Homeopathy & hepatitis

Hepatitis is an inflammatory disorder of the liver. It is caused by viruses, medications, and toxic agents. There are five forms of viral hepatitis: Hepatitis A, B, C, D and E, among other sub-types.

Hepatitis A is common in children; it is also seen frequently in people of all ages. It is evidenced to spread by a virus from an infected person's faeces, contaminated food, raw shellfish, drinking water, cooking utensils, or others’ fingers. The time for infection [incubation period] to manifest is 2-6 weeks.

Hepatitis B is caused by Hepatitis B virus and spreads through sexual contact, blood transfusion, or exposure to an infected person's blood via cuts, open sores, shared needles and razors, or ear piercing tools. It can also spread from mother to child at birth. The incubation period is four to 25 weeks. Over 90 per cent of all Hepatitis B cases are considered acute, while 10 per cent are considered chronic. They may progress to cirrhosis [a disease of the liver caused by chronic damage to its cells], liver failure, or liver cancer.

Hepatitis C is transmitted primarily by direct blood contact — blood transfusion and/or contaminated needles. The incubation period is five to ten weeks. Approximately 25 per cent of Hepatitis C cases are considered acute, while 75 per cent are considered chronic, which may result in cirrhosis.

Hepatitis D is found primarily in intravenous drug users, or carriers of the Hepatitis B virus. Hepatitis E mimics Hepatitis A, but is caused by a different virus. It is evidenced to be an acute illness.

What research says

Most people recover completely from Hepatitis A, E and non-viral hepatitis, sometimes with flare-ups. However, Hepatitis B, C and D can hang around in the body, producing chronic, or lifelong, infection. Such people can infect others, even when they look apparently healthy.

Symptoms

Some of the most common symptoms of hepatitis are mild fever, muscle or joint aches, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, lethargy or fatigue, jaundice [yellow skin, mucous membranes and eye-whites], dark-coloured urine, light-coloured stools that may contain pus, with itching, rash/hives, enlarged spleen [in alcoholic hepatitis], and headache, vertigo [dizziness], and sleepiness [in toxic hepatitis]. Chronic liver disease patients may have indistinct symptoms like abdominal discomfort, heaviness, stomach upset, gas, or generalised weakness.

Homeopathy: The safe, effective treatment for hepatitis

Homeopathy is useful as a preventative and also as a curative treatment for hepatitis. For instance, when viral hepatitis affects a given population [epidemic], it has been evidenced that homeopathic medicines for hepatitis not only reduce the period, or duration, of the illness, but also possible complications. Each epidemic, of course, will have its own homeopathic medicine [called Genus epidemicus] for hepatitis. In other words, this medicine would work as a ‘specific’ for the illness, when early symptoms are seen, or manifest.

No two individuals, for instance, having the same illness, such as hepatitis, display the same symptoms — symptoms are distinctive to each individual. Homeopathy takes into account such subtleties, aside from one’s temperament, emotions, and physical symptoms — not to speak of one’s sensitivities, sensibilities and also idiosyncrasies.

Over 200 years of clinical experience highlights the safe, therapeutic benefits of homeopathic treatment in hepatitis.  In a clinical study conducted at Hotel-Dieu Hospital, a leading French Hospital, in Lyon, in the treatment of hepatitis, two specialised physicians in homeopathic practice evaluated hepatitis patients over a 21-month period. They found 70 per cent of patients improved and felt better and healthy — without any side-effects.

Self-help

• Wash hands with soap before eating food etc.,
• Eat only freshly cooked foods — preferably, a light, bland diet, low in fat, moderate in protein, and high in fibre and carbohydrates
• Drink bottled water, or boiled water, when the quality of water is doubtful
• Avoid eating raw fruits, or vegetables, unless cleaned thoroughly in filtered water
• Limit alcohol intake; practice safe sex [Hepatitis B]
• Don’t share personal items, like shaver, razor, needles, manicure tools etc.