Abstract

RANDOMISED SINGLE BLIND PLACEBO CONTROL TRIAL TO ASSESS THE EFFICACY OF HOMOEOPATHIC MEDICINES IN THE TREATMENT OF POST MENOPAUSAL SYMPTOMS

Tarkeshwar Jain and Juhee Jain*

Abstract

Background: Menopause is the time of cessation of ovarian function resulting in permanent amenorrhoea. It takes 12 months of amenorrhoea to confirm the menopause. Average age of menopause of an Indian woman is 46.2 years. Symptoms presented are: Hot flushes, irritability, mood swings, insomnia, dry vagina, difficulty concentrating, mental confusion, stress incontinence, urge incontinence, osteoporotic symptoms, depression, headache, vasomotor symptoms, insomnia etc. This was an Interventional Single Blind Randomized Placebo Control Trial. Methods: A total of 70 cases of Post Menopausal Symptoms were randomly allocated to the two treatment groups meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Of these, 6 dropped out, and the data of 64 participants, 32 in Group A were treated with Individualized Homoeopathic medicine and 32 in Group B were treated with Placebo and they were analysed after 6 follow ups. Assessment and reassessment was done by analyzing the score of Menopause Rating Scale (MRS). Results: An Independent t-test was conducted to compare the effects of two approach in Group A and Group B. There is a statistically significant difference in the scores of Group A (M =6.00, S.D = 4.204), Group B (M=10.63, S.D=6.866) conditions; difference of mean = - 4.625, where t(62) = -3.250, p =.018. Therefore Null Hypothesis gets rejected and we were accepted Alternate Hypothesis (H1) i.e. Individualized Homoeopathic Medicines had significant effect in the treatment of Post Menopausal Symptoms as compared to placebo. These results suggest that the Individualized Homoeopathic Medicines are more effective than placebo in the treatment of Post Menopausal Symptoms. Conclusion: This study provides evidence to support the effectiveness of Individualized Homoeopathic Medicines as compared to placebo in the treatment of Post Menopausal Symptoms.

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