The Faculty of Homeopathy Newsletter July 2012 · 2015-04-15 · The Faculty of Homeopathy...

s m leThe Faculty of Homeopathy Newsletter July 2012

The British Homeopathic Association(BHA) has launched a celebrity focussedawareness campaign. High profilesupporters from the worlds of entertain -ment, sport and politics have given uptheir time to help promote the health

benefits of homeopathy to an evenwider audience.

The celebrities taking part in thecampaign are TV presenters Gaby Roslinand Annabel Croft; actress LouiseJameson; the naturalist Dr DavidBellamy; Team GB Olympic sprinterJames Ellington; three times EmmyAward winning actress Susan Hampshire;lifestyle guru and member of rockmusic’s glitterati Jo Wood; former NewLabour government minister PeterHain; founder of the Pineapple DanceStudios, Debbie Moore; and interiordesigner and author Lauren Vaknine.

A series of stunning pictures havebeen taken of the celebrities eachfeaturing a plant or substance used tomake a particular homeopathic medicine.These pictures, accompanied by a shortstatement from each of the celebritiesendorsing homeopathy, are being usedby a leading media communications firmto attract the interest of journalists.

Although early days, the campaignhas certainly got off to a flying startwith coverage being secured in several

media outlets. These include:

■ The Mail On Sunday’s You Magazine(circ: 1,800,674)

■ Yahoo Lifestyle (4-million uniquevisitors in the UK per month)

■ The Daily Express (circ: 597,885)■ The Scottish Daily Express (circ:63,601)

■ Natural Health magazine (readership:180,000)

■ Wales online (850,000 uniquevisitors per month)

To promote the campaign the BHA is launching a microsite, which willprovide online access to informationabout those taking part, atwww.celebhomeopathy.com

The campaign is running throughoutthe summer, so look out for our famousfaces talking about why they usehomeopathy.

None of the celebrities have beenpaid for their involvement in the BHA’scampaign.

All photos: www.brookeberlyn.com

BHA launches awareness campaign

IN THIS ISSUE:News 1

Research update 6Feature 7 & 16

Case studies 8 & 13What’s on 19

Annabel Croft

David Bellamy

Jo Wood

James Ellington

2

•• editorial

Among the dead were leading membersof the homeopathic community –including a group of 16 doctors andsenior staff from Royal London Homeo -pathic Hospital – travelling to Brussels fora conference. Unfortunately I was unableto attend the service, but my good friendFrancis Treuherz tells me it was an event full of poignancy, yet verypositive in reinforcing that our missionto heal accord ing to the principles ofHahnemann must continue.

With the London Olympics closelyfollowing on from the Royal DiamondJubilee it is certainly going to amomentous summer; one which, I’msure, we’re all going to enjoy. This isjust as well because the MHRA hassprung some new legislation on us that is causing considerable anguish in many quarters.

Let’s dispense with the negativenews first. The consolidation of theMedicines Act being conducted by theMHRA does make sense. Getting all the many regulations and amendmentstogether in one overarching piece oflegislation will reduce confusion.However, the homeopathic community is rightly making its voice heard over anunintentional consequence created bythe consolidation, which will makepurchasing homeopathic medicines overthe telephone and internet unlawful, thusdepriving thousands of patient’s accessto a form of safe and effective treatment.

The impressive way in which thehomeo pathic community mobiliseswhen a perceived threat raises its ugly head shows the support we have.We must do all we can to ensure thatpatients do not suffer from any proposedchanges to the legislation.

Few people ever get to go to theOlympics even, it seems – judging bythe complaints from disappointed fansthat have been reported in the papers –if they are held in your own country. So I hope you’ll not think I’m gloating whenI tell you that my wife and I were allocatedtickets for a number of events (what onearth is Taekwondo?), including theClosing Ceremony. I understand thatthe pharmacy serving the athletes willhave homeopathic medicines available(as indeed will the athletes’ pharmacyat the 2014 Commonwealth Games inGlasgow). Homeopathy is good for athletes.Crucially for sportsmen and women,using homeopathy eliminates the risk of being banned for using a drug on theWADA (World Anti-Doping Agency)banned substances list. This, along withit being an effective form of treatment,is why the list of famous sports men andwomen who are reported to have usedhomeopathy is so impressive: DavidBeckham (football), Martina Navratilova(tennis), Annabel Croft (tennis), ZaraPhillips (equestrian), Boris Becker (tennis),Will Greenwood (rugby union), JamesEllington and Usain Bolt (athletics).

In June it seemed the wholecountry was festooned in bunting as the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee wascelebrated by millions. Six decades in the same job! Most people wouldhave given up years ago.

The Royal Family have always beengreat supporters of complementary

A special memorial service to mark the 40th anniversary of the Staines airdisaster was held in London in June. In 1972, a plane flying from Heathrowto Brussels crashed minutes after take-off on the outskirts of Staines,Middlesex, claiming the lives of all on board.

medicine and their use of homeopathy iswell documented. Queen Adelaide, wifeof King William IV, first made public herspecial interest in this “new medicine” in 1835. She had been suffer ing from a serious malady that the courtphysicians couldn’t cure. The queencalled for the services of one ofHahnemann’s oldest and most faithfulcolleagues, Dr. Johann Ernst Stapf whocured her, creating the first of manysupporters of homeopathy among Britishroyalty. Queen Victoria was treated by Dr Frederick Quin, the personal physician/homeopath to Prince Leopold of theBelgians, who was the great uncle ofPrince Albert, Queen Victoria’s muchloved husband. Princess Mary, who laterbecame Queen Mary, headed the fund -raising efforts to move and expand theLondon Homeopathic Hospital. Herhusband, King George V, was appreciativeof homeopathy because it provided himwith an effective treatment for seasick -`ness, a condition from which he sufferedfrequently because of his love of sailing.Royal patronage continues today, as ourpresent monarch is said to always travelwith her box of homeopathic medicines.

Much has happened during theQueen’s reign. Our country has pros -pered despite the current economicproblems. Working and living conditionsare immeasurably better; healthcare ismore diverse and indeed more success -ful, resulting in people living longer –there were 25 times more centenariansin 2011 than there were in 1953, theyear of the coronation. Frustratingly,the fortunes of homeo pathy have waxedand waned almost cyclically. Even so,during the Queen’s reign there havebeen some tremendous homeopathiccharacters who have all made colossalcontributions to homeopathy: Sir JohnWeir, Marjorie Blackie, RAF Jack, RalphTwentyman, Ivor Doney and JohnAinsworth to name just a few.

Today there are equally committedmembers of our community striving forgreater understanding and acceptance ofhomeopathy among clinicians and thewider public. Each of us has a role toplay in achieving this aim; for together,despite setbacks and disappointments,the future will be ours.

Steven [email protected]

Editor: Steven KayneAssistant Editor: John Burry

Faculty of HomeopathyHahnemann House29 Park Street WestLuton LU1 3BE

Tel: 01582 408680Fax: 01582 723032Email: [email protected]: www.facultyofhomeopathy.org

All the material in this publication iscopyright and may not be reproducedwithout permission. The publishers do not necessarily identify with or holdthemselves responsible for contributors’,correspondents’ or advertisers’ opinions.

Design: Wildcat [email protected]: Hertfordshire Display plc, Ware, Herts. Tel: 01920 461191

s m leThe Faculty of Homeopathy

Newsletter

•• news

3

As part of its efforts toincrease recruitment theFaculty took exhibition spaceat the 2012 Primary CareConference in May. Theconference was held at theNEC in Birmingham andattended by almost 6,000healthcare professionals

including GPs, midwives,nurses, podiatrists andspeech therapists.

Over the two-dayconference the Faculty’sstand attracted hundreds ofinterested delegates whotook away information onteaching courses and

forthcoming taster events inLondon and Bristol.

“The greatest interestcame from midwives, whosaid their interest had beendriven by patient demand,”says Nanci Fawcett, FacultyEducation Manager. “Wereceived a request from one of the senior midwiferylecturers at the University of Birmingham to come andlecture on homeopathy, and midwives from York,Southampton and Harrowhave all requested that theFaculty arrange an educationday for them.”

A conference for studentmidwives at Leicester’sDeMontfort University is also

keen for a Faculty member to attend and talk about theuse of homeopathy duringpregnancy, childbirth and thepost-natal period. Furtherinterest came from a GPseeking an education day forhis practice as the patientsthere are requestinghomeopathy.

Special thanks must be given to members SaraEames, Russell Malcolm,Trish Ridsdale, KarenGoodman, Sue DeLacy andDavid Williams for giving up their time to attend theconference and speak todelegates.

Following on from thissuccess, the Faculty plans to attend other exhibitions of this kind and, wherepossible, have memberspresent papers at workshopsand plenary sessions. All theFaculty members who tookpart at the Primary CareConference agreed this iscritical in order to give theFaculty and homeopathymaximum exposure at these events.

The next conference theFaculty is planning to exhibitat is the 2012 Royal Collegeof Midwives Conference on13-14 November. If you want to learn more aboutthese recruitment events or participate in one, contact Nanci Fawcett [email protected]

Dr Gary Smyth is the newFaculty regional represent -ative for Northern Ireland andchair of the local group. Hetakes over from KathleenSavage (LFHom Nurse) whohas decided to step down.

“I am very thankful toKathleen for her hard work,support and encouragementover a number of years,” saidDr Smyth. “Through herdedication, a framework wasin place when I started to learnabout homeopathy and I hope

that I will be able to build onthis and ultimately be able topass something on to otherswho will come after me.”

Presently the group isworking out plans for thefuture including educationalactivities. They are planningto have the next groupmeeting in the autumn, andthereafter to have three tofour meetings a year. Anyonewishing further informationshould [email protected]

Faculty attracts keen interest at Primary Care Conference

New Faculty representative forNorthern Ireland

A congregation of almost100 attended a service ofremembrance at St Georgethe Martyr Church, London,for all those who lost theirlives in the Staines airdisaster 40 years ago.

On 18th June 1972, BEAflight 548 from Heathrow toBrussels crashed soon aftertake-off at Staines in Middle -sex, killing all 118 passengersand crew on board. Thedisaster was particularlydevastating for homeopathyin this country, as on boardwere many doctors from theRoyal London HomeopathicHospital and other leadingfigures from the homeopathiccommunity, who weretravelling to Brussels for aninternational conference.

Reverend Dr JeremySwayne, former Dean of the Faculty of Homeopathy,

conducted the inter -denominational servicewhich included addressesfrom Faculty President, DrSara Eames, Dr Peter Fisher,Clinical Director of the RoyalLondon Hospital ofIntegrated Medicine andProfessor Lord Winston. The poignancy of theoccasion was captured in the musical interludesfeaturing compositions byBorodin, Schumann andLeonard Bernstein.

The passage of time may have assuaged the hurtinflicted on the homeopathiccommunity on that tragicJune day 40 years ago. But for the people in thecongregation who wereclosely related to those wholost their lives or who lostfriends – the deep sense of loss is still felt today.

Victims of Staines airdisaster remembered

left to right: Karen Goodman, Russell Malcolm, Nanci Fawcett, Sue DeLacy and Trish Ridsdale

4

•• news

Ministerial assurance on accessto homeopathic medicinesParliamentary Under Secretaryof State at the Department ofHealth (DH), Earl Howe, hastold representatives from thehomeopathic community thatpatient access to unlicensedhomeopathic medicines willnot be affected by theMHRA’s consolidation of theMedicines’ Act.

He acknowledged thatthe consolidation process had caused genuine concernamong many patients andnon-medical practitioners, but said the DH remainscommitted to supportingpatient choice and thatpatient access tohomeopathy remainsunrestricted.

The minister gave hisassurance to leading figuresfrom stakeholderorganisations, two MPs and arepresentative from theMHRA, who were invited tothe DH in London to discussthe issue. During the meetingEarl Howe said he recognisedthe relative safety ofhomeopathy compared toconventional medicines, andtakes seriously the potentialimpact to patients, non-medical practitionerlivelihoods and thehomeopathic pharmacies.

The part of the Act causingsuch disquiet is Section 10which, if enforced, wouldmake it illegal for unlicensedhomeopathic medicines to bepurchased online or over thetelephone. Initially it was theintention of the homeopathiccommunity to campaign toget Section 10 revised.However, Earl Howeexplained Section 10 of theAct could not be amendedunilaterally by him; it must gothrough a unique consultationprocess of its own and couldnot be part of the currentconsolidation.

An assurances was alsogiven by the MHRA’srepresentative that thecurrent level of enforcement

of the Act will continue in theway it has done for the past40 years, with the MHRA notseeking to restrict currenthomeopathic provision oraccess routes.

In the event of any futuredifficulties in relation to theaccess of unlicensedhomeopathic medicines, theminister offered to meetagain with representativesfrom the homeopathiccommunity to review thesituation and discuss possiblesolutions.

The meeting with EarlHowe was arranged by DavidTredinnick MP and followed ahighly successful campaign,supported by the Faculty,which saw the homeopathicorganisations and pharmaciesencouraging their members,patients and supporters towrite to their MPs to ensureeasy and convenient accessto homeopathic medicinescontinues. This resulted inMPs and ministers receiving

numerous letters fromworried constituents. Wehave learned that nearlyevery MP has received atleast one letter on thisimportant issue and thereforewould like to thank all Facultymembers who supported thecampaign by writing to theirMP or who encouraged theirpatients to do so.

Since the meeting withEarl Howe, political pressurehas been maintained with anevent in parliament organisedby the campaign groupHMC:21.

Among the speakers who addressed the packedcommittee room was theFaculty’s Chief Executive,Cristal Sumner. As well asproviding an update on thedevelopments relating to theMedicines’ Act consolidation,she stressed the importanceof the homeopathiccommunity working togetherto defend the rights ofpatients and practitioners.

New arrivalThe Faculty’s Web and SocialMedia Officer, Lisa Peacock,has given birth to a beautifulbaby girl. Ffion Eloise was bornon 21st May and weighed-inat a respectable 7 pounds 11oz.

Ffion is Lisa’s and herpartner David’s first baby andboth are relishing the joy thatparenthood brings, despitethe disturbed nights. Lisarecently visited the Faculty’sLuton offices to show her babydaughter to her colleagues.Although she was the centreof attention, everyone wasstruck by how Ffion was socalm and good naturedduring the brief visit.

Mother and baby areextremely well and on behalfof all Faculty members wewould like to offer ourcongratulation and warmestbest wishes.

Follow uson TwitterTwitter is a simple andpractical way of stayingin touch with up-to-the-minute developmentsrelating to homeopathy,sharing views andkeeping in touch withcolleagues, studentsand supporters. Keepup to date with thelatest news by loggingon to http://twitter.com/fohhomeopathy

Lisa and Ffion

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•• news

Supporters of homeopathy in Bath and North EastSomerset (BANES) will bemeeting with BANES PCT in mid-July to discuss theprovision of homeopathywithin the PCT and to kick-start a public consultationprocess on the service.

The meeting followsconcerns that the PCT failedto conduct a proper publicconsultation before reachingits earlier decision that it wouldno longer fund homeopathicreferrals other than on a veryexceptional basis.

At the time of going topress the PCT had not publish -ed the terms of reference forthe consultation, but lookingat the minutes from a meetingit held with representativesfrom the Friends of BristolHomeopathic Hospital inMarch, their position iscrystal clear.

At the March meeting, Dr Simon Douglas, the GPaccountable for clinicalcommissioning for BANESPCT, said the PCT’s positionwas that homeopathy lackeda sound evidence base. He went on to say that thisjudgement was based on areview of the evidence,including a number of peerreviewed studies that metthe high standards expectedfrom clinical research andtherefore he saw no reasonto consider further researchsuch as the Swiss Report.

Concerns of patientswere outlined at the meetingand ranged from obtainingreferrals from their GP,anxiety over the possibility of the closure of BHHoutreach clinics, to whathappens when their currenthomeopathic treatmentfinishes. In response DrDouglas said that patientswould have three options infuture:■ To discontinue treatment■ To persuade their GP thatthey had a case forexceptional funding

■ To pay for future treatment

The question of patient choicewas also addressed by thePCT at the meeting in March.Ms Hester McLain, the PCT’sAssociate Director of PlannedCare, stated that “patientchoice” was intended toreflect “where” patientscould be treated rather than“what” treatments were tobe provided, conclud ing therewas a risk of interpreting theoptions being made availableto patients too widely.

Although the Julymeeting will have taken placeby the time you read thisreport, anyone interested injoining the campaign todefend NHS homeopathicservices in BANES shouldcontact Diane Brindley from the Friends of BristolHomeopathic Hospital [email protected]

Public consultation onBANES service begins

New Liverpool servicereports successA new clinic providinghomeopathic treatment toNHS patients in Liverpool isproving to be a greatsuccess. The LiverpoolMedical Homeopathy Service(LMHS) opened only eightmonths ago but is alreadyreceiving steady streams ofNHS referrals that regularlyresult in full clinics.

The new clinic wasoriginally commissioned byLiverpool PCT but it is nowalso taking referrals fromWirral PCT. Operating fromthe Old Swan Health Centre

in Old Swan, Liverpool, theLMHS is a CommunityInterest Company – a limitedcompany created to provide aservice for the benefit of thecommunity and not purely forprivate advantage. Patientscan gain NHS access to theservice through a letter ofreferral from their GP.

The early success of theLMHS has alerted cliniciansin other parts of the countryto the potential of adopting a similar approach as a wayof maintaining homeopathicservices within the NHS.

Saturday shoppers in theWest End of London recentlyhad the opportunity to seek amini-homeopathic consultat -ion in a mobile clinic. NelsonsHomeopathic Pharmacy ranthe clinic from a convertedambulance decked out in astriking floral livery whichcertainly attracted the interestof many in Oxford Street, whointerrupted their shopping tophotograph the van and invest -igate what it was all about.

Over 20 people took the

chance to have a mini-consultation and many morewent away with free samplesof Nelsons products, goodybags and information abouthomeopathy.

The mobile clinic was justone aspect of HomeopathyAwareness Week (June 14-21) which succeeded ingenerating considerablemedia interest. To date thecampaign has produced 42print and online press cuttingsand 16 broadcast clips.

Mobile clinic attractsLondon shoppers

Nelson’s mobile clinic

All news is good news…Do you have a news story about homeopathywhich you think could be of interest to otherFaculty members? If so, we’d like to hear from you. Share your news in these columns by getting in contact with John Burry at:

[email protected] 408682

Photo: N

elson’s Pharm

acy

Physiological effects ofhomeopathic potencieson human cellsThe therapeutic effects of homeopathicArsenicum potencies were investigatedin-vitro, using a continuous cell line(MT4) that was pre-intoxicated witharsenic trioxide (As2O3), and thentreated with succussed andunsuccussed homeopathic potencies,6CH, 30CH and 200CH. This studyaimed to determine whether potenciesdiluted beyond Avogadro’s constant hadphysiological effects on cells; whethervarious potencies would cause differenteffects; and whether succussed andunsuccussed potencies had differenteffects on the cells. The MTT assay was used to measure the percentagecytotoxicity and half maximal inhibitoryconcentration (IC50) of the cells. Afterpre-intoxication of the MT4 cells withthe IC50 As2O3 and treatment withsuccussed and unsuccussed Arsenicum(6CH-200CH), the cell viability increasedwith increasing potency from 81% to194% (over 72 h). The treatments andthe times of exposure were found to bestatistically significant determinants ofcell viability, whereas succussion did not cause any significant variation in theresults. The study provided evidencethat a biotechnological method (namelycell viability) may be used to evaluatescientifically the physiological effects ofhomeopathic potencies on human cells;it confirmed that the homeopathicpotencies did have therapeutic effects;and that succussion was not required in the potentisation method in order toproduce a curative remedy.

Ive EC, Couchman IMS, Reddy L. Therapeuticeffect of Arsenicum album on leukocytes. Int J Mol Sci 2012; 13: 3979–3987.

Two previous investigations had beenperformed to assess the activity ofGelsemium sempervirens in mice, usingemotional response models. In this paperthose two series were pooled andanalysed. Gelsemium in various homeo -pathic centesimal dilutions (4C, 5C, 7C,9C, 30C), a placebo (solvent vehicle), andthe reference drugs diazepam (1mg/kgbody weight) or buspirone (5mg/kg bodyweight) were delivered intraperi toneallyto groups of albino CD1 mice, and theireffects on animal behaviour wereassessed by the light-dark (LD) choicetest and the open-field (OF) explorationtest. Up to 14 separate replications werecarried out in fully blind and randomisedconditions. Pooled analysis demonstratedhighly significant effects of Gelsemium5C, 7C, and 30C on the OF parametertime spent in central area” and ofGelsemium 5C, 9C, and 30C on the LDparameters “time spent in lit area” and“number of light-dark transitions,”

without any sedative action or adverseeffects on locomotion. This pooled dataanalysis confirms and reinforces theevidence that Gelsemium regulates, in anonlinear fashion, the emotional responsesand behaviour of laboratory mice.

Bellavite P, Conforti A, Marzotto M, et al.Testing homeopathy in mouse emotionalresponse models: pooled data analysis of twoseries of studies. Evid Based ComplementAlternat Med 2012; Article No. 954374.

Review finds ‘some evidence’ for homeopathy infibromyalgia treatment

Fibromyalgia is difficult to diagnose and treat. The aim of this overview was to evaluate critically all systematic reviews of single CAM interventions for thetreatment of this chronic pain condition. Five systematic reviews met the authors’inclusion criteria, evaluating the effectiveness of homeopathy, chiropractic,acupuncture, hydrotherapy and massage. The reviews found some evidence of beneficial effects arising from homeopathy, acupuncture, hydrotherapy andmassage, while no evidence was found for therapeutic effects from chiropracticinterventions.

Terry R, Perry R, Ernst E. An overview of systematic reviews of complementary andalternative medicine for fibromyalgia. Clin Rheumatol 2012; 31: 55-66.

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•• news

We published two important papers in April:

■ Mathie RT, Roniger H, Van Wassenhoven M, et al.Method for appraising model validity of randomisedcontrolled trials of homeopathic treatment: multi-raterconcordance study. BMC Med Res Methodol 2012; 12: 49(published online, 17 April 2012).

■ Rutten L, Mathie RT, Fisher P, Goossens M, vanWassenhoven M. Plausibility and evidence: the case ofhomeopathy. Med Health Care Philosophy (publishedonline, 27 April 2012)I.

The first proposes a criterion-based approach to assess the model validity of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of homeopathy – i.e. the degree of excellence of the inter -vention and the relevance of the outcome measures used.Application of the method in systematic reviews will enablethe quality of the homeopathy to be properly reflected in the appraisal of RCT findings.

The second makes the point that detractors’ disbelief inhomeopathy is rooted in the perceived implausibility of anyconceivable mechanism of action and that this view thenimpedes their assessment of the RCT evidence. The paperencourages recognition of the growing evidence that homeo -pathic preparations can exert biological effects, a stance thatwould enable more open-minded appraisal of RCT findings.

BHA research

•• research update

From the journals

Gelsemium regulates emotional responses andbehaviour of laboratory mice

Gelsemium sempervirens

As usual the world of homeopathyseems to be beset by challenges, butstill managing to maintain many positiveactivities at the same time. So I thoughtI would start with a summary of thegood news for a change.

In May, the Faculty’s pilot project of taking a stand at conferences toadvertise our services and courses gotoff to a flying start with the PrimaryCare Conference 2012 at the NEC inBirmingham. Over the two days we had a wide range of visitors from allprofessions and ran out of a lot of ourliterature. Many delegates said howrefreshing it was to see us there, andwe now have a list of people who areinterested in hosting talks about ourwork. Thanks to the Faculty’s EducationManager, Nanci Fawcett, for organisingthis and to those members who gaveup their time to come and make it sucha success. The next step is to considera nursing and midwifery conference inthe autumn. We will also be looking forhelp to deliver some of the talks aroundthe country, so you may be getting anemail or phone call soon.

The Z-cards, which the Faculty hasproduced to provide basic facts abouthomeopathy and give simple answersto the repetitive negative criticism weface, have proved to be a great success.They can be given to friends andcolleagues, but also to your patients. If you’ve not yet seen them, please get in touch with the Faculty and somewill be sent to you.

It was great to see that the work theBHA has been doing with our celebritysupporters resulted in a lot of positivemedia coverage during HomeopathyAwareness Week in June. We nowhave much better links with supporterssuch as Sir David Bellamy, AnnabelCroft, Susan Hampshire, Gaby Roslinand others. They have all hadprofessional photos taken and providedquotes, which will be used to gainfurther coverage in the coming months.

I was privileged to be asked tospeak on behalf of the Faculty at thePapa India Memorial Service to mark

the 40th anniversary of the tragic airaccident, when so many members ofour community died on their way to aLMHI conference in Brussels. Theservice was held at St Georges Church,Queens Square, London and was amoving afternoon of remembrance.Although commemorating such a sadevent, the service also provided theopportunity for the renewing of links andto look forward as well. The service waswonderfully conducted by Dr JeremySwayne and would not have happenedwithout the hard work of Sato Liu onbehalf of the Friends of the RLHIM.Many thanks to them both and toeveryone else involved.

The current challenges are manifold.The proposed consolidation of theMedicines Act has caused muchconsternation in our community, asseemingly an unintended consequenceof the simplifications is that manypatients will not be able to obtain theirmedicines over the phone or via theinternet, and practitioners withoutprescribing rights will not be able to ordermedicines at all. I would like to thank allmembers who have taken an activeinterest in this issue, and we will continueto keep you informed of any develop -ments or if further action is required.

We are also contesting the decisionby BUPA to remove homeopathy fromtheir policies, without any reason orconsultation. I am seeking a meetingwith their medical director as there hasbeen no progress from other channels,and would be interested to hear ifanyone else has had a reply from them.BUPA’s decision could set a nastyprecedent for the other insurancecompanies, so we need a robustresponse even though the amounts that BUPA will cover each year havealways been small.

All the NHS services which providehomeopathy are being challenged to fit in with the new commissioningstructures and the future of eachservice will probably be different.Liverpool has already become acommunity interest company, and

Bristol is considering a similar approach;while London and Glasgow are lookingat developing pathways and servicesthat the local commissioning groups willpurchase. This is challenging and timeconsuming for those involved, but I think this has always been the case for homeopathy. If I ever start feelingsorry for myself or our community I remember how Hahnemann wasdriven out of one city after another,forced to move his family and chattelstime and time again.

Doctors are facing a separatechallenge with revalidation finallylooming and there is a small group ofmembers who are not yet covered by a designated body or responsible officer. I am personally taking this veryseriously, as it is vital that our doctorscan maintain their medical status and Ihave a meeting with the Department of Health in early August to pursue thisfurther. I have already heard from anumber of doctors who are affected,but please get in touch with me aboutthis important issue if you need to.

As always, thanks to Cristal and all her staff and to every member forsupporting both the Faculty andhomeopathy in these difficult times.

Dr Sara EamesPresident of the Faculty of Homeopathy

7

•• case studies•• news•• feature

Trials and tribulations –

but with some good news too!

Tell me more about weight andheaviness?When I am lying down it is so difficultto breathe out. At home I sit right up. I panic, I can’t breathe out; it is verydifficult to do so. I am very frightened.

Tell me a bit more about beingfrightened?I think I am going to die: I will not beable to breathe and I will die. I just wishit would go. I take all this medicationbut I am not getting anywhere. It is notbeing able to breathe out – I can takeall the air in but I can’t breathe it out.

Tell me a little bit more?It is a drowning feeling. I am underwater

and then I am ill with asthma. It is avicious circle; just as I am getting betterI get a cold and it all triggers off again.I get a cough. I don’t get wheezy unlessthings are very bad. There is tightness.I have my own nebuliser if things arereally bad. And this tightness is soexhausting.”

Tell me more about tightness?It is difficult to do things. It is as if thereis a weight on my chest – a heaviness. Itis difficult to breathe out, it becomes areal struggle. I am always coughing; thereis always something there irritating. Thereis a dry cough, occasional sputum andsometimes it wakes me at night. It isas if someone is sitting on my chest.

Geraldine is a 36-year-old housewifereferred by her chest physician forhelp with her asthma. The case is anedited version using the patient’sown words.

Presenting complaint“I feel so desperate. I have brittleasthma and I have been on and offPrednisolone for three months. I amdesperate and fed up of takingmedication. I am now on Nuelin,Omeprazole, Seretide, Salbutamol andMonolukast, as well as Prednisolone,and I still feel short of breath.

“I also get migraine so take Metoclo -pramide for nausea and Tramadol forback pain as I have had a spinal fusion.I am just not feeling any better.

“My asthma started 15 years agobut I have been particularly bad overthe last 18 months. It started when I got a cold and a chest infection. I get colds very easily as my son is innursery and I get everything he does

•• case study

8

Drowning in breathless desper

“I take all this medication but I am not gettinganywhere. I can take all the air in but I can’tbreathe it out… it is a constant struggle.”

Dr Helen Beaumont shares a case where the Sensation Method was used.As well as highlighting how this this method can mislead even the mostexperienced practitioner, she describes the subsequent excellent results when the correct remedy was found.

Have you any fears? Spiders! And MRI scans as it comes inon top of me, it is a tunnel thing, and I am enclosed and could suffocate.

I was very concerned about theseverity of her asthma and her level ofbreathlessness on examination. Shereassured me things had improvedover the last few days since being onthe higher dose of Prednisolone andthat she was due to be reviewed bythe respiratory physician later that day.

Case AnalysisThis case was analysed using theBombay Method referring toSankaran’s Insight into Plants.

The patient showed a great sensi -tivity and reactivity; a clear sensationran through the case. This sensationalso had an opposite reaction. At firstglance you could think the sensationwas that of tightness, but was this the tightness and stiffness ofAnacardiaceae?

On questioning the patient furtherabout the sensation it became clearthat the predominant sensation wasone of heaviness, a pressing feelingcompressing her chest. What was the opposite sensation? It was flying,floating and lightness. This fits verywell into the Hamamelididae family.See chart below.

Having decided which family of plantsshe fitted into, I then had to decidewhich miasm was most appropriate;what was the pace of the case?

She talked a lot about her inabilityto breathe, her feelings of suffocationand wanting to be in the fresh air.

Tell me about your sleep?It’s terrible! No, not always terrible butI can have dreadful nights. I cansuddenly be wide awake and I’m verythirsty all the time, I drink loads atnight. If I’m bad I have to sit upright,bolt upright or sit on a chair and stretchmyself up. If I relax it gets tighter.

Explain tighter?I want to escape from my body. I am try ing to get away but it is surroundingme pulling me down. It is as if I’msuffocating, as fearful as a pillow over myface. I want to fight it, sit up and fight it.

Tell me more about fighting it?My lungs are filling up with something,like water as if I am drowning. I need toget away from it, I am trapped downthere. I have to sit up to get away fromit. I need to get out into the fresh air.

Get away from it? Tell me a little bitmore?This weight, this heaviness, someonesitting on you, someone very fat andheavy sitting on your chest: a giantsputum sitting on my chest coveringme. A giant blob – green, dark, a veryheavy blob. (Hand gesture with flat ofhand firmly pressing down on sternum)I have never been frightened beforebut seeing my husband’s face and hewas so frightened – that scared me.

Tell me about your dreams?I worry about a bomb going off andbeing trapped or the house falling in on us when we are asleep. We wouldhave this weight on us; we would betrapped and unable to breathe.

and I can’t get to the top. It is aconstant struggle to breathe.

What would be the opposite?It would be light. I could breathewithout thinking. There would belightness, no heaviness, I would befreer. There would not be the tightness;I wake at night feeling very tight.

Little bit more about tightness?As if someone is sitting on me – aheaviness. I get short of breath by thetop of the stairs. It is frightening. Will itimprove or will I end up in hospital. Isigned myself out last time. I have afear of dying; I’m not ready to die. I don’twant to leave the family. At 36 I shouldbe enjoying life; I have a nice life.

What would be the opposite?Lightness, easy to move, no effort,almost floating. You could fly as youwould be free of this load pressingdown on you.

9

ration

Photo: S

hutterstock/Daniel K

orzeniewski

CompressedHeavyPressingLoadLimited,draggingFixed andconfinedClosed shut in

Opposite isLightnessFlyingExpandingFreeEnlargedFloating

Motionaversion DullnessDullness ofsensesHeavy anddragged downGroundedAll movementceasesLie downinclination toParalysedDepressedSadness

FlyingFloatingOpen air amel.Motion amelDesire to be inthe open airDesire tomoveFantasizingImagination

Adapting toliving withinconfined,limited space.Balanced

Sensation Passive reaction Active reaction Compensation

10

•• case study

This I felt was the language and paceof the tubercular miasm.

A summary of the tubercular miasmin Sankaran’s Schema discusses:

■ Being caught ■ Suffocated■ Compressed■ Gap is narrowing■ Time is short■ Hectic activity■ Put in all efforts to change – to getout

■ Burnt out, going towards destruction■ A man trapped in a very narrowtunnel

■ Pathology – tuberculosis and asthma

This seemed to describe the pace welland the pathology was an obvious fit, so I then looked to see whichHamamelidae remedy was in theTubercular miasm. It was Juglanscinerea – the butternut. I knew littleabout this particular remedy apart fromits use in skin conditions, so read roundit using Encyclopaedia Homeopathicaand by doing a repertory extraction in Radar. There were virtually norespiratory symptoms despite being a tubercular remedy. Never mind, I thought, this grid works very well, it must be right.

In view of her being on oral steroids and to minimize aggravations, I commenced treatment with Juglans –c LM2 1 drop daily.

Review four weeks later“I’ve been up and down, my asthma is not too bad, it is calming down butI’m still on 7mg Prednisolone. I amcoughing a lot, getting more and moretired. Not as tight but a dry irritatingcough. I’ve had a migraine and feltunwell. I feel a bit better, a bit calmer. I was feeling so ill and not gettinganywhere but felt rough with themigraine.

“Not felt as tight, less heavinessbut exhausted, tired and unable torelax. I sound better in my sleep. My husband touched me to check I was OK one night as my breathingwas quieter.”

This was not the remarkable result I was looking for but there were one or two positive comments. Bearing inmind how long she had been ill for andthe high doses of steroids I decided tocontinue with the remedy and a furtherfollow up was arranged.

Review six weeks later“I am very breathless. I have hadfurther attacks and have not been well.I am coughing and wheezing. I feelvery low and exhausted. I can’t stayawake and I can’t cope when I am ill. I get tight, this heaviness and then I panic. I get a cough whenever I eat or talk. I can’t breathe and I can’t talk.I’ve had to nebulise more. I am sittingup gasping for breath, there is thick

sputum – I can’t breathe. I am sweatyat night and get this dry choking coughwhich is helped by sucking Tunes.”

This I felt was neither anaggravation nor any improvement at all.I did not think the remedy was havingany impact and I was worried both byher local symptoms and also by hergeneral condition both emotionally andphysically. As there had been so littleimprovement in her condition I wasworried she would abandonhomeopathy, but felt it was importantto try and keep her confidence andalleviate her symptoms. She hadreached the end of the road in terms of conventional treatment and in viewof this I felt it was doubly important totry and improve not only her chest buther general well-being. I repertorisedher local symptoms and gave her twolocal remedies to try, starting withSpongia. Spongia 6c and Antimoniumtartaricum 30c prn.

Review three days later Telephone consultation: slight improve -ment, cough much better and sleepimproved, chest feeling still tight butable to breathe. Use of nebuliserreduced. More symptom relief fromSpongia than Antimonium tartaricum.

As there had been somesymptomatic relief I arranged to seeher again in one month to retake hercase and to continue with the localremedy on a prn basis.

Review four weeks later“It suddenly goes, I keep getting theseattacks. There is this constant low levelof asthma and then I get these attackson top. I feel panicky, I will stopbreathing, I get upset, it’s there sittingon me, this heavy weight on my chest,tightening my breathing because of the weight. It is very frightening in thenight. I feel I am suffocating but I try to keep going.”

On reviewing the information Istarted to question my choice ofmiasm. It seemed that Geraldine wasgetting severe intermittent attacks with

“You have given theold me back to me.

I can enjoy being a

mum again and

normal life.”

Cannabis sativa

Photo: S

hutterstock/Hysteria

•• case study

11

an underlying low level of pathology.This pattern seemed more typical ofthe malarial miasm. She was stuck andintermittently attacked; she was limitedby her chest and felt unfortunate andimprisoned by her asthma. The pathologyincludes migraine, neuralgia, Meniere’sand asthma. The malarial remedies inthe Hamamelidae family are Myrica andCannabis sativa.

A repertory extraction of respirationchapter of Cannabis sativa lookedmuch more promising.

■ Respiration; asthmatic■ Respiration difficult air in open amel■ Respiration difficult sitting amel■ Respiration difficult lying while■ Respiration impeded obstructed fromheaviness of chest

■ Respiration wheezing

With hindsight I realised the drowning,suffocating feeling is connected to thefamily Hamamelidae rather than thetubercular miasm. Prescription: Canabissativa 200c ss.

Review four weeks later“I have been well for the last threeweeks. I cough only occasionally, I feela lot, lot better. My chest is clear – it iswonderful I feel lighter and freer. I feelmore positive. My peak flow is great I have not used my nebuliser. I havehad a few headaches but no migraines.I am sleeping and not waking upbecause I can’t breathe. I finishedtaking my Prednisolone three weeksago – that is fantastic I have been onsteroids for nine months.”

This was the longest Geraldine had

been well for nearly two years. It waspromising that the remedy seemed tobe working on several levels in that ithad improved the asthma, migraine,sleep and general well-being. Eightweeks later she reported: “My asthmais great; it is under control – I have hadno further attacks. You have given theold me back to me. I can enjoy being amum again and normal life. I have hadno more migraines.”

At six months she reported: “Allwell! Took the remedy two months ago when I felt some chest tightnesscoming on with a cold, but no asthmaattack and the cold settled reallyquickly.”

On reflection I learnt a huge amountfrom this case and it taught me a

salutary lesson. I felt there was acertain arrogance or naivety on my partin choosing a remedy with no clearrespiratory symptoms. I was lucky toget the opportunity to pursue this casefurther and I think this in part may bedue to the judicial use of local remediesbuying me time and increasing thepatient’s confidence in homeopathy.Ultimately she had a very goodresponse to homeopathy which hasbeen maintained. This case not onlydemonstrates the Hamamelidae familybut also, more importantly, the use ofmiasms and how things can initially bemisleading.

Dr Helen BeaumontMBChB MRCGP DRCOG FFHom*

Photo: Shutterstock/Levent Konuk

For many years steroids and inhalers were an everyday part of the patient’s life

Volunteers needed!The Faculty is looking for volunteers to help man its exhibition stand

at two healthcare conferences later this year.

The next conference we’re planning to attend is the Royal College of Midwives Conferencein Brighton on 13-14 November 2012.

We are also considering taking exhibition space at one of the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) “One-Day Essentials” conferences,

which focus on one area of clinical care. The one-day event we are targeting is on musculoskeletal conditions, which is taking place in Leeds on 20th November 2012.

If you can spare some time to promote the Faculty of Homeopathy at one or both of these important events, please contact Nanci Fawcett for more details

on 01582 408679 or email [email protected]

Join us in Bristol for the 2012British Homeopathic Congress

Register today!

Be part of this inspiring event...

Homeopathy:empowering

the individual

Among the speakers will be Dr David Reilly, Dr Bob Leckridge,Dr Elizabeth Thompson, Dr Russell Malcolm, Mr Alistair Grayand veterinary surgeons Chris Day and Geoff Johnson, plus many more.

Thursday 4 – Sunday 7 Octoberat Tortworth Court Four Pillars Hotel, nr Bristol, UK

For more information, please call 01582 408680or email [email protected] more information, please call 01582 408680or email [email protected]

The consultation took place on 3rdOctober 2001. M is a lady aged 62 withblonde hair, blue eyes and big freckleson her arms. She is intense and looksanxious with a deep frown.

“I suppose it’s because I am gettingolder, but I’ve never been well since I went to Mongolia. I had amoebicdysentery several times and feel that I have just not recovered. I get a lot ofmigraine and other headaches. I feel tiredall the time and my eyes feel as if thereare electrical impulses in them. This hasbeen there for years and the eyespecialist says that I’ve some changesin my vitreous viscosity due to age. It’sall in my head; it just isn’t right, my headis fuzzy inside all the time and I need tobe clear, as I teach in primary school.

“I’m so anxious. I can’t seem to putup with any changes in my body. Sixyears ago I had terrible panic attacksand twice ended up in the IntensiveCare Unit. I was very ill for a year.

“My father died at 42 from cancerand my mother at 50 from a brainhaemorrhage. She had high bloodpressure, and now my GP has told memy blood pressure is high and I mightneed tablets. My husband died young. I had to look after my younger siblingsafter my parents died and then my ownchildren on my own after my husbanddied, and look after the business and go to work as well.

“I get side-effects from all drugsvery easily and have to stop them. All my family and I have a low plateletcount which seems to go up and downfor no reason.

“Before I went to Mongolia I had 19immunisations in five weeks. I am verysensitive. While I was there I gotdysentery five times. Yes, it was verybad with so much diarrhoea and bloodand slime. Also, I had a lot of nosebleeds and got anaemic. I was there fora year teaching. My stomach all swelledup with gas with giardiasis. When I flewback, I ended up in the hospital fortropical diseases where they checkedme over for a few days, but all the testswere clear by then. I have had a horribletaste in my mouth like rotten eggssince and I’ve just not got over it all.”

Migraines“The migraine starts as soon as I openmy eyes, with flashes and zigzags andthe wall moves if I look at it. The pain isusually left-sided and goes to my neckand my left shoulder. Light and beingoutside makes it worse – everythinglooks distant. I have to go to bed and lie down. They last 24 hours then I amvery tired for three days. They are lessoften since I stopped eating tomatoes.

“The other headaches are from theback of my head and the top of my neck,around my head like a band, and I getmore dizzy with them and need to be verycareful when I turn round. The dizziness

has been with me for many years andthe feeling of fuzziness in my head. I really have to concentrate where I amputting my feet or I feel I will fall over.

“The panic attacks start with a drytickly cough. The insides of my arms getreally cold as if I am turning into ice andI can’t breathe and hyperventilate withmy heart going in overdrive. It all lastsfor hours and hours. I felt as if I wasdying and I was terrified that I would die.

“I believe in re-incarnation and Iwould like to be static like an oak treefor 900 years. I don’t feel that I’ve gotmy feet on the earth – it’s as if I am

above the ground when I walk or as if I am walking on jelly.”

“Yes, I’ve always been highly strung.I have had two miscarriages. After thefirst one at 22 I had a nervous breakdown.I was four and a half months pregnantand I lost my baby. I was so shocked; Iwas in agony for a week after. It was likethe end of the world for me. It took methree months to recover. The second mis - carriage was just the same. They wereboth boys and they were just taken awayfrom me. I never even saw them. I stillremember their anniversaries. No, I don’tdo anything special on the day, I justthink of them. Later on I had two sons.”

13

•• case study

“I’ve never been well since I went toMongolia. I had amoebic dysentry severaltimes and I feel I’ve just not recovered”

Former Dean of Faculty Dr Raymond Sevar gives a detailedaccount of a consultation with apatient presenting with a range ofsymptoms and the “never well since”syndrome – along with the remarkableresults from the homeopathic intervention.

“Never wellsince …”

Photo: S

hutterstock/aurema

14

•• case study

feeling around my ankle. “I hate mussels, and since Mongolia

I have really gone off dairy productsespecially milk and cream, also cheese.Oh, I just love to eat, it is the high pointof my day to prepare food and eat it. I absolutely love salt especially sea saltand I could just pour it all over every -thing. I really like tomatoes andespecially bread.

“After the panic attacks I went tomeditation classes. It was terrible! I feltas if I was beginning to leave my body.I was terrified. No, I couldn’t let myselfgo, I was sure that I would die. It wasso frightening that I never tried it again.”

Analysis and treatment“Never well since” dysentery is verystrong and clear and leads to DysenteryCo. (Paterson) as the indicated bowelnosode and its related medicines. Theconsultation was relaxed which allowedthe unfolding of the patient’s story inwhich every single symptom confirmed

Intervention: I suggested that shemight like to light a candle for each ofher lost babies on their anniversariesand let it burn all day. Tears came intoher eyes and she nodded “Yes”.

Death and fear“I always get the winter blues in Januaryand February, and that is when myparents and husband died.

“My mother and father had to runaway together to get married becausemum was pregnant with me. She wasthrown out by her mother and ostracisedby her family for years because shebroke her engagement to another man.I was always afraid that my motherwould leave me when I was little. I usedto shout for her every few minutes tomake sure she was still there and whenI was six my mother beat me after aballet lesson. I got so angry that I thinkI frightened her; my mother never beatme again and she never laid a hand onmy siblings either.

“My father became very ill while mymother was having her last child. It wassuch a shock: when I got back home I was told by my relatives that my fatherwas dead and that the undertakers hadtaken him away. Mother was in hospitalwith the baby so I had to arrange every -thing and I was not allowed to cry. I amstill bitter about that. Cancer – myfather and two of my mother’s sisters.

“I have always been chilly since I waslittle and better from heat, but this yearall of a sudden I get very hot, like hotflushes again. I hate the winter and thedark cloudy days. I am worse in hot sun– I feel terrible. In Mongolia it was veryhot and very humid and I felt terribleand lost a lot of weight. I hated the wideopen spaces in Mongolia. I feel betterat the sea.

“I don’t like being closed in. Even inshops with narrow aisles like super -markets I feel everything closing in onme. I don’t sweat, even when I was inIndia, I just boil up inside. I am even dryas a bone in a sauna!

“I keep getting the feeling as if thereis a tight band around my right anklewhich feels worse with a change ofweather. Even before the change ofweather I can predict it by the band

Arsenicum album. Her core sensationof insecurity fuels her terror of themoment when her soul shall leave herbody and is further illuminated by itsspontaneous opposite: her desire to bere-incarnated as a deeply rooted oakstanding firm for 900 years.

Dysentery Co. 30c one dose. Thentwo weeks later Arsenicum album 30cdrops 30ml, ten succussions and twodrops in water as required.

Follow-up consultationI next saw the patient on 13th November2001.

“I took the bowel nosode and gotthe same symptoms that I had inMongolia. It all came back – the bloatedabdomen and diarrhoea for two weeks.Then it faded away and went. Duringthe two weeks I felt better in myselfand my head was clearer and I just feltbetter inside.

“After those two weeks the head -aches and the usual dizziness all came

Her core sensation of insecurity fuels her terror of the moment when her soulshall leave her body

For a while the patient lived and worked in

back, so I took the remedy drops fortwo days. I felt really awful for a week:a really runny nose, as if somethingwas finally clearing out, and a prickingbehind my nose and in the sinuses, asif someone had put pepper in. It alllasted for one week. I took another twodoses of the drops and it got better – I just felt better. I was fine, with a lotmore energy.

“I then had 12 good days. Then Ihad a bad panic attack as if I was goingto be paralysed, and the breathing wasbad and my tongue was numb, so thenext day I took the Arsenicum dropsagain and I felt better.

“Now I feel much better: in myself,in my body, much more grounded. I havehad a lot of nightmares and vivid dreamsof my dead family visiting me. I wakeup feeling sad, depressed. Also dreamsof knives and broken bones. In the lasttwo weeks the dreams have beengetting nicer and more positive. Lastnight I dreamt of the Queen walking in

15

a church and she stopped and spoke tome for a while. Also last night, I dreamedof my mother and father and we werea happy family.

“I am really much more grounded.I’m not wobbling when I walk. I haven’thad a migraine and I have even beeneating tomatoes again and still nomigraine. The great improvement in myhealth began with Dysentery Co andhas continued in a different way withthe Arsenic.

“I am much happier and cope betterwith work. The big burden feeling hasgone. Before everything was a burdenall the time, everything was a chore,while now I just get up and I do thingsand I am optimistic. No, I have not hadmy BP tested again, I’ve just not thoughtabout it.

“I am only a little bit dizzy today, butI have had a very, very busy day. I havebeen up since 7.30, been to work andcome here and not eaten anythingsince breakfast, and I have friendscoming to see me tonight. I can dothings after school now in the evening.The feeling as if I was in a horrible fogall the time is gone.

OutcomeShe continued Arsenicum album 30cdrops as required. In three months shefelt strong, resilient and virtuallysymptom free with a normal bloodpressure. She remains well.

Raymond SevarBSc MBCh DCH MRCGP FFHom*

Arsenicum album

Photo: S

hutterstock/Allocricetulus

Mongolia and hated the wide open spaces

How homeopathy is usedin osteopathic practice

16

•• case studies•• feature

One rarely has two days the same in anosteopathic practice. While a largeproportion of the public considers thatwe see back after back, and possiblythe odd neck spasm, our scope istypically much wider than this.

Even if I were to consider my last100 patients with non-specific low backpain, the variables would be vast: theaetiology of the condition; the age,morphology and general health of thepatient; and the patient’s emotionalresponse to the presenting pain andmobility restrictions. Osteopathy is aholistic discipline, considering more thanjust the biomechanics of injury. It istherefore very compatible with thehomeopathic approach and theemphasis on the patient narrative.

As a snapshot of my use of homeo -pathy, I will recall some cases from asingle day in my practice. I have chosena day a few months ago (December2011) so I can also include follow-upoutcomes to date.

PeterMy third patient on this particular morn -ing is a two-year-old boy, referred to meby my colleague for cranial osteopathy.The toddler’s parents are both patientsof my colleague, and have beenextremely sleep-deprived since thebirth of their son.

Peter* has been a poor sleeper sincebirth, very restless and waking frequently.He usually resettles with company, but sometimes can be screaming forextended periods during the night. He

The Faculty’s first

member from the

osteopathy profession,

Catherine Tiphanie,

provides an insight

into her use of

homeopathy.

is very active during the day, generallyplaying well with a variety of toys andis very good-natured. He settles easilyfor a nap before his lunch but in theevening he is entirely different, fightingsleep rather than going to bed.

At 17-months-old Peter sufferedfebrile convulsions, which aggravated hispoor sleep pattern further. His parentscould no longer leave the bedroom ifhe was still awake, once again resultingin sleep deprivation for the entire family.The only other noteworthy symptomwas the tendency for him to suffer withrecurrent low-grade ear infections sincevery young, but he had never beenprescribed medication for these.

Following a physical examination, Isuggested to Peter’s parents that whileI could attempt to treat him with cranialosteopathy, experience has demonstrat -ed that toddlers are rarely compliantpatients. This may mean several appoint ments to achieve any significantprogress. However, it would also beworth trying Peter with a homeopathicremedy – to see how his symptoms mayrespond to this. Peter’s parents werereceptive to trying “anything which mayhelp”, as they watched him wriggleaway from my attempts at gentleosteopathic treatment. They left theappointment with a prescription forBelladonna 30C.

Ten days after the appointment I received a call from Peter’s mother.She reported that Peter had slept for 14 hours on the evening of his firsttreatment, and had subsequently slept

a continuous ten hours for three or fournights. Although this was followed by abroken night of sleep, with him up oneor two times, he quickly resettledhimself. The following three to fournights he enjoyed continuous sleep.

However, as delighted as she waswith this change, there had been anotherless welcome change, for by about dayeight Peter had suddenly become verynaughty during the day. He had emptiedout the contents of many packets of foodon the kitchen floor “the behaviour of alittle devil”. This was entirely out ofcharacter from his usual daytime good-natured play. When I enquired as tohow often he was receiving the Bella -donna, I found it was still being giveneach evening. We had initially discussedgiving Peter a dose for five consecutiveevenings, then spacing out the use ofthe remedy. This proving showed itwas definitely time for a break.

At a follow-up appointment threeweeks after the initial appointment, andten days after stopping the daily dose ofBelladonna 30C, Peter was describedas “having an excellent sleep routine”,sleeping for almost ten hours eachevening, and resettling within 15 minutesshould he wake up during the night. Hewas still happy to have his late morningnap, and his behaviour was back incharacter again.

A follow-up appointment two monthslater confirmed that Peter had continuedto sleep well at home; had stayed at hisgrandparents’ house for a few nights;and had been abroad on holiday – with

Hypericum

17

neither of these different sleepingarrangements re-aggravating his previousanxiety and sleep disruption at night, norrequiring further doses of Belladonna.

JoanneReturning to my clinical list on the sameDecember day last year, my fifth patientis Joanne, who is in training for a 90 milewalk she intends to do in April 2012. Shehas had a history of lumbar and pelvicmusculoskeletal problems, and isconcerned these may recur over thefive consecutive days she will need tobe walking. We discuss her trainingroutine and her osteopathic managementprogramme, and I suggest she getsArnica 6C, Rhus toxicodendron 6C andRuta graveolens 6C, to take morning andevening on the days of training walks,and on each day of the event itself.

Feedback from Joanne the monthafter her 90 mile walk was entirelypositive. She had been comfortable andsymptom-free each day of the event,“without even any aching muscles”.

Meanwhile, her husband and his friend,who had refused her offer of sharingthe homeopathic medicines, “werehobbling like lame horses” for the finaltwo days of the event.

MargaretThe final patient on that Decembermorning was Margaret. She is a grand -mother in her late 50s, who had beenchild-minding her “very heavy”granddaughter for a few weeks untilshe contracted shingles seven weeksago. She knows the childminding hasbeen very hard on her long-term backproblems, but it is the pain around herribs that is stopping her from sleeping.“I am up walking around all night to tryand get rid of the burning pain,” shesays. All the lesions have now gone,and she has tried various analgesicsfrom her GP, but with no success.

Margaret receives osteopathictreatment for her back and shouldersymptoms and agrees she “might aswell try some homeopathy if it will helpher sleep”. We agree she will take someCausticum 30C in the early evening, andthen take Causticum 6C every 20-30minutes, if she awakes with the pain at night.

Two weeks later Margaret reportsimprovements in her sleep pattern. Thefirst few nights she needed to take twoto three doses of the Causticum 6Cduring the night, but this allowed theburning pain to subside sufficiently forher to get back to sleep. She hassurprised herself by sleeping throughthe entire night on several nights, butthe recent wet weather has had her upfor about an hour the last two nights,reaching for doses of the Causticum6C. Overall, Margaret is feeling muchmore confident she has somethingwhich helps the burning pain when sheneeds it, and is feeling much better“for finally getting some sleep at all”.

AngelaIn the afternoon session I see a newpatient, referred to me by her GP forcoccyx pain following a difficult labourand forceps delivery of her son. Angelais a 29-years-old health professionalwho has been in constant pain with hercoccyx symptoms since the delivery ofher son nine months ago. Symptoms areworse with standing, even for periods of45 minutes, and Angela is concernedthat she will not be able to return to hervery busy and active job in three monthstime. She has tried Arnica 30C over thelast few months, but has had no changein the symptoms.

Following a physical examination, Iadvise Angela that while there arestructural features of her case which Iwould like to address with osteopathictreatment and acupuncture, I would alsorecommend Hypericum 30C. While I can

work on improving the musculo skeletalalignment and function of her pelvis andlumbar area, she can help desensitisethe nerve-rich coccyx area, which hasbeen symptomatic for months.

Angela received four sessions ofosteopathic treatment and acupunctureover the following seven weeks, withadvice to gradually increase her levelsof activity and walking – beyond thecurrent demands of caring for a verybig and active nine-month-old baby.

Initially she used the Hypericumthree times a day, reducing to twicedaily as a result of forgetfulness.However, she latterly found that shewas not even thinking she needed theevening dose, so was down to one dosein the mornings. At her final reviewAngela reported she was able to standfor considerable periods of time; wasmanaging three to four hours ofshopping; and was much moreconfident she would be able to managea four hour shift upon her imminentreturn to work.

I do not use homeopathy with all ofmy cases, but have found that it worksin a very complementary way within anosteopathic practice. It provides a usefultool to address cases with manycomplex emotional facets, and can helppatients to understand that emotions andstates of anxiety may be sufficient to re-aggravate some of their physicalsymptoms. But it also empowerspatients. By having a homeopathicmedicine at hand, which they have foundto be useful in a particular instance,allows the individual to manage theirsymptoms between treatment sessions.

*All patients’ names have beenchanged

Catherine TiphanieBSc(Ost), MSc(Western MedicalAcupuncture), MFHom

•• feature

Rhus toxicodendron Ruta graveolens

18

•• events

•• examinations calendar 2012

Members-only areaValuable new information is now available in the Members’ area of the Faculty website.

■ Guidance for promoting your website■ Peer appraisal forms and information■ Congress presentations for review■ Media toolkit

To access the Members’ area you will need your user name and password to login – for a login reminder email: [email protected]

What’s on the website www.facultyofhomeopathy.org

PRIMARY HEALTH CARE EXAM

EXAM EXAM DATE VENUE CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS

PHCE 3 September 2012 London 3 August 2012

SPECIALIST REGISTRATION – OPEN TO DOCTORS WHO HAVE GAINED THE MFHom


Assessment 10 October 2012 Glasgow 12 August 2012

Assessment 17 October 2012 Luton 12 August 2012

MEMBERSHIP EXAM – OPEN TO NURSES AND DOCTORS WHO HAVE PASSED THE PHCE


MFHom / MFHom (Nurse) 7 December 2012 Glasgow 11 October 2012

DENTAL MEMBERSHIP EXAM


MFHom (Dent) 14 September 2012 Luton 13 July 2012

•• case studies

19

•• events

•• what’s on

67th Congress of the Liga MedicorumHomeopathica InternationalisEvent Date: 17/09/2012 – 19/09/2012Location: Nara, JapanContact: LMHI2012, Secretariat: C/o ISS Inc.Nihon Seimei Ichibancho Bldg. 4F23-3 Ichibancho Chiyoda-kuTokyo 102-0082, Japan• Fax: +81 3 3230 3725Email: [email protected]/lmhi2012

5th European Congress for IntegrativeMedicine (EICM) in FlorenceEvent Date: 21/09/2012 – 22/09/2012The future of comprehensive patient care.Promoting health and developing anintegrated and sustainable treatment in acuteand chronic diseases. The aim of the ECIM2012 is to link researchers and medicaldoctors in order to promote a constructivedialogue and discussion about the clinicalefficacy and the methodology of medicalcare, research and education.• For more information, visitwww.ecim-congress.orgor email [email protected]

Gradually Evolving and MasteringSensation (GEMS)Event Date: 28/09/2012Event Time: 09:15 until 16:30Venue: Penny Brohn Centre, Pill, BS20 0HHGEMS days are held on Fridays at PennyBrohn Centre in Pill BS20 0HH, 9.15am-4.30pm.Open to fully qualified and registeredhomeopaths. Each day will be worth 5 hours45 minutes CPD time. Please book yourplace by emailing BHH Academic Administratorat [email protected] at leastone week prior to the date. Please note thatplaces at GEMS days are very limited.Bookings are taken on a first come firstserved basis.• For more information please call0117 9466087.

The Science of Homones – A MasterClass with Alize TimmermanEvent Date: 29/09/2012Event Time: 10:00 until 16:00Venue: Penny Brohn Centre, Pill, BS20 0HHThis event suits all levels of experience andwill look at the neurobiology of the brain.Attendance will be worth 4 hours 50 minutesCPD time. Cost: £65. Alize Timmermantrained as a research biochemist and wasinvolved in genetic research at the Universityof Amsterdam, Holland. Alize studiedNaturopathy graduating from the School ofNatural Healthcare in Amsterdam in 1980.She specialised in Homeopathy.

Please book your place by emailing BHHAcademic Administrator [email protected] at least oneweek prior to the date. Bookings are takenon a first come first served basis. • For more information please call0117 946608.

Prescribing for the Family Dynamic –Alize TimmermanEvent Date: 30/09/2012Event Time: 10:00 until 16:00This advanced homeopathy seminar is opento medical professionals and complementaryhealthcare practitioners and therapists, qualifiedhomeopaths, student homeopaths and allthose with a strong interest in homeo pathyand family therapy. This one-day course willstudy the family dynamic, healing thera -peutically and homeopathic prescribing.• To book a place or for further informationemail [email protected]

British Homeopathic Congress 2012Event Date: 04/10/2012 – 07/10/2012Following the success of our last congress in Cambridge the next British HomeopathicCongress is to be held at the Totworth CourtFour Pillars Hotel set in beautiful Gloucester -shire countryside. Tortworth Court Four PillarsHotel, Wotton-under-Edge, South Gloucester -shire, GL12 8HH.• To book tickets please contact CongressOrganiser Nanci Fawcett at [email protected] or by telephoneon 01582 408679.

Complementary and AlternativeMedicine – Innovation and Added Valuefor European HealthcareEvent Date: 09/10/2012Event Time: 09:00 until 18:00The conference will be held at the EuropeanParliament, Brussels in Room P7C050. The conference will be held in English.The conference will present the reasons for growing citizen demand for CAM, itscapacity for increased citizen wellbeing, and for comple mentary care particularly inthe prevention and treatment of chronicdiseases.• To register an interest in attending theevent visit www.epha.org/a/5243Alternatively phone: 02 233 3 873 or email: [email protected]

8th Australian Homeopathic MedicineConferenceEvent Date: 12/10/2012 – 14/10/2012Location: Brisbane, Australia. Topic: 2012 andBeyond – A Homeopathic Odyssey.

• For more information contact:The Australian Homeopathic AssociationEmail: [email protected]

Gradually Evolving and MasteringSensation (GEMS)Event Date: 23/11/2012Event Time: 09:15 until 16:30GEMS are open to fully qualified practitionersholding either MFHom or RSHom. Each daywill be worth 5 hours 45 minutes CPD time.Book your place at least one week prior tothe date by contacting [email protected] Please note that places at GEMS days are very limited.• For more information call 0117 9466087.

Trees – A Master Class with Dr LizThompsonEvent Date: 24/11/2012Event Time: 10:00 until 16:30This master class will suit all levels ofexperience. Please book your place bycontacting the BHH Academic Administratorat [email protected] at leastone week prior to the event.• For more information, please call0117 9466087

The 8th Annual ICCMR CongressEvent Date: 11/04/2013 – 13/04/2013The 8th International Congress ofComplementary Medicine Research –ICCMR 2013 – will focus on the globalsustainability of healthcare for long-termconditions such as diabetes, chronic pain,cardiovascular disease, psychological problems,neurodegenerative conditions and arthritis.Venue: Institute of Education, London• For more information or to book visitwww.ICCMR2013.org

6th Children’s Complementary TherapyNetwork (CCTN) conference Event Date: 18/05/2013Venue: Birmingham Children’s HospitalThis conference will bring together a widerange of professionals interested in learningabout and advancing the field of comple -mentary therapies and integrated medicine in children. Presentations on paediatric CAMwill be complemented with interactiveworkshops to enhance delegates’ skills and knowledge. Delegates will includecomple mentary therapists, doctors, nurses,physio therapists, OTs, researchers, teachers,service developers, etc. The Children’sComplementary Therapy Network (CCTN) is a UK-based national network and a project within Freshwinds charity.Membership of the CCTN is free(www.freshwinds.org.uk).• For more information please contact: Dr Pankaj Shah at [email protected]

1st HRI International HomeopathyResearch Conference in BarcelonaEvent Date: 31/05/2013 – 02/06/2013This landmark event will bring together bothactive researchers and those with an interestin homeopathy research. They will hear fromworld experts about the latest findings in thisrapidly developing field.Confirmed keynote speakers include: Dr Gustavo Bracho, Dr Peter Fisher, Dr Stephen Baumgartner, Dr Elio Rossi and Professor Chris Endler.• For more information visitwww.homeoinst.org/conference

Regular meetingsW Surrey & W Sussex Homeopathic GroupEvent Date: 18/09/2012; 20/11/2012 – Event Time: 20:00 until 22:00Members include doctors, vets, dentists and pharmacists. The aim of the group is to actas a forum for ongoing learning and support, covering all aspects of homeopathy andmedical practice.The Punch Bowl, Oakwood Hill, nr Ockley, Surrey RH5 5PU.• Charles Forsyth on 01737 226338 (office), 01737 248605 (home), 07802 293006 (mobile)or [email protected]

Leeds Homeopathic GroupRegular meetings in the Ramada Jarvis Hotel, Adel, north Leeds.• Jutta Prekow on 0113 203 7329 or at [email protected]

● Sara Eames, President:[email protected]

● Liz Thompson, Vice-President:[email protected]

● Peter Darby, Dental Dean:[email protected]

● Christopher Day, Veterinary Dean:[email protected]

● Patricia Donnachie, Nursing Dean:[email protected]

● Jonathan Hardy, Independent PracticeRepresentative:[email protected]

● Lee Kayne, Pharmacy Dean:[email protected]

● Tariq Khan, Podiatry Dean: [email protected]

● Russell Malcolm, Dean:[email protected]

● Tim Robinson, Members’ Committee Convener:[email protected]

● Helmut Roniger, NHS Secondary CareRepresentative:[email protected]

● John Saxton, Immediate Past-President: [email protected]

● Ralf Schmalhorst, NHS Primary CareRepresentative:[email protected]

● Nick Thompson, Promotion Committee Convener:[email protected]

● Andrea Wiessner, Treasurer:[email protected]

● Cristal Sumner – Chief Executive:[email protected] 408674

● John Burry – Communications Officer:[email protected] 408682

● Nanci Fawcett – Education Manager:[email protected] 408679

● Robert Mathie – Research Development Adviser:[email protected] 408683

● Nilesh Mulji – Financial Controller (part-time):[email protected] 408678

● Tracey Rignall – Membership Officer:[email protected] 408681

● Lilia Russell – Executive Assistant to ChiefExecutive:[email protected] 408675

Who to contact at the Faculty

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Faculty of Homeopathy

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The Faculty of Homeopathy Newsletter July 2012 · 2015-04-15 · The Faculty of Homeopathy...

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