The Principles of Homeopathy

The Principles of Homeopathy

Like cures like (Law of Similars)

The more a remedy is diluted, the greater its potency (Law of the Infinitesimal Dose)

An illness is specific to the individual (a holistic medical model

Like Cures Like

According to Dr. Hahnemann, “Each individual case of disease is most surely, radically, rapidly, and permanently annihilated and removed only by a medicine capable of producing (in the human system) the most similar and complete manner of the totality of the symptoms.” In other words, the same substance that in large doses produces the symptoms of an illness, in very minute doses cures it.

Dr. Hahnemann referred to this phenomenon as the Law of Similars, a principle first recognized in the fourth century B.C., by Hippocrates, who was studying the effects of herbs upon disease.  This Law of Similars was also the theoretical basis for the vaccines of physicians Edward Jenner, Jonas Salk, and Louis Pasteur.  They would “immunize” the body with trace amounts of a disease component, often a virus, to strengthen its immune response to the actual disease.  Allergies are treated in a similar fashion by introducing minute quantities of the suspected allergen into the body to bolster natural tolerance levels.

The More Diluted, the Greater Its Potency

Most people believe that the higher the dose of a medicine, the greater the effect. But the opposite holds true in homeopathy where the more a substance is diluted, the higher its potency. Dr. Hahnemann discovered this Law of the Infinitesimal Dose by experimenting with higher and higher dilutions of substances to avoid toxic side effects.

Today, homeopathic remedies are usually prepared through a process of diluting with pure water or alcohol and succussing (vigorous shaking).  Homeopathic solutions can be diluted to such an extent that literally no molecules of the original substance remain in the remedy. Yet, the more dilute it gets the more potent it becomes. This phenomenon has been the source of great fascination among practitioners and researchers in the field of homeopathic medicine, as from the point of view of conventional chemistry; diluted homeopathic remedies may contain no trace of the original substance. In fact, any homeopathic remedy over 24X potency (24 successive dilutions and succussions) will have no chemical trace of the original substance remaining.

Illness Is Specific to the Individual

A session with a homeopathic practitioner is a unique experience for someone accustomed to conventional medicine. For instance, you may suffer from chronic headaches, perhaps migraines. While the conventional medical treatment for this condition is the same for most everyone (some form of analgesic or anti-inflammatory), homeopathy recognizes over two hundred symptom patterns associated with headaches, and has corresponding remedies for each.

Your headache may be in the front of your head.  It may get worse with a cold sensation and improve with heat.  It may be better while you are laying down, or while you are sitting up.  You may be a person who is thin, and easily excited, or the docile, sedentary sort.  The first task of the homeopathic practitioner is a process called “profiling,” or recording all of the qualities-physical, mental, and emotional-that will determine the patient’s remedy or combination of remedies.

Practitioners of classical homeopathy consult vast compendiums called repertories and materia medicas to determine the remedy that most closely matches the total picture of the patient’s symptomology. These compendiums are compilations of the findings of thousands of tests, for over two hundred years, that record how healthy individuals react to different substances. The very detailed reactions of the subjects are catalogued in these compendiums and the homeopathic practitioner’s task is to match them exactly to the patient’s profile.

Use and Care of Homeopathic Remedies

Homeopathic remedies come in sugar pellets, lactose tablets, or liquid solutions. The remedies are easy to use orally and can be put in water or juice if needed. When taking homeopathic pellets, avoid touching the pellets with your hands.

Learn more about homeopathy and how homeopathy works >

How Do I Take Homeopathic Remedies?

For sucrose pellets or lactose tablets, gently pour 2-3 pellets into the lid of the container, then drop the pellets into your mouth from the cap, and place under your tongue. Let them dissolve and do not chew or swallow. Pellets may also be placed in water, stirred, and then sipped throughout the day.

For liquid homeopathic remedies, take the number of drops indicated on the bottle, unless otherwise directed. Place drops directly under the tongue and retain there for at least 30 seconds. Avoid touching any part of the dropper to the mouth or tongue.

It is best not to brush teeth, eat or drink anything for at least 10 minutes before or after administration of the remedy. Also, do not use any gum, mints, or toothpaste containing peppermint or spearmint within 30 minutes of taking the remedy. It is important to refrain from using any products containing camphor of menthol while under treatment. These products can antidote the remedies.

Caffeine, especially coffee, can reverse the action of homeopathies. Decaffeinated coffee, either instant or freeze-dried does not appear to antidote the remedies.

Do Homeopathic Remedies Need Special Care?

YES!  They are easily neutralized if proper care is not given.

Keep all homeopathic remedies out of direct sunlight.  Do not store them within 3 feet of a microwave oven, computer, or television set. Do not store near strong odors such as essential oils.  It is not necessary to refrigerate.

Do not allow homeopathics to pass through airport security belts or passenger walk through devices. Either pack them in a lead-lined photo bag in checked baggage or request they be hand inspected by security personnel.

If you are using more than one remedy you may take them at the same time, however be careful not to open more than one bottle at a time.

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The wrong remedy can do nothing, or it can produce side effects if it is taken too often. Usually single doses, or just a few (2-3) will rarely create problems for most people. 

Generally if the remedy is partially right (and partially wrong) that is where you will get a reaction. Those remedies that are completely wrong will usually just miss you and have no effect. 

Really, homoeopathy is quite safe as long as doses are not repeated over and over without proper assessment. As long as a practitioner is doing regular follow ups, only dosing in a very minimalist way, you will be fine. The real problem comes with practitioners who mechanically give multiple doses, ask you to continue without any follow up or guidelines as to when to stop or change dosing, or ignore any bad reactions you have and continue to have you take the medicine.

Overview of Classical Homeopathic Philosophy

Introduction to Homeopathy • Homeopathic Philosophy

Classical homeopathy rests on a rich philosophical foundation first established by Hahnemann in his Organon of the Healing Art at the turn of the nineteenth century and refined over the past two centuries since.

Homeopathy is rare among systems of medicine in possessing a clear and thorough view of the dynamics of health and disease. In homeopathy disease is regarded as an affection of the spiritual core of the person, and the treatment of disease is guided by specific laws of healing.

The Law of Similars

First, the law of similars calls for the application of remedies made from substances whose pattern of illness best matches that of the person. This is the fundamental law of homeopathy, and the term homeopathy (“homeo” + “pathy”, from the Greek homoios [similar] and pathos [suffering]) derives from this idea. The pattern of illness is determined through a combination of sources including formal experiment and collected clinical data (as will be explored in future posts).

The Single Remedy

Second, the disease pattern encompasses the whole being of a person, so classical homeopathic treatment usually consists of prescribing one remedy at a time even when multiple symptoms are present, in order to address the (singular) spiritual cause of illness. A homeopathic remedy is a specially prepared formulation originating in some natural or synthetic substance and used in homeopathic treatment.

Individualization of Treatment

Because the single remedy depends on many factors and not just on the presenting complaint or medical diagnosis, the remedy is necessarily custom-fit to each and every patient. Thus homeopathy is said to offer an individualized prescription that cannot be predicted in advance of case analysis.

Suppression

Fourth, classical homeopaths are very attentive to the phenomenon ofsuppression, and carefully distinguish between it and true curative action. Suppression happens when symptoms disappear under some treatment but the person as a whole feels worse (more tired, depressed, or otherwise lacking in vitality). Many conventional and alternative therapeutic approaches rely on suppressive treatment (and sometimes suppression is necessary and even life-saving), but it is a harmful approach in the long term.

Order of Healing

Fifth, homeopaths note that usually healing under homeopathic treatment (or any other treatment that respects the natural laws of healing) takes place in a certain order of healing. During homeopathic treatment the following are positive indicators of correct (non-suppressive) healing:

1. Past symptoms or sensations will frequently reappear (in weaker form and for a shorter period) before disappearing for good.
2. In cases of deep pathology, symptoms relating to vital organs will improve first while superficial tissues (such as the skin) will improve later on.
3. The head and upper body will tend to improve before the lower body and legs

Throughout treatment, it is essential for both the homeopath and the patient to respect this natural hierarchy of healing and not interfere with it.

The Minimum Dose

Finally, the ideal of minimum dose was the main reason that compelled Samuel Hahnemann (the founder of homeopathy) to establish a new system of medicine in the first place. Working as a conventional physician in late-eighteenth-century Germany, he was looking for a way of reducing the side-effects from the aggressive medical approaches of the time (which included the frequent use of mercury and bloodletting). Through this he was led to the serendipitous discovery that whenever there is a correspondence between remedy and disease state (following the law of similars), a medicinal effect will persist even if the original substance is diluted so much that it is no longer present in chemical form.

In summary, classical homeopathy rests on (1) the law of similars, (2) prescribing one remedy at a time in (3) individualized form, (4) avoiding suppression by (5) respecting the natural order of healing, and (6) prescribing the minimum possible dose required to achieve a therapeutic effect. This means that whenever a practitioner claiming to be practicing homeopathy does not respect one or more of these principles, he cannot be said to be practicing classical homeopathy, the original and still most-effective form of homeopathy.

How a Unique Diagnostic Method Results in Superior Clinical Effectiveness

Introduction to Homeopathy • Homeopathic Philosophy

You already know or at least assume that homeopathy is ‘holistic’ just like other forms of alternative medicine. Homeopaths will consider all of the patient’s complaints in their diagnosis, will strive to make the patient better on the whole, and so on.

This philosophical basis is of course the ideal foundation of all forms of natural medicine, and are embodied in the principles of naturopathic medicine. But there are features which further distinguish classical homeopathy even from many forms of alternative medicine. The following is one such feature.

Homeopathyic diagnosis leads directly to treatment

What makes the homeopathic perspective especially powerful is that thehomeopathic diagnosis leads directly to homeopathic treatment. This is markedly different from conventional medicine where a clear diagnosis does not necessarily guarantee clear or effective treatment.

For example, in the case of the very common condition of hypertension, diagnosis is simple — three repeated blood-pressure measurements exceeding 140/90 are usually considered diagnostic — but treatment involves the permanent intake of drugs which do not resolve the underlying problem and cause side-effects of their own. Similarly, in autoimmune diseases such as asthma, allergies, arthritis and various skin conditions, diagnosis will often be obvious from the clinical signs, yet treatment is both usually complicated and frequently ineffective.

The homeopathic diagnostic method

Homeopathic diagnosis relies on a sophisticated and thorough clinical methodology. A typical first appointment lasts 1 to 2 hours or more, during which the patient is asked to describe his or her concerns in great detail (if needed, with the assistance of family members).

With the help of very specific yet open-ended questions the patient is led exactly to describe the symptomatology and own experience of the disease. Following that, areas which the patient has not already touched on are enquired about: major illnesses, traumatic events, childhood history, recurrent dreams, fears, food cravings or aversions, reaction to weather, etc. This allows for information from diverse aspects of the patient’s life to be used in determining the picture (recurrent pattern, morphology) of the disease.

The resulting diagnosis is only mildly dependent on the diagnostic label (‘flu’, ‘diabetes’, ‘depression’); rather, it is based mainly on many small details about the pathology (when did it begin in relation to stressful events in the person’s life? what is the exact sensation? what factors make it better or worse?) and about the person in general (stress factors, lifestyle and hobbies, physical constitution). So it may happen that two people with arthritis will receive completely different homeopathic treatment, and conversely that one homeopathic treatment can be effective for addressing multiple diseases.

This clinical approach, unique to classical homeopathy, results in superior clinical effectiveness by addressing much beyond the patient’s chief complaint. Homeopathic treatment typiclaly improves secondary complaints (in those who have more than one illness), and will increase energy, improve mood, and enhance overall vitality and joy-of-life

The Influence of Vitalism on Naturopathic Medicine

Introduction to Homeopathy • Homeopathic Philosophy • Naturopathic Medicine

The philosophical perspective on which the naturopathic clinical approach is based is that of vitalism. According to vitalist philosophy, living beings are not machines running according to strict cause-and-effect relations, but are beings whose existence is guided by a single vital force.

This runs contrary to the “mechanistic” view underlying conventional medicine, which is based on the principle that it is possible to subdivide the body into components and analyze their function independently of the rest of the body. Following this subdivision, medical scientists commonly ‘put it all back together’ and assume that the models they have just created correctly represents real-life patients.

Sometimes their models are sufficiently true-to-reality, and conventional methods then prove effective. But often enough their models will not accurately represent the patients in front of them, and in such cases medicine will not provide adequate solutions.

What we’re made of (according to vitalists)

While vitalists admit that the mechanistic perspective of modern medicine is often very useful, they insist that it is limiting in many cases and ultimately incorrect. Vitalists claim that a more accurate way of analyzing people is by noticing their pattern of being.

Each of us is imbued with a vital force which guides and unifies our being. Its components are not body organs, tissues, cells, and molecules, but components such as:

·                                 heredity

·                                 early childhood environment

·                                 family relationships

·                                 social environment

·                                 temperament (psychological tendencies, strengths, weaknesses)

·                                 past medical interventions

·                                 past physical or psychological trauma

·                                 stressful life transitions

·                                 food intake

·                                 physical activity, and

·                                 exposure to environmental toxins.

Together these constitute the complex web of interacting factors that form the corporeal (physical) and spiritual (non-physical) self.

What vitality is (according to vitalists)

Vitalists and non-vitalists differ in their understanding of health. Mainstream scientists and modern medicine (following a non-vitalist philosophy) reject the non-physical self, while vitalists embrace it. Although many scientists believe in elements of the vitalist tradition, when they publicly discuss psychological phenomena they usually insist that they are talking simply of the operations of the brain. But vitalists analyze bodily illness mainly in terms of the spiritual factors that might be contributing to it.

In other words, the person’s spirit or vital force determines the health of the body in a very real way. Vitalists point to the fact that we often feel better or worse depending on the extent to which we are able to be the masters of our life, especially during times of stress. Disease, accoring to vitalists, is simply a more advanced stage of the stress that we exhibit when we persistently fail in the pursuit of physical and spiritual goals.

Clinical implications of vitalist philosophy

The vitalist philosophical perspective translates into naturopathic treatment methods that do not target symptoms directly but instead strive to shift the organism away from its current state toward a state of better overall health. In fact, interventions that target symptoms without addressing the underlying pattern are generally regarded as non-ideal or ‘suppressive’ and are used only as temporary measures.

Ultimately, the attainment better health commonly requires one to stop chasing symptoms as they arise but instead focus on fundamental, long-term improvement, even at the cost of short-term suffering. That this strategy is often capable of re-establishing a healthy state when conventional medicine has failed is regarded by vitalists (be they homeopathic or various naturopathic practitioners) as proof of the validity of their philosophy.

This is Why Homeopaths Emphasize Clinical Results over Theory

Introduction to Homeopathy • Homeopathic Philosophy • Homeopathic Research

Classical homeopathy is first and foremost a clinical science concerned with the healing of living beings. As such its main concern is the practice of medicine, in contrast with conventional medicine where theoretical considerations (such as through what mechanism a medication exerts its effect) are primary.

What cannot be explained is nevertheless real

What is important for homeopaths is that their observations correspond with the reality of the clinic rather than with the rational-scientific point of view in which we are taught exclusively to think. This is because many things about people do not make sense rationally but are nevertheless real. This is simply because reason can explain only part of human reality.

For example, we regularly experience symptoms that cannot be explained physiologically, unusual sensations that we find hard to describe without first apologizing that “they do not make sense,” and strange phenomena we have experienced but likewise find embarrassing to tell others (or at least our doctor).

Respecting patients’ experience leads to better treatment

Conventional medical thinking is based on the view that what cannot be explained cannot be addressed, so it regularly excludes many ‘strange’ symptoms that patients complain about. In contrast, homeopaths seek to include all such phenomena in their investigation of the patient, with the goal of fully perceiving the patient’s own life experience rather than imposing an external interpretation of it.

Clearly the first approach has its advantages, and conventional medicine is indispensable under some situations such as emergencies. What homeopathy offers, in contrast, is a system of medicine that respects all of our experiences and successfully integrates them within the homeopathic diagnosis. In this way it is able to deal with medical situations that make no sense to the medical doctor, as well as to cure many conditions which doctors declare as incurable.

At its best, homeopathic treatment can address lifelong spiritual challenges (e.g. self-defeating behaviours), mental-emotional issues (e.g. persistent thoughts or feelings), and constitutional weaknesses (e.g. allergic tendencies from birth).

To read more about the principles of homeopathy, see Overview of Classical Homeopathic Philosophy.

Diving Into “The Spirit of Homoeopathy”

Clinical Practice • Homeopathic Philosophy

Classical homeopathy has continually grown in complexity ever since its inception over 200 years ago. Most notably, the number of homeopathic remedies in use has grown from around 100 in homeopathy’s early days to several-thousand in use today.

Over the years there have been various attempts at formulating some of homeopathy’s hard-to-grasp principles in simple and logical form, in order to equip homeopaths with finer tools for handling the growing volume of information they were faced with.

In his 1991 book The Spirit of Homoeopathy — note the alternate spelling sometimes used, with the extra “o” before the “e” — Dr. Rajan Sankaran, a homeopathic medical doctor from Mumbai (Bombay), India, began developing an in-depth understanding of homeopathic theory with the goal of making homeopathic diagnosis and treatment more effective. Since the publication of this book Sankaran has established himself as an innovative theoretician and synthesizer of his and other prominent homeopaths’ ideas.

Overview of the main ideas in The Spirit of Homoeopathy

Sankaran begins by recounting the problems he faced during his homeopathic studies. He describes his studies as having consisted of memorizing lifeless information about the symptoms of hundreds of remedies, learning mechanical methods for determining which remedy to prescribe, and relying on obsolete theoretical foundations.

Although hardly everyone in the homeopathic community shares Sankaran’s critical view, it is this dissatisfaction with the status quo that inspired him to compile in book form the theoretical advances he and fellow homeopaths had made through the 1980s.

Emphasis on mental and general symptoms

Sankaran and his colleagues noted that prescriptions that they made based on mental or general symptoms, as opposed to local physical or pathologicalsymptoms, were more likely to lead to cure. In fact, many prescriptions in which the pathology — even when it represented the patient’s main complaint — was disregarded homeopathically (i.e., not used to determine which homeopathic remedy to prescribe) were treated successfully when the mental and general state of the patient exactly matched the features of the homeopathic remedy.

For example, a person who is fastidious (orderly and finicky to a fault), anxious about his health or physical security, and very sensitive to cold weather is very likely to require the remedy Arsenicum album, regardless of whether he suffers from a skin problem, heart disease, or asthma.

The observation that general and mental symptoms were especially important was not a new discovery, but Sankaran put much emphasis on this fact and made it the basis of an entire theory of health and disease, as follows.

The central disturbance and its components

Given that disease is not characterized by local pathology (following the perspective of western medicine) but by the general state of the organism on the physical and psychological levels, one may speak of disease as acentral disturbance of the organism. This central disturbance can in turn be described in terms of components, which are the most characteristics general and mental symptoms of the patient.

Disease state arises from a life-situation

Even when relying on the patient’s most characteristic general and mental symptoms, it remains unclear how and why the individual components are related to each other. After all, every person has one central disturbance at any one time, and accordingly requires one remedy to address the illness (following the previously described principles of classical homeopathy), so the components must be related to each other.

The key insight in The Spirit of Homoeopathy is that symptoms can be related by postulating a life-situation which the patient wrongly perceives himself to be in. For example, a person who is anxious with a highly elevated heart rate and a sense of impending death may be perceiving the world as though he were about to be killed in a car accident. Such a person will frequently require Aconitum napellus (Aconite for short), a remedy whose central feature is an acute fear of death.

The Aconite state could occur following an actual recent event, as in a patient who has just witnessed or survived a car accident. In this case the disease stems from the fact that the actual event is past yet the person still perceives the event as ongoing. In other words, while the symptoms were an appropriate response during the event, their undue persistenceafter the event (a state that might conventionally be diagnosed as “acute post-traumatic shock”) is inappropriate and therefore treatable homeopathically. The same logic applies to a more chronic state, in which the person is permanently stuck in a false perception of reality.

Disease as delusion

When a person has the experience of living in a life situation in a state which does not correspond to reality, his disease state may be described as a delusion about reality. The term ‘delusion’ as used in homeopathy does not refer to the psychiatric state encountered under LSD intoxication or in schizophrenia, but simply to the fact that a person’s perceived life-situation does not correspond with reality. Many fully functional people (i.e., most of us) may be said to be suffering from some delusion in the homeopathic sense.

Disease in the homeopathic sense is thus a much broader concept than in other systems of medicine: it is a fixed perception of reality that is inappropriate under the present situation. It is like an imbalanced posture that the organism adopts in response to a subjective sense of reality that objectively does not exist.

Disease is therefore not confined to medical conditions, but includes complaints that may have no associated medical diagnosis. These may include non-pathological, ‘functional’ complaints such as low energy or various aches and pains, as well as subtle psychological or spiritual complaints. All of these are as treatable with homeopathy as are full-blown diseases in the conventional sense.

The root causes of disease

If a delusion refers to a reality not existing in the present, then where in the past did that reality arise? In acute cases such as the Aconite example above, the delusion refers to an obvious recent event, whereas in many chronic cases it is unclear where the disease has originated. But this is not a concern: as I’ve written in This is Why Homeopaths Emphasize Clinical Results over Theory, homeopathy only needs to deal with the what rather than the why or how of disease in order to provide effective treatment.

Insofar as homeopaths delve into the root causes of diseases, they have discovered that these may range from physical or psychological shocks encountered during one’s lifetime, to stresses experienced by the mother during pregnancy, to features inherited from previous generations.

Still, even if the homeopath fails to get any insight into the origin of the disease state in a particular patient, he or she can address the disease by fully understanding its present manifestation as the peculiar set of sensitivities or predisposition that characterizes every patient. This contrasts sharply with conventional medicine, where ignorance of the cause of a disease usually means that the disease can at best be kept under control rather than cured.

What is health?

The definition of health according to The Spirit of Homoeopathy can now be extracted from its novel definition of disease: Health is the freedom to experience every moment of life just as it is rather than through the lens of some perceived reality. The healthy person responds to reality with full and undivided awareness, does not need reality to be different from the way it is (except in the positive sense of thinking up an even better reality and acting to realize it) in order to feel comfortable, and is ultimately free to pursue the higher purpose of life, whatever it may be for each individual.

Sankaran’s ideas are controversial

Sankaran’s writings, which have included many professional articles and several books since the publication of The Spirit of Homoeopathy in 1991, have influenced many homeopaths while inciting much controversy within the profession. This is because what began as a reformulation of well-established theoretical principles has more recently become a full-featured clinical system that differs significantly from the traditional approach of homeopathy.

Many homeopaths have praised his ideas as revolutionary and have come to adopt them in their practice. But several prominent homeopaths claim that his ideas have distorted and debased classical homeopathy and that they are causing damage to the profession; others see his early ideas simply as reformulations of other homeopaths’ thought and therefore not as original as they are claimed to be; and others still find the ideas theoretically appealing, but argue against the novel clinical approach that he has developed over the years.

My own opinion of Sankaran’ system is generally positive, but with reservations. I use his ideas frequently, but at the same time find that his system is a stepping-stone rather than a destination: it is helpful in some cases but it doesn’t consistently contribute to an improved rate of success in the clinic. Perhaps this is because diagnostic skill is ultimately intuitive rather than systematic, and so a systematic diagnostic approach is limited by its very nature. Still, Sankaran is indisputably an excellent communicator who conveys complex ideas in an easy-to-understand, lucid manner, and as such he has made a positive contribution to the profession.

Further reading

The Spirit of Homoeopathy is available from Amazon or from Whole Health Now homeopathic bookstore. Although the book is written in simple and clear language, it presupposes some prior knowledge of homeopathy. A classic, in-depth introduction to homeopathy is available in The Science of Homeopathy by George Vithoulkas 

Medical Suppression of Symptoms and Its Homeopathic Cure

Clinical Practice • Homeopathic Philosophy

One of the most important contributions of homeopathy to the theory of health and disease is the concept of suppression of symptoms.

Both in conventional and in some alternative forms of medicine reduction of symptoms and alleviation of suffering are viewed as the towering goals of treatment.

The clinical philosophy shared by naturopathic and homeopathic medicine holds, in contrast, that a symptom is an expression of inner disharmonyrather than a problematic thing in itself, and that the disappearance of a symptom may or may not be an indication of cure when health is considered holistically.

In homeopathy it is very important to distinguish between a curative and a suppressive effect because the goal of treatment is healing of the entire person at the deepest possible level. To achieve this the homeopath first needs to know the patient’s medical history in order to determine whether any past treatments have been suppressive; second, the homeopath needs to evaluate the response of the patient to homeopathic treatment, in order to determine whether or not the patient is progressing in the desired direction toward greater health.

Some common treatments that unnecessarily lead to suppression of symptoms include:

·                                 Antibiotics

·                                 Anti-inflammatory medications (especially corticosteroids)

·                                 Surgeries (tonsillectomies, nasal polypectomies, removal of benign skin lesions, and more)

·                                 Anti-fever medications

·                                 High doses of certain supplements

·                                 Homeopathic remedies used symptomatically (these include remedies prescribed with the help of machines, muscle testing, and complex formulations (mixtures) made by Heel, Dr. Reckeweg, and UNDA).

·                                 Improper long-term administration of single homeopathic remedies.

At best the symptoms thus ‘cured’ recur at some point in the future following such treatments (indicating a healthy vital force), and at worst they are seemingly cured but at a cost to overall long-term health — as I and other homeopaths routinely observe in the clinic. In addition, the use of these treatments during homeopathic treatment frequently slows down or completely stalls progress.

Such treatments may of course be necessary in cases of immediate danger to life or great suffering (as a last resort in intractable chronic situations): their availability is a blessing and not at all to be derided. But given alternatives such as homeopathy, suppressive forms of treatment should be avoided to the greatest possible degree.

A case example of suppression of symptoms caused by medical treatment

Dora, a patient in her thirties, came in for homeopathic treatment complaining of spells of extreme tiredness and occasional breathing difficulties. Her health history was unremarkable except for a diagnosis of eczema (a common skin inflammation, also known as atopic dermatitis) four years prior, which had appeared on both her forearms.

To treat her eczema Dora had received Betamethasone ointment. Betamethasone is a topical corticosteroid medication that acts as an anti-inflammatory to diminish or altogether eliminate eczematous patches. She applied the ointment on a daily basis until the patch faded away over a three-week period. To her relief, she needed to continue applying the ointment only occasionally (once or twice a week) to keep the inflammation under control, and after several months quit the ointment and has remained free of her complaint.

According to conventional medicine this had been a successful outcome. In fact, because eczema is often a chronic problem that tends to recur unless actively treated, this outcome had been preferable to the more typical scenario where the ongoing use of medication would have been necessary.

Now, four years later, Dora had eczema-free skin, but her well-being was compromised by spells of low energy and disconcerting breathing difficulties. Medically speaking, she used to have eczema and now had new symptoms requiring new diagnoses and treatments, and no relation between the two would normally be considered.

Holistically speaking, however, it was important to consider the potential connection between her present complaints and her past health and treatment history. Most holistic practitioners would aim in this situation to find the root cause behind both of Dora’s present complaints, aiming to improve her general condition using an integrated approach rather than prescribing two separate treatments (one for each of her complaints).

The homeopathic approach to Dora’s problem takes the holistic line of thinking one step further, arguing that by default (unless proven otherwise) a connection must exist between Dora’s present condition and her past ailments and the treatments that she received.

Suppression of symptoms, its consequences, and its treatment

The homeopathic principle of suppression of symptoms says that symptoms that are denied full expression at superficial level (commonly the skin or mucuous membranes in the respiratory or digestive tract) may later manifest at some deeper level (such as a vital organ). According to this principle, the suppression of Dora’s skin symptoms is a likely cause of her present symptoms, which manifest in her nervous and hormonal systems as well as in her lungs.

Homeopathic treatment was begun, and over the first several months Dora’s tiredness lessened and her breathing difficulties became infrequent. More significantly, however, on the seventh month of treatment her eczema (which had been gone for nearly five years by that point) reappeared on her forearms! This phenomenon, known as return of old symptoms, is recognized by homeopaths as a reliable sign of deep healing. The reappearance of Dora’s skin problem, concurrent with a improvement in her overall well-being, also corroborated the claim that the corticosteroid ointment had suppressed (rather than truly healed) her eczema.

To complete her treatment it was important for Dora to avoid returning to the use of Betamethasone ointment, lest this cause a stalling of her progress and a recurrence of the symptoms due to which she had come for homeopathic treatment in the first place. Armed with the knowledge that her skin problem would resolve if she persevered with homeopathic treatment, and that treating it with ointment would not benefit her overall health and could reverse her health gains, Dora bore the local skin discomfort (using the ointment only very rarely on especially uncomfortable patches) for several months before her skin finally healed.

Nowadays Dora is free of all medical complaints and reports feeling younger than she did several years ago, with greater reserves of energy and an overall better mood than she used to have through most of her life.

Homeopathy and the universal laws of healing

There are incontrovertible laws of healing that need to be understood and respected by any system of medicine in order for it to be capable of promoting true healing. Modern medicine unfortunately has a poor understanding of these laws—despite its brilliant and undeniable technical achievement—and its treatments often subvert them by suppressing symptoms even when the situation is not life-threatening and suffering is not unbearable.

Dora’s case example is not unique but is very typical of patients with chronic illness: conventional medical treatments that are considered successful — here an often-chronic skin condition was defeated with short-term medication use — cause more extensive illness and suffering down the road. This holds true not only with the treatment of eczema, but of many other conditions including asthma, allergies, recurrent respiratory infections, arthritis, thyroid and other hormonal problems, depression, ADHD, and more.

Homeopathic treatment requires patience and perseverance

Because homeopathy acts on the deepest level of the organism, it doesn’t always alleviate suffering as quickly as desired. It may take patience and perseverance to experience relief from bothersome symptoms. In addition, in chronic situations where the patient is already on conventional medications at the beginning of treatment, medications may have to be used concurrently for a long while before they can be discontinued. Both homeopath and patient must therefore be patient and not expect overnight relief of chronic conditions.

The rewards of diligently pursued homeopathic treatment are eventual freedom from medications, the permanent restoration of true health, and the opportunity of growing beyond lifelong physical, psychological, or spiritual limitations so that, in Hahnemann’s words, “our indwelling, rational spirit can avail itself of this living, healthy instrument for the higher purposes of our existence.”

Homeopathic treatment is thus not for the faint-hearted but is intended for those willing to sacrifice short-term comfort for the rewards of long-term health and fulfilment.

Health, Disease, and Adaptation to the Present Moment

Introduction to Homeopathy • Homeopathic Philosophy

In this article I will describe a basic aspect of homeopathy’s spiritual understanding of health and disease: the view that disease arises from a fixed adaptation to a past situation that no longer exists in the present.

Homeopaths view health and disease as states of being that are either appropriate for the situation (healthy) or inappropriate for the situation (unhealthy). The state of being that we adopt from moment to moment can be regarded a ‘posture’ that is either suitable or unsuitable for the present moment of existence. An unsuitable posture kept for too long manifests as chronic disease, whereas a short-lasting one causes acute symptoms or weakens the organism until it is susceptible to infectious influences.

Disease arises from memory of a past state that no longer exists

Conventional medicine is based on a materialistic view of life. Health is compared to a well-functioning machine, while disease is viewed as a malfunction in some part of the machine.

Homeopathy is based on a spiritual view of life. Health is the ability to respond freely and creatively to all situations encountered throughout life, whereas disease is any restriction on this ability.

Samual Hahnemann, the originator of homeopathy, discovered through lifelong clinical observation that disease could often be traced to a ‘mistunement’ created during a past stressful episode in the life of the organism or its ancestors. He concluded that the memory of this past state was the real cause the suffering that we experienced through physical and psychological symptoms.

Health is the flexibility to successfully adapt to all life situations

Rajan Sankaran (author of The Spirit of Homoeopathy) describes disease as an “unsuitable posture… adopted by the organism in order to survive in a perceived situation.”

What is a “perceived situation”? To answer this, let’s first look at an example he gives of a real situation:

If you are lifting a heavy bag and you have to walk with that heavy weight, in order that your back does not break, you have to bend in the direction opposite to the bag. So, your body adopts a posture to survive in this situation. This posture is healthy, it is going to do you good, in this situation it is needed, and as long as the bag is heavy, the posture has to be maintained.

Hence, we see that posture is an adjustment. As long as this adjustment is in proportion to the existing situation, as long as it is suitable to this situation, and as long as the situation or exciting factor remains, this adjustment cannot and should not be corrected.

Life can be viewed as a series of adaptations: one situation flows into another, and each time a different posture is adopted to suit the new situation. Health is the flexibility to correctly adapt to any situation that arises throughout our life journey.

An unhealthy posture arises from adaptation to a perceived situation that is not really present. This adaptation can be either inappropriate for the situation or appropriate for the situation but of disproportionate intensity. Sankaran illustrates these possibilities as follows:

When a man is being chased by a lion, the posture of running fast, being afraid, etc. is appropriate since his survival depends upon it. However, if a man is in the same state without a lion chasing him, or he adopts the same posture even if a little dog chases him, or he is in such a pain that he cannot think (a reaction far in excess of what is needed in the situation) then this state is to be removed by treatment.

The unsuitable posture is hidden behind physical and psychological symptoms

So long as an unhealthy posture is held over from the past, the person is precluded from adopting an appropriate posture for the present situation. This is considered a state of disease in homeopathy, whether or not there are clear physical or psychological symptoms that warrant medical treatment. This means, on the one hand, that homeopathy is a powerful healing tool in cases where the patient feels distress yet there are no discernible medical abnormalities.

On the other hand, during the clinical encounter between patient and homeopath the disease state does not automatically reveal itself as an unhealthy posture. In most clinical situations the patient will present with vague discomfort or with one or more physical and psychological complaints. During the homeopathic intake the homeopath must therefore ask many questions in order to lead the patient to reveal the unsuitable posture that he or she continuously adopts in all life situations.

This posture, which most of us do not have a direct awareness of, is the underlying reason for the existence of the clinical complaint that induces people to seek homeopathic treatment in the first place.

How do unsuitable postures arise?

An unsuitable posture originates from an adaptation to a past situation that is maintained even though it is no longer applicable to the situation. This happens when the past situation has exceeded the organism’s resilience. Such situations generally fall into one of the following categories:

·                                 a past traumatic event,

·                                 childhood or cultural habits that have powerfully impressed themselves on the organism, or

·                                 inherited spiritual impressions — known in homeopathy as “miasms” — that long ago left their mark on one’s parents or earlier ancestors.

Resilience can be understood by analogy with a steel spring: just as a steel spring can be bent and absorb many small shocks and still recover its original form, a person can absorb many stresses yet maintain his underlying state of health throughout the stressful period. But beyond a certain threshold, excessive stress deforms the spring and causes it to lose its elasticity. A person exposed to excessive stress will likewise carry the spiritual impression or ‘deformation’ due to the past stress and will no longer be fully ‘elastic’ and responsive to the present situation.

Homeopathic treatment frees us from unsuitable postures

We all continually adopt postures in order to survive in different life situations or in an attempt to create a reality that we imagine to be desirable. But if we remain fixed in a posture that is no longer appropriate for the situation (for any of the reasons cited earlier) to the point that we are unable to respond appropriately to situations that arise in the present, we may then become aware of an uncomfortable sensation at the level of our spirit. If we do not free ourselves of the fixed posture eventually we experience more obvious psychological discomfort, physical symptoms, or both.

In Sankaran’s words:

Disease is thus seen as an affection of the whole person, as a posture adopted as a survival mechanism to suit a particular situation which does not exist at the moment. This posture makes us react to the present in an unsuitable way due to our false perception of it. Such an unsuitable and disproportionate reaction to the situation naturally causes a constant stress on the organism, and the stress aggravates the pathology or brings the tendency to a particular pathology into activity.

Health is the ability to feel OK in all situations. A posture is an adaptation for feeling OK under a specific situation. Unless one is able to switch postures freely from moment to moment, a person will only feel OK when the fixed posture happens to coincide with (be suitable for) the situation.

In terms of the model I’ve just presented, homeopathic treatment releases the hold of the unsuitable posture that prevents free-flowing adaptation to the present moment. By raising awareness of the inappropriateness of the fixed posture to the point that a person can choose to abandon it in favour of another posture, homeopathic remedies assist in the release of inappropriate life habits that manifest physically or psychologically. Once this happens, full resilience is restored and the person is able to handle life as it comes — adopting appropriate postures as needed and shifting away from them as soon as the situation is over — without undue stress.

Basics of the Homeopathic Prescription

by David Nortman
Topics: Introduction to Homeopathy • Clinical Practice

The homeopathic prescription, similarly to a conventional medical prescription, consists of the homeopathic remedy to be prescribed based on the homeopathic case analysis just performed, and the dosage, which in turn consists of potency and frequency of intake.

What is ‘potency’?

Potency basically refers to the strength and depth of effect of a homeopathic remedy. Potency is expressed in terms of the number of times the remedy has undergone the process of dilution and succussion (as described in The How and What of Homeopathic Remedies), and the factor of each dilution (1:10, 1:100, or 1:50,000).

Higher potencies are stronger-acting than lower ones, even though they are apparently more diluted (remember that the effect of the homeopathic remedy is not chemical, so the concentration of the original substance is unimportant to the potency). This counterintuitive fact is proven as valid in everyday clinical practice.

Frequency of intake

In the case of acute illnesses, homeopathic remedies are in a frequency proportional to the severity of the condition. For example, a stroke victim will receive a remedy once every minute or two to begin, then once every few minutes, and several times daily in the few days which follow. On the other hand, treating the common cold might require one to three doses per day.

In the case of chronic illnesses, where remedies are used in order to effect a gradual, deep change in the organism over many weeks and months, there are generally two styles of prescription. The first is the “single-dose, wait and watch” approach, whereby a single dose, usually of high potency, is given. Following this the patient’s state is observed for a while without further intake of the remedy.

How is it possible to give a remedy once and then wait for weeks or months with no further action? The answer to this lies in the fact that the homeopathic remedy does not cure directly. The effect of the homeopathic remedy is not like that of a medication, which attempt to cure directly but frequently cause symptomatic relief or suppression of symptoms. The action of the remedy is indirect, whereby it stimulates the organism’s self-healing capabilities.

The action of the homeopathic remedy is thus like that of a catalyst. Catalysts are used in chemistry to stimulate reactions to progress at a much faster rate than otherwise. Many chemical reactions that take place within seconds with the help of a catalyst would take many thousands of years to occur naturally. Similarly, the homeopathic remedy accelerates the body’s self-healing capacities . This is why a single dose of a remedy could, under the right circumstances, produce a long-lasting reaction from the organism. This reaction often persists for several weeks to several months before before further dosing is required.

The second approach involves regular (usually daily) dosing using a relatively low potency. This is done in some cases where a high potency might produce too strong an effect, or as a routine way of prescribing which avoids some potential pitfalls of the single-dose approach. For example, stressful circumstances and some other antidoting factors can blunt or even reverse the effects of a single dose, resulting in treatment delays if this is not addressed promptly by redosing once more, a step which usually requires a careful assessment by the homeopath. Another difficulty with the single-dose approach is determining exactly when the effect of the present dose has been exhausted sufficiently to warrant another dose.

On the other hand, the daily approach is frequently more agreeable to patients, many of whom feel uncomfortable with the idea of taking their “medication” only once every few weeks. The approach is also easier to customize to the patient’s particular condition, allowing for increased control of the pace of healing by the homeopath.

For much of the history of homeopathy the single-dose approach was dominant in the treatment of chronic disease. But because of the expectations of modern patients, and complicating factors that largely relate to modern living, it is becoming increasingly common to prescribe homeopathic remedies on a simple daily schedule, reserving the single-dose approach for small children (who respond very effectively to remedies) and rural people who live a healthier life under fewer environmental stresses.

Dispensing the remedy

The homeopathic remedy can be dispensed either in liquid form or in tablet form. The liquid form is based on a water-and-alcohol mixture, whereas the tablet form is made of sucrose or lactose suffused with the homeopathic remedy.

The choice of format is based sometimes on personal patient considerations, and sometimes on therapeutic considerations. For example, those averse even to the small amount of alcohol found in a daily homeopathic dose can opt for tablets; children can be give the sweet tablets to encourage intake, or conversely the liquid form to avoid sugar intake; those who are lactose intolerant can opt for sucrose tablets or the liquid form; and so on. In addition, there are subtle differences between the effect of these two formats of the homeopathic remedy that might also dictate the choice between the two.

Whatever the starting potency, frequency of intake, and physical format — as determined by the homeopath for each and every patient — the homeopathic remedy is taken over a period of time during which the dosage (potency and frequency of intake) is continually adjusted based on the progress of each individual patient. This homeopathic treatment is not only individualized with respect to the remedy given, but also to the management of the case.

Basics of Homeopathic Case Analysis

by David Nortman
Topics: Introduction to Homeopathy • Clinical Practice

In The Initial Homeopathic Intake I outlined what takes place the first time a patient meets a homeopath. The aim of the entire initial-interview process is to distill the portrait of disease, which can be physical, psychological, or spiritual in nature. But it now remains to translate this information, often referred to as the “totality of symptoms,” into a working diagnosis.

This totality is a carefully selected subset of the collected symptoms, one which emphasizes certain symptoms while de-emphasizing others. The least-important symptoms for determining the homeopathic diagnosis are general symptoms that lack qualities that differentiate them from person to person. Such symptoms are considered common, and they are rarely useful in pointing toward the correct diagnosis. Uncommon symptoms, on the other hand, are homeopathically the most important. They can be described as strange, rare, or peculiar:

·                                 Strange symptoms are ones that do not make sense from a logical point of view, for example a “pounding headache made better by hitting the head against a hard surface.”

·                                 Rare symptoms are phenomena observed only in unusual cases in the population at that time and place, for example a case of tuberculosis in contemporary North America.

·                                 Peculiar symptoms are very detailed symptoms whose presentation is unique, for example a “tickling sensation inside the left knee felt only when drinking water.”

Whether common or not, symptoms belong to one of two categories —pathological or characteristic:

·                                 Pathological symptoms are those that are bothersome to the patient or problematic from a medical point-of-view. These include physical pathology, pain, unpleasant sensations, and thoughts or feelings which interfere with normal functioning.

·                                 Characteristic symptoms that are phenomena that are non-pathological but nevertheless individualize the patient by distinguishing him or her from everyone else with the same pathology. These include details of the patient’s personality, reactions to external influences of food, weather, and the like, and significant past events in the patient’s personal and family history, such as accidents, emotional trauma, and serious disease. To these are added the homeopath’s observations of physical appearance and behavior.

The categorization of symptoms just described is in reality a highly refined art that can only be roughly sketched in words, an art which combines clinical experience, intuition, and a deep knowledge of human psychology. When correctly practiced, this method forms the first step of case analysis in classical homeopathy.

This and subsequent steps (which will be outlined in future posts) together aim for the ideal of individualization of treatment: each and every homeopathic patient is given a blank slate on which to draw his illness, and each will ultimately receive a different homeopathic treatment from the next patient complaining of the same ailment.

The Initial Homeopathic Intake

by David Nortman
Topics: Introduction to Homeopathy • Clinical Practice

The first consultation in homeopathy, also known as the initial homeopathic intake, lasts about two hours for chronic complaints and as long as needed in the case of acute complaints. It is the beginning of an often fascinating journey of healing and self-discovery. A well-performed initial assessment provides the homeopath a solid foundation to guide the patient through this journey.

The interview process

The homeopath begins by listening to the details of the patient’s ailments as well as anything else that the patient feels is relevant to the case. In addition to eliciting objective symptoms relating to these complaints, the homeopath, through the use of many open-ended questions, encourages the patient to describe his or her exact experience of the illness or discomfort in progressively greater clarity, depth, and detail.

The aim of this interview process is for the homeopath to perceive the inner state of the patient, a single state that best points to the correct single prescription. This inner state is expressed through mind and body but is deeper than both. Although in everyday life many of us remain unaware of it, it is constantly expressed in the way we speak and interact with others, in what we choose to do in our spare time, in how we dress, and (often most clearly) in the content of our dreams.

How does the homeopathic assessment differ from a conventional one?

Unlike a conventional medical intake, which follows a preset formula whose goal is to choose from a relatively limited set of diagnoses, a homeopathic intake is open-ended. Because the homeopathic diagnosis is based on a wide variety of factors (including how the person reacts to the interview process itself), the homeopath gives maximum room for the patient to describe the ailment exactly as he or she experiences it.

This seemingly peripheral information is often more important than the objective information that medical doctors typically rely on, and it forms the basis of the homeopathic diagnosis. There are literally many hundreds of homeopathic remedies, which means that correct diagnosis requires great precision in understanding the patient’s state.

This elaborate interview process, when competently guided, inevitably leads to a holistic view of the patient’s state, and to a perspective that ties together seemingly disparate phenomena into a unified story and portrait of the illness at hand.

Is Homeopathic Medicine the “Enemy of Reason”?

by David Nortman
Topics: Homeopathic Research • Homeopathy and Skepticism

Homeopathy has been the target of criticism by skeptical scientists and physicians throughout its history. One has just been broadcast in The Enemies of Reason, a two-part British TV documentary about New-Age and alternative medical practices.

But this critical view of alternative medicine by a prominent scientist, shown in the video below, suffers from major flaws which I will comment on in this post.

The Enemies of Reason

The second episode of The Enemies of Reason, conceived and presented by Richard Dawkins (the prominent biologist who has gained a worldwide following as a defender of science and reason), is a blistering attack on alternative medicine.

Dawkins views the rise of alternative medicine as an abandonment of rationality in favor of the superstition that preceded the Enlightenment and the Scientific Age. Having in the first episode extolled the virtues of scientific over anti-scientific practices such as astrology, in the second episode (48 minutes long) Dawkins focuses on faith healing and, starting at 0:23m, on homeopathy:

Is homeopathic medicine the “Enemy of Reason”?

The following is my critical commentary on this episode and especially on Dawkins’ perspective on homeopathy. This is an expansion on a comment I wrote in a prominent skeptical blog, where I responded to an uncritically favorable review of the episode.

Dawkins’ arguments are naive

Dawkins views the worlds of conventional and alternative medicine in black-and-white: alternative medicine is unproven medicine, and as soon as a treatment is proven to work it becomes conventional medicine (or simply, medicine). Never mind that the clinical methods of homeopathy or Chinese medicine require years of concentrated study to master, or that these and other systems use specialized diagnostic systems and criteria of clinical improvement that do not even exist in conventional medicine.

Dawkins’ explanations for the efficacy of alternative treatments are standard fare, reducing all claims of efficacy to the placebo effect. To quote: “It’s all about attentive doctors listening to the patient.” In other words, homeopaths are successful because they are especially attentive to their patients and generous with their time. Never mind that doctors have the full right to engage with their patients as much as homeopaths do, and that homeopaths are attentive because they have to be: conventional physicians wouldn’t have use for a long appointment, because conventional diagnosis is based on a much narrower set of data than homeopathic diagnosis.

Yet another reason for the success of alternative practitioners, Dawkins claims without a shred of evidence, is that they are perceived as figures of authority in an era that has tired of traditional authority figures. Never mind that conventional medicine remains a colossal, authoritative institution, and that most people turn to alternative medicine due to dissatisfaction with conventional treatment rather than a distrust of conventional medicine.

Dawkins’ arguments are simplistic

Dawkins presents alternative medicine in a stereotyped fashion, as though it were a homogeneous entity like conventional medicine. But the reality is that there are countless practices in alternative medicine, ranging from ones based on conventional science (e.g., nutrition) to many that are not medical but are explicitly religious ceremonies adapted through market pressure for healing purposes, in detachment from their original ritualistic context.

Dawkins is at his best when picking on easy targets

When dealing with faith healers who present wacky theories about the universe Dawkins is flawless, instructive, and entertaining (in the best sense of the word): there is no doubt that a lot of what is grouped under alternative medicine is based on placebo, is often performed by practitioners who are poorly trained even in their own disciplines (let alone in scientific thought and medicine), and that some alternative practitioners are malicious in their intent.

Dawkins is at his weakest when picking on homeopathy

When faced not with random faith healers but with more serious, level-minded exponents such as Peter Fisher (homeopathic physician to Queen Elizabeth II and clinical director of the Royal London Homoeopathic Hospital), Dawkins fails seriously to engage with their perspective which is fully aware of science, its triumphs, and its failings. Dawkins is therefore at his weakest when dealing with homeopathy:

·                                 In Dawkins’ brief allusion to Samuel Hahnemann, the latter is made to look like a faith healer instead of the polymathic scientist that he was. Hahnemann was not only a physician who railed against the superstitious practices of his day, but a leading-edge chemist and an early advocate of experimental method (such that it was in his day) in medicine. But even if Hahnemann were dead-wrong about homeopathy, to suggest that he was irrational or not a scientist is ridiculous. After all, Newton had a lifelong fascination with theology more wacky than homeopathy ever will be, yet no scientist is bothered by this.

·                                 Dawkins blatantly omits the fact that homeopathic dilutions undergo a specific process of shaking (‘succussion’) that could produce some “memory-of-water” effect. While this description is speculative and metaphorical (as no one has yet explained scientifically how homeopathic information might be stored in water), describing the preparation process of homeopathic remedies as based on dilution alone is factually incorrect and leaves out a crucial step, as dilution alone (without succussion) produces homeopathically inactive remedies that are truly no better than placebo.

·                                 Dawkins misrepresents the one scientific study that he quotes as a comprehensive “meta-analysis of meta-analyses.” (A meta-analysis is a review of clinical studies, so the claim here is that the study is a review of reviews of clinical studies). In fact, the study he refers to is a methodologically suspect comparison of an a tiny subset of clinical trials (not meta-analyses) of conventional medicine with an unidentified subset of trials (not meta-analyses) of homeopathy, coupled with conclusions that didn’t follow from the in-part positive evidence. Many serious criticisms of this study have been published, including this one by Peter Fisher, yet Dawkins has chosen to adopt the trial’s conclusions uncritically.

·                                 At the same time, Dawkins fails to alert the viewer about truly comprehensive meta-analyses, some of which (e.g. this one) conclude that there is a modest evidential basis for the reality of the homeopathic effect sufficient to consider the phenomenon a possible anomaly vis-à-vis current scientific understanding.

·                                 Peter Fisher is himself of a skeptical mindset, admits to doubt, and has performed research to address his concerns. He admits that he will not be swayed by evidence in the sense of abandoning his clinical practice, but doesn’t claim blind belief in the reality of homeopathy above placebo and against experimental evidence, and continues in his research efforts accordingly. Dawkins fails to engage with this position, which combines concern for patients over-and-above scientific ideals (which Fisher nevertheless upholds) with rational skepticism identical to his own.

Let’s be skeptical of the skeptics

Dawkins’ critique is ultimately one-sided because his underlying belief is that, no matter how imperfect, modern medicine is fundamentally on good ground and therefore its imperfections are something we just have to live with, whereas the same faults in alternative practices are damning. This is, for example, why he bemoans the profit motive and poor evidential basis of alternative medicine without addressing the same concerns vis-à-vis conventional medicine.

Most significantly, Dawkins’ association of alternative medicine with irrationality is unsupported by fact. Scores of people no less rational that Dawkins submit to alternative treatments out of real despair arising from incurable conditions, and they frequently persist in their rational-skeptical world-view even after being helped (i.e., remaining agnostic about the explanation for their improvement).

I therefore do not agree with Dawkins’ overall concern that alternative medicine represents an abandonment of rationality, rather than a legitimate adjunct to conventional medicine, which it is rational to pursue, at least once conventional methods have been exhausted.

Ultimately, I would expect Dawkins to be consistent in his argumentation and to evade the charge of hypocrisy by providing:

1. evidence (rather than anecdote) that people who submit to alternative practices are less rational than those who don’t;
2. evidence that reduced interest in science is harmful (and in what way) to modern society;
3. evidence that the modern world was built on reason alone and not also on patently theological elements of Western tradition;
4. above all, an explanation of what exactly he means when he uses the word “evidence” in multiple contexts throughout the program, as though one could produce a randomized, placebo-controlled trial on demand and automatically obtain “fact” at the other end. Ah, if only the world were this simple!

Update: I discovered this account by Rupert Sheldrake, a biologist whose revolutionary ideas may offer the key to understanding how homeopathy works, of an interview that took place between him and Dawkins during the filming of Enemies of Reason. Sheldrake reports that Dawkins quit filming as soon as he brought up the issue of available evidence (in this case in favor of telepathy) that he had himself produced, thus exposing the refusal of even the best scientists to be swayed by evidence that conflicts with their pre-existing beliefs.

The 7 Essential Factors in Forecasting the Length of Homeopathic Treatment of Chronic Diseases

by David Nortman

“How long will it take for me to get better?”

This is one of the most frequent questions asked by new or prospective homeopathic patients. It is a sensible question that originates in our deep desire to foretell our life course and to receive assurance about the future. How does homeopathy rise to the challenge of responding with a reliable forecast?

The challenge of homeopathic forecasting

Homeopathic forecasting is challenging for any homeopath, because homeopathic treatment addresses the total predisposition to illness — a complex entity composed of multiple known and unknown factors — rather than isolated symptoms. The challenge is especially great prior to the initial homeopathic intake, as it is only during this consultation that the predisposition is first discerned.

Homeopathic forecasting is demanding essentially because of the nature of the spiritual healing that is the goal of homeopathic treatment of chronic conditions. Such deep healing cannot be forced on the organism but must be allowed to take place at its own pace. It also demands the conscious and unconscious participation of the patient, since progress is affected by the degree of readiness to get better, and there are unpredictable stresses in the physical and social environments that can further hinder progress.

Factors that determine the projected length of treatment

There are several key characteristics of the patient which can yield an estimate of treatment length that is based on sound principles. Unlike weather forecasts which are often accurate in the short term but inaccurate in the long term, long-term homeopathic forecasts are quite reliable, as most chronic conditions (whether or not they are considered medically curable) do eventually yield to homeopathic treatment on a timeline that can roughly be estimated.

The following, then, are the essential factors (presented in question form) on which reliable forecasts of treatment length are made:

1. What is your level of vitality?
2. What is your nature and social background?
3. What is the type and severity of your physical pathology?
4. How long ago did the first signs of your concern emerge?
5. Is your condition hereditary?
6. What interfering factors are present in your life?
7. What level of healing are you seeking?

1. What is your level of vitality?

The younger you are, the less psychologically set in your ways and the more physically responsive you will be, on average. But more important than your chronological age is your biological age. Are you a vivacious senior who leads an active life that is the envy of people half your age? If so, you will tend to be highly responsive to homeopathic treatment. Is your child slow and sluggish, exhibiting health problems that have been present since birth? Homeopathic treatment can still be transformative, but improvement will likely take a while.

Vital people display dynamic symptoms that vary depending on the stresses faced from moment to moment. Children tend to be dynamic: their mood can shift radically from moment to moment, and their physical symptoms will tend to appear and disappear quickly. Old people tend to have fixed pathologies, ones that are embedded in the physical organism and are hard to shift.

High vitality equals a strong, flexible and resilient life force, one that bends under stress yet rebounds quickly. Low vitality is reflected in an unresponsive, oversensitive life force that will tend to break rather than bend under stress. Getting a sense of the condition of the patient’s life force is the first and most important step in homeopathic forecasting.

2. What is your nature and social background?

Are you by nature attentive to the signals of your body, expressive with your emotions, adaptive, creative, and responsive to your environment? Or are you over-intellectual, emotionally repressed, and set in your ways?

Life is motion, and those patients who display much motion in their life are likely to respond quite quickly to an accurate prescription, whereas others have to wait patiently as their body and soul reorganize.

It is worthy of note that patients living in simple conditions, even in poverty, often respond more quickly to homeopathic treatment than patients in affluent societies. This is because the pathologies seen in less-developed societies tend to be more acute, life-or-death conditions than chronic ones, and because people living in such societies tend to be less emotionally and medically repressed than the average modern individual.

This fact, mind you, is not an advertisement against modernity! Homeopathy nowadays treats people who might have been long dead in another time and place. It is simply that the treatment of people in modern societies tends to be more complex and drawn out than that of non-westernized people.

3. What is the type and severity of your physical pathology?

There is no simple correlation between type of pathology and length of treatment, because homeopathy does not treat physical pathology directly. A seemingly minor skin condition might prove stubborn and take several years to clear up in one case, whereas in another case a large cancerous tumor might shrink significantly over several weeks.

Still, extensive tissue damage or damage to slow-to-regenerate tissue (e.g., nerves and cartilage) will correlate with a longer rehabilitation period — sometimes several years under dedicated treatment in cases where serious physical degeneration has occurred.

Because homeopathy is in principle capable of reversing pathology considered medically irreversible, accepting such long timelines in cases of severe pathology can inject hope into those of us who are hopeless about recovery:

·                                 Homeopathy has been known to reverse the nerve pathology of multiple sclerosis, but it took several years of dedicated treatment every time.

·                                 Homeopathy has led to substantial recovery of joint cartilage in severe rheumatoid arthritis, but each time required many months to several years of the patient’s endurance.

·                                 Homeopathy regularly leads to recovery from inflammatory bowel conditions including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis, but tissue healing and resolution of inflammation progresses gradually and unevenly, challenging the patient’s resolve to get better whenever an exacerbation takes place.

4. How long ago did the first signs of your concern emerge?

A rule-of-thumb often used by homeopaths is that it takes a month of treatment for every year the illness has been present. This holds roughly true in simple cases of chronic illness resulting from clear stress factors. In cases of chronic illness due to a longstanding predisposition the length of treatment will frequently be longer.

For example, a patient who became depressed following the death of a parent five years ago would be expected to require five months of treatment before returning to the same psychological state as before the traumatic event. On the other hand, a patient who developed depression five years ago for no apparent reason might require many months or even several years to eliminate the predisposition (often present since childhood, or even inherited) which led to his depression.

The topic of heredity is specifically addressed in the next question.

5. Is your condition hereditary?

Homeopathy takes heredity one step beyond the notion of genetic inheritance familiar from conventional medicine.

Homeopaths recognize in addition to genetic inheritance of pathological tendencies a class of heredity termed miasmatic influence (from the Greekmiasma, taint). Miasmatic influence refers to the negative energetic imprinttransferred from the parents to the child alongside other qualities, infusing the child with undesirable physical or behavioral tendencies:

·                                 Stresses and traumas during pregnancy frequently affect the child through the mother, causing ailments in the newborn child which are inexplicable except when considered in their light.

·                                 Homeopathy, together with many world cultures, further recognize the influence of the parents’ psychic state during the period preceding the child’s conception.

·                                 People frequently bear an uncanny resemblance to older or deceased family members, even in cases when the two have never met.

When a patient presents with complaints with a strong miasmatic basis, these can still be addressed with homeopathy, but the timeline grows longer and becomes harder to predict.

6. What interfering factors are present in your life?

Do you live with a loving spouse, a supportive family, in a paradise where the air sparkles and the weather is fair year-round? Or does homeopathic treatment catch you in the midst of a financial crisis, frequent quarrels with your kids, and a daily routine which includes a three-hour commute through a busy metropolitan area?

Do you eat a home-grown diet replete with fresh vegetables, drink water from your private mountain-spring, wake up at 5am for your daily 10K run in the woods, and never visit the doctor? Or is your breakfast a bagel with cream-and-coffee on the run (plus your medications), your lunch Chinese take-out at your work desk (plus your medications), and your dinner a pizza and TV (plus your medications)?

Those who lead a quiet rural life tend to respond more quickly to treatment than their urban counterparts. More generally, the more physically and spiritually pure is your present life, the more swiftly you will respond to any treatment that you pursue.

7. What level of healing are you seeking?

Homeopathy possesses an unlimited curative potential, but only when treatment is pursued for long enough so as to remove the predisposition to illness in its entirety. This typically requires several years. Yet great clinical progress and relief from suffering is often achieved in a fraction of this period.

How far a patient advances beyond the mere eradication of discomfort is a function of both the patient’s and the homeopath’s level of spiritual awareness. Most homeopaths expect and strive toward the full curative effects obtainable through homeopathy, but this journey is possible only with cooperation from the patient:

·                                 Some patients are interested in symptom relief and not in achieving perfect health or healing their spirit. Such patients are concerned about their bothersome symptoms, and as soon as these are remedied (within a few days, weeks, or months) they quit treatment, even if their medical condition remains unresolved and their spirit unchanged.

·                                 Other patients, for instance those with chronic inflammatory conditions requiring medications, are not happy with a noticeable but partial reduction in their suffering, and stick around for the many months typically required for achieving freedom from discomfort, independence from medications, and a clean medical bill.

·                                 Those most ambitious patients who long to release life-long physical and psychological limitations benefit immensely from continuing treatment well beyond the time of resolution of medically identifiable complaints — typically for several years.

The rewards obtainable by this last type of patient include the following: increased resistance to infectious disease and resilience to environmental stressors; previously hidden or dormant abilities become available for use; dreams and aspirations that never made it past the planning stage begin to be actualized; and lifelong psychological issues due to heredity or early-childhood trauma dissolve away.

Such revolutionary changes do not happen merely as a result of homeopathic treatment: they involve long-term commitment to life-changing behaviors. But the beauty of homeopathy is that it acts to align the individual along just this path of right action.

Which treatment is better - allopathy or homeopathy for OCD?

i have OCD from a lot of years. i took allopathy treatment for many years.i found some relief. then dropped. now some symptoms of OCD raise again, memory loss and hairfall occurs. stummering from childhood.now i am taking homeopathic treatment for OCD and stummering, hairfall since 3 months. but no found any relief. 
should i take homeopathic treatment for OCD and anxiety. or move to allopathy treatment again or both. please suggest.

Best Answer

·                                 Dr. Suniel Kaushal answered 4 years ago

Start with base ocd reasons. In most of the cases i have seen it happens in families whare all the gadgets, money and everything is available but no time for a son/daughter or beginninggening you have been mentally captured by the other people, you have no freedom of thoughts, in these cases one of two problemaccrueoccure either thyroid or ocd. 
Alopathic treatment means supprenervesnurves so that you do not think again and again and remain as brain dead almost, increasing medicine year after yearIndiao idia of homoeopathy. 
Ayurveda is the only world's first & oldest medical science on earth Everybody knows that India gave 0 (zero) to world without which no science would have developed, and few people know that India introduced Suchi Vedh (Scientist Sushruta) injection system and Shalya Chikitsa (Scientist Sushruta) plastic surgery to the world. Now all people named Ayurveda the alternative medicine but for me it is Ultimate Medicine. In my 23 years experience i have seen patients who have tried & tested everything and then came to me. 
Relating to brain & nuro science it is called Bhoot Vidya (not ghost) past science, what has happened and caused a problem in the brain. 
The treatment in Ayurveda is first rejuvenating the organ responsible for problem with a little medicine to control the symptoms. 
Suppressing and pressing symptoms down is not called treatment like in allopathy which says you have to take medicine for whole life i.e. arthritis, high blood pressure, diabetes etc. 
You are the best judge, tranalyzenalizdecidedeside. Make yourself comfortable and ask yourself do you wish to depend on medicines or you wish to come out of all the mess and then start, fix a dateconsentoncent of your doctor that within this period you are going to be healthy and will require no medicine to live. 
Best of luck

...

I wouldn't use homeopathy for something like ocd. You could try a supplement called inositol. Google "inositol ocd." Swanson's do a cheap powder and you have to take high doses. (I am trying it for panic disorder although anything more than a few grams seems to have a laxative effect on me unfortunately!) It's worth trying. If it hasn't worked after a few months then you could try some sort of SSRI

...

Go back to real medicine. The fact that you're not having improvement since taking the homeopathic "remedies" should give you a clue on the "effectiveness" of homeopathy. Homeopaths probably don't even know how to diagnose OCD.

...

In total, I think I saw 6 homeopaths as a way of treating the major depression I suffer from. Some of these practitioners included an M.D., a naturopath, a chiropractor and a nutritionist. Unfortunately, none of them helped me. 

To be fair, I have what is called treatment-resistant depression and I have found allopathic medicine not to be much better than homeopathy. The psychiatric meds I take help a little bit, but not very much. Certain anti-anxiety meds have helped with my insomnia, but nothing has had much impact on my depression. 

My gut reaction and personal experience lead me to the belief that homeopathy is not one of the most effective forms of alternative medicine. I am an advocate of Andrew Weil, a Harvard-trained M.D. He is working on complementary medicine, which combines the best of alternative and allopathic medicine. 

Unfortunately, I can't think of any alternative health approaches for OCD, especially if it is severe. You might try a combination of allopathic and alternative approaches. Psychotherapy is sometimes helpful for OCD. Research shows that therapy plus meds is generally more effective than therapy alone or meds alone. 

In terms of psych meds, here are some of the most popular drugs: Luvox (up to 300 mg/day), Prozac (40-80 mg/day), Zoloft (up to 200 mg/day), Paxil (40-60 mg/day), and Celexa (up to 80 mg/day). 

Anafranil (up to 250 mg/day), a tricyclic antidepressant, has been around the longest and is the best studied throughout the world. 

If I were in your position, I would probably try a combination of allopathic medicine along with therapy and alternative medicine if that is financially possible for you.

...

i would suggest you continue your treatment with homoeopathy..i am not saying this because i am a homoeopath but because i have seen cases being treated with much better results and with no side effects too.....you only need to have patience and a qualified homoeo practitioner...good luck

Source(s):

homoeopathic practitioner

Soul Doctor answered 4 years ago

Absolutely Homeopathy, check out this link for the head remedies for the problems you have described in your question just look up under the proper header on this page : For OCD homeopathic help check thishttp://www.hpathy.com/diseases/obsessive...
For all others as given in your question look up under the appropriate header, the remedy which has the most similar symptoms to all your health issues is the one you should take I would suggest you consult a good homeopathic physician for a detailed consultation here is the link :-http://www.hpathy.com/diseases/

I would suggest that you pick the best answer to your question yourself please do not let it go to vote. 

Take care and God bless

Source(s):

Just a Homoeopathic Practitioner providing totally free help to people and spreading awarness about the wonderful world of homoeopathic medicine.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/...
http://www.zeusinfoservice.com/TruthAbou...

Helpy Helperson answered 4 years ago

If by allopathy you are referring to traditional medicine, stay with it. Homeopathy has never been proven in a quality study to be beneficial for ANY condition. On the other hand, real medicines such as SSRI's (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors), have been proven to work countless times for OCD. It is important to understand what homeopathy really is.(see "Medical and scientific analysis" in1st link below) In most cases, the pill or solution contains NONE of the active ingredient. It is claimed that there is an "essence" or "memory" of the ingredient in the water. Anyone interested in real medicine or homeopathy should really watch the 14 minute James ***** presentation in my 3rd link. It is well worth your time.

Hope this helps!

Source(s):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#...
http://www.biopsychiatry.com/ocd.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSKxz1BNU...

Aparna answered 4 years ago

Homeopathy and psychotherapy together work wonders for OCD. You can these days obtain homeopathic treatment online too. Many reputed doctors are rendering their services online that are really trustworthy. Consult with good homeopaths like those at http://www.drshreya.comand relieve yourself of OCD that leads to mental stress over the period of time. Those who say homeopathy does not work are really poor people who do not know the marvels of this science.

naughty answered 4 years ago

YOU TRY ALLOPATHY FOR 100 YEARS AND WON'T GET ANY THING PROFITABLE THEN YOU'LL COME TO KNOW THE REALITY, ANSWERING THESE TYPE OF QUESTIONS IN FAVOUR OF ANY SYSTEM IS THE ABUSE TO REALITY, THE TRUTH !! EVERYBODY HAS HIS HER OWN OPINION.

What do you generally think of Homeopathy treatments?

Best AnswerAsker's Choice

·                                 Soul Doctor answered 7 years ago

I turned to Homeopathy when while treating me for Typhoid in 1979 our convetional doctors all but killed me, I did'nt have typhoid but I was more or less dead could not eat or drink anything till an aged gentleman who was visiting some relative of his in the hospital saw me and prescribed the Homeopathic remedies SULPHUR 30 to antidote the drastic side effects of the medicine I was treated with and LYCOPODIUM, it set me of on my way to recovery within hours. That started my interest in Homeopathy and I never looked towards conventional remedies after that, now I am a Homeopath though I don't charge anything for my prescriptions I use it to heal people and am known as a Healer all over my hometown.
The testimony of Homeopathy's success is written all over check out peoples appreciation whom I have helped online here on Yahoo answers. My nick "Soul Doctor" was given to me by a cured patient who was going through Chronic depression with acute suicidal thoughts and was cured within three days with AURUM MET in 200 potency. The morons who are against it are totally blind to the truth or blinded by the greed to make money I don't know which :o).
Allopathy (Conventional medication) treats the disease which is the wrong way of treating it and gives massive doses of drastic chemicals as if God meant us to take Chemicals not anything natural.
God gave us a body which is fully capable of curing itself, our Vital Force is weakened by taking chemicals and wrong medicines of our honourable conventional doctors, homeopathy gives the minimal doses of substance which triggers our body to treat and cure itself hence the easy wonderful curing it brings about, while taking Homeopathic remedies all you feel is relief no bad feelings no complications and no side effects.
You are going to get a lot of Bull against Homeopathy on this answer includong from a idiot who can just post a link tohttp://www.quackwatch.com which as is full of bull as he is and a few Doctors who cant even remember how long they have been in practice let alone how to really cure anyone, all our conventional doctors can do is invent fancy names for disease which they don't understand and have no chance of curing so they make up difficult fancy looking names for what they know not. My pity and heartfelt sympathies for their ignorance may God grant them some wisdom for they know not what harm they are inflicting upon their poor ailing patients and are making them sicker and dependant on drastic chemicals and they have the audacity to call them Medicine.

Homeopathy my friend is the New school of smart medicine which cures without side effects and complications sorry to say our conventional doctors don't have the intelligence to comprehend how it works what they have to do is update their outmoded ways. Just because they can't understand something is no reason the thing does'nt works. You have to try it to understand and fully appreciate the curative effects of Homeopathy and how well it works. I have tried it and benefitted from it and so have thousand upon thousands of my patients. To their Claim that Homeopathy has got no scientific data to support it I ask them a simple Question .
Where did Jesus Christ get his degree in
Medicine and he was the greatest of all Healers. where did Sir Issac Newton get his degree in Physics ? Was Alfred Noble a Phd in Physics ? Did Al Zehervi get his degree FRCS from a recognized institution, yet he taught us how to perform surgeries. I can go on and on and they nay sayer will keep on denying it. just as i said they are totally blind to the truth and too overwhelmed with making money selling us addicting chemicals which can just make us sicker and sicker and make the Pharmaceuticals richer and richer.
I am not trying to win an award writting an essay so spelling mistakes and my language should be excused .

Homeopathy is the Art of Healing and a total Beauty.

Take Care and God Bless everyone

Source:

Homeopathic Practitioner

Asker's Rating & Comment

THANK YOU SO MUCH. You made my day (again)...

I'm actually planning to study/take up Homeopathy and you've truly inspired me further by reading this post... its just my passion to heal others and I get that inspiration from this simple post over here...

Thanks to the others for posting too... !!!

Professor of Herbs answered 7 years ago

Anyone with a basic understanding of chemistry will tell you that they're quack remedies. Even the main journal of complementary medicine has published studies suggesting that placebo response is the real "active" ingredient: 

Incongruous answered 7 years ago

I have had success with many homeopathic remedies, as have the people I've recommended them to. I also believe that there are situations that need to be addressed by conventional medicine. I certainly wouldn't advise someone with a fractured femur to rely on homeopathy alone, although there are some great remedies to assist in the bone healing process. The beauty of homeopathy is, it is completely safe.

Source(s):

Experience.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/homeopathy_...

Sabine answered 7 years ago

there was a time in my life when I hit bottom pretty hard...my doctor prescribed me anti-depressants right away without asking me why I was depressed; anyway...antidepressants made me feel worse!, lack of energy, more depressed, suicidal. I was at a health food store or natural groceries store by accident...I came across with their book of home remedies and homeopath, I began to search and looked deep down what was in the antidepressants, I began searching for ways to turn my life around and live a life of drug free, pure clean body and my mind and my spirit were becoming to think clearer. I was able to smile and laugh at life and take life as it comes. I also became very close to G-d and that sort of self-healed me. Now, its been 13 years since NOT once thought of being depressed. I am always happy, I eat healthy foods free of pesticides, colors, artificial ingredients and my health is great. I am able to help other people especially those close to me. Life is great without the use of psychiatric drugs.

Benefits of Homeopathic Medicines

Homeopathy is one of the oldest ways of treating humans with remedies in sickness; this type of treatment might be for long time as well as short time depending upon the type of disease or illness being treated. In the beginning, although people did not accept homeopathy well and its action were considered unlikely, but with time the remedies used in its treatment were improved resulting in the acceptance of using homeopathy medication.

Benefits of Homeopathic Medicines:

·                 Safe: The treatment of homeopathy is very safe as it does not involves any side effects to any type of patients i.e. the structural damage of this medication is nil as they do not impose any chemical action on human body. The medication given in the form of dosages in safe for both children as well as adult.

·                 Effective: The treatment involved in homeopathic medication might be of longer duration as compared to naturopathic or allopathic medication, but the medication seems to be effective with time. Also this medication not only takes care of the illness but also improves the over all metabolism of the body.

·                 Individually tailored: The homeopathic system of medicine does not depend on the disease caused, but it depends on the type of symptoms and individual being treated.

·                 Cheap: The medication of homeopathy is cheap as compared to the treatment involved in other types of medication systems.

·                 Intake: The Homeopathic medication involves small pills that are sweet in taste making the intake of the medicine easy for people of any age group.

The homeopathic medication takes care of the well being of individual in total rather than just for illness by saving the time, money and of course the health of the patients without taking in any toxic material in the body.

Helpful Guidelines for taking Homeopathic Remedies
By Erika Price, DIHom, DHM, BIHF (U.K.).
Homeopathic Self-Sufficiency www.geocities.com/HotSprings/7776/

Remedies * Taking the Remedy * Remedy Antidotes * When to Take the Remedy
Homeopathic Recovery Process * How Long to Take a Remedy
When to Stop or Change the remedy * Pharmaceutical Drugs and Homeopathy
Self-Prescribing * The Importance of Modalities
Examples of treatable disorders: Acute and Chronic
Where to Purchase Remedies

 
Remedies:

The potency of a homeopathic remedy is its strength. Potencies range usually from 3x or 3c progressively up to M, CM, and LM potencies. When self-prescribing without the benefit of professional advice, use lower potencies like 12c.

Remedies are available in tiny round sugar pellets or globules and tablets made of sucrose or lactose. For those oversensitive to a tiny amount of sucrose or lactose, remedies can be ordered in liquid form containing alcohol. For those avoiding even small amounts of alcohol or sugar, LM potencies must be used, but these must be prepared in liquid form by a very knowledgable homeopath.

.....

Important:

- Homeopathic Remedy Antidotes - Homeopathic remedies are essentially vibrational medicine, and they are easily overwhelmed by other strong material vibrations. 

Try to avoid anything with coffee flavor, mint, camphor, menthol, large quantities of caffeine, or chamomile externally or internally. For example: avoid mint flavored toothpastes, chewing gums, and mouthwashes (mint and menthol); menthol lozenges and candies; coffee, even decaffeinated or coffee flavored ice cream or candies. If you must have caffeine get it from tea or caffinated soda. Avoid Noxema products and Tiger Balm (camphor); etc. Try also to avoid very strong aromatics or toxic odors like eucalyptus, wintergreen, peppermint, essential oils like patchouli, strong perfumes, strong after-shave and soap, smelly chemicals, moth-balls. If you drink alcohol, avoid extremes. If you smoke marijuana, try to avoid it during treatment because it is a high and aromatic. Do not place your remedies in close contact with magnets. It is best to avoid drugging of any kind, but especially steroids and opiates. These can overpower and antidote your remedy. If you will not or cannot avoid these factors, it is best to use LM potencies. 

Much to my amazement very few homeopathic practitioners or the pharmacies that sell homoeopathic remedies give patients correct or thorough information for taking homeopathic remedies. This leaves most homeopathic users unaware that they may be unknowingly blowing their remedies, that is stopping their action by antidoting them with common substances without even knowing it. 

....

Acute Diseases & Disorders

• Injuries & Accidents such as:
• Sports related injuries
• Pain 
• Strains 
• Sprains 
• Fractures 
• Blows & Concussion
• Dislocations 
• Herniated Discs
• Crushed Fingers & Toes,
• Torn Ligaments & Tendons
• Burns 
• Bruises 
• Cuts & Lacerations 
• Puncture Wounds
• Black Eye 
• Nosebleeds 
• Emergencies
• Acute Diseases such as: 
• Influenza 
• Colds 
• Coughs 
• Earaches 
• Fever 
• Sore Throats 
• Bell's Palsy 
• Dengue Fever 
• Surgery 
• Adverse Reactions to drugs and vaccinations
• Acute Problems from: Insects, Animals, and Plants
• Stings, Bites, Poison Ivy or Poison Oak
• Sudden Problems from: 
• Trauma
• Grief 
• Shock
• Food Poisoning & Dysentery
• Travel, Motion & Altitude Sickness 
• Violence

Chronic Disorders & Diseases such as:

• Addictions to Alcohol & Drugs 
• Allergies, Hypersensitivity, M.C.S. 
• Anxiety/Fear/Phobias 
• Arthritis, Rheumatism 
• Asthma 
• Back Problems 
• Bladder and Kidney Problems 
• Bone Problems 
• Bowel and Rectum Problems 
• Candida, Yeast Infections 
• Chronic Fatigue and Immune Disorders 
• CFIDS (CFS & M.E.)
• Dental and Mouth Problems 
• Depression 
• Ear and Hearing Problems 
• Eye and Vision Problems 
• Female Problems: 
• Menstrual
• Menopause 
• Gastric Disorders 
• Gulf War Sickness 
• Headaches, Migraine 
• Herpes Virus Eruptions, Shingles
• HIV, and diseases related to AIDS & ARC 
• Insomnia & Sleep Problems 
• Joint, Muscle and Nerve Problems 
• Liver Problems 
• Lymes disease 
• Malaria 
• Male Problems 
• Mental & Emotional Problems 
• Motor and Sensory Disorders 
• Multiple Sclerosis 
• Nose and Sinus Problems 
• Paralysis 
• Pregnancy, problems during & lactation 
• Repetitive Stress Injury 
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome 
• Skin Disorders 
• Stress 
• Trauma 
• Throat and Vocal Problems 
• Vertigo 
• Etcetera!!

Where to Puchase Homeopathic Remedies

Homeopathic remedies are sold all over the world in many pharmacies and health food stores. Check your local telephone directory.

Bigelow's Pharmacy has an excellent homeopathic service. They are located in the USA in New York City at:
414 Sixth Avenue (& 9th St.), New York, NY 10011
They provide an efficient toll-free mail order service outside of NYC: 1-800-793-LIFE.
For areas outside the 800 dialing area, their number is: +1 (212) 533-2700.

Here are a few more US sources that you can try.  Sorry for those outside the US to provide only US sources.  While these companies should work out, we cannot guarantee your results as we have no relation to them.
Dolisos:  1 800 365-4767
Arrowroot:  1 800 234-8879
Luyties:  1 800 325-8080

Otherwise, check our links page (site Homeopathic Self-Sufficiency) or an internet search engine.

 
If You Need Professional Homeopathic Treatment

It's wonderful to become self-sufficient in your use of homeopathy for acute disorders or injuries, but if you have deeper chronic or constitutional problems, you should certainly see a good classical homeopath.

You can get information about appointments and treatment fees from Dr. Price by filling out the form here:

     Homeopathic Self-Sufficiency www.geocities.com/HotSprings/7776/

When to take the remedy:

Whenever possible take a remedy at bedtime, as the body is at rest. During the day try to take the remedy away from meals, at least 1/2 hour before eating, and at least one hour after eating because while the body is busy digesting food there can be a digestive upset with certain remedies. In an acute case, such as an injury, take the remedy immediately no matter when you have eaten. The mouth should also be free of any strong tastes. You may drink liquids shortly before and after taking a remedy. If you are taking a remedy several times a day, try to schedule some of the doses before bed, upon waking and during the day.

   
Homeopathic Recovery:

According to Hering's homeopathic "law of cure," in the course of cure during homeopathic treatment, the symptoms improve from the inside outward, from above downwards, from the most vital to the less vital organs, and in the reverse order of their original onset of appearance. The vital force, energy, and the most commonplace symptoms such as general emotions, improve before physical symptoms. It is common during homeopathic treatment for the earlier suppressed symptoms to reappear briefly. This is actually beneficial because the re-emergence of old symptoms shows that they are no longer suppressed and can indicate the original factors of the recent illness and be treated. The chronic longstanding symptoms take longer to cure than recent and acute maladies.

 
How Long to Take a Remedy:

As long as the symptoms persist the remedy should be taken providing that some changes are beginning to happen.

 
When to Stop or Change the remedy:

While the remedy is acting on your symptoms, you do not repeat the dosage. You must wait to take the next dose until the remedy has stopped acting (that is, when you experience the dip). If your symptoms disappear, you do not need the remedy any longer. If the symptoms change, you may need a different remedy. You must therefore become aware of what is going on in your body. So, be more aware than usual. This is not the usual pill-popping.

When the symptoms are cured, stop taking the remedy. If the symptoms change, change to another remedy according to the new symptoms. If a remedy doesn't help your symptoms it will not hurt you, but if within a day or two there is no improvement at all try a different appropriate remedy.

 
Orthodox/Allopathic Medical Drugs and Homeopathy:

Homeopathic remedies do not undermine the action of drugs or interact with them. On the other hand drugs may neutralize homeopathic remedies, most especially steroids such as Cortisone and Prednisone.

   
Self Prescribing Considerations and
 
The Importance of Modalities

There are so many homeopathic remedies for each disorder, that simply looking for "PAIN" will not find the most closely matching remedy for your specific pain. The fact that your ailment hurts is not sufficient to tell you which remedy to use. But the modalities of the pain – the kind of pain it is, where the pain is, and when it hurts most – will help enormously. These are some of the factors you need to address. For example: if the pain pulsates and burns in your leg in addition to having certain modalities such as worse on the left side and in the evening and better from cold applications, then you will be able to find the most curative remedy for your leg pain.

Modalities are always very important factors in choosing the most closely matching homeopathic remedy to the totality of the simillimum. They can be the deciding factors between several remedies which may be strongly indicated. Modalities are the modifying influences and circumstances which either ameliorate (influences which make the symptoms of a condition feel better), or aggravate (influences which make the symptoms of a condition feel worse). Modalities include many factors and stimuli as perceived by the patient. Modalities may have to do with temperature, weather, climate, movement, activity, time, right and left side, sensations, physical contact, foods, drinks, etc. They are the sensory manner and mode of how the symptoms are felt by the individual, and they are a most important criterion in choosing the right remedy.

 
Examples of the Disorders & Diseases that Homeopathy can improve or cure:

...

 
Taking the remedy:

Try not touch the pellets as they can be antidoted by something you've touched earlier. First, pour them into the cap or the extra cap found inside the tube. Then, pour these into your mouth and under your tongue and allow them to slowly dissolve there.

Adults: Take 4 pellets.

Children: Give 3 pellets under the tongue or crush them in a clean paper and pour into mouth.

Infants: Dissolve 3 pellets in 1/2 glass of water and give two teaspoons as prescribed.

Meaning of left sided remedy

Hello Dr.B,
Can you tell me what is means by a left sided remedy (for eg. lachesis). Is it supposed to be physically acting on the left side or its good for people who are more left brain oriented like those in arts etc. Also how well would a left sided remedy work for right sided cases if all the other symptoms match perfectly well ?
thanks,
shankar

Hi Shankar,

A medicine which has given prominent symptoms related to the left side of the body during proving, is termed as left-sided medicine. Similarly for the right sided ones. But this is not a rigid classification. There is no such medicine which will work only on left sided complaints and there is no such medicine which will work only on the right sided complaints. All medicines have symptoms on both sides of the body. Its just that one side is more prominent. For eg, even in Lachesis, the Sciatica pains are related to the right side. The sides are not related to the left brain/right brain. Though medicines can specifically affect the faculties related to a particular part of the brain but that does not fall into the classification of left-side/right-side remedies. Also a left side medicine can have symptoms originating on the left and then moving to the right. So it is the physical aspect that is responsible for such classification. But it is not very rigid. If a medicine covers all the symptoms of a patient well, it will work in spite of having a different side-affinity.

Best wishes,
Dr. B

Homeopathy Vs. Allopathy

In today’s world everyone is very much aware of their health and with the sudden rise of reputation in alternative medicines like Osteopathy, homeopathy, naturopathy etc certainly produce one of the major debates in this modern world of Medical Science “Which one is the Best – Homeopathy or Allopathy?” So today we are going to find out the effectiveness of homeopathic medicine as compared to conventional treatment through allopathic medicine. Before we begin we must know that both Allopathy and Homeopathy medical science have a universal goal of healing the sick, although both accomplished this goal by different medicine and different Treatment.

1.   Beliefs

Most of the Doctors following allopathic medicine try to treat an illness by aiming at the specific part of the body which is affected. They classify the contributing cause to the illness, which could either be a virus or bacteria and later take care of it. Homeopathic doctors trusts that due to emotional & psychological pressures and anxiety of the body causes it to become more vulnerable to disease and hence make an effort to cure these infringes of the immune system. Allopathic doctors take care of only the sickness, whereas the homeopathic doctors believe in holistic healing.

2. Medicines

Allopathic doctors are too much dependent on drugs or medicines which are artificially prepared by pharmaceutical companies. Allopathy medicines are salts which are based on biological chemistry. A homeopathic doctor generally uses herbs and tonics which are naturally available and are considered safe. Allopathic doctors are more likely to get more antagonistic while the use of medicine if the illness is not cured (keep on increasing the dose of medicine). Homeopathic doctors trusts on 1 dose of medicine is more than enough to treat disease and overdosing of any medication will promote the sicknesses.

3. Surgeries

An allopathic doctor generally recommends surgery in some serious conditions in which they remove the causative agent (for eg. Tumor) from the body to cure the disease. A Homeopathic doctor never engages in surgery until and unless the tissue has undergone irreversible changes or it is a innate defect which is troubling the patient beyond a certain limit.

4. Origins

Allopathic medicines are based on the beliefs of Hippocrates (ancient Greeks) wheras Homeopathy is based on the principles of Samuel Hahnemann (German physician – father of Homeopathy). Homeopaths alleged that allopathy medicines are based on contrary results, rather than following a holistic approach same as homeopathy. In today’s world there are people who still call allopathic treatment as “conventional treatment”. In The United States of America, Allopathy is still known as “regular” medicine.

5. Controversy

Both Allopathy and Homeopathy treatments are believed to be beneficial to patients but there are always some controversies. There are people who consider that homeopathic cure doesn’t really cure the disease in the patient and while other people think that pharmaceutical or allopathic medicine are in fact making people sicker. Allopathic doctors still consider that homeopathic medicines have no result it is just a placebo.

As per the popular belief Allopathic treatment doesn’t cure the disease completely whereas the homeopathic treatment cures the disease from the root so that they don’t reoccur. Homeopathic medication is suitable for all age limits but allopathic medicine are categorize according to age. Allopathy treats a disease faster then homeopathy as homeopathic treatment follows a holistic approach. The list goes on and on, so now it is your turn to decide which medication suits you, but before ending this discussion.  You might also be interested in reading about

Basic Principles of Homeopathy

Homeopathy is a well known a branch of science which is based on some of the principles with some of the exceptions as is the case with all other branches of science…

The basic principles have been known since the time of the great scientist of History who is also known as the “Father of Medicines”, the famous “Hippocrates” around 2000 years ago. But the overall systematization of the principles has been done by the famous German physician named as “Samuel Christian Fredrich Hahnemann”.

After systematization, there are well known three basic principles of Homeopathy which have been described below:

First Principle: Law of Similars “Let Likes Be Cured By Likes”

The name of the first principle has been defined as “Similia similibus curentur” or “Let Likes Be Cured By Likes”. According to this principle, the same substances that are known to cause any of the disease in the normal and healthy individuals can be used for the treatment of the ill people that have been grasped with the same disease.

One of the most basic phenomenon that is also known to be attached with the above principle is that the body is considered to be the dynamically maintained system that is capable of setting of an optimum equilibrium.

And any of the disease is being caused when the dynamically maintained equilibrium of the body is forced out to be changed that is generally done by the outside harmful chemicals that enters the body of a living organisms.

Now, the basic thing that is being tried to be solved in the case of the ‘Let Likes Be Cured By Likes’ principle is the work of the direction and stimulation of the self regulatory mechanisms of the body. These are activated by providing the minute quantities of the medicines given to the patients that alerts the fighting mechanism of the body and thus the overall healing effect of the body in return.

Second Principle: Individualization of treatment for the patient

The second basic principle has been named as “Individualization of treatment for the patient”, according to which the treatment that is being given to a particular patient is according to the condition and individuality of the person. On the basis of this, one of the common names has also been given to the closest match of the ill person and called as “simillimum”.

In this principle, the basic characteristics that are considered for the comparison sometimes includes the whole of the person in which all of the symptoms and signatures of the disease are considered which is known as the‘whole person level’ treatment. Whereas the other times the point of consideration includes the personality of the person, physical or mental condition of the person, and the genetic makeup of the individual.

There is no perfect rule that the things should be exact matches while comparing and thus the idea of similarity can also be taken into account.

Third Principle: Use of the minimum dose

The third and the last basic principle has been termed as “Use of the minimum dose” and is named so as the medicines or the chemicals are diluted to that much of the extent that they are not able to harm the patients in any of the way. Due to this principle, the basic, the medicines are diluted to a much larger extent that they are sometimes called as “ultra-molecular dilutions”.

And the main idea of the third principle can be consider to be the basis behind the making of the medicines in homeopathy, the process sometimes called as ‘succussion’ in which the vigorous shaking of the molecules that provides a way of elastic collision between them is followed for the making of the medicines.

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Age Spots Natural Remedies

Age spots or discoloration of the skin is caused by excess Melanin. These unappealing brown spots are found on the hands, face or other parts of the body. Melanin is increased from sun exposure, age and hormones. Age Spots are usually treated with bleaching agents that have to be repeated because the spots always come back.

From the natural perspective, age spots generally come from hormone therapy, i.e. estrogen birth control methods or a pregnancy related event. Age spots or skin discoloration also comes from liver and colon disorders. It is easily treated, but takes 6 – 12 months. Eliminate chemical birth control and other medications which tax or damage the liver. (Evaluate your medications, especially statin drugs.)

Brown or red spots are often signs of liver imbalance. Signs of liver symptoms include irritability and anger. To support the body’s healthy functions include exercise in your routine, eliminate tobacco, alcohol, coffee, black tea, soda---These are liver robbing foods.

The best combination includes NAC (N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine), Dandelion root, Kali sulph 6X, and the homeopathic remedy that fits your situation.

Cell Salts to Help Age Spots

To make a cell salt solution, put up to 10 tablets of each cell salt in a 16- to 24-ounce bottle; fill with water and swirl to dissolve tablets. Sip throughout the day. Learn more about cell salts >

#3 Calc Sulph 6X – liver spots
#7 Kali Sulph 6X – a must for liver spots!
#11 Nat Sulph 6X – pancreas, liver support

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Age Spot Homeopathic Remedies

Homeopathic remedies are non-toxic natural medicines safe for everyone including infants and pregnant or nursing women. You may use 6X, 30X, 6C or 30C potencies. Learn more about homeopathy >

Lachesis – often passionate, high sex drive, talkative, can tend to purple spots, maybe left side dominant.

Lycopodium – when there is digestive problems, gas , bloating, gets tired between 4-8 pm Often irritable and may have low self esteem.

Merc solubis – for those with canker sores or swollen glands.

Nitricum acid – has pains like splinters. Often a negative attitude.

Sepia – hormone related from birth control or pregnancy where the woman doesn’t want sex, and exhausted.

Sulphur – feels warm, is often intellectual, feels worse from warmth.

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First Aid with Homeopathic Medicines

By Dana Ullman MPH

To determine the best dose and potency, it is best to get a homeopathic guidebook such as the one listed above as the original source of this information.  The most popular homeopathic guidebook is"Everybody's Guide to Homeopathic Medicines" but we sell this and many others here.  We also sell some very practical and highly discounted home homeopathic medicine kits!  Click here to see the choices for medicine kits, or fell free to CALL us to order them (or ask questions).

It is initially startling but ultimately logical to learn that homeopaths use stinging nettle (Urtica urens) to treat people with first or second degree burns. Of course, a homeopath would not recommend actually touching a stinging nettle plant to the burned area. Instead, a homeopath would give a specially prepared, non-toxic dose of stinging nettle. Since stinging nettle causes a burn when exposed to it in toxic dose, it also helps heal burns when taken in small non-toxic dose.

The basic principle of homeopathic medicine is that a small dose of a substance will help cure that which it causes in overdose. Although this principle may be a bit confusing at first, it actually makes a lot of sense. Modern day physiology and biology are confirming a basic premise of homeopathy which recognizes that symptoms are efforts of the organism to adapt to stress or infection. Symptoms are therefore understood as the way the "bodymind" is trying, although not always successfully, to re-establish homeostasis or balance. Since symptoms are the best efforts of the organism to attempt to heal itself, it is best to avoid treating or suppressing specific symptoms, and it is preferred to aid and stimulate the body's defense and immune processes.

The homeopathic medicines are able to stimulate the defensesystem, since they, like conventional immunizations and allergy treatments, give small doses of what causes a condition in order to stimulate the immune system. Homeopathic medicines, however, are distinctively different from immunizations and allergy treatment, since the homeopathic medicines are more individually prescribed to people, given in much smaller and less toxic doses, and used for both prevention and treatment of a person.

Homeopathic medicine developed much of its popularity in the United States and Europe because of its success in treating people with cholera, scarlet fever, yellow fever and other infectious diseases that were ravaging populations. More recently homeopathic medicine has developed a reputation of successfully treating people with various chronic complaints. What many people do not know about homeopathy is that it also provides many valuable medicines in treating people who suffer from accidents and injuries. When these medicines are used in conjunction with conventional first aid procedures, the risk of long-term damage from an injury can be significantly decreased and the healing process can be noticeably enhanced.

One must study homeopathic medicine for many years in order to learn how to prescribe the correct medicine for people with chronic conditions. One can, however, learn to use the medicines for first aid very easily. Whereas treatment of a person's acute or chronic disease requires strict individualization of the person's total physical and psychological state, treatment for accidents and injuries does not require such individualized presciption. The reason for this difference is that people with acute or chronic diseases have distinct or subtlely different symptoms and causes of their condition, and thus need a different medicine to begin their curative process. People with injuries tend to experience very similar symptoms and usually need a similar metabolic stimulus to heal their complaint. Basically, when different people cut themselves, get burned, break a leg or injure themselves in some other way, they all tend to need a similar stimulus to heal their injury.

Homeopathic medicines for first aid and sports injuries are very easy to prescribe and are usually very effective in reducing pain of the injury and speeding the healing process. It is thus no wonder that many superstar athletes have heard about homeopathy and have begun to benefit from its use. Football superstar O.J. Simpson, tennis player Boris Becker, New York Knicks coach Pat Riley, ex-Yankee pitcher Jim Bouton, and pro golfer Sally Little are but some of the athletes who spell relief with H-O-M-E-O-P-A-T-H-Y.

The following medicines are used to treat people in first aid situations. There are other homeopathic medicines that can also used, but these are the most commonly used medicines for the conditions described.

NOTE: Homeopaths use the latin names for their medicines since a similar nomenclature is needed to converse with homeopaths throughout the world.

ARNICA (mountain daisy)

ARNICA is mentioned first because it is a medicine par excellence for the shock or trauma of any injury. It is necessary to treat an injured person for shock first unless the injury is very mild or unless the person is bleeding so profusely that stopping the bleeding should be attended to immediately. Since ARNICA is the first medicine prescribed in numerous types of injuries, it is the most common medicine used in first aid. It helps reduce shock, relieve pain, diminish swelling, and begin healing. ARNICA is a great medicine for injuries to muscles, especially when there is pain from overexertion.

ARNICA is also an excellent medicine before or after surgery since the body experiences a state of shock from these medical procedures. It is used as well before and after dental surgery, and before, during, and after labor to help the mother and infant deal with the shock and stress of birth.

Common conditions for use: Shock or trauma of injury; surgical shock; muscle injuries.

HYPERICUM (St. John's Wort)

HYPERICUM is an excellent medicine for injuries to nerves or to injured parts of the body which are richly supplied with nerves (fingers, toes, the spine). Generally, such injuries have sharp or shooting pains, and the injured part is very sensitive to touch. HYPERICUM is also good for old injuries to nerves which still seem to both the person.

King George VI of England was so impressed by the effectiveness of HYPERICUM that he named his prize racehorse after it.

Common conditions for use: Injuries to nerves.

URTICA URENS (Stinging Nettle)

As you might have predicted from learning about the law of similars, URTICA URENS is the medicine of choice for burns (stinging nettle, as you may know, causes a burn upon contact with the spine of the plant). URTICA URENS in external application is also helpful in diminishing the pain of the burn and in promoting healing. Such application should be diluted approximately one part of URTICA URENS with ten parts water.

Common conditions for use: burns.

LEDUM (Marsh Tea)

LEDUM is the best medicine for puncture wounds, whether it be from a needle, a nail, or other sharp object. Deep punctures or punctures from rusty nail should receive medical attention, but this should not delay you from taking LEDUM which has no side-effects and which can be helpful in healing wounds and preventing tetanus. LEDUM is also commonly prescribed for insect stings and animal bites. It's applicable as well to people with severe bruising (black eyes or blows from firm objects), especially if the affected part feels cold and yet feels relieved by cold applications.

Common conditions for use: puncture wounds; insect bites.

RHUS TOX (Poison Ivy)

Although some people cringe when they even hear someone mention poison ivy, it is an obten prescribed homeopathic medicine (in non-toxic homeopathically prepared dose!). It is a great medicine for certain types of skin conditions (since it causes them!) as well as for numerous other conditions which homeopaths have found it causes in overdose. One of the conditions it causes in overdose is the rupturing of ligaments and tendons. Because of this, it is the most common medicine prescribed for sprains and strains, especially the type of sprain and strain that is worse upon initial motion but that is better upon continued motion. It is also a medicine given for dislocated joints. ARNICA is another medicine to condition for dislocations.

Common condition for use: Sprains or strains.

RUTA (Rue)

RUTA is the medicine given for severe sprains where the person has a torn or wrenched tendon, split ligament, or bruised periosteum (bone covering). It is also the most common medicine prescribed for recent or old injuries to the knee or elbow. As such, it is one of the medicine prescribed for "tennis elbow."

Common conditions for use: Severe sprain; injury to the bone.

SYMPHYTUM (Comfrey)

Homeopaths, like herbalists, use SYMPHYTUM for fractures. Homeopaths, however, give their medicine in potentized dose rather than in teas and poultices as done by herbalists. Although one must go to a physician to have the fracture re-set and placed in a cast, SYMPHYTUM will relieve pain and promote rapid healing of the fracture. Besides its application in fractures, SYMPHYTUM is a great medicine for injuries to the eyeball, bones around the eyes, and the cheekbones.

Common conditions for use: Fractures; facial injuries.

External Applications

Some homeopathic medicines are used externally,* including:

CALENDULA (Marigold)

CALENDULA TINCTURE (in an alcohol base), GEL, SPRAY, and OINTMENT are invaluable external applications in treating cuts and abrasions. CALENDULA is known to have antiseptic properties due to its organic iodine content. CALENDULA helps stop bleeding, inhibits infection, and promotes granulation of tissues to help heal wounds and burns. CALENDULA TINCTURE should not be applied directly on a cut since its alcohol content causes stinging pain. It is best to dilute this tincture with a little water. If you'd like to avoid this effort, you can instead directly apply CALENDULA GEL, SPRAY, or OINTMENT.

Note: CALENDULA works so rapidly in healing the skin that it is not recommended for use in deep cuts. In deep cuts CALENDULA sometimes can close and heal the outside skin before the tissue underneath is completely healed.

Common conditions for use: Cuts, abrasions, burns.

HYPERICUM (St. John's Wort)

HYPERICUM TINCTURE is recommended as an external application in treating deep cuts since it helps heal internal structures as well as the skin. It also has the ability to close open wounds and thus sometimes prevents the need for stitches. HYPERICUM is also used for septic (infected) wounds (CALENDULA, in comparison, is primarily good for clean uninfected cuts). HYPERICUM TINCTURE, like other external applications which have an alcohol base, should be diluted prior to application.

Common conditions for use: Deep cuts, infected cuts.

General Rules for Determining Dosage

People who are beginners in homeopathy should primarily use the 6th potency (written on the bottom as "6x" or "6c") or the 30th potency ("30x" or "30c"). The 6x is a dose of the medicine that has been diluted 1:10 six times with vigorous shaking between each dilution, while the 6c has been diluted 1:100 six times. Only homeopathic practitioners who have a great deal more knowledge of homeopathy should use the higher potencies (200x, 1000x, or higher). It is important to remember that homeopathic medicines are more powerful the more they experience "potentization"--the pharmaceutical process of dilution and shaking. Higher potencies thus should be used with great care.

Homeopaths have found that injured people tend to need more frequent repetition of doses shortly after injury. One may need to prescribe a medicine every 30 to 60 minutes immediately after severe injury. After a couple of hours, the frequency of doses can diminish to every other hour or every fourth hour, depending upon the severity of pain. Doses every four hours or four times a day are common when a person has a non-severe injury. A person will generally not need to take a medicine for more than two to four days, except in fractures or severe sprains where one to three doses daily for five to seven days are common.

The basic principle of how to determine dosage is: The more severe the condition, the more often will its repetition be necessary.

It is important to remember that a medicine should only be taken as long as the person experiences pain. Do not continue taking the medicine unless there are still symptoms. The basic idea is to take as little of the medicine as possible and yet enough to lessen pain and stimulate one's healing powers.

Administration of the Medicine

The medicine should be taken into a "clean mouth." Food, drink, tobacco, toothpaste, and other substances should not be put into the mouth for at least 15 minutes before or after the dose. It is generally best to place the medicine underneath the tongue.

Homeopaths have found that some substances can neutralize the effects of the homeopathic medicines. Although there is some controversy around which substances are implicated more than others, it is best to avoid the following substances for at least 48 hours after taking the final dose: coffee, camphorated products (including lip balm, counter-irritant muscle relaxing cremes, Tiger's balm), strong herbal teas, mentholated products, cough drops, and mouthwash.

Care and Storage of Homeopathic Medicines

Special handling and storage of the homeopathic medicines are needed in order to avoid possible contamination. When the medicines are correctly handled and stored, homeopaths have found that they can last for several generations. Since it is very difficult to determine if the medicines have been contaminated, one should take the following precautions to prevent potential problems.

--The medicines should be kept away fraom strong light, from temperatures higher than 100 degrees, and from exposure to strong odors like camphor, menthol, mothballs, or perfumes.

--The medicines should always be kept in the container in which they were supplied and never transferred to any other bottle which has contained other substances.

--The medicine should be opened for administration of the medicine for the minimum time possible. One should be careful not to contaminate the cap or cork before replacement.

--If, by accident, more pills than the number specified in the prescribed dose are shaken out of the bottle, do not return them to the container; throw the excess away to avoid possible contamination.

Brain Injury due to Car Accident.          From ngilkes     on 2011-03-27

                        16 replies

Hello,
I have a family member who was in a car accident on Jan 1st 2011. He was in a coma for 1 month and chemically paralyzed for 2 weeks to reduce the icp level in his head. He recovered from the coma. He suffered brain injury to the right side of his brain, which has effected the mobility to the left side of his body. He is able to talk and walk, but requires support to walk and complete functional tasks. There is still weakness on his left side, and his left arm is immobile. Can we use Arnica pellets to help in his healing and if so what dosage (he is 24 and 115 pounds)?

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Re: Brain Injury due to Car Accident.    From brisbanehomoeopath       on 2011-03-28

Age and weight has no relevence to dosage in homoeopathy.
What potency of Arnica do you have? 

***

This is the record of a 21 year old boy who was in a motor accident and was in a coma whom I treated successfully with Arnica 1M in the Wet dose on October 19 2005. He is now back at home but is confined to a wheel chair as he had broken his back.

I would recommend that you get Arnica 1M in the Wet dose immediately and use just 3 drops in a bottle of water which you will give him thrice daily.
The Arnica may be given concurrently with any drugs that he may be taking today.
The Wet dose of any Homeopathic remedy is made as follows:
Order the remedy in the Liquid pack in Alcohol, also referred to as Liquid Dilution in a bottle preferably with a dropper arrangement.
Get a 500ml bottle of Spring Water from the nearest supermarket.
Pour out about 3cm of water from the bottle to leave some airspace.
Insert 3 drops of the remedy into the bottle and shake the bottle hard at least 6 times before you sip a capfull of the bottle or a large teaspoonful which is the dose.
Shaking the bottle hard is homeopathic succussion and this enhances the effect of the remedy on the user.

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Re: Brain Injury due to Car Accident.    From Joe De Livera      on 2011-03-28

"I would recommend that you get Arnica 1M in the Wet dose immediately and use just 3 drops in a bottle of water which you will give him twice daily."
I would like to add that the recommended dose is 1 capful of the remedy or a teaspoonful which you will give the patient twice daily.
Re: Brain Injury due to Car Accident.    From ngilkes     on 2011-04-02

Just started today, have been giving him 30c pellets three times a day, is that ok?

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 ***

I presume that you have given him ARNICA 30c in the Dry Pellets but this is NOT the therapy I prescribed. Dry pellets cannot be compared to the Wet dose which can be counterproductive if you continue to give it to him thrice daily.
The Wet dose of any Homeopathic remedy is made as follows:
Order the remedy in the Liquid pack in Alcohol, also referred to as Liquid Dilution in a bottle preferably with a dropper arrangement.
Get a 500ml bottle of Spring Water from the nearest supermarket.
Pour out about 3cm of water from the bottle to leave some airspace.
Insert 3 drops of the remedy into the bottle and shake the bottle hard at least 6 times before you sip a capfull of the bottle or a large teaspoonful which is the dose.
Shaking the bottle hard is homeopathic succussion and this enhances the effect of the remedy on the user.

Arnica Mont.

It is especially suited to cases when any injury, however remote, seems to have caused the present trouble. After traumatic injuries, overuse of any organ, strains. Arnica Montana is disposed to cerebral congestion. Acts best in plethoric, feebly in debilitated with impoverished blood, cardiac dropsy with dyspnoea. A muscular tonic. Traumatism of grief, remorse or sudden realization of financial loss. Limbs and body ache as if beaten; joints as if sprained. Bed feels too hard. Marked effect on the blood. Affects the venous system inducing stasis. Ecchymosis and Hemorrhages. Relaxed blood vessels, black and blue spots. Tendency to hemorrhage and low-fever states. Tendency to tissue degeneration, septic conditions abscesses that do not mature.Sore, lame, bruised feeling. Neuralgias originating in disturbances of pneumogastric. Rheumatism of muscular and tendinous tissue, especially of back and shoulders. Aversion to tobacco. Influenza. Thrombosis. Haematocele.
Better, lying down, or with head low.
WORSE, least touch; motion; rest; wine; damp cold.
Relationships
Antidotes: Camph.
Vitex Trifolia - Indian Arnica ( Sprains and pains, headache in temples, pain in joints; pain in abdomen; pain in testicles.)
Complementary: Acon.; Ipec.
Compare: Acon.; Bapt.; Bellis; Hemamellis; Rhus; Hypericum.
Dose
Locally, the tincture, but should never be applied HOT or at all when abrasions or cuts are present.

Head Injury :its Homeopathic treatment

By Dr. Vikas Sharma MD 

In a recently completed study, Dr Edward Chapman of Boston?s Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital demonstrated that homeopathy significantly lessens the symptoms and improves the functioning of individuals with mild chronic head injury.

For what is now backed up by research are what homeopathy, for the last two centuries, have been trying to advocate ? that neurological problems arising out of injuries, either recent or remote, can be effectively treated with homeopathy. Not only does homeopathy help in treating the long-term effects of injury, but also it can help in stopping internal hemorrhage (bleeding) if the injury is fresh. It can also reduce swelling in the brain.

Assault on the head

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a term used to describe a sudden physical assault on the head that causes damage to the brain. It occurs in two types: closed and penetrating. A closed head injury occurs when the head suddenly and violently hits an object, but the object does not break through the skull (e.g. head hitting the dashboard in a car accident). A penetrating type is like a gun shot wound.

An injury can also occur in response to the shaking of the brain within the confines of the skull, an injury called “countercoup”. Shaken baby syndrome is a kind of a countercoup injury that is caused when the baby is violently shaken and the brain sustains injury due to the sudden violent shaking.

What kind of damage occurs?

 As brain controls the whole body functions, the possibility of the damage that it can cause engulfs a wide spectrum of disabilities. Loss of consciousness, loss of motor power and/or sensation, loss or decrease in one?s cognitive abilities (the process of knowing in the broadest sense, including perception, memory and judgment) and loss or decrease in one?s speech, swallowing, etc, are usually the most common ones.

The impact of the injury causes the brain to move back and forth against the inside of the bony skull. The frontal (front) and temporal (side) lobes of the brain, the major speech and language areas often receive the most damage in this way because they sit in pockets of the skull that allow more room for the brain to shift and sustain injury. Because these major speech and language areas often receive damage, communication difficulties frequently occur following closed head injuries.

It is often very difficult to predict the damage or the nature of the damage in the first week, as the freshly injured brain undergoes swelling and bruising, and it is only after the swelling has subsided that the real residual abnormalities are detected.

The wonder of arnica lies in treating brain injuries, recent or remote, in the most natural and effective way. It is more of a head injury panacea. It helps in first controlling the bleeding in the brain and also in reducing the swelling in the brain. It has been found useful when years after the brain injury, symptoms related to it start appearing.

Neurological effects of injuries

The degree to which a homeopath can help is governed by two factors: by the extent of the damage , and the function of the brain that has been compromised.

Although quite a few of the effects can be handled by Arnica alone, the residual abnormalities do have a wide range. Homoeopathy has in its repository other effective medicines that are specific to certain conditions that arise from brain injuries. For example, there are separate groups of medicines for epilepsy, paralysis, memory and speech loss, etc, occurring after brain injury

This feature ( authored by Dr. Vikas Sharma ) was earlier published in The Tribune(North India?s largest circulated daily newspaper). Dr. Vikas Sharma is regular Homeopathic columnist for The Tribune.You can mail him at  vikas@drhomeo.com

Fill the Comment Form below -You can write about your problem To Dr. Sharma and receive a reply on How Homeopathy can help in treating your illness.

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Why Extraordinary Claims Demand
Extraordinary Proof

Ed J. Gracely, Ph.D.
© 1998, PhACT

Skeptics are typically unwilling to accept paranormal claims—such as claims of psychic powers, human energy fields involving energies unknown to science, detection methods involving unknown forces (like dowsing), and predicting the future with cards or dreams—unless the evidence in support of those claims is of very high quality. "Extraordinary claims demand extraordinary proof," we say. Paranormal proponents might question the appropriateness of this logic. They observe skeptics accepting some claims, such as those made by orthodox medical research, on the basis of average, reasonably good evidence, while demanding flawless, near-perfect research before paranormal claims would be accepted. Intuitively, it seems as though evidence which is "good enough" for one claim should be acceptable for other claims as well. This article discusses the issue and provides a statistical basis for skeptics' favorite line, while also pointing out its limitations.

Basic Logic

First, it is important to understand that the strength of a conclusion is a function both of the quality of the evidence provided in its support and the a priori probability of the claim being supported. Thus there can never be a single standard of "acceptable evidence" that will suffice to render every claim equally plausible. Suppose, for example, that a reasonably reliable source tells me (a) that President Clinton has vetoed legislation that places restrictions on trade with China and (b) that Newt Gingrich has switched to the Democratic party. Most people would be much more confident of the truth of the first report than of the second, even though the source is identical. The difference lies in the a priori plausibility of the claims.

A more precise formulation requires us to cast the a priori probability of a claim into the form of "odds" in its favor. A proposition with 90% probability of being true has 90 chances of being true for every 10 of being false. Thus the odds are 90 to 10, which reduces to 9 to 1. A proposition with 20% probability of being true has 20 chances of being true for 80 of being false. The odds (in its favor) are 20 to 80 or 0.25 to 1. It is more natural to translate the latter case into odds of 4 to 1 against the proposition, but the calculations require us to work with odds "in favor of" a proposition, even if they are fractional.

Pieces of evidence alter the odds in favor of a proposition by a multiplicative factor in proportion to the quality of the evidence. A good source of evidence might multiply the odds by 200. A fair one, perhaps, by 10. A negative result might reduce the odds 10-fold. So, let's say that my reliable source is good enough that his or her support for a proposition increases its odds 100 fold. This would increase the odds that the veto took place from, say, 50-50 (1-1 odds) to 100-1 in favor.

On the other hand, the probability that Newt would switch parties is very small, perhaps 1 in 10,000 (Stranger things have happened!) This is odds of about 0.0001 to 1 in favor. After my source makes that claim, the odds rise to 0.01 to 1 in favor. This is still around 100 to 1 against its truth.

So the evidence provided by my neighbor has had the same effect in each case, but the conclusion is different because of the different a priori probabilities.

Practical Considerations

The principle is clear, the difficulty lies in the application. How likely, for example, is it that homeopathy or therapeutic touch really work? Proponents argue that we need to open our minds to new possibilities and grant these systems a fairly high a priori probability (say, 50-50 odds). Then, even modest-quality evidence would make the claims quite probably true. Skeptics argue that these systems violate known laws of physics and their validity should therefore be considered remotely improbable.

An alternative I have heard suggested is to drop the extraordinary proof argument and instead to hold paranormal and alternative medicine claims strictly to the ordinary requirements of replicability and good research. This approach sounds sensible but it has a serious flaw. Skeptics are not willing to accept the plausibility of most paranormal claims unless the evidence is extremely strong. We risk being perceived (correctly) as disingenuous if we call for solid quality research, then revert to the extraordinary claims argument should it in fact appear.

In some areas of paranormal investigation, such as extrasensory perception (ESP), the research is already often better done than much orthodox scientific research, with controls and double-checks most scientists would regard as overkill. Skeptics mostly still feel that the intrinsic implausibility is so great that nothing short of airtight and well-repeated research would be sufficient to support ESP. Little or none of the existing research rises to that level, so we remain skeptical. (Some recent work has been of high quality, see Ray Hyman's article, "The Evidence for Psychic Functioning: Claims vs. Reality", in the March/April 1996 Skeptical Inquirer, pp 24-26.) Had skeptics said some 40 years ago that all we wanted was reasonable quality replicated research, we might now be having to eat our words.

The logic of the extraordinary claims argument is independent of the possibility of cheating by paranormal proponents. Many paranormal claims have a very low a priori probability. This means that potential biases and research flaws are more plausible as explanations for pro-paranormal results than is the truth of the claims. The argument would still be valid even if cheating, one possible explanation, was completely ruled out. In situations where fraud is especially likely, such as a single individual self-promoting as a psychic, we don't need the extraordinary claims argument to require tight controls against cheating. Ordinary diligence and common sense suffice to mandate exquisite and painstaking caution.

Conclusion

The skeptics' line, "Extraordinary claims demand extraordinary proof," is justifiable on probabilistic grounds, but the difficulty of determining a priori probabilities is a serious drawback. This may prevent communication with non-skeptics unless they are willing to adopt our strict standards so as to achieve general acceptance. A strict but not "extraordinary" standard of ordinary good science and replicability is risky because most skeptics would not actually believe typical paranormal claims if evidence at that level were provided.

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This article first appeared in the December 1998 issue of Phactum, the newsletter of the Philadelphia Association for Critical Thinking (PhACT). Dr. Gracely is Associate Professor of Community and Preventive Medicine at the MCP*Hahnemann School of Medicine in Philadelphia.

This article was posted on July 24, 2003.

Homeopathy and Cell Salts for Healing Broken Bones

I recently told the story of my son’s broken arms.  Bone is an active tissue, forming and remodeling constantly in response to the physical stresses and structural demands put on the body.  Bones’ excellent healing capacity can be enhanced and supported with homeopathic remedies, cell salts, nourishing foods and healing words.

The first moments after an injury set the course for healing or create an imprint of the trauma that may have long-lasting effects.  Perhaps you yourself have a wrist that’s been weak since you injured it in second grade, neck pains since a car accident, or have never been well since some traumatic event.

Injuries affect both our physical and energetic bodies.  You can heal the effects of old traumas using Matrix Reimprinting andhomeopathic medicines.  For your children (and yourself), you can also stop traumas from creating a chronic affect by speaking healing words and giving the appropriate homeopathic first aid remedies immediately after injury.

First Aid for Trauma

I almost always carry a very small case of homeopathic first aid remedies.  (I wrote about my must-have remedies in the article Super-Easy Homeopathic First Aid – and Why You Need It.)  I have had many occasions to use it.

The first remedy to administer after an accident is arnica.

Arnica is the first remedy for bumps and bruises.  Children needing arnica may be very upset, but adults often say, “No, no.  I don’t need anything.  I’m fine,” when they clearly are not.

Not all bumps and falls require arnica.  Sometimes a bit of Verbal First Aid and an “All better!” kiss is all the child needs.  Serious injuries, including all head injuries, warrant a call to your doctor or a trip to an Urgent Care Clinic.  If you’re not sure what to do, call your doctor.  You can give arnica and follow the suggestions presented here on your way to the clinic or hospital.

For injuries that really hurt, begin by administering arnica in 200c potency.  Don’t wait!  The sooner you give the remedy, the sooner healing begins.

Verbal First Aid

As you’re giving the arnica, speak words that will initiate healing.  Take a moment to take a few breaths to calm yourself.  Your attitude is contagious.

Mother:       Oh, you fell off the play structure.  I’ve got you now.  Let’s see how you’re doing.

Child:             (Crying)  Both my arms really hurt!

Mother:       I can see that you’re hurt.

Child:             Ouch!!!

Mother:       We’re going to get some help for that right now.  You can help me by holding on to me as we walk to the car.  (Driving to hospital.) You can begin to let your body begin to heal itself.  The way it always does when you get hurt.  Remember when you fell off your bike last summer and had that humongous scrape?

Child:             Uh-huh.

Mother:       You can’t even see a scar because your body did such a good job of healing it.  It is already starting to heal your arms too.

To teach children how to do their own verbal first aid, read Judith Simon Prager’s book together: Owie-Cadabra’s Verbal First Aid for Kids: A somewhat magical way to help heal yourself and your friends

Other Remedies for Bone Injury

An injury that is severe enough to break a bone will also damage surrounding tissues.  Here are a few other remedies that might be helpful.  (I like to purchase remedies from 800homeopathy.com.)

Hypericum – for injury to nerves and nerve-rich tissues

Rhus Tox – blows, joint sprains, muscular strains

Ruta – injury or strain to joint, tendon, cartilage, perioseum

Immediately after the injury, arnica may be administered frequently if the pain level is high.  If the injury is very severe, give arnica every ten minutes for three doses or until the pain subsides.  After the most intense pain is relieved, repeat arnica at longer intervals or switch to one of the above remedies if they match your symptoms.

Once the bone is set, give the remedy Symphytum in 12 or 30x potency, three times per day for one week.  Symphytum is very effective in bone healing.

For a detailed account of supporting the healing of broken bones, read Miranda Castor’s article, Sticks & Stones & Broken Bones.

Cell Salts for Bone Health

As the bones heal, the cell salts Calc Phos and Ferrum Phos will support mending.    Take four tablets of each four times per day for three weeks.  Then, take Silica and Calc Fluor in the same way.

As always, exercise fanatical self-responsibility in matters of  health.  These suggestions should be used in addition to the care provided by your doctor.

References and Resources:

800homeopathy.com

Verbal First Aid: Help Your Kids Heal from Fear and Pain–and Come Out Strong
Natural Healing with Cell Salts
Homeopathy for Musculoskeletal Healing

Arnica Montana

Key attributes of homeopathic single remedy Arnica Montana are Aches, Blunt Injuries, Bruises,Lumbago, Pains, Rheumatism, Sprains, Wounds.

·                                 100% Natural

·                                 No Side Effects

·                                 Soft Tablets or Pellets Dissolve Instantly

·                                 Generic homeopathic single remedy

Indications: Arnica Montana is a common house-hold remedy indicated for any type of traumatic injuries. It also helps in any condition caused by an old injury, results from blow, fall, contusion, traumatic and mechanical injuries or injuries from blunt instruments. Arnica Montana is a chief remedy for aches and pains caused due to bruises and injuries. There is a sore, lame, bruised feeling all over the affected part. The parts are very much painful and tender to touch. The affected part becomes blue and black with extravasation of blood. Arnica Montana is also indicated for injury to conjunctiva and retina with extravasation of blood. It is also best remedy for bruised soreness after labour; for soreness of parts and violent after pains. For best results can be used immediately after fracture. Arnica Montana controls haemorrhage. It re-absorbs extravasation of blood, prevents suppuration and prevents post-partum haemorrhage and puerperal complications. Arnica Montana is also useful in chronic injuries received years ago, especially concussion of brain.

Arnica Montana also has marked action in treating rheumatism and lumbago. It is a great muscle tonic. There is ascending type of rheumatism. There is great fear of being touched or struck by persons coming near him. There is pain in the back and limbs as if bruised or beaten. The patient cannot walk erect on account of bruised pain in the pelvic region. Pain is better by lying down. It is also helpful in articular rheumatism due to chronic injury received years ago. The patient is oversensitive to pain. Everything on which the patient lies seems too hard. 

Directions: Please refer the dosage instructions given on the product pack or use the product as directed by your physician.

Product Presentation: For detailed product description and product options like size, format and potency please refer the FAQ page or call toll free 1.888.2796642.

Warnings: This product is to be used for self-limiting conditions. If symptoms do not improve in 4 days or worsen, discontinue use and seek assistance of a health professional * As with any drug, if you are pregnant or nursing a baby seek professional advise before taking this product * Keep this and all medicine out of reach of children * Store in a cool dark place * Do not use if cap seal is broken or missing * Close cap tightly after use. 

Injury and Its Homoeopathic Treatment

Definition:

Injury is an act that causes someone or something to receive physical damage, which can be classified on various bases.

Classification :

By cause :

-Traumatic injury, a body wound or shock produced by sudden physical injury, as from violence or accident.

- Other injuries from external physical causes, such as radiation injury, burn injury or frostbite.

- Injury from infection.

- Injury from toxin or pharmaceutical drug.

- Metabolic injury.

- Complications of diabetes due to hyperglycemia.

- Complications of lysosomal and glycogen storage diseases.

- Injury due to autoimmunity.

- Injury due to cancer.

- Injury secondary to any other disease.

By location :

-Wound, an injury in which skin is torn

-Open wound, cut or punctured

-Closed wound where blunt force trauma causes a contusion

-Brain injury

-Spinal cord injury

-Nerve injury

-Soft tissue injury

-Cell damage, including direct DNA damage

As you see, injury is a very broad word and covers various types of derangements. In this article Ii will restrict myself only to traumatic injuries excluding the causes like radiation, burn, frostbite etc. which I will cover in my next articles.

Homeopathic Treatment :

In homeopathy, selection of remedy depends on the cause, location and specific symptoms of the patient with injury. It should always be kept in mind that homeopathic remedies are highly curative when administrated in high/medium potencies in single doses. If there is a gross pathological derangement already present and the patient is too weak, then lower potencies should be considered for use in split dose.

Principal remedies :arn.,apis.,calend.,cicuta.,con.,euphrasia,Hyper.,Ledum.,rhus.,ruta.,strontium. carb.,sulph. ac.,Symphytum.

Other remedies : acet.ac.,acon.,agnus.,alum.,amm.carb.,anthra.,asafoe.,bell.,borax,bry.,bufo.,calc.c, caust.,cham.,dulc.,euphr.,ham.,iod.,nat.sulph,nux.vom.,petr.,phos.,puls., pyrogen,sal.ac,sil.,staph.,sulph.,valer.,zinc..

Agnus cast- A prominent remedy for sprain and strains. History of repeated gonorrhea; Pains better from pressure; Premature old look from abuse of sexual powers.

Ammonium carb – Sprains attended with fatigue and weakness in limbs, as if bruised; drawing and tension in joints ; contraction of limbs, as if tendons were too short. Tearing in injured part relieved by warmth of bed. Great aversion to water. Am c. patient is generally worse by cold, i.e. cold weather; cold wet application; washing; between 3-4 am. Better lying on painful side and in dry warm weather.

Apis mel – Dissecting wound on hand, throbbing pain extending up the arm; erysipelas after wounds or operations; punctured wounds; stings of Insects; skin extremely sensitive to touch. It has a well known aggravation from heat in any form; warm closed room. Amelioration of symptoms takes place in open air and from cold bathing.

Arnica – The principle remedy for all types of sprains, falls, bruises, concussions, and all mechanical injuries ; it prevents suppuration. Arnica acts best in plethoric, dark haired people with rigid muscle of a nervous sangunine nature; but acts feebly in debilitated people. Tendency to degeneration and septic conditions. Fear of touch; agoraphobia after mental shock or strain; ecchymosis. He is worse from least touch, motion, damp cold. Better by lying down with head low.

Asafoetida - Injuries of tarsus and carpus. Darting pain in bones. Worse from touch, rest, warm application and at night. Better from open air, slow motion, pressure.

Bryonia - It is remedy for chronic effects from injury and seldom indicated in acute conditions. Injured place is red, swollen, with stitches, tearing, pulsating pain and worse from least movement. It has inflammatory conditions anywhere about the body, but particularly of the fibrous tissues, serous membranes, ligaments of joints and aponeuroses. It also affects the coating of nerves with its congestions, and these gradually increase in severity. The word “gradually” should be kept in mind. Thirst for large quantities of water at long intervals is present in most chronic cases needing Bryonia. Sitting up brings faintness and sickness. Better by lying on painful side (pressure), cold things. Worse from warmth in general, any motion, touch. Bryonia also has opposite modalities, but in all its opposite states there is still a grand nature running all through, sufficient to detect it.

Bellis per. – The old name of “Wound-wort,” or “Bruise-wort,” shows one of the main spheres of the action of Bellis, and allies it in action with its fellow Compositae Arnica and Calendula. “Dr burnett has cured with its aid several cases of tumors originating in a blow”. Remedy for deep tissue injury. Injury to nerves with intense soreness and intolerance to cold bathing ; trauma to pelvic organs ; injury to spine, especially to coccyx . In general Bellis patients are worse in morning and from cold.

Calcarea carb. – No other remedy will even touch it when it is a Calcarea case. It is a pure constitutional remedy, and when a Calcarea patient receives injury it remains there as lifelong if not treated with Calc. I myself have seen many cases where after acute pain and discomfort goes and there comes a dull constant pain, very low in intensity with oedema and coldness, where Calc proved highly curative (especially in females). The well known constitution is always present in these injury cases. Worse from exertion, cold in any form, water, wet weather, full moon and standing. Amelioration comes from dry weather and pressure.

Calendula – Open wounds, bloody and serous infiltrations of the cellular tissue in open wounds and ulcers. It is an excellent haemostatic in tooth-extractions. Aggravation at morning and from motion. Many times it is of great use when applied locally.

Cicuta – The primary action is on the nervous system. Trismus, tetanus and convulsions are common in this remedy. Convulsions from concussion of the brain, frightful distortion of limbs and head. It aggravates from touch, cold draught and tobacco smoke.

Conium – Injuries of the eyes, testis; contusions which produce a condensation of the cellular tissue and induration of glandular structures, accompanied by a sensation of numbness. Aggravation from lying down, cold, physical and mental exertion. Better from motion, pressure, fasting and in the dark.

Hypericum – Great nervous depression following wounds; consequences of spinal concussion ; cervical vertebrae very sensitive to touch; violent pains and inability to walk or stoop after a fall on the coccyx ; injuries in parts rich in sentient nerves, especially fingers, toes, matrices of nails ; lacerations, when the intolerable pains show the nerves severely involved; it is said to prevent trismus and tetanus. It is most useful when the pain goes upward from site of injury and settles near or in the spinal cord. Worse from least motion, touch, cold, dampness and in fog. Better from bending head backward.

Ledum - Wounds inflicted with sharp instruments; punctured wounds which feel cold to the touch and to the patient; affections of hip-joint ; sprains of ankles and feet. Worse in night and warmth of bed. Better in cold.

Natrum sulph – principal remedy for cranial injury and its consequences like blindness, impaired hearing, psychological disorders. Especially indicated in hydrogenoid constitution of von Grauvogl. Aggravated in damp weather and better in dry weather and from changing position.

Rhus tox – Bad effects from straining or lifting, particularly from stretching arms to reach things high up. Consequences attending an extension of membranous tissues, especially the ligaments of the joints. Trembling after exertion. The peculiar and well verified aggravation from rest is a key note to this remedy. Worse from cold, in rainy weather. Better from warmth in general, slow motion, changing position, rubbing.

Ruta – Injuries of periosteum; mechanical injuries of the tarsal and carpal joints and in rheumatic paralysis of the parts. Ganglion originating from a blow. Worse lying down and cold wet weather. Better by rubbing.

Staphisagria – Mechanical injuries from sharp cutting instruments.

Symphytum - May be considered the orthopaedic specific of herbal medicine. Pressure, contusion, and fracture of bones, and where injury ends in producing a callus. Very useful in wounds penetrating the periosteum and bones. Pain in eye after a blow from an obtuse object (black eye). In traumatic injuries of bone or periosteum (as from a snowball or anything else on the face), Symphytum was the only remedy Lippe had seen efficient. He cured many cases after others had used Arnica and failed.

Valeriana – Spasms after slight injuries. Aggravation by touch, standing, bending head back, at noon, open air. Better from sleep, after eating, motion.

It is needless to mention that injuries involving serious head trauma, heavy bleeding, serious fractures or massive cuts in skin or muscle must be treated as medical emergencies in medical facilities.

Dr. Anindita Jena is a homeopath living in Maysore from Cuttack, Odisha. She Completed a B.H.M.S in 2008 from M.H.M.C. and Hospital, Baripada, Odisha. She is now associated with Tara Homeo Hair Clinic and also practicing privately in Mysore.

Moderate Hypothermia as Treatment for Spinal Cord Injury

Andrew Cappuccino, MD, FACS, FAAOS

In this issue of Orthopedics, Dr Andrew Cappuccino, assistant team orthopedic surgeon for the NFL Buffalo Bills and the supervising and operating surgeon of Bills player Kevin Everett, discusses the use of moderate systemic hypothermia to treat spinal cord injuries.

Please explain moderate hypothermia as used for spine injuries.

Moderate hypothermia is a technique for lowering the body’s core temperature and trying to maintain temperatures between 33.5°C and 34.5°C to potentially minimize metabolic demands and edema within an injured spinal cord.

What is the success rate for this procedure? Has it been widely used in sports medicine?

Hypothermia is increasingly used in neurosurgical and cardiothoracic surgeries, and has shown promise in the treatment of stroke and sudden cardiac death patients. Use for the spine specifically has shown promise in thoracic abdominal aortic aneurysm repairs, mitigating the anoxic effects of cross-clamping the aorta. For spinal cord injuries, there is evidence of success in basic clinical research performed on animal models, but the success rates in humans currently are under investigation.

This intervention has not been widely used in sports medicine, and I am not advocating this as the standard of care for sports injuries until well-controlled double-blinded randomized studies confirm or refute its efficacy.^1-16

What are the risks involved in lowering the body temperature after injury?

Significant systemic hypothermia (<33°C) can result in cardiac arrhythmia, coagulopathy, pancreatitis, and some laboratory abnormalities; therefore, patients on a cooling protocol should be monitored carefully for such complications.

Why does this procedure work?

Moderate systemic hypothermia works in animal models by minimizing damage due to many pathways, including inflammation mediated by polymorphonuclear neutrophils and ischemia from direct compression with compromise of blood supply, which results in noxious-free oxygen radical production.^11-23

Will it work with every patient?

No single intervention, including systemic hypothermia, will be a panacea. However used in conjunction with other modalities, we are hoping for improved outcomes—more rapid and complete recoveries—in these catastrophic injuries.

Which cases would see the best results?

Modest hypothermia is most likely to be of benefit in cases of incomplete spinal cord injuries, when used in conjunction with other modalities, such as optimal surgical intervention in a timely fashion. We do not believe it will be of benefit in cases of complete cord injuries. However, this area requires further investigation.

Please explain Kevin Everett’s case. What is his long-term prognosis?

Kevin Everett sustained a fracture dislocation of C3-C4 while making a tackle in a professional football game. He was noted to have complete motor paralysis and lack of sensation to pinprick, light touch, and hot and cold below his neck. He reported neck pain and the inability to move any limbs, as well as difficulty breathing. On the field, he was immediately stabilized and received intravenous fluids, oxygen by mask, systemic hypothermic interventions (including iced saline infusion and ice packs to axillae and groins), and intravenous steroid boluses.

On arrival in the emergency room, he was characterized as an American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) B classification. Within 3 hours he received a complete workup—including a computed tomography scan, magnetic resonance imaging, and radiographs—and underwent a closed reduction and surgical decompression and fusion. Modest hypothermia was maintained throughout surgery, as documented by his anesthesia record, and his temperature was not noted to be >98.4°.

Immediately postoperatively no significant change was noted, although his assessment was difficult due to sedation. When sedation was lightened 8 hours postoperatively, only a flicker of movement was noted in the adductor muscles of the lower extremities, with no other motor function.

At this time a cooling catheter was placed to consistently maintain his temperature at 33°C (ASIA B). Within 24 hours of catheter placement (36 hours postoperatively), he had voluntary movement in upper and lower extremities, although weak (ASIA C). During the next 24 hours, his temperature was raised gradually and then maintained at normal temperature, while his neurological examination continued to improve. He was extubated on postoperative day 3. During the course of hospitalization, he progressed to ASIA D classification and was able to bear weight in rehabilitation with the use of a harness mechanism within 3 weeks.

He likely will have some permanent neurological deficits related to his injury, but should achieve and maintain functional independence over time.

What do you believe played a larger role in this patient’s recovery: hypothermia or rapid surgical decompression of the cord?

Considerable debate exists about early surgical decompression of the spinal cord. Many studies examining early (<72 hours) versus delayed (>72 hours) decompression show no difference in neurological outcome. Recent literature involving animal models and noted in some clinical studies supports rapid (<3 hours) decompression,^24-28 which I believe to be the best course of action.

However, I would not mitigate the effects of modest hypothermia. Immediately after surgical decompression, Everett measured at ASIA B, and upon institution of the cooling catheter and persistent maintenance of his core temperature in the low-30°C range, dramatic improvement was noted—a full ASIA class within 24 hours—and improvement sustained as the cooling continued.

Furthermore, Everett received cooling interventions, including iced saline, a cooling blanket anteriorly and posteriorly, and ice packs to both groins and axillae, immediately (prior to hospitalization) resulting in early cooling. Intraoperatively his temperature was maintained in the low-30°C range as well. Prior to notable improvement, Everett’s temperature was noted never to be >98.4°.

It is impossible to attribute specific responses to either intervention more than the other, and controlled basic animal model studies are needed to clarify the comparative benefits of early decompression and moderate systemic hypothermia conclusively. It also should be noted that a full National Acute Spinal Cord Injury Study (NASCIS) II Protocol was instituted in conjunction with modest hypothermia and early surgical intervention.

Did you use a steroid protocol? If so, what role do you believe that played?

In Everett’s case, we used steroids, although this intervention is also controversial and not proven as a standard of care. It has been shown to potentially spare one spinal cord level. In this case, with a documented C3-C4 level and threatened ventilator dependence, sparing one level could have proven to be critical to overall outcome.^3,25,29-35

If direct spinal cord cooling was not effective as a treatment, why does systemic moderate hypothermia work?

Many of those skeptical of the idea of hypothermia are quoting a few older studies that were completed with local and direct spinal cord cooling with epidural catheters. Cooling the cord requires significant interventions that impact the physiology of the spine, and therefore these results cannot be extrapolated to the potential benefits or risks of systemic hypothermia.

The theory for both is that the cooling will reduce metabolic demand in both models. Little scientific evidence exists to support using direct spinal cord cooling, whereas multiple basic science studies with systemic hypothermia show marked improved outcomes.^{9,11-23,35-46}

Studies have shown that maintenance of blood flow to the spinal cord affects spinal cord injuries. Hypothermia leads to vaso-constriction. Wouldn’t this affect spinal cord blood flow?

Hypothermia can lead to vasoconstriction, but the more important effect is that of reducing the metabolic demand of the neural tissues. By reducing the metabolic demands, the damage done by hypoxia is mitigated.¹⁷

Most of the recent clinical work on hypothermia has been in thoracolumbar aneurysm surgery, where the mechanism of injury is different from trauma. Are these results applicable?

Yes, because the mechanism of injury in both cases can be related to hypoxia—in aneurysm surgery from cross-clamping the source of the blood supply, and in spinal cord injury from direct compression and edema. In spinal cord injury, there is also direct trauma and resultant cell injury and death.

There have been no large trials of this technique in trauma published to date. Are we ready to adopt this in practice?

It would be inappropriate to recommend this as an established clinical practice or standard of care at this point. I would argue for making this an option, ideally in prospective randomized trials. However, because this is not a common injury in most hospitals, it will be difficult to accrue enough participants to prove or disprove this in the near future.

I hope Everett’s case has shed light on the potential benefit of modest systemic hypothermia and will inspire spine centers to scientifically examine this in the clinical setting and the laboratory.

References

1. Adams H, Adams R, Del Zoppo G, Goldstein LB; Stroke Council of the American Heart Association; American Stroke Association. Guidelines for the early management of patients with ischemic stroke: 2005 Guidelines update a scientific statement from the Stroke Council of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. Stroke. 2005; 36(4):916-923.
2. Arrica M, Bissonnette B. Therapeutic hypothermia. Semin Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2007; 11(1):6-15.
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4. Buki A, Koizumi H, Povlishock JT. Moderate posttraumatic hypothermia decreases early calpain-mediated proteolysis and concomitant cytoskeletal compromise in traumatic axonal injury. Exp Neurol. 1999; 159(1):319-328.
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12. Wakamatsu H, Matsumoto M, Nakakimura K, Sakabe T. The effects of moderate hypothermia and intrathecal tetracaine on glutamate concentrations of intrathecal dialysate and neurologic and histopathologic outcome in transient spinal cord ischemia in rabbits. Anesth Analg. 1999; 88(1):56-62.
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33. Bracken MB, Shepard MJ, Holford TR, et al. Methylprednisolone or tirilazad mesylate administration after acute spinal cord injury: 1-year follow up. Results of the Third National Acute Spinal Cord Injury Randomized Controlled Trial. J Neurosurg. 1998; 89(5):699-706.
34. Fehlings M, Brodke D, Wang J. Steroid use in the management of spinal cord injury. Spineline. 2006; (March/April):14-17.
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36. Bernard S. New indications for the use of therapeutic hypothermia. Crit Care. 2004; 8(6):E1.
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40. Inamasu J, Nakamura Y, Ichikizaki K. Induced hypothermia in experimental traumatic spinal cord injury: an update. J Neurol Sci. 2003; 209(1-2):55-60.
41. Koons DD, Gildenberg PL, Dohn DF, Henoch M. Local hypothermia in the treatment of spinal cord injuries. Report of seven cases. Cleve Clin Q. 1972; 39(3):109-117.
42. Martinez-Arizala A, Green BA. Hypothermia in spinal cord injury. J Neurotrauma. 1992; 9(suppl 2):S497-S505.
43. Meacham WF, McPherson WF. Local hypothermia in the treatment of acute injuries of the spinal cord. South Med J. 1973; 66(1):95-97.
44. Negrin J Jr. Spinal cord hypothermia in the neurosurgical management of the acute and chronic post-traumatic paraplegic patient. Paraplegia. 1973; 10(4):336-343.
45. Selker RG. Icewater irrigation of the spinal cord. Surg Forum. 1971; (22):411-413.
46. Tator CH. Acute spinal cord injury: a review of recent studies of treatment and pathophysiology. Can Med Assoc J. 1972; 107(2):143-145.

Authors

Dr Cappuccino is from Buffalo Spine Surgery, Buffalo Bills, and Buffalo Catholic Health System and Kaleida Health Systems.

Dr Cappuccino has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Wound Care with Homeopathy

Wound is discontinuity or break in the surface epithelium. A wound is simple when only skin is involved. It is complex when it involves underlying nerves, vessels, tendons.

Contusion

Can be minor and soft tissue injury without break in the skin or sometimes it can be major due to run over by a vehicle. Generally it produces discoloration of the skin due to collection of blood underneath.

Abrasion

In this wound, epidermis of the skin is scraped away thus exposing dermis. They are painful as dermal nerve endings are exposed.

Incised wounds

They are caused by sharp objects like blade, knife, glass etc. this type of wound has a sharp edge and is less contaminated.

Lacerated wound

They are caused by blunt objects like fall on the stone or due to road traffic accidents. Edges are jagged. The injury may involve only skin and subcutaneous tissue and sometimes deeper structures also.

Penetrating wound

They are not uncommon now a day. It my look like an innocent injury with small, one or two cm. long cut but internal organs like intestines, liver, spleen or mesenteric blood vessels might have been damaged.

Hematoma

This refers to collection of blood. It follows injury or spontaneously as in patients who have bleeding tendencies such as hemophilia. Depending upon the site, it can be subcutaneous, intramuscular or even subperiosteal.

Wound care with homeopathy – Homeopathy is one of the most popular holistic systems of medicine. The selection of remedy is based upon the theory of individualization and symptoms similarity by using holistic approach. This is the only way through which a state of complete health can be regained by removing all the sign and symptoms from which the patient is suffering. The aim of homeopathy is not only to treat wound but to address its underlying cause and individual susceptibility. As far as therapeutic medication is concerned, several well-proved medicines are available for wound treatment that can be selected on the basis of cause, sensation and modalities of the complaints. For individualized remedy selection and treatment, the patient should consult a qualified homeopathic doctor in person. Some important remedies are given below for wound treatment:

It is a well known remedy for wound due to mechanical injuries as blunt trauma or due to fall or blunt hit to muscles or abdominal viscera or spines; spinal cord etc. where the relevant nerves are involved. Sensation of pain is not carried by the afferent nerve to brain matter. Thus the patient complaints of neuritis or loss of sensation or numbness. Neuritis or inflammatory condition of nerves with severe shooting burning and tearing pain radiating along the course of nerves. The affected part is swollen inflamed and red and has dry shiny edge with burning tearing shining and shooting pain and it has very poor tendency to heal. These injuries generally heal by secondary intention. Acts well on the injuries caused by sharp instruments, where the nerve roots are exposed. Injuries to spine and coccyx results in the sprain or tingling sensation in extremities.

Associated with mechanical injury and injury to spine radiating to the other parts of the body as extremities, back, limbs etc. old cicatrix or old scars reopen with severe stinging burning and shooting pains. Inflammatory condition of nerves due to injury especially on finger nails, tip of fingers. There the nerves are inflamed with great pain.

Modalities – aggravation (<) cold, damp, foggy weather, in closed room with least exposure, touch.

Amelioration (>) bending head backward, rest warm application, immobility of parts.

It is one of the most commonly indicated remedy for wound due to injury especially blunt injuries. It is useful to prevent suppuration and septic condition and to promote absorption. Injuries to head lead to meningitis and apoplexy and resulting in left sided paralysis. The wound or injured area looks bluish or blackish.

The bad effects of injuries received years ago are well treated with it. There are sore lame and bruised feeling as if, beaten all over the body. He has got great tenderness. He is over sensitive to touch and also afraid of being touched. He has internal heat in the upper parts of the body and coldness in lower parts.

Modalities – < rest, lying down

>contact, motion

There are injuries with or without loss of soft parts. The wounds appear jagged. There are injuries which lead to neuritis especially from lacerated wounds. There may be rupture of muscle or tendon. There is penetration of articulation with loss of synovial fluid. The clean cut of lacerated wounds is well treated.

The wound may lead to ulceration. The ulcer is irritable and inflamed. He has pains as if bitten. He has tendency for excessive secretion of pus. The gangrenes are from neglected offensive wounds.

It is useful in for wounds which are caused by injuries due to sharp pointed objects as nails, rat bite, mosquito bite, stings of insects and punctured wounds. The wounded parts characteristically feel cold to touch but not to patient. There is contusion and echymosis of the parts changing from blue to black and to green.

It is used for greatly sensitive wounds. There is laceration of tissue. The sphincters in the body are lacerated and stretched. There are lacerated and incised wounds of cornea due to foreign bodies. There is severe pain following abdominal operations. It is used in incised or clean cut wounds to improve the healing.

Excellent medicine for wound with tendency to ulceration, injuries with aching and soreness. The patient is marked by restlessness and prostration. Injuries of fibrous tissue of osseous tissue muscle sheeths. The injuries may lead to tetanus. Pain fly from one part to another part like an  electric shock.

Remarkable remedy for wounds, pains in the injured parts with numbness of the region. The regional muscle go in to spasms  due to which the patient is unable to move the parts. Due to trauma, the blood vessels are ruptured and there is regional hematoma. With the traumatic pain the patient has also got the numbness of brain and profuse sweating of face. When there is trauma patient is unable to visualize the objects.

Infection – it is the most important complication which is responsible for delay in wound healing.

Ugly scar – it is the result of infection

Keloid and hypertrophic scar

Incisional hernia and wound dehiscence

Pigmentation of the skin

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Spinal Cord Injuries – Nerve Damage – Natural Treatments

There are several natural substances that have helped regenerate nerves and in one specific case has cured quadriplegia. These are items from Mother Nature, and she knows all about nerves.

While orthodox medicine is diligently looking for a cure for spinal cord injuries and other nerve related conditions, it should be clearly understood by everyone that any cure or treatment for spinal cord injury, or other nerve damage, that orthodox medicine comes up with, will involve highly profitable prescription drugs. Orthodox doctors are not allowed to practice natural medicine.

This means two things. First, orthodox researchers are not researching natural substances in the treatment of spinal cord injuries or nerve damage, and second, even if some natural substance could cure nerve damage cases, orthodox medical doctors could not use it (actually, this second item is a major reason for the first, but not the only reason).

With all of this in mind, you should know that at least one case of quadriplegia has been cured with a perfectly natural substance called DMSO (Dimethyl sulfoxide).

Because DMSO has been known to cure a case of quadriplegia, a person might think that it would be researched and used to treat and cure other quadriplegia patients. What did I say above: orthodox doctors are not allowed to practice natural medicine. Orthodox doctors are only allowed to use highly profitable prescription drugs.

There are in fact several purely natural substances that have been shown to regenerate and grow nerves. All the ones I know of will be discussed in this article, including an electromagnetic machine that may help regenerate nerves.

So why should you listen to a person who is not a medical doctor? What did I say above: orthodox doctors are not allowed to practice natural medicine. If you are ever going to find a cure for quadriplegia you are going to have to work with people who are outside of mainstream medicine.

If you can’t work with people outside of mainstream medicine, you will have to wait until hell freezes over before your problem is cured. Your medical doctor is not going to use any of these things in his or her medical practice. He or she knows perfectly well that if they did they could lose their medical license and in some cases they could even end up in jail, just for using a natural substance to treat a health problem.

The pharmaceutical industry is in bed with the American Medical Association, and both of these organizations are totally loyal to the other. They are married, they are in bed together and it will ever be so.

So here are discussions of the natural items known to regenerate nerves.

DMSO (Dimethyl sulfoxide)

DMSO is a perfectly, 100% natural, substance. Every tree and bush on the planet earth has DMSO in it. It is extracted by the ton every year by the paper industry.

When Dr. Stanley Jacobs discovered the properties of DMSO, one of the properties he discovered is that it can penetrate the human skin and get into the bloodstream. While that was interesting, it was the ability of DMSO to bind to other molecules and carry those molecules with them through the skin that got everyone’s attention.

This meant that for many types of molecules, even some prescription drugs, DMSO could bind to these things and carry them through the skin. This means that an I.V. was not necessary to get these molecules into the bloodstream safely.

When the pharmaceutical industry learned of this property of DMSO, they were excited. They looked at DMSO as a way to make more profits by allowing patients to use DMSO, instead of an I.V., to get their prescription drugs into the bloodstream.

Can you believe it, Big Pharma funded many, many studies to learn which molecules DMSO could carry through the skin.

Unfortunately for DMSO, DMSO cured many diseases by itself, without the need of any prescription drugs.

When Big Pharma learned that, they did not look at DMSO as a friend, but they looked at DMSO as a competitor. Big Pharma called on their attack dogs (i.e. the FDA) to shut down DMSO. Not only did the FDA shut down DMSO, they shut down most research on DMSO.

Veterinarians can use DMSO for animals, but medical doctors cannot use DMSO for humans. DMSO can be purchased in the United States, but only as a solvent or only from a veterinarian. It cannot be used for medical reasons on humans.

This is interesting because more than one-half BILLION people worldwide have used DMSO for their health conditions, either as a treatment or as a carrier, and there has not been a single reported death caused by DMSO. But that did not stop the FDA from shutting down DMSO.

DMSO has cured at least one case of quadriplegia. A second patient with quadriplegia started using DMSO. Because of severe nerve “tingling” he quit the treatment. When nerves are regenerating there will be “tingling” as the nerves come to life. Thus, this patient decided he would rather have quadriplegia than deal with the temporary discomfort of nerve tingling. That is a personal decision.

DMSO should be applied to the skin DIRECTLY ABOVE where the nerve damage is located.

DMSO, when enough of it is used to cure nerve problems, will cause serious body odor. Thus during the treatment, and for a few days after the treatment is over, your social life and public life will be affected.

DMSO, when applied to the skin, will quickly cause a rash. This is because the DMSO will dehydrate your skin. Thus, after you apply the DMSO to the skin (either by eye dropper or spray bottle), and rub it in, about 15 minutes after it has completely penetrated the skin you should spray water on the spot and around the area.

DMSO can be applied as often as desired. But it will take time to work.

For more information about handling DMSO, it is important that you read this article (which is related to cancer):
DMSO Article],

Helichrysum (essential oil)

Helichrysum has been known to regenerate nerves in the ears. Several people who were born deaf, due to nerves not connecting, have been totally cured with helichrysum.

This means it is a candidate to cure spinal cord injuries and other conditions involving nerve damage.

The bad news is that virtually all essential oil manufacturers and importers do not make or sell therapeutic grade essential oils, they only sell perfume grade essential oils.

The one glowing exception to this rule is a company called Young Living. Unless you buy your helichrysum from Young Living, you are probably wasting your money and your time.

Because there are so many health conditions that can be cured with essential oils, the Young Living company has been under the watchful eye of the watchdog of orthodox medicine: the FDA. So do not be concerned if someone refuses to confirm the cases of nerve regeneration. They have to be careful what they say. They are also moving their research facilities outside of the United States.

But the product is for real.

Helichrysum does NOT cause body odor, so a person might think that they can use helichrysum instead of DMSO. It would be better to use both of them, but not at the same time. It would be best to alternate them throughout the day.

Omega-3, An Essential Fatty Acid

Essential Fatty Acids, and particularly the omega-3 fatty acids, are essential for the brain to properly function. Dementia is generally caused by the lack of omega-3 and other essential fatty acids in the diet.

The way food is processed in the United States, virtually 100% of all omega-3 is destroyed during processing. Thus, Americans do not get enough omega-3s in their diet, but instead get trans-fatty acids and other horrible fats in their diets. This is what causes all type 2 diabetes cases and many dementia cases.

The book: The pH Miracle for Diabetes, by Robert O. Young, PhD mentions that omega-3 and other essential fatty acids have been shown to regenerate nerves. Whether he was referring to the nerves in the brain, or the nerves in the spinal cord, I do not know, but I do know from personal experience that omega-3 fatty acids are necessary for the brain to properly function.

See this article on type 2 diabetes to learn more about how to get omega-3 into the body:
Type 2 Diabetes Article

The type 2 diabetes article focuses on flax seed oil. Actually, that focus is fine for diabetes, but it is not sufficient for those with nerve damage.

For those with nerve damage, the long-chain omega 3s should be included. This means that a high quality fish oil is a better source of omega-3 than flax seed oil. However, it must be a high quality fish oil otherwise you will be drinking mercury. The brand I recommend is mentioned in the diabetes article.

Whether a person uses only fish oil, or uses a combination of fish oil and flax seed oil, is up to the patient. But at least some fish oil should be used to get the long chain omega-3s.

Because omega-3 gets into the body via food (i.e. organic cottage cheese and fish oil), it should be taken along with the DMSO and helichrysum. Thus, up to this point there are three things you should be taking.

Insulin

The book: Treating Cancer With Insulin Potentiation Therapy, by Ross A. Hauser, M.D. et. al., mentions that insulin has been shown to regenerate nerves. Insulin is a molecule found in nature. Unfortunately, insulin is also a prescription drug. Thus, in order to get an insulin treatment you need to find a medical doctor.

There are a small number of medical doctors or naturopaths who use insulin in the treatment of cancer. It is a treatment called “Insulin Potentiation Therapy” or IPT. Since it is a prescription drug which helps cure cancer, medical doctors are allowed to use it, however, since it is such an effective cancer treatment only a very small number of medical doctors are allowed to use it.

There is also a DMSO version of IPT which I call DPT, or DMSO Potentiation Therapy. IPT is most effective when combined with DPT and vice versa.

Whether one of the IPT doctors would use insulin in the treatment of regenerating nerves I do not know. Thus I will say no more about this molecule.

Other Issues

The issue of regenerating nerves obviously involves blood circulation. As new nerves are being generated, new blood vessels may need to be generated as well. This involves good circulation.

Here are a few items known to help circulation:

• Niacin – Vitamin B3 (improves circulation),
• Cayenne Pepper (improves circulation),
• MSM (Methyl Sulfonyl Methane) (improves circulation),
• Ginko Biloba (improves circulation),
• Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) (improves circulation)

Here are other things recommended during treatment:

• Alpha Lipoic Acid,
• Vitamin C with Bioflavonoids,
• Supplements high in B Vitamins,
• Vitamin B12

If the nerve damage is degenerative, rather than caused by accident or trauma, heavy metals may be involved in the degeneration. This is an entirely different matter which would involve chelation or oral chelation.

Hypothermia And Human Spinal Cord Injury

Hypothermia and Human Spinal Cord Injury: Updated Position Statement and Evidence Based Recommendations from the AANS/CNS Joint Section on Disorders of the Spine Peripheral Nerves

November, 2013
John E. O'Toole, Marjorie C. Wang, and Michael G. Kaiser
Recommendation:
Grade I - There is insufficient evidence to recommend for or against the practice of either local or systemic therapeutic hypothermia as a treatment for acute spinal cord injury.
Grade C - There is level IV evidence based on one retrospective comparative cohort study and one prospective cohort study to suggest that systemic modest hypothermia might be applied safely to this population.
Background:
Both local and systemic hypothermia have been of interest for decades as potential therapies for acute spinal cord injury (SCI). In 2007 the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS)/Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) Joint Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves and Joint Section on Trauma released a position statement and evidence-based review on hypothermia after SCI. In that review, Resnick et al found a lack of evidence to either support or refute the use of local or systemic hypothermia for acute SCI in humans. The reviewers advocated for controlled clinical trials investigating the safety and efficacy of this intervention prior to its adoption in clinical practice. In an effort to keep the position statement current, an ad hoc committee was formed to generate an updated evidence-based recommendation founded upon a review of the literature from the intervening time period since the 2007 statement.

Literature Search:
A computerized search of the National Library of Medicine database was performed using PubMed with the search terms "hypothermia AND spinal cord injury". The search was limited to the years 2005 to present since the prior review covered 1965-2005. One hundred and thirty-one references were obtained. The titles and abstracts of these references were then reviewed, and all publications not pertaining to the clinical use of hypothermia after acute SCI in humans were eliminated including laboratory, preclinical, and vascular surgical reports. Only papers published in English were included. Case series and case reports as well as systematic reviews/meta-analyses were included, but general review papers were excluded. The bibliographies of selected papers were also reviewed for additional references. This yielded four publications of relevance.

Scientific Foundation:
The four new publications included one case report, one retrospective feasibility case series, one retrospective comparative case series and one pooled retrospective and prospective case series. The details and critique of the evidence can be found in the attached evidentiary table (Table 3). Briefly, the case report from Cappuccino et al described the treatment of a professional football player who sustained a blunt cervical SCI (ASIA A) during play that was treated with systemic hypothermia one day after undergoing anterior-posterior decompression and fusion for C3-4 dislocation. He eventually recovered to ASIA D by four months postoperatively, and the authors felt the degree of recovery was more than would be expected in the absence of hypothermia. Unfortunately, this single case example (level IV evidence) provides inadequate evidence to judge the safety or efficacy of hypothermia in this clinical situation. The remaining three studies were all published from the same institution and all included the same retrospectively reviewed cohort of 14 patients with complete (ASIA A) acute cervical SCI treated with operative decompression and stabilization followed by 48 hours of modest (32-34ºC) systemic hypothermia via an intravascular cooling catheter. The first report from Levi et al in 2009 was a technical feasibility and early safety study that provides level IV evidence that the authors' method of hypothermia was reproducible and that systemic hypothermia can be used safely in acute SCI patients. The second report from Levi et al in 2010 examined this same cohort of patients but compared them to a similar group of SCI patients who did not undergo systemic hypothermia in an attempt to establish baseline safety for this intervention. The authors found no statistically significant difference in complications between the groups except for an increased incidence of pleural effusions and anemia in the hypothermia group. The authors concluded that systemic hypothermia for acute SCI is safe and that phase 2 and 3 trials are feasible. This study suffers from limitations, outlined in the evidentiary table that downgraded its level of evidence to IV. It therefore provides low-level evidence that hypothermia may be applied safely to acute spinal cord injury patients. The final report from this group, Dididze et al in 2013 , presented a pooled analysis of the previously reported retrospective cohort of 14 patients with an additional prospectively treated cohort of 21 patients all undergoing systemic hypothermia in which they investigated clinical outcomes and complications. Comparison of pre- and post-treatment ASIA scores at 12 months revealed that 43% of patients improved at least 1 ASIA grade at follow-up (35% when excluding 4 patients that spontaneously improved in first 24 hours). Most common complications were pulmonary, as seen previously. Overall, 14% had venous thromboembolic events (VTE) (24% in prospective group, none in the smaller retrospective cohort). The authors conclude that systemic endovascular hypothermia for cervical acute SCI is safe and results in higher rates of neurological improvement than seen in previously reported population studies on SCI. As with the prior publications, the absence of a true control group precludes the formulation of definitive inferences on the actual safety or efficacy of systemic hypothermia for acute cervical SCI. This study provides low-level (level IV) evidence for the safety of modest systemic hypothermia in this patient population. Conclusions: Scientific studies have documented a potential benefit of systemic hypothermia in animal models of acute spinal cord injury; however there remains a paucity of clinical evidence to recommend for or against the practice of either local or systemic hypothermia for acute SCI in humans. The level IV evidence suggesting the safety of modest systemic hypothermia is promising, but controlled, comparative clinical studies investigating safety and efficacy must be performed prior to the introduction of hypothermia in the routine clinical care of patients with acute SCI.

Directions for Future Research:
Further research is essential to determine if the preclinical promise of systemic hypothermia for acute spinal cord injury can be realized in humans. If prospective randomized controlled trials prove too challenging to conduct in this patient population, prospective comparative cohort studies (ideally at multiple centers) should be conducted to define the effectiveness and safety of this intervention. 

Hypothermic treatment for acute spinal cord injury.

Abstract

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating condition that affects approximately 11,000 patients each year in the United States. Although a significant amount of research has been conducted to clarify the pathophysiology of SCI, there are limited therapeutic interventions that are currently available in the clinic. Moderate hypothermia has been used in a variety of experimental and clinical situations to target several neurological disorders, including traumatic brain and SCI. Recent studies using clinically relevant animal models of SCI have reported the efficacy of therapeutic hypothermia (TH) in terms of promoting long-term behavioral improvement and reducing histopathological damage. In addition, several clinical studies have demonstrated encouraging evidence for the use of TH in patients with a severe cervical spinal cord injury. Moderate hypothermia (33°C) introduced systemically by intravascular cooling strategies appears to be safe and provides some improvement of long-term recovery of function. TH remains an experimental clinical approach and randomized multicenter trials are needed to critically evaluate this potentially exciting therapeutic intervention targeting this patient population.

SPINAL DISEASES

spinal meningitis, spinal cord injury, spinal stenosis, Cervican Spine Spondylitis Spondylosis

(See also Locomotor Ataxia.)

Homeopathy treats the person as a whole. It means that homeopathic treatment focuses on the patient as a person, as well as his pathological condition. The homeopathic medicines are selected after a full individualizing examination and case-analysis, which includes the medical history of the patient, physical and mental constitution etc. A miasmatic tendency (predisposition/susceptibility) is also often taken into account for the treatment of chronic conditions. The medicines given below indicate the therapeutic affinity but this is not a complete and definite guide to the treatment of this condition. The symptoms listed against each medicine may not be directly related to this disease because in homeopathy general symptoms and constitutional indications are also taken into account for selecting a remedy. To study any of the following remedies in more detail, please visit our Materia Medica section. None of these medicines should be taken without professional advice.

Homeopathic Remedies & Homeopathy Treatment for spinal meningitis, spinal cord injury, spinal stenosis, Cervican Spine Spondylitis Spondylosis

#Cimicifuga. [Cimic]
This remedy is especially adapted to the reflex form of spinal irritation arising from uterine complaints, and where the lumbar region is most affected. There is sensitiveness to pressure on the upper and lower cervical vertebrae; the patient cannot lean back in a chair; pains change about from one part to another. The pressure also sometimes causes nausea, and there is weakness of the lower extremities and aching in the lumbar region. Amenorrhoea may be associated with these symptoms. Sulphur has spinal irritation from suppression of the menstrual flow; jarring causes pain in the spine. Dry heat in spine. Belladonna. Burning heat in spine. Stitches in ovaries, bearing down and constant backache. Gelsemium. Stiffness in neck and nape, with weariness and depression. Deep seated muscular pains, numb feeling as if feet were going to sleep. Hypericum. Spinal affections from injury; parts tend to atrophy, pains, spasms.

#Natrum muriaticum. [Nat-m]
With this remedy there is great sensitiveness between the vertebrae, which is relieved by lying on the back upon something hard, thus giving pressure which relieves. Paralysis from weakness of the spine, morning aggravation, vision clouded, restlessness and debility. Pulsatilla. Body feels stiff, small of back feels as if tightly bandaged, joints weak. Lathyrus sativus pictures lateral sclerosis and spastic paraplegic conditions with excessively exaggerated reflexes. No pain, but motor paralysis of the lower extremities, absence of atrophy. The writer has had remarkable success with this remedy in the 3rd potency and also the 30th and Boyd reports a cure of a typical spastic paralysis with it.

#Physostigma. [Phys]
This drug pictures spinal irritation; it has burning, twinging sensations referable to the spine; every nerve seems irritated; numbness of the feet and hands; crampy pains; muscles of the back rigid, and like Sulphur, pains is caused by pressure between the vertebrae. Theridion. Pain in spine; has to sit sideways to avoid pressure.

#Agaricus. [Agar]
Tingling and burning in the spine as if frost bitten are symptoms characteristic of this remedy, and no less so are the muscular twitchings in various parts of the body, especially of the eyelids. The sensations are described as resembling needles of ice thrust into the skin. There are fugitive pains along the spinal nerve; in fact,all the symptoms of the drug in the nervous sphere point to spinal irritation. Sensitiveness of spine to touch; lumbago; worse walking in open air.

#Zincum. [Zinc]
This remedy has an irritable spine; there is aching, especially at the last dorsal vertebrae; worse from sitting rather than from walking. Burning along the spine, with trembling of the limbs. Zincum valerianate. Spinal irritation from reflex causes. Sepia has pain at the last dorsal vertebrae, but not the same aggravation. Phosphorus. Spine sensitive to touch; weakness of spine; limbs weak; patient stumbles. Progressive muscular atrophy. Tellurium. Great pain and sensitiveness of the spine. Dr. G.C.Shelton reports three cases cured by the 6x dilution. Chininum sulphuricum. Spinal irritation, with great sensitiveness of the spine in the dorsal region. The last cervical and first dorsal vertebrae are sensitive to pressure.

#Cocculus. [Cocc]
Paralytic aching in the small of the back; empty gone feelings in the abdomen; stiffness of neck; headaches; sleeplessness and hyperaesthesia of all the senses; frequent giddiness; trembling of limbs; tenderness of spine. Secale. Tenderness over the spinous processes. Argentum nitricum has been used with marked benefit in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

#Nux vomica. [Nux-v]
Spinal irritation from sexual excesses; sudden loss of power in the legs in the morning; hands and feet go to sleep easily; stiffness in knees; numbness and formication in spine and in extremities. Kobalt. Spinal irritation and backache from sexual excesses. Staphisagria. Spinal irritation reflex from sexual causes. Strychnia phosphorica. Aching and tenderness along the spine; tired bruised feeling of extremities. Tarentula. Anaemia of spine, with spasmodic pains; there are contractions;; chilliness, with a sensation of burning all over the body and convulsive movements. Ignatia. Spinal irritation, with hysteria, headache and weight at back of head. Kali carbonicum. Spinal irritation ; pressure in small of back as of a heavy weight; burning in spine, with bearing down in uterine region. Backache worse when walking. Oxalic acid pictures spinal irritation, pains at the roots of the spinal nerves, pains in spots, hyperaesthesia.

Articles, by Lia Bello RN, FNP, CCH

• Homeopathy Nurtures Mother and Infant
• Helping Children's Emotional Upsets
• Constitutional Homeopathy for the "Whole" Family
• Homeopathic Approach to Chronic Ailments
• Flu Prevention
• How to Take a Remedy
• Help for Allergies
• Low Sexual Desire
• Libido
• Sexual Health for Men
• Miasms
• Psora
• Sycosis
• Syphilitic Miasm
• Attention Deficit Disorder
• Women's Health and Homeopathy
• Materia Medica—Single Remedies
• Aconite
• Allium Cepa
• Antimonium Tart
• Apis Mellifica
• Arnica
• Arnica Testimonial
• Arsenicum Album
• Belladonna
• Bryonia Alba
• Cantharis
• Euphrasia
• Hepar Sulph
• Great Outcomes Using Hepar
• Ignatia
• Ipecacuanha
• Kali Bichromicum
• Kali Mur
• Colds That Linger
• Cell Salts
• Calc Fluor
• Calc Phos
• Calc Sulph
• Ferrum Phos
• Kali Mur
• Kali Phos
• Kali Sulph
• Mag Phos
• Natrum Mur
• Natrum Phos
• Natrum Sulph
• Silica
• Being a Homeopathic Consumer
• Mentoring Program
• Sensitive to the Barometer?
• Questions to ask...
• Your Family Remedy Kit—and Making It Last
• Smallpox Prevention
• Anthrax Prophylaxis
• Anthrax Treatment
• Anthrax and Homeopathy
• SARS Treatment and Prophylaxis
• Future of Medicine?
• The Suppression of the Menstrual Cycle—Bring Back Natural Cycles
• Historic Pharmacy Will Be Missed
• Grief—Shock—Trauma
• How to Help Your Homeopath Find Your Remedy
• Herbal Antibiotics
• Tips on How to Help Your Homeopath Manage Your Case
• Help for Plantar's Warts
• Holistic Weight Loss and Maintenance
• Immunizations
• Dental Abscess
• Explaining Homeopathy
• My Family Uses Homeopathy!—A Sharing by Imra
• Menopause and Classical Homeopathy
• Smoking Cessation
• Homeopathy on Vacation
• Ear Troubles From Flying
• Motion Sickness
• Bowels
• Sunburn and Bites
• Poison Ivy
• Potencies of Remedies
• Potency Discussion Continued
• Chemical Sensitivity?
• Stress!!!
• Hormone Replacement Therapy
• Antidotes
• Geriatric Health
• Sleep Disorders
• National Center for Homeopathy Magazine
• Homeopathic Study Groups
• Homeopathic Remedies Safe in Pregnancy and Nursing
• Creating Space in Your Life for Healing with Homeopathy
• Book Review—Impossible Cure
• Assessing Response to Your Homeopathic Treatment
• Question on Conjunctivitis
• Homeopathy for Indigestion
• Book Review—Homeopathic Self Care
• Direction of Cure
• End of Life Care
• Homeopathy Before and After Surgery
• Treating your Pets
• Homeopathy for Pets
• Animals Suffer From Grief Too!!!
• Skin and Itch Problems
• Does your Pet Have Fear of Noises??
• Preparing Your Animal Companion for Surgery
• A Few Holiday and Year Round Diet & Homeopathic Tips
• Low Temperatures
• Abscesses
• Having a Homeopathic Kit Can Save Lives!!
• Keeping a Journal on Your Animals
• Traveling Safely with Your Animal Companions

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Bronchitis Natural Remedies

Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchi, which are the main air passages to the lungs. There are two types of bronchitis, wet and dry bronchitis. Wet bronchitis with where there are mucus conditions. There are also acute and chronic bronchitis.

Acute bronchitis comes on quickly and last for only a few days and may resolve itself. It may come from a cold or flu or from an allergic reaction. Acute bronchitis symptoms include thick mucus, difficulty breathing, runny nose, sore throat or even a slight fever.

Chronic bronchitis lasts for weeks, months, or longer and symptoms may come and go. There can be severe cough with mucus that is worse during wet weather. Breathing is difficult, worse from colds and may develop other severe respiratory problems. Symptoms of chronic bronchitis are severe coughing with bad smelling discharges, bad breath, and may lead to enlarged fingertips. There may be wheezing, ankle swelling, headaches, and red cheeks. Chronic bronchitis is caused from allergic conditions such as dust, smoke or follows whooping cough, chronic heart of kidney diseases.

Modern medicine uses antibiotics for acute bacterial infections or chronic flair ups. They may prescribe antihistamines for allergies. If there are severe symptoms they may prescribe inhalers. While these methods may be effective they do not treat the cause but only help bronchitis symptoms, and have toxicity and side effects.

Natural perspectives on bronchitis are to remove the irritations of air pollution, stress, and to improve the diet. Also deal with emotional causes.

Diet for bronchitis is important to eliminate dairy or to eliminate allergic or mucus causing foods. Also eliminate tobacco, alcohol, coffee, black tea, sodas, and fast foods and processed foods for optimal health.

Supplements include NAC (n-acetyl-cysteine), one or two capsules twice a day to enhance liver function and reduce mucus; Bromelain and Quercetin, one or two capsules up to three times a day for several weeks will help when there is an allergic component.

Cell Salts to Help with Bronchitis

To make a cell salt solution, put up to 10 tablets of each cell salt in a 16- to 24-ounce bottle; fill with water and swirl to dissolve tablets. Sip throughout the day. Learn more about cell salts >

#4 Ferr phos 6X – bronchitis, inflammation in general
#9 Nat mur 6X – bronchitis with coughs that are dry, emotional grief
#12 Silicea 6X – coughs worse from change of weather, connective tissue problems, shyness

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Bronchitis Homeopathic Remedies

Homeopathic remedies are non-toxic natural medicines safe for everyone including infants and pregnant or nursing women. You may use 6X, 30X, 6C or 30C potencies. Learn more about homeopathy >

Below are Acute, Chronic, Wet and Dry Bronchitis Homeoapthic remedies:

Homeopathics for acute bronchitis

Belladonna - acute bronchitis comes on sudden; dry spasmodic cough; worse evenings and nights; very sensitive to movement.

Coccus Cacti – acute bronchitis with smooth thread-like mucus, colorless mucus; spasmodic cough from small efforts, pressure of clothing and warm drinks; better from cold drinks.

Corallium Rubrum – dry spasmodic cough, especially nights; slimy discharge of the nose; better from warmth, worse from cold; extreme weakness after coughing fit.

Drosera – acute bronchitis cough is spasmodic, dry, especially nights; cough is strong enough to cause vomiting; worse from any movement such as speaking, singing, laughing, and drinking; symptoms worse after midnight and warmth.

Gelsemium – acute bronchitis cough from the flu with red face and congested chest; irritating cough better by scratching or rubbing of breastbone; dry cough, especially at 9am-10 am and 4pm-6 pm; general weakness; better from rest, worse from movement; after coughing, desires to urinate.

Juglans Regia – acute bronchitis with mucus membrane inflammation, swollen lymph nodes and acne; worse from movement or throat coverings or eating, better from hot drinks and warmth and arising in the mornings.

Phytolacca – acute bronchitis cough, spasmodic, especially at night; inflammation of the upper air ways; pain in the small joints; worse nights; can’t drink anything hot.

Rumex crispus – acute bronchitis with tickling cough, as if a feather is in the throat; lots of sneezing, pain in the chest; desires to have a warm head: worse nights at 2am – 4 am, better from warmth.

Sulphur – bronchitis with dry cough, frequently at the end of an infection of the upper respiratory tract; dry smoker’s cough, but also nights in bed; coughs worse at night; better from cold, fresh air and dry warm weather and from movement.

Homeopathics for Chronic Bronchitis

Antimonium Sulf Aur – chronicbronchitis where mucus is smooth and copious, the cough is day and night and there can be emphysema; every movement causes the condition to be worse, especially with a cold.

Causticum – chronic bronchitis better from warmth, but also better from cold drinks; worse from cold rooms or weather; throat is raw, frequent sore throats; cough is hollow and dry.

Cuprum Aceticum – chronic bronchitis with smooth mucus; strong spasms, sweating from coughing, and there may be some cramping, also calf cramping; coughing to vomiting; better from drinking, cough better from sweating; better warmth, worse from cold.

Hyoscyamus - chronic bronchitis where coughing begins mostly on lying down, evenings and nights; worse from cold drinks; strong cramps; chest feels tight; dizziness; strong fears of water.

Rumex Crispus - coughing with little mucus; irritation of the cough is as if a feather in the throat, tickle sensation; worse from the cold, especially in the evening breathing in of cold air; better from warmth.

Stannum Iodatum – chronic bronchitis with very specific worsening at nights, and speaking; mucus has pus and smells bad. Heavy sweating at nights, pains in the chest area; cough is strong and shakes the entire body; nausea and vomiting, sensitive to smells, even their own.

Sulphur – mucus is very heavy and loose; sweat smells bad; sticks feet out of the bed; better from warmth and dry weather, worse from warmth of bed, at 7am, 11 am and 5pm.

Sulphur Iodatum – chronic bronchitis where mucus smells bad; typical smoker’s cough; feels worse from cold washing, better from dry weather and warmth; symptoms worse in the early morning and from bed warmth.

Sticta Pulmonaria - chronic bronchitis with very little mucus; spastic tickling in the larynx; cough is harsh, worse from an open window, especially is the elderly-these people always want the window closed when sleeping; worse from nights and cold air.

Homeopathics for Dry Bronchitis

Drosera – dry bronchitis where cough is spasmodic, dry, especially nights; cough is strong enough to cause vomiting; worse from any movement such as speaking, singing, laughing, and drinking; symptoms worse after midnight and warmth.

Hyoscyamus – dry bronchitis  where coughing begins mostly on lying down, evenings and nights; worse from cold drinks; strong cramps; chest feels tight; dizziness; strong fears of water.

Rumex Crispus - coughing with little mucus; irritation of the cough is as if a feather in the throat, tickle sensation; worse from the cold, especially in the evening breathing in of cold air; better from warmth.

Homeopathics for Wet Bronchitis

Antimonium Tart – wet bronchitis with lack of breath, rattling in chest,  and too weak to spit up; white mucus; better sitting, worse lying; too much carbon dioxide shown by blueness, feels cold with clammy sweat.

Coccus Cacti – wet bronchitis with smooth thread-like mucus, colorless mucus; spasmodic cough from small efforts, pressure of clothing and warm drinks; better from cold drinks.

Grindelia – wet bronchitis with viscous hard-to-get-up mucus, hard to breathe; bronchial asthma also.

Ipecacuahna – spastic wet bronchitis with a restricted feeling, mucus us hard to get up; nausea and vomiting with no relief; worse nightly, and with dampness.

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Candida or Vaginal Yeast Infections Natural Remedies

A vaginal yeast infection means that too many yeast cells, usually called Candida albicans, are growing in the vaginal area. When healthy, the vaginal bacteria keep the yeast in check. Candida in women is usually indicated by any kind of vaginal discharge, itching, burning, or possible dryness. There may be irritability, bloating, anxiety and nervousness.

The causes of Candida can be diet from dairy, coffee, alcohol, sodas and refined sugars. It may also be caused from hormonal imbalances, sometimes caused by chemical birth control.

Modern medicine treats Candida with other less harmful fungus medicines (one fungus treats another!!!). There is a little control, and only long-term treatments continue to help.

Natural solutions will help regulate the pH levels with the following treatments. Also get your hormones in balance, and regulate your diet, eliminating dairy, coffee, alcohol, sodas and refined sugars.

Short term control includes using 1,000 micrograms of Biotin (a B vitamin that controls sugar and carbohydrate metabolism) two to three times a day. Use this daily for at least 2 weeks. If this is not sufficient, add the trace mineral Molybdonem 150 micrograms twice a day.

Cell Salts to Help Candida - Yeast Infection

To make a cell salt solution, put up to 10 tablets of each cell salt in a 16- to 24-ounce bottle; fill with water and swirl to dissolve tablets. Sip throughout the day.

 Learn more about cell salts.  

#3 Calc sulph 6X – toxicity, yellow discharges
#10 Nat phos 6X – acidity, creamy discharges
#11 Nat sulph 6X – liver support, yellow discharge

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Candida - Yeast Homeopathic Remedies

Homeopathic remedies are non-toxic natural medicines safe for everyone including infants and pregnant or nursing women. You may use 6X, 30X, 6C or 30C potencies. Learn more about homeopathy >

Homeopathic combination:

Natra Bio Candida Yeast formula: Baptisia, Bryonia, Echinacea Angustifolia, Eupatorium perf, Thuja, Viscum album, Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosus.

Homeopathic singles:

Argentum nit – Digestive disturbances and sugar cravings. Anxiety and nervous conditions.

Pulsatilla– Nervous crying women with creamy changing vaginal discharges. Changeable moods.

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Homeopathic Remedies for Anxiety or Nervousness

We all get anxious one time or another like during examination or result or even in an interview and it is experienced only for a short period, but there are cases when certain individual experience this kind of feeling a lot more especially when you can least expect or it has became a habit or what can we call – a disorder. Anxiety or Nervousness can be a feeling or sense of uneasiness or fear or hesitation which is experienced at both emotional and physical level. However the person may or may not be conscious about the reason for this type of nervousness and at times the reason are occasionally very hard to identify. Certain individuals may also experience “panic attacks” which are very stressful and can go together with some problem while breathing, sweating and with a feeling of both disturbance & helplessness.

You must be amazed to know that Homeopathy has solution to this kind of anxiety problems that are persistent, you can follow these remedies if you want to get rid of anxiety or nervousness or even to keep the better body balance.If you are or someone is having such situations you can always refer these homeopathic remedies to them or advice them to consult a doctor.

Homeopathic medicines for treating Anxiety:-

Aconitum napellus: potency of 6x can be given if there are following symptoms

·                 Sudden panic attack

·                 Sweating or shortness of breath

·                 Flushing of the face

·                 Shaking

Argentum nitricum: potency of 6x can be given if there are following symptoms

·                 Normal sense of anxiety before a occasion (exam, interview etc)

·                 Dizziness and diarrhea

·                 Sweating and shortness of breath

·                 Crave for sweet & salty thing

Arsenicum album: potency of 6x can be given if there are following symptoms

·                 Panic attacks during midnight or early morning.

·                 Exhausted,

·                 Restless

·                 Fidgeting

Calcarea carbonica: potency of 6x can be given if there are following symptoms

·                 Claustrophobia (Fear of heights)

·                 Fatigued and exhausted

·                 Shortness of breath

Gelsemium: potency of 6x can be given if there are following symptoms

·                 Weakness

·                 Trembling

·                 Big occasion (Stage-fright, interview etc)

·                 Chills and perspiration

·                 Diarrhea and headaches

There are other medicines also which helps in curing Anxiety:-

·                 Ignatia amara

·                 Kali phosphoricum

·                 Lycopodium

·                 Natrum muriaticum

·                 Phosphorus

·                 Pulsatilla

·                 Silica

Homeopathy Dosage Directions

We generally check out our patients before prescribing the medicines, and we tend to increase the potency in an increasing manner or by looking at the condition of patient or the severe ness of symptoms (6X, 6C, 12X, 12C, 30X, or 30C) could be used.