Ever since the discovery of homeopathy, it has been surrounded by lots of facts and myths this is why knowing what homeopathy is not is as important as knowing what homeopathy is?
Read the detailed article on homeopathy here, ALL ABOUT HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINES.
Even after 200 years of inception, homeopathic medicinal system is slammed by misunderstandings, confusions, myths, beliefs, misguidance and cross opinions.
It is true that millions of patients have been treated and cured with homeopathy since its discovery, but it is also true that millions are being deprived from the benefits of homeopathy due to unawareness.
It feels unwise to see patients suffering from diseases, taking medicines after medicines, changing doctors to doctors with no apparent results especially when they can be treated homeopathically.
What are the reasons of depriving from the benefits of homeopathy?
- Because patient may not know about homeopathy.
- Patient may not know that homeopathy could help with their suffering.
- Patient may not have access to a qualified homeopathic physician.
- Belief and misunderstandings about homeopathy in society.
Here in this post, I have listed
- Myths and facts about homeopathy
- Commonly asked questions about homeopathy from patients
Myth: Homeopathic medicines are simply herbal medicine.
Fact: Not really.
Homeopathic medicines are prepared from a wide range of sources like different parts of plants, vegetable and fruits, various animal products, nosodes (diseased tissues), sarcodes (healthy tissues), all type of minerals and also from the energy of sun and moon (Imponderabilia).
Myth: Homeopathic medicines can cure all the diseases.
Fact: No; Actually no medicinal system is able to cure all the diseases.
Read the scope and limitations of homeopathy here, SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF HOMEOPATHY.
Myth: Homeopathic medicines are nothing but the placebo therapy.
Fact: This is an entirely misunderstood statement.
Placebos are pills with no medicine in it. They look like medicine only.
Homeopathy have treated mass of people successfully all over the world for more than 200 years.
Homeopathic medicines are not a placebo therapy.
Myth: Homeopathy is very slow.
Fact: This is not true.
Homeopathy is neither too fast nor too slow.
Let me explain what exactly happens!
Homeopathy is amongst youngest therapeutic medicinal system.
Usually, patients approach homeopathy as last option after trying most other alternative therapies.
At this point there are the chances of developing drug disease or advancement in pathology.
There are patients who expects to be treated within months of their 10 to 15 years old disease. They may be used to quick symptomatic relief soon after starting the medicine.
Recovery of any disease depends on the nature of the disease under treatment.
Homeopathy is comparatively fast in chronic cases considering its pathology and chronicity.
It is relatively slow in acute cases with critical emergencies.
Myth: Homeopathic medicines contain steroids.
Fact: This is entirely wrong.
Myth: There are lots of restrictions to be followed while homeopathic treatment.
Fact: Abstinence from Onion, Garlic, Asafetida etc. while homeopathic treatments used to be followed strictly many years ago.
But recent research done in Mexico has proved that these substances does not cause obstruction to all the patients.
On the other hand, at the time of Dr. Hahnemann, spices, onion, garlic or other herbs were exported to Germany from Asian countries and they were used as medicinal substances in Europe at that time.
It was not known worldwide that these spices are used as a daily cooking ingredient in Asian countries so they were restricted with other medicines in European countries.
Many homeopaths advise not to take raw onion or garlic due to their lasting smell or taste in mouth that may mix up with homeopathic medicines that are also being taken into mouth.
Patients who are addicted to tea or coffee are not forced to stop taking them while homeopathic medicines.
Myth: Homeopathy is against surgery.
Fact: Surgery is necessary in cases where therapeutic treatments (treating with medicines) have little or no role.
There are circumstances where surgery is only chance for the patient.
Homeopathic medicinal system is just like any other medicinal system in the world.
Interestingly, there are some known to be surgical diseases that can be treated homeopathically without aiding surgeon’s knife.
Examples: Piles, Fissures, Tonsillitis, Warts, Corns, Renal stones etc.
Myth: Homeopathy is against the Modern medicine.
Fact: Homeopathy is not against any medical science.
All medical sciences should be complementing each other.
They should be integrated for the goodness of living beings.
Only then true evolution of medical sciences will become a reality.
Myth: Homeopathy is Miracle medicine.
Fact: Miracle means something that is magical and beyond scientific explanation.
Homeopathy is a branch of medical science based on scientific laws and principles.
(Read the Fundamental or cardinal principles of homeopathy by following the link).
Homeopaths studies the same human body and its diseases as other medical sciences. Homeopathy is different only by its method of treatment.
When a patient with apparently incurable or hopeless disease (Like cancer, paralysis, comatose stages etc.) gets treated and cured homeopathically they say there may be some miracle as homeopathy is not capable of treating even common cold or fever. So, curing of incurable disease must be the grace of God.
If the disease is cured, that simply means it was curable. Then it does not matter which medicinal science got the credit.
We humans tend to use word miracle when we find the things beyond our understanding.
Things that we do not understand doesn’t mean that they are magical.
Myth: Homeopathy is a spiritual science.
Fact: Homeopathic potentized medicines cannot be physically identified above 200th potency by our current microscopic methods.
It is interesting that some have connected homeopathy with spirituality.
Homeopathy is not yet fully understood science by many of us.
But comparing “Vital force” with “Soul” will detach homeopathy from its scientific growth.
Myth: Healing by homeopathy requires faith.
Fact: Homeopathy is not a religion.
Homeopathic medicines have treated millions of patients who did not believed in it.
Even babies and animals also get cured with homeopathy who know nothing about faith.
Do you know, Agro-homeopathy also does exist if you are talking about faith.
Myth: Homeopathy is dream based medicinal treatment.
Fact: Understanding the dreams of patients and interpreting them helps to gain the idea of patient’s current mental state.
Knowing history of patient’s dreams helps to confirm the selected medicine.
But importance of dream in homeopathy should not be overly emphasized.
Myth: Homeopathy is ‘Single remedy, Single dose’ magic.
Fact: Many homeopaths tend to get some fixed and rigid ideas on “Single remedy, single dose at time for all patients, all the time”.
I have seen some homeopaths get emotional to talk about multiple medicine in a case or feel shy to discuss it.
Fact is that a very few cases can be cured by single remedy with single dose.
Most cases require series of medicines or more than one medicine at a time.
There are some cases (especially pathologies like ulcerative colitis, psoriatic arthritis, nephrotic syndrome etc.) when it is not possible to give medicine and wait unduly long.
Every delay may cause harm.
Sometimes, sticking to the idea of single remedy and single dose may lead to medical and ethical tenacity.
Patient and disease centered approach have always proved to be the best.
Summary
- Homeopathic medicines are not simply herbal medicines.
- Homeopathy does not claim to be able to cure all the diseases.
- Homeopathy is not a placebo therapy.
- Homeopathic medicines do not contain steroids.
- Homeopathy is neither too slow nor too fast.
- Homeopathic medicines do not require lots of precautions.
- Homeopathy is not against surgery.
- Homeopathy is not against any medical science.
- Homeopathy does not do miracles.
- Healing by homeopathy does not necessarily require faith.
- Importance of dreams in homeopathy is overly emphasized.
- Homeopathy is no single remedy, single dose magic.
- No medicinal system is able to cure all the diseases.
Commonly asked questions about homeopathy from patients
Que: A homeopath asks lot many questions. Patient complains many of his/her troubles. So why homeopath gives only one or two medicines? Can only one medicine work on all the complains at the same time?
Ans: Generally, the patients are found familiar with a treatment in which they are given each medicine for their every single complain. One medicine for Headache and for Acidity then one for itching etc.
Homeopathic approach towards the patient is different than other medicinal sciences.
A homeopath will examine you for,
- Main disease with its location, origin, progress, associated pain or discomfort with alteration in sensations if any.
- Aggravating and ameliorating factors of your disease.
- Family or past history of same or similar disease.
- Diet and living habits that might be maintaining your disease.
- Your physical or mental stress level along with the nature of your daily routine that you are habituated for quite long.
- Hobbies and activities.
- Dreams and sleeping habits.
All the above-mentioned information is important to examine each individual patient thoroughly.
A homeopath asks these questions only to find out their co-relation with each other and with disease itself.
So, exact cause of your disease can be found out and most suitable medicine can be decided that can cover all your troubles at the same time.
Read the homeopathic concept of health and disease here, CONCEPT OF HEALTH AND DISEASE IN HOMEOPATHY.
Que: My disease is so fatal and incurable, I need more strong and bitter medicine in order to cure. How these sweet little pills can treat my suffering?
Ans: Homeopathic medicines are as capable as modern medicines.
Infact they are more deep acting and long lasting due to its potentized form.
(Have you heard of the Atom bomb? They have a great explosive power in comparison to the size of the bomb.)
Sweet pills are only the vehicles that carry the medicine inside it by absorbing them.
Actual homeopathic medicines come in the form of liquid dilutions or mother tinctures (that are crude forms).
They are made sweet because Dr. Hahnemann (Father of Homeopathy) believed that the treatment of the disease should be easy and gentle.
Que: Can a patient with Diabetes take homeopathic medicines? As they are sweet in taste.
Ans: Yes. There is no risk of hyperglycemia after taking sweet pills of homeopathy. They are not having sweetness of glucose and taken only 3 to 5 pills at a time. So don’t worry if you are diabetic.
Que: Can I take Vitamins, Iron tonics or Proteins while homeopathic treatment?
Ans: Tonics, Vitamins or supplements can be taken with homeopathic medicines as a part of disease management for quick recovery or rehabilitation whenever its necessary under the advice of your physician.
Example:
- Patient with history of viral disease response well with multivitamins.
- Patients of Diarrhoea with dehydration needs fluid replacement as a part of treatment.
- Patient of Protein Energy Malnutrition (PEM) needs protein in order to get healthy physical state.
Que: Can homeopathic medicines be taken by pregnant women?
Ans: Yes. Homeopathic medicines are absolutely safe for pregnant women.
Infact taking homeopathic medicines while pregnancy may help mother by,
- Conducting normal delivery of baby.
- Congenital diseases can be stopped from passing on to upspring.
- Complains during pregnancy of mother like vomiting, abnormal food cravings, mood swings etc. can be benefitted.
- There is no side effect to mother or baby.
Que: Can homeopathic medicine be given to new born babies? How?
Ans: Homeopathic medicines are safe for infants or children.
There are two ways to employ homeopathic medicine in infants
- By mixing with mother’s milk.
- Medicine is to be taken by mother herself and given to the baby by breast feeding.
Here are the step-by-step instructions on HOW TO TAKE HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINES.
Summary
- A homeopath asks lots of questions to find out exact cause of the disease.
- Homeopathic sweet little pills are as capable as any other medicines.
- A diabetic patient can take homeopathic medicines.
- Homeopathy is safe for pregnant women and infants.
- Vitamins, irons or other supplements can be taken with homeopathy.
Always remember that any question regarding medical treatment can be answered appropriately and rationally only by the experts of that therapy.
Ask your confusions freely to your nearby homeopaths so you can have a proper explanation.
Try to avoid misconceptions.
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