Often people come to see me and tell me they have only one complaint. For example, a woman may tell me, “the only thing wrong with me is that I have terrible migraines.*” Once we start to look at her health and life history, I soon learn that this is not the case. It may turn out that she had mononucleosis as a teenage and has never been well since. At 20, she may have had her tonsils out, after having illnesses related to them for years. Or perhaps she suffered a head injury in elementary school while playing sports, and ever since this injury something hasn’t felt quite right, but she can’t put her finger on it.
So now we have a series of symptoms. It is more complicated than migraines. A person’s symptoms are a complicated puzzle that needs to be sorted out by a homeopath in order to find the right remedy.
Next, I attempt to untangle the puzzle. I will ask careful questions about everything the client has told me. I will want to know when the migraines first started. What was happening in her life when they began? Where are they located? What is the sensation of the headache? Pounding? Or is it something else? What brings them on? What does she do to make them better? Does anything else happen during the headache?
Once the complaints are discussed, I try to find out about the person. What is she truly like? What makes her angry? What is her expression of anger? What brings her joy, and so forth.
Slowly and carefully, I am building a case that can help me pinpoint a remedy. This process has been referred to as, “the homeopathic conversation.” There are many styles and theories concerning this process. At the end, I have identified a collection of symptoms to which the best remedy can be matched.
It is easy to see why no two people experiencing migraines are alike. If I have two clients with migraines, by the time we get through the case taking process, the two individuals will look very different. In most cases, the remedy selected for each will not be the same.
A very difficult case might take longer to sort out, and sometimes several remedies may be needed. Remedies are always taken sequentially. At times, other supports in the path to healing, such as a supplement, herbs, gemmotherapy, or another remedy than the main remedy, are necessary. Perhaps more diagnostic information is needed, like a blood test. In some cases another modality, such as body work, can be helpful.
I partner with my clients and together we follow the path toward wellness. Results are as individual as the remedy. I usually tell clients that they will see results in 3 to 6 months. If they continue for a year they will see the greatest benefit. However, that too is individual. Sometimes one dose of one remedy is enough, and other times it may take longer than a year.
Note:
* This case represents an amalgam of many clients I have worked with over the years.
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Myra Nissen, CCH
Copyright © 2010 – , Myra Nissen.
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This article was brought to you by Myra Nissen, CCH, RSHom(NA), Board Certified Classical Homeopath. Myra teaches women how to recognize their body's unique needs and cues and uses Homeopathy to help empower women to take control of their bodies, health and well-being. Find out more, visit her blog www.myranissen.com/blog.