Jun 28, 2021

Constitution of Patient in Homeopathy

Constitution of Patient in Homeopathy

In homoeopathy, the choice of remedy is based on a consideration of the totality of an individual's symptoms and circumstances, including personality, behaviors, fears, responses to the physical environment, food preferences, philosophy of early life of patient, history of patient's nearest relatives and so on. No knowledge is perfect unless it includes an understanding of the origin - that is, the beginning; and as all man’s diseases originate in his constitution it is necessary that his constitution should be known if we wish to know his diseases.
Stuart close said - Constitution is that aggregate of hereditary characters, influenced more or less by environment, which determines the individual's reaction, successful or unsuccessful, to the stress of environment.
It is needed to assess the peculiarities of an individual during his or her apparently healthy state. The peculiarities of each individual are put together and assessed in three ways. They are-
  • Actual constitutional diagnosis
  • Development constitutional diagnosis
  • Environmental constitutional diagnosis
Dr. Kent says, Physical constitution is the external disorder following disorder in the man, the vital force.
Constitution is a term which covers vast dimensions in width, depth and intricacy, but it is often inadequately understood. It has two basic factors-
  • The endogenous factor
  • The exogenous factor
The endogenous factors are innate in the individual incurred from the heredity. They endow the organism with various types of tendencies susceptibilities, reactions to the stress of environment.

The exogenous factors are incurred gradually and steadily since birth from the various intimate details of the environmental factors.

Ultimately, both these exogenous and endogenous factors may be come so much intimately mingled up that they form a new type of constitution of the particular organisms - totally distinct from progenitors and even others of the same species. From this approach it is clear that each individual has a distinctly characteristic constitution of his or his own.

It is for this reason necessary, that persons are studied in details in their distinctive features, that signify the personality. They bring out unfailing indications in the health-ill relations and guide the treatment.
Constitution of Patient in Homeopathy

Types of Constitution

There are different types of constitution which are carried into homeopathic parlance from old-time pathology. Some of them are-
  • Scrofulous constitution: Glands remain swollen, general weakness, lack of reaction, wound and inflammations tardy to heal, considered to be the result of hereditary combination of Psora and Syphilis.
  • Hydrogenoid constitution: Increased susceptibility to humidity, even to aquatic vegetables. Hence the symptoms of a disease in this constitution of the body are aggravated by every thing which in any way increases the atoms of water in the organism. Considered to be the result of intimate combination of Psora and Sycosis.
  • Oxygenoid constitution: it is characterized by the accumulation of excess of oxygen with resultant destruction of body tissues. Body is thin and thus ill on change of season. Destructive, disorders involving the genitalia and diseases of central nervous system. Body is prone to ulcerations and self-destruction. Numerous white spots on the nails. 
  • Carbo Nitrogenoid constitution: It is characterized by excess of carbon and nitrogen and suffers from functional disorders of body and mind, diminution of the absorption of oxygen by the tissues. Psora, eczema, arthritism, marked by erratic working or the heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, spleen  etc.
  • Leucophlegmatic constitution: Catarrhal, flabby, water-logged constitution, with pale loose skin. Sluggish in all movements and activities. Chilly and susceptible to cold.
There are also choleric (bilious), chlorotic (anemic with greenish pallor), Neuropathic(Easily excited and depressed), Dyscratic, Lithemic, Neuropathic constitution etc.

Factors related to constitution

Constitution consists of various factors. The chief are-
  • Physical make-up of the body
  • Temperament
  • Heat and cold relation
  • Desire and aversion to food
  • Miasm - PTS, PRS, Psora, Sycosis, Syphilis, Tubercular
  • Diathesis
  • Susceptibility and responses
  • Addictions, habit etc.
It also includes all other factors that work in his framing and that make him distinct, definite and different and thus separate from other persons.

Therapeutic Importance

It is has been noticed that every individual drug has a special relative affinity for particular type of constitution. This fact was clearly noticed by Hahnemann while conducting drug proving as well as in his practice.

Constitutional Diagnosis

Constitutional diagnosis means the assessment of the peculiarities of an individual during his or her apparently healthy state.

Those that pertain to the individuality of the patient even when he is apparently healthy and which modify or qualify symptoms of the disease he is suffering from - helping us for person-diagnosis, i.e., the diagnosis of the constitutional individuality of the patient.

To understand this independently of his disease three things have to be investigated:
  • Actual constitutional diagnosis.
  • Developmental constitutional diagnosis.
  • Environmental constitutional diagnosis.
The actual constitutional diagnosis is done by observing the peculiarities of the individual during his/her apparently healthy state. Only then, the physician clearly perceives what is to be cured in disease that is to say, in every individual case of disease.

The developmental constitutional diagnosis is done by examining and finding out the phases through which the patient has passed to reach his present actual psycho-somatic constitution of personality, including the hereditary investigation.

The environmental constitutional diagnosis consists in the assessment of the modalities or the individual's characteristic reaction e.g. how does this person react to his environment, as to time, place and circumstances.

Constitutional medicine

Constitutional medicine means the medicine which can correct the constitutional defects -  inherent and acquired. Every antimiasmatic medicine is a constitutional medicine. It acts better only after other miasmatic effects are removed or brought to latent state.

For constitutional diagnosis of an individual of Homeopathic physician should search about Fruit-True-Earth Syndrome, Philosophy of early life and development of Philosophy of life, which is high and only mission of the physician. This type of study of an individual will give unfailing indication in the health-ill relations and guide the treatment. This procedure of treatment make Homeopathy (real not superficial) the unique and unparalleled therapeutic system. Constitution of Patient in Homeopathy

This procedure exclude symptomatic treatment i.e. considering aggregation of complete symptoms, Rubrics etc. and treatment of results of the disease, like-Pyrexia(fever), Colic, Migraine, Arthritis, Skin diseases, Cancer, Palsy, Epilepsy, Diabetes, Hypertension etc. After constitutional diagnosis the similimum [following construction of six cycles.] will remove and annihilate the disease in its whole extent [constitutional defect-inherent and acquired] which is the source of all physical as well as mental problems. In this way an individual gets back "Freedom" in place of "Consciousness".
  • Consciousness is equally proportional to Pathology
  • Freedom is inversely proportional to Pathology
  • So, Consciousness is inversely proportional to Freedom
Pathology: Something abnormal; the structural and functional deviations from the normal that constitute disease.
Read More...

Jun 18, 2021

 Practical utilities of the knowledge of the Vital Force

Practical utilities of the knowledge of the Vital Force

Practical utilities of Vital Force are follows

  • It helps to perceive the dynamic nature of life, its actions and reactions which surmount the mere physical and chemical actions and reactions.
  • It helps to understand the dynamic concept of health, disease and cure.
  • It helps to understand the person as a whole both in health and disease - holistic conception of man
  • It helps to individualize each person from others.
  • It helps us to explain the curative nature of the homeopathic dynamic medicine, although apparently contradictory (Because the inherent nature of vitality is to react against any stimulus external or internal, mental and physical).
  • It helps us to explain and substantiate the theory of drug-dynamisation.
  • It helps to explain the conception of chronic miasm, its infection, progress and cure.
  • It helps to appreciate the administration to one simple, single medicine at a time.
  • It helps to justify the significance of using minimum dose in Homeopathy.
  • It helps to appreciate that the moral and psychic sides of man are also important like the physical ones to understand the man fully.
  • It helps to appreciate that no state of a living man is static, it is continuously changing and is reacting against, and is being acted by various environmental factors, both internal and external endlessly.
  • It helps to interpret precisely any and every change in the organism and takes necessary steps accordingly.
Practical utilities of the knowledge of the Vital Force

The knowledge of Vital Force is essential in Homeopathy

  • The theory of vital force is a fundamental conception of Homeopathy. The whole of Homeopathy revolves around it. Almost all the principles of this system are explained with the help of this theory. The knowledge of vital force is essential for the following factors-
  • To understand the dynamic concept of life - health, disease and cure.
  • To appreciate the holistic concept of health, disease and cure
  • To appreciate the dynamic concept of homeopathic treatment.
  • To appreciate the administration of one simple, single medicine, at a time.
  • To justify the significance of using minimum dose in Homeopathy.
  • To explain and substantiate the theory of drug-dynamisation.
  • To explain the concept of miasm, its infection, progress and cure.
Read More...
Role of Vital Force in Homeopathic Cure (Acute and Chronic Disease)

Role of Vital Force in Homeopathic Cure (Acute and Chronic Disease)

Role of Vital Force in Cure Without Medicine

In acute disease: The vital force is always attempting to recover from diseased states, In acute disease the role of vital force is as follows-
  • If the acute disease are not of too violent character, the vital force may be able to overcome the disease conditions through its own power, without outside help (i. e., medicine) but always in sacrifice of some vital energy.
  • Sometimes the assault may be so great that the vital force is not of itself able to overcome the disease conditions and be completely destroyed. Homeopathic remedies with assist in both of these cases and very often save the sacrifice of the energy as well as the life of the patient.
In chronic disease: In this case, the vital force alone can not extinguish the disease. Hence it requires medicinal help for its cure.
Role of Vital Force in Homeopathic Cure

Role of Vital Force in Homeopathic Cure

Both in acute and chronic disease: During the primary action of the applied homeopathic medicine the vital force remains passive and receives the impressions produced on it. As a result of similar, stronger medicinal disease is produced which removes the natural disease. So the vital force becomes now medicinally diseased.

During the secondary action the vital force reacts against the primary action of the applied medicine. But due to the similar relation between the drug and disease the exact opposite condition is not possible. So the vital force indifferenciates itself and employs its increased energy to extinct the medicinal disease which gradually decreases rapidly of its own accord because of following reasons:
  • Minuteness of the dose
  • Short and limited period of action
Thus the vital force being freed from both the natural disease as well as the artificial disease returns to its original normal condition and takes the charge of the already altered tissues and organs leading ultimately to health.

So, the natural disease is removed by the primary action of the administered medicine and the artificial medicinal disease is removed by the secondary curative action of the vital force.

Role in Vital Force  in the Cure of Artificial Chronic Disease

If the vital force has not already been to much weakened by the mischievous act of the allopathic non-healing art, the artificial chronic disease must be remedied by the vital force itself when it remain undisturbed for several years (appropriate medicinal aid may be given for the eradication of chronic miasm, if any lurking in the background).
Read More...

Jun 17, 2021

 Role of Vital Force in Disease

Role of Vital Force in Disease

As the vital force is spiritual, it can only be disturbed by some other spiritual force which is inimical to it. This inimical force affects the vital force when the former (inimical force) is superior to the latter (vital force). Because of this affection, the vital force no longer rules with unbounded away. Its normal workings are altered abnormally and the essential harmony is disturbed. This lack of harmony both on sensational and functional plane immediately shows itself through the material body as signs and symptoms. Hence when harmonious functioning of the vital force is disturbed, we get sickness as as result.
Vital force - Apparently Healthy
... Each one possesses a special personality and a special psychophysical construction which is determined by the interplay of hereditary tendencies and factors of disease.

...The appearance of these disturbances is a reflection of the inward turmoil and confusion of the harmonious action which the vital force has suffered. This brings us to the point where we must acknowledgement that disturbance of any part is the manifestation of an inner disturbance is not a local confusion of certain muscles or of certain group of nerves, or arteries, or even of the mind itself; but that it is an expression of the whole disturbance manifesting itself perhaps locally or in seemingly unrelated parts; It is an expression of the disturbed vital energy, and is a manifestation of the ma as a unit, and not of the separate parts of his body.

...Any disturbance of this vital energy immediately shows itself in lack of harmony through the outward manifestations of our beings; in other words, symptom. When harmonious functioning is disturbed, we get sickness as a result, and it has as its base and inception this lack of harmony in the flow of vital energy through the body. This is manifest in disease as it naturally developed because of disturbed vital force, and it develops also in disturbed vital force from the proving of remedies, showing the action of remedies and the very nature of the remedies themselves.....

In sec. 12 Hahnemann says- "It is the morbidly affected vital force alone that produce disease."
Role of Vital Force in Disease

References

The Principles and Art of cure by Homoeopathy -  Herbert A. Roberts, MD
Read More...
 Role of Vital Force in Health

Role of Vital Force in Health

In sec: 09 Hahnemann says - In the healthy condition of man, the spiritual vital force (autocracy), the dynamism that animates the material body (organism), rules with unbounded away. and retains all the parts of the organism in admirable, harmonious, vital operation, as regards both sensations and functions, so that our indwelling, reason-gifted mind can freely employ this living, healthy instrument for the higher purposes of our existence.

In sec. 10 Hahnemann says - The material organism, without the vital force, is capable of no sensation, no function, no self preservation.

So, in health the immaterial vital force-
  • Animates and controls the material organism without hindrance.
  • Maintains the harmony of life producing normal sensations and functions of the body.
  • Enables the reason gifted mind to engage in the higher purposes of life
  • Resists the diseases and preserves the health.
Vital force dominates and controls the material organism and thus imparts life to it. The body moves, thinks, acts under the control of vital force. All our sensations and physiological functions, like respiration, circulation, digestion, excretion and immunity depend on it. Every manifestation of life solely depends on it.
Role of Vital Force in Health
Vital force co-ordinates in any orderly way the different physiological activities of life carried out by different organs of the body. His heart beats, lungs expand and contract, intestines carry on a peristaltic movement, etc. But a healthy man neither feels the existence of his organs, nor the functions carried out by them. In the state of health, every organ of body follows the will of man and the balance of mind and body maintained.

During the healthy condition of life, as there is a perfect balance between mind and body, the man can employ himself for the higher purpose of his existence.

In the healthy condition of man, the person protects himself from injurious influences. Our terrestrial existence are always exposed to thousands of disease forces but all of us do not always suffer because the vital force constantly affords protection against these Morbific forces and thereby keeps us in healthy condition.
Read More...

Jun 16, 2021

 Nature of Vital Force

Nature of Vital Force

Life is to be considered as composed of three parts - the body, the mind and the spirit. This is a trinity of life. The body and tissues are not life, but they are channels through which life functions.
Nature of Vital Force
It is this super-sensual thing which maintains the body in living condition. This makes all the difference between the living and dead. This thing, according to Hahnemann, the father of Homoeopathy is termed as Vital force - the force of life which appears first in the fifth edition of Organon (1833). In the sixth edition, the same is changed to "Vital Principle".
This was the first introduction to the medical world of the rational concept of life itself.

Nature of Vital Force

Vital force has the following characteristics or qualities-
  • Spiritual
  • Autocratic
  • Automatic
  • Dynamic
  • Unintelligent and instinctive
Spiritual: This means immaterial. The vital force is immaterial and hence it is not perceptible to our senses. It is cognizable only by its effects when it works through the material body.

Autocratic: Auto means self, keratos means power. So autocracy means self-powered. The vital force is autocratic. It is the supreme authority in our body ruling in its own way. It is not governed by anything but governs the material body as the highest authority, so it is called autocratic. It remains in the organism as per its own will and maintains the integrity of the organism.

Automatic or self-acting: Vital force is an automatic force which animates the whole organism. It creates spontaneously to all stimuli against itself.

Dynamic: Vital force is dynamic i.e. only power or energy. This dynamism penetrates every particle, every cell, every atom of the human economy. Without this vital energy, the cell or the whole body becomes inanimate and is dead.

Unintelligent and instinctive: Hahnemann uses these denominations for vital force in Sec. 15, footnote of 22, 29 and in the introduction of Organon of Medicine.
15....(just as the vital force is not conceivable without the organism), consequently the two together constitute a unity, although in thought our mind separates this unity into two distinct conceptions for the sake of facilitating the comprehension of it.
Intellect means, "power to judge and comprehend." As it is only a force it can not reason out itself. Forces can cause a thing while they themselves do not do it directly.

Instinct means "inborn impulse." In the introduction Hahnemann says, "But the vital force, which of itself can only act according to the physical constitution of our organism, and is not guided by reason, knowledge and reflection."
Read More...
Page 1 of 41234Next