Homeopathy Concepts
Diane Kusunose P.T., B.T.
WHAT IS HOMEOPATHY?
Homeopathy is a holistic and natural healing method, treating the whole person and not just the symptoms of a disease. Holistic treatment includes not just physical symptoms but also the mental-emotional picture the client is presenting. The word natural has two meanings. Homeopathics are made from substances found in nature and they also stimulate the body’s own natural defenses, known as the vital life force. A symptom picture is the body’s own attempt to self-heal. Homeopathy understands that suppression of this process can drive the disease further into the body.
Homeopathy is a therapeutic system of medicine based on the LAW OF SIMILARS or “LIKE CURES LIKE.”
The Law of Similars states that the same substance, in concentrated doses, that produces disease symptoms in a healthy person can also facilitate healing a sick person with those similar disease symptoms, when given in a very diluted form. This is much like the theory applied with regard to vaccinations: giving the body a small amount of substance that causes disease, in order to rally the person’s army of defense again that pathogen. However, with homeopathic remedies we are giving a diluted dose which is more of an energetic fingerprint of the substance versus the real substance in a vaccination. The remedy will rally the natural defenses of the body with far less potential to do harm. This renders homeopathic remedies completely safe and non-toxic.
A young teenage female patient came to my office at the onset of a cold. She was experiencing symptoms of watery eyes, a burning runny nose, and frequent sneezing, several in a row. A homeopathic remedy called AlliumCepa, made from a red onion worked effectively to clear her symptoms and abort the cold the same day. The symptoms are similar to when one is peeling or chopping the onion. The remedy will dry up the condition whether the cause be viral or allergies.
HOW DOES HOMEOPATHY WORK?
Homeopathic remedies use tiny doses derived from plant, mineral, and animal kingdoms to stimulate a person’s inherent natural defenses. These remedies are prescribed to the individual rather than the particular illness. Two patients coming in the office the same day may both have flu-like symptoms. The symptoms may require different remedies depending on how the patient presents their symptoms. One may be nauseous with no appetite and the other may be feverish and aching all over. Behavior is also observed. Is the patient crying and upset or are they dull and barely able to talk. Different remedies are advised. Unlike Western medicine, with side effects, in homeopathy less can be more effective. The remedies are highly diluted that the symptoms can be changed with no side effects. The remedies are given in much smaller and less toxic doses than traditional medicines and they are used both preventatively and for treatment purposes. A 30C potency (30 parts per hundred) is often used because it is a medium potency and works well treating acute and chronic conditions. This will help in acute conditions where there is a high vitality of the client.
A client came into the office with a full fever at onset which remained continuous. He had a headache and chills up and down the back. He had no thirst, his feet were cold and he looked besotted and tired and could hardly hold his head up. He was dull, droopy, and drowsy. He needed the homeopathic remedy Gelsemium in a 30C potency which acted very quickly. By the end of the day, after 4 doses, he was feeling better with fever and chills diminishing. By the second day he could move around and begin activities again.
THE CLASSICAL AND THE COMBINATION METHODS
Homeopathic medicine was perfected over 200 years ago by Samuel Hahnemann. He was a chemist, a medical doctor and a medical transcriber. He is known as the “Father of Homeopathy” (1755-1843). While translating the Materia Medica, a book of the actions of therapeutic agents, he noticed that 20 pages were written about Cinchona of Peruvian bark, the source of quinine. In the literature, it was very successful treating malaria which was an epidemic in his day. Its success was attributed to the fact that it was bitter. Unprecedented in his time, he took a series of doses of quinine himself and began suffering symptoms of malaria even though he did not have the disease. But this is also what helped patients with malaria. He went on to conduct further studies and kept records of symptoms after giving substances to healthy individuals who volunteered. This is called a “proving” of the remedy. He complied what is known today as a Materia Medica of homeopathic remedies.
Classical Homeopathy includes finding one particular remedy that is very specific to stimulate the vital force in this one person. A client will be evaluated and asked several questions regarding their physical preferences and mental emotional tendencies to determine this remedy. This remedy will be used for most conditions for this patient.
Combination Homeopathic remedies are used for certain specific acute or chronic conditions when it would be very beneficial to support drainage of the body, treat the symptoms, but also provide micronutrients to support a system of the body or organs which will facilitate the healing process. Flower remedies are often in these combinations to support the mental-emotional condition which has the capability to change the physical picture. A middle aged female came in the office recently with an acute back sprain. She had over exercised the day before and awoke with low backpain when trying to get out of bed. She was upset, fearful, and irritable that she would not be able to go to work due to the pain. She began taking Arnica 30C, Rhus Tox 30C, and Acute Rescue drops by Apex Energetics and applied Acute Rescue cream topically. She took the Acute Rescue acutely every 15 minutes for the first two hours. By the end of the day, the pain had subsided and she came in for follow-up twice.
HOW ARE THE REMEDIES PREPARED?
Hahnemann, in his research, learned how to determine the dilutions of substances so he would not cause any aggravations of the symptoms. Quite accidentally, he came up with the idea of succession, a big piece of magic with energetic homeopathic remedies. Succussion is the shaking of the remedy against a hard surface. He came upon the idea of succussion after noticing that the medicines he took with him on house calls, which traveled over cobblestone roads, worked better than those that stayed in the office. He discovered that the process of succussion increased the strength of the remedy while eliminating any side effects.
To prepare a remedy, an original plant, animal, or mineral substance is made into a soluble form, then diluted and succussed. This is called“potentized”. The soluble form is called the mother tincture. Water, alcohol, and lactose are used as the bases for the mother tincture because they were found by Hahnemann to be medically inert. A remedy can be made from anything including insects and poisonous substances. This process of potentization renders it entirely safe and non-toxic.
At Healthwalk you can be evaluated for homeopathic needs for acute and chronic symptoms. A symptom picture can be taken as well as galvanic skin response testing with the LSA Biofeedback system. You will be assessed for the best remedy and remedy combinations to facilitate a healing response. Homeopathy can be combined with nutritional counseling if diet and digestive issues are primary complaints. Also available are many approaches to influence the body energetically and strengthen the vital force to rid the body of microorganisms. Homeopathy can be used for all conditions of pain, injury, illness, and symptoms.