Homeopathy
FAQs
FAQs
 |
 |
Homeopathy
FAQs
FAQs
|
|
Answers to the most Frequently Asked Questions about
Homeopathy
1. What are the physical, mental and emotional aspects of homeopathy?
Homeopathy is based on the philosophy that the body, mind and emotions are
not really separate and distinct, but are actually fully integrated. Based on this
perspective, a homeopath seeks a remedy that fits all of a patient’s physical and
psychological symptoms. Although some people’s symptoms may be complex, a
well-trained homeopath will know which symptoms should be specially noted,
and can choose an effective, individualized remedy.
Prolonged emotional stress can cause physical problems, like upset stomach,
difficulty in digesting foods, poor nutrient assimilation, weaker immune system,
sleeplessness, etc. The opposite is also true. Illness and physical problems can
result in anxiety or emotional uneasiness. Therefore, it is important for a
homeopath to conduct an in-depth interview of a patient to ensure a proper, all
encompassing remedy.
2. What are the three levels of homeopathic therapy?
Level 1: First Aid
Homeopathy can be used in first aid to safely treat common ailments and
occurrences, such as sprains and bruises, minor burns, skin irritations and
reactions (including poison ivy, diaper rash and insect bites), teething pain, etc.
Level 2: Acute Homeopathy
Acute health problems are those in which the symptoms will eventually go away
on their own. They are temporary conditions, such as colds, flu, coughs, sprains,
etc. A homeopathic remedy can be useful and attractive because it is safe,
gentle and has no harmful side effects. Homeopathy can also be used to assist
sensitive conditions such as pregnancy.
Level 3: Constitutional Homeopathy
Constitutional homeopathy refers to the treatment of a person as a whole,
including past and present symptoms. When accurately implemented,
homeopathic constitutional care can elicit a profound healing response.
Homeopathy can be extremely effective in treating chronic and long-term health
problems. Recurrent ear infections, for example, can be treated with a
homeopathic remedy for a longer period of time to strengthen the body’s
immune system and to prevent future occurrences.
3. What is the relationship between symptoms and homeopathy?
Symptoms are the language of a disease — the body’s attempt to balance itself.
Without symptoms, a person could have a potentially life threatening illness with
no way of identifying it. There have been many cancer patients who reported
that they hadn’t suffered from a cold or flu in years prior to their diagnosis. The
explanation was probably not that they didn’t have infections during this period,
but more likely that their bodies were unable to fight these infections by
producing necessary symptoms.
Many conventional drugs try to inhibit and suppress symptoms — sometimes
leading to even more serious symptoms. Conventional (allopathic) physicians do
not usually recognize the new series of symptoms as being related to the old.
Thus, they treat them as new and unrelated problems.
Did you know that a fever is the body’s attempt to activate the immune system’
s white blood cells and defend itself from infection? If a person is given a
symptom-supressing medication — fighting the fever — too soon, they will be
less able to fight the actual infection.
Homeopathy does not seek to remove or suppress symptoms. Its goal is to
recognize and remove the underlying cause of these symptoms. This is why a
homeopath will work toward understanding the whole person — including their
body, mind and emotional state — before prescribing a remedy.
4. Can such small doses be effective?
Homeopathic remedies are indeed very small doses. However, they are specially
prepared doses which undergo a specific process — including dilution of
ingredients (called potentization), as well as a vigorous shaking (succussion).
Specially formulated homeopathic remedies are thought to resonate with the
body, triggering a positive healing response. This response gently, and
effectively, heals from the inside out. The documented results from thousands
of experienced homeopaths, and from millions of their patients, clearly show that
these small, individualized doses produce profound health benefits.
5. How can the correct homeopathic remedy be found?
Finding the appropriate homeopathic remedy depends upon gaining a complete
understanding of the patient as a whole person. This means that the
homeopath must take note of the physical, mental and emotional levels of each
person before deciding on a correct remedy.
Homeopathic remedies have been described as "designer medicines." While this
might seem like a simplistic and trendy view of homeopathy, it is true that
remedies are specially "designed" for individuals based upon their unique, and
sometimes complex, state of being.
Take for example migraine headaches. We could easily demonstrate that one
person might have pain on one side of their head, while another person had pain
on both sides. Still another person could have nausea accompanying the
migraine, and yet another could have dizziness. It is important to recognize that,
in addition to the person’s physical symptoms, there are underlying psychological
and emotional aspects as well.
Homeopathic remedies are only given when the total continuum of physical
and psychological symptoms has been identified.
6. What is the difference between homeopathy and conventional
medicine?
Homeopathy’s Approach
Homeopathy is based on a"whole person" approach. In homeopathy, the
remedy or treatment program is customized and individualized to the patient,
with the intent of removing the underlying cause.
Conventional Medicine’s Approach
Conventional (allopathic) medicine usually relies on treating a patient’s physical
symptoms. This treatment might also assume a person’s symptoms need to be
controlled, suppressed or eliminated.
The difference may be stated in a simple analogy: eradicating the "symptom"
of a car’s low oil level (the warning light) does not change, or remedy, the cause
of the signal (low-oil).
7. Is homeopathy merely psychological?
If you think you must "believe in" homeopathy for it to work, you need to know
that it is not a placebo effect. Here are some powerful examples:
Infants: Homeopathic remedies and treatments are successfully used by parents
for common infant ailments such as colic, teething pain and some infections.
Animals: There are many veterinarians using homeopathic medicines to treat
domestic pets such as cats, dogs and birds, as well as barnyard animals like goats,
horses and cows. Is it possible to have a placebo effect with animals?
Millions of people across the world use and rely on homeopathic remedies. Today
there are a rapidly growing number of conventional medical doctors using
homeopathic medicines, including:
39% of French family physicians
20% of German physicians
10% of Italian physicians
Moreover, in many European countries there is a growing trend of medical
doctors referring patients to homeopathic physicians.
8. What is the patient's role?
Open Communication & Observation
While it is the homeopath’s job to elicit relevant information by asking probing
questions, the patient can expect a higher chance of receiving an effective
homeopathic remedy if he or she is open and truthful in describing their physical
and psychological symptoms. It is also important to be observant of the changes
taking place in your system. To that end, you might want to keep a journal or
notes on any noticeable changes or shifts in your symptoms or health.
Substances to Avoid
Another important thing to remember is that it is wise to avoid any substances
that might interfere with your remedy. Certain substances have been found to
reverse ("antidote") the effects of homeopathic remedies and medicines.
It is suggested that you avoid the following substances, practices and items to
insure the best response from your remedy:
Avoid:
Coffee
Camphor, or camphorated products including products containing eucalyptus and
camphor oils
Dental work, teeth cleaning, drilling or anesthetics
Electric blankets
Mint, or mentholated products
Nicotine
Recreational drugs
Some conventional drugs (Be sure to tell your homeopath what you are taking)
X-Rays
Stress, which can lower the reonance of a homeopathic remedy
Reproduced from Whole Health Now (http://www.wholehealthnow.
com)
Goals of the Homeopathic Approach
The Homeopath’s Role as "Detective"
It has been said that the work of the
homeopath is to observe the patient, process
and reflect on the gathered information, and
then determine the underlying disturbance.
This process can be thought of as a mystery,
wherein the homeopathic "detective" attempts
to discover where the flow of energy in the
body has been blocked or impeded. Each
signal/symptom offered by the patient can be
thought of as a clue to determine the correct
remedy. The patient’s eye contact, body
posture, breathing patterns, voice quality, and
expressions are also noted as potential clues.
Next, the data must be reconstructed, as it
might be in a mystery novel or movie.
When all of the information about the patient’s
physical, mental and emotional symptoms has
been documented, then the final search for the
answer begins. Unlike a detective — or medical
physician for that matter — the homeopath’s
goal is not only to remove the symptoms, but
also to eliminate the essential causal problem by
stimulating the body’s natural curative powers.
This is the reason for obtaining such a detailed
analysis of the patient.
The Homeopathic Treatment
The goal of the homeopathic treatment is to
encourage the body to return to a natural state
of balance and health. Like the missing pieces of
a puzzle, homeopathic medicines help "fill-in"
the gaps in the body to stimulate a person’s
own healing potential and energies. When this
occurs, the person will have access to the body’
s natural strength and wisdom, so that more
conventional medicines and chemical-based
substances may not be needed.
The Follow-Up Visit
Generally, the homeopath will schedule follow-
up visits after the first interview and remedy
prescription. In simple cases, a patient will feel
significantly better after the first treatment.
The follow-up visits are used to determine what
additional methods or remedies are required. In
some cases, it may be required to use more
than one remedy sequentially so that balance
and full health can be restored.
Traditional homeopathy only applies one
remedy at a time. What you will experience
when you receive the correct remedy can
include the disappearance of specific symptoms,
more energy, stronger immune system
functions, and a sense of increased well-being.
Homeopathic treatments have rapid and far-
reaching effects. Even if the changes require
time to develop, they usually are long-lasting.
The Homeopath’s Role as "Detective"
It has been said that the work of the
homeopath is to observe the patient, process
and reflect on the gathered information, and
then determine the underlying disturbance.
This process can be thought of as a mystery,
wherein the homeopathic "detective" attempts
to discover where the flow of energy in the
body has been blocked or impeded. Each
signal/symptom offered by the patient can be
thought of as a clue to determine the correct
remedy. The patient’s eye contact, body
posture, breathing patterns, voice quality, and
expressions are also noted as potential clues.
Next, the data must be reconstructed, as it
might be in a mystery novel or movie.
When all of the information about the patient’s
physical, mental and emotional symptoms has
been documented, then the final search for the
answer begins. Unlike a detective — or medical
physician for that matter — the homeopath’s
goal is not only to remove the symptoms, but
also to eliminate the essential causal problem by
stimulating the body’s natural curative powers.
This is the reason for obtaining such a detailed
analysis of the patient.
The Homeopathic Treatment
The goal of the homeopathic treatment is to
encourage the body to return to a natural state
of balance and health. Like the missing pieces of
a puzzle, homeopathic medicines help "fill-in"
the gaps in the body to stimulate a person’s
own healing potential and energies. When this
occurs, the person will have access to the body’
s natural strength and wisdom, so that more
conventional medicines and chemical-based
substances may not be needed.
The Follow-Up Visit
Generally, the homeopath will schedule follow-
up visits after the first interview and remedy
prescription. In simple cases, a patient will feel
significantly better after the first treatment.
The follow-up visits are used to determine what
additional methods or remedies are required. In
some cases, it may be required to use more
than one remedy sequentially so that balance
and full health can be restored.
Traditional homeopathy only applies one
remedy at a time. What you will experience
when you receive the correct remedy can
include the disappearance of specific symptoms,
more energy, stronger immune system
functions, and a sense of increased well-being.
Homeopathic treatments have rapid and far-
reaching effects. Even if the changes require
time to develop, they usually are long-lasting.