Definition 

Flow of blood from any ruptured blood vessel is known as hemorrhage.

Classification of the hemorrhage

Depending upon the nature of vessel involved:

Arterial hemorrhage – bright red in color, jets out. Pulsation of the artery can be seen. It can be easily controlled as it is visible.

Venous hemorrhage -  dark red in color, never jets out but oozes out, difficult to control because veins get retracted, non pulsatile

Capillary hemorrhage – red color, never jets out, slowly oozes out. It becomes significant if there are bleeding tendencies.

Depending on the timing of the hemorrhage:

1. a.      Primary hemorrhage: occurs at the time of surgery
2. b.     Reactionary hemorrhage: occurs after 6-12 hours of surgery. Hypertension in postoperative period, violent sneezing, coughing or retching, are the usual cause.
3. c.      Secondary hemorrhage: occurs after 5- 7 days after surgery. It is due to infection which eats away the suture material, causing sloughing of vessels wall.  

Depending on the duration of hemorrhage:

1. a.      Acute hemorrhage: occurs suddenly, e.g. esophageal variceal bleeding due to portal hypertension.
2. Chronic hemorrhage: occurs over a period of time. E.g. hemorrhoids /piles or chronic duodenal ulcers. Tuberculous ulcer  of the ileum, diverticular disease of the colon.

Depending on the nature of bleeding:

1. External hemorrhage: revealed haemorrhage e.g. epis taxis haematemesis.
2. Internal hemorrhage: conceled hemorrhage e.g. splenic rupture following injury, ruptured ectopic gestation, liver laceration following injury.

Homeopathic treatment of hemorrhage

Homeopathy is one of the most popular holistic systems of medicine. The selection of remedy is based upon the theory of individualization and symptoms similarity by using holistic approach. This is the only way through which a state of complete health can be regained by removing all the sign and symptoms from which the patient is suffering. The aim of homeopathy is not only to treat hemorrhage but to address its underlying cause and individual susceptibility. As far as therapeutic medication is concerned, several remedies are available to treat hemorrhage that can be selected on the basis of cause, sensations and modalities of the complaints.  For individualized remedy selection and treatment, the patient should consult a qualified homeopathic doctor in person. There are following remedies which are helpful in the treatment of hemorrhage:

Carbo veg – continuous passive hemorrhage, patient wants to be fanned; skin cool and bluish, pulse rapid and weak’ hemorrhages of a low type, blood changed in its composition, dark and rather fluid; lack of animal heat; anguish of heart.

Ferrum – hemorrhage of bright red blood, often mixed with coagula, associated with a great deal of flushing, rapid and a little labored breathing, pulse increased in frequency and strength.  After severe loss of blood; pale, bloated appearance, skin cool and pitting on pressure, particularly about joints.

Lachesis – hemorrhage from uterus, bowels, nose, stomach, lungs, or at the bottom of the ulcer; always when blood can be discerned like black straws as a sediment; often used in typhoid when hemorrhage occurs.

Phosphorous – blood-spitting with dry, tight, fatiguing cough, inter mixed with expectoration of mucus. Profuse hemorrhages, pouring out freely, then ceasing for some time, or the scanty discharge alternates with the profuse one, causing anemia and great debility.

Sulphuric acid – blood dark and profuse from lungs, especially in consumptives and broken-down constitutions, during or after adynamic diseases, from scorbutic or alcoholic affections.

Crotalus H. – haemorrhagic diathesis, hemorrhage from every orifice, from nose, mouth, ears, anus, vagina, uterus, bowels, lungs, and from all mucus membranes. Intraocular hemorrhage; all discharges are bloody, even sweat and saliva are bloody.

Purpura haemorrhagica, comes on suddenly, from all orifices, skin, nails and gums. Blood is dark, fluid and non coaguable; hemorrhage occurring in typical zymotic disease.

Ammonium Carb – Haemorrhagic diathesis, bleeding of black, fluid blood, that will not coagulate. The blood is dark, acrid showing that great disturbance is taking place in circulation. Degeneration of red blood corpuscles; bleeding from the nose, the uterus, the bladder and the bowels; nose bleed when washing the face in the morning,

Haemorrhagic diathesis in weak, anamemic and delicate women who must have the smelling bottle continually at hand who catch cold easily in winters. Complaints are mainly right sided.

Arnica Montana – generally the first choice for bleeding caused by an injury, especially when shock Is associated with the bleeding. The body parts feel bruised, arnica is often used for a nosebleed in a growing child. Often, this is the first remedy given for bleeding that results from soft tissue damage of any body part.

China - useful for bleeding characterized by dark, clotted blood from any orifice of the body, there is ringing in the ears and the feeling that the person will faint. The person wants to be fanned. This problem is often associated with bleeding after childbirth.

Kali Mur – useful for bleeding when the blood tends to be thick, clotted, and often mixed with mucus. Common symptoms include vomiting of dark, clotted blood from the stomach and nosebleeds that get worse in the afternoon.

Veratrum album – usually associated with intestinal hemorrhage, especially when there is profuse diarrhoea that contains blood.

Belladonna – loss of bright red blood occurs which clots easily. Head is hot and face is red.

Hamamelis – a slow but steady flow of dark red blood; exhaustion, but no anxiety. Bleeding occurs from hemorrhoids.