Myths & Facts About Homeopathy

Myth 1. Homeopathy is an unproved science.
Fact: Homeopathy is based on experimental pharmacological and clinical data. Over the years, homeopathic medicines have been extensively studied for their efficacy in a variety of indications. Clinical studies have been conducted in India as well as other countries. All the principles of Homeopathy are based on sound logic and experimental data.
 
Myth2. Homeopathy is more placebo effect and faith healing...
Fact: Scientific double blind studies have indicated that homeopathy far above the placebo effect. The effect of homeopathy medicine has been observed millions of time, which cannot be labeled as placebo effect. Newborn babies, infants, animals such as lions, dogs, etc. have shown healing effects of homeopathy, which goes against the placebo effect. Saying that homeopathy is placebo, in the light of above facts, is not just a misbelief but a prejudice.

Frankly, this is an insult. However, over the period, we have realized that those who continue assuming that homeopathy is mere placebo, are superstitious.

Myth 3. Homeopathy is slow acting and cannot be used in acute cases of diarrhea, fever, cough, cold, etc.
Fact: Homeopathy is fast acting in acute cases and can be effectively used in treating infections, fever, cold etc. Unfortunately, people tend to go to a homeopath only when the acute problem becomes chronic. Naturally, these cases take longer to treat.  Homeopathy is fast acting in acute conditions such as infections, fever, diarrhea, etc. The chronic and old disease such as psoriasis take a long time to treat hence homeopathy has been labeled as slow acting. One may say that homeopathy may be slower than the effect of pain-killers, anti-inflammatory medicines and steroids. One must know that homeopathy is faster in the treatment of conditions such as allergy, asthma, eczema, migraine, arthritis.

Homeopathy is like a tortoise in the well-known story of tortoise and rabbit

Myth 4. When it comes to handling infections, nothing can beat antibiotics.
Truth This misbelief is an example of mass ignorance in the hi- tech era that we are living in. Over an again, thousands of practitioners world over, have repeatedly and regularly observed that infections of all kind including the bacterial infections, respond beautifully to homeopathy and no antibiotics are required for most of such conditions. It is in rare cases when the infection is very massive and the body has lost the vitality to recover, probably antibiotics are required in addition to homeopathy.

One, day homeopathy will be recognized as a latest generation antibiotic measure.

Myth 5. Homeopathy is a 'magic remedy' that can treat every disease under the sun.
Fact: Homeopathy is no panacea. Homeopathy like any other field of medicine, has its limitations. For example, it cannot treat cases where surgery is unavoidable, many dental cases, etc. 

Homeopathy is not an ultimate medicine, for nothing is ultimate in this universe.

Myth 6. Homeopathy can only help functional problems such as pain, weakness, where there are no structural changes in the body.
Fact: Homeopathy has proved its efficacy for the treatment of structural pathology. Numerous documented cases where the reversal of the structural pathology has taken place indicating the depth of homeopathy action.

The skeptics should keep the eyes open to evaluate the documented cases.

Myth 7. Homeopathic doctors are quacks who do not have formal training in the field of Medicine.
Fact: Qualified doctors practice Homeopathy, in most parts of the world. In India, there are over 200 Homeopathy medical colleges and world over the number is close to 500, which offer degree and post -graduate studies in Homeopathy. At present, there are over 2,00,000 trained homeopaths in India and at least half-million across the globe.
Those who think we are quacks, we just smile...

Myth 8. One has to follow strict dietary I restrictions while on homeopathic treatment.
Fact: Some patients are asked to abstain from onions, garlic, coffee, tea, tobacco, alcohol etc. as these substances interfere with the action of certain homeopathic medicines. But then, restricting alcohol and tobacco is also safe and healthy.

Myth 9. Homeopathy is only useful in chronic cases.
Fact: Very often it is - where everything else has failed! But the true reason for this perception is because people turn to Homeopathy so late when everything else has failed! After years of allopathic treatment often an illness becomes chronic, the treatment will now naturally take longer than in case of using Homeopathy right from the beginning, the recovery period is very less. Homeopathy medicines are equally effective in chronic and acute ailments. Homeopathy is a great alternative medicine for acute diseases. In fact, almost 50% of our practice consists of acute ailments varying form cough-cold-fever to otitis media, pneumonia, tonsillitis, hepatitis, sinusitis, etc.

Homeopathy is a real alternative medicine.

Myth 10. Homeopathy cannot be used in diabetic patients.
Fact: It can be used! The minute amount of sugar globules (the little round pills) taken daily does not matter. Sugar intake in the daily diet is significantly higher than that taken by a few globules. In very severe cases, the dilution may be taken as drops in water or over lactose.

Myth 11. The homeopath gives the same white pills for all types of illnesses. How can they be really effective?
Fact: Depending on the illness, homeopaths medicate with different medicines. The sugar pills serve only as a vehicle for transfer of the medicine. The selected medicine, out of a range of more than 3000 different dilutions, is targeted to the individual problems.

Myth 12. Are there really no side effects of homeopathic medicine?
Fact: Generally there are no side effects of homeopathic medicine if prescribed in potencies of 3CH and above. However, some tinctures and triturates in very low potencies like Ix, 2x have some side effects of minor nature. Sometimes, homeopathic medicines in higher dilutions may also elicit drug proving in sensitive individuals. But just like any other medicine, Homeopathy medicines should be used with caution and in chronic ailments; they should not be taken without consultation with a qualified homeopath.

Myth 13. Is that homeopathy would worsen my symptoms initially and then bring about improvement". I am scared to try Homeopathy since I cannot afford to see my symptoms getting worse than what I have at the moment.
Truth: It is not true that Homeopathy would lead to an initial aggravation of your complaints. The aggravation which the patient experiences at times after taking the medicines is usually coincidental with the progress of the disease where in it worsens in its natural course. This confirms that the homeopathic remedies are usually harmless, but the myths associated with them are not.