Why A Homeopath Ask So Many Questions?

Hey, This medicine helped me with a similar condition why don't you try it out too!

We have all faced this. There are times when we are tempted to recommend a medicine that had helped us to another person.

While this is a dangerous practice, it is fairly common practice in India and  other developing and third world countries and needs to be discouraged by all means. But then we have what is called OTC (Over The Counter) drugs that don't need a prescription can be easily purchased from a medical drug store.

First, let us take the case of Urinary Tract Infection or UTI as it is commonly referred to. 

A Google search will throw up commonly prescribe antibiotics and other drugs used to treat this condition. Your friendly neighbourhood chemist will quickly present your with few options when asked.

So, why does a homeopath ask so many questions?
To understand this we first got to understand How does a Homeopath prescribe? 

Let us understand it with an example in the case of UTI. A Homeopath will individualize your symptoms to select the best remedy suited for you. The Homeopath will want to know the character of the pain - scalding, burning etc., the location of the pain and the direction the pain travels, the odour of the urine - smells like violet, ammonia, onion...,  the colour of the urine and other discharges, history of other conditions like cystitis, asthma, depression etc. The sum of all these symptoms will help the homeopath find 'the remedy' which is capable of curing your permanently. Below are listed few remedies which if someone with UTI reads will say - Yes, this is about me!

Cantharis: The primary symptom is intense scalding or burning pain, either with or without urination. Urine is passed by drops and each drop of urine passed is often described as being like passing burning acid. There may also be anxiety, restlessness, urinary tenesmus (frequent straining to empty), haematuria (appearance of blood in the urine), the urine may appear jelly-like or contain substances with the appearance of scales. Symptoms are worse from drinking coffee, drinking or hear running water and better from cold applications, rubbing, and having completely voided (emptied) the bladder.

Arsenicum album: The keynote feature for this remedy is burning pain. The sufferer may appear thirsty, anxious and restless. There’s often frequent urging that produces very little urine, and the urine that is produced may be scanty, burning and albuminous. White cells, red cells, and epithelial cells may be present in the urine. Other indicators are diarrhea, chilliness, as well as weakness or exhaustion. Symptoms are worse after midnight and from cold or cold drinks and better for heat and warm drinks.

Equisetum: The indicators here include a history of urinary and fecal incontinence with a dull pain in the area of the bladder or right-sided lumbar pain and a feeling of fullness or incomplete emptying of the bladder that is not relieved by urination. The urine is normally albuminous and is only produced drop by drop. There is often frequent urging to urinate with strong burning urethral pain, especially at the end of urination. Symptoms are worse on the right side, from motion, from sitting or pressure and are better in the afternoon and from lying down. 

Benzoic acid: A person who requires Benzoic acid will usually report that their urine is dark brown and has a strong and offensive ammoniacal odor. There may be a history of depression, asthma, enuresis, cystitis, gout, cracking joints and renal insufficiency. Sufferers may also have an odor about them like urine. Symptoms are worse from cold and motion and better from heat and profuse urination.

Staphysagria: The UTI will commonly develop after sexual intercourse, giving rise to what is often referred to as honeymoon cystitis. Foreign bodies such as catheters, cystoscopes, and surgical procedures may also be implicated as the cause of the infection. Symptoms are worse from anger, touching affected parts or sexual excess and better from warmth, rest at night and lying curled up on the side. Those needing this remedy may appear to be sensitive, nervous and irritable and have a history of recurring cystitis or prostatitis, and often it’s triggered by internalised anger, emotional upset or while convalescing. The pain in this instance may be burning in character and occur during or long after urination has ceased.  

Let us now look at individualisation when it comes to treating babies suffering during the period of dentition. 

For the purpose of education, I list below few remedies and their indicated symptoms that will help you appreciate the level of individualisation that goes into homeopathic prescribing.

Belladonna:  'The Deadly Night Shade' as it  is referred to in the article is  administered in potency 30c and upwards (where material presence is not seen by any device known to science this far) is prescribed when the baby Moans and groans a good deal; starts suddenly from sleep as if frightened; face and eyes are red, head is hot, Gums are swollen and inflamed. 

Chamomilla: This is prescribed if the child starts and jumps from sleep; very irritable, quiet only when carried; stools are green, slimy mucus or like chopped eggs and spinach, smelling like rotten eggs. (hope this observation by homeopaths has not spoilt your appetite ) Gums red and tender, one cheek red and hot, the other pale and cold.

* The cry of a child requiring Chamomilla is irritating to the point that one feels like giving a whack. While a child requiring Pulsatilla has a cry that's Piteous and you would want to molly cuddle the child.

Calcarea-Phos: Stool green and slimy or thin greenish; great flatulence; refused to nurse or nurses all the time. (most commonly observed and hence frequently and routinely prescribed).

and you must read one more of many other remedies that can be prescribed basis individualization.

Cina: Picks, bores into or rubs the nose, cross, peevish, restless sleep; will not sleep without rocking; white turbid urine; watery diarrhea containing lumps of white mucus, like pieces of popped corn. 

Silicea: Children with large heads; open fontanelles; profuse sour-smelling sweat on the head; difficult stool which recedes after being partly expelled.

For the right selection of a remedy, there is hard work involved of first observing and noting down the symptoms, then finding which symptoms are to be considered and then they get 3-4 leading remedies that need to be further differentiated and then prescribed. 

One Remedy cannot be replaced for another Remedy. It has to be homeopathic to the symptoms of the patient.

The prescription is homeopathic to the disorder only and only when the remedy is worked out through individualisation and is administered in a homeopathic way (similia similibus curantur)  as described in the 'Organon of Medicine' by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann.

Note: None of these medicines should be taken without professional advice. This post is purely to promote the understanding of the science and principle of homeopathy.