Alternative Medicine for Bipolar Disorder |
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Posted Date: 6/30/2009 |
Blog by: poost |
Viewed: 247
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Category: Mental Health Disorders » Bipolar Disorder |
General medicine has always played an important role in the treatment of all the psychiatric disorders but hidden from our eyes are other medical interventions which have been used for the treatment of psychiatric disorders for centuries. These are the field of alternative medicine.
The general population is more understandable and comfortable with this field as they are used as a tradition and their efficacy a great deal more than is generally propagated. Lithium salts are and have always remained the mainstay of alternative medicine. These are lithium carbonate and lithium citrate. It is used for the prophylaxis in person with repeated episodes of bipolar illness. It is rapidly absorbed into gastrointestinal tract and excreted by the kidneys and body fluids. Lithium acts as a mood stabilizing drug that prevents mania more than depression. It reduces the frequency and severity of relapses. The mode of action is unknown but it is known to act on the serotoninergic system. Poor responses to lithium are associated with a negative family history, an unstable premorbid personality and a rapid cycling illness. Patients should be screened for thyroid and renal disease before starting on lithium. As lithium interferes with thyroid functions and can produce frank hypothyroidsm. Long term treatment with lithium can cause two renal problems. These are nephrogenic diabetes inspidus and reduced creatinine clearance. Lithium levels thus should be checked every three months along with thyroid and renal function tests. Patients should carry a Lithium with them all the time. Other side-effects of lithium are nauseas, diarrhea, a fine tremor, polyuria, polydipsia, what gain increased appetite lithium toxicity is recognized when there are symptoms like drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, coarse tremor and ataxia. Toxicity is more likely when the patient is dehydrated or with a drug interaction. Such symptoms progress to delirium, convulsions, coma and death.
As a rule, lithium salts are not advised during pregnancy especially in the first trimester because of an increased risk of fetal malformation. Women with history of bipolar disorder relapse within two weeks of delivery. Restarting lithium within 24 hours of delivery markedly reduces the risk of relapse.
Then coming to the Chinese herbs. This line of alternative medicine is centuries old and comes from the extract of pure experience and natural ingredients. Chinese herbs are for this reason is successful. There are also less and almost none side effects. The most important Chinese herb that is advocated in the treatment of bipolar disorder is Ginseng. Ginseng has a very strong anti oxidant effect on the brain and is considered to be a very good brain tonic. It has been seen to decrease the severity of the bipolar disorder. Chinese herbs other than Ginseng are also thought to maintain homeostasis especially in brain but all of these are under trail and nothing can be specifically said bout them. They have shown to improve the outcome but there have been no studies on their side effects if any. However, we can say that the general population has benefited from them.
Now coming to the most important alternative medicine field that is homeopathy. Among the homeopathic drugs that have been advocated from the treatment of bipolar illness are the ones that contain Cactus extracts. Cactus is also said to have antioxidant effects on the nervous system and also helps to stabilize the mood. Acupuncture is another field that is used for treatment of bipolar but no significant evidence has been put forward showing its efficiency in improving the outcome.
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