Why You Should Consider Homeopathy for Your Chronic Health Conditions

When I discuss homeopathic medicine with my clients, most have heard of using Arnica for injuries or perhaps encountered cold medicines containing well-known homeopathic remedies. But by and large, homeopathy remains somewhat mysterious. How does it work? What conditions does it treat? For these reasons, many people dismiss it as a marginally useful over-the-counter treatment for simple ailments. This couldn't be further from the truth.

Over 20 years, I've studied Classical Homeopathy in Australia, India, and the United States through formal classes and close mentorship with master practitioners. While I still prefer acupuncture in most instances when working directly on the body for musculoskeletal problems and nervous system issues, I have rarely found a therapy that acts as deeply on a systemic level as homeopathy, especially when treating the intersection of mental, emotional, and physical symptoms. In this post, I'll explain why it works so well and demystify how these remarkable remedies function.

How Homeopathy Works: Beyond the Placebo Effect

When I explain homeopathic remedies to clients, they've often heard that these medicines have been diluted to the point where none of the original substance remains, yet somehow the "energy" of that substance persists in the remedy. I'll admit this sounds far-fetched, and many assume these remedies work purely through placebo effect. While it's difficult to convince deeply skeptical clients, several compelling points deserve our attention.

Evidence from Veterinary Medicine

Homeopathy has a strong track record treating animals, even with difficult physical conditions. For example, reliable studies from the UK on dairy cows given homeopathic remedies preventatively for urinary tract infections show demonstrably lower infection rates and greatly reduced need for antibiotics. This cannot possibly be accomplished through placebo alone.

The "Proving" Process

The history of remedy development offers another fascinating insight. To discover the healing properties of different substances, remedies were repeatedly given to healthy individuals who carefully tracked their symptoms, behaviors, and preferences. After some time, these remedies created distinct symptom patterns in healthy people, provoking homeostasis in a response unique to each remedy. Once the remedy was stopped, these transient symptoms disappeared. Many individuals "proving" the same remedy developed similar symptoms, though this information was only communicated to the researcher, not among participants.

These potentized remedies clearly have physiological effects far beyond placebo.

Clinical Experience: When the Wrong Remedy Does Nothing

I've witnessed this unmistakably in my practice over the years. In my early years, I remember prescribing a remedy that did absolutely nothing, because it was the incorrect choice. Sometimes even the follow-up remedy didn't work. But by the second or third remedy selection, when the correct one was chosen, all symptoms improved dramatically. If this were simply placebo, wouldn't the first remedy have worked best? Surely the client's confidence would be highest at the beginning rather than after taking remedies that produced no results.

Additionally, after prescribing the correct remedy, clients frequently report dramatic improvements in symptoms they never initially mentioned. Someone may come in for a chronic cough they can't shake, and the remedy helps not only the cough but also their sleep problems.

Understanding Remedy Action: A New Paradigm

These days, I describe remedy action this way to my clients:

Imagine you have an herbal tincture, something very bitter like Goldenseal. When you place drops of that tincture under your tongue, the herb acts in two distinct ways. The first action occurs when the plant's biochemistry absorbs into the bloodstream and travels to the target area. The second action is equally remarkable, perhaps more so: before any of the herb's chemistry enters the bloodstream, your body reacts to the bitter taste by sending signals through the solar plexus to the liver and gallbladder system, directly stimulating their activity. This is a measurable, immediate effect.

Homeopathic medicines are diluted, shaken (potentized), and diluted again repeatedly. This process reduces the amount of physical chemistry from the original substance (the first therapeutic action) but retains and amplifies the second therapeutic action, the body's energetic response. The homeopath's job is to prescribe the remedy that best fits the patient's unique illness pattern, helping the body's own healing response.

What Conditions Can Homeopathy Treat?

Since homeopathy addresses such a broad range of conditions, knowing where to start can seem overwhelming. The truth is, homeopathy works effectively for both acute and chronic conditions. Let me share examples from both categories.

Acute Conditions

I've had considerable success treating:

• Influenza and COVID-19

• Bronchitis and pneumonia

• Ear infections

• Acute gastrointestinal issues like norovirus

• Injuries and post-surgical recovery

• Tonsillitis and tooth abscesses (which can turn around within hours with the correct remedy)

Naturally, with all acute cases, we must remain mindful of the need for timely medical intervention if someone isn't responding to a remedy quickly.

Chronic Conditions

A homeopathic remedy can improve nearly any chronic condition, provided there is some vitality in the system and the body hasn't significantly broken down. When chronic illness has weakened the body over time and pathology has moved from system to system, homeopathy can deeply stimulate the healing response to begin reversing that process.

Real Patient Success Stories

Case 1: Post-COVID Syndrome

One client came to me with chronic gastrointestinal and respiratory issues that began after a severe case of COVID several years ago. These symptoms started in the GI system and gradually worsened into the respiratory system as well. The remedy picture was very clear, and within several weeks, there was dramatic improvement not only in his physical symptoms but also in his nervous system and temperament. He became less reliant on stimulants to get through his day, and his sleep improved significantly.

Case 2: Post-Surgical Recovery

Another client recently consulted me for a persistent cough following lung surgery related to lung cancer. She was fatigued, had strong sugar cravings, and coughed up green phlegm every morning. She was understandably concerned about cancer recurrence and had longtime reflux and hiatal hernia. After taking the remedy, the expectoration and cough cleared up almost completely within one week. Sugar cravings disappeared almost entirely, and although she hadn't reported this as a symptom, her lifelong insomnia suddenly resolved, she began sleeping 8-9 hours nightly. Her energy improved dramatically.

Case 3: Grief-Related Skin Condition

A gentleman consulted me concerning a peculiar skin condition. He had lost his teenage daughter in a car accident nine years prior, and on every holiday and anniversary of her death, his skin would become incredibly reactive to most forms of touch or pressure. This appeared entirely neurogenic. He had tried numerous medicines and remedies of all kinds with no effect. He started the homeopathic remedy shortly before the anniversary of his daughter's passing, and when it arrived, there was almost no skin reaction whatsoever, and a significant emotional shift occurred as well.

Mental and Emotional Health Applications

Homeopathy can powerfully assist with mental and emotional conditions. I've seen it help with various unresolved nervous system issues, including:

• Trauma and PTSD

• Mood disorders

• Unresolved grief and anger

• Anxiety and depression

These remedies work best alongside talk therapy so clients can fully process and integrate their healing. I've observed that the correct remedy can help create an energetic shift, allowing emotional content to release in a way that is typically gentle yet profound.

Integrative Approach: Homeopathy with Acupuncture

Homeopathy works wonderfully alongside acupuncture and other therapeutic modalities. The combination can be particularly powerful for complex cases involving multiple body systems.

If you think you might benefit from a deeply acting homeopathic remedy, feel free to contact us for a free 15-minute consultation. Together, we can explore whether this remarkable form of medicine is right for your unique healing journey.

Ready to explore homeopathy for your health concerns? Contact us at South Slope Acupuncture & Wellness to schedule your free consultation.

---

Evan Bussanich, L.Ac., is a Licensed Acupuncturist & Chinese Medicine Practitioner specializing in gut health, immunology, Chinese Herbal Medicine and Homeopathy. He combines traditional Chinese medicine principles with modern immunological understanding to help patients achieve optimal immune function and overall wellness.