HOMOTOXICOLOGY

Although homotoxicology is based on the principles of homeopathy it can be thought of as a "bridge" between allopathic and homeopathic medicine. More info.

As such it has many similarities to classical homeopathy as well as some key differences. Practitioners consider homotoxicology to be an updated renewal of homeopathy on a more extensive, scientific basis. One key difference is that it places more emphasis on the physical manifestations of disease and tends to use diagnostic tools based on anatomical and clinical findings (similar to allopathic medicine) and then utilizes complex homeopathic remedies designed to restore the patient's vital energy and to balance the biological flow system.

Homotoxicology is a (sophisticated) modern form of homoeopathy and is the most prescribed form of natural medicine in Germany, where it has been used for over 50 years and is practiced by conventional doctors and natural therapists alike. In fact, 80% of orthodox doctors in Germany prescribe homoeopathic or antihomotoxic preparations for their patients. The efficacy and safety of homotoxicology has been repeatedly proven in nearly 100 clinical trials.

Homotoxicology was founded in 1952 by Dr. Reckeweg as an extension of classic Homeopathy. Dr Reckeweg took the principles of classical Homoeopathy as developed by Hahnemann, and integrated them with the new discoveries in biochemistry and embryology that had been made by the 1940’s. He defined ‘Homotoxins’ as substances that were harmful to the human body. ‘Homotoxones’ are substances within the body that bind with and neutralise homotoxins, preparing them for elimination from the body.

Reckeweg's homotoxicology is based on a completely new, dynamic concept of disease.   In homotoxicology, diseases are considered to be ultimately caused by toxins, whether toxic chemicals, bacterial exotoxins, biological endotoxins, post-traumatic cellular debris and also byproducts of the body's metabolic processes. Disease symptoms are said to be the result of the body's attempt to heal itself and should not necessarily be suppressed. In minor, self-limiting disorders, the body does this unaided. In more serious situations, treatment is needed. If the treatment used eliminates the Homotoxins, then real healing results; Dr. Reckeweg called this phenomenon ‘regressive vicariation.’ If the treatment suppresses the Homotoxins, however, then they go deeper into the tissues and manifest after a latent period as a more destructive disease. This is called ‘progressive vicariation’, and may lead to chronic degenerative disease and, ultimately, to cancer.

According to Reckeweg, therapeutic measures should involve as few undesirable side effects as possible in the already damaged organism.  At the same time, however, they should effect an optimum of healing or relief of complaints. Homotoxicology generally uses formulations which contain measurable amounts of Homeopathically prepared active ingredients and are used to treat specific indications. Reckweg reasoned that when a single remedy fails to act, it may be because the power of the disease has manifested in such degeneration of the body’s defense system, that the "vital force" is too weak to properly respond. This seems particularly true with deep seated chronic diseases where, even though the specific constitutional remedy was clearly indicated, the response was poor or seemingly non-existent. Until the vital force or the body’s defense systems are restored, single homeopathic remedies may be limited in their effectiveness. Thus a "combination" of remedies, designed to address a broader range of functions, would seem appropriate to help the body rid itself of toxins and give the system a better chance to heal itself. Many of the chronic diseases that we see today are most likely the result of toxic impregnation of intra-cellular regulatory and metabolic systems. Symptoms may be absent until the damage is quite widespread. Judicious use of catalysts, nosodes, sarcodes, and combination remedies can help clear acute and chronic diseases so that a constitutional remedy can be chosen. Utilizing all the tools available gives us the greatest chance for success.

The term "Potency chords" refers to a balanced mixture of several homeopathic potencies of the same basic material. When applying homeopathic potency chords, a faster and broader response is to be expected from the organism. Functional portions of a pathologic process will be reached by the quick-acting low potencies, whereas at the same time, constitutional and mental portions of a pathological process will be reached by the slow-acting high potencies.

HOMEOPATHY

Homeopathy was developed by German physician and chemist, Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, in the early 1800's. He called this medical system homeopathy from two Greek words: homoios (similar) and pathos (suffering). The two cornerstones of Homeopathy are that "likes are cured by likes," and that the remedies are properly diluted to eliminate or minimize their toxic effects. Homeopathy is a method of medical treatment designed to stimulate the body's own healing processes in order to cure illnesses. It is based upon the discovery that a substance in small doses may alleviate symptoms similar to those it causes at higher doses. Dr. Hahnemann determined that the effects of the medicines he tested on himself were too toxic at the conventional dosage level. He found that when a medicine is properly diluted, healing is achieved without the severe side effects.For example, the symptoms brought on by chopping raw onions (watery eyes, sneezing, runny nose) are similar to common symptoms of hay fever. Correspondingly, a homeopathically prepared dilution of onion (allium sepa) may be used to treat hay fever.

The action of homeopathic remedies is recorded in volumes called Materia Medicas. Since homeopathy makes use of highly diluted substances, virtually every known material could conceivably be made into a remedy. The majority of remedies come from botanical sources, although dilutions of minerals and animal-derived substances are also numerous. Given its large array of remedies, homeopathy can be used to treat a myriad of therapeutic conditions. In classical homeopathy, the usual method is to administer a single remedy to treat a person’s totality of symptoms. This is an exacting exercise requiring familiarity with a large number of remedies and their effects.