Facial paralysis: A self-healing condition

An article by
Dr Asghar Ali Shah
Homeopathic Physician
Published in The News International on December 31, 2012

Bell’s palsy is often known as a facial paralysis. It portrays weakness of facial muscles on one side. The name Bell’s palsy comes from Sir Charles Bell who first detailed a condition that causes paralysis of the facial muscle.

Bell’s palsy occurrence is very common. It affects about 1 in 5,000 both men and women in a year. It usually affects adults and pregnant women and people with diabetes are more vulnerable. The symptoms include drooping eyelid or corner of the mouth, drooling, dry eye or mouth, impairment of taste, excessive tearing in the eye, numbness in the affected side and speech problems.

Bell’s palsy is almost a self-healing condition and patients make a complete recovery, with or without treatment, from a few weeks to a few months.

According to medical experts around 3 in 10 people with Bell’s palsy continue to experience weakness in their facial muscles, and very few are left with a serious long-term problem. Doctors’ records suggest that a viral infection, such as viral meningitis or the common cold virus, causes inflammation and damages the nerve which controls the facial muscles.

People who had chickenpox or cold sores during their childhood continue having that virus hidden in their bodies. A few viruses remain inactive in the nerve-roots for many months or years.

When body’s immune system gets weaker these viruses are re-activated, begin to mount up and cause inflammation around the facial nerve. Because it is swollen, the nerve gets compressed as it passes through a small hole at the base of the skull that causes Bell’s palsy.

Some studies suggest that it is not a farfetched idea to suggest that the variants of the herpes virus may also be the precise cause of Bell’s palsy.

Doctors differ on which therapy works better i.e. steroids, antiviral, or a combination of the two. After the clinical trials a consensus emerged among experts that administering steroids, specifically prednisolone, worked best.

It’s a known fact that all steroids have potential side effects such as stomach pain, high blood pressure, increased appetite, weight gain, acne, insomnia, mood swings, muscle weakness, fluid retention, hyperglycemia, swelling of the face, back of neck or ankles. Steroids also reduce the immunity to infections.

Homeopathic treatment for Bell’s palsy is strongly suggested for rapid recovery and antiviral activity. It hits the prime target towards healing of nerve damage. Homeopathic remedies aim to stimulate the body’s own healing mechanism rather than merely suppressing the disease.

In allopathic system of medicine steroids are given to all patients of facial paralysis but homeopathy individualizes each and every case on the basis of peculiar symptoms.

For example if a patient’s one side of face has become paralyzed with exposure to cold air or wind his curative homeopathic medicine would be Causticum in an appropriate potency. Another patient whose muscles on one side of the face are stiff and twitching, or grimacing happens on the other side, he would be prescribed a different homeopathic medicine. A patient is excitable along with health anxiety and has over acute senses. Yet another patient who has paralysis on the left side of his face and also has a distorted mouth and extreme difficulty in closing the eye will get a different homeopathic medicine in the most suitable potency.

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The never ending story of kidney stones

An article by
Dr Asghar Ali Shah
Homeopathic Physician
Published in The News International on March 14, 2010


Kidney stones are as old as the human civilization. Scientists have found evidence of their existence in a 7000-year-old Egyptian mummy. Despite the passage of several millennia they still constitute one of the most painful urological disorders.
Three million people visit healthcare providers and more than half a million go to emergency rooms every year for treatment of kidney stone problems.
A kidney stone is a hard mass developed from crystals that separate from the urinary tract.
Normally urine contains chemicals that prevent or inhibit the crystals from being formed. These inhibitors, however, do not work for everyone. If the crystals remain tiny, they travel through the urinary tract and pass out the body in the urine without being noticed.
Kidney stones may be as small as a grain or as large as a pearl. Some stones are as big as golf balls! Stones may be smooth or jagged. They are usually yellow or brown. About 90% of stones that are mm or less in size usually pass spontaneously, however 9% of stones are larger than 6mm. (By the way gallstones and kidney stones are not related with each other. They form in different parts of the body. Someone with a gallstone is not necessarily more likely to develop kidney stones.)
Different studies on kidney stones showed that there are four types of stones. The most common type contains calcium that’s a normal part of a healthy diet. Calcium that is not used by the bones and muscles goes to the kidneys.
In most people the kidneys flush out the extra calcium with rest of the urine. People who have calcium stones in their kidneys. The most common combination is called calcium oxalate.
Infection in the urinary system may also cause the formation of stones in kidney. These stones contain the mineral magnesium and the waste product ammonia. Uric acid stones may form when the urine contains too much acid.
Genes also play a role in inhering the tendency to develop kidney stones in many patients. More than 70% of people with a rare hereditary disease called renal tubular acidosis develop kidney stones.
Usually, the first symptom of a kidney stone is extreme pain in the back, bloody urine, fever, chills, vomiting, the urine that smells bad or looks cloudy or a burning feeling when you urinate. Sometimes nausea and vomiting may also occur. Later, pain may spread to the groin.
Most people can think that getting rid of an existing stone in the end of the problem but stone formation can happen again and again. Kidney stones, acute as well as chronic, can be effectively treated homeopathic medicines.
Homeopathy recognizes that each person manifests his or her disease in a unique and slightly different way. That is way two people with the same disease will not necessarily receive the same homeopathic remedy. A homeopath chooses a remedy that uses the unique symptom picture of an individual.

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Homeopathy enjoys edge over allopathy

An article by
Dr Asghar Ali Shah
Homeopathic Physician
Published in The News International on November 15, 2012

Homeopathy enjoys edge over allopathy in many ways. As it is an acknowledged fact that those using allopathic medicines for a long time contract several other diseases. Homeopathy, however, has no such side-effects.

There are many differences in both the disciplines of medicines. Let’s just focus on one main difference and that is the fact that none of the homeopathic medicines introduced during the last two hundred and fifty years was withdrawn from the market.

The more a homeopathic medicine is used the more useful it becomes. Its finer details are brought out with the passage of time and the homeopathic physicians use it with even greater confidence and precision.

In contrast there is a long list of allopathic medicines withdrawn, discarded or banned after they were initially introduced with very high claims. These all medicines were introduced by the “medical science” after great “medical research”! Well! what sort of science it is that changes its stance after every six months?! You may call it business or you may call it the commercialization of consumer products but of course not science.

A few allopathic medicines discarded, and reasons for their withdrawal during the last 50 years are as follows: Thalidomide(1950s-1960s): withdrawn because of risk of disturbance to the growth and development of embryo or fetus.

Lysergic Acid Diethylamide commonly known as LSD(1950s-1960s) marketed as a psychiatric drug: because it widely caused drug addiction. Diethylstilbestrol(1970s): because of risk of disturbance to the growth and development of embryo or fetus.

Phenformin and Buformin(1978): because of risk of lactic acidosis; Ticrynafen(1982): because of risk of liver damage.

Zimelidine(1983): because of risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome (an acute neurological disorder followed by progressive muscular dystrophy). Phenacetin(1983) an ingredient in “A.P.C.” tablet: risk of cancer and kidney disease.

Methaqualone(1984): because of risk of addiction and overdose.Nomefensine (Merital)(1986): Because of risk of hemolytic anemia. Triazolam(1991): withdrawn in the United Kingdom because of risk of psychiatric adverse drug reactions.

Terodiline (Micturin)(1991): side-effects showing prolonged QT interval. Temafloxacin(1992): withdrawn in the United States because of allergic reactions and cases of hemolytic anemia, leading to three patients’ deaths. Flosequinan(1993): withdrawn in the United States because of an increased risk of hospitalization or death.

Alpidem(1996): because of serious liver damage.

Chlormezanone(1996): because of serious cases of toxic epidermal necrolysis.

Temazepam(1999): withdrawn in Sweden and Norway because of diversion, abuse, and a relatively high rate of overdose deaths.

The details regarding thousands of other discarded, banned or withdrawn medicines can be checked on the Internet. The reason behind this frequent withdrawal of medicines is that these are introduced not to serve humanity but to earn more and more. Medicines production and marketing have become a big business worldwide. Pharmaceutical companies fund research in medicines because of their own monetary considerations.

Homeopathic medicines, however, are not given directly to the patients. They are first tested on healthy human volunteers before being given to the patients. They work along with the body’s own defense mechanism. Homeopathy treats the whole person and not just the part as mind and body influence each other and imbalance in one system causes imbalance in the other. Besides, homeopathic medicines are highly diluted substances and without any side-effects.

A system of medicine which is unable to stand the test of time is not worthy of being called medical science.

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Common cold recurrence can lead to asthma

An article by
Dr Asghar Ali Shah
Homeopathic Physician
Published in The News International on December 08, 2012


The common cold is a viral infection prevalent in all age groups. It recurs frequently and infects the upper respiratory system. The illness becomes a leading cause of visits to doctors and leaves from schools and jobs. Colds are usually harmless and get better on their own within a week.


But ignored or badly treated cases of recurrent common cold, respiratory allergies and infections can turn into asthma. Chronic asthmatic problems have no permanent cure in allopathy. All asthmatic cases are only temporarily managed through ventoline inhalers (bronchodilators) and steroids which of course have their severe side-effects.

Symptoms of the common cold usually appear about one to three days after exposure to coldness. Dry throat, sore throat, cough, mild fever, sneezing, hoarse voice, blocked nose, mild headache are usually experienced and some patients may also have muscle aches, shivering, pink eye, weakness, reduction in appetite and exhaustion. Adults and older children generally have a low fever or no fever.

Experts say that a cold virus spreads through tiny air droplets that are released when the sick person sneezes, coughs, or blows his nose. Researchers have identified that more than 200 different viruses can cause cold symptoms and it has been difficult for scientists to develop a vaccine for so many cold causing viruses. Antibiotics and antiviral medications do not cure cold nor do they speed up recovery. Rather they may make the situation worse due to their ineffectiveness against viruses that cause the common cold.

Several research studies show that approximately 25% of people do not suffer from any common cold symptoms because of their immunity. The immune system is the body’s defense against infectious organisms and other invaders. Immunity is a state in which the body is protected from infectious disease. Our immune system helps the body fight off infections.

The immune system is made up of a network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect the body. When you have immunity to something, it means that your body can fight that disease or infection without you knowing it. Eventually, the immune system eliminates the virus completely and we are well again!

Colds often respond very well to homeopathic remedies so it has a tremendous advantage over the allopathic medicines which have no cure for the common cold. Homeopathy emphasizes treating the underlying imbalance in the immune system rather than simply suppressing the infection.

Cold infection may lead to acute bronchitis, pneumonia and acute bacterial sinusitis-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Asthma attacks can be caused by a cold, especially in children.

Homeopathy during the last two hundred years has shown great successes in curing permanently all sorts of respiratory disorders. It is a scientific system of medicine which focuses on identifying the uniqueness of a case. It individualizes each and every case of even simple common cold and also those of severe chronic asthma.

Even two identical twins have many features which differentiate them from each other. One likes salty dishes while the other may be a sweet lover. One likes to take chilled water while the other dislikes it and so on. You must have observed that in one family two individuals respond differently to the same situation, one has fear of dark while the other is unable to sleep with lights on. But unfortunately millions of asthmatic sufferers are indiscriminately given bronchodilators and steroids throughout their life without ever getting any hope for complete recovery.

No medical scientist in the world can claim to have discovered all the hidden secrets of the human body. It’s only through the signs and symptoms that a doctor can perceive the exact picture of the disease which indicates the right remedy. A homeopath uses his knowledge and skill in interpreting the language of signs and symptoms of the patient’s mind and body.

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Skin: Don't press the panic button

An article by
Dr Asghar Ali Shah
Homeopathic Physician
Published in The News International on July 11, 2009

Skin is one of the primary indications of health. It is not merely a protective covering for the body. It has many functions some of which are important that unless most of the skin works efficiently, we many die.
The skin not only protects us from bacteria, viruses and other invaders from the outside world but also offers sacrifices in fight against internal enemies of the body.
In the natural course of a healing process our bodies throw diseases from more important to less important organs i.e. from the center to the circumference. In this natural course of fighting away the disease the skin is the last organ where the disease expresses itself before leaving the human body for good.
The skin eruptions in measles and chicken pox, whose victims are often children, being a sigh of relief for a physician and for experienced parents as well.
Because they understand the rash means the viral infection, which kept the child ill, is leaving him healthy and immune against measles, chickenpox etc. for the rest of his life.
In fact all systems of our body are interlinked in an amazing way. When it comes to fighting away a disease be it stress, asthma or an infection, different systems of our body team up under the command of immune system. There is only one immune system for different parts of our body. All tissues of different organ of our body work in a marvelously coordinated way under the command of the immune system.
The skin conditions, no doubt keep the patient uncomfortable and steroidal creams are used to relief the itch and pain. But suppression drives these diseases back into the core of the system that that becomes harder to and can even be life threatening.
The modern research has unveiled links between the suppression of skin conditions and diseases like allergies, heart trouble, hypertension, diabetes. In homeopathic treatment of skin conditions there are no suppressive treatments. The disease is eliminated in an extremely gentle way.
I find it extremely difficult to convince my patients suffering from various skin problems to stop applying ointments and add other medications externally on the affected parts of the skin. I explain to them that if cause is external like burn or cut, there’s no harm in applying a suitable medicine on the affected part but if the cause is not external then avoid applying anything on it. In fact the disease like eczema psoriasis and many other skin conditions, which have mostly their origin in the disordered immune systems of the patients, become more complex and deep rooted after the application of creams and ointments on them.
I remember many years ago a man brought his ten year old son for treatment of severe asthma. I took this case, studied his symptoms and prescribed the indicated homeopathic medicine.
After a few days the man came to me and said that the boy’s asthma was no more but a few pimples had appeared on his face. Then he produced a tube of betnovate from his pocket and told me that he get it from a doctor for external application on the pimples. I warned him not to press the panic button. He was told that if he suppressed the rash by applying the ointment on it asthma would reappear. Fortunately he understood the point and his son remained free of asthma by the grace of ALLAH.

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Lets get to the bottom of Hepatitis C

An article by
Dr Asghar Ali Shah
Homeopathic Physician
Published in The News International on October 03, 2010

The common people in our country believed that unhygienic conditions lead to the development and spread of hepatitis C. The reality is far from it. No doubt unhygienic conditions lead to many a disease or infection but not hepatitis C. The cases of this disease are on the increase in the hygiene-conscious developed countries.
While only patients often show a keen interest in the knowledge of treatment, everybody ought to know about the causes of the disease to take preventive measures in time. The discovery of the hepatitis C virus in 1989 was considered a major breakthrough. Then a race began among all pharmaceutical companies to beat one another out in finding a vaccine or a lasting cure for this disease. This race continues till to date.
Recently a team of medical researchers, while trying to get to the bottom of the rapid spread of the hepatitis C all over the world, came across a strange discovery. They found striking similarity between the symptoms experienced by the Hepatitis C patients and the side-effects of the antibiotics. They dug out a strong link between the extensive usage of antibiotics and the spread of hepatitis C disease.
They also observed that patients with a history of constant use of antibiotics for a long time are more prone to develop the chronic form of the disease. Antibiotics are drugs used to treat infections caused mainly by bacteria. Even when properly administered, antibiotics weaken the immune system by altering the body’s natural bacterial balance.
The first antibiotics were prescribed in the late 1930s. They were hailed as the magic bullet that would put an end to the threat of infectious diseases. In 1969 the US Surgeon General said, “The war against infectious diseases has been won.” This impression was, however, proved erroneous as in the last few decades we faced an alarming increase in cases of bacterial infections that do not respond to antibiotics. This is because bacteria acquire resistance to antibiotics, so there is a continuous search for new and effective antibacterial agents.
The hepatitis C virus is spread by contact with an infected person’s blood. But not all who get the infected blood develop the chronic hepatitis. Most of the young, healthy and strong persons successfully resist against the virus. This means that weak defiance mechanism along with other factors contributes to the development of the chronic form of this disease.
In homeopathy great emphasis is laid on strengthening the immune system of the body. People are now gradually becoming aware of the dangerous side-effects of the antibiotics. The number of patients using homeopathic medicines to strengthen their own immune defences is increasing day by day. Only those who have a strong defence mechanism are, by the grace of God Almighty, safe from hepatitis C in the real sense.

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Homoeopath claims of having vaccine, treatment for Dengue Fever

News article
Published in The News International on September 15, 2011

Dr Asghar Ali Shah, a homoeopath in town, claimed to have prepared medicines for both the prevention of dengue fever and treatment of the infection in a confirmed patient.
Dr Shah, who is running a clinic in Muslim Town, Rawalpindi, claimed that the medicine prepared for treatment has already been tested on 24 confirmed patients of the infection last year who achieved complete cure.
He said that he prepared two types of medicines of which one serves as a vaccine and its use by a healthy person saves him completely from onset of dengue fever while the second medicine is for treatment that can be used after onset of dengue fever.
The combination of three homoeopathic medicines along with a single remedy is served as vaccine while three homoeopathic medicines and a mother tincture are for use of treatment in an infected person, he said while responding to a query.
Dr Shah said that after trial in a number of cases, he is able to claim that the medicines are 100 per cent effective. A healthy person will have to take medicines for a month for prevention of dengue fever while a patient needs to take medicines for 15 days, he said.
Giving details, he said that by taking medicine, a confirmed patient of the infection gets rid of the fever after seven days and his platelets count gets absolutely normal.
It is important that platelets count in blood of a healthy person ranges from 150,000 to 400,000 that with the onset of dengue fever lowers and may go even below 30,000.
Dr Shah said that he has given medicines to all patients free of cost so far. To a query, he said that medicine for a patient costs Rs60 to Rs70 and in case it is prepared on a massive scale, its cost might be reduced.
It is important that a massive outbreak of dengue fever has already hit a number of cities in Punjab province while in Lahore over 4,000 confirmed patients of the infection has been reported so far. To date, the outbreak has claimed as many as 15 lives in Punjab.
Head of Pathology Department at Rawalpindi Medical College Professor Dr Abbas Hayat, who is a renowned microbiologist, when contacted by The News said that the homoeopath claiming of having treatment of the infection may be given due consideration.
Dr Abbas, who is heading pathology department at Benazir Bhutto Hospital, added that the homoeopath should come to the isolation wards of the BBH and treat confirmed cases of the dengue fever there. In the public interest, we will make arrangements for him to prove his claim. His medicine can be tested on selected patients for a real test and trial purpose in whom the medicine s efficacy can be monitored, he said while responding to a query.
He added that through test and trial, scientific data would also be collected on treatment protocol if really developed by the homoeopath.
District Health Officer Dr Khalid Randhawa, when asked by The News , said that the concerned government authorities may give consideration to the claim of the homoeopath. By associating a couple of top class consultants with the homoeopath, his medicines can be tested on selected patients, he said.
A number of senior citizens are of the view that the concerned government authorities including Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif should give due consideration to the claim being made by Dr Asghar Ali Shah and his medicines should be put on test and trial on confirmed patients. They, however, say that the provincial health department or the CM should form a special committee comprising health experts to monitor results in patients who are given the homoeopath s medicines.
PPI from Karachi adds: Dr. S.J.H Shah, President National Council for Homeopathy, Ministry of Health, urged the Punjab and Sindh governments to invite all medical associations and organisations including National Council for Homeopathy, Pakistan Medical Association, Pakistan Islamic Medical Association, Family Physicians Association Pakistan to its meetings and sessions so that they all can draw out low-cost solution to the epidemic.
Emphasising on Homeopathy he said it is an old, traditional and reasonably priced treatment method of different dieses it could also cure dengue fever effectively.
The government should invite homeopathic doctors also in its meetings to find homeopathy-based solutions to different diseases.

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