A chiropractic assistant serves a unique role in assisting a chiropractor in patient management. Beyond assisting with subluxations, new patient interviews, patient education, taking x-rays, and other responsibilities and procedures, you are in a unique position to get to know your patients and, with your doctor, help provide positive changes to ultimately enhance their lives. Many chiropractors are already aware of homeopathy and its many benefits. Homeopathic medicines are recognized by the FDA as pharmaceutical drugs that DCs can use, as well as being able to make health claims. Chiropractic assistants who learn about homeopathy and are sensitive to their patients' needs are in a position to enhance their doctor's practice. People want to go to a doctor who has treated conditions and cured problems that no other doctor has been able to treat. As your doctor's practice grows, you will become an invaluable assistant and stellar employee. What Is Homeopathy? Homeopathy is a scientific system of health care that activates the body's own healing processes in order to correct the underlying causes of disease naturally, gently, and promptly. Homeopathy is a natural pharmaceutical science that uses very small or infinitesimal doses of substances from the plant, mineral, or animal kingdoms to activate the body's nervous system to initiate the healing response. Homeopathy is often referred to as "chiropractic in a bottle" because it corrects nerve interferences throughout the body in places unreachable by the hands of the chiropractor. Chiropractors are able to utilize homeopathics to address the whole nervous system and therapeutically fulfill the chiropractic philosophy. Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, founder of the science of homeopathy, discovered in the late 1700s that a specific dilution of a substance would remove the symptoms that the concentrated substance was capable of evoking. He advanced the theory that "likes are cured by likes." This is a verified law of pharmacology called the law of similars. Homeopathy activates the body's own healing processes at both the physical and mental/emotional levels. Homeopathy can safely and effectively complement chiropractic, nutritional, and herbal products, as well as conventional drugs and procedures. Homeopathy, like chiropractic, does not treat symptoms; it activates the body to heal. Homeopathy offers chiropractic more than 200 years of controlled studies, called "provings/' backed by clinical outcomes to confirm its efficacy and safety. Homeopathy provides a comprehensive compilation of our neurosensory relationships to the substances of our world. This information is recorded in various texts called homeopathic materia medicas and repertories. Like chiropractic, homeopathy works to activate our body's natural innate abilities to express optimal health. Homeopathy, with its serial dilutions and succussions beyond the molecular levels, works not biochemically, but bioenergetically upon the nervous system to activate proper healthy functions of the body. The science of homeopathy offers the chiropractor a detailed network of tools to easily, safely, and effectively correct the bigger picture of nerve interference. How You Can Use Homeopathic Knowledge to Help Your Doctor When talking with your patients, as well as observing them, listen to their complaints about what affects their physical and mental health needs in addition to their needs for chiropractic visits. Make a note and be sure your doctor is aware of it. If your doctor is unaware of the benefits of homeopathy, see if it would be possible to give homeopathy an opportunity in your office. Many doctors stock homeopathic remedies in their offices that patients may purchase. If your doctor already does this or is willing to start making recommendations, be sure the product is on hand. If a brochure for the product is available, have one to go with the remedy. The chiropractor will thank you for helping make additional income for the chiropractic office. The patients will be grateful for your concern for them as they begin to feel so much better. As they tell their friends, the practice definitely will grow. Often patients will see a remedy on display that will remind them of an ailment they really need help treating. Some of the more common ones are flu, allergies, appetite and weight issues, stress, and headaches. To give you an idea of some of the homeopathic provings for certain ingredients, here are some of the provings of a few common ingredients for sports injuries, as you likely often see in a chiropractic office, and could be a good adjunct to therapy: Aesculus hippocastanum - Provides a powerful influence on generally weak spines, with aching between shoulder blades. For lack of muscle strength in back and legs. Arnica montana - Great muscular tonic. Relieves soreness after overexertion and relieves sprains, strains, and bruises. Byronia - Relieves aching in every muscle and painful stiffness in the nape of neck, small of back, and knees. Also helps relieve red, swollen, and hot joints. Calcarea phosphorica - Especially great for bones. Lacticum acidum - Helps prevent excess lactic acid buildup. Quebracho - Useful to improve heart and lung function. There are many different homeopathic ingredients. However, there are new contemporary methods of using homeopathic combination products that turn this once complex healing art into a fast and easy-to-use system for the high-volume chiropractic office. Remember, homeopathy will equip you and your doctor(s) with the ability to enjoy the benefits of a high-volume practice with the greater rewards of a broad-spectrum practice! Dr. Frank King is a nationally recognized researcher, author, and lecturer on homeopathy. Dr. King is also the founder and director of King Bio, an FDA-registered homeopathic manufacturing company in Ashevilie, N.C., dedicated to complet- ing chiropractic destiny with the marriage of homeopathy. His free Physicians Reference Manual will help you understand homeopathy, and outlines how to easily incorporate it into your practice within days. The free manual is available at: www. SafeCareRx.com or you may call 866-298-2740, or e-mail: [email protected] for more information.
