Homoeopathy is a system of energy medicine that was created by German physician Dr Samuel Hahnemann in 1807. It has since been enhanced and expanded on, and is currently in use by an estimated 200 million people worldwide on a regular basis. In Germany, Italy, England and India, many medical doctors prescribe homoeopathy to their patients, and with good reason – it is safe, affordable and effective.
Homoeopathy engages the innate healing impulse of the body by providing an energetic message that stimulates and encourages healing change towards homoeostasis (healthy balance).
Homoeopathy uses the principle “like cures like.” What that refers to is the observance that the effects of a certain substance in excess (for example poisoning or venomous bite) are the same symptoms that can be treated by the original offending substance made into a homoeopathic potency. For example, when one is stung by a bee, the symptoms of heat, pain, redness and swelling are the result. Taking the homoeopathic preparation of a bee – Apis – will treat these symptoms whether they are caused by a bee, arthritis, cystitis or hives.
For each remedy, a specific substance is diluted and succussed many times, to create an energetic imprint of the original starter material. Subtle as this is, our bodies respond as if to a challenge and move in the direction of healing, if the remedy has been well chosen.
The symptoms of disease or imbalance are viewed as the body’s mechanisms to regain balance and health. By mimicking the symptoms of a disease, homoeopathic remedies create a resonance that enhances the body’s response, quickening and strengthening healing.
Homoeopathic remedies are chosen with close observation to the symptoms displayed by the individual in question, for the same disease may be experienced in many different ways. For example, everyone in a family may share a cold, but one member may be plagued by coughing, while someone else has sinus headache and another loses their voice. These differences are noted, with changes in mental and emotional states considered too. A sweet child who becomes very irritable, or a diligent man who becomes despondent while ill, are examples of changes to be taken into account when choosing a remedy.
There is a huge body of formal documentation and anecdotal evidence to substantiate the claim that homoeopathy is effective*. However, homoeopathy is not well suited to the double blind control trials that are designed for testing drugs, as homoeopathic remedies are tailored to an individual’s symptoms and the whole person is taken into account. Therefore 10 people with the same disease diagnosis, such as arthritis, may be recommended 10 different homoeopathic remedies, according to how the disease presents itself in each person.
Homoeopathy can ease the suffering of many mental and physical ailments. The trick is finding the appropriate remedy, by looking at the whole person and their symptoms and matching them with a remedy that suits them. A few examples of ailments and possible remedy choices follow to illustrate the enormous variation in the different homoeopathic remedies.
Homoeopathy for IBS
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a complaint that encompasses both mental and physical symptoms, whereby stress exacerbates fluctuating disturbance of the bowel, with accompanying pain and discomfort. The following remedies may also be applied to episodes of gastroenteritis if the symptoms match the indications below.
Arsenicum alb. – loose stools, nausea, burning pain, anxiety, cold feeling. Individual restless and irritable.
Aloe soc. – loose stools, bloated gurgling abdomen, sudden urgency to defecate, a feeling of insecurity in the rectum, burning pain.
Argent nit. – diarrhoea from emotions, worse for apprehensive anxiety, fears or fright, flatulence causing distension of abdomen, colic pains.
Gelsemium – diarrhoea from anticipating an ordeal, or following sudden grief or fright. Apathetic and withdrawn. Anxiety causing extra urination and loose stools. Stools pale, yellow, green or clay colour.
Podophyllum – diarrhoea alternating with constipation. Diarrhoea worse in the mornings, yellow, gushing, putrid. Constipation with clay-coloured, hard, dry difficult stools. Rectal prolapse. Gurgling through the bowels. Restless fatigue.
Homoeopathy for Anxiety
There are many different homoeopathic remedies that are used for anxiety. They are most potent when chosen with the individual in mind, as different kinds of anxiety correspond to different remedies. A few examples here:
Aconite – for panic, especially in the middle of the night or following a shock or accident. A great fear of death.
Argent nit – generalised anxiety, phobias of crowds and flying, craving for sugar, talkative, excitable and diarrhoea when stressed.
Arsenicum – fastidious, restless, irritable. Anxious about germs and disease, about things not being in their correct place. Feel the need to be in control of all the little details to keep the anxiety at bay.
Gelsemium – anticipatory anxiety leading to a withdrawal from normal activity. Mentally dull, dizzy, tired, apathetic, feels heavy and droopy. Trembling.
Lycopodium – anxious about public performance. Polite in the public arena, sarcastic and difficult at home. Everything worse in the afternoons.
Stramonium – dread of solitude and the dark. Fear of ghosts, tunnels, water.
Homeopathy for PMS
Calc carb – premenstrual headache, colic, chilliness and leucorrhoea. Menses too early, too profuse, too long, with vertigo and toothache. Fright may delay menstruation, mental excitement may cause dysmenorrhoea. Leukorrhoea with itching and burning. These women may tend to be chubby and sweaty.
Lachesis – PMS in passionate women, who dislike tight clothing. May experience anger, jealousy, mania or depression. Sexual desire increased. Menstrual pain that is relieved by the flow. The less flow, the more pain. Talkative and demanding. Symptoms worse after sleep.
Nat mur – resentful in a brooding way, may dwell on grudges, reserves her feelings from her companions, yet cries and grieves when alone. Dislikes consolation.
Pulsatilla – for gentle mild women who weep, whose moods are very changeable, whose period varies in length or is absent.
Sepia – for women who feel indifferent or resentful to their loved ones, who raise their voices and blame others, irritable, wishing to be left alone. Loss of libido.
References:
200 million people use homoeopathy world wide:
https://www.hri-research.org/resources/essentialevidence/use-of-homeopathy-across-the-world/
Homoeopathy is effective:
https://facultyofhomeopathy.org/research/
https://facultyofhomeopathy.org/randomised-controlled-trials/
https://www.atms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/research-in-homeopathy-6.pdf?x93630
https://www.homeopathyoz.org/images/documents/LIGA-EvidenceBaseForHomoeopathy.pdf
https://www.homeopathyoz.org/research
https://www.hri-research.org/hri-research/completed-projects/