Parkinson’s disease is a gradually progressive neurodegenerative disorder manifested by the loss of dopamine producing neurons in the nigro-striatal region of the brain. Dopamine is a chemical messenger of the brain, and the lack of this neurotransmitter manifests in the form of deficits in the motor functions in the patient’s body. The severely incapacitating symptoms of Parkinson’s disease include tremors, rigidity, bradykinesia, loss of muscle coordination, frequent falls, freezing of gait and many more.
Diagnostic and therapeutic management of this disease is a widely researched area. Currently the allopathic drugs offered in Parkinson’s disease face the challenge in terms of its severe side effects, which are more incapacitating than the actual disease process in itself. Having said that, the homeopathic treatment for Parkinsonism has emerged as an excellent alternative therapeutic approach towards the disease.
Homeopathy is a system of medicine developed some 200 years ago by the German physician, Dr. Samuel Hahnemann. It is based on the principle of ‘like cures like’. By administering substances in a specially diluted form known as potencies, the remedy is supposed to stimulate the body’s innate healing ability to overcome the disease and restore the state of health.
While a popular system of alternative medicine globally, homeopathy is a subject of much controversy as many members of the medical science field see homeopathic remedies as nothing more than a placebo. However, homeopathic treatment for PD is steadily finding its place in the medicine world. The holistic treatment of symptoms, without any side effects and prescription of only a few drugs makes it a rational and a comprehensive alternative choice for patients with Parkinson’s disease.
As with any disease, homeopathy may have some benefit to offer in Parkinson’s disease, although the use of homeopathic remedies should not detract from using Allopathic medicines (drugs) as prescribed by a medical doctor. At the very least, if homeopathy is the placebo that many claim it is, it should do no harm. However, you should always consult with your doctor before commencing with any alternative therapy.
Homeopathic Remedies for Parkinson’s Disease
The main principle behind homeopathy is that ‘like cures like’. By administering substances that would otherwise cause the same symptoms in a healthy person, it is believed that the remedy can stimulate the body to overcome the disease. With homeopathic remedies the substance is not administered in its full strength or raw form. Instead it is diluted in a special process known as potentisation. The active ingredient may be at such a small concentration to be barely detectable or totally undetectable but it is believed that its energy signature remains in the solvent and carrier.
Homeopathy for parkinson’s disease offers the added advantage as the patients do not develop resistance against higher dose of homeopathic remedy for the disease, whereas resistance along with incapacitating side effects are easily developed with higher doses of allopathic medicines of PD. It is free of side effects and the results are quick.
There are two systems of prescribing homeopathic medicine, which are broadly divided into classical homeopathy and clinical homeopathy.
This system of prescribing is often considered as the true system of homeopathy. A homeopathic practitioner will take a long case history looking at physical, mental and emotional characteristics and symptoms of the patient. In addition, modalities which are factors that may aggravate or relieve symptoms are also taken into account. Once this case history and physical examination is completed, the practitioner decides upon a single remedy or a few remedies that fit the disease picture that the patient has reported.
Due to the variation of the disease picture as a result of individual variations and assessments of each case, there is no single remedy that can be prescribed across the board for all Parkinson’s patients.
In clinical homeopathy, the basis of the prescription does not focus on finding the entire disease picture but rather choosing the remedy based purely on the clinical presentation at the time. This is similar to some extent to the diagnosis and prescription of drugs as is seen in allopathic medicine. Multiple remedies may also be mixed together to form homeopathic complexes.Many commercially available over-the-counter (OTC) homeopathic products are based on the approach adopted by clinical homeopathy. Therefore there will be a specific product or products for all Parkinson’s disease patients.
Some of the homeopathic remedies commonly prescribed for Parkinson’s disease in clinical homeopathy are the metals – Mercurius solubilis (mercury) and Plumbum metallicum (lead). Both of these homeopathic drugs offer effective relief against the symptoms such as weakness of limbs and trembling, especially hands and lacerating pain in joints.
These substances, in the undiluted form, is known to cause significant neurological and muscular symptoms. Other remedies for muscle weakness, stiffness and a lack of coordination include Natrum muriaticum (sodium chloride), Rhus toxicodendron (poison ivy) and Hyoscyamus niger (henbane). All these remedies contain a very dilute form of the actual plant, metal of salt. Use of most of the substances in the raw form is extremely toxic.
Other common homeopathic medications prescribed in Parkinson’s disease are:
- Rhus Tox: It is indicated in cases where tremors start with pain, alog with tingling sensation at the tips of fingers.
- Argentum nitricum: It is prescribed in cases of muscular incoordination, along with loss of control and balance, and tremors.
- Conium: Muscular weakness of lower extremities.
- Agaricus muscarius: Indicated for jerking, twitching, trembling, and itching
These are some of the few examples. However, there are more than 80 effective homeopathic remedies against Parkinson’s disease.
Always consult with your doctor and a qualified homeopathic practitioner before taking any remedy. There is currently a lack of scientific evidence and clinical trials to verify the efficacy of these remedies, or any homeopathic remedy, to provide any relief for Parkinson’s disease.
Despite numerous reports by homeopathic practitioners and Parkinson’s patients, as well as the vast number of claims by homeopathic product manufacturers and distributors, the safety and efficacy of homeopathic remedies for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease has yet to be verified. However, homeopathy has repeatedly proven that it can very effectively relieve the symptoms, that would otherwise make the life miserable.