The Role of Homeopathy in Auto-immune Illnesses

Many patients have come to me with having been diagnosed with auto-immune diseases such as Hashimoto's Thyroid disease, Graves, Rheumatoid arthritis, Celiac disease, Chronic Fatigue syndrome, Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), or others. Others have come not yet having been diagnosed, showing auto-immune type symptoms.

What are auto-immune diseases?

Auto-immune diseases are illnesses in which the body's defense system (immune cells) have begun to attack healthy cells, mistaking them for invaders such as bacteria, viruses, and infections. These aberrant immune cells can begin to attack any part of the body: heart, lung, joints, thyroid, skin, nerves, muscles, eyes, kidneys, and so on.

If the aberrant immune cells attack the thyroid hormone, it may present as Graves, or Hashimoto's; both immune mediated Thyroid illnesses. If the aberrant immune cells attack the gut, it may present as IBD, Crohns, or Celiac's. These are only few of the ways in which the body's immune system begins to attack healthy cells.

What are Mainstream Medical Treatments?

Though the treatment depends on which auto-immune illness a patient has, in most cases, doctors will prescribe corticosteroids and immunosuppresive medication.

Fundamentals of Homeopathy:

Samuel Hahnneman in the Organon, in §5 stated: "It will help the physician to bring about a cure if he can find out ... its fundamental cause." These causes can be from mental-emotional stressors, lifestyle habits, genetic factors (familial disease), and environmental stressors. I have commonly seen where a stressful life situation awoke an inflammatory state in patients. For instance, a patient would say: "It all started after my parents started arguing."or "It all started after the car accident."

In addition to the cause of illness, a Homeopath would need to ascertain the symptom picture, meaning "the totality of symptoms ... where there is no obvious cause to be removed." (Organon, §7). Totality of symptoms meaning the symptoms of the health compliant, what makes it better, what makes it worse, qualities of the pain/sensation, appearance, and associating symptoms. In other words.."The totality of these symptoms is the outwardly reflected image of the inner wesen of the disease, that is, of the suffering of the life force. (Organon, §7). Wesen meaning, the being, or the existence. This indicates that the expression of disease that is unique in each person is a reflection of the inner suffering of the person and their being.

Homeopathic remedies in Auto-immune diseases:

The following are commonly used homeopathic remedies used in the treatment of auto-immune diseases, but should not be limited to the following. Each of these would be differentiated based on the totality of symptoms, causation, and . (Note: this is not meant to be a conclusive therapy, but merely a reflection of the possibilities out of the myriad of possible remedies.)

Thyroidinum - used in cretenism, eczema, goitre, myxedema, exopthalmus, psoriasis, scleroderma. (1,2) This remedy has been used frequently in Thyroid disorders of both spectrums: hypo- and hyper-thyroid. It is used in deep seated illnesses. It is also indicated in stunted growth both physically and emotionally. (3)

Iodatum -used in rapid metabolism, loss of weight despite great appetite, chronic inflammation, arthritis deformans, goitre, iritis, rheumatic gout, synovitis, thyroid disorders. Used specially in glandular swelling. (2)

Carcinosin - used in Allergies, Arthritis, Asthma, Autism, ADD, Chronic fatigue syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Immune deficiency, Osteomyelitis, Rheumatoid arthritis, Sinusitis, Spondylitis, ill effects of vaccination. (2) It is indicated in people with personal or family history of carcinoma.

Rhus-t- Acne, rosacea, allergies, ankle injuries, arthritis, inflammation of the cecum, dermatitis, dislocated joints, eczema, Erysipelas, fever blisters, gout, influenza, injuries, intermittent fever, joint injuries, rheumatism, urticaria, tendonitis, restless sleep. (2)

Spongia - Thyroid gland swollen (Goitre), Asthma. Bronchitis, Exhaustion, Exophthalmos, Fainting, Gland disorders, Hyperthyroid. Temporomandibular joint pain (TMJ), Rheumatic, fever. Rheumatism. (4) .

Homeopathic remedies are not decided on a one-to-one system. A diagnosis does not always indicate a certain remedy; but the totality of symptoms does. These are merely examples of the range of action of the remedies. Please consult a Homeopath or a Naturopathic doctor who does Homeopathy for your specific condition.

References:

1) Pocket Manual of Homeopathic Materia Medica Comprising characteristic and guiding symptoms of all remedies (Clinical and Pathogenic) by William Boericke, M.D.

2) Murphy's Nature's Materia Medica - 2007

3) Dr Gajanan Dhanipkar's lecture compilation, 2017-2018.

4) Phatak's Materia Medica

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