Both Homeopathic and herbal treatments work on the concept that the body is energetic in its makeup and balancing this energy treats symptoms. Energetically, homeopathic substances and herbs work differently so the combination is synergistic and increases the success of treatment. The choice of which homeopathic substance to use is based on the concept that substances that cause the symptoms in larger amount will alleviate the symptoms in smaller amounts. Dr. Samuel Hahnemann developed this concept in the 1800s and homeopathy began. Homeopathy has a variety of uses, but I will share how I used it to support a patient with a particular neurological disorder.
Classical homeopathy will use a specific substance to match the symptoms. Homeopathic mixtures utilize more than one homeopathic substance and are used to balance body systems. In this case study, I used homeopathic mixtures from a French system called “drainage” which focuses on balancing organ systems. Since the body works as a whole, balancing one system affects others. I also used Gemmotherapy herbs grown in France under specific conditions to assure their purity. These are the buds and young shoots of herbs known to have medicinal properties.
AM (not her real initials) came to me after seeking help for episodes lasting about a minute, in which she had a sensation of energy starting in her legs and going up to her head. She would then go blank and become unable to speak or understand her environment. Afterward she would become confused and disoriented. She also had anxiety, crying spells and insomnia. Because the onset of these seemed to coincide with an increased period of stress, these were diagnosed as a “fugue” state and thought to be psychological in nature.
Prior to this she had been a successful, self-employed business owner, caring for a young daughter. These episodes made it dangerous for her to work and drive. I felt that her symptoms were more consistent with a seizure disorder and ordered a neurological consultation. Subsequent EEG and MRI reveled that she had a benign cavernoma in the left parietal area of her brain, causing her seizures.
Initially I placed her on general program of diet, nutritional supplements and lifestyle changes. I started a homeopathic mixture and an herbal combination of Ilex aquifolium (common holly) and Tilia tomatosa (silver linden tree) for her nervous system. Although she still had seizures, she felt much better. I added a homeopathic mixture for hormone balance and adrenal support. This allowed her to sleep better and approach her situation in a calmer matter. I supported liver with different combinations for her irritability and anger (emotions often associated with liver.) Juglans regia (English Walnut Tree) and Ficus Carica (Fig Tree) addressed the nervous system indirectly by balancing gut function.
She was placed on lamotrigine, which stopped her seizures. Although she was seizure free, there was a chance that she would have bleeding from the cavernoma and have to remain on medication for seizure control.
She opted for surgery and post surgery she developed fatigue, anger outbursts, crying spells and memory issues. This time I used homeopathic mixtures for liver support to detox her system from the anesthesia and adrenal herbal support with Ribes Nigrum (Black Current) and Sequoia Gigantea (Redwood Tree) for the stress of surgery. Her symptoms improved but she continued to have morning fatigue for which homeopathic formulas for gut were added and liver support with Rosemarinus officinalis (Rosemary). An herbal combination (silver linden/Fig/Olive) calmed her nervous system and again she improved and felt much better.
The next challenge was withdrawal from lamotrigine. She became lethargic and felt like she was “crawling out of her skin and wanted to scream”. This was the last step on how homeopathy would help this neurological disorder. I used a three-fold approach for her nervous system, the herb Tilia, silver linden, fig and hawthorn). This helped her get off the antiseizure medication successfully. She now felt “great” and was ready to make plans to go on with her life and move to another city.
This is integrative medicine at its best, where medical treatment and alternative treatments work together for the total healing of an individual. The art and science of homeopathy combined with the skill of surgery worked together for this neurological disorder. The rewards are great.
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