Homeopathy as an adjunct to allopathic therapy
Abstract
More and more patients are seeking alternative medical therapies and in order to provide the best possible care for our patients, it is our responsibility to learn about the variety of options out there that patients may choose to seek out in order to improve their health. In the following article I aim to recount my experiences during my 3rd year elective in homeopathy. Homeopathy dates back to about 200 hundred years ago when Dr. Hahnemann proposed the “Law of Similars” – the basic tenant of homeopathy. All homeopathic remedies are based on this law and are produced via the process of potentization – repeated dilutions and successions of a substance that was found to be the cause of the patient’s ailment. The remedies aim to treat the root of the illness rather than just its symptoms and to get at the root, homeopaths consider not only the current symptoms but also constitutional symptoms such as the patient’s personality, temperament and his/her social, occupational and family history. Homeopaths spend a considerable amount of time with new patients in order to get a complete history and patients walk away feeling like they’ve been truly heard. These long therapy sessions are a definite benefit of homeopathy and after spending some time in this elective, I believe that homeopathy could be a welcome adjunct to allopathy in order to provide patients with the most comprehensive care possible.
