Homeopathic Medicine

Homeopathy has wound in and out of popularity over the past two centuries. Its little white sugar pills with nary a trace of substance that seem to cure everything are however, misunderstood.

Homeopathy looks at illness much differently than standard medicine. Instead of smoothing out physical complaints with a hefty dose of medication, it reaches deep inside a person and helps to realign the inner healing essence that homeopaths call the vital force. Using a truly holistic approach, homeopathic medicines gently nurse the body back to health, much as Mother Nature would.

The homeopathic train of thought has chugged along through history, stopping with such noted physicians as Hippocrates and Paracelsus. It wasn't until the 18th century that Samuel Hahnemann, MD developed these stray ideas into a full-fledged discipline. Tossing aside the medical teachings of his day, Hahnemann published the first homeopathic work called The Organon of Medicine in 1810. Thus began the homeopathic movement.

During its life, homeopathy has enjoyed rich and lean times. Its popularity during the mid-nineteenth century so threatened the medical community that the American Medical Association (AMA) was formed in 1846. Seventy years later, homeopathy withered under the bright lights of medical reform and wonder drugs. Finally in the late 1970's, along with other natural health disciplines, homeopathy was revived. It has continued to grow in this and other countries.

The Laws of Homeopathy

Because homeopathy doesn't follow the principles set down by modern medicine, it is important to understand the unique laws that govern it. The first law, one that Hahnemann borrowed from history to begin his development of homeopathy, is that "like cures like". This means that the substance used to treat a sick patient mimics the disease when that same compound is given to healthy person. For example, in a well individual, Allium cepa, or red onion, invokes symptoms familiar to any cook who has peeled onions such as red, tearing eyes. This same remedy is ideal for colds, which produce a similar symptom picture.

Another law of homeopathy is that its medicines be given in a minimum dose. Part of Hahnemann's frustration with allopathic medicine (a term devised by homeopathic practitioners to describe conventional medicine), was the administration of medicines that caused adverse reactions. To avoid this he diluted his remedies to a point where no side effects were experienced, but a cure was still achieved. In fact, the more he diluted his remedies, the more potent they became. He believed that the vigorous shaking, or successions, used to prepare his medicines helped to potentize them.

In classical homeopathy, the law of the single remedy demands that its medicines be given one at a time based on current symptoms. Because the patient and disease are each seen as fluid and ever-changing, the remedy is altered as the symptom picture changes. This concept of individual treatment requires that the homeopathic practitioner carefully documents as many details of the patient's health as possible including physical symptoms, emotional and mental balance, food cravings and aversions, sleeping habits and other, sometimes seemingly bizarre observations. These symptoms are then painstakingly matched to one of over 2000 remedies at an appropriate dose.

Some Homeopathic Remedies

Aconite: Initial stages of fevers and inflammations brought about by exposure to dry cold, with anxiety, restlessness and thirst. Discontinue when perspiration begins.

Allium Cepa: Beginning stages of cold with sneezing and streaming eyes. Watery discharge irritates nose, often accompanied by laryngitis with raw sensation down into chest.

Antimonium Tart: Colds with wheezing cough, much mucus, rattling or bubbling in chest. Patient is pale with cold sweat.

Apis Mellifica: Swelling from insect bites, bee stings, urticaria and other acute disorders. Red spots with stinging pain. Patient drowsy and sensitive to heat.

Arnica Montana: Muscular soreness due to overexertion. The first remedy for swelling, bruising and shock. An athlete's necessity.

Arsenicum Album: Stomach upset, vomiting, diarrhea, often accompanied by great thirst, restlessness, choryza and sciatica. Worse just after midnight. Weakness from overexertion.

Belladonna: Sudden onset of violent symptoms characterized by flushing heat, and throbbing pain. Patient may have sore throat, cough, aches and fever.

Bryonia Alba: The flu with aching, dry cough. "Grumpy Bear." Rheumatic pain worse from motion, better from cold. *

Calcarea Phos.: Calc Phos is noted for its effect on the development of bones and teeth. It is essential for growing healthy bones and is useful for children. Calc Phos supports definition and knitting of bones. Good for sore throat and painful swallowing.

Cantharis: Bladder irritation with painful urination. Cantharis also alleviates pain of burns and scalds.

Carbo Veg.: Known as the great reliever, Carbo Veg. helps the person who is on the verge of collapse or whose vitality is low after illness. Head is hot but body often icy cold. *

Chamomilla: Hypersensitivity to pain, rheumatic discomfort, sleeplessness and nervous excitability. Relieves colic and teething distress in children.

Ferrum Phos.: Ferrum Phos helps the lungs to distribute oxygen throughout the body. It helps carry the oxygen in the circulatory system and is useful for inflammations (sore throat, stuffy nose), nosebleeds or muscular strains. For first aid, fevers and first stage of inflammations, Ferrum Phos is your remedy. *

Gelsemium: Flu, tension headaches, and colds & especially summer colds. Patient is drowsy, listless and complains of aches and chills, wants to be left alone and is NOT thirsty.

Hepar Sulph. Calc.: Helps to localize inflammation, as in bringing a boil to a head. Also of value in treating croup, certain head colds, sore throats and laryngitis.

Hypericum: Hypericum heals bruises on injured parts rich in nerves such as fingertips and toes. Helps tailbone injuries.

Ignatia Amara: Relieves feeling of grief, disappointment, anxiety, anger often accompanied by nervous headache. Relieves bedwetting in children and the elderly.

Ipecac: Primary remedy for nausea and vomiting, gagging cough, upset stomach. Also aids in stopping nosebleeds or bleeding from any part of the body.

Ledum Pal.: Puncture wounds, stings, bites, Poison Oak, rheumatism and sprains.

Mag. Phos.: Mag Phos is noted for its ability to ease muscular cramping symptoms. It is quick to relieve pain, especially cramping, shooting, darting or spasmodic pains as well as for nerve pains, like sciatica. Symptoms are better from warmth, pressure and bending double but worse from cold.

Mercurius Viv.: Sore throat, boils and gum disease. Characterized by perspiration, weakness, trembling and sensitivity to temperature changes.

Nux Vomica: Gastric and liver disorders occasioned by high living, overeating or excessive medication. "Hangover" medicine, Nux Vomica also can break the laxative headache.

Phosphorus: Laryngitis, chest colds, hemorrhaging and nerve inflammations. Phosphorus has a long lasting effect and should not be repeated often.

Pulsatilla: Advanced stages of a cold with profuse thick yellowish discharge. Also helps rheumatic pain, menstrual disorders and upset stomach from overeating.

Rhus Tox.: Rheumatic conditions brought on by cold, wet weather. Burning, itching vesicular skin eruptions. Pain in joints, tendons, aggravated at first motion, improved with continued motion.

Ruta Grav.: Shinbone injury, or any injury to the periosteum (bone covering). Useful for sprains, strains and shin splints. A follow-up if Arnica fails.

Spongia Tosta: Respiratory disorders, cough and hoarseness with painful burning throat. Advanced stages of croup (after Aconite.)

Sulphur: Skin diseases with itching, burning and dryness. Standing is uncomfortable to the Sulphur patient, and this remedy is used frequently in chronic conditions.

Veratrum Alb.: Useful when diarrhea and vomiting occur simultaneously. Patient is in a cold sweat and feels faint.