All about Homoeopathy | What is Homeopathy?

What is Homeopathy? In this blog, we will learn about homoeopathy, & what is homoeopathy as well. Most of us know exactly what is homoeopathy. In this blog (mrhomeo.com) I intend to inform you all about homoeopathy. 

Let’s talk about “homoeopathy”.

This blog is written in simple language that you can understand. Hope you will like this blog.

All about Homeopathy –

Birth of Homeopathy

Research on the causes of diseases in the human body has begun long ago. In the sixteenth century, Paracelsus, the father of medicine, argued that “it is important to take medicine for what causes a person to become ill.” This is the foundation of homoeopathy. Hippocrates was of the same opinion.

This treatment method is called “Homoeopathy” by a German physician, Dr. Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843).

When Dr. Hahnemann started his medical practice in 1871, the treatment system at that time was very much complicated. For example, if a patient’s blood pressure rises up blood pressure would be reduced by bloodletting (blood is allowed to flow after cutting a vein). Due to this and such treatment method, Dr. Hahnemann was unhappy.

While translating the book ‘Cullens Materia Medica’, Hahnemann read information about the plant Cinchona bark or Peruvian bark. Hahnemann himself consumed cinchona juice after which he developed symptoms of malaria in his body.

Dr. Hahnemann realized that the secondary symptoms of cinchona are the same as those of malaria. From this, Hahnemann argues that if a healthy person consumes a biological or chemical substance that produces symptoms of a certain disease in his body.

Then it can treat the symptoms or the disease after dilution the substance in alcohol or water.

Dr. Hahnemann does this drug proving on himself and his friends by making this method available to people, named it Homeopathy. Homeos means similar and pathos – are symptoms of disease or suffering.

Like this Dr. Hahnemann also proved many other drugs. His research continued until his death (1843). Homoeopathy is used nearly all over the world today.

The book Homeopathic Materia Medica provides in-depth information on homoeopathic medicine. The symptoms recorded while drug proving is written in this book.

In the book Organon of Medicine, Homeopathic Principles are given by Hahnemann. The first version of it was published in 1810. Six editions have been published since then, with frequent improvements.

The most important information about homoeopathy is in this book. Hahnemann has put forward the formulas from 1 to 294. (Homeopathic Aphorisms), which have a thorough guide on everything related to homoeopathy.

Homoeopathy treatments –

Homoeopathy is very advanced today. Homoeopathic treatments are now done in many ways based on experience and knowledge. Homoeopathic Repertories are also used in practice nowadays.

In Homeopathy every drug has a separate existence, form, nature, and it can heal a person with similar symptoms as of the medicines. Two different drugs may be given to two patients for the same disease. The drug of choice for a disease does not depend on the name of the disease but on the changes in the body and mind of the patient.

This is Similia Similibus Curanter (Like cures Like).

Classical Homeopathy – this homeopathic treatment method is developed by Dr. Hahnemann himself. It covers all information about the patient, such as physical, mental, family history, and other details. (Here constitutional remedies are prescribed after taking a detailed case)

Combination method – homoeopathy is given by combining more than two drugs for certain diseases (arthritis, headache, nausea, cough, etc.).

Mind method –

It is believed that the homoeopathic treatment method works on psychiatry, so the treatment is given only on the basis of information about the personality of the patient, his interests, habits, mood and mental states.

This method is used by many homoeopathic doctors nowadays and it has been shown to benefit the patient sooner than the old method.

I will try to give more information about Homeopathy and diseases in this blog. So stay tuned at mrhomeo.com

Sources of Homeopathic medicines –

Most of the homoeopathic medicines are prepared from herbs. These are prepared from any part of the plant like fruit, seed, stem, bark, flower, leaf, stigma or root as well as a non-woody plant. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 80% of people all over the world use herbal medicines for common diseases.

Homoeopathy medicines are categorized as classical, combinations and formulations.

For the manufacturing of homoeopathy medicines, only a small quantity of the original drug material is sufficient. The basic sources of homoeopathic medicines are same as of other medicinal systems. The difference lies mainly in the method of preparation and its use in treatment.

Plant Kingdom – The whole plant, root, leaves, bark, seeds, flowers and any other part of the plant used in the preparation of medicine. Mostly flowering plants (angiosperms) are used to prepare homoeopathic medicines. The medicines prepared from herbs do not have any side effects and reactions at all, as they are natural.

Medicines prepared from plants – Aconite, Rhus tox, Pulsatilla, Arnica montana, Bryonia alba, Calendula, Cannabis, Gelsemium, Hamamelis, Lycopodium, Ruta, Thuja, Verat album, etc.

Animal Kingdom – Some medicines are prepared from animal or products such as spiders, honey bee, snake poison, spider poison.

Examples – Apis mel, Lachesis, Naja, Tarentula, Spongia, Sepia, etc.

Mineral Kingdom – Metals, non-metals, and their compounds.

Examples – Alumina, Platina, Cuprum met, Aurum met, Argentum nitricum, Calcarea carb, Phosphorus, Sulphur, Graphites, etc.

Diseased products/tissues – Also known as nosodes, are prepared using tissues or secretions from diseases containing bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms.

Medicines prepared from nosodes – Anthracinum, Bacillinum, Medorrhinum, Carcinocin, Diphtherinum, Lyssin, Psorinum, Syphylinum, Tuberculinum, and many more.

Healthy tissues or products – i.e. Sarcodes, by using healthy human/animal tissues and secretions homoeopathic medicines are prepared.

Examples of sarcodes – Adrenalinum, Thyroidinum, Insulinum, Pepsin, Pancreatinum, Folliculinum, etc.

Imponderables – Universal energy sources, such as magnetism, x-ray, radiation, etc., are used to prepare homoeopathic medicines.

How Homeopathic Medicines Are Prepared –

Homoeopathic medicines are prepared by the methods Trituration & Succussion. These methods of dilution of medicines are also known as dynamization or potentization.

Miasms in Homeopathy –

The term miasm means “noxious influence” in simple words, ‘harmful effects. A miasm is best defined as people with an inherited illness. The legacy of every human being is a legacy that has passed down from one generation to the next. A miasm may be active, inactive (latent) or exposed.

Miasms are either passed on by family genetics, or they can also be acquired, such as by developing the disease of gonorrhoea or syphilis. Miasm is responsible for all kinds of chronic diseases.

The concept of miasm was first introduced by Dr. Hahnemann, founder of homoeopathy in his book ‘The Chronic Diseases’ published in 1828.

After his clinical work on many complex cases, Dr. Hahnemann discovered the chronic characteristics and disease history of mankind and put these into three different categories named as psora, syphilis, and sycosis.

The mind and bodywork together as a unit and the disturbances are expressed in both mental and physical spheres.

Miasms have a significant impact on a person’s susceptibility to acute and chronic illness and also on a person’s mental/emotional state, physical reactions to stress or environment and all drugs, pathogens or vaccines.

Psora Miasm –

The “psora” means a groove or stigma.  It is the miasm of deficiency.

Psora is derived from skin eruptions of various types, such as scabies, leprosy and psoriasis.

According to Dr. Hahnemann psora was spread through skin to skin contact. It starts as an itching eruption of the skin which is very contagious.

Every human being will have psora and it is considered to be the “mother” of all chronic diseases, therefore it is responsible for nearly all chronic diseases.

The psora miasm is expressed as itchy skin, lesions, eruptions, vesicles or other skin-related conditions.

Emotionally, psora has a mental restlessness, anxiousness,  stress, worry and anxiety. There can be feelings of forsaken, despair, anxiety about the future or any situation.

Sycotic Miasm –

Sycosis is the miasm of excess and is also called as fig wart disease. Sycosis is derived from the disease of gonorrhoea, either inherited or acquired.

The sycosis is responsible for all warty excrescences and growths.

It is expressed as swelling of the joints, warts, moles and also eczema, always worse in the damp, rainy season.

Emotionally sycosis is expressed by suspiciousness, secretiveness, mischievousness, forgetfulness and absentmindedness.

Syphilitic Miasm –

It is called as the miasm of destruction. It is responsible for many diseases of the nervous system, the blood and skeleton, and also of psychological disorders.

On the physical level, there are putrid discharges, including gangrene, ulcerations in veins and bones, cracks and fissures of the tongue, openings and skin are present in the syphilitic miasm.

On the mental plane, there is jealousy, envy, anger and destructive impulses, suicidal tendencies.

Other miasms –

Tubercular Miasm – the miasm of reaction. This was added by J. H. Allen, also called as pseudo-psora.  It is considered a “mixed miasm” of the psoric and syphilitic miasms.

Cancer Miasm – a combination of all three miasms – psora, syphilis, and sycosis.

The study of the miasms is necessary to know the phenomenon of the miasm, while prescribing similimum, and to cure diseases.

Without studying the miasms we cannot select the similimum as the exact simillimum is always based on the existing miasm.

Homeopathic Repertory –

The Need of a Repertory

Homoeopathic Repertory is an index of the symptoms of Homoeopathic Materia Medica recorded during drug proving, which is arranged in a particular manner with or without gradation to help in the selection of Similimum.

Repertory helps in prescribing medicine with greater accuracy, in less time and with its use one grows in the knowledge of Homeopathic materia medica.

Now a day there are so many software available of Homeopathic Repertories which helps in analysis of rubrics and finding the exact similimum. But the final prescription is done by the expert Homeopath depending upon his knowledge and experience.

There are more than 3 thousand remedies in Homeopathy and each of them has 100 to 500 symptoms.

It is so difficult to remember all these symptoms and relationships, only a person with a memory like a computer can remember this. That’s why the use of a repertory is important in Homeopathy. It makes the selection of exact remedy in a more easy way.

What is a Rubric in Homeopathy?

A rubric is nothing but translating the patient’s language or expressions into the language of the repertory.

The potency of Homeopathic Remedy –

The potency of a Homeopathic remedy is the number of times it has been diluted and processed homeopathically.

The more diluted medicine is more potent i.e. higher potency. Potencies up to 30X are lower and above 30X are higher ones.

X potencies are known as decimal potencies and they are diluted on a scale of 1:10

C potencies or centesimal potencies are diluted at 1:100.

At each dilution, i.e., 1X, 2X, 3X, & so on. The triturate (powder form) or dilution of the remedy is succussed repeatedly.

Homeopathic Case taking –

Case taking is a unique art of collecting information from the patient and the relatives (IPR). It consists of conversation, observation and interaction with the patient.

IPR – stands for interpersonal relationships. Sometimes the information of the patient from their relatives also plays a great role in case taking. We can get more information about the patient like behaviour, nature, and many more things.

The symptoms are graded according to their peculiarity and morbidity which then converted into rubrics. These rubrics are repertorised and the exact similimum is selected to be prescribed to the patient.

During the case-taking, physical and psychological (mental) symptoms of the patient are recorded, as symptoms are expressed in the mind as well as in the body.

Every individual has a different way of expressing the symptoms.

Homoeopathy in Psychology –

Homoeopathy gives great importance to mental health both in the treatment of physical and mental illnesses. Homoeopathic understanding of health, in general, is closely linked to its understanding of the mind.

Homoeopathy believes that body and mind are dynamically interconnected and that they both directly influence each other. The mental symptoms always play an important role in the selection of proper medicine.

Homoeopathy is based on the philosophy of a trio i.e. mind, body and life force (vital force). Health is considered as a perfect functioning of these three elements. Disturbance in any one of these elements causes illness.

From the perspective of homoeopathy, the prevalence of mental illness in our society is not only the result of living in a fast, stressful society, but our medical care system has effectively suppressed various physical ailments.

Scope and limitations of Homeopathy –

Homoeopathic medicines are mild, natural, economic, and patient-friendly.

There are no specific diet & regimen during Homeopathic treatment.

Even children can take the medicines themselves.

Homoeopathic medicines have no side effects and are rarely harmful.

Homoeopathy drugs are proved on healthy human beings of both sexes, different ages & various constitutions.

These medicines are given to the sick individual on the basis of symptom similarity. According to the law of individualization in homeopathic treatment no two individuals are alike.

There are so many symptoms in a single drug which makes the selection of medicine easy.

A large number of drugs for various conditions.

Subjective symptoms are also recorded during drug proving which helps during treatment.

Homoeopathic materia medica is stable, not subjected to change.

By knowing diathesis & disposition of individual homoeopathy helps to find out a prophylactic remedy

While drug proving we have a wide range of symptoms from one person to another. This is the largest prevalence in the homoeopathic system that is not found in other treatment systems.

While case taking, the patient narrates his subjective symptoms with sensation, location, modalities, and other concomitants. This helps in choosing the exact similar medicine with no difficulty, as the drugs are proven on healthy individuals. (Subjective symptoms are those felt by the patient such as burning pain, increased thirst etc.)

While in other medicinal fields drugs are tested upon the animals, where we get only the objective symptoms.

Homoeopathy has very good medicines for allergies, growth disorders, seasonal diseases, autoimmune diseases, persons of all ages, etc.

Homoeopathic medicines also can be used as palliative medicines without any side effects in patients of chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, where they experience weakness, pains, anorexia, etc.

Homoeopathy can speed up the healing process and shorten the recovery period, especially after surgery, delivery, and bone fractures.

Homoeopathy can help in relieving drug dependency conditions and to overcome withdrawal symptoms.

Limitations of Homeopathy –

Homoeopathy is so vast that nobody can remember all the symptoms.

In cases of irreversible pathological conditions, homoeopathy has limited scope because while drug proving there is no special proving of drugs with the intention to get pathological symptoms. That’s why homoeopathic materia medica lacks in characteristic pathological symptoms.

In cases of acute emergencies like poisoning, fractures, acute appendicitis, stricture urethra there is no scope for homoeopathy. But it can be helpful in the management of pains in these situations.

Use of certain medicines such as rare remedies is difficult because they are partially proven.

In drug proving process, many provers were non-medicals, due to which most of the symptoms are less authentic.

Less female symptoms, as there were insufficient female provers.

There are no preventive drugs in materia medica with no scope in certain conditions such as contraception, abortion, and many cases.

There is no cure for any nutritional disorders in homoeopathy, which can be treated only by changes in diet.

The most common misunderstanding about homoeopathy is that it is applicable only in chronic diseases. Homoeopathy can also be used in acute cases too with fast relief in symptoms e.g. renal colic, fever, headache, etc.

What we are going to see in this blog?

We face many ailments every day. And we are often looking for treatments that are less harmful, less expensive, and easier to take. I will try to inform you of some such diseases.

Skin disorders like – Eczema (Dermatitis), Psoriasis, Urticaria, Leucoderma,

Beauty care – Acne & Pimples, Hair loss, Greying of hairs, Baldness,

GIT Diseases – Liver complaints, Diarrhoea, Vomiting and Nausea, Constipation, Piles (haemorrhoids), Fissures, Anal fistula, Gall stones, Hyper-acidity, Mouth ulcers (stomatitis)

Respiratory disorders – Asthma, COPD, Bronchitis, Dyspnea, Allergic rhinitis, DNS, Tonsillitis, URTI,

Psychiatric disorders – Depression, Anorexia, Anxiety, Manias, Loss of confidence,

General – Fever, Weight loss, Rheumatism (Back pain, Knee pain), Osteoarthritis, Osteoporosis, Kidney stones, UTI, Thyroid problems, Erectile dysfunction,

Paediatric problems – Growth disorders, ADHD, Worms, Irritability and Mood disorders, Diseases in children.

Female complaints – PCOD, Leucorrhoea, Amenorrhoea, Dysmenorrhoea,