Everything You Need to Know
Your Questions Answered
Can homoeopathy medicine be used safely?
Homeopathic medicines have been used for more than 200 years and have established a remarkable safety record over that time. Homeopathic medicines offer some of the safest choices for self-treatment.
Do homoeopathic medicines have side effects?
No, not at all. Homeopathic medicines are made from natural substances derived from plants, animals, and minerals, so they are non-toxic and free from side effects.
They are given to the patient in small doses, so the healing approach is gentle and gradual.
Does homoeopathic medicine contain alcohol, and is that safe?
Alcohol is an excellent preservative and vehicle for homoeopathic medicines; in fact, this single substance serves multiple functions at once. And the amount of alcohol in a usual dose is exceedingly small. For example, a usual dose of a homoeopathic liquid medicine contains just 1/80 of an ounce of alcohol. An 8 oz glass of wine provides 80 times that much (about 1 ounce of alcohol).
Do homoeopathic medicines contain steroids?
A resounding "NO," most homoeopathic pharmacists and doctors may have been asked this question, and it may be difficult to trace back who planted this doubt in the minds of the general public; however, the issue has been used to tarnish the image of individual homoeopaths, homoeopathic systems, homoeopathic pharmacists, and homoeopathic medicine manufacture. All the homoeopathic medicines are made from natural substances derived from plants, animals, and minerals, so they are non-toxic and free from side effects.
Can I use homoeopathic medicines while pregnant or nursing?
If you are pregnant or nursing, you should check with your homoeopathic health care practitioner before using any medicines. Homeopathic medicines have a remarkable safety record.
How quickly can I expect homoeopathic medicines to work?
This will depend on the specific condition and the severity of the symptoms. Emotional and acute conditions often respond within minutes to the correctly chosen medicine, as do certain acute, well-defined physical problems. Chronic conditions like arthritis may take longer or more frequent doses to return to the desired state of well-being. During periods of acute stress, more frequent dosing may be necessary to support and rebalance your body on both a physical and emotional level. Diet, lifestyle, and medical history may also play a role in how quickly a patient will respond.
What are the physical, mental, and emotional aspects of homeopathy?
Homeopathy is based on the philosophy that the body, mind, and emotions are not really separate and distinct but are actually fully integrated. Based on this perspective, a homoeopath seeks a remedy that fits all of a patient’s physical and psychological symptoms. Although some people’s symptoms may be complex, a well-trained homoeopath will know which symptoms should be specially noted and can choose an effective, individualised remedy.
Prolonged emotional stress can cause physical problems, like an upset stomach, difficulty digesting foods, poor nutrient assimilation, a weaker immune system, sleeplessness, etc. The opposite is also true. Illness and physical problems can result in anxiety or emotional uneasiness. Therefore, it is important for a homoeopath to conduct an in-depth interview with a patient to ensure a proper, all-encompassing remedy.
What is the difference between homoeopathy and conventional medicine?
Homeopathy’s Approach
Homeopathy is based on a "whole person" approach. In homeopathy, the remedy or treatment programme is customised and individualised to the patient with the intent of removing the underlying cause.
Conventional Medicine’s Approach
Conventional (allopathic) medicine usually relies on treating a patient’s physical symptoms. This treatment might also assume a person’s symptoms need to be controlled, suppressed, or eliminated.
The difference may be stated in a simple analogy: eradicating the "symptom" of a car’s low oil level (the warning light) does not change or remedy the cause of the signal (low oil).
Why does a homoeopathic doctor ask so many questions and request such a thorough medical history?
The homoeopath’s role as "detective"
It has been said that the work of the homoeopath is to observe the patient, process and reflect on the gathered information, and then determine the underlying disturbance. This process can be thought of as a mystery, wherein the homoeopathic "detective" attempts to discover where the flow of energy in the body has been blocked or impeded. Each signal or symptom offered by the patient can be thought of as a clue to determine the correct remedy. The patient’s eye contact, body posture, breathing patterns, voice quality, and facial expressions are also noted as potential clues. Next, the data must be reconstructed, as in a mystery novel or movie.
When all of the information about the patient’s physical, mental, and emotional symptoms has been documented, the final search for the answer begins. Unlike a detective—or medical physician, for that matter—the homeopath’s goal is not only to remove the symptoms but also to eliminate the essential causal problem by stimulating the body’s natural curative powers. This is the reason for obtaining such a detailed analysis of the patient.
Is homoeopathy merely psychological?
If you think you must "believe in" homoeopathy for it to work, you need to know that it is not a placebo effect. Here are some powerful examples:
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Homeopathic remedies and treatments are successfully used by parents for common infant ailments such as colic, teething pain, and some infections.
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There are many veterinarians using homoeopathic medicines to treat domestic pets such as cats, dogs, and birds, as well as barnyard animals like goats, horses, and cows. Is it possible to have a placebo effect with animals?
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Many homoeopaths are treating serious illnesses like coma, paralysis, convulsions, gangrene, etc. with only homoeopathy, which proves that homoeopathy is not a mere psychological or placebo effect.
Does the patient have to stop other medicines that he or she has been taking?
No. The patient should not stop the medicines that he has been taking. It should be tapered gradually once the patient is improving, but this should be done in consultation with the treating physician. In some cases where the other medicine cannot be discontinued, both medicines have to be continued for the patient's benefit. The treatment should be planned and properly implemented.
What will the homoeopath need to know about you?
The homoeopath needs to understand you, your nature, your complaints, and your disturbed mental and emotional state in order to get to the core of your case.
Any peculiar habit that you have, your past medical history, childhood details—anything and everything about you will help the physician help you. If you give an honest and correct history to the physician, he can assess your case accurately. Anything that you confide in your physician will be strictly confidential and helpful.
Why do homoeopaths not give the names of the medicines they prescribe?
The name of the medicine is not disclosed for the patient's benefit. If the patient, after knowing the name of the medicine, starts taking it according to his or her whims and fancies, it will distort the disease picture, and in the future, treatment of the patient will be much more difficult. Also, certain medicines have to be changed and given as per the state of the disease and the patient's recovery.
If the patient wants, a copy of the case record can be provided to the patient, but only at the end of the treatment, when the patient has completely recovered.
Does homoeopathy believe in disease diagnosis and pathological investigation?
Yes. It is very important to diagnose a disease, but for the selection of the remedy, we need to know the characteristic symptoms of the patient and not the disease symptoms. For e.g. A person is having an attack of asthma with wheezing and congestion of the chest, and he gets relief only if he throws his head backwards. Wheezing and congestion of the chest are symptoms of the disease, but for the selection of the remedy, the most important symptom is "relief by throwing the head backwards." As a result, good disease knowledge is required to distinguish disease symptoms from individual characteristic symptoms. Pathological investigations are also important to know the disease diagnosis and prognosis and to judge the improvement.
Are there any food restrictions during the treatment?
Yes, the patient is only advised to avoid eating or drinking 15 minutes before or after taking homoeopathic medication. One has to avoid coffee, raw onion, and raw garlic. Avoid eating mint, camphor, and menthol, as these can interfere with or reverse the effects of the homoeopathic medicine.
Can a patient suffering from diabetes take homoeopathic medicine?
In which disease condition is homoeopathic treatment more effective?
There is no condition that homoeopathy cannot treat. Conditions from a simple cold to cancer can be treated with homoeopathy. It takes into account the individual symptoms of the patient suffering from any disease, not the diagnosis of the disease. By virtue of this, certain diseases that cannot be diagnosed clinically or even unknown diseases can also be treated. In incurable cases, where even modern treatment fails to help the patients, homoeopathy can be a very good palliative, improving the last days of life and easing death. When this happens in advanced stages of cancer, we can relieve pain very easily and effectively.
Should one take homoeopathic medicine only from a qualified doctor?
Yes, he should. There have been instances of apparent "miracle cures" by lay people practising homeopathy, but it is always advisable to go to a homoeopathic physician, as he is qualified to judge the severity and depth of your illness and thereby prevent undue complications later on, which could be overlooked by a hobby practitioner due to his ignorance of scientific medical knowledge. Only a qualified physician can guide you towards a complete mental, emotional, spiritual, physical, and pathological recovery.
Homeopathy gives the same white medicines for all diseases.
What seems true is not true. The white pills are only neutral vehicles or carriers of the actual medicine that is sprinkled on them. The potent medicine coats the white pills. Different remedies can be prescribed in various potencies to best suit different patients. There are about 3000 medicines and 10 different potencies (powers of medicine) of each medicine, so a minimum of 30,000 different permutations and combinations can be utilized.
Homeopathy is slow to act.
Not really. Homeopathic medicines act rapidly, and the effect lasts much longer, as the disease is eradicated from its roots. The time taken for relief depends on the chronicity of the disease.
Homeopathy: science or fiction?
Homeopathy is based on experimental pharmacological and clinical data. Over the years, the effectiveness of homoeopathic medicines for various indications has been extensively studied. Clinical studies have been conducted in India and other countries. The term "allopathy" was coined by the founder of homeopathy, which allopaths regard as the founder of experimental pharmacology. Homeopathy is a proven science.
Homoeopaths do not prescribe vitamins and minerals.
Well-qualified and expert homoeopathic physicians understand the importance of diet in every disease condition and prescribe the required vitamins and minerals [e.g., iron, calcium, magnesium, etc.] as per the deficiency in the case. And doctors understand that the majority [60%] of disease conditions are caused by a lack of one or more vitamin and mineral groups. And nowadays, people are deficient in the majority of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids simply because of poor eating habits.
Is homoeopathy suitable for children?
It’s not that homoeopathy is suitable for children only; it is just that children love to take homoeopathic medicines due to their sweet taste. It is ideal for children because if we give them a homoeopathic treatment from the beginning, it will give birth to a healthy generation because homoeopathic medicines not only remove the disease from its root, but they also increase the power of resistance in the body and prevent the progression of the disease or prevent the disease from becoming chronic. But homoeopathy is also useful for adults.
Pathological tests or other investigations aren’t required for homoeopathic treatment.
As a general rule, for a homoeopathic prescription, it is not necessary to conduct investigations. But for the diagnosis, the prognosis, and the appropriate management of the case, the homoeopaths advise investigations.