- Written By: M. Haskins
- Edited By: Heather Bailey
- Last Modified Date: 30 April 2012
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2003-2012 Conjecture Corporation
Histamine is an organic nitrogen compound produced by the body's immune system when a person is exposed to an allergen, meaning a substance causing an allergic reaction. Histaminum hydrochloricum is a kind of histamine used as a homeopathic remedy. It is primarily used to treat various allergies, including those caused by food, insect bites and pollen, and allergy symptoms such as skin irritations, nasal congestion and breathing difficulties. Histaminum hydrochloricum is also sometimes used as a remedy for non-allergic conditions like bronchitis, gastric pain, muscular pain and joint pain. Scientific studies have been done on this homeopathic remedy, but there is no firm evidence supporting its effectiveness.
Histaminum hydrochloricum is commonly sold in the form of tablets, pellets, oral sprays and nasal sprays, and homeopathic practitioners often recommend it as a treatment for problems like asthma, eczema, hay fever, runny nose, hives and itchy eyes. It is used both to alleviate immediate allergy symptoms and to reduce future allergic reactions. In homeopathic medicine it is believed that an illness can be cured by the same substance that causes it, and that ingesting minute amounts of that substance gradually strengthens the body's resistance to it. In this way, histaminum hydrochloricum is thought to work by decreasing the amount of histamine released during an allergic response and thereby reducing the effects of that histamine.
Histaminum hydrochloricum is identical to a substance known as histamine dihydrochloride that is known to have several effects on the body, including stimulating gastric secretion, relaxing blood vessels and narrowing the bronchial airways. It is used in mainstream medicine to treat certain forms of cancer as well as other conditions. As a homeopathic remedy, the substance is used in much smaller doses and is also prepared differently than in regular medicine.
Homeopathic remedies like Histaminum hydrochloricum are produced by diluting the active ingredient with water until the remedy contains a very small, even infinitesimal, amount of the active substance. This is done because homeopathic medicine teaches that the lower the dose, the more effective the remedy. Homeopathic remedies are also shaken during manufacturing, a process called dynamization that is thought to enhance their potency and healing properties.
Histaminum hydrochloricum can be bought in natural food stores, on the Internet and from homeopathic practitioners. Pregnant and nursing women should not take this remedy. If one is suffering from allergies or other medical conditions, it is advisable to consult a physician before using homeopathic remedies.
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anon264985
Post 5 |
I no longer use Zicam, however homeopathy has worked very well for me for years, and histaminum hydrochloricum does relieve my allergic reaction to certain foods. |
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anon215600
Post 4 |
I looked up this substance because it's an ingredient in Zicam. I tried this to relieve my runny nose, but it made it a lot worse. Now my nose is runny and congested and I feel miserable, and now I understand why. Zicam is a piece of crap product. Additionally, I read the FDA warns not to use this because it may permanently damage your sense of smell. Homeopathy can be a nice concept, but this is snake oil to me. |
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burcinc
Post 3 |
@fify-- I just read an article about this. Histamine treatments are said to work because they inhibit something called basophil. They are a kind of white blood cells that our body releases when we are allergic to something and it actually makes the allergic reaction worse.
They did a study where they looked at how these homeopathic medicines work and found that there are less basophils released when someone is given homeopathic histamine.
I think this is great. My sister has allergies and asthma and she has been hospitalized several times because of it. People can die from allergic reactions. Histamine can help control allergic reactions and make them milder. |
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turkay1
Post 2 |
Homeopathy also uses histaminum hydrochloricum for treatment of high or low histamine in the body.
I read that histamine production is determined by genetic factors and some people naturally produce way too much histamine and others don't produce enough. I have never heard about these conditions from my doctor, but apparently they can have serious symptoms.
I think both conditions affect copper levels in our body and it can lead to psychological problems. In fact, most of the symptoms are psychological. Interestingly, histamine is a pretty important element that can trigger or not trigger serotonin hormones. I have severe allergies, along with mood swings and periodically, I feel depressed. So all of these psychological symptoms might actually be due to histamine!
I'm glad to know that there are some alternative treatments like homeopathy for these problems. I have contacted a homeopathic doctor and he has recommended a histamine treatment along with some other natural supplements to get histamine levels back to normal. I can't wait to see if it will help my symptoms. |
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fify
Post 1 |
That's interesting! I never knew why I took antihistamine medicines when I have allergies until now. If I've understood correctly, the body releases histamine as a consequence to an allergen, no matter what the allergen is.
Them, how does taking something that my body can already produce, help relieve allergies? Wouldn't homeopathy prefer for us to take small doses of the allergen instead?
Because it is not the histamine that is causing the allergic reaction, that is simply the consequence. Wouldn't it be better to take tiny amounts of pollen for example? Like we do when we eat local honey?
Can someone expand on how histamine works in homeopathy a little bit more? |
