. A further short juice fast or periods on the all-fruit diet may be necessary at intervals of a month or two, according to the needs of the case. If constipation is habitual, all steps should be taken for its eradication.The foods which should be avoided are : white flour products, sugar, confectionery, rich cakes, pastries, sweets, refined cereals, flesh foods, rich, heavy and greasy foods, tinned or preserved foods, pickles, condiments, and sauces. The patient should also undertake moderate exercise and walking in fresh air as it will help increase general health and vitality. Yogic asanas such as sarvangasana, bhujangasana, uttanasana, and shavasana are also beneficial in the treatment of inflammation of the uterus. No real cure is possible unless the system as a whole is treated. The blood has to be purified, the nerves strengthened and the waste deposits accumulated in the system eliminated before the trouble can be completely overcome.

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Leucorrhoea

Leucorrhoea, commonly known as whites, refers to a whitish discharge from the female genitals. It is an abnormal condition of the reproductive organs of women. If not treated properly in the initial stages, it may become chronic. Recent investigations have shown that secretions from the uterus and upper part of the vagina flow down and are reabsorbed in the lower parts of the vagina. This is the normal constant flow within the female organs. The whitish discharge is, however, caused by the presence of infection in any of these tissues and a variety of other factors . The condition may continue for weeks or months at a time.
Leucorrhoea Symptoms
In addition to the whitish discharge from the vagina, the patient feels weak and tired. She also suffers from pain in the lumbar region and the calves and a dragging sensation in the abdomen. Other symptoms are constipation, frequent headaches and intense itching. In the chronic form, the patient feels irritable and develops black patches under the eyes.
Leucorrhoea Causes
Leucorrhoea does not develop suddenly in an acute form. It denotes a devitalised and toxic condition of the system generally. The condition also involves one or many parts of the reproductive organs. Whenever the body is loaded with toxins due to wrong dietary habits and the eliminative organs such as skin, bowels, lungs, and kidneys are unable to eliminate the toxins, the body produces a profuse discharge or elimination through the mucous membrane of the uterus and vagina in the form of leucorrhoea. In the case of advanced, chronic inflammatory conditions of these organs, it leads to discharge with pus, offensive in odour and colour varying from cream to yellow or light green. In young girls, leucorrhoeamay occur during the few years before and after the start of the menstrual flow . It may be due to an irritation of the genital organs caused by various factors such as dirt, soiled under garments, intestinal worms and excessive mental stimulation of sex or masturbation. Some excess secretion is normal when the girl reaches puberty, due to overactivity in her sex glands and organs. This usually disappears within a short time. In your women, leucorrhoea may occur during intermenstrual periods, due to thickening of the mucous membrane in the reproductive organs. Such a discharge is associated with painful menstruation and other menstrual disorders. In mature women, a profuse yellowish discharge, associated with burning on urination, may be caused by gonorrhoea. This is a serious infection which should be treated promptly. During the child-bearing years, from adolescence to the mid-forties, the infection may sometimes follow the birth of a child due to damage of the cervix during delivery. This is increased by prolonged ill-health, anxiety, neurosis, sedentary occupation and standing for long periods. If not treated properly, this infection may continue for months or even years and may spread to other areas of the genital tract. Leucorrhoea may also result from a chill. A chill causes inflammation of the womb and vaginal membranes. Other common causes are the displacement of the womb and unhygienic conditions which attract bacteria to the geniral organs.
The Leucorrhoea Cure
A total health-building scheme is essential for the removal of the systemic toxicity which is primarily responsible for the disease. Such a scheme should consist of correct dietary habits, proper sleep, exercise, fresh air and sunshine. To begin with, the patient should fast for three or four days on lemon water or fruit juices for the elimination of the morbid matte from the body. During this period the bowel should be cleansed daily with a warm water enema. In case of habitual constipation, steps should be taken for its eradication. After a short fast, the patient may adopt an all fruit-diet for about a week. In this regimen , she should have three meals a day of fresh juicy fruits such as apples, pears, grapes, grapefruit, oranges, pineapple and peaches. If the patient is suffering from anaemia, or is very much
underweight, the diet may consist of fruits and milk. The patient may then gradually embark upon a well-balanced diet consisting of three basic food groups namely (i) seeds, nuts and grains, (ii) fruits and (iii) vegetables. Fresh fruits or fruit juices only should be taken between meals. All forms of white four, white sugar, fried and greasy foods, condiments, preserves, tea and coffee should be avoided.
An effective home remedy for leucorrhoea is lady’s finger. A decoction of this vegetable is prepared by boiling of 100 grams of the fresh capsules, cut transversely, in half a litre of water for 20 minutes and then strained sweetened. This decoction, given in doses of two or three ounces frequently, is highly beneficial in all irritable conditions of genito-urinary organs including leucorrhoea. Fenugreek seeds are another excellent home remedy for leucorrhoea. They should be taken internally in the form of tea and also used as a douche. For a douche, the solution should be much stronger than tea. Two tablespoonful of fenugreek seeds should be put in a litre of cold water and allowed to simmer for half an hour over a low flame. It should then be strained and used as a douche. Treatment through water is extremely beneficial in curing leucorrhoea. A cold hip bath twice a day for 10 minutes will help relieve congestion in the pelvic region and facilitate quick elimination of morbid matter. A warm vaginal douche at 30 o to 40 o C is beneficial to general cleansing and elimination of the purulent discharge. The procedure is to fill the douche can with 1 1/2 litre of warm water and hang it at a level of three feet above the body. The patient should lie with the hips slightly raised above the body and a special nozzle applied for this purpose should be oiled and inserted slowly into the vagina. The flow can be regulated by the small value at the nozzle. In severe cases of leucorrhoea, the douche should be done daily. The passive inflammation of the affected organs can be cured by regular hot hip baths at 40 o C or 10 minutes and regular use of wet girdle pack for 90 minutes every night. For a hot hip bath an ordinary bath tub may be used. It should be filled with water at 40 o C. The patient should sit in the tub, keeping the legs outside, after taking a glass of cold water. The head should be covered with a wet cloth. A cold water bath should be taken after this treatment. For the wet girdle pack, a thin cotton underwear and another thick or woolen underwear are required. The thin underwear should be wrung in cold water and worn by the patient. The thick dry underwear should be worn above the wet underwear. If the patient feels chill, she should be covered with a blanket. Yogasanas, especially those which improve muscles of the abdomen and uterus are highly beneficial and should be practised regularly. These asanas are paschimottanasana, sarvagasana, halasana, padmasana, bhujansana, and shalabhasana. The patient should completely relax and should avoid mental tension and worry. Abdominal exercises and walking are also helpful.

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