The body reacts to foreign particles in the body in many ways. We sneeze when the mucous membranes of the throat and nose are irritated, perhaps by particles of dust or pollen, to force it out of the body. We can cough, produce discharges and pus, and expel through vomit or stool. The body has many mechanisms at its disposal. But processes can become over-stimulated and our body can over-respond… hayfever is one such example.
An inflammation response is usually triggered where tissues are injured by bacteria, viruses, trauma or foreign objects. Damaged cells release chemicals including histamine which produce swelling to isolate the foreign substance from further contact with the body. The chemicals released also attract white blood cells (phagocytes) to digest the ‘intruder’.
In hayfever, the body’s reaction has become ‘over-sensitised’ to pollen particles. Every particle triggers an inflammatory response. This is an ‘allergic reaction’.
Anti-histamine medications are used to stop histamine signalling the body to isolate and digest the particles. However, this is a symptom of the underlying problem… how/why has the body ‘mis-read’ the threat level of the pollen? How can our immune health be restored?
As part of our immune system, white blood cells called lymphocytes learn to tell the difference between body tissues and foreign substances and they produce antibodies to attack.
Once specific lymphocytes have been formed against the specific antigen (virus, bacteria, foreign object) – a few of these lymphocyte cells multiply and provide ‘memory’ for the immune system.
This is a vital part of a healthy immune system. An overactive immune response can lead to development of autoimmune diseases, where antibodies form against the body’s own tissues.
So how/why do the lymphocytes get it wrong and attack harmless particles as if they were for example, a virus? It is currently medically unknown what mis-fires in the body’s immune system.
However, in homeopathy, the whole body is considered as an entire ecosystem. So your health history gives clues as to what processes your body has undergone in previous years and patterns can be determined. You are asked very detailed questions about how you experience your symptoms, so that a unique picture can be established because…
… how your immune system became out of balance will be different to how someone else’s immune system got altered.
The characteristic reactions to stressors and dis-ease can then be matched to a remedy pattern. In homeopathy there are over 3000 remedy provings, giving a large number of similar patterns to choose from.
The natural remedy prescribed will be the most similar pattern to the person’s experience in order to stimulate the body to respond and rebalance itself, gently and completely.
Therefore homeopathy can play an important role in strengthening and ‘rebuilding’ the body’s immune system. If you have any questions about this, or are interested in a free 15 minute consultation to discuss how homeopathy may be able to help you, please get in touch.
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