Symptoms are the body’s only way of telling you that something is wrong or out of balance. Pain is your body’s way to stop yourself from further injury and forces you to rest. A cough is the body trying to expel something from your lungs and fever is one of the body’s most vital means of fighting an infection. Most Americans have grown up with the conventional medical paradigm; learning to suppress symptoms as a means to “cure”. For example, when you have pain you take an aspirin to stop feeling the pain, or if you have a cough you take a cough suppressant, or suppress a fever with Tylenol. The symptoms may disappear and you may feel better, but these medicines do not cure. Instead of suppressive conventional therapies, homeopathy offers an approach that works with the body’s natural ability to heal itself.
Homeopathy is a system of medicine based on the Law of Similars that was founded over 200 years ago by Samuel Hahnemann, MD (1755-1843). In Dr. Hahnemann’s time, medical practices were used such as the application of toxic substances (mercury), the bleeding of very sick patients and often-harmful surgeries. Dr. Hahnemann often spoke out against such harmful methods and in the course of his life, he came to formulate the theories that underlie the modern practice of homeopathic medicine. A homeopathic remedy is an FDA approved medicine that consists of a very dilute substance. When given to someone who is healthy, a homeopathic remedy can bring about the same symptoms it can cure. When given to someone suffering from those symptoms, the body is stimulated to heal on its own and the symptoms resolve. Hence, the name, the Law of Similars, or like cures like.
Homeopathic medicines are extremely safe and effective. They are mostly made from plants, minerals or animals. These substances are given in miniscule doses to eliminate the possibility of any side effects as are often seen in the application of pharmaceuticals. There are no interactions to worry about and these remedies are safe to use on the youngest, pregnant, and most elderly patients. Homeopathic treatment can be used to treat people suffering from the most minor of symptoms, such as a cold, to the very severe like cancer. Of course, the skill of the homeopathic doctor will dictate which types of conditions they choose to treat. A homeopathic visit with your doctor involves a thorough, detailed and lengthy discussion in which many details about you as a person and the symptoms you experience are gathered. Your case is then studied and the doctor selects the most appropriate homeopathic remedy for you. You will be given the remedy, with instructions regarding how to take it and then your progress will be monitored very carefully as you move towards optimum health.
There are over 2000 different homeopathic remedies each of which must be carefully selected and prescribed on an individual basis. If the incorrect remedy is chosen there may be no result. Knowing how to follow the case can be even more important than prescribing the initial remedy. Understanding when to give another dose of medicine, when to increase the strength or determining when to switch to a different remedy makes the difference in whether homeopathic treatment is successful. It is likely that a person will move through a series of indicated remedies before they are completely well, all the time moving in the direction of cure. For some with complex cases and a long history of allopathic drug therapies, it may take years, for others like young children with a pure health history, recovery will occur quickly. Only someone trained in homeopathy that knows how to follow your case can get consistent and successful results.
Homeopathy can be effective in treating most acute conditions, like the common cold, the flu or an ear infection. It is also successful in treating more serious and chronic diseases like ADHD, Autism, irritable bowel, Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis, eczema, multiple sclerosis, auto-immune conditions such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, and mental emotional conditions such as depression, anxiety, and bi-polar disorder.