About Homeopathy
A Brief Introduction to Homeopathy
Whether used in conjunction with conventional
medicine, or as a natural alternative, homeopathy is often the
treatment of choice to recover one’s health most safely,
efficiently, completely, and permanently. Excellent results,
and often cure, have been documented in the homeopathic treatment
of patients with a wide variety of health problems including:
chronic pain, infections, allergies and asthma, skin conditions,
arthritis, headaches, disc herniations, sciatica, back pain,
fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, infertility, anxiety, depression,
heartburn, and irritable bowel.
It is becoming increasingly popular as more people
are discovering homeopathy’s far-reaching effects, and
looking for true alternatives to conventional medicine. Homeopathic
remedies are natural, safe, completely non-toxic, and free of
harmful side effects.
Homeopathic medicine works by triggering a reaction
of the body to heal itself. It optimizes the body’s ability
to heal, so that a complete cure is typically achieved and further
treatment becomes no longer necessary.
What
is homeopathy?
Developed
by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, a German physician who lived between
1755 and 1843, homeopathy is a scientific method of treatment
that is based on the application of the law of similars, which
states that “a substance that causes, in a healthy person,
symptoms similar to those of a disease state, can cure a sick
person in that similar disease state.” The Latin phrase
Similia similibus curentur (“let likes be cured by likes”)
defines the guiding principle of homeopathy.
This law of similars is based on years of observation and a number
of discoveries and reflections found throughout the history of
medicine, long before Hahnemann’s time. Even Hippocrates,
the “Father of Medicine,” had stated that cure could
be achieved through the action of “similars.” Hahnemann
first experienced the law of similars while translating a textbook
of medicine in which it was reported that cinchona bark was used
to cure malaria. He decided to test Hippocrates’ theory
by taking some cinchona bark himself, and found that as a healthy
person, he actually developed symptoms very similar to those
of malaria. This led Hahnemann to develop a hypothesis that cinchona
appears to cure malaria because it produces the symptoms of malaria
in healthy people.
After testing many other substances in this same
way, Hahnemann began to treat people utilizing substances found
in nature that would create the same pattern of symptoms for
which they were seeking treatment. He met with such great success
that his hypothesis became an indisputable fact: if a substance
can cause a pattern of symptoms in a healthy person that is similar
to the pattern of symptoms of the patient, then that substance
will be an effective treatment for that patient. Thus, the main
goal of the homeopathic physician is to identify the one substance
found in nature (the homeopathic remedy) that produces a pattern
of symptoms most similar to those that the patient is suffering
from.
Another example of the application of the law of similars would
be this: if you’re chopping onions, your eyes may water,
itch, and burn. You may also develop a runny nose with sneezing.
If you had this similar pattern of symptoms during a cold or
hay fever, then a highly diluted homeopathic remedy made from
red onion (Allium cepa) might be an effective homeopathic treatment
of this condition. Yet one more example would be the use of the
homeopathic remedy of coffea, prepared from coffee, which is
often used to treat the same type of insomnia that too much coffee
can cause.
Because the application of the law of similars is so useful in
treatment of patients with a variety of diseases Hahnemann came
up with the term homeopathy, from the Greek “homoios” (similar)
and “pathos” (suffering).
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How does homeopathy
work?
To answer this question, we must first understand
the basic causes of disease. In general, one can assert that
disease is a state of imbalance resulting from the combination
of several factors. These factors include external influences
such as lifestyle (diet, exercise, and mental hygiene), environmental
exposures, microbes (bacteria and viruses), as well as physical
and emotional trauma.
However, in order for these external factors to
actually cause a disease, the individual must also possess some
internal, intrinsic, constitutional susceptibility to certain
types of illness, often determined largely by heredity. This
susceptibility or sensitivity represents a disturbance or imbalance
in an individual’s general state of health. If the person’s
overall state of health is weak and/or imbalanced, he or she
is more susceptible to many of these external factors and diseases,
and generally does a poor job of healing.
For example, consider a group of passengers flying on an airplane
in the middle of the cold and flu season. Obviously, there is
a very high concentration of bacteria and viruses circulating
through the air, to which all of the passengers are exposed.
Over the next several days, some of the passengers will develop
a cold, flu, or bacterial infection, but many will not. Why is
it that we can observe this phenomena in nature to be true? The
answer lies in the individual’s unique, intrinsic, constitutional
predisposition, as well as the overall strength and balance of
the individual’s state of health at that time. Some people
are simply more susceptible to developing colds than others.
Other people may be prone to developing a cold but only when “off-balance” (under
extreme stress, during a period of inadequate sleep, etc).
Careful observation reveals that these factors
of susceptibility and state of health seem to be more important
than the mere exposure to a germ, in determining who will actually
get sick. This concept of constitutional susceptibility and state
of health also explains why it is so that when some people are
exposed to physical or emotional stressors they feel fine or
recover easily, while others will, for example, develop a headache.
Yet still others exposed to the same stressors will develop a
completely different pattern of symptoms or a disease that they
are more uniquely susceptible to, including, for example: asthma,
hay fever, insomnia, depression and anxiety, irritable bowel
syndrome, chronic pain, fatigue, etc.
Symptoms of disease are evidence that the body is trying to overcome
the disease but that it is not fully able to do so on its own.
As described above, this inability to overcome disease is due
primarily to the individual’s inherent predispositions
and imbalanced state of health. Homeopathy works by triggering
a reaction of the body to correct the imbalance (the disease
state), enabling the organism to re-balance itself globally so
that the susceptibility to sickness is greatly decreased and
the body’s ability to heal is dramatically enhanced, allowing
for a true cure.
This healing reaction is triggered by the homeopathic
remedy, according to the law of similars. This law of similars
asserts that bringing together similar patterns – the disease
pattern of the patient and the disease pattern of a similar remedy – will
result in the destruction of the patient’s disease pattern.
The leading theory that explains how homeopathy works relies
upon the phenomenon of homeostasis. Homeostasis is defined as “the
state of equilibrium (balance) in the body with respect to various
functions and to the fluids and tissues, and the processes through
which such bodily equilibrium is maintained.” In other
words, the body will typically react to outside influences or
stressors in an attempt to restore the balance of health, or
homeostasis. If the vital force is strong and balanced, it will
be able to recover quickly from these outside stressors. However,
if it is weak and unbalanced, symptoms will develop as a sign
that the body is having trouble overcoming the disease, and a
chronic disease may develop.
Homeopathy works by giving the body that is no longer successfully
reacting to the disease the help it needs to react in a more
complete and balanced way, in order to overcome the disease on
its own. When the homeopathic remedy is given, it acts as a new
outside influence or stress. The body will, in turn, react to
this stressor in an attempt to restore homeostasis. And if the
remedy was carefully chosen so that its pattern of symptoms are
the most similar (ie, the most homeopathic) to the individual’s
pattern of symptoms, then the remedy “gains the attention” of
the vital force and encourages it to react to the remedy. In
reacting to the remedy, the body’s vital force is “tricked” in
a sense into actually reacting against the disease at the same
time, because the symptoms of the remedy and the disease are
so similar. With the help of the remedy, the body’s reaction
to the disease is optimized, leading to an eventual cure.
Another way of looking at how the body’s healing reaction
may be triggered is to compare one’s state of health to
that of a pendulum. A healthy state of homeostasis is one in
which the pendulum is hanging at its lowest center point, perfectly
balanced. As the pendulum reacts to different stressors, it will
swing back and forth but eventually will come to rest, balanced
at its lowest center point again, assuming that body is operating
efficiently, in a state of equilibrium or homeostasis. If not,
and the body is in a diseased state, the body could, for example,
overreact to an otherwise harmless substance, as is the case
with an allergic or inflammatory reaction.
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The pendulum could swing wildly out of proportion
to the stressor, and get stuck, for example, off to the right.
The conventional medical approach would be to try to force the
pendulum back to the left, in the same way that antidepressants
would be used to force the brain out of its depressed state,
or anti-inflammatory medications used to suppress inflammation.
The homeopathic approach would be to use a remedy to gently nudge
the pendulum a bit further to the right, in the same direction
as the pendulum’s already distorted position. By introducing
a stimulus which is similar to the existing pattern of disease
or distortion, the pendulum becomes unstuck and then the body’s
vital force, or homeostatic mechanisms, are able to react to
this further state of imbalance, bringing it back toward homeostasis.
In contrast, conventional medications are generally given for
their chemical effects on the organism, which are opposite to
the state of disease. For example, an anti-inflammatory is given
to suppress symptoms of inflammation. Conversely, in homeopathy,
a remedy is given to provoke a reaction of the organism. This
reaction is the healing reaction, not a direct chemical effect.
Since only the living organism can truly heal itself,
the homeopathic remedy does not do the healing; it is merely
an influence used to provoke a reaction of the vital force to
bring about recovery. The greater the degree of similarity between
the pattern of symptoms that are provoked by the remedy on a
healthy person and the pattern of symptoms displayed by the person
who is sick, the greater will be the recovery.
Thus, the patient overcomes the disease because of the restoration
of the vital force. When the vital force is normalized, the individual’s
susceptibility to disease decreases over time. In one of our
prior examples, the patient becomes less and less susceptible
to colds and infections in general.
Similarly, under homeopathic treatment, chronic
pain, headaches, allergies, and asthma tend to become less frequent
and weaker over time, until they eventually just go away. This
decreased sensitivity or susceptibility is a common scenario
observed during the course of homeopathic treatment of virtually
all disease because homeopathy, instead of merely suppressing
the symptoms, actually addresses the fundamental cause of the
disease.
The ultimate result of homeopathic treatment is
a true cure, which the body accomplishes naturally. The total
health of the individual is fully restored, and the remedy and/or
other medications are often no longer needed.
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What is a
homeopathic remedy?
A
homeopathic remedy is a highly diluted substance, prepared from
one single animal, mineral, or plant source, as found in nature.
For example, Apis mellifica is a highly diluted remedy prepared
from the venom of a honey bee, commonly used to treat bee stings,
certain types of sore throats, and many other conditions. The
remedies are prepared in laboratories by homeopathic pharmacies
under very strict regulatory guidelines.
In fact, the FDA has publicly stated: “Homeopathic
medicines in high dilutions, taken under the supervision of trained
professionals, are considered safe and unlikely to cause severe
adverse reactions.” Because of the extremely high dilutions
of the remedies, they are extremely safe and completely devoid
of all chemical toxicity. Thus, unlike even many herbal preparations,
they are extremely safe and effective to use even with pregnant
women and infants.
Homeopathic remedies are first scientifically “proven” by
testing small amounts of the natural substances on healthy individuals
and meticulously recording all of the symptoms experienced by
these individuals. After the symptoms from a “proving” disappear,
the experiment continues, and the individuals receive yet another
dose to confirm the original findings of the first proving. This
is done several times and, in many cases, with many individuals
to ensure consistent, accurate, and reliable information.
Next, this information is combined with information
from clinical trials to confirm that the remedy does indeed cure
individuals suffering from a pattern of symptoms similar to the
pattern of symptoms of the remedy. Unlike drugs used in conventional
medicine, which may only be tested for a few years and typically
used without full knowledge of long-term side effects, the homeopathic
remedies most commonly prescribed have been used safely and effectively
for decades.
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The reason the remedies are so safe is the same reason that makes
it so difficult for most people to comprehend how these remedies
could possibly work - the remedies are so highly diluted that
only a molecule or less of the original substance is chemically
present in the remedy. Only a subtle essence, or a sub-molecular
remnant, of the original substance remains. This fact has made
it easy for skeptics to argue that homeopathy can’t possibly
work because there can’t be any significant chemical effect
of a remedy that may not even contain a single molecule of what
it was originally prepared from. The funny thing is that these
skeptics are correct.
As you may recall from the previous section, we
already know that the action of the remedy is not a chemical
one; it merely triggers a healing reaction of the vital force.
One way of thinking about the remedy is that, instead of exerting
a chemical influence on the body, it may actually work by communicating
information to the body about the pattern of symptoms that the
original undiluted substance causes. It is this information contained
in the remedy, not the chemical composition of the remedy, that
the vital force reacts to. Because this concept of a non-chemical
healing reaction does not fit the conventional medical model,
it is simply discarded by many. However, as we will see in the
next section, modern scientific research has confirmed the safety
and effectiveness of homeopathy again and again.
One final note on homeopathic remedies: they are relatively inexpensive,
especially when compared to other over-the-counter medication,
prescription drugs, and even vitamin supplements and herbal preparations.
A typical 1 to 2 month supply of one single remedy usually costs
around $10 to $15. Since only one single remedy is prescribed
at any one time, even for a multitude of symptoms, taking the
remedy is very simple and inexpensive.
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Is
there any research that shows homeopathy to be effective?
Yes, there is a growing body of scientific evidence
that documents homeopathy to be safe and effective. A major review
of dozens of clinical trials of homeopathy concluded that the
scientific evidence is strong enough “for establishing
homeopathy as a regular treatment for certain indications.” (British
Medical Journal, 1991; 302:316-323). Other research showed the
response to homeopathic remedies to be 2.5 to 3 times greater
than placebo.(Lancet,1997;350:834-843).
Homeopathy has been widely practiced with excellent
results on animals, infants, and comatose patients, none of whom
could possibly respond to a placebo effect. Also, it has been
observed that when a patient is given a homeopathic remedy that
is not accurately prescribed, there will typically be no response
to that remedy. For example, consider the case where the homeopath,
although trying to find the right remedy for the patient, fails
on their first attempt.
A randomized controlled trial proved homeopathy to be successful
in treating acute childhood diarrhea, especially when virus and/or
bacteria were present. Jacobs, Jennifer, L. Margarita Jimenez,
Stephen S. Gloyd, James L. Gale, and Dean Crothers, “Treatment
of Acute Childhood Diarrhea with Homeopathic Medicine: A Randomized
Clinical Trial in Nicaragua”, Pediairics, Volume 93, Number
5, pp. 719-725 (May 1994). In fact, the results from this study
were successfully replicated later. Jacobs, J., et al. “Homeopathic
Treatment of Acute Childhood Diarrhea: Results from a Clinical
Trial in Nepal”, Journal of Alternative and Complementary
Medicine, Volume 6, pp. 131-139 (2000).
Another study showed that homeopathy was far superior to prophylactic
doses of antibiotics in preventing respiratory disease in pigs
on pig farms. Albrecht, H., et al., “Homeopathy Versus
Antibiotics in Metaphylaxis of Infectious Diseases”, Alternative
Therapies, Volume 5, Number 5, pp. 64-68 (September, 1999).
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Homeopathy was also shown to be effective in treating rheumatoid
arthritis. Gibson et al., Journal of Clinical Pharmacology ,
9, pg. 453 (1980).
Allergies were shown to improve with homeopathic treatment. Reilly,
D., et al., “Randomized Controlled Trial of Homeopathy
Versus Placebo in Perennial Allergic Rhinitis with Overview of
Four Trial Series,” British Medical Journal, 321, pg.,
471-476, (August 19, 2000)
Faster recovery from the flu with homeopathic treatment was shown.
Ferley, J. P., et al., “A Controlled Evaluation of a Homeopathic
Preparation in the Treatment of influenza-Like Syndromes,” British
Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 27, pp. 329-335 (1989).
Homeopathy improved post-operative pain and agitation in children.
Alibeu, J. P., et al., “Aconit en Dilution homeopathique
et agitation post-operatoire de l’enfant,” Pediatrie
(Bucur), 45:7-8, pp. 465-466 (1980).
Less relapse of recovering alcoholics and drug addicts undergoing
homeopathic treatment was shown. Garcia-Swain, Susan, “A
Double-Blind, Placebo- Controlled Trial Applying Homeopathy to
Chemical Dependency," Hahnemann College of Homeopathy, Albany,
California (June, 1993).
Faster recovery and less treatment failures with homeopathic
treatment of otitis media (ear infections) in children. Jacobs,
J., et al., “Homeopathic Treatment of Acute Otitis Media
in Children: A Preliminary Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial, ”Pediatric
Infectious Disease Journal”, 20,, 2, pp. 177-183 (February
2001)
Finally, we are currently awaiting the release of a several thousand-page
book: The Weight of Evidence: Homeopathy in Times of Epidemics
and other Statistics, by Andre’ Saine, N.D. In it, Dr.
Saine reviews the literature from the past two hundred years
regarding the homeopathic treatment of over 15 of the major epidemics
afflicting humankind including measles, malaria, pneumonia, and
influenza, cholera, typhus, and many others. Many readers will
be quite astonished to find that not only has the track record
of homeopathy been excellent in the treatment of these diseases,
but it has actually been shown to be universally superior to
that of conventional medical treatment.
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