Homeopathy, from Greek homoeo (meaning similar) and pathos (meaning suffering) is a system of medicine based on treating like with like. Homeopathy is a system of medicine which involves treating the individual with highly diluted substances, given mainly in tablet form, with the aim of triggering the body’s natural system of healing. Based on their specific symptoms, a homeopath will match the mo
st appropriate medicine to each patient. According to homeopathic theory, various materials found in nature contain an energy field that can exert a healing effect on the body. This energy field can be amplified, or "potentiated," by a series of dilutions and vigorous shakings. The more the "mother tincture" is diluted, the stronger the healing effect will be. The materials used in homeopathic formulations can come from plants (herbs), from minerals, or from animal parts. Its origins
The principle of treating “like with like” dates back to Hippocrates (460-377BC) but in its current form, homeopathy has been widely used worldwide for more than 200 years. It was discovered by a German doctor, Samuel Hahnemann, who, shocked with the harsh medical practises of the day (which included blood-letting, purging and the use of poisons such as arsenic), looked for a way to reduce the damaging side-effects associated with medical treatment. He began experimenting on himself and a group of healthy volunteers, giving smaller and smaller medicinal doses, and found that as well as reducing toxicity, the medicines actually appeared to be more effective the lower the dose. He also observed that symptoms caused by toxic ‘medicines’ such as mercury, were similar to those of the diseases they were being used to treat e.g. Hahnemann went on to document his work, and his texts formed the foundations of homeopathic medicine as it is practised today. A BBC Radio 4 documentary aired in December 2010 described Hahnemann as a medical pioneer who worked tirelessly to improve medical practice, insisting that medicines were tested before use. Classical Homeopathy - Treating the Whole Person
Classical Homeopathy is a holistic medicine; in other words it aims to treat the whole person. It may seem unusual to those used to allopathic (conventional) medicine, where one medicine is taken for a skin complaint, another for a headache, and yet another for sleeplessness. A common cold, for example, is one virus which produces a myriad of effects, subtly different in different people. Different people with a cold caused by the same virus may exhibit different symptoms. It is for this reason that each case should be assessed by close and careful analysis of all the relevant symptoms.
“The curative power of medicines, therefore, depends on their symptoms, similar to the disease but superior to it in strength , so that each individual case of disease is most surely, radically, rapidly and permanently annihilated and removed only by a medicine capable of producing (in the human system) in the most similar and complete manner the totality of its symptoms, which at the same time are stronger than the disease”. Hahnemann (Organon, sixth edition). What are Homeopathics? Homeopathic remedies (also called homeopathics) are a system of medicine based on three principles:
Like cures like
Minimal Dose
The Single Remedy
Hering's law of cure --- during perfect cure, symptoms may shift from above downward or from vital organs to less vital structures. Why use Homeopathics? Homeopathy is the second most widely used system of medicine in the world. Its growth in popularity in the United States has been around 25 to 50 percent a year throughout the last decade. This success is fueled by several factors:
Homeopathy is extremely effective. When the correct remedy is taken, results can be rapid, complete and permanent. Homeopathy is completely safe. Even babies and pregnant women can use Homeopathy without the danger of side effects. Homeopathic remedies can also be taken alongside other medication without producing unwanted side effects. Homeopathy is natural. Homeopathic remedies are normally based on natural ingredients. Homeopathy works in harmony with your immune system, unlike some conventional medicines which suppress the immune system. (For example, cough medicines suppress the cough reflex, which is your body's attempt to clear the lungs)
Homeopathic remedies are not addictive - once relief is felt, you should stop taking them. If no relief is felt, you are probably taking the wrong homeopathic remedy. Homeopathy is holistic. It treats all the symptoms as one, which in practical terms means that it addresses the cause, not the symptoms. This often means that symptoms tackled with Homeopathy do not recur. But there is a catch...
Every silver lining has a cloud, and there are two main barriers to the effective use of homeopathy:
Prescribing the right homeopathic remedy takes a little more time and patience than conventional medicine. Exactly the right remedy needs to be taken for your symptoms. There is no such thing as a standard homeopathic headache remedy (though, sadly that doesn't mean no such product is sold...). The remedy you take has to be matched to your particular headache - where it occurs, what brings it on, what type of pain it is, what aggravates it, what makes it feel worse, your state of mind and what other symptoms you experience. The sheer range of remedies in use can cause practical problems for an average sized pharmacy. If the right remedy is not one of 30 or so commonly used remedies, they can be difficult to obtain. Using Homeopathic Medicine. First, do no harm...
The first concern of anyone using any new medicine is "Is it safe?". The short answer is yes, homeopathic medicine is completely safe. However, you should not stop taking any existing medication without first consulting your doctor. Since homeopathic preparations are very diluted mixtures of natural substances, they are completely safe and without undesirable side-effects. How to Take Homeopathic Formulations
Once relief from the symptoms if felt, stop taking the homeopathic medicine. Only take it again if exactly the same symptoms come back. Most homeopathic formulations come in a liquid base or in a tablet designed to dissolve quickly under the tongue. Whichever form is used, the recommended dose should be held under the tongue for about a minute before swallowing. The blood veins under the tongue absorb the active ingredients directly into the bloodstream allowing the preparation to go to work immediately. Because the vibrations of certain foods can counteract the effects of homeopathic formulations, it is recommended that you do not eat or drink anything other than water for at least 15 minutes before or after taking a homeopathic remedy. It is also recommended that you do not store homeopathic formulations in close proximity with strongly aromatic herbs or foods, such as mints, essential oils or coffee. A professional Homeopath will also assess your diet and lifestyle. Physical, mental, and emotional state examination; Repertories
Homeopaths generally begin with detailed examinations of their patients' histories, including questions regarding their physical, mental and emotional states, their life circumstances and any physical or emotional illnesses. The homeopath then attempts to translate this information into a complex formula of mental and physical symptoms, including likes, dislikes, innate predispositions and even body type. From these symptoms, the homeopath chooses how to treat the patient. A compilation of reports of many homeopathic provings, supplemented with clinical data, is known as a homeopathic materia medica. But because a practitioner first needs to explore the remedies for a particular symptom rather than looking up the symptoms for a particular remedy, the homeopathic repertory, which is an index of symptoms, lists after each symptom those remedies that are associated with it. Repertories are often very extensive and may include data extracted from multiple sources of materia medica. There is often lively debate among compilers of repertories and practitioners over the veracity of a particular inclusion. Some diversity in approaches to treatments exists among homeopaths. Classical homeopathy generally involves detailed examinations of a patient's history and infrequent doses of a single remedy as the patient is monitored for improvements in symptoms, while clinical homeopathy involves combinations of remedies to address the various symptoms of an illness. Homeopathic pills
Homeopathic pills are made from an inert substance (often sugars, typically lactose), upon which a drop of liquid homeopathic preparation is placed. What can homeopathy help? Homeopaths often see patients with long-term, chronic problems, many of which have failed to respond to conventional medicine. As a system of medicine, homeopathy is aimed at treating the person, rather than the disease diagnosis, and as such can be considered in almost any ill health, where tissue has not been irrevocably damaged. Most people visit a homeopath with a diagnosis from their doctor, and patients are encouraged to keep their medical practitioners informed as treatment progresses. Some people see a homeopath because they have side effects from conventional drugs, and others because conventional tests have failed to find the cause of their problem. There is a growing body of research evidence suggesting that treatment by a homeopath is clinically effective, cost effective and safe. People often ask about which specific conditions can be treated by homeopaths, and as a profession we would like to see more research trials addressing this question, but funding is difficult to come by. To date, conditions for which the majority of clinical trial findings have been positive include
* Allergies and upper respiratory tract infections
* Ankle sprain
* Bronchitis
* Childhood diarrhoea; chronic fatigue
* Ear infections
* Fibromyalgia
* Hay fever
* Influenza
* Osteoarthritis
* Premenstrual syndrome
* Rheumatic diseases
* Sinusitis
* Vertigo, etc.. We would be happy to discuss any health problems with you and offer advice about whether we might be able to help. What happens when you see a homeopath? When you see a homeopath it’s their job to get a thorough understanding of your health and the exact symptoms you are experiencing, so that they can find a homeopathic remedy which matches you and your symptoms. During this confidential, in-depth ‘case-taking’ process your homeopath will want to know precise details of your current illness, but will also consider other aspects of your health including your past medical history, diet, lifestyle and personality. Holistic
You will be asked many questions and some of them will seem strange for those not used to homeopathy. The practitioner is building up a picture of your unique make up, a bit like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. Homeopathy is a holistic medicine and as such takes into account all aspects of the individual and their symptoms before making a prescription. This first consultation will usually take between one and two hours, depending on the practitioner. Follow-ups
The first follow up consultation will usually be around four weeks after the first prescription, although in some cases it may be sooner. The session will be shorter, and the homeopath will ask about changes that have occurred, using their detailed notes as a reference point, before deciding on the next course of treatment. The number of consultations needed is difficult to predict – it depends on a number of factors such as the age of the patient, how long the symptoms have been going on and their individual response to the prescription. Advantage of homeopathic over Allopathic
We will start with simple example, which will help explain the difference between the homeopathic and allopath approaches to healing
If someone with high blood pressure goes to an allopath (i.e, a conventional medical doctor), the doctor will prescribe a drug that would produce low blood pressure in a normal individual. The intention would be to strike a balance between the two pathological states with the blood pressure ending up somewhere in the middle. The problem with this approach is that very strong drugs are usually required and there are often very undesirable side-effects, some of which can be very dangerous. If the same individual with high blood pressure went to a homeopath, the homeopath would prescribe a dilute preparation of a substance that in a higher dosage would produce high blood pressure in a normal individual. However, since the preparation is so diluted, there is no chance that it will raise the blood pressure. Instead, the homeopathic preparation stimulates the body into regulating its own blood pressure, bringing it back down toward normal. Because homeopathic preparations are so diluted, there are rarely, if ever, any side-effects.
