Encyclopedia of Homeopathy

INTRODUCTIONHomeopathy is a holistic form of complementary medicine, aiming to treat the whole personrather than just the physical symptoms. It works on the principle that the mind and bodyare so strongly linked that physical conditions cannot be successfully treated without anunderstanding of the person’s constitution and character.Whereas in conventional medicine, people diagnosed with the same condition willgenerally be given the same medicine, in homeopathy the remedy given to a patient maydepend on a whole host of other factors, such as temperament, state of mind, and lifestyle.The key to the practice of homeopathy is the ability to understand and interpret the patient’ssymptoms—the outward signs of internal disorder—both before and after a remedy is given.This continuing relationship helps to make homeopaths particularly effective at discoveringthe underlying causes of frequently recurring ailments.Homeopathy’s safe, gentle approach complies with one of the most important rules ofmedical intervention—namely, that it should do no harm. Many common, everyday ailmentsmay be treated safely and effectively at home using homeopathic remedies; should thecommon ailment develop into something worse, however—a cold into a chest infection, forinstance—then a conventional doctor must be consulted. In general, a conventional doctorshould be consulted for any ailment that can be quickly and effectively treated byconventional medicine, or for any condition that requires conventional investigation.Certain serious ailments may also be alleviated using homeopathic remedies, but in thetreatment of these conditions, the experience of a qualified homeopathic practitioner isessential from the outset.My aim in this book has been to give a wide-ranging and comprehensive account ofhomeopathy that is easy for the layperson to understand and use. With several hundredhomeopathic remedies available, choosing the right ones is obviously a complex matter.I have included more than 320 remedies and a great many ailments. Those in the seriousailments section should under no circumstances be considered for self-treatment but alwaysreferred to a homeopathic practitioner. With their accompanying case histories, the inclusionof these serious conditions is intended to give the reader a greater insight into the way ahomeopathic practitioner might approach particular problems and how consultations canhelp unlock a case and provide an understanding of how the illness has developed.For this book, a great deal of research has been carried out into the scientificclassifications of the substances from which remedies are made, in order to correct thevarious errors and confusions that have crept in over the past 200 years. Thus, this book iscurrently the most scientifically accurate and up-to-date publication available on homeopathy.I have used current biological, zoological, and mineralogical classifications where possible,