Homeopathy: That is incredible

by Dr. Chad Goetz — 

Homeopaths from around the world have seen unquestionable benefits in treating all kinds of ailments and suffering in humanity, ranging from depression and anxiety to cancer, infectious epidemics and drug withdrawal symptoms.

Teresa’s life was in shambles. She had just come off using 200mg of oxycodone per day. Oxycodone is a powerful opiate analgesic, the withdrawal symptoms of which are similar to those experienced by individuals ending a long heroin addiction.

Teresa was absolutely miserable — she was physically restless, moaning with pain and unable to sleep. She also complained of abdominal cramps which were only mildly relieved by curling into the fetal position, periodic vomiting after drinking the ice-cold water that she craved and green-colored diarrhea. Not exactly pleasant or comfortable circumstances. And not untreatable either — that is, if one is sufficiently versed in homeopathy.

Effective treatment required a highly individualized homeopathic remedy based on Teresa’s specific symptoms. In her case, the most appropriate remedy was Phosphorus 200C — a highly diluted homeopathic remedy made from the element of the same name. Within 30 minutes of receiving the dose, Teresa’s need to vomit had ceased, as had her incredible restlessness — to the point where she fell asleep.

None of the pharmaceutical drugs Teresa had previously tried, including Phenergan (prescribed for nausea), Imodium (for diarrhea), diazepam (to help relax her) and clonidine (to help ease the opiate withdrawal symptoms) had done anything to alleviate her situation, but one dose of homeopathic Phosphorus 200C produced dramatic results.

By the next day, she was out of bed, and had managed to shower, apply makeup and begun to eat again. Her green-colored diarrhea, vomiting, restlessness and general malaise were nowhere to be seen. These truly remarkable effects are a testament to the results possible with homeopathy and why it has stood the test of time as a healing modality. Homeopaths from around the world have seen unquestionable benefits in treating all kinds of ailments and suffering in humanity, ranging from depression and anxiety to cancer, infectious epidemics and drug withdrawal symptoms.

Although examples of homeopathy can be found in the Old Testament, in the Jewish Talmud and in other cultures, the German physician Samuel Hahnemann in the late 18th and early 19th centuries was the individual responsible for codifying homeopathy as it is currently practiced throughout the world. Based on the concept of similia similibus curantur (“let likes be cured with likes”), homeopathy focuses on scientific examination to discern the true medicinal properties of a particular substance by observing its effects upon healthy people, not by hypothetical speculation.

By cataloging the symptoms produced in healthy individuals, we can observe what types of ailments the substance could be used to treat in sick people with similar symptoms. Phosphorus produces many of the same symptoms in healthy people that Teresa was experiencing when ill; that is precisely why it worked so beautifully in its highly diluted form in her particular case. Someone else coming off an oxycodone addiction might have had a different set of symptoms that demanded a different homeopathic remedy. Teresa, who is now gladly living life drug-free, was so impressed with homeopathy that she could only remark “that is incredible.” Indeed it is.

Dr. Chad Goetz is a naturopathic physician specializing in Hahnemannian Homeopathy and has a private practice in downtown Phoenix. He is one of the attending physicians at the River Source Naturopathic Detox Center in Mesa, Ariz. 602-234-1158 or [email protected].

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 24, Number 3, June/July 2005.