Homeopathy for Sports and Exercise Injuries Homeopathy cures a larger percentage of cases than any other system

or school of medicine. [1] Spring is here! With the change to warmer weather many of us will be drawn outdoors into the fresh air and warm sun to exercise. With this newfound passion comes the added risk of injury. With injury comes the responsibility to care for the body without causing further harm. A Disturbing Trend in Sports Medicine First, Do no Harm
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There is a disturbing trend taking place in the field of sports and exercise medicine today. That trend includes the use of a class of drugs that not only complicate recovery, but also increase the risk of developing sports related injuries. Athletes are using these so-called harmless drugs with greater frequency than ever before. These drugs are even recommended by physicians and physical therapists as an aid in the recovery process, even though they have been shown to have the opposite effect. Many athletes choose to use a group of medicines called NSAIDs, or Non Steroidal Anti-inflammatory medicines, to enhance performance, pre-medicate to avoid pain and to treat existing injuries. This group of medications includes Ibuprofen (Motrin, Aleve), Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and Salicylic Acid (Aspirin). They are far from benign. On the surface these medicines appear harmless, since they help fight inflammation and numb the pain, but they:

Are the leading cause of Kidney Failure in the U.S. today. Cause GI bleeding in ALL users. Cause gastritis, and Peptic Ulcer Disease (PUD) in many long term users. Suppress the immune system. Slow down the healing process. Promote chronic injury. Dull the perception of important pain signals. Increase the risk of new injuries. Increase the risk of worsening existing injuries. Directly oppose the maxim: Listen to your body.

Athletes using NSAIDs before, during and after exercise increase their risk of all these complications. Even in the absence of vigorous physical exercise, these agents are known to damage the body, but during vigorous exercise, the body is at even greater risk of injury from these agents. During exercise the body typically experiences mild to moderate dehydration and hemo-concentration. This volume reduction increases the concentration of all medicines in the body. As a result, the kidneys, stomach, liver, intestines and muscles all experience higher than normal concentrations of these drugs. As concentration increases, so does the risk of injury. The toxic effects of these substances are magnified during exercise, resulting in an increased risk of developing one or more side effects. Not only are the toxic effects of drugs increased during exercise, but the analgesic and immune suppressing effects are also magnified. As a result, small injuries and microscopic tissue traumas are more likely to go unnoticed. The cumulative effect of this can lead to a spiral of diminished body-awareness and aggravations of existing injuries. Pain is not only an important message from the body indicating physiologic limits to activity, but it is also a key component in the healing mechanism. These medicines directly interfere with the inflammatory response which is part of the bodys healing mechanism. NSAIDs should never be used routinely by athletes either to prevent injury, enhance performance or to treat an existing inju ry. A far safer and more effective tool for management of sports injuries is homeopathy. Try Homeopathy Homeopathy is a safe and effective subspecialty of medicine that promotes healing without the risk of worsening injury, causing bleeding or delaying the healing process. It works with the body to promote health and recovery after injury. Homeopathy has even been found to help prevent injury when used in marathon runners. Homeopathy is based upon the:

Law of Similars Law of the Minimum Dose Individualization of Treatment Innate Power of the Body to Heal Itself

The physicians highest and only calling is to make the sick healthy, to cure as it is called.[3] The Law of Similars Using medicines in small amounts, that in large doses, are capable of producing similar states of illness as the disease being treated is an example of the Law of Similars. The Law of Similars takes advantage of a direct relationship between the symptoms produced by a medicineand the symptoms that exist in an actual disease. When these two states match each other there is an excellent chance of fostering a cure. Conventional medical physicians typically deny the possibility of cure since most conventional medical prescriptions are designed to palliate symptoms, not cure illness. Conventional care is based on Allopathy, not homeopathy. Allopathy is treatment based on opposites, not similars. Opposites oppose the bodys self healing mechanisms while similars work with them. The Law of the Minimum Dose When extremely small (or infinitesimal) quantities of medicines are used to treat, the risk of side effects and associated toxicity is significantly reduced. Homeopathic medicines commonly fall far below the threshold ofpredicted biological and chemical activity due to the minute chemical doses employed. Concentrations of homeopathic medicines are so small as to be virtually undetectable by chemical means, but their biological activity has been proven. No credible chemical or physical basis has been found to explain the mechanism by which such small concentrations could have such profound biological effects, but open minds can plumb the mysteries of the cosmos! Individualization of Treatment Homeopathic medicines are so effective at such small doses precisely because their prescription is so highly individualized. Each individual case is compared, in detail, to the picture of each individual medicine until the most precise match is made between similar states. When homeopathy is practiced without paying attention to individual details it is frequently indiscernable from placebo. Give me a place to stand and with a lever I will move the whole world.[4] Archimedes understood the principle of applying precisely the right amount of force to precisely the right spot thereby individualizing the solution to match the problem. Homeopathy follows the same principle in the individualization of treatment. Every solution must individually match the unique condition to which it applied. This is a concept that has long escaped conventional medical science. The Innate Power of the Body to Heal Itself Homeopathic medicines provide a form of stimulation of the innate body systems that assist in healing. Homeopathic medicines are not drugs. They do not act chemically inside the body, so they do not interfere with the body; they act to promote self-healing. The body has an innate ability to work toward stability and to heal itself. This process is called homeostasis. Many systems of the body self-regulate and promote balance. Many of the symptoms generated by the body during illness are signs of this self-regulating process. Some of the more common symptoms of self-healing include:

Pain Fever Discomfort Discharge

Each symptom generated by the body is part of an important physiological process that has developed to coordinate the healing process. These symptoms maximize the efficiently and allow the body to work more effectively in the process of disease resolution and autonomy.

When these innate systems are suppressed (by suppressing the symptoms with many conventional medications) then the underlying selfhealing mechanisms are thwarted, and the bodys innate ability to heal itself is impaired. How Does Homeopathy Work? We do not understand the mechanism how homeopathic medicines exert their effects on the bodys self -healing systems, but we do know (and research indicates) that they are much more than placebo effects. The word placebo comes from 18 Century Latin meaning: I shall please. More recent usage implies a more derogatory connotation, akin to a sham or a fraud. Curiously, many of the studies that use placebo controls report significant improvement and even cure in the placebo only grou ps. The percentages of cure by placebo has been as high as 30% in some studies. These healing effects are frequently durable and permanent. Placebo groups also report a high incidence of side effects and adverse drug effects even though no active medicine was d ispensed. This response is the negative-placebo effect, designated the nocebo response. Both the positive and negative effects (placebo and nocebo) are completely real, even though their occurrence is unpredictable. These effects are conveniently ignored by conventional medical researchers, but they are bona fide events that take place equally in all systems of medicine and in all frameworks of healing. Placebo and nocebo responses are:
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Responsible for up to 30% of healing responses across all medical paradigms. Able to save significant expense that would otherwise go toward more expensive medicines. Are examples of how often the body heals and harms itself. Tremendously important in the delivery of health care. Examples of the powerful force of the mind and how it can be harnessed constructively if a little time is taken to address individual concerns.

The placebo effect has not only been eschewed by conventional medicine, but it has been subjected to continual ridicule and lambasted as an enemy of real medicine. Imagine the hubris involved in making fun of the bodys ability to help or harm itself! Homeopathic medicines, (often accused of being a placebo response) demonstrate an efficacy rate as high as 80-90% in large outcome studies (well beyond the 30% observed from placebo). Homeopathy is no more a placebo effect than conventional medicine, since:

Veterinary Homeopathy demonstrates remarkable cure rates in the treatment of animals. Pediatric Homeopathy is effective in infants and small children, who respond dramatically to homeopathy while they typically fail to respond to placebo. Homeopathy has shown dramatic results in cases of Coma, Seizure disorders and alterations of consciousness. Homeopathy is effective in Double Blind Placebo Controlled Clinical Studies and Meta-Analyses. These studies consistently indicate that Homeopathy is more effective than placebo. Homeopathic Provings demonstrate that when homeopathic medicines are administered repeatedly in a blinded fashion to healthy individuals they produce symptoms of illness. This proving process is the foundation of homeopathy and has been reproducibly shown to produce distinct and highly specific patterns of symptoms depending upon the choice of the individual homeopathic medicine.

Placebo effects augment all medical treatments (conventional and homeopathic), but their power should be harnessed rather than ignored. How to use Homeopathy Homeopathy is extremely straightforward, safe and user-friendly as long as a few rules are observed. Self-care and 1st Aid are very easily learned and incorporated as a result of a little basic homeopathic training. A few reminders:

Carefully select the remedy that BEST matches most or all of your symptoms. For 1st Aid, if a remedy doesnt work within 2 6 hours try something different or seek professional advice. Discontinue taking any homeopathic medicine once you feel either better or worse.

Do not eat or drink immediately before or after taking a homeopathic medicine. Wait at least 5 minutes. Store remedies out of sunlight, away from electronic equipment, microwaves, cell phones and computers. Properly stored homeopathic medicines will last indefinitely and may actually improve with age and shaking.

Homeopathy has an extremely small carbon footprint. It is ecologically sound, environmental friendly and will not harm wildlife. Specific Remedies to Consider in Sports Injuries: Some generalizations can be made about when certain homeopathic medicines are indicated and for whom. Self-care can be utilized in the homeopathic system and it is extremely forgiving with an excellent safety profile. Some of the following homeopathic medicines have proven track records for being extremely helpful in preventing and treating certain sports injuries. Remember that if treatment is not successful within a reasonable amount time, then further definitive care by a specialist should be considered. Arnica montana- Leopards Bane Arnica is the sine qua non for all forms of TRAUMA, including soft tissue injuries, falls, blows, bruises, contusions, sprains, strains, broken bones, overexertion, mental stress, shock, and PTSD. Arnica is an essential addition to any sports first aid kit. Arnica can be helpful acutely at the time of injury or even years later for injuries that have failed to completely heal. Arnica is also helpful post-operatively for many types of surgery where bruising, injury and tissue trauma are expected. Ruta graveolens- Garden Rue Ruta is highly effective in cases of injured or bruised bones, joints, and tendons that present with sore, aching pains and restlessness. Ruta has special affinity for the flexor tendons of the ankles and wrists. It is helpful in cartilage injuries, and bruises of the periosteum (the sensitive tissue that surrounds bones). Ruta helpful in sciatic pain that is worse lying down at night, and for persistent lameness and weakness after sprains or strains. Ruta can also be helpful for eyestrain. Symphytum- Comfrey Symphytum is particularly helpful in cases of injuries to bones, cartilages, and periosteum when there isexcessive pain. It is good for old painful injuries that have failed to heal properly. It is useful in fractures and broken bones where there is a pricking, or stitching sensation that remains after the wound is healed. Symphytum is known for its affinity to help heal the non-union of fractures. Hypericum perforatum- St. Johns Wort Hypericum is one of the best medicines for injured nerves, especially in sensitive areas like the fingers, toes, and under the nails. It is useful in crush injuries, painful lacerations, and when intolerable, violent, shooting and sharp pains are present. It is helpful in cases of brain and spinal cord injury. Hypericum can be used in cases where wounds feel more tender than they look. It can also be helpful post-operatively for nerve injuries or after tooth extractions (in cases of dry socket). Rhus Toxicodendron- Poison Oak Rhus tox is helpful in cases where there is pain and stiffness of muscles and joints known as the Rusty Gate phenomenon. Rhus tox is helpful in strains and sprains caused by over-lifting or overexertion. One of itskeynote characteristics is rheumatism that is worse in cold, wet, rainy weather. The pains are typically worse at night, and the person cannot find any comfortable position in which to rest. Rhus tox helps in cases where muscles twitch excessively, and where there is a sensation of crawling or numbness of the affected parts. Rhus tox may help cases of sciatica that are better by warmth and from continued exercise. Bryonia alba- Wild Hops Bryonia patients want to be left alone. They dont want to be touched. They have severe pain with red, hot swollen joints or muscles. The affected structures feel worse with any motion and the person is inclined to keep the injured areas absolutely still. Every little motion is met with stitching, tearing pains. Bryonia is helpful in cases of bursitis where the entire joint capsule in involved and is intensely painful with even the least motion. Bryonia is helpful in cases of sciatica that are better lying quietly on painful side. It is helpful in cases where knees are stiff and painful and worse from the least motion. If simple 1st Aid measures are not enough to bring about rapid resolution of symptoms and smooth healing, then consultation with a specialist may be necessary.