What is Constitutional Homeopathy?
Homeopathy is a 200-year-old medical system that can be used to treat a wide variety of illnesses and issues. It is the second most used medical system worldwide A homeopathic remedy is a very small dose of a healing substance from an animal, plant or mineral. A homeopath listens to and observes your symptoms and then looks for a “similar” – a remedy that would bring about the same symptom in a healthy person. The remedies are highly diluted so that they stimulate your inner healing resources and your body’s own defenses.
There are 2 main types of homeopathic treatments:
1) Classical Homeopathy is generally used for acute conditions to treat the immediate symptoms that you are having.
2) Constitutional Homeopathy matches the personality of the patient to the remedy matching up the total of the physical and mental/emotional symptoms. Your constitutional remedy is generally the same throughout your life, although sometimes children do change as they get older. Constitutional Homeopathy can be very beneficial for chronic conditions.
Finding a constitutional remedy is a very exact science so it is often best to see a trained homeopath for this purpose.
What are the Benefits and Risks of Homeopathy?
When the medicines are prescribed correctly they act rapidly, deeply and curatively stimulating the body’s defenses rather then just suppressing your symptoms. If however, the wrong remedy is used then there is generally no effect. Homeopathic remedies because they are given in such small doses do not have side effects.
Generally, one remedy is the most effective for treating your symptoms. Combination formulas that are widely available and have numerous remedies in very low doses are generally not as effective.
What can I expect at an Appointment?
Because remedies are matched to the whole person, case-taking is extremely important. You should expect your first homeopathy appointment to take about 2 hours. You will be asked questions about your physical conditions as well as all facets of your life. Some of these questions may seem very personal, so it is important to develop a trusting relationship with your homeopath and answer the questions as honestly as possible. The more you are able to share, the more like your homeopath is to find the right remedy.
The homeopath will then go over your case and prescribe a remedy – not to meet a specific condition but the totality of your symptoms and personality.
For an acute condition, if the right remedy was chosen an improvement will be seen within a few hours, if not a few minutes. The remedy may need to be repeated often for a few days.
In constitutional homeopathy, or chronic conditions, a remedy is given once and may take up to 2 weeks to work. As long as the patient is continuing to improve another dose is not needed. If there is no improvement, another dose may be given, or a different remedy selected. Guidance by your homeopath will therefore be necessary during this time.
References:
Grandgeorge MD, D (1998). The Spirit of Homeopathic Medicines. Berkeley, CA, North Atlantic Books
Bailey MD, P (1995). Homeopathic Psychology: Personality Profiles of the Major Constitutional Remedies. Berkeley, CA, North Atlantic Books
Panos MD, M & Heimlich, J (1980). Homeopathic Medicine at Home. NewYork, Penguin Putnam Inc
Cumming MD, S & Ullman MPH, Dana (1997). Everybody’s Guide to Homeopathic Medicine. New York, Penguin Putnam Inc
