HOMEOPATHY

“Homeopathy” is a combination of two Greek words: homeo, meaning the same or similar, and pathos, meaning hardship or suffering. Together, homeopathy means “similar suffering”.

Homeopathy has evolved considerably since its early days of medical usage over a hundred and thirty years ago. The development and popularization of homeopathy has been credited to Samuel Hahnemann, a German physician who is said to have come upon the healing principle of “like cures like” in the mid-1800s.

The fundamental homeopathic principle that “like cures like” refers to Hahnemann’s observation that if a substance triggers symptoms similar to those from which a patient is suffering, then a small dose of that same substance will actually encourage the patient’s body to fight and overcome the disease in question.

What Kinds of Health Problems May Benefit from Homeopathy?

Homeopathic medicines may be of benefit for a variety of medical problems. However, some attention should be given to the types of medical conditions homeopathy will not heal. Acute severe trauma is not immediately healed by homeopathy, although homeopathic remedies may aid in the overall healing process. A bone fracture, for example, should be X-rayed and set in a cast to make sure proper bone alignment occurs as the fracture is healed by the body. Occasionally, pins or plates to reinforce the proper positioning of bone fragments may be needed via an operation by an orthopaedic surgeon. But the use of acute homeopathic remedies for bruising, like Arnica and Symphytum (made from the herb comfrey), may help to accelerate the healing process in bone and soft tissue, thus lessening the time in a case. Deep wounds extending into muscles, nerves, and tendons should be cleaned and treated surgically, using sutures to close the wounds.

In general, acute surgical problems such as appendicitis or ruptured aortic aneurysm are best left to a competent surgeon to manage. Potentially life-threatening illnesses such as heart attacks should be managed in a coronary intensive-care unit. However, homeopathy
may be useful in dealing with some of the physical and psychological after effects of a heart attack that sometimes arise once a cardiac patient has been discharged from the hospital. Severe illnesses like cancer are rarely healed by homeopathic remedies used alone and should be dealt with using a multidisciplinary approach.

Homeopathic remedies can successfully treat psychological as well as
physical problems, including anxiety, depression. Most people can
use a homeopathic first-aid kit to deal with a variety of common acute
problems, ranging from simple injuries to diarrhea, indigestion,
nausea, and vomiting; from early colds and coughs to hay-fever
symptoms; from insect bites and stings to sunburn.