Holistic Harmony: A Homoeopathic Perspective on Amenorrhea

Dr Lakshay

Abstract
The term amenorrhea is defined as the absence of menstruation, missing one or more menstrual periods. This complaint is very commonly presented by females of reproductive age groups for different gynecological disorders. It is classified majorly according to its onset, primary and secondary, physiological or pathological. Homoeopathy with its wide scope and potential is able to treat amenorrhea according to its causation, and giving better quality of life by relieving in signs and symptoms.¹

KEY WORDS: AMENORRHEA, MENSES, HOMEOEPATHY

INTRODUCTION
Absence of menses or amenorrhea is a symptom which is most commonly presented by females of reproductive age group. It can be physiological or my de due to more complex disorders of female reproductive system. Another classification is according to its onset, which is primary or secondary.

Primary: absence of menses by the age 14 (in absence of secondary sexual characters) and by age of 16 (in presence of secondary sexual characters).

Secondary: if the duration of amenorrhea is 6 months or more, in reproductive age females who were having their normal menstrual periods.¹

CAUSES

• PHYSIOLOGICAL AMENORRHEA
• Pregnancy
• Breastfeeding
• Menopause

MEDICATIONS

• Antipsychotics
• Chemotherapy medications
• Antidepressants
• Anti hypertensives
• Anti allergic medications
• Contraceptives

OUTFLOW TRACT ABNORMALITIES ²

• Mullerian agenesis
• Complete androgen insensitivity syndrome
• Intrauterine synechiae
• Imperforate hymen
• Transverse vaginal septum
• Cervical agenesis or stenosis
• Vaginal agenesis
• Congenital endometrial hypoplasia or aplasia

HYPOTHALAMIC AND PITUITARY ETIOLOGIES³

• Constitutional delay of growth and puberty
• Functional hypothalamic amenorrhea
• Prolactinoma or other hormone-secreting pituitary tumors
• Kallman syndrome
• Pituitary infarction or necrosis
• Autoimmune disease
• Empty Sella syndrome

OVARIAN ETIOLOGIES³

• Primary ovarian insufficiency
• Gonadal dysgenesis
• Autoimmune disease
• Aromatase deficiency, 17α-hydroxylase deficiency

OTHER ENDOCRINE ABNORMALITIES³

• PCOS or other causes of hyperandrogenism (Cushing syndrome)
• Hormonally active ovarian or adrenal tumors
• Thyroid disease
• Uncontrolled diabetes

LIFESTYLE FACTORS

• Low body weight.
• Excessive exercise

INVESTIGATIONS

• Pregnancy test.
• Thyroid function test.
• Ovary function test
• Prolactin test.
• Male hormone test
• Hormone challenge test
• Radiological Imaging tests:
• Sonography
• Magnetic resonance imaging

COMPLICATIONS

• Infertility and problems with pregnancy
• Psychological stress
• Osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease
• Pelvic pain

SPECIAL POINTS TO BE CONSIDERED WHILE TAKING HISTORY IN CASES OF AMENORRHEA³

• History of sexual and pregnancy symptoms (eg, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and breast tenderness)
• Lifestyle factors (e.g., restrictive diets, vigorous exercising, negative attitudes about weight gain, and the presence of stress factors.)
• Galactorrhea or medications use associated with it (e.g., antipsychotics, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and opiates)
• Changes in vision, anosmia, headache, or other neurologic deficits suggestive of an intracranial process.
• Vasomotor and other estrogen symptoms (e.g., hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, dyspareunia, mood swings, or sleep disturbances)
• Cyclical pelvic pain or history of endometrial or cervical procedure indicating possible outflow tract obstruction
• Symptoms of androgen excess (e.g., male-pattern hair growth or hair loss, acne)
• History of metabolic or endocrine disease, such as insulin resistance, obesity, hypertension, thyroid or adrenal disease
• Autoimmune sufferings (e.g., thyroid enlargement, palpitations, weight changes, energy, bowel habits, skin, hair, or nails) or symptoms of other chronic ailments (e.g., GI distress, weight loss, or joint pain)
• Uncontrolled diabetes symptoms (e.g., polyuria and polydipsia)

HOMOEOPATHIC APPROACH
Homoeopathy with its unique idea of individualization and practical applicability of law of similia, treats the person as a whole, addressing the underlying mental, physical and misamatic factors which contribute for development of disease.

Dr. Samuel Hahnemann addressed in his organon of medicine that female disorders primarily be treated through individualized approach, using totality of symptoms. He instructed physicians to thoroughly check for problems related to menstruation, pregnancy, lactation in aphorism no 94 of organon of medicine.⁴

THE RUBRICS REGARDING AMENORRHEA FROM DIFFERENT REPERTORIES ARE AS FOLLOWS:
Boericke Repertory – Amenorrhoea – Acon, Apis, Calc-c, Caul, Cim, Cycl, Euphras, Ferr m, Ferr.red, Glon, Graph, Helleb, Helon, Kali c, Kali perm, Merc per, Nat m, Plat, Polyg, Puls, Senec, Sep, Sul, Xanth.⁵

BBCR Repertory – Amenorrhoea – Apis, Bry, Chin, Cimic, Dulc, Graph, Helo, Kali-c, Nat m, Phos, PULS, SENEC, Sulph.⁶

Clark Repertory – Amenorrhoea – Aln, Ars, Aur, Bry, Caul, Dam, Eupi, Ferr-I, Gast, Goss, Graph, Guaj, Hedeo, Hell, Helon, Indg, Kali-c, Kali p, Kreos, Linu-c, Lob, Marct, Ol- j, Ovi p, Parth, Pin-l, Plat, Podo, Polyg-h, Puls, Pula-n, Rhod, Rhus-t, Sanic, Senec, Sep, Sin-n, Sulph, Tanac, Tep, Thyroiod, Verat, Verat-v, Wies, Wye.⁷

Kent Repertory – Amenorrhoea – Acon, Am-c, Ant-c, Apis, Apos, Ars, Ars-I, AUR, Bar-c, Bell, Borx, Bry, Calc, CARBN- S, Caul, Caust, Cham, Chin, Cocc, Coll, Coloc, CON, Cupr, Cycl, Dros, DULC, FERR, Ferr-ar, FERR-I, Ferr-p, Goss, GRAPH, Guaj, Ham, Hell, Hyos, Ign, Iod, Kali-ar, KALI-C, Kali-n, Kali-p, Lach, LYC, Mag-c, Mag-m, Merc, Nat-m, Nux-m, Nux-v, Phos, Plat, PULS, Rhus-t, Sabad, SENEC, SEP, SIL, Staph, SULPH, TUB, Valer, Zinc.⁸

Murphy Repertory –Amenorrhoea – Acon, Am-c, Anac, Ant-c, Apis, Apoc, Ars, Ars-i, AUR, Bar-c, Bell, Bor, Bry, Calc, CARBN-S, Caul, Caust, Cham, Chin, Cimic, Coca, Cocc, Colch, Coll, Coloc, CON, Cupr, Cycl, Cypr, Dros, DULC, FERR, Ferr-ar, FERR-I, Ferr-m, Ferr-p, Glon, Goss, GRAPH, Guai, Ham, Hell, Helon, Hyos, IGN, Iod, Kali-ar, KALI-C, Kali m, Kali n, Kali p, Lach, LYC, Mag-c, Mag-m, Merc, Merl, Nat m, Nux m, Nvx v, Ol-j, Phos, Phyt, Plat, Polyg, PULS, Rhus t, Sabad, SENEC, SEP, SIL, Sin-n, Staph, SULPH, Thuj, TUB, Valer, Vib, Zinc.⁹

 HOMOEOPATHIC THERAPEUTICS

Aconitum Napellus – Amenorrhoea during puberty. Suppressed menses from fright, cold. Menses too protracted, late. Frenzy, fury on appearance of menses.¹⁰

Actea racemosa- amenorrhea with ovarian disorders, with hysteria or mental diseases. Pain in ovarian region shooting upward.

Apis Mellifica – Amenorrhea in young females during puberty. Menses suppressed with mental and symptoms like headache, especially in young girls. Hysterical girls at puberty.¹⁰

Gossypium- suited to tall, anaemic female patients. Amenorrhea with sensation as if flow is about to start, but does not do so

Graphites – Menses too late, with constipation; pale and scanty, with tearing pan in epigastrium, and itching before. Menses scanty, pale, irregular, painful.¹⁰

Ignatia Amara – Amenorrhoea, suppressed menses from grief, sighing before menses. Constant burning heat in vagina worse before menses.¹⁰

Kali Carbonicum – Amenorrhoea with backache. Difficult first menses. Menses delayed in young girls with chest symptoms & ascites. Suppressed menses with anasarca or ascites.¹⁰

Natrium Muriaticum – Delayed first menses, amenorrhoea. Suppressed menses from grief, from putting feet in cold water. Menses irregular usually profuse. Hot during menses, Menses painful from getting feet wet.¹⁰

Pulatilla – Amenorrhoea, from wet feet, nervous debility, anemia or chlorosis. Menses delayed at puberty. Suppressed menses. Dark, thick menses. Menses too late, scanty after bathing. Menses clotted, changeable flow more during day while walking about menses intermittent, irregular, or vicarious, Tardy menses, bearing down pain, worse lying.¹⁰

Senecio aureus- functional amenorrhea in young girls with backache and dropsical conditions. Feels like menses would appear but they fail.

Sepia – Menses too late & scanty, irregular, early and profuse, sharp clutching pains. Violent stitches upward in the vagina from uterus to umbilicus.¹⁰

Sulphur – Amenorrhoea, Suppression of menses from excitement. Menses preceded by headache or suddenly stopped. Menses too late, short, scanty & difficult, thick, black, acrid, making parts sore.¹⁰

 REFERENCES

1. Howkins & Bourne: Shaw’s Textbook of Gynaecology, 18th Edition – E-Book [Internet]. Google Books. 2022 [cited 2026 Mar 21]. Available from: https://books.google.co.in/books?id=dM-TEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA118&source=gbs_toc_r&cad=2#v=onepage&q&f=false
2. Klein DA, Paradise SL, Reeder RM. Amenorrhea: A Systematic Approach to Diagnosis and Management. Am Fam Physician. 2019 Jul 01;100(1):39-48. [PubMed]
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5. Boericke W. New manual of homoeopathic materia medica and repertory. New Delhi: Kuldeep Jain For B. Jain Publishers; 2003.
6. Boger CM. Boenninghausen’s Characteristics Materia Medica & Repertory with Word Index. B. Jain Publishers; 2002. 7. 1.
7. John Henry Clarke. Clinical repertory to the dictonary of materia medica. B Jain Publishers Pvt Ltd; 2011.
8. Kent JT, Clara Louise Kent. Repertory of the homoeopathic materia medica. Noida: B. Jain Publishers (P) Ltd; 2016.
9. Murphy R. Homeopathic medical repertory : a modern alphabetical and practical repertory. New Deli: B. Jain; 2010.
10. Sinha DrSonal. Amenorrhea: Types, causes, Diagnosis, Symptoms, and treatment in homeopathy [Internet]. homeopathy360. 2020 [cited 2026 Mar 21]. Available from: https://www.homeopathy360.com/amenorrhea-types-causes-diagnosis-symptoms-and-treatment-in-homeopathy

Dr LAKSHAY
Email : kumarlakshay328@gmail.com‌