Homeopathy I basics - Questions Flashcards
Break down the word homoeopathy
Homeo = similar
Pathy = disease
Define homoeopathy
A system of medicine that uses specifically prepared natural substances in order to facilitate the bodies own natural healing process
identify two ways in which homoeopathy differs from allopathy
Homoeopathy:
Treat the whole person
View symptoms as an expression of dis-ease, not THE dis-ease
Allopathy:
Views symptoms as the dis-ease to cure
Break down the word allopathy
Allos = against
Pathy = disease
define the word allopathy
A system of medicine that uses manipulated chemical/drugs to TREAT THE SYMPTOMS of disease
who founded homoeopathy and when?
Samuel Christian Hahnemann (1755 to 1843)
how did Hahneman discover homoeopathy?
He took a small dose of cinchona and discovered he got to malaria symptoms.
He gave cinchona to patients with malaria and discovered their malaria disappeared
Therefore if the healthy person took cinchona, it caused malaria symptoms and if a patient with malaria took cinchona they were cured
what was the concept hahneman discovered and named?
The laws of similars
what else can you call the laws of similars
Like cures like
who else discovered a similar concept of ‘like cures like’?
Hippocrates
He stated “illnesses arise by similar things and by similar things can the sick be made well”
why was the term homoeopathy coined?
Because homeo = similar, pathy = disease = like cure is like
What will a substance due to a healthy person
A substance is capable of producing symptoms in a healthy person will relieve similar symptoms occurring as an expression of disease
give some examples of the laws of similar / like cures like remedies?
Being venom for a bee sting = Apis
Coffee for insomnia = Coffea
Onion for runny nose/allergies = Allium
Snake venom for a snakebite = Lachesis
According to the laws of similar how would you treat a fever?
Tepid water and dab the person’s skin to mimic the bodies natural way of cooling = perspiration
according to the laws of similar how would you treat frostbite?
Rub affected part with snow (similar temperature) and warm it up slowly
according to the laws of similar how would you treat burns/heatstroke?
Apply something warm (similar temperature), cool slowly.
How does the allopathic approach go again the concept of the law of similars?
It uses measures that go against the natural mechanism and uses drugs to suppress e.g. calpol/paracetamol fever
what is Potentisation?
making a substance more potent through succession and dilution
why did Hahnemann dilute the medicines?
Crude doses were often poisonous to people and making them sick from the poison itself.
He found diluting the medicines caused less toxicity and they still worked
what is succession?
Succession is shaking or banging the already diluted remedy so it becomes more powerful/potent
What happens to a remedy the more it is diluted and succussed?
It becomes more potent
What other three scales homoeopathic remedies are potentised to?
Decimal scale, centesimal scale and millesimal scale
what is the dilution ratio of a decimal scale, and what is it represented as and why?
Dilution = 1:10
X or D
Latin = Decimus = the tenth
What is the dilution ratio of a centesimal scale, and what is it presented as and why?
Dilution = 1:100
C or CH or CK
Latin = Centesimal = hundred or
Centesimal Hahnemannian potency
what is the dilution ratio of a millesimal scale, and what is it presented as?
Dilution = 1:1000
M
Latin = millesimal = thousand
what does the millesimal scale further branch into?
Fifty Millesimal scale
what is the dilution ratio of fifty millesimal scale, and what is it presented as?
Dilution = 1:50,000
LM (L - 50, M = 1000 = 50,000)
what is the carrier substance?
Carrier substance is required when making A remedy.
What is the preferred carrier substance?
Alcohol due to its stability. (30% alcohol preserves for > 10 years)
what are the carrier substances can be used?
lactase/sucrose
Explain the differences in decimal 1D, 2D, 3D potencies
E.g. arnica
1D arnica: 1 part arnica o + 9 parts alcohol, and successions x 10
2D arnica: 1 part arnica 1D + 9 parts alcohol, and successions x 10
3D arnica: 1 part arnica 2D + 9 parts alcohol, and successions x 10
Explain the differences in decimal 1C, 2C, 3C potencies
E.g. arnica
1C arnica: 1 part arnica o + 99 parts alcohol, and successions x 10
2C arnica: 1 part arnica 1C + 99 parts alcohol, and successions x 10
3C arnica: 1 part arnica 2C + 99 parts alcohol, and successions x 10
which potencies are usually used in England?
C potencies;
The most common potencies in England are;
6C, 12C, 33C, 200C, 1000C (1M), 10,000 (XM), 50,000 (50M), 100,000C (CM),1,000,000 (MM)
What are the most suitable potencies for first aid prescribing?
30C and 200C are most suitable for first aid prescribing
which potencies are predominantly used in Germany and France
D and LM potencies
Define vital force
The energy or spirit, which animates living creatures
It is the energy that enables all living things to self heal and maintain homoeostasis
Break down the word vital force
Vital = essential
Force = Energy
I.e. energy that is essential for life
what is the vital force called in other cultures?
Qi, Prana, Life force
What does ill health represent in regards to the vital force
Disruption to the vital force
How do homoeopathic remedies to promote self-healing in regards to the vital force?
Stimulate and strengthen
what does proving mean?
From the German word ‘Profung’ meaning to examine or test
Homoeopathic prepared substance is given to healthy volunteers
Through accordingly the effects (e.g. health disturbances that the substance induces), a pattern unique to that substance is established and used as the basis of treatment.
Treatment addresses states of ill-health - provings induced states of ill-health = the laws of similars
Recognising the state of ill health of an individual and matching it with the state of ill-health induced by a homoeopathic remedy is the art of homoeopathy
what are the provers?
Healthy people who volunteer to take part in proving
What did Constantine Hering discover?
The law of cure
what other five laws of cure?
- From inside out
- From more serious organs to less serious organs
- From above to below
- The mind gets better before the body
- Symptoms disappear in the reverse order to when they arrived
what does it mean in Herring’s law of cure when symptoms progress in the reverse order to when they arrived?
Healing is taking place
what does it mean inheritance Law of cure when symptoms progress in the opposite direction (i.e. not in the reverse order to when they arrived)?
Suppression
What does herings law of cure inside out mean and give an example?
clears toxins from the inside to exterior away from more vital organs
E.g. boiled formation
Give an example of herings law of cure - from the more serious organs two less serious organs
From lungs (asthma) to skin (eczema)
Give an example of herings law of cure - from the above to below
E.g. psoriasis which moves from the back of the ears, down the arms to the hands
Give an example of herings law of cure - mind gets better before The body
Anxiety starts improving quieter the improvement of IBS
Give an example of herings law of cure - symptoms disappear in the reverse order to when they arrived
Eczema that progress to asthma. Asthma resolves first
What is the suppression of symptoms?
Suppression occurs when symptomatic relief is provided without addressing the underlying imbalance
what happens when symptoms are suppressed?
It drives the issue deeper
It is the reverse order of herings law of cure
how can suppression occur?
Suppression of emotions
Suppression of natural body secretions
Local applications
Surgical removal
Suppression of recurring infections
Suppression through palliatives
Given example of suppressor medications / procedures
Suppression of emotions - antidepressant drugs
Removal of tonsils
The removal of warts
Drugs/cold wraps
Coal tar/zinc creams
Corticosteroid use
Antibiotic use
What can antidepressant drugs lead to?
Deep-seated anxiety and depression
what can removal of tonsils cause?
Can result in common colds or throat infections that spread rapidly and develop into chest infections
what can the removal of warts lead to?
The formation of benign tumours and growth deeper in the body e.g. fibroids, intestinal/nasal polyps.
Warts may return a few years later with increased size and quantity
What do fever suppressants e.g. drugs/cold wraps do to the immune response?
Impedes the immune response, allowing the imbalance to deepen
what can cold tar/zinc creams for eczema or psoriasis cause?
Skin eruptions to spread more superficially and push the disease state deeper resulting in imbalances such as asthma and anxiety
what do corticosteroids used for e.g. asthma and eczema, do?
Compromise the immune system and can also weaken adrenal function, reducing resilience to stress
what does antibiotic use do?
Disrupt the bowel flora and can lead to long-term gastric disruption as well as various sequela associated with dysbiosis including autoimmunity, neurological and mood issues
how does suppression of symptoms affect the vital force?
It blocks the flow of energy. When we suppress the bodies way in which to communicate dis-ease, the body will find an alternative means in communication (e.g. signs and symptoms)
The alternative is often more deep-seated, and more detrimental to the functioning and longevity of the individual e.g. cancer, autoimmunity
what are homoeopathic remedies derived from?
Minerals and chemicals
Animal
Plant
Nosodes
Sorcodes
Imponderables
give an example of a mineral/chemical sourced remedy
Calcium phosphate
give an example of an animal sourced homoeopathic remedy?
Sepia - ink of the squid
give an example of a plant sourced homoeopathic remedy?
Pulsatilla (pasque flower)
what are nosodes? And give an example?
Disease tissue
E.g. Syphilinum (product of syphilis)
what are sarcodes? And get an example
Healthy gland secretions of human, animal or plant origin - not of pathological nature
E.g. ambra (secretion of the sperm whale)
what are imponderables?
Remedies derived from energies e.g. electricity, x-rays, sun, moon
what are the different preparation types for homoeopathic remedies?
Liquids potencies
Lactase/sucrose tablets, pills, granules
Cream/appointments
Powders
Ampules (eyedrops are injectables)
Sprays
how are homoeopathic remedies usually absorbed?
Orally under the town (sublingual) But can also be administered in other ways e.g. topically
what are the different types of homoeopathic practitioners?
Classical
Clinical
Complex
how does the clinical homoeopathic practitioner work?
Single remedies, largely based on Kent: totality of symptoms (Sx) with mind as generally the top of the ‘hierarchy of symptoms’ (low to high potencies)
how does a clinical homoeopathic practitioner work?
Non individualised e.g. arnica for bruising; organ remedies to support e.g. heart, liver function (low potencies)
how does a complex from a profit practitioner work?
Polypharmacy are you giving many remedies at the same time
what information should a homoeopath tape from my client when case taking
A thorough case taking investigates the whole person– mental, emotional and physical symptoms with emphasis on how the individual client experiences those symptoms
Include e.g.:
Characteristic nature and onset of symptoms
How the person feels (sensation, emotional response, what makes symptoms better or worse)
Past medical history
Family medical history
What are modalities in homoeopathy?
Certain factors that affect or modify a symptom i.e. make the symptom better or worse
How are modalities denoted?
> better for (ameliorated by)
< worse for (advocated by)
What modalities do you include in case taking?
Time of day, posture (sitting, lying), movement, weather, temperature, light, noise, touch/pressure
how are homoeopathic remedies individualised?
Looks at the totality of the symptoms in the individual and:
1. Matches them to the correct picture (simillimum - like cures like)
2. Determines the correct potency and frequency of dose
3. Considers obscure cure
how does a homoeopath determine the correct potency and frequency dose?
Influenced by:
Whether the condition is acute or chronic
The state of the vital force (weak to robust) - the potency ideally needs to be slightly stronger than the vital force
Give an example of an obstacle to cure?
Poor diet ( disrupt the vital force and therefore the ability to respond to the remedy)
A client with eczema who continues to use corticosteroids cream (suppression)
when is repetition between doses shorter?
The more acute the situation is (an acute response requires more vital force energy, therefore, more frequent doses are required to maintain the healing response)
How should remedy repetition look in chronic states and why?
The Vital force is usually weaker, thus the remedy is repeated at less frequent intervals to match the level of vitality
why might a remedy stop working?
- The patient is cured
- The remedy has been suppressed (e.g. peppermint toothpaste)
- The patient needs a ‘stronger’ remedy (the remedy is a much but the potency is not adequate)
- Change of remedy needed (change of state has occurred and the original simillimum no longer applies)
why would you argue the placebo effect (alone) cannot be attributed to improvements in the homoeopathy?
Shown to be effective in babies and young children
Change be effective in patients to comatose
Change be effective in treating animals
When can a naturopathic practitioner use homoeopathy?
First aid (to provide rapid relief as a sole treatment or if required, until further medical attention can be sought)When should you refer to a homoeopathic practitioner
When should you refer to a homoeopathic practitioner?
For acute and chronic prescribing
What is acute prescribing?
Acute prescribing can overlap with first aid prescribing, however in general is more serious requiring more in-depth knowledge
what is chronic prescribing?
Chronic (lower potencies with less frequent repetition that taken for longer periods of time - Focus more on constitutional prescribing
How should hhomeopathic remedies be taken?
Clean mouth
Avoid using mint 30 minutes before and after (can inhibit absorption of the remedy)
Avoid handling the pills as it may reduce their effectiveness
Pills should be sucked or chewed, not swallowed with water
Avoid Food& Drink 15 minutes before and after
Store in a dry dark place away from strong odours
