Complementary Alternative Cardiovascular Medicine

228 Alternative Cardiovascular Medicine
address underlying mental or emotional concerns that accompany
chronic physical complaints. The last group the homeopath may see are
patients who do not feel well, yet there is nothing diagnostically wrong:
the laboratory work, physical examination, and health history are unremarkable,
yet their vitality is diminished, there are low-grade symptoms
on various systems, and the mood is depressed. Some of these patients
have clear and intense subjective symptoms, but they continue to pass all
examinations. The goal of the homeopath is to offer that person increased
energy and a feeling of well-being. One of the unique benefits of homeopathic
care is that because homeopaths treat the patient, they do not have
to wait until the patient presents with full-blown symptomotology. That
there are no specific remedies for specific diagnoses may make some
uncomfortable; it is contrary to the modern medical model where drug
prescriptions are frequently diagnosis driven. However, if there is no
clear pathologic diagnosis, it can difficult to choose correct medications
or sometimes to provide any treatment at all.
What follows are general descriptions of several types of patients with
cardiac complaints who present in the office. Although the chief complaint
may be cardiac, the patient is seen in context of the whole patient.
These are thumbnail sketches only, to give a sense of the type of
symptomotology that may be present and the homeopathic remedies
considered. There are fuller, more detailed descriptions of each of these
remedies (see Resources section). Most assuredly, you will have many
patients who do not fit these few descriptions regarding their physical
complaints or their mental and emotional makeup. That means only that
they would be prescribed a different homeopathic remedy than the ones
addressed herein. Those new to homeopathy often ask: How is the correct
remedy chosen? The case analysis portion of homeopathic practice
is involved and will be discussed below.
The person who needs the constitutional remedy Nux vomica might
present with palpitations that are worse when they are overworked,
overexcited, or angry. The palpitations are exacerbated by any stimulants,
including alcohol, spicy food, or caffeinated products. Their palpitations
might also be aggravated while they eat or when they become
chilly. They might also suffer from angina that is worse from the same,
aforementioned situations.
Almost all patients, male or female, who need this remedy have a
tendency for digestive tract problems, regardless of their chief complaint.
GI disturbances include indigestion, constipation without urge,
or history of peptic ulcer or irritable bowel syndrome. In many of these
patients, there would be a tendency for hay fever or acute upper respiratory
tract infections with frequent sneezing.