Category: Articles

Perimenopause is the period in a woman’s life indicating the approach of the natural withdrawal of the time of her fertility. It may be accompanied with different symptoms that were gathered in a questionnaire – Greene Climacteric Scale – for research purpose: 1. Heart beating quickly or strongly 2. Feeling tense or nervous 3. Difficulty sleeping 4. Excitable 5. Attacks of anxiety, panic 6. Difficulty concentrating 7. Feeling tired or lacking energy 8. Loss of interest in most things 9. Feeling unhappy or depressed 10. Crying spells 11. Irritability 12. Feeling dizzy or faint 13. Pressure or tightness in the head 14. Parts of body feel numb 15. Headaches 16. Muscle and joint pains 17. Loss of feeling in hands or feet 18. Breathing difficulties 19. Hot flushes 20. Sweating at night 21. Loss of interest in sex.

After the last menstruation – the menopause – these symptoms may accompany women and continue being present for an individual period of time of the climacteric. The frequency and intensity of each symptom is different in every individual woman. In classical individualised homeopathy the “totality of symptoms”, in other words the individual pattern of burdening symptoms is used as the first strategy for the most appropriate prescription for each individual woman. One unipotent (single) homeopathic medicine is then prescribed. A therapeutic homeopathic aggravation that may appear means the correct prescription will lead to a more tolerable state and eventually a state without burdening symptoms that accompany the natural decrease of hormone blood concentrations. The advantage of homeopathic medicines is that they do not interact with pharmacological therapies and do not have side effects if used correctly according to individualised classical homeopathy. In a research paper titled Management of distress during climacteric years by homeopathic therapy individualised homeopathy presented itself as an effective therapeutic modality in treating the burden of climacteric.

1. Vithoulkas G., Levels of Health: The Science of Homeopathy, Vol 2. 3rd rev. ed. Sporades, Greece: International Academy of Classical Homeopathy; 2019
2. Nayak C. et al, Management of distress during climacteric years by homeopathic therapy, Journal of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine, Vol 11., 2017; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22087613/

In family medicine and dermatology atopic dermatitis is generally considered to be a chronic and relapsing skin disease that affects children and adults. The cause of it is an excessive allergic reaction to substances present in food or the environment. The skin of persons with atopic dermatitis is usually affected on the face, neck and extremities, rarely on other parts of the body. It can be annoyingly itchy, and lead to excoriations that become superinfected. In practice it can be the case that no allergen is detected, so avoiding the causative factor is difficult. Oversensitivity to mites and certain food allergies may be present in the affected. In these people, atopic dermatitis may persist beyond school age (1,2).

Persons with atopic dermatitis who become infected with the Molluscum contagiosum virus may have more extensive changes to the skin (3).

How can homeopathy help?

Homeopathy may in due course lessen the symptoms and allow better general wellbeing and sleep, as well as diminish the itch and percentage of affected skin (4), if the treatment correctly follows the laws of homeopathic medicine (5). In research performed on homeopathic treatment of allergic diseases 5-12 years after conclusion of treatment showed 100% cure of atopic dermatitis in one study (6), and indicated successful prevention of chronic atopic dermatitis into adulthood and the development of asthma in another (7). Without homeopathic medical treatment for general food allergy, asthma in 30% and allergic rhinitis follow atopic dermatitis cases. This progression is known in conventional medicine as the theory of the atopic marsh (8), and research supports its hypothesis (9).

1. https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1049085-overview
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19739428/
3. https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/910570-clinical
4. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1475491611001123?via%3Dihub
5. Hahnemann S. Organon of Medicine. Sixth. B. Jain Publishers (P) Ltd.; 2004.
6. https://www.thieme-connect.de/products/ejournals/abstract/10.1055/s-0040-1702081
7. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1876382010000661?via%3Dihub
8. https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1049085-overview#a2
9. https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1049085-overview#a4

The aim of classical homeopathy is to reach a higher level of health. This is the primary goal of every doctor. According to George Vithoulkas (https://www.vithoulkas.com/vithoulkas/curriculum-vitae), health levels are divided into 12 degrees. The best is the highest level including the healthiest people who very rarely or never get high fever and have no recurrent or lingering chronic health problems. In between there are levels where infections keep reappearing with high and later with low or no fever. The lowest level classifies people who are in an incurable and distressful state of health.  A correct treatment process from the homeopathic point of view leads to a higher level of health and a strengthened immune system.

This in homeopathic medicine is possible only after correct prescriptions of individual homeopathic globules or drops and is followed in due course by evident results: for instance, fewer and less intensive ear infections (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1475491611001147), fewer and less intensive allergic reactions (https://www.vithoulkas.com/research/positive-articles/homeopathic-treatment-atopic-diseases-short-and-long-term-results-cohort), diminished intensity of pains in joints (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0738399111005714?via%3Dihub), migraine attacks (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22978244/), etc. The process is complex. The use of an individual homeopathic medicine in the form of homeopathic globules or homeopathic drops one by one is essential in this process. In other words, for an optimal process of homeopathic treatment a single homeopathic medicine is prescribed and administered as drops or globules after the individualised homeopathic interview. Classical homeopathy where the individual is led towards a higher level of health according to George Vithoulkas is only possible by individualised unicist homeopathy. This means that the person who has a pattern of symptoms is treated with one homeopathic medicine at a time and not many mixed together.

Homeopathic drops in LM potencies produced from a single substance are used for treatment of cases where the initial therapeutic aggravation should be inexpressive. Individual homeopathic LM medicines have been developed most recently. They could be called the most modern and are considered among many homeopathic doctors to be a very good form of homeopathic medicine for treating chronic or recurrent health problems. Homeopathic drops in LM potencies are usually used once daily. Follow-ups are necessary to estimate whether the same homeopathic drops should be continued or if a change of homeopathic medicine is necessary, depending on whether the same symptom pattern has to be treated further or if it has changed. The latter calls for the next homeopathic medicine. In acute cases the treatment process is short, changes of homeopathic medicines and follow-ups are more frequent and it takes a few days up to a week. In treating chronic cases, the process may take one, two or more years, depending on the duration of health problems and on the level of health the individual was initially in.

Homeopathic globules are medicines which are prepared by pharmacists according to the instructions of a valid Pharmacopoeia. The production of homeopathic medicines depends on the original substance used for a homeopathic medicine. The most frequent users of homeopathic medicines are adults or children with health problems that could not be treated with a currently available pharmacotherapy or medical procedure: frequent ear, bladder, or eye inflammation, as well as allergies like recurrent allergic rhinitis and food intolerances, pharyngeal inflammation, in cases where avoiding side effects is desired such as with migraine, benign painful joint and spine problems, as well as stomach, intestinal and especially bowel problems. The same goes for health problems for which no specific therapy is available, as with viral skin disease like molluscum contagiosum, unspecified benign vertigo, problems with appetite, isolated sleeplessness, hyperactivity in children, pregnancy symptoms and cases in which palliative care is indicated. People who are disappointed with the results of pharmacotherapy for chronic diseases often resort to homeopathic treatment as well.

The substances used to produce homeopathic medicines may be from plants, animals or minerals. If the initial substance is a plant, for instance Calendula officinalis, a mother tincture is prepared. This is then potentised, which means it is diluted and succussed repeatedly. To prepare a solution of D1 potency, approximately one part of the mother tincture is diluted with nine parts of solvent and succussed vigorously. To prepare a solution of C1 potency, one part of the mother tincture is diluted with 99 parts of solvent and then succussed. The process is continued by taking one part of the D1 solution, adding 9 parts of solvent and succussing, thus a D2 solution is prepared. For the preparation of a C2 potency, one part of the C1 is diluted in 99 parts of solvent and then succussed. This process is then repeated as many times as needed to reach the desired D or C potency. The final solution is then poured over the blank homeopathic granules and dried, thus rendering the prepared potency as an administrable homeopathic medicine. If repeating the process with the initial Calendula officials mother tincture 6 times (a repetition of dilution 1:10 or 1:100 and succussion 6 times), a homeopathic medicine of Calendula officials in D6 or C6 potency is prepared.

For insoluble minerals such as Silica, an initial trituration with lactose is performed until the mixture is soluble and then continued with the dilution and succussion process. Homeopathic medicines are also prepared at higher potencies: M, LM and CM.

A correctly prescribed homeopathic medicine effectively ameliorates health problems: the symptoms that were produced by a homeopathic medicine in provings performed on healthy individuals are alleviated when the same medicine is prescribed to a sick person with similar symptoms. Homeopathic globules have been available in Slovenian pharmacies since 2011. Globules that are not registered in Slovenia are also available and may be ordered from pharmacies abroad.

Allergies are discomforting ailments caused by an overreaction of the immune system after contact with certain substances – allergens. These do not cause irritation in healthy individuals. But in allergic persons, they cause a more or less turbulent reaction of the immune system.

The prevalence of allergic disorders in western industrialised countries has steadily increased during the last three decades. An increasing number of people are diagnosed with allergic conjunctivitis, allergic rhinitis, bronchial asthma, neurodermatitis and other allergies states an Austrian research on the homeopathic treatment of allergies (https://www.vithoulkas.com/research/positive-articles/real-life-effect-classical-homeopathy-treatment-allergies-multicenter) where all clinical symptoms in 40 out of 44 recruited patients with the quoted diagnoses were shown to improve substantially under classical homeopathic treatment. Apart from that, patients undergoing therapy with conventional medication at baseline (62%) were able to discontinue at least one medication, while the remaining patients (38%) reported a dose reduction in at least one medication. No side effects were reported during treatment. At the end the article states that the positive outcome does not allow the drawing of conclusions as to the efficacy of homeopathic treatment per se. For this more repetitions of adjusted research on larger samples of allergic people are warranted. Similarly, an Italian research has shown positive effects (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27473542). Yet another study implies that there is evidence that adjunct homeopathic medicines prescribed by experienced homeopathic practitioners improve the severity of asthma in children (https://www.vithoulkas.com/research/positive-rticles/individualized-homeopathy-group-egyptian-asthmatic-children). Data were gathered about the frequency of attacks, use of medication, night awakening and spirometry at baseline and at follow-up after 6 months. The changes were clinically and statistically relevant.

Another research on atopic dermatitis (AD) has shown positive results after homeopathic treatment (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1475491611001123?via%3Dihub). The patients gathered data on the percentage of affected skin area, itch, quality of sleep and general wellbeing during homeopathic treatment. The study suggests that in a general medical practice setting, homeopathic treatment could be regarded as an effective choice for patients with AD.

A study that took place in India (https://www.vithoulkas.com/research/positive-articles/appearance-acute-inflammatory-state-indicates-improvement-atopic) reported an improvement and stabilisation with complete skin clearance in five of six cases. This resulted after the appearance of acute inflammatory diseases, so the chronic condition improved according to the Theory of levels of Health. Further research is needed to confirm that the steps in the Theory of levels of Health suggest the correct path towards a cure. (https://www.vithoulkas.com/learning-tools/books-gv/levels-health).

A peer reviewed article with the title Individualised Homeopathic Treatment of Nausea and Vomiting in the First Trimester and of COVID-19 in the Third Trimester of Pregnancy—A Case Report that was published in the journal Homeopathy (https://www.thieme-connect.de/products/ejournals/abstract/10.1055/s-0041-1740104?fbclid=IwAR3rR6UAun1YyK9bw_CnRmXqatnrLs75bRC1vA4wITQCXUCOVTMdtVpPLGs) explains classical homeopathic treatment of early pregnancy symptoms and of COVID-19 later on in pregnancy. Early pregnancy symptoms including nausea and vomiting often have an effect on the physical and psychological wellbeing of the pregnant woman. They may also diminish working abilities and have an impact on the social life of the pregnant woman, yet they are thought of as physiological and not as pathological phenomena. Generally, it is advised to avoid chemical drugs during pregnancy for safety reasons. Homeopathic medicines are not known to produce any side effects. Homeopathic medicines are potentised, which means sequentially diluted and succussed. Another advantage of homeopathic medicines is that they do not interact with prescribed chemical drugs. The process of the first consultation with the pregnant woman, the process of choosing the homeopathic medicine and the treatment process with homeopathic medicines of different potencies are explained. The relationship between individualised homeopathy and amelioration of the patient was assessed by two independent experts using the MONARCH inventory.

It is estimated that the positive effect on early pregnancy symptoms could have been due to individualised homeopathy. As there is no specific therapy for early pregnancy symptoms or COVID-19 during pregnancy, the conclusion is that individualised homeopathy was an appropriate therapeutic modality in the presented case.

Molluscum contagiosum is a skin disease,  caused by a virus with the same name. The papule emerging from the skin can be less than a millimeter to a few millimeters in size. Molluscum papules appear like moles that are umbilicated at the top. They may be skin colour or pearly pink.

The disease can be:

• infectious in collectives,
• disturbing by appearance,
• causing unpleasant sensations.

Molluscum contagiosum is an infectious disease, contagious by direct (touch) or indirect contact (tools at gym, fitness, in bathrooms, etc.). Molluscum contagiosum also is classified among venereal diseases. The disease may last 1.5 – 5 years and may be self limiting. It may re-appear in 35% of patients after local suppressive treatment.

Molluscum papule may cause different unpleasant feelings, also itching. With scratching  the virus may spread from fingers by direct contact from one person to another or indirectly by different objects.

For the diagnosis additional diagnostic procedures are not necessary, a checkup with the general practitioner or family doctor is sufficient.

Generally, treatment can be anything from waiting and watching to relatively irritating topical OTC (over the counter) agents from pharmacies, therapy with liquid nitrogen freezing by dermatologists, etc. Such therapy may cause irritation or pain. In cases of widely affected tender skin areas freezing is usually done under anesthesia, followed by corticosteroid application. Topical treatment does not prevent local spreading in infected patients as it does not have the right effect on the immune system. It addition – it even tends to provoke dissemination of papules.  Discoloration and scars may remain as sequelae of topically treated areas.

A presentation of five consecutive patients with Molluscum contagiosum treated with individualised homeopathy was held at the European congress of  Homeopathy in Vienna in 2016 (http://www.homeopathycongress.eu/2016/).

Literature: https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/910570-overview#a8

Treatment of migraine with classical homeopathic medicine is principally the same as treatment of any other chronic exacerbating illness with classical homeopathy in adults as well as in children. It is important to speak about the main symptoms in detail. At the beginning of homeopathic treatment it is necessary to consult the person with migraine about the course of events of the migraine attacks, how the migraine attack starts, if it starts with an aura and in which way the aura develops, what makes the situation worse or what helps the person feel better and if there is any specific cause that provokes the migraine attack. It is important to know the exact location of the pain, the quality of pain and about the radiation of the pain to other parts of the head or body as well as if anything else joins the pain like nausea or changes in the ability to concentrate. Therefor it is good to clarify what modifies the pain, what helps or causes worsening of the pain as this is also important so that the right homeopathic remedy may be chosen. So what the person with a migraine attack avoids or what he instinctively does to ease the pain of the migraine is useful information for a homeopathic doctor. It is good to observe what makes the migraine worse or what eases the pain during the migraine attack.

And taking a case of migraine in children is the same. All these particularities are important for classical homeopathic treatment of children with migraine as well. The advantage in comparrison to orthodox medicine is that homeopathic medicines do not have contraindications nor side effects as pharmacological medicines do. There is one important difference in treatment of migraine in adults and children in orthodox medicine. Some specific pharmacological medicines prescribed for adults with migraine are not used for treatment in children at all.

To pick the right homeopathic remedy for a child or an adult with migraine it is important to gather information also about the possible changes before the onset of this exacerbating chronic disease. For example, if a physical trauma preceded the beginning of attacks or for instance a psychological trauma or the onset of menstruation (menarche). The type of appetite, thirst, bowel movement, menstruation in females, sleep and sensitiveness to a certain type of weather condition, together with the type of perspiration is also important for a classical homeopathic doctor in treating children with migraine as well as in treating adults.

Research shows the efficacy of unicist classical homeopathic treatment meaning treatment with a sequence of one homeopathic remedy after another (unicist homeopathy) in children as well as in adults (1,2).

Clinical experience therefor shows that treatment gradually leads to

• shorter duration of the attacks with classical homeopathy
• decreased intensity of the attacks with classical homeopathy
• gradual lowering of the frequency of migraine attacks followed by occurrence of milder headaches towards no headaches. These events in general practice confirm the Levels of health theory by Prof. Vithoulkas (3) with more and more presentations of cases successfully treated by classical homeopathy in neurology (4) as well as other medical specialities.

LITERATURE

1. Danno K, Colas A, Masson JL, and Bordet MF. Homeopathic Treatment of Migraine in Children: Results of a Prospective, Multicenter, Observational Study. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 19, 2, February 2013: 119-123
2. Straumsheim, P, Borchgrevink, C, Mowinckel, P, et al., “Homeopathic Treatment of Migraine: A Double-blind, Placebo Controlled Trial of 68 Patients,” British Homeopathic Journal, January, 2000,89:4-7.)
3. Vithoulkas G. Levels of Health. The Second Volume of Science of Homeopathy. 3. rev. ed. Sporades, Greece: International Academy of Classical Homeopathy; 2019
4.  Mahesh S, Glas KL. Migrena – primer zdravljenja s klasično homeopatijo. In: Migrena 2018: zbornik poglavij strokovnega srečanja in učbenik za zdravnike, zdravstvene delavce in študente Medicinske in Zdravstvene fakultete. Ljubljana: Društvo za preprečevanje možganskih in žilnih bolezni, 2018 [Cited March 28, 2019]. Available from: https://www.dlib.si/details/URN:NBN:SI:DOC-PR3PDVQK/?query=%27keywords%3Dprepre%C4%8Devanje%27&pageSize=25&fyear=2018.

Classical homeopathy is a system of medical practice that improves the level of health of the human being¹. This is reached by individually prescribed proven and potentised homeopathic remedies one by one based on the Law of similars⁴.

In other words:

• Classical homeopathic treatment improves the level of the state of health.
• Registered homeopathic remedies that are used in classical homeopathy have been pharmacologicaly tested. This is not valid for pseudo-homeopathy or treatment with mixed homeopathic remedies.
• In homeopathic medical treatment or classical homeopathy specifically potentised remedies are used that are prepared in a sequential process of diluting and succussing or rubbing.
• Homeopathic drops or globule used in classical homeopathic treatment are made by pharmacists following exact instructions of the homeopathic pharmacopoeias.
• The Law of similars in classical homeopathy is a phenomenon where the single homeopathic remedy that was taken by human beings for proving reasons that produced symptoms acts as a remedy that improves health in the patient with similar symptoms (2).

Classical homeopathic treatment has scientifically been proven and clinically found effective in treatment of allergies (allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, asthma, allergies to food), eczema, psoriasis, premenstrual syndrome, back pain, rheumatoid arthritis, irritable colon, hypertension in early stages, sleeplessness, anxieties, ADHD and other chronic diseases or recurrent inflammations of ears, stomach, bladder, kidneys, … ², moluscum contagiosum³ and migraine^2,4.

Literature:

1. Vithoulkas G. Levels of health. The second volume of Science of homeopathy. Revised ed. Sporades, Greece: International Academy of Classical Homeopathy; 2017
2. Blažič L, Glas KL. Samozdravljenje s homeopatijo. In: Klemenc-Ketiš Z, Tušek-Bunc K, ur. Samozdravljenje: učno gradivo s 25. učne delavnice za zdravnike družinske medicine. Ljubljana: Zavod za razvoj družinske medicine, 2008. str. 193-205 (Družinska medicina; 2008; 6. Suplement; 4). Available from: http://www.drmed.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Zbornik-Samozdravljenje.pdf.
3. Glas K. Immune system modifying treatment of Moluscum contagiosum with classical Hahnemannian homeopathic medicine. In: European Congress for Homeopathy. Homeopathy – Individualised Medicine for all ages : programme and abstract books; 2016 nov 5-7; Vienna. Available from: http://www.homeopathycongress.eu/2016/index.php/programme.
4. Mahesh S, Glas KL. Migraine – case treated with classical  homeopathy. In: Migrena 2018: zbornik poglavij strokovnega srečanja in učbenik za zdravnike, zdravstvene delavce in študente Medicinske in Zdravstvene fakultete. Ljubljana: Društvo za preprečevanje možganskih in žilnih bolezni; 2018. Available from: https://www.dlib.si/details/URN:NBN:SI:DOC-PR3PDVQK/?query=%27keywords%3Dprepre%C4%8Devanje%27&pageSize=25&fyear=2018.