Homeopathy, a form of complementary medicine, provides a gentle approach to the healing of illness, and as such holds many benefits for patients. A therapeutic treatment, it has been around for 200 years and was initially developed by a German physician, Samuel Hahnemann, who explored a different way of healing, according to the concept of the "Law of Similars." The Fact Sheet on Traditional Medicine from the World Health Organization states, "In many developed countries, 70 to 80 percent of the population has used some form of alternative or complementary medicine."
Homeopathic Consultation
The time allotted for a homeopathic consultation is something that many patients find helpful. The initial consultation usually lasts from 60 to 90 minutes and subsequent follow-up sessions last about 30 to 45 minutes, providing an environment that is conducive to fully exploring what ails the patient. Dr. Rita Charon of the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Columbia University has said that today's sophisticated medicine seems to be impersonal. She writes that because specialists are "consumed with the scientific elements in health care they seem divided from the ordinary human experience that surrounds pain, suffering, and dying." Homeopathic practitioners have long espoused the art of listening as a catalyst for healing.
Non-judgmental
Dr. Samuel Hahnemann wrote his philosophy of homeopathy in the "Organon of Medicine," advising that the physician must become the unprejudiced observer and observe the patient without judgment and evaluation. This essential aspect of the practice of homeopathy, which enables the patient to fully explain his symptoms, is vital to the therapeutic art of listening wherein the patient feels recognized and affirmed and becomes pro-active in the healing process.
No Toxic Side-Effects
Homeopathic remedies are prepared according to strict pharmaceutical guidelines through a process of succussion and dilution, ensuring that no material substance remains in the remedy. To date, no homeopathic remedy has been "recalled," and there are no known negative side effects. As with other energy medicines like acupuncture, homeopathy works with the body to encourage healing through stimulation of the body's ability to heal itself.
Totality of Symptoms
One of the greatest benefits of using homeopathic treatment is the complete analysis of an individual's illness. Every symptom a person has, whether mental or emotional, is considered by the homeopathic practitioner along with a patient's physical complaints. Homeopathy is strictly attuned to deliver a customized solution for each individual, taking into account a totality of symptoms from all levels of the human experience from stomachaches to nightmares, from muscular tension to grief and stress.
Treats the Whole Person
The most basic tenet of the art and science of homeopathy is that it treats the whole person and not just the presenting illness or disease. Taking the totality of symptoms, a prescription is made for the individual in a holistic manner rather than solely for the "diseased" part itself. Homeopathy is a form of narrative medicine combined with energy medicine that fully benefits each individual's well being and welfare.
References
- How Homeoapathic Remedies are Made
- "Narrative Medicine: Honoring the Stories of Illness"; Rita Charon, M.D.; 2008
- SAMUEL HAHNEMANN "Organon of Medicine" 6th Edition, B Jain Publishers, New Delhi.
- The Homeopathic Consultation
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