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Feminine
Zone
Spot
Light: Leucorrhoea (Sweta Pradara)
Leucorrhoea
or whites is a condition in which there is a whitish discharge from
the vagina. It may be thick and viscid, and foul smelling if it
is caused by some infection.
There
are two types of Leucorrhoea, physiological and pathological. In
physiological Leucorrhoea, the discharge is normal due to excitement
or other factors like nervousness. Such a discharge need not be
worried about. It is found under following conditions:
- Seen
in newborn baby for a week due to maternal oestrogen.
- Seen
in girls during puberty due to hormonal changes.
- At
the time of ovulation and in early pregnancy.
- During
sexual excitement.
In
pathological Leucorrhoea the causes are:
- General
ill health and under nutrition.
- Dysfunctional
state in genital tract.
- Psychological
factors.
Causes
In
addition to infection, some hormonal and metabolical disorders are
also responsible for the condition.
Ayurveda considers that leucorrhoea is caused by the vitiation of
kapha; it occurs commonly among weak and anaemic women. It can also
be due to the inflammation of the womb following childbirth, displacement
of the uterus, or gonorrhoea. Among young females, it may be due
to threadworms, as the result of general debility combined with
lack of cleanliness or infections. Leucorrhoea may also occur during
the menstrual periods in young women, due to the thickening of the
mucus membrane in the reproductive organs. During the child bearing
years from adolescence to the mid-forties, infection may sometimes
follow birth of a child due to damage of the cervix during the delivery
of the baby.
Symptoms
The
discharge is often white. Flow may stiffen the linen or simply leave
back a trace of white powder or scales.
In most cases discharge emanates from the uterine cavity or vagina.
In catarrhal or idiopathic variety of leucorrhoea the discharge
is in mild and liquid form. The discharge from the uterus is often
from uterine cavity. In certain ladies leucorrhoea discharge sets
in even 8-10 days before anticipated period of menses and stops
as soon as menses appear but in others, it may start when menses
are over.
In addition to the whitish discharge from the vaginal tract, there
is weakness as well as pain in the lumbar region and the calves.
A burning sensation may be present along with constipation. There
appears to be a direct relationship of this disease with a nervous
temperament. The patient develops black patches under the eyes.
Late nights precipitate the attack.
Home
remedies
A
proper diagnosis of the disease must be made and the cause removed.
In addition to the medicine prescribed below, a regular douching
of the genital tract with the decoction of the bark of the banyan
tree or the fig tree is very helpful. A tablespoon of each of the
powders of the barks of the two trees should be boiled in a litre
of water till it is reduced to about half. Douching with the lukewarm
decoction keeps the vaginal tract healthy and clean.
Coriander(dhania)
seeds: A home remedy used in this condition is to soak about
ten Gms of dry Coriander(dhania) in 100 ml of water overnight, and
to drink the water in the early morning. It gives relief in seven
to eight days in most cases.
Fenugreek
seeds: Fenugreek seeds are valuable in leucorrhoea. They should
be taken internally in the form of tea and also used as a douche.
As a douche, the solution should be much stronger than tea. Two
tablespoons of fenugreek seeds should be put in a litre of cold
water and allowed to simmer for half an hour over a low flame. The
decoction should then be strained and use as a douche. ls.
Ayurvedic
Cure
Diet
Fried
and spicy foods are to be avoided. The patient should be encouraged
to chew Betel nut (supari) after meals: it has a curative effect
and also prevents the development of the disease.
Other
measures
A
cold hip bath taken twice a day for ten minutes at a time, will
help relieve congestion in the pelvic region and facilitate quick
elimination of morbid matter.
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