Through a meticulous labour of love, Dr Hershoff has produced a virtual musculoskeletal textbook for chiropractors and physicians who are pursuing a course of natural health care for their patients. The heart of his book, the first of its kind, addresses the homeopathic solutions for musculoskeletal complaints commonly seen in our offices and commonly experienced by many people in the course of their lives. As he focuses our attention on the musculoskeletal keynotes and affinities of the homeopathic materia medica, easy to read illustrations and charts help us reach the homeopathic cure, (or similimum) for many acute and chronic conditions. This book has the potential to relieve much human suffering.
Hershoff's useful guide to the therapeutic prescription of remedies for musculoskeletal complaints is concise and clearly written, replete with valuable differential materia medica. A tool for practicing homeopaths and laypersons alike. George Guess, M.D., D.H.t., Editor Journal of the American Institute of Homeopathy .
This book is an easy reference for anyone treating musculoskeletal disorders. It adds an important dimension to the conventional treatment of low back pain, arthritis, headaches, and similar disorders. Cynthia M. Watson, M.D., Former Faculty Instructor University of Southern California School of Medicine.
An essential text for chiropractors, orthopaedic surgeons, physical therapists, bodywork and massage practitioners, and sports trainers and coaches. The information provided in this book is solid, and the book's design makes it easy to access whatever information the reader needs. Dana Ullman, M.P.H. Author of The Consumer's Guide to Homeopathy, Discovering Homeopathy; and co-author of Everybody's Guide to Homeopathic Medicine.
While this book focuses on specific disorders (arthritic joint pain, sciatica, headache, lower back pain), Hershoff never loses sight of the principles and wisdom of classical homeopathy. Its clear explanations, diagrams, illustrations and fascinating graphics make it a pleasure to use. Vega Rozenberg, C.C. Hom., R.S. Hom (NA) Founder and Principal Instructor, E.S.S.H. (advanced homeopathic training program).
- Author: Asa Hershoff
- ISBN: 9781556432378
- 312 pages
- Paperback
- Published in 1997
- Printed in United States
Reprinted with the permission of The Society of Homeopaths, from 'The Homeopath' Journal, Summer 1997 edition. Reviewed by Alistair Dempster.
Asa Hershoff is a naturopathic physician, chiropractor and homoeopath. He was founder of the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, and was a key figure in the revival of natural medicine in Canada. He lives and practises in Santa Monica, California. I have given you this information about the author since his background is extremely pertinent to why he has written the book. His practical knowledge and chiropractic skills are well combined with his theoretical understanding and application of homoeopathy. This combination is well presented and readily understood and absorbed. As the text implies the scope of the book falls into the 'specialist' category and as such the approach tends to be symptomatic of the condition and thus Homeopathic Therapeutics for Musculoskeletal Healing would have been a more appropriate wordy but less attractive title.
The book is not just aimed at practising homoeopaths but also for anyone with an interest, or an involvement in the treatment of musculoskeletal problems, and would be desktop texts for the likes of chiropractors, osteopaths, massage practitioners, sports physiotherapists and so on. This is a book that should be used to see how good it is. Not much will be gained by merely reading through it. Like other books with materia medica content, and a therapeutic bent, they should be practical to use. I was impressed by the well thought out way in which the book was presented and laid out and as the author states the design was influenced by his interest in graphic arts, multimedia, "and the way people scan and assimilate knowledge in this information age". It reminded me very much of CD Rom interactive packages and I dare say it would lend itself to a suitable program. The design is said to lend itself to rapidly finding effective remedies for a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions. The main drawback could be the limited number of remedies offered for each designated condition as defined in the Condition Charts section. There could be a tendency to shoehorn patients into the symptom pictures presented, especially for an inexperienced practitioner. Having said that the therapeutic Conditions section is well researched from numerous sources and is also based, presumably, on the author's own clinical experience. I feel it would have been useful to describe Hershoff's approach, to include some short case examples of the conditions that have been detailed, to put us in touch with the patients and the circumstances that led to their illness. On the other hand the therapeutic charts offer remedies that repertorisation may lose, that is, those small remedies. It would also be useful for home use as the text is well laid out with attractive graphic charts and line drawings and include the essential components of homoeopathic philosophy. However my feeling is that the experienced practitioner and student plus those using homoeopathy in a therapeutic way would gain most from its day to day use.
The chapter 'How to use this book', as the name implies is essential reading as it tells us how to make effective use o the information available to prescribe accurately. It also brief!' describes the four main sections of the book: 'Principles of Homoeopathy': there are 16 headings in this section which includes homoeopathic principles, therapeutic prescribing, disease and causation, potency selection and the healing process. For a 'therapeutics' book praise must be given to the author for including such a detailed outline of the essential tenets of homoeopathy and thus taking it beyond the realm of mere symptomatic prescribing.
'Condition Charts': there are 31 of these related to various major areas of the body with particular reference to musculoskeletal conditions. The chart summarises between six and eight main remedies associated with that condition along with Keynote descriptions of each. Beside each remedy name is a number which is a quick cross reference to an allocated number in the Materia Medica section - not a page number of the book. There were a couple of anomalies which were annoying such as in the Wrist section, page 105, where Rhus tox was number 44, but in the Materia Medica section Pulsatilla was 44. Similarly Viola odorata was 70 but turned out to be 61. In fact seven out of the eight cross reference numbers were wrong in this chart, but fortunately the materia medica section is arranged alphabetically and so the remedies were not difficult to find. I am sure the next edition will have these errors corrected.
'Materia Medica' section: this details all the remedies mentioned in the book and gives Keynotes, physiological affinity, symptoms and modalities, followed by a symptom profile, dosage and repetition guide and a Clinical Conditions box. The materia medica was good for scanning through and picking up the essentials about the remedy when comparing it with others of a similar nature.
'Therapeutic Guide': arranged in sections with special reference to the location of Condition Charts previously described. Kentian grading emphasis was applied to the listing of remedies for each condition listed.
In the Appendix there is a remedy relationships section applicable to the remedies used in the book. There is an interesting piece on antidotal substances giving details, such as, avoiding wine when taking Arnica, Agaricus or Belladonna.
Finally for those wishing to read more with relevance to the title subject the comprehensive bibliography offers plenty of scope and interest.
When all is said and done I found the book easy and useful to use with my initial misgivings about 'therapeutics = symptomatic' allayed by the careful and intelligent marriage between whole person and condition based prescribing. This book fills those gaps where whole person prescribing may be inappropriate, or when dealing with acutes, but at the same time always strives to remind the practitioner to give remedies according to the big picture, not just the small one. A useful and practical addition to any homoeopathic library.
