Homeopathy; Treatment

NWHRC Health Center - Homeopathy, Sept 8, 2008

After talking to you for a while, your homeopath will give you a customized treatment. It may involve some changes to your diet or exercise habits, and it will most likely include homeopathic medicine-probably either as a tiny sugar pellet soaked in the liquid or as a liquid. Most are taken orally, but it may be in a form you apply topically.

Here are some common homeopathic remedies; all are highly diluted:

Arnica montana is the most common. It's used topically and orally for relief of sore muscles, bruises or injuries.

Calendula officinalis (the garden marigold) is used topically to speed the healing of cuts, wounds and other skin irritations.

Ignatia is commonly used to treat grief, anxiety, stress and insomnia.

Particular remedies are selected based on the symptoms the substance elicits in a healthy person. The method of determining this is called "proving" the remedy. Healthy people receive full-strength doses of a substance, and their symptoms are observed and recorded. Highly diluted amounts of the substance are then determined to be remedies for those symptoms in an unhealthy person. Provings are done in a scientific and controlled manner. The provings are listed in a homeopathic repertory, which is the homeopath's referral text. By comparing an individual's symptoms to the listed provings, a particular remedy can be selected.

Traditionally, only one homeopathic medicine is used at a time (although, as mentioned earlier, over-the-counter remedies are often combinations). The remedy may work immediately or over a span of time.

Some homeopathic remedies are so diluted that no molecules of the original substance remain; the FDA points out that it's almost impossible to identify any active ingredient.

No one seems sure how these highly diluted substances work; most practitioners are more focused on the effect than the cause. In fact, the National Council for Homeopathy says the following on its Web site: "Although such infinitesimal quantities are considered by some to be no more than placebos, the clinical experience of homeopathy shows that the infinitesimal dose is effective: it works upon unconscious people and infants, and it even works on animals."

Don't expect any miracle cures; the goal of the medicine isn't to attack your symptoms, but to bring you to full health. You may not feel better right away. In fact, homeopaths often expect an aggravation of symptoms as the remedy takes effect. If you have a chronic condition, it could take weeks. Still, if you don't notice any improvement in a few days, let your homeopath know. After reviewing your case, he or she will come up with another approach. Homeopaths may try various remedies before finding the right one for you. (Some may have a computerized database to help with the process; others will research in books.) For chronic illnesses, you may require a number of remedies to peel off the layers of disease, much like peeling the layers of an onion.

You should seek additional medical attention if you have a serious medical condition that isn't responding to homeopathy. And, of course, trauma injuries, serious infections, broken bones, internal bleeding and conditions such as AIDS, cancer, heart disease and diabetes should not be treated by homeopathy alone. Homeopathy may prove extremely beneficial as an adjunct treatment, but you should consult a licensed, conventional health care professional as well.

Don't stop taking the medications that have been prescribed to you; most are generally compatible with homeopathic drugs. Some, however, such as antibiotics, hormones, anti-inflammatories and steroids, may not be so let your homeopath know what you are taking.

Different homeopaths will put various restrictions on what you can consume with a particular remedy. You'll probably be asked to avoid coffee, strong tea, menthol (mouthwash, cough drops, etc.) and camphor-based products for 30 to 60 minutes before taking the medication or avoid them completely for the duration of the therapy.

Your homeopath will discuss how often and for how long you need to continue taking the remedy. As with most aspects of homeopathic care, it varies by individual. If you can't drink alcohol, be sure to find out if the remedy has an alcohol base-some homeopathic remedies contain large percentages of alcohol. Often, the alcohol can be evaporated off, since the remedy is given in water.

References

"Questions and Answers about Homeopathy." NCCAM, The National Institutes of Health. October 2007. http://nccam.nih.gov. Accessed March 2008.

"What are the medicines?" The National Center for Homeopathy. http://www.homeopathic.org. Accessed March 2008.

"AMSA EDCAM INITIATIVE: A National Curriculum For Medical Students c5. Homeopathy AND FLOWER ESSENCE THERAPY." Updated 2003. http://64.233.169.104. Accessed March 2008.

"Regulation of homeopathic drug products." The National Center for Homeopathy. January 2006. http://www.homeopathic.org. Accessed March 2008.

"Major Domains of Complementary and Alternative Medicine." National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. National Institutes of Health. Updated May 2002. http://nccam.nih.gov Accessed November 2003.