Definition
Homeopathy,
or Homoeopathy, is a system of alternative medicine based on the
science that was developed by Dr.Samuel Hahnemann. One of the most
learned definition of Homeopathy has been presented by Dr. W.E. Boyd
as, "Homeopathy is a therapeutic method, which assumes that a deviation
from the fundamental mean within reversible limits, can be restored to
normal by means of stimuli, usually applied in the form of drugs, only
subphysiological doses of which are necessary, because of
hypersensitivity in disease and whose action is always directed toward
normal by virtue of altered receptivity of tissue to stimuli in
disease."
Origins
Samuel
Hahnemann (1755-1843) was a doctor, philosopher and teacher who founded
Homeopathy. The term derives from the Greek homoios
(similar) and pathos (suffering), which is a
worldwide movement that seeks to apply a scientific approach to a
holistic perception. Hahnemann, a German, believed that everyone has
spiritual powers that can be activated by exercises in healing, mental
concentration, meditation and homeopathic medication. During his
lifetime, he was an active teacher, attracting many followers to his
ideas. Hahnemann founded several schools, wrote nearly 30 books, and
gave more than 6,000 lectures around the world on subjects including
education, medicine, agriculture, social issues, science and art. His
ideas have remained influential. Many health food stores carry products
produced by Hahnemann's system of agriculture called biodynamic
farming, which considers the health and purity of the soil, water, and
air to be of central importance.
Homeopathic
medicine is based on Hahnemann's concept that spiritual awareness is
the foundation of individual health and of the health of society.
Hahnemann believed that many of the oldest systems of healing, such as
traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, and Tibetan medicine,
were based on a spiritual perception of the world that modern science
has lost. Hahnemann wanted medicine to get back in touch with
spirituality, and at the same time keep and use wisely the gains that
science and technology have made. Thus, conventional medicine needed to
be extended beyond physical science to include a holistic spiritual
science.
Hahnemann
formally began application of his philosophy in a series of 20 lectures
in the early spring of 1796 to the medical community of a town in
Germany. It was the first such course for physicians and medical
students. He authored a foundational work for physicians wanting to
expand their practice according to Homeopathic principles.
Homeopathic
medicine is still in its early stages. Hahnemann believed that it would
take many years for his medical ideas to be fully applied. There are
thousands of Homeopathic doctors and researchers practicing in Europe,
where the main school was founded. In America, practitioners can be
found in several large cities, but the overall number of Homeopathic
physicians is very small. In India, there are at least 200,000
practitioners.
Benefits
Homeopathic
medicine can be used to treat any health condition. It is particularly
recommended for preventive care, infections, inflammatory conditions
such as arthritis, and the treatment of cancer and chronic degenerative
diseases associated with aging. It is also recommended for pediatric
(child) care, with its avoidance of toxic drugs, and is beneficial for
children's conditions such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
(ADHD) and developmental problems.
Description
The
Homeopathic concept of the body
Homeopathic
physicians have a different view of the body and health than the
conventional scientific model. Human beings are made up of four levels
("fourfoldness") of being. The first level is the physical body. The
second level is the life or etheric body, which
corresponds to the Chinese idea of chi and the
Ayurvedic idea of prana. The third level is the
soul, or astral body, and the fourth level is the spirit. Homeopathic
doctors believe that all levels of being influence a patient's health.
The
physical body is made up of a three-fold system, including the
"sense-nerve" system that comprises the head and nervous system,
supporting the mind and the thinking process. Second is the
"metabolic-limb" system that includes the digestive system for
elimination, energetic metabolism, and voluntary movement processes,
all supporting aspects of human behavior that express the will.
Finally, the rhythmic system that includes the heart and lungs in the
chest, is responsible for balancing the head and digestive systems.
According to Homeopathy, these systems tend to oppose each other in
functioning and characteristics, similar to the Chinese concept of yin
and yang. For instance, the digestive system is associated with heat
and helps to dissolve elements in the body, while the head system is
associated with cooling and helps in the formation of elements in the
body. Illness is caused when the systems of the body become out of
balance. Homeopathy involves a broad understanding of the three bodily
systems, and the illnesses associated with each system and its
imbalance. This model provides practitioners a means for therapeutic
insight now recognized as mind-body relationships in health and disease.
In
Homeopathic medicine, illness is considered a significant event in a
person's life, and not just a chance occurrence. One role of the doctor
is to understand, and help the patient understand, the significance of
the illness on all levels of being. Conventional medicine tends to
suppress illness, using drugs to block the symptoms. Homeopathic doctors
believe that true healing must first bring an illness out in order to
heal it, and that healing requires change and development in the
patient on several levels.
Homeopathy
also asserts, as did the early healer Paracelsus, that every illness
has a cure that can be found in nature. Paracelsus is the pseudonym for
a Swiss-born alchemist and physician who lived from 1493–1541. Nature
and the human body are made up of the plant, animal, and mineral
kingdoms, and thus Homeopathic doctors use medicines that are made from
plants, animals (usually in the form of organ extracts), and minerals. Homeopathic remedies are
usually given in homeopathic doses, which are very diluted, non-toxic
solutions.
Qualification
of a Homeopathic physician
There
are no universal standards for homeopathic
education, so licensing and regulation varies from country to country
and from state to state within each country. In some countries, all (or
virtually all) professionals that use homeopathic
treatments are MDs (such as France, Spain, Argentina, Colombia). Some countries have
exclusively homeopathic medical schools (India,
Pakistan, Mexico etc.), some have naturopathic medicine colleges in
which students are taught homeopathy as part of their curriculum
(Germany has its "heilpraktica"/health practitioners; the U.S.A.,
Canada, and Australia have naturopathic medicine schools that include
homeopathy), and some countries certify "professional homeopaths" who
have attended homeopathic schools and who then pass
independent examinations that grant "certification" as homeopaths. In
the U.S.A., there is also a separate certification process available
only to MDs and DOs (there are similar choices of certification
available in the U.K. for medical doctors, who've done at least MBBS).
Also in the U.S.A., naturopathic physicians have their own homeopathic certifying agency.
In
Europe, homeopathy is practiced by many conventional physicians,
including 30-40% of French doctors and 20% of German doctors. Some
homeopathic
treatment is partly covered by some European public health services,
including in France and Denmark. In the U.K., five homeopathic
hospitals are funded by the National
Health Service (NHS)
and homeopathic
remedies are sold over the counter, and there, homeopathy is one of the
most popular alternative and complementary treatment modalities. Of
248,000 registered practitioners of medicine in the U.K., about 400 are
members of the Faculty of Homeopathy. However, homeopathy is still not
a fully regulated profession in the U.K.—anyone can declare themselves
to be a homeopath and practice without any qualification ("common law"
that allows freedom of choice in medical care in England has a long
history).
In
France and Denmark licenses are required to diagnose any illness or to
dispense any product whose purpose is to treat illness. In many
countries, however, there are no specific legal regulations concerning
homeopathy. In Austria, the public health service generally requires
proof of effectiveness to reimburse medical treatments, but makes an
exception for homeopathy.
In
India, where there are more than 200,000 registered practitioners of
homeopathy, homeopathy is formally recognised by the Government as one
of the Indian "National Systems of Medicine", under the Department of
AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy),
while conventional, western medical education is controlled by the
Medical Council of India. About 10% of the Indian population depends solely
on homeopathy for their health care needs. In India, it is illegal to
practice as a homeopath without a license and professional
qualifications.
Almost
70% of all over-the-counter homeopathic
remedies are sold in Western Europe. France is the largest market for homeopathic
remedies in the world, worth over 300 million euros in 2003 (in a total
over-the-counter drug market of over 770 billion euros), followed by
Germany (200 million euros). The global self-medication market is
estimated at 48.2 billion dollars (13.4% of the world pharmaceuticals
market), of which sales of homeopathic
remedies account for 0.3%.
Preparations
Homeopathic
doctors may give new patients packages of materials before treatment,
which include thorough questionnaires and explanations of Homeopathy. Homeopathic physicians
encourage patients to prepare for treatment by becoming willing to take
responsibility for their condition and health, and to change their
behaviours and lifestyles in the interest of healing.
Side
effects
Homeopathic
medications are safe and non-toxic. During treatment, some patients may
experience what doctors call a "healing crises." During these, patients
may temporarily experience a worsening of symptoms as part of the
healing process, including fever, headaches, nausea, weakness, muscle
soreness, and other symptoms (but this is more of an exception than a
rule). These are not exactly side effects, but a temporary stimulation
of the natural healing processes.
Research
& general acceptance
Active
research in Homeopathy is being regularly conducted in the U.K.,
Germany, Holland, Switzerland, and France and India. Several research
organizations performing patient-centered research have shown promising
results with the Homeopathic cure for cancer and other
conditions. Other research has shown that Homeopathy is less expensive
than conventional medical treatment, with 50% fewer illness days than
when treated by conventional practitioners. Current research studies
appear in the quarterly Journal of the American Institute of
Homeopathy, as well as in European and Indian publications.
For proof/evidence that
Homeopathy is effective, please click here: Efficacy
studies.
We also teach
Meditation and use hypnotherapy where required.