This article elaborates on every aspect of the wonder science of medical relief called homeopathy.
Introduction to Homeopathy
Introduced to the world by German allopathic physician Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, homeopathy was a discovery which changed the way people looked at healthcare and medicines. Disappointed by the side effects and the short duration of relief of allopathic drugs, Hahnemann left his allopathic practice and started to translate medical books in various languages for a living. While translating Cullen’s Materia Medica, he chanced upon an herb called cinchona which was said to cure as well as induce symptoms of malaria. This intrigued Hahnemann who immediately prepared an extraction of cinchona and consumed it himself. As expected he soon developed some of the malaria symptoms like chills and pains. He soon started his experiment with others who also produced similar results.
This made Hahnemann come to the conclusion that any medicine which can produce the disease symptoms in a healthy individual can also be given to a patient suffering from similar symptoms. He started to give cinchona extra to several malaria patients and it produced miraculous results. Homeopathy was born. ‘Homeo’ in the word homeopathy means ‘similar’ and ‘pathy’ means suffering. The primary principle of homeopathy is based on the concept of ‘similia similibus curantur’, which means cures’ cure. Hahnemann soon started to use alcohol as the medium of dispensing the medicines to various subjects of varying age groups and jotted down the symptoms each one produced. These symptoms were subsequently categorized in the form of a book called Materia Medica Pura.
While Hahnemann found that if the crude drug can be provided in a dilute form using spirit as a medium, it can produce very powerful symptoms in a healthy individual. He applied this principle and started to cure hundreds of diseased individuals applying the principle of similia similibus curantur which gradually spread across the world as it gained success and popularity.
While Hahnemann was conducting his experiments he noticed that there were patients who had a relapse of symptoms. This made him understand that to treat a patient the root of the disease must be treated. He named the dynamic forces which caused the disease conditions as miasms or psora, syphilis and sycosis. So to cure the patient completely the miasms must be completely done away with using an equally powerful remedial force. Thus he developed anti-miasmic drugs which also met with success with a variety of patients with varied disease conditions.
History of Development of Homoeopathy
Hahnemann wrote down the principles of homeopathy in the form of a book which he called Organon or medicine. Later six editions of this book were published. The beginning of homeopathy was not without objections from other specialists and physicians. Subsequently those who objected to the principles started to believe in them and practice homeopathy too. Further development of homeopathy can be attributed to doctors like Dr J T Kent, Dr Hering, and Dr Boenonghausen etc, who developed many drugs based on Hahnemann’s basic guidelines. They gradually discovered that the medicinal power of a drug can be increased manifold by diluting the drug in spirit, even if the quantity of drug used is decreased. By using a process called potentisation varying potencies of the same drug was produced. By increasing the potency of a drug, its penetration ability also increases and then the drug can act at a higher level than other systems of therapies. This is the unique feature of homeopathic medicines which enables them to cure a wide range of diseases, including mental illnesses.
General principles
The essential principle of homeopathy is that it treats the patient in totality and not just the diseased part or organ. The physical, mental, emotional, social spheres of a person is unique to that individual and diseases are a result of a wrong alignment of the vital forces which makes a man what he is. This vital force is in a state of equilibrium when the person is healthy and there is perfect balance amongst his mind body and soul. Any imbalance in this equilibrium makes the body a host to various foreign body invasions including bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa etc. These foreign bodies subsequently multiply and affect the whole body or different sections of the body which is manifested through numerous signs and symptoms. Homeopathy believes that to achieve permanent cure, the primary cause of the disease that is the bacteria and viruses must be eradicated. On the contrary, the antibacterial and antiviral agents merely eradicate the secondary causes.
Disease conditions are primarily caused by miasms which cause the vital imbalance. The three miasms psora, syphilis and sycosis are also accepted by other schools of medicines though they are called by different names. While psora is responsible for functional disturbances, syphilis causes structural abnormalities and sycosis results in overgrowth. These three miasms can work independently or in conjunction to produce a wide array of illnesses.
Preparation of Homoeopathic Medicines
Minerals, plants, animals, toxins are some of the sources from where homeopathic medicines are made from. A special process called potentisation is used to make these medicines. The soluble substances are potentised by diluting with spirit and the insoluble and ground (called trituration) with sugar or milk. The raw drug is mixed with a pre-determined quantity of spirit and water and stored for a few days. The mother tincture is extracted from this mixture which is denoted by Q. Dilutions are made from this mother tincture using the process of potentisation, the formula of which involves diluting the original drug substance but increasing its potency or medicinal power. The different scales of this process result from the ratio in which the drug is mixed with its vehicle which is spirit, sugar or milk. Each scale results in different potencies of the drug. The potency is written after the name of every medicine and the same medicine can be available in varying potencies. Potency selection would depend on the severity of the condition, health of the patient, symptom types, etc.
Subjects studied in homoeopathy
History of medicine
History & development of homoeopathy
Pioneers of homoeopathy
Organon of medicine
Homoeopathic philosophy
Materia medica
Homoeopathic pharmacy & pharmacognosy
Homoeopathic repertory
Homoeopathic case taking
Homoeopathic therapeutics
General medical subjects
These include: Anatomy, physiology, pathology, microbiology, parasitological studies, toxicology, forensic medicine, social & preventive medicine, surgery, ENT, gynecology & obstetrics, ophthalmology, dentistry, orthopedics, general medicine, pediatrics, dermatology, psychiatry, etc.
Homoeopathic diagnosis and prescription
If the correct medicine in the right dose is given, the patient can expect speedy, gentle and permanent recovery. Administering one drug for one disease sometimes is not adequate. The symptoms of the disease must first be studied and then medication and dosage fixed. The symptoms can be mental, general, physical and also any specific signs. Before writing any homeopathic prescription the doctor would take detailed note of all the mental and physical signs and symptoms, past medical history, family history, food and bowel habits and many more information.
Mental symptoms usually include fear, anxiety, depression, jealousy, etc. Whereas physical symptoms include body makeup, appetite, thirst, desires, aversions, bowels, urination, sleep, taste, nature of smell, pain, burning, climatic changes, etc.
Study of some of the peculiar uncommon symptoms is the specialty of homeopathic therapy. These symptoms are considered to be extremely important in the diagnosis and subsequent therapy. This is the reason, why different medicines are prescribed for different people though both are suffering from the same ailment. For example five people suffering from typhoid may not be given the same medication, because of the changes in the individual symptoms.
Some of the specific local signs and symptoms are also studied by the doctor. These are related to body parts and organs. Examples include swelling, discoloration, etc. Then there are systemic examinations which include study of the respiratory system, digestive system, nervous system, cardio vascular system, etc.
Vital signs like the reading of Pulse, checking the blood pressure, body temperature, respiratory rate etc are also checked for the right diagnosis and prescription for the patient.
General physical examination: During this process body parts are checked thoroughly to notice any change or abnormality.
Provisional disease diagnosis: Here probable diseases are diagnosed. Diagnosis is not that important in homeopathy as much as knowing the prognosis.
Investigations: These include investigations carried out in labs to locate if there are any other major illnesses.
Final disease diagnosis: The disease is diagnosed finally after doing all the investigations:
Remedial diagnosis: Considered one of the most important aspects of homeopathy treatment, selected symptoms are arranged in a systematic order on the basis of importance. Remedies are chosen on the basis of similarity.
Repertorisation is the process by which remedial measures are selected. The index of symptoms as enumerated in Materia Medica is the repertory. By this process, the patient would get remedy for the most important symptom of his disease.
Before the final remedy is offered to the patient, there are various books and past record of the patient is considered. The medicine is given in the right dose and potency.
Anti Miasmatic Treatment:
Since the root of all diseases are the miasms, to cure a patient the miasms must be eradicated. There are anti psoric, anti syphilitic and anti sycotic drugs which help in the eradication of miasms. But the first step is to identify the miasm so that the right drug in the right potency can be administered.
source:- medicalneeds
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