How do we explain the popularity of homeopathy? This branch of complementary medicine has gained greater public acceptance in the past few years, and homeopathic medicines are now available over the counter from high street chemists and supermarkets. Is this simply part of the growing public interest in all things “alternative”? I would say that, in turning to homeopathy, people are “voting with their feet”. Homeopathy is a safe and effective system of medicine. It can be used for relatively simple or acute conditions such as colds, sore throats, accidents and injuries, and also for on going or recurring conditions, where the correctly and individually prescribed homeopathic medicine will break the cycle of symptoms that have contributed to ill health.

Clinical experience shows that homeopathic medicines have no side effects and are not habit forming which is helpful for both practitioners and patients.

The origins of Homeopathy

Is homeopathy a new medical system - or, like herbalism, rooted in ancient tradition? There is no straight answer, as both these statements are true. Homeopathic thinking can be traced back to antiquity; Hippocrates discussed using similar medicines to treat analogous conditions. In the 16th century, the physician and philosopher Paracelsus observed that: “Those who merely study and treat the effects of disease are like those who imagine that they can drive away the winter by brushing the snow from the door. It is not the snow that causes the winter, but the winter that causes the snow.”

We owe homeopathy as a medical system to one man - Samuel Hahnemann.

Born in Germany in 1755 Hahnemann was a physician who gave up medicine because he was only too aware of its limits, and that treatment often directly contributed to a patients’ death. To support his wife and seven children, Hahnemann took up translation work, and it was while translating a treatise by a Scottish doctor on the use of the 18th century drug cinchona (the bark of the Peruvian cinchona tree from which quinine was eventually derived) that he had the idea of a series of experiments using cinchona bark and then other substances.

Hahnemann’s findings lead him to develop an entirely new medical system, which he named “homeopathy”, from the Greek words for “same” and “suffering”. His principle of using “like to cure like” is the cornerstone of homeopathy. When Hahnemann took doses of cinchona bark twice daily over a period of four days, he observed that he began to experience symptoms very similar to malaria. From this, he deduced that if something can produce symptoms in a healthy person, then that same substance can cure those symptoms in a sick person. In 1810 Hahnemann published his findings in a book called the “Organon” which begins with a statement that has inspired health professionals to the present day:

The highest ideal of cure is rapid gentle and permanent restoration of the health, or removal and annihilation of the disease in its whole extent in the shortest most reliable and most harmless way, on easily comprehensible principles.”

Hahnemann practiced his new system of medicine in Germany over the next 25 years, before remarrying at the age of 79 and moving to Paris. With the assistance of his second wife, he spent the last 10 years of his life in Paris establishing a homeopathic practice of international repute. It was from Paris - an international centre for the arts and sciences - that homeopathy came to Britain, with the opening of a Homeopathic Hospital in London, assisted by royal patronage - and also took root in the Americas and India.

The alternative approach

An increasing number of homeopaths are being trained to meet the increased demand for homeopathy. At the moment in the UK Common Law allows anyone to call themselves a homeopath - an anomaly which does not serve the profession or the patient well. Homeopaths who register with the Society of Homeopaths (web address: http://www.homeopathy-soh.org) practise in accordance with a Code of Ethics and Practice, have professional insurance, and are required to pass stringent academic and clinical assessments. These practitioners may use the initials RSHom, which denotes their registration with the Society of Homeopaths. It is also possible for conventionally trained health care practitioners to train in homeopathy at the Glasgow Homeopathic Hospitals and the Royal London Homeopathic Hospital.

The need for an alternative to conventional medicine is sometimes questioned. Advances in medical science, it is claimed, can take care of all our medical needs as we move towards the 21st century. This viewpoint is not shared by all. Most health care professionals will readily admit that conventional drug therapy is not always the answer to illness. There are well documented cases of “wonder drugs” such as Thalidomide and Opren that went terribly wrong, and studies have linked the over-prescription of antibiotics to the recurrence of acute infections.

However well a drug is tested, both in the laboratory and clinically, the developers cannot account for each patient who as an individual may respond differently to a prescribed drug.

The Homeopathic way

Where homeopathy excels is in its holistic approach. Each person needs a different homeopathic medicine, prescribed only after a full account is taken of their emotional and physical symptoms. The homeopath will then prescribe a homeopathic medicine that will stimulate the body’s own immune system to respond gently and safely, rather like finding two matching jigsaw pieces. Homeopathic medicines are not only free from side effects, but are relatively cheap as well. The patient does not have to complete a set course of a prescribed medicine, such as antibiotics, but can stop taking the tablets as soon as his or her symptoms improve.

Not a placebo-based medicine

Homoeopathy is considered by some to work on a placebo basis. The individual attention given to each patient - a full homeopathic consultation will take at least an hour, compared to five minutes in a busy GP practice - is said to make the patient feel psychologically better. The theory that this is the sole basis of any benefit. However, this belief is undermined by examples of the successful use of homoeopathy on animals. One organic farm in Dorset, for example, uses homeopathy to successfully treat a variety of common conditions for its dairy herd.

A number of GP practices are now referring patients to homeopaths in private practice and some GPs are employing registered homeopaths, making the therapy available free at point of delivery. Alistair Dempster RSHom - a Registered General Nurse - changed careers when he completed training at one of the colleges recognised by the Society of Homeopaths and completed a study of the Evaluation of homeopathic treatment of common mental health problems (1995-1997).

Homeopath and GP worked as a team to ensure to patient receives the full range of care necessary. Andrew Ward RSHom is employed by a non fund holding GP practice in Avon, and along with the GP presented a report in 9196 of the 18 month pilot scheme to the All Parliamentary Group for Alternative and Complementary Medicine.

Periods of treatment

Homeopathic treatment needs to distinguish acute condition from long term or recurring conditions. Practitioners recognise that continued conventional medication often suppresses symptoms and leads to the patient becoming dependent on continued drug therapy but acknowledge that certain conditions such as diabetes, thyroid problems do need drug therapy. But we would aim to use the correctly selected homeopathic medicine - the simillimum - to restore the patient to health. The correctly selected homeopathic medicine stimulates the body’s own capacity to regenerate and heal so that, once the curative action of treatment is established, the frequency of treatment required is low. The effectiveness of the holistic homeopathic approach is illustrated by the case of Mrs X described below.

Case History

Mrs X aged 58, presented to me with long standing ulceration on her right leg. Nine years before, one of her veins had been knocked and subsequently became ulcerated. The ulcer had never healed and she had not responded to a variety of treatment offered conventionally. Patient had made some progress with a colleague who referred the case to me when she left the area. Mrs X had been prescribed Brufen and also Flamazine. The leg presented an extensive area of infected eczema from below the knee to the upper foot together with two ulcers, one around the ankle one above it which were open and discharging yellow fluid.

A homeopath treating only the physical symptoms might consider Graphites a homeopathic medicine which can be used to treat ulcers which fail to heal with a characteristic oozing thick yellow discharge. But the long standing nature of the condition meant that a deeper acting medicine was necessary. It appeared that Mrs X was often depressed - she could weep for no reason sometimes all day - but would never get angry. A sympathetic lady who likes to helps others, she was sensitive, but avoided verbal confrontation.

One of Mrs X’s children was born with a hole in the heart and blindness in one eye and had required frequent hospitalisation over several years as a child. Now 30 years old, he lived at home, but could present behavioural difficulties in the home. Mrs X found it difficult to be what she called “hard hearted”, though she knew that was what she needed to be to resolve the situation.

The question I asked myself was “what was the open sore in Mrs X’s life?” The answer was in the unresolved family issue and her response to it, which was one of toleration, silence and depression. The homeopathic prescription Staphysagria matched the totality of Mrs X’s case and a single tablet was prescribed.

One month later, her leg had improved and she felt much better. With continued homeopathic prescribing as needed, improvement continued over the year - until the ulcer healed completely. Her depression also improved.

I did not see Mrs X for some time till she rang me in December 94. Two family bereavements had upset her and the healed ulcer had opened and was discharging. The homeopathic medicine Ignatia was prescribed as it matched the emotional upset and patient did not ring for three months - things had gone so well she did not want to risk spoiling it! On Mrs X’s most recent visit in March 1995, we admired the completely healed skin. ” She’s a completely different person - so well now” said her husband.

Homeopathy does not deal with symptoms as separate entities - we are not machines but a delicately balanced and interdependent whole. By taking a full case history and taking account of the emotional as well as the physical picture presenting, the appropriate homeopathic medicine prescribed effected a cure that was holistic - not only did Mrs X feel better, her leg healed.

Homeopathic medicines simple to use at home

Shock, Trauma, Bruising

• Arnica

Strains and Sprains

• Rhus Toxidendron - pain worse on first moving , better on continued movement
• Ruta - long term strains, sports injuries

Herbal products used by homeopaths to support the action of the

homeopathic medicines prescribed:

• Calendula Tincture (Diluted 5 drops to half a pint of water this solution with reduce inflammation, prevent infection and promote healing in any cut or wound)

• Calendula Ointment (Used to promote healing for any wound or burn or skin irritation. Helps the healing of long term skin ulcers - particularly in the elderly)

• Arnica Ointment (Useful to reduce swelling and discoloration around bruising - only to be used when the skin is unbroken - if skin is broken, use Calendula Ointment)

Bibliography

Castro, Miranda, The Complete Homeopathy Handbook (Macmillan 1990) A guide to using homeopathic medicines at home.

Vithoulkas, George , Homeopathy: Medicine of the New Man (Thorsons 1985) A general introduction to Homoeopathy

Handley, Rima, A Homeopathic Love Story (North Atlantic Books 1990) Biography of Hahnemann

For a copy of Andrew Ward’s report on Homeopathy in an NHS practice, or the Society of Homeopaths Register or details of training courses contact:

The Society of Homeopaths 11Brookfiled, Duncan Close Moulton Park Northampton

Note: Homeopathic medicines are prepared from a wide range of substances - plants, minerals, compounds, metals etc. and are given the Latin name

Acknowledgments

This article was originally published Practice Nurse magazine (U.K.), June 1995. The author (Zofia Dymitr) has kindly agreed to update it and republish it in Strong Health Magazine.