1. What is Homeopathy?
2. How does homeopathy work?
3. The history of homeopathy
4. What is used in the preparation of homeopathic medicines?
5. How homeopathy helps Warts, acne and pigmentation
6. Homeopathy helps Allergies and asthma
7. Homeopathy helps Chronic pain
8. Homeopathy helps Anxiety and depression
9. Homeopathy helps PMS and menopause
What is Homeopathy?
Homeopathy is the treatment of a disease by administering a minute dose of natural substances that in a healthy person would produce symptoms of the disease. It is an alternative medicinal practise that uses nano-doses of an active ingredient to help treat a disease, even if the active ingredient is the one contributing to the illness in the first place. It works on the concept of “like cures like”.
The active ingredients used in homeopathy are plant, animal or mineral-based. Commonly used ingredients include fresh or dried herbs, activated charcoal, vinegar, garlic, caffeine and stinging nettle plants. The active ingredients from these substances are extracted in specific ways and processed into tablets, ointments, gels and drops.
How does homeopathy work?
Does it make you wonder why using an ingredient to treat illnesses or health issues works when that very same ingredient is what caused the problem? The philosophy behind this method of treatment is that it helps stimulate the body’s immune system, thus encouraging it to heal itself. The body has its own innate ability to heal itself, and the practice of homeopathy triggers this response with its ingredients.
One of the main guiding principles of homeopathy is that the treatments must be highly individualised. It depends on the person’s specific symptoms, medical and lifestyle history and lastly, body parameters. For instance, if two people are getting treatment for the same illness, they can receive totally different treatments from their homeopathic doctors because of their unique requirements and assessment of how their bodies are expected to respond.
What sets this mode of treatment apart is that a person’s personality and emotions are very important. Therefore, be ready for your homeopathic doctor to have an in-depth talk with you about your stress levels, personal traits, relationships and family history. People respond differently to different doses of homeopathic medicines, and some may need higher doses of medicines depending on what their current situation is.
Homeopathic remedies like minerals, herbs or animal-origin products are processed to a certain concentration depending on the person’s needs. In addition to getting a complete understanding of the patient, supporting laboratory tests are also conducted. The lab results are always considered in light of the patient’s symptoms, needs and history. The idea is to provide holistic treatment to the patient.
The history of homeopathy
Founded in the late 18th century by a German physician, Samuel Hahnemann, it is coined from the terms “homoios”, which in Greek means similar and “pathos”, which means suffering, referring to the principle of the ‘law of similars’ that is the basis of the treatment in homeopathy. For instance, an onion makes your eyes water and your nose burn. If you are having an attack of hay fever with watering eyes and a burning nose, a homeopathic remedy made from onion can relieve it.
Another guiding principle of administering homeopathic medicine is to prescribe the least amount of medicine needed to evoke a healing response. This is called the ‘minimum dose’. Medicines are successively diluted to the point where they are therapeutic, but not redundant. This philosophy of administering medicine has been around since the time of the Mayans, Chinese, Greeks, Native American Indians and Asian Indians. It was Hahnemann who systematically codified the principles and gave it the structure we recognize today.
What is used in the preparation of homeopathic medicines?
There are various sources for homeopathic medicines. A large part of them is derived from flowers, roots and leaves of plants. Chemicals such as sulphuric acid and nitric acid also form the basis of some preparations. Many minerals and metals such as gold, silver, zinc, tin and iron are also used in the formulations. It might surprise you to know that some microbes, bacteria and viruses are also used in the preparation of certain medicines.
How homeopathy helps Warts, acne and pigmentation
Warts, otherwise known as verruca or Condylomata, are locally occurring benign growths on the skin that are most commonly caused by Human Papilloma Virus. The virus enters through injuries like cuts and bruises and they multiply rapidly and form blister-like formations on the skin, called warts. Common warts do not cause pain or discomfort unless they are situated in areas that are being constantly irritated.
Homeopathy has been successful in getting rid of existing warts, preventing the formation of new ones and reducing the skin’s tendency of forming new ones. Medicines can be taken orally and there is little or no local application. The treatment is from within and is permanent. The duration for which the treatment is taken varies from patient to patient, the severity of warts and their chronicity.
There are many medications in homeopathy for the treatment of warts and they are essentially harmless and can be continued for longer durations of time depending on how long the wart formations have been there. Do not touch warts on yourself or others, never pick or scratch a wart and wash hands frequently. Never burn or cut a wart yourself. If you or your partner has genital warts, refrain from sexual activities, and consult a doctor.
Acne occurs when pores on the skin become clogged due to dirt, debris and bacteria. Skin produces sebum naturally which maintains the elasticity of the skin. Sometimes when there is excessive production of oil, it tends to attract dirt and clogs the pores. Acne is mostly associated with teenagers but can occur in people at any age. There are various contributing factors to acne formation, hormonal imbalances, unhealthy food and lifestyle choices, stress and menstrual cycle being a few. The condition itself is minor, but if not treated promptly, can cause scarring.
Homeopathy has proven effective in the treatment of acne as it treats the root cause and promotes healthy skin. There are primarily two types of acne, non-inflammatory and inflammatory acne. Whiteheads and blackheads are the non-inflammatory variety while papules, pustules, nodules and cysts are the inflammatory kind.
Homeopathy offers long term cures for prevention of acne formation, by targeting the root causes or triggers that cause it. It treats the causes for hormonal fluctuations and also helps reduce acute symptoms of acne-like pain, inflammation and swelling.
Pigmentation is the darkening of facial skin due to excessive production of a pigment called melanin. The medical term is melasma, where patches of pigmentation appear on the face, especially cheeks, nose, forehead and upper lip. Facial pigmentation is more common in women, but in some cases, can also occur in men.
Major causes are hormonal changes in women during pregnancy, during menopause, consumption of contraceptive pills and hyper-thyroidism. Other trigger factors include stress, inadequate sleep and overexposure to the sun. Homeopathy has a safe and effective remedy for treating facial pigmentation. They help by restoring an even tone to the skin and halting further progression of the condition.
Homeopathy helps Allergies and asthma
Did you know that allergy is the most common health problem in the world? Changes to the environment, society and lifestyle all contribute to the rising number of allergies today. Factors that increase the risk of developing allergies include inadequate nutrient intake, environmental pollution, stress, lack of physical activities, side-effects of medication, obesity, tobacco and alcohol consumption, and lastly, genetics.
Common allergic symptoms include, but are not limited to, coughing, dry itchy skin, ear discomfort, runny or blocked nose, watery or itchy eyes with redness, sneezing and breathing difficulties. Homeopathy has effective, constitutional medicines for allergies. This means that a remedy is chosen considering the totality of the symptoms the person is experiencing. This requires the guidance and expertise of a professional homeopath, and a detailed consultation is necessary to embark on this method of treatment.
People can use homeopathic remedies to alleviate symptoms in the acute stages of their allergy. This will not completely cure the allergy but will provide temporary relief without any side-effects.
Asthma is a condition where the airways that carry air into and out of your lungs become extra sensitive to particles carried along with air when you breathe. It tends to be hereditary and is higher in families that have a history of allergies and in people who smoke or are exposed to it. When a person with asthma comes into contact with an allergen in the air, the lining of the airways or the muscles surrounding the airways tend to swell causing it to constrict, or mucus builds up which can cause difficulty in breathing. Commonly manifested symptoms include tightness in the chest, wheezing and coughing.
Homeopathy offers safe and permanent cures for asthma, as the medication treats the problem at the root cause. The treatments encourage the body’s own restorative processes by strengthening the natural healing system. In cases where the cause for asthma is an allergic reaction, homeopathy treats the causative elements of the allergy safely and without side-effects.
Homeopathy helps Chronic pain
Chronic pain is one of the most common reasons people try out alternative pain management therapies. Some of the chronic pains that are treated with homeopathy are aching muscles, sprains and bruises, aching, swollen or stiff joints and muscles, shooting pains that result from nerve damage, and arthritis and back pain, which is worse in the morning, but gets better with hot water fomentation and movement.
Homeopathy personalises treatment to each individual, and it may be more economical than regular pharmaceutical medicines. Usually, a combination of remedies is given, out of which a few ingredients may help treat the pain. Treatment is safe and has long term benefits.
Homeopathy helps Anxiety and depression
Anxiety is when a person is in a constant state of worry and is unable to relax. Small things can keep them on edge for many days. People who suffer chronic anxiety worry and exhibit tension when there is nothing to provoke such a reaction. They always anticipate things going wrong and worry excessively about money, health, work and family, to name a few. Their anxiety is more than the situation warrants. Sometimes there are physical manifestations like fatigue, headaches, muscle tension, aches, difficulty swallowing, shaking, twitching, irritability, sweating and hot flashes. They may also experience nausea and frequently go to the bathroom.
Depression is dangerous as it can be difficult to identify the symptoms in the initial stages. People tend to overlook it as a mere low-mood or worse, think it is part of their psychological nature. Friends and family also have difficulty identifying the condition. Conventional medicines fail in the treatment of depression because when adequate results are not seen, the dosage and the number of medicines is simply increased. This case of “polypharmacy” may worsen the condition, and not relieve it.
Homeopathy offers solutions to anxiety disorders and depression by understanding physical and psychological reasons for the patient’s symptoms. A remedy is given that best suits the overall scope of symptoms, which helps them to experience a better state of health on all levels. There are effective treatments to depression in homeopathy and they are individualised to each person’s specific condition and history. The results are long term, safe and sometimes more effective than conventional treatments.
Homeopathy helps PMS and menopause
Premenstrual syndrome refers to the mental and physical symptoms experienced by women a few days before the onset of their period. The mental symptoms include irritability, mood swings and a feeling of depression. The physical symptoms include breast tenderness or swelling, headache, abdominal bloating, constipation, diarrhoea and acne. The symptoms and the severity vary from woman to woman, and in most cases, disappear following the onset of menstrual flow. Homeopathy offers safe and effective solutions to PMS. They are sourced from natural ingredients and offer relief from mental and physical stress.
Menopause is the natural biological event when menstrual cycles end for a woman, as a result of the gradual decline in the functioning of the ovaries. Women go through menopause between the ages of 45-52. Periods become irregular and scanty until they finally stop, and each woman is affected differently during this period. Physical symptoms include hot flushes, osteoporosis (weak bones), weight gain (obesity) and hair loss, while mental symptoms include depression, mood swings, anxiety, irritability and sleeplessness. Homeopathy offers a completely safe and natural treatment for menopausal symptoms. The natural homeopathic remedies offer help in dealing with various symptoms experienced by women during menopause.