ESCP BSc (Hons) LCHE RSHom
Homeopath and integrated Health Practitioner
What is Homeopathy?
Homeopathy is a system of medicine that uses naturally occurring substances that are prepared following a very methodical series of dilutions and vigorous vortex-like shaking (called succussions or potentisations).
This is only one of its defining features. Its most famous one is its principle of cure also expressed as ‘likes are cured by likes’, ‘treating with similars’ or 'similia similibus curantur'.
It may come as a surprise that there is more than one way to treat disease!
And yet, there is a multitude of ancient and more recent texts describing and analysing this:
knowledge of the law of similars as Nature’s curative law goes far back into the very beginnings of recorded medical history. Even in ancient Greece, when Hippocrates described it, knowledge of it had already long existed within the history of medicine.
Why such a fundamental law of cure is so blatantly ignored nowadays is an extremely interesting question, which in order to be fully answered, would require writing a book whose ramifications would be mythological, historical, philosophical, psychological, economic, sociological, political and financial.
Homeopathic treatment aims to stimulate and direct the body’s self-healing capacity by triggering a reaction. The body reacts to stimuli, which have physiological effects that attempt to maintain a stable internal environment. Homeopathy makes therapeutic use of this effect.
Let us take an example: the seeds of a plant called Strychnos Nux Vomica, which contains various alkaloids amongst which a poisonous one called strychnine. Sometime after ingestion, it will start producing the following physical and mental symptoms:
A headache or migraine accompanied with photophobia and coryza, aversion to cold air and drafts, and desire for heat, and a general state of oversensitivity to odours, noise, and light.
Sleepiness during the day but sleeplessness at night particularly between 3 and 4 a.m. where thoughts about work or considerations revolving around duty or responsibility prevent from returning to sleep.
Another key feature is the effect on the digestive system resulting in gastric derangements, pain and cramping in the abdomen, vomiting, constipation and constant ineffectual urging. The bladder can be affected and cystitis with constant urging to urinate may be present too.
Emotionally, the state that this substance brings about is one of irritability, impatience, stress, violent impulses and a possibility to become really aggressive.
According to the homeopathic principle of similarity, someone presenting this type of symptoms is likely to return naturally to a symptom-free state by taking some homeopathic Nux Vomica.
An important comment is that Homeopathy is not a generic or 'umbrella' term describing a variety of different natural therapies. It is derived from natural substances but differs from herbal medicine or traditional Chinese medicine for instance, and is its own unique therapeutic system.
“No individual has done more good to the medical profession than the founder of Homeopathy, Samuel Hahnemann."
Sir William Ostler (the father of modern medicine), 1905