Palliative - Spectrum of Homeopathy 02/2016

The striving for a dignified death has become a major social issue in recent times. With palliative medicine and hospices we can see a new openness to the idea of a holistic approach, which values methods like homeopathy as helpful and worthwhile supplements in the care of the dying.

In this new issue of SPECTRUM "Palliative Homeopathy" our authors show from their differing starting points how a modest number of homeopathic remedies can be used to accompany the process of dying in a caring and healing way. Homeopathy can support the treatment of typical complaints such as nausea, breathlessness, and pain. Yet, its unique advantages can be seen in situations where allopathic treatment has been of little or no benefit.

Restlessness, despair, and tormenting fear often respond far better to homeopathic remedies than to psychotropic drugs. Anyone who has seen how Carbo vegetabilis, Phosphorus or Arsenicum can ease the dwindling of the life force, or even momentarily reawaken it, will be reluctant to do without homeopathy in end-of-life care. A series of well-known remedies, which have proved their worth at the end of life and which can improve the quality of life in the dying, are presented in this issue from a variety of different perspectives.

Going beyond the level of professional homeopathy, the authors Declan Hammond, Jürgen Hansel, Resie Moonen, Sabine Stelter, Gisela Holle, Mark Braun, Joachim Stürmer, Ulrich Welte, Jens Wurster, Jürgen Hansel, Phillip Lehrke, Jürgen Weiland, Markus Kuntosch, and Erfried Pichler share with the reader in this issue their often very personal encounters with the dying. It is deeply moving to hear of the poignant way in which the treasure trove of homeopathic remedies can confer peace, dignity, strength and a tranquil letting go, as described in the numerous touching and sad cases in this issue. Similar to many colleagues who experience providing care to the dying as a great gift, we can sense something beyond rational explanation here – it is rather a heartfelt spiritual joy and loving gratitude for being able to participate in the profound experiences of the people we encounter in this issue of SPECTRUM.