One of the cornerstones of the process of healing with homeopathy is constitutional prescribing. Without supporting the constitution of each client that I see, I don’t see the completeness of healing.
Homeopathic constitutional remedies are selected from the Homeopathic Materia Medica** of plants, animals, minerals and other related substances.
What is Homeopathic Constitutional Prescribing?
Each and every one of us has a host of physical complaints, minor or major. These symptoms are all clues to help a trained homeopath to find the most fitting constitutional homeopathic treatment that will boost overall health and vitality. Combined with the main emotional and personality symptoms, a picture or totality of the individual can be realised.
In total, there are over 8000 homeopathic remedies. Not all of these remedies have enough information on them to make them a suitable constitutional remedy, but many of them can be a good choice for constitutional prescribing. This method of prescribing can be quite detailed, as five people could present to my clinic with IBS type symptoms, however they may all fit a different constitutional picture and will require a different medicine. In another example, one person could have eczema symptoms and be recommended Natrum Muriaticum, while another individual with similar symptoms could receive a different homeopathic treatment. This is what makes homeopathy a truly individualised medicine.
During a consult, I will ask questions about your health state from the past and the present, which includes how you manage stress, what you were like as a child, stand out events from your life, emotional state, and exposures to chemicals and toxins, as well as exploring thoroughly your current physical symptoms and what makes these symptoms worse or better. Your family history is also important, as the patterns of disease and constitution can also be related to what you inherit from your parents and relatives.
A picture is gained of your personal patterns of illness, combined with details such as your favourite and least favourite foods, if you prefer hot or cooler weather, and the environment where you find the most peace or relaxation.
The careful perception of the physical symptoms combined with the personality and emotional state of each person leads us to the selection of suitable homeopathic remedies.
Examples of Constitutional Types :
Lycopodium
The physical tendencies of a person who needs this remedy include digestive issues such as IBS or a tendency towards constipation, bloating, and many food sensitivities. Alongside the digestive issues, the Lycopodium constitution has dry skin and can present with skin eruptions such as eczema that is very dry. They can also tend towards fungal conditions and candida or yeast issues.
The personality profile of Lycopodium is an intelligent and refined person. There may be many fears, mainly around abandonment or being left alone, despite the fact that they like to pursue their interests on their own. They can be quite ambitious and tend to hold successful people in high esteem, whilst looking down or sometimes even bullying people that are not as successful as themselves. An air of arrogance may be present, even if it is somewhat subtle. They also can have anticipatory anxiety about appearing in public. Lycopodium children are often reserved and intelligent with an awareness of how to behave with different people, but don’t mind being alone.
Argentum Nitricum
Made from silver, the physical symptoms of the Argentum constitutional type include digestive issues (commonly diarrhea) and gastralgia (reflux). There can be palpitations that accompany anxiety as well as heaviness in the arms. The argentum constitutional type is generally hot and can overheat easily, with a desire for cool air or cool bathing.
The Argentum nitricum person can present as a creative person with strong anticipatory anxiety around performance, examinations or even before going somewhere (i.e. travelling on a plane). The fear of failure is an underlying stress in many of their pursuits and can sometimes cause them to avoid situations or activities that will put them in the position of stress. At the same time, they do like the idea of performing and have a desire to achieve. In reality, they rarely fail at anything – in fact, they are often the best speakers, performers or achievers. Another symptom that is evident is their impulsiveness and hurried nature, and they can be fidgety and restless. Other common fears are of death and illness, crossing bridges and being alone (they desire company). Children often present as creative and fearful.
Pulsatilla
Physically, Pulsatilla has a tendency towards illnesses that involve the production of catarrh and thick secretions. Think colds that have thick green or yellow discharges, ear infections where the hearing is lost and the eustachian tubes are full, and pulsating headaches or any pain in the body that has a pulsating quality to it. They often need open air to feel better, like a child who has a ‘thick’ cold but when they go outside their symptoms improve.
Hormonal symptoms and imbalances are common for Pulsatilla women. They may have a tendency to have changeable hormonal states and heavy periods.
In person, the Pulsatilla can seem to be very sweet and sensitive. They almost always have changeable symptoms on the mental/emotional or physical levels. Children can present with separation anxiety and want to be held and caressed by their mothers, especially when unwell. This carries over to romantic partners also. They crave a lot of attention and physical contact.
With the many changeable symptoms, they can end up becoming quite controlling and rigid in a subconscious desire to find steadiness. The Pulsatilla personality can have a fear of losing control and a fear of men, and also be quite teary and timid.
Sepia
Many of the hormonal complaints of exhausted mothers can be covered by Sepia, making it one of the more suitable homeopathic remedies for adrenal exhaustion alongside other complaints such as irregular periods, hot flushes in menopause, sleeplessness, vaginal prolapse and other pre-menstrual symptoms. Skin conditions (fungal/ringworm), constipation and impaired venous circulation leading to haemorrhoids or varicose veins are also common.
Emotionally, the person who needs Sepia is worn out, worried and exhausted with anxiety or depression. They can be quite fidgety, and it’s a remedy that is often useful for a mother who keeps herself very busy with her children as well as work or household commitments, but it can also be prescribed to men. Vigorous exercise or dancing can help them to feel better. They are busy looking after their children but also crave time away from their kids, desiring to be alone.
Causation – Causative Events – Pharmaceutical and Recreational Drugs, Traumas, Stresses in life
Causative events or factors are also important to address in the process of dis-ease and the constitutional homeopathic treatment. In the process of a consultation, I am always looking for the points in time that a symptom commenced and what could have been the stress on the body that turned into a state of imbalance. This factor could be the death of a loved one, a pharmaceutical drug, loss of finances or income or work, a deceit by a loved one, etc. The detail of a possible causative event is also a clue to a homeopathic constitutional prescription.
If you are interested in knowing more about your constitutional type or how I might be able to alleviate your health concerns with homeopathic treatment, you can book in for a free 15 minute consultation here.
** A homeopathic Materia Medica is an encyclopaedia of homeopathic remedies and the indications for each. Listed in the Materia Medica are symptoms that have been shown to alleviate specific symptoms either physical or mental/emotional from a Homeopathic Proving. A homeopathic proving is the observation of a remedy in a controlled study environment.
Reference:
Vermeulen F 2000, Concordant Materia Medica, Emryss Publishers The Netherlands.
