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Insomnia is experiencing unsatisfactory sleep, typically characterised by difficulties initiating or maintaining sleep. Individuals with insomnia are dissatisfied with their sleep quality and perceive it as hindering their ability to perform well in work, school and social settings. The common symptoms of insomnia include fatigue, decreased mood, irritability, general discomfort and cognitive difficulties. On the other hand, stress results from emotional or physical tension triggered by various events that can make a person feel frustrated, angry or anxious. Stress is the body's response to a challenge or demand, accompanied by the release of hormones. The specific physiological response to stress depends on factors such as the type of stress, the individual's characteristics, their neuroendocrine system and the combination of these elements, collectively determining how the brain and body react to a particular stressor. The activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis is a response mechanism triggered by stress. Disturbed sleep, particularly insomnia, is a common side effect of stress, varying in intensity. Sleep plays a crucial role in maintaining both physical and mental well-being, making the physiological connections between sleep and stress vital in understanding the development of stress-induced pathophysiology. Current treatments for insomnia include cognitive behavioural therapy, improving sleep hygiene and employing psychological and pharmacological interventions. However, these approaches aim to improve insomnia symptoms rather than address its underlying cause. In the context of homoeopathy, the concept of constitution refers to an individual's unique structure, composition, nature and physical makeup, influenced by both inherited qualities and environmental factors. Therefore, it is essential to individualise each case and administer a simillimum remedy, the remedy most likely to restore health, and achieve complete healing according to homoeopathic principles. This review explores the physiological and neuroendocrine changes that occur due to the interplay between stress and the development of insomnia.

Homoeopathy is a system of medicine based on the law of similars “let like be cured by like”. This means that any substance with the capacity of producing disease in its crude state has the capacity to treat a similar disease if taken in a very small dose. Homeopathic Nosodes are homoeopathic remedies sourced from diseased materials and organisms. Homoeopathic nosodes may be used to treat and prevent infectious and non-infectious diseases. The incidence of infectious diseases epidemics is now occurring more often around the world. The common public threat includes the emergence of antibiotic resistance which is increasing globally. Contributing factors of this emergence are linked to underlying biological, and environmental issues, lifestyle changes, misuse, and overprescribing of antibiotics. Despite strengthening health infrastructure, every epidemic and multi-drug resistance bacterium poses a challenge to the government, policymakers, health professionals, and the whole population. This article will review data available on homoeopathic nosodes, as well as present evidence that is available to support the use of homoeopathic nosodes in disease prevention and treatment. It also highlights several clinical trials and in vitro studies on the use of homoeopathy to target health issues that have the potential to harm public health and possibly assist in reducing healthcare costs.

Hypertriglyceridemia is an independent risk factor of coronary heart disease (as established through various previously conducted studies) and it's rising incidence is creating a need for the immediate attention of it's management. Instead of focusing on the controversies involving the toxicity caused due to the long-term use of statin therapy in conventional mode of treatment, opting for a safer alternative system of treatment seems important. Five cases of diagnosed HTG, with triglyceride levels above 200 were treated with homoeopathic medicine - Fucus vesiculosus, in mother tincture form. The primary outcome measure was to evaluate the reduction in the blood triglyceride levels. All the five cases showed a reduction in triglyceride levels to normal range within 4 months of starting the treatment with the Fucus vesiculosus mother tincture. Also, it was observed that the borderline cholesterol levels and high LDL levels in 2 cases were found to reduce to normal. Treatment involving Fucus vesiculosus in cases diagnosed with HTG showed significant reduction in triglyceride levels along with other parameters of lipid profile. Further authentication of results with significant sample sizes may be taken up.

Background: South Africa is a multilingual society, and therefore, the likelihood of healthcare providers (HCPs), including students training to be HCPs, encountering language barriers with patients is high. Aim: To explore and describe the experiences of homoeopathy student interns regarding language barriers in the delivery of health services and to provide guidance towards overcoming language barriers in homoeopathic practice at the University of Johannesburg (UJ). Setting: The interviews and focus group discussions were conducted in English and at a private location that was convenient for the participants in Johannesburg, Gauteng. Methods: This qualitative study used a phenomenological approach. Ten individual interviews were conducted with registered homoeopathy student interns (HSIs) from the UJ. The central question: ‘What has your experience been regarding language barriers between you and your patients at the UJ Homoeopathy clinics?’ was asked and responses were recorded and transcribed for later analysis. The interview results were presented to a focus group for discussion to validate findings that arose from the analysis and to provide an opportunity to add any insight, comment or recommendations that were not expressed in individual interviews and verification of emergent themes. Results: Participants described how language barriers create challenges in understanding between patients and HSIs. Descriptions of the experiences of the intrapersonal and interpersonal effects that are associated with language barriers were provided. Participants also described the influence of language barriers on the various aspects of the health service process. Finally, participants described the mitigation of language barriers through various strategies. Conclusion: Participants reported their experiences of language barriers as challenging. Language barriers were found to adversely affect the various aspects of the health service process as well as the practitioner’s personal feelings and the patient–practitioner relationship. Language acquisition and awareness modules introduced early on in the syllabus is a proposed solution to the mitigation of language barriers.

Abstract Background Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common and growing problem and a leading cause of child referrals to Child and Adult Mental Health Services (CAMHS). It is a drain on resources across nationally funded support agencies and associated with negative outcomes such as early criminality, school disruption and antisocial behaviour. Mainstream interventions (pharmacological and behavioural) demonstrate effectiveness whilst implemented, but are costly, often have unwanted side effects and do not appear to be affecting long-term outcomes. Development of a robust evidence base for the effectiveness of current and novel interventions and their impact over the long term is required. The aim of the Sheffield Treatments for ADHD Research (STAR) project is to facilitate a rigorous evidence base in order to provide information about the comparative (cost) effectiveness and acceptability of multiple interventions to key stakeholders. Methods The Trials within Cohorts (TwiCs) design was used to build a cohort of children with a diagnosis of ADHD and conduct a three-armed pilot trial of the clinical and cost effectiveness of two novel interventions: (a) treatment by nutritional therapists and (b) treatment by homoeopaths, compared to (c) treatment as usual. Participants are recruited to the STAR long-term observational cohort, and their outcomes of interest (ADHD symptoms, health-related quality of life, school disruption, resource use and criminality) are measured every 6 months by carers and (blinded) teachers. Two promising interventions were identified for the first randomised controlled trial embedded in the cohort. A random selection of eligible participants is offered treatments (a) and (b). The outcomes of those offered treatment are compared to those not offered treatment using intention to treat (ITT) analysis. The feasibility of recruiting to the cohort and the trial, delivering the interventions, the effectiveness of the interventions and the appropriateness, sensitivity and collectability of outcomes is trialled. Discussion The results of this trial will provide information on the feasibility of the TwiCs design to facilitate multiple trials of potential interventions for children with ADHD, and the acceptability, clinical and cost effectiveness of two potential interventions for ADHD to ADHD stakeholders including service providers. Future stages of the STAR project will test other treatments informed by the results in stage 1. Trial registration ISRCTN number 17723526. https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN17723526. Date assigned 27/4/15.

Interventions considered to be branches of Complementary & Alternative Medicine (CAM) for autism are on the rise. Many new treatments have emerged & traditional beliefs of Ayurveda, Yoga, Behavioral therapy, Speech therapy and Homoeopathy have gained popularity and advocacy among parents. It is imperative that data supporting new treatments should be scrutinized for scientific study design, clinical safety, and scientific validity, before embarking on them as modes of therapy. Practitioners take care in explaining the rationale behind the various approaches that they practice, it is important to indicate possible limitations too during the initial clinical examination and interactive session. Clinicians must remember that parents may have different beliefs regarding the effectiveness of treatment since their information is derived more from the ‘hear-say’ route when they compare benefits/effects of CAM therapies on other children and often underestimate differential tolerance for treatment risks. It is thus significant that practitioners do not assume a "don't ask, don't tell" posture. The scientific validation and support for many interventions is incomplete and very different from the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics Policy Statement. In this article, we discuss the various modes of CAM and their utilities and limitations in relation to autism