Articles of the May month 2012
A Homoeopathic Approach to Health Hazards in Information Technology workers

Dr.D.B.Sharma, Dr P.A.Chaphekar
Introduction:
IT is revolutionizing our daily lives and has acquired an invincible place in the service sectors like banking, finance, transport, utilities, education and medical care. In IT industries like medical transcription, call centers etc young professionals get subjected to a hostile work environment because parameters like illumination, sound levels, relative humidity, the air velocity and effective temperatures are undermined and overlooked and they affect the people in long run.

Scientific research has proved link between electromagnetic fields and health problems like cancer and neuro degenerative diseases. Children absorb more radiation than adults. This is causing more cases of hyperactivity, aggressive behavior, and memory and concentration problems.

Health hazards:
Mental health – Excessive stimulation of brain causes mental fatigue, physical exhaustion, depression, sleep deprivation and overall malaise. People seek the help of stimulants like tea, coffee, alcohol or resort to smoking as stress buster.

Stress causes digestive disorders such as ulcers and irritable bowel syndrome. Undue stress triggers anxiety which causes symptoms like abdominal pain, dizziness, muscle tension, headaches, decreased concentration, irritability and sexual problems. Chronic and extreme stress can harm the immune and cardio vascular systems, increases vulnerability to the heart diseases, MSDs, Psychological disorders, even suicide.

Psychosomatic expressions like hives, contact dermatitis, heart palpitations are observed.

Posture and musculoskeletal disorders – Digestive problems like indigestion and constipation arise due to sedentary life styles. Poor posture, coupled with the natural process of losing bone density and flexibility as we age, leads to a host of musculoskeletal disorders.

Back and Spine – Cervical radiculopathy (a compression of the nerve roots in the neck), bursitis of shoulder, strained muscles, ligaments and tendons in lower back.

Upper extremities – Carpel tunnel syndrome, hand and wrist tendonitis, tenosynovitis, ulnar nerve entrapment, writer’s cramps shoulder (roater cuff disease).

Heart – Behaviour like smoking and drinking habits, lack of exercise, irregular eating habits increase the individuals risk for cardiac related problems like angina, stroke, high blood pressure and peripheral vascular disease.

GIT – Nutritionally poor and high caloric food choice with lack of exercise guarantees weight gain and loss of muscle mass. Obesity increases propensity for metabolic disorders like diabetes, thyroid problems, Polycystic ovarian disorders, hormonal imbalances etc.also increases blood pressure, sleep apnea, gallbladder disease, respiratory disorders, certain cancers and cardiovascular disease.

Eyes – Short term effects like “Computer vision syndrome” dryness of eyes, eyestrain, neck and backaches, light sensitivity and fatigue. Staring at the computer screen causes long term effects as blurred distance vision.

Head – Headaches occur very frequently and due to multiple factors like eye strain, lack of sleep, constipation, acid peptic disorders. Tension and headaches due to stress, anxiety etc are usually associated with muscular stiffness at neck and shoulders and are observed many times around menses in females.

Female Complaints – Overbearing psychological pressures of work and imbalance of hormones cause problems from child bearing, irregular menstrual cycles, difficult climacteric periods due to mood swings and sexual problems with stressed interpersonal relations.

Homoeopathic Approach :
A holistic outlook towards the case covers all the problems together as most of them are interlinked and cannot be separated out. The functional, short term changes can come under the curative scope of homoeopathy. Mind is central core any change here is reflected at physical level. A study of Past history, constitution and temperament, occupation, miasms and states of symptoms helps in proper selection of drugs. In chronic conditions miasmatic changes develop rapidly which can be taken care of by preventive measures and homoeopathic remedies.

Carcinosin : A/F Domination by others, abuse, resulting in lack of confidence and lowered self esteem. Suffers from multiple fears and glandular affections esp adenoids. Alternating mental and physical symptoms, marked chageability .Multiple symptoms. Frightful dreams. Aviators disease. Chronic fatigue syndrome.

Graphites : Obese person. Lymphatic temperament. Psoric constitution. Disturbed sleep from frightful dreams of misfortune. Restless with sleepiness.Tired sensation of eyes. Distended abdomen with fullness.Chronic gastritis. Constriction in chest. Chronic fatigue syndrome.Psoriasis with dry , thick skin and honey like discharge.

Lycopodium : Psoric individual. A/F Domination by others, abuse and embarrassment, with lack of confidence and lowered self esteem and a fearful and nervous individual. Tendency to catch cold.Scrofulous diathesis. Restless and unrefreshing sleep from anxious and frightful dreams of misfortune. A/F eye strain, opthalmia. Gastritis with easy satiety with no thirst. Constriction in chest. A/F smoking. Constant coughing, allergic to dust. Piles with pain and flatulence. Psoriasis

Natrum Mur : A/F abuse and embarrassment, with lack of confidence and lowered self esteem. Hydrogenoid constitution. Plethoric. Fantastic yet frightful dreams of humiliation. Suicidal acute depression. Burning pain in eyes from exertion, while reading. A/F eye strain, opthalmia. Redness of eyes. Weak vision. Difficult and impaired hearing. Periodic nervous headache from emotional disturbance, exertion of mind, eyestrain. Hypertension. Heart burn after eating. Constriction in chest.Cough with sneezing.Allergic hives and swelling. Exopthalmic goiter. Psoriasis

Nux Vomica : Tendency to catch cold. A/f suppressed coryza. Bilious and choleric temperament. Business men leading a sedentary life. Disturbed and unrefreshing sleep by pollutions. Amorous sexual dreams. Dreams of anger, anxiety and mental exertion related with business. A/F lack of sleep and alcohol intake, sleepiness in morning followed by periodic nervous headaches. Gastritis from irregular meals and alcohol. Heartburn with sour vomitus after eating. Blind piles with backache with emotional causes. opperession in chest. Allergic rhinitis. Suffocative cough. Anaemia from nutritional imbalance. Chronic fatigue syndrome. Diabetes Mellitus of gastro hepatic origin.Constant sick feeling.

Pulsatilla : Bashful disposition, catarrhal condition. phlegmatic and melancholic temperament. Hypersensitive to allopathic drugs. Marked changeability. Disturbed sleep by pollutions. Restless with sleepiness. Anxious and exhausting, frightful dreams of misfortune. Burning pain in eyes from exertion. A/F eye strain opthalmia. Recurrent styes. Catarrh of Eustachian tube. Difficult and impaired hearing with stopped up sensation and periodic headaches. Chronic gastritis from rich food, no thirst. A/F smoking, heartburn. Blind piles with pain.Stiffness of chest muscles with a sensation of opperession in chest. Allergic to dust, loose cough.

Phosphorus : Tendency to catch cold, fearful. Lean thin individual, plethoric and sanguine temperament. Mild and nervous. Hypersensitive to homoeopathic drugs. Tubercular constitution. Disturbed unrefreshing sleep from anxious and frightful and flying dreams . Anxiety panic attacks and acute grief. Tired sensation of eyes. Difficult hearing. sensitivity to sound increased. Fullness of head, pulsating congestion. Periodic headache from emotional disturbance. Acute gastritis with a sensation of fullness after beer. Chronic gastritis with high caloric diet. Constriction and Weak chest with a sensation of opperession in chest. Bronchitis with burning pain and heamorrhage.Hacking cough. Diabetes Mellitus of nervous, gastro hepatic and pancreatic origin. Diabetes Insipidus

Conclusion:
Effective and cost efficient remedial measures like antiglare screens, rest pauses, ergonomically designed work stations(postures), reasonable thermal environments ( regularly serviced ACs, or humidifiers), balanced and regular diets, relaxation techniques (meditation and breathing techniques), Physical activities and exercises, health education (stress management) etc combined with early Homoeopathic care will help to effectively remove the root causes and solve health problems. This will increase the employees productivity and decrease the long term costs to deal with illness, absenteeism and public discontent.