Selecting Homeopathic Medicine

In homeopathy, selection of medicine is based on certain principles. Few of the basic principles are summarized as under:

• Consider the whole body as one unit
  Modern medical system considers and treats the human body in parts not as a whole and has a specialist for every organ whereas the fact is that human body always works as one integrated unit while performing any function. Since none of the vital organs functions independently, an individual must be considered as a whole for correct treatment. That is in fact the philosophy and methodology of homeopathy, which is more logical and realistic.
• Consider all the symptoms
  Since the human body functions as a whole, homeopathy rightly believes in considering all the symptoms. The symptoms present at a given time must be considered in totality. Even the habits and mental state of the individual should be kept in view for selection of correct medicine. However, in emergency cases the approach would be to give priority to the most important symptom/s.
  
  There are many diseases, which have no known cause and are considered incurable by orthodox medical system. Since homeopathy values the symptoms, not the cause and considers all the symptoms, the underlying cause of the disease is automatically taken care of. That is why homeopathy can treat most of such diseases that are not considered curable by other medical systems and can be effectively satisfy particular needs of the individual in a particular health condition. That is why homeopathy is said to be the ultimately hope in complicated diseases.
• Select the medicine according to symptoms
  Each individual is a separate entity having his/her own peculiar body chemistry. Physical, emotional and mental levels, normal habits etcetera are not the same for any two individuals. They are unique for each person even though the disease may apparently be similar. Therefore, according to homeopathic system, the medicine, dose and potency is not likely to be the same for everyone with the same disease. There may be dozens of medicines for a particular disease but each of those cannot be used for every individual having that disease.
• Understand the medicines
  Homeopathy has a very large number of medicines in its shelf. Each medicine has its unique characteristics and the symptoms that it covers. No two medicines are exactly the same. You must know and understand the difference. Going for a medicine by the name of the disease is not the right way. Trying to do so would most probably lead to failure of the treatment. The medicine, which has the symptoms and characteristics matching the condition and symptoms of the individual, shall only be effective. For example, Belladonna is one of the medicines for fever but it cannot be useful in every case of fever. It will be effective only if its characteristics match a particular condition of fever. To find an effective medicine, details of symptoms along with modalities are to be considered. This is one major reason why in homeopathy the treatment is not to be given by the name of the disease and each individual is to be evaluated separately and independently. This symptomatic approach is one of the great advantages of the system, which makes cure of most of the diseases possible.