Gastrointestinal Illness – The Homeopathic Perspective

What is homeopathy?

Homeopathy is a system of natural medicine, used by millions of people worldwide for over two centuries. Homeopathic medicines are prepared from natural sources and used in extremely small amounts. They are non-toxic, and when properly administered can be safely used with infants, children, and adults.

The basis of homeopathy lies within the principle of the Law of Similars: like cures like. If a large dose of a medicine can cause a set of specific symptoms, then a very small dose of this same medicine will cure those same symptoms. Over the last 200 years, patients being treated with homeopathic medicines have repeatedly proven this law, both experientially and clinically.

Around the World

Homeopathic medicines are used throughout the world, particularly in Europe, Australia, South America, and India. The Royal Family in England retains the services of a homeopathic physician. In Europe, homeopathy is often part of an integrated health care approach, and many physicians use homeopathic medicines in their daily practices. There are 6,000 homeopaths in Germany, where homeopathy originated, and where it is required study in medical school. In England and France, 40% of medical doctors refer patients to homeopathic practitioners for certain conditions and pharmacies are required to carry homeopathic medicines. London and Glasgow have homeopathic hospitals where doctors use homeopathic medicines in conjunction with conventional medical practices. In India, there are over 100,000 homeopathic physicians and Mother Teresa used homeopathic medicines in her hospital in Calcutta. The World Health Organization has cited homeopathy as a system of medicine that should be integrated worldwide with conventional medicine. Here in North America, there is a rapidly growing acceptance of homeopathy as part of a complementary health care system.

Clinical Research

The field of homeopathic medicine is still an enigma to modern medical scientists because of the high dilutions of the homeopathic medicines used in clinical practice, and also because the mechanisms of action of these highly dilute substances remain unknown. Clinical trials comparing homeopathic treatment to placebo have been published in respected medical journals such as The British Medical Journal, and The Lancet, and they indicate that homeopathy is an effective form of treatment for many health conditions, even if we don’t yet understand how and why it works. In support of the effectiveness of homeopathic treatment, we also have 200 years of clinical experience gathered from all over the world by highly respected homeopathic practitioners; many of whom are also medical doctors.

How can homeopathy help you?

Under normal circumstances, your body’s built-in healing system is at work creating optimal health. Every minute of every day, every cell of your body tries to create a healthy balance called homeostasis, but stress, lifestyle, and environmental pollutants interfere with this process. This is when symptoms and illnesses begin to occur. Homeopathic remedies work by strengthening the existing system.

The correct homeopathic medicine will act to stimulate and rebuild the body’s healing system, and to restore a state of health rather than to simply treat the symptoms. This differs from conventional medicine, which tends to suppress symptoms, often using high doses of drugs that can cause side effects.

For some acute conditions, you may see a significant improvement within hours of taking a homeopathic medicine. For chronic conditions, especially if they are of long-term duration, you can expect progressive improvement of symptoms over a period of months. Once you have regained a state of healthy functioning, you will no longer need to continue with the treatment. Not all cases respond to homeopathic treatment, but some treatment results can be excellent.

Homeopathy is a truly holistic medicine

Homeopathy treats each person individually when choosing the correct medicine. Each person is unique, each person's response to stress and pathogens is different, and each person’s pattern of susceptibility to illness differs. The homeopathic practitioner selects the most appropriate medicine for each individual based on a careful consideration of all his or her physical symptoms and also their emotional state. Homeopaths believe that the physical, mental, and emotional aspects are interrelated, and the correct medicine must match a person’s symptoms on all of these levels in order to be effective.

Can you use homeopathic medicines on your own?

It is possible to learn to use certain homeopathic medicines for acute and first aid conditions, however, for chronic conditions it is important to seek out a qualified professional homeopathic practitioner. Each person’s symptoms are unique, and an in-depth interview, generally 1.5 to 2 hours long, is required in order to determine the correct treatment plan. Homeopathy is a scientific practice, and practitioners receive several years of training and clinical supervision. Look for a practitioner that has a C.C.H., R.S.Hom., or D.H.A.N.P. certification, which indicates that they have completed a rigorous program of study, clinical practice, and certification examinations.

Homeopathy for bowel disorders

Those readers who attend support groups for bowel disorders – such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) – are aware that other people’s symptoms are a bit different from their own. While there are many similarities, each person has a unique symptom pattern, and this is what homeopaths seek to understand in choosing the correct medicine. There is no single medicine that is applicable in all cases of Crohn’s or colitis or IBS, because each person’s symptoms are different.

The easiest way to understand this is by example. One homeopathic medicine that may be used to treat IBD has the following symptom pattern:

diarrhea with acrid, burning, and watery stools,
sometimes with mucous or blood in the stool,
anxiety and restlessness,
chilly and desires heat.

Another medicine is indicated when the symptom pattern is as follows:

diarrhea with much flatus and sputtering, involuntary stool,
diarrhea worse in the morning and may drive the patient out of bed,
stool mixed with jelly-like mucous, sometimes alternating with constipation.

A third medicine would be appropriate if the diarrhea is very watery, profuse, and explosive in nature, with faintness or weakness after stool passage. If the mucous is milky white in colour, or if there is much bleeding with the stool, other medicines are indicated. These are only a few examples of the many different homeopathic medicines that are commonly used to treat bowel diseases and disorders.

What can the patient expect in terms of treatment results for bowel disorders? Homeopaths always attempt to bring the patient into complete remission. For some patients, homeopathic treatment may have excellent results. There are also cases where it is not effective. We try to provide sufficient information for the patient to make an informed choice when considering homeopathic treatment. Constant monitoring of the patient’s condition, in conjunction with the patient’s own physician, is an essential part of treatment.

Homeopathy for hemorrhoids

Again, there is great variation in hemorrhoidal symptoms. Are they congested? Protruding? Itching? Throbbing? Painful? Accompanied by rectal spasms? Better for cold or hot applications? Occurring with menopause? There are many possible medicines a homeopath will consider when treating hemorrhoids. One common homeopathic medicine is indicated for people who tend to be very hard-working, competitive, and ambitious – often known as Type A personalities. They tend to be impatient, and easily angered or irritated. They may rely on stimulants such as coffee, alcohol, or drugs. They tend to have problems with constipation as well as painful hemorrhoids. They may also suffer from peptic ulcers, or sharp, cramping abdominal pains.

Other gastrointestinal conditions

Homeopathy is an effective form of treatment for other gastrointestinal conditions as well, including peptic and duodenal ulcers, hiatus hernia, gall bladder disorders, liver conditions, acute diarrhea, food poisoning with symptoms of diarrhea and vomiting, chronic vomiting, and diverticulosis.

Homeopathy for the Fibromyalgia Connection

Studies have shown that 30% to 70% of those who have irritable bowel syndrome also have fibromyalgia, with symptoms of muscular aching, pain and stiffness, tiredness and fatigue, and difficulty sleeping. In choosing the correct medicine, the homeopath looks at the full pattern of symptoms – not just the gastrointestinal symptoms, but also any other symptoms that the patient may have. The correctly prescribed medicine can help not only with the bowel symptoms, but also with the fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue symptoms. Why is that possible? The correct medicine works by stimulating the body’s healing system, so it is very common to experience relief of many different types of symptoms. Homeopathy is truly holistic medicine – all symptoms are connected, they are all part of the same picture of imbalance, and when the body’s healing system works to restore balance and health, all the connected symptoms can improve.

Depression and Anxiety

These often occur in conjunction with disorders such as Crohn’s, colitis, and irritable bowel syndrome. Homeopathy can help restore a sense of emotional well-being without the use of anti-depressant or anti-anxiety medications. Homeopathy is one of the most effective treatments available for treating depression and anxiety, and in many of these cases, patients can expect excellent and rapid results.

Cindy Papso, C.C.H
First published in The Inside Tract® Newsletter Issue 125 May/June 2001