Homeopathy for Digestive Disorders

Homeopathy is a safe and useful way to treat various digestive disorders, including indigestion, stomachaches, bloating, gas, ulcers, constipation, diarrhea, acid reflux, irritable bowel syndrome, heartburn, and Crohn's disease. The homeopathic approach views these symptoms as the body’s attempt to correct an imbalance. The homeopathic doctor and patient work with the body, using remedies that act as a catalyst to aid the body's innate healing ability. This allows the patient to better detect and respond more quickly if a more serious condition becomes apparent.

How Does Homeopathy Treat Digestive Disorders?

When someone has a stomachache, the body is signaling that something is not right within the patient. By using a painkiller, the patient masks the pain and does not treat the underlying imbalance. This can lead to other, worse conditions for the patient. Homeopathic remedies do not mask symptoms. Rather, they hone in on the underlying cause of problem. For example, if a patient has diarrhea caused by anxiety, the treatment addresses the anxiety to permanently eliminate the disorder.

Homeopathic Medicines for Digestive Disorders

Homeopathic medicines come with either a single active substance or multiple active ingredients. Combining several active medicines helps address a specific set of symptoms, such as heartburn or gas. Single-ingredient medicines address specific symptoms.

Here are four useful single-ingredient remedies for digestive symptoms:

• If the patient has heartburn and feels sleepy after eating too much rich food or drinking too much coffee or alcohol; wants more stimulants, spicy food and coffee; experiences digestive allergic reactions, nausea, and digestive spasms; has a coated tongue; is angry and irritable; and experiences improvement following a short nap after meals, the best treatment might be Nux vomica. The root cause normally is abuse of food or drinks, business worries, and a sedentary lifestyle.

• If the patient eats too much acidic food or cured meat, has belches that include the taste of ingested food, feels indigestion with nausea, and experiences improvement following warm applications on the abdomen, the solution might be Antimonium crudum. The root cause is probably feelings of frustration or sadness, which the patient reacts to with overindulgence.

• If the patient experiences bloating under the belt, even after light meals; heartburn and acid reflux; drowsiness after meals and long naps; headache above the eyes, associated with digestive symptoms; aggravated symptoms between 4:00 and 8:00 p.m.; and an improvement in symptoms if exposed to cool air and after consuming hot drinks and food, consider taking Lycopodium.

• If the patient is intolerant of greasy or fatty food and wine, has bloating above the belt, feels congested after meals, and has slow digestion with improvement after belching and being fanned, the solution might be Carbo vegetabilis.

How Does Homeopathy Work?

Homeopathic remedies are derived from minerals, herbs, or animal products. The ingredients are crushed and dissolved, shaken, and then diluted until none of the original material exists anymore. Only its frequency, like a “memory” of the herb or element, is left in the water. By diluting to extreme levels, the remedy actually treats the condition in much the same way as a vaccination works. The more diluted the substance, the more powerful its healing properties are believed to be. If the substance at full strength were given to a patient, the patient would experience the same symptoms as the disease for which he or she is being treated.

A homeopath considers many factors when selecting a remedy for digestive disorders, including the patient’s emotional, physical, and intellectual makeup, along with his or her eating habits and lifestyle. If the remedy does not produce a response within a few hours, a new remedy may be selected. For homeopathic remedies to stay effective, they must be kept away from electromagnetic emissions and x-rays, such as electrical appliances and cell phones.

What to Expect during a Visit with a Homeopath

Because homeopaths believe physical disease has mental and emotional elements, they will consider physical symptoms, current emotional and psychological states, and the overall individual makeup of the patient. This detective work includes extensive questions about each patient’s emotional well-being, behavioral patterns, and life history, all of which may take up to 1½ hours. Homeopaths then create highly individualized diagnoses that address all aspects of the condition. Remedies are chosen to jump-start the defensive systems to restore balance and health to the body. If a remedy fails, it may be because the substance was not correct for the presenting symptoms.

How Do I Find a Qualified Homeopath?

Insurance companies might cover homeopathy if the provider is a licensed health care professional, such as a physician who also practices homeopathy. The designation DHt is for the title doctor of homeopathy. In many states, practitioners must be licensed health care providers to legally practice homeopathy. Among the respected certification agencies are the American Board of Homeotherapeutics. The Homeopathic Academy of Naturopathic Physicians (DHANP) certifies Naturopaths in homeopathy. All homeopathic practitioners can apply for Certification in Classical Homeopathy (CCH).