What is Homeopathy?
Samuel Hahnemann,
a German scholar, physician and chemist, developed homeopathy
over 200 years ago. Invoking Hippocrates' 2400 year-old healing
principle, the law of similars, he expanded the principle into
a system of medicine. Homeopathy uses natural substances that
can cause symptoms in a healthy person to cure similar symptoms
in someone who is ill. Thus, like cures like. For example, can
you remember the last time you were stung by a bee? The intense
stinging, burning pain, swelling, heat and redness are probably
etched in your memory. These are the common symptoms experienced
when a healthy person is exposed to bee venom. The body reacts
to the bee venom by producing those symptoms. How can bee venom
(Apis mellifica) be used as medicine? Precisely because it causes
these symptoms, it becomes useful as a medicine. People who suffer
from any type of inflammation (such as conjunctivitis, pharyngitis
or arthritis for example), and experience the same burning/stinging
pain, redness, swelling, and heat can be cured or palliated by
a dose of homeopathic Apis.
If you think about the law of similars, you'll quickly realize
how different it is from conventional medicine, almost antithetical.
Homeopathy assists the body to heal in a different way. When a
homeopathic remedy is given, the symptom pattern of the remedy
matches the symptoms of the disease and strengthens the body's
own ability to fight the infection and restore balance. Homeopathic
theory says that the real cause of an infection isn't the solely
the microorganism, but the set of conditions or ecology in a person's
body that provides a supportive environment for the virus or bacteria.
In other words, the host's susceptibility contributes to illness.
If you restore the natural ecology of the body with homeopathy,
susceptibility to disease will decrease, and the infection will
clear.
In the conventional medical approach, if the stomach is producing
too much acid, a drug is given to reduce the stomach's ability
to secrete acid. A person suffering from allergies is given antihistamines
to suppress the inflammatory effect of histamine, a chemical released
by the body in response to allergens. Anti-depressants, such as
Prozac, are used to counter depression.
It may sound good to fight against the symptoms of disease. Antibiotics,
antihistamines, narcotic pain relievers, antacids, and antidepressants
may produce effects that relieve symptoms. But often, they neglect
to address the root cause of disease. Over time, these medications
may produce mild to severe side effects and the result may be
only temporary or superficial healing. Sometimes, this quick-fix
symptomatic approach is very appropriate for the situation. For
example, Andrew Weil jokes, "If I'm in a car accident, don't take
me to an herbalist!" Antibiotics and many conventional pharmaceuticals
are life-savers, and we are extremely fortunate to have them!
However, we must be prudent and responsible in how and when we
decide they are appropriate.
Homeopathy and naturopathy, by contrast, work with the body rather
than against it. With many diseases, especially chronic conditions,
a more comprehensive approach that strives to restore the natural
ecology is desirable. Homeopathy addresses the underlying cause
of disease in its treatment of the whole person. It is quintessentially
holistic medicine in that it takes into account mental, emotional
and physical symptoms before prescribing. There are over 2000
possible homeopathic remedies, and a thorough understanding of
the patient's condition is necessary to find the remedy that most
closely matches their characteristic and unique state. Everyone
is unique, and the expression of a dis-ease state is no different.
For example, though there may be overlap in shared behaviors,
three different children diagnosed with ADHD will express their
diagnosis in very different ways, depending on who they are as
individuals. The same is true of the common cold, influenza, migraines
or depression for that matter. Although there are symptoms that
two people suffering with depression may share, the root cause
and the symptoms will vary. Shouldn't treatment vary according
to the individual manifestation of the disease state?
What Can Homeopathy Treat?
Is
it Safe for infants?
Is
Homeopathy the right Medicine for Me?
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