Dementia has become a common condition that affects over 800,000 people in the UK, and is increasing annually. It is associated with ageing, although many more people under 65 years are now contracting the disease. Dementia involves the loss of many mental functions, including memory loss, speed of thinking and recall, mental agility, use of language, comprehension, understanding and judgement. Those suffering from dementia are known to become increasingly apathetic, depressed, changeable in mood, lose interest in people and socialising, and subject to quite radical personality change.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia.
Conventional Medical Treatment
NHS Choices says this about the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
“There is currently no cure for Alzheimer's disease, although medication is available that can temporarily reduce some symptoms or slow down the progression of the condition in some people”.
It deals largely with ‘care plans’, ‘palliative treatment’, ’supportive measures’, and treatments such as cognitive behavioural therapy to reduce depression. However, it mentions four drugs.
These drugs are named as Donepezil (Aricept), galantamine (Reminyl) and rivastigmine Exelon (known as AChE inhibitors) can be prescribed for people with early to mid-stage Alzheimer's disease. When describing these drugs, NHS Choices described their action as follows:
“A number of medications may be prescribed for Alzheimer's disease to help temporarily improve some symptoms and slow down the progression of the condition” (My emphasis).
Most websites do not describe or suggest that these drug have anything but a very minor affect on dementia, or the progress of dementia.
However, in November 2006, NICE ruled these three Alzheimer’s drugs should not be used for new Alzheimer’s patients as they were not good value for money. They are expensive, and have little effect on the disease. NICE said that they should be allowed only for patients with moderate levels of the disease. The drug companies, and some patient support groups supported by the drug companies, put enormous pressure on government ministers to reverse the decision (the drug companies apparently threatened to remove their factories and R&D facilities from Britain). So the decision about the drugs was overturned. (For more information on this event go to this link).
The side effects of these drugs are many and serious. They include
- Diarrhoea
- Headache
- Insomnia
- Nausea and vomiting
- Indigestion
- Swelling of face, lips, tongue, throat
- Breathing problems
- Abdominal pain
- Lack of appetite
- Hives
- Yellowed skin
- Dizziness
- Slow heartbeat
- Sudden or substantial weight loss
- Weakness
Memantine may be prescribed for people with mid-stage disease who cannot take AChE inhibitors, or for those with late-stage disease. The drug has an enormous amount of side effects, listed here as follows:
- Anxiety
- back pain
- bladder pain
- Bloating or swelling of the face, arms, hands, lower legs, or feet
- blurred vision
- bloody or cloudy urine
- Burning feeling in the chest or stomach
- burning, numbness, pain, or tingling in all fingers except smallest finger
- change in walking and balance
- chills
- clumsiness or unsteadiness
- cough producing mucus
- coughing
- diarrhoea
- difficult, burning, or painful urination
- difficulty with breathing
- difficulty with moving
- difficulty with swallowing
- discouragement
- dizziness
- dry mouth
- headache
- nervousness, agitation
- pounding in the ears
- rapid weight gain
- slow or fast heartbeat
- tingling of the hands or feet
- unusual weight gain or loss
- Abdominal or stomach pain
- black, tarry stools
- bleeding gums
- blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin
- blood in the urine or stools, dark coloured urine, decreased urine outpu
- chest pain
- coma
- cold sweats
- cool pale skin
- Confusion!
- constipation
- continuing vomiting
- convulsions
- dark-coloured urine
- decreased interest in sexual intercourse
- depression
- fainting
- fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat or pulse
- fear
- feeling sad or empty
- fever
- frequent urge to urinate
- general feeling of discomfort, illness, tiredness, weakness
- heartburn
- High fever
- High of low blood pressure
- hyperventilation
- inability to have or keep an erection
- increased hunger
- increased sweating
- indigestion
- infection from breathing foreign substances into the lungs
- insomnia
- irritability
- joint pain
- hostility
- itching
- large amounts of fat in the blood
- lethargy
- light coloured stools
- lip smacking or puckering
- loss of appetite
- loss of bladder control
- loss of interest or pleasure
- loss of consciousness
- loss in sexual ability, desire, drive, or performance
- muscle twitching
- lower back or side pain
- muscle pain or stiffness
- nausea
- nervousness
- nightmares
- no breathing
- no pulse
- numbness or tingling in the face, arms, or legs
- pain in the stomach, side, or abdomen, possibly radiating to the back
- pain in the joints
- pain or swelling in the arms or legs without any injury
- pain, tension, and weakness upon walking that subsides during periods of rest
- pinpoint red spots on the skin
- pounding, slow heartbeat
- puffing of the cheeks
- rapid or worm-like movements of the tongue
- rapid weight gain
- recurrent fainting
- red irritated eyes
- red skin lesions, often with a purple centre
- restlessness
- seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there
- shortness of breath
- sleepiness or unusual drowsiness
- seizures
- severe constipation
- severe headache
- severe muscle stiffness
- severe vomiting
- shakiness
- slurred speech
- stomach cramps
- stomach upset
- sore throat
- sores, ulcers, or white spots in the mouth or on the lips
- stupor
- sudden severe weakness
- swelling of the face, ankles, or hands
- tenderness in the stomach area
- tightness in the chest
- tiredness
- trouble with concentrating
- trouble with sleeping
- total body jerking
- trouble with speaking or walking
- troubled breathing
- twitching, twisting, uncontrolled repetitive movements of tongue, lips, face, arms, or legs
- uncontrolled chewing movements
- unusual bleeding or bruising
- unusual tiredness or weakness
- unusually pale skin
- vomitin
- watery or bloody diarrhoe
- wheezin
- yellow eyes and skin
Anyone suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, or any form of dementia, should realise that when the conventional medical establishment says there is ‘no treatment’ for a disease, it means that there is no conventional treatment for the disease. It also means that it does not want people to know that there are other forms of treatment available.
Important Note.
Homeopathy does not treat illness or diseases. It treats the individual who has been diagnosed with a particular illness or disease. The distinction is important, and if you wish to read more about this, click on the chapter “Illness Diagnosis” above.
The homeopathic treatment of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, is based on an understanding of the causes of this new disease, which implicates factors such as mercury and aluminium pollution, pesticides, and most particularly, conventional pharmaceutical drugs. (Go to this link for further information).
Therefore, it is an individualised process, and a homeopath should be consulted. But there are remedies that are known to be particularly effective in the treatment of this disease. These remedy descriptions come mainly from the Hpathy website.
Alumina
An excellent remedy for those who are depressed and afraid of losing their minds. They become confused with their identities and experience rapidly changing moods. Patients are often chilly, constipated, and very hurried in their actions and movements.
Baryta Carb
Helps those who have regressed back to childish behavior. They may be fearful, timid and shy and lack confidence. There is loss of memory and some patients may suffer from chronic glandular disorders.
Calcaria Carb
Complete lack of development of brain and other organs with forgetfulness. Slowness and inability to acquire knowledge.
Chamomilla
Sensitiveness; irritability, peevishness; very easily angered and suffers profoundly as a result thereof.
Ignatia
Extreme mental sensitiveness due to grief, disappointment in love affairs.
Lycopodium
Great depression of spirits; despondent; worried about his salvation; about being able to perform his duties; about passing in examination, fretful, irritable, morose, very vehement and angry. Constipation, eructations of sour food.
Mercurius
Complete loss of all sense of decency; filthy in body with groveling mentality; great weakness of memory; impaired vision; foul breath; heavy coated tongue.
Natrum Sulph
Can often bring relief to those who are fixated with and dwell on past hurts and unpleasant events. They may feel sad and lonely, be filled with self-pity, or be unable to express the love they feel for others. These people often have headaches and painful joints.
Nux Vom
Often angry, quarrelsome, irritable, disposition to find fault with everything and every body. Extreme sensitiveness to the words and attention of others, easily hurt, can be insensitive to other’s feelings. May want to commit suicide but is too cowardly to do so; very irritable, quarrelsome, vindictive.
Staphisagria
Sleeplessness. Coward with shamefulness, disgust, humiliation, despair, shyness with desire for solitude
Terentula His
Rages over something and throws whatever in hand and whatever he could reach. On slightest contradiction or objection he will hit the person with whatever he can get hold of.
Randomised Controlled Tests (RCTs) on Homeopathic Remedies
There have been studies suggesting that the progress of Alzheimer’s disease can be slowed by homeopathic treatment. These studies have been discussed here. It concludes that a Homeopath should be consulted in the treatment of Alzheimer’s.
This concludes with the following statement:
“All studies have confirmed our earlier observations: this medication has proven to enhance the learning and memory performance significantly in a dose-dependent fashion”, says Dr. Bernd Seilheimer from Heel. “It showed at least as effective as the Gold Standard at all tested behavioural models. In addition, it is very well-tolerated. No negative side-effects could be documented with the natural preparation. Following the new paradigm, multi-target preparations could become a natural alternative to conventional preparations for treating complex diseases such as Alzheimer’s.”
The information on this webpage represents the views and opinion of the author, based on his clinical experience, and the traditions of Homeopathy. This material is provided for information only, and should not be construed as medical advice or instruction. Always consult with a suitably qualified and registered Homeopath, or with a medical doctor for advice about the treatment they offer, especially in serious or life threatening medical conditions, or if you are already taking medical drugs.’
