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What is homeopathy?
Homeopathy is the most powerful method of treatment that I have used. It has been practiced for over 200 years. It is based on the principle of like cures like. So, when the medicine matches the person, amazing healing can occur. How do we match a medicine to a person? We learn about the medicine from giving it to healthy people and observing their 'proving' symptoms over the next month. We also see what the medicines are able to heal in sick people. We learn about people from listening to them closely and learning what makes them special and unique.
Who can practice homeopathy?
In Arizona there are three main groups that can legally practice homeopathy, Naturopathic Physicians (NMD), Homeopathic Medical Assistants (HMA) or Medical Doctors (MD) and Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) who become specially licensed as MD(H) physicians.
How do you evaluate a patient?
Usually the evaluation is the doctor listening to the patient's symptoms. Rarely does it involve tests or a physical exam. It focuses in great detail on the personal experiences of the patient. For example, the kind of arthritis one has becomes less important than how one feels, what situations make the pain worse, and what can be done to feel better. ("My arthritis is funny--it jumps around! I like ice much better than a hot bath.") Also of interest is when a problem started, what was happening at that time or when one was last well. From the primary complaint, the focus extends to other health complaints and the state of the whole person. A homeopath is interested in your idiosyncrasies ("I always sleep with the window open, even if the snow is blowing!"), emotional characteristics ("Waiting in traffic doesn't bother me but I get so angry at stupid drivers! And when I get angry, my face turns red and I mutter under my breath...") and other significant personal realities.
How do you cure the patient?
From the thousands of known homeopathic medicines, one single medicine is selected which best matches the main characteristics of a person's complaints and their mental and emotional characteristics. For instance, a sore throat would be treated with a different homeopathic medicine depending on whether the patient craves hot or cold drinks, is more warm or chilly, and whether they are more irritable or anxious.
Are the medicines safe and effective?
The medicines are given in the minimum dose necessary. They are listed and regulated in a separate homeopathic pharmacopoeia in the Food and Drug Administration. They have been tested on humans for over 200 years.
Clinical trials testing homeopathy have shown an 80% effectiveness rate, better than most prescription drugs and homeopathic medicines have no side effects.
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