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FAQs (Frequently asked Questions about Homoeopathy)
Majority of the
population has been using homoeopathic medicine occasionally. Many
more have heard about it. Yet, only a very small percentage of the
public is regularly seeing a homoeopath as the first doctor of the
choice or using homoeopathic medicines as a first line therapy of
choice.
Why is that so?
This communication addresses the myths surrounding homeopathy and
the facts behind them.
Facts
What is illness and health?
Evolving over millions of years, the human body has developed
warning and healing properties. Presence of symptoms in fact is one
such example of a good sign of vitality. Symptoms may indicate that
the body is responding to stress of a disease and is working to
defend itself further illness. Think of cold symptoms .e. g .running
nose, sneezing, fever and cough, one can easily imagine how each of
these symptoms are actually ridding the body of the offending
organism and that by suppressing these symptoms this process will be
inhibited. At the same time being without symptoms may also be a
sign of ill-health.
Homeopathic physician generally define health as a state of
harmonious flow between Physical emotional and mental state of a
person.
What is homeopathy?
In 1796, a German Doctor, Samuel Hahnemann, discovered a different
approach to the .cure of the sick, which he called homeopathy [From
the Greek word meaning “Similar suffering”] Homeopathy is an
effective and scientific system of healing, which assists the
natural tendency of the body to heal itself. It recognizes that all
symptoms ,of ill health are expressions of disharmony within the
whole person and that it is the patient who needs treatment not the
disease, as different people react in different ways in the same
illness.
How does Homeopathy
Work?
Homeopathy medicines work by stimulating the body’s own healing
power. This power of the body is very great and many complaints heal
themselves unaided, but when the healing process is faulty, blocked
or slow, the homeopathic medicine acts as a stimulus to the curative
powers of the body. To provide this stimulus, homeopathic physician
must prescribe the right remedy and right dosage for you.
What your
homeopathic physician needs to know to help you?
To help the patient, we listen to all the details of the person’s
main problem and then examine the problems in other areas. The
specific details of the main problem limits the choice of medicine
down to a handful with the actual remedy being confirmed by symptoms
in the mental, emotional, and physical areas. Although different
symptoms presented by patient may not appear to be correlated but
all of them are part of a person’s defense mechanism and are thus
related. Since homeopathic Medicine are chosen mostly through an
interview process it is important for patients to think deeply about
their symptoms before being seen. It is helpful to think of symptoms
as being unique to you and describing them as though no one as ever
experienced them in exactly the same way. Some questions that are
good to ask yourself are where .when and what makes your complaints
better or worse [e.g. position, temperature, menses, bowel
movements, etc.]Also note, which other symptoms occur at the same
time as the main complaint. The onset, character of pain etc. are
also very important.
Is there any
important of investigations [like blood, urine examination, x-ray,
ECG, CT Scan, MRI, etc.] for homeopathic treatment?
Investigations have as much relevance to us as any other
practitioner. Any investigations done prior to your consultation
with us must be mentioned and shown.
How homeopathic physician selects the right medicine?
Selecting a right medicine is a science as well as an art in itself.
Based on the information provided in the case record booklet and
through personal interview with the patient, we try to find out the
most suited medicine based on the individual and characteristic
symptom of each case. Specially developed computer programmes also
help to a great extent in selecting the perfect medicine in each
case Therefore, if the patient is able to give the right symptoms of
his disease along with his individual and characteristic feeling we
are able to exactly match them with a suitable medicine and
prescribe the right medicine.
What will the
treatment be like and are there any do’s and dont’s while one is on
homeopathic treatment?
There are no specific do’s and dont’s while taking homeopathic
medicines. The medicines are prescribed in the form of globules or
doses which should be allowed to dissolve on the tongue. Nothing
else should be put in the mouth for 10 minutes before and also after
taking the medicine. We will always advise you it there is any food
item [for e.g. coffee, tea, tobacco, alcohol, or any strong smelling
food item like cloves, cardamom, peppermint etc.] To be avoided with
any particular medicine prescribed for you.
How quickly will I
be cured?
This depends very much on what sort of illness you have. A very
slow depending complaint, like a stomach ulcer, will not disappear
over night, but other complaints can get better quickly. Complicated
cases are cured from the inside, working outwards. This means that
superficial, outer symptoms, such as skin disorders are often the
last symptoms to go. Se patient, it is much better for you to be
cured of both the cause of your illness and its symptoms rather than
merely to relieve you of the symptoms. Remember every case is as
unique as you are.
Does Homeopathic
Medicine always first aggravate your disease before curing it?
If the homeopathic Medicine and their potency are selected
carefully and administered in required doses, then they do not cause
any unwanted and perceptible increase of the suffering of the
patient before curing him, thus it is more important to consult your
homeopathic physician before taking any medicine.
Can homeopathic
treatment be started while some one is already taking any other
medication or is homeopathic treatment less effective when taking
along with any other treatment?
Homeopathic treatment can be taken along with any other treatment
especially if a patient is already on treatment. In such disease
like hypertension, diabetes, asthma, thyroid problem, epilepsy etc.
medicines should not be stopped with out proper consultation with
other physician.
Are Homeopathic
Medicine safe?
Since homeopathic medicines are prescribed by your physician in
very small doses they cause no side effect and are perfectly safe.
Also there is no danger of dependence, addiction or of a life
endangering over dose.
MYTH
Homeopathic is an
unproven science
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 indication. Clinical studies have been
conducted in India as well as other countries. In fact, the term,
‘allopathy’ was coined by the founder of homeopathy whom the
allopaths regard as the founder of experimental pharmacology.
Homeopathy is slow
acting and cannot be used in acute cases of diarrhea, fever, cough,
cold, etc.
Homeopathy is fast
acting in acute cases and can be effectively used in treating
infection, 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.
Also, most people take
recourse in homeopathy in cases of arthritis, allergic asthma or
skin condition etc. which takes a longer time to treat without any
other medicines.
Homeopathy is only
useful in chronic cases
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 other treatment will now naturally take
longer than in case of using homoeopathy right from the beginning.
Homeopathy cannot be
used in diabetic patients.
It can. The minute
amount of sugar globuli [the little round pills] taken daily does
not matter. Sugar intake in the daily diet is significantly higher
than that taken by a few globuli. In very severe cases, the dilution
may be taken has drops in water or over lactose.
Why homeopathic
physician do not disclose the name of the medicine.
A general notion is
that since Homeopathic medicines are safe, thus if they are giving
relief they can be continued for a prolonged period with out
consulting a homeopathic physician. Here I would like to put a word
of caution that homeopathic Medicines are powerful energy remedies
and they should not be repeated without proper consultation of the
homeopathic physician. Secondly if one medicine is working e.g. for
a case of headache for one patient, probably it will not show any
effect to another case having headache. These in my opinion are the
two main reasons for us not to disclose the name of the medicine.
However, if the patient is responsible enough and understands the
principals of homeopathy, he can be told the name, of the medicine
prescribed for him.
Are steroids used in
homeopathic medicines to get quick results?
Here I would like to touch upon two most common myths. First
being that, homeopathic treatment is slow and if one gets quick
relief it means the homeopathic physician has given steroids to
bring quick relief. Secondly, that the medicine contained in powder
dose are generally steroids.
As explained earlier
homeopathy is not a slow form of treatment and the time taken to
give relief to the patient depends upon what the patient is
suffering from, how well he has presented his case and how his
medicine has been selected. Thus, if everything goes right the
result of the homeopathic treatment are instantaneous and long
lasting which can not be achieved even through steroids.
As regards the second
myth, that the Medicine dispensed in the powder form are steroids, I
think it is only when counted number of doses are required, the
medicine has to be dispensed in the powder form and if a patient has
any reservations or doubt in taking medicine in the powder form,
than he should frankly discuss this issues with his homeopathic
physician so that he In turn can dispense the medicine in liquid or
globules form.
Issued in public
interest by
Dr. G.P.S. Dhingra
B.H.M.S, M.D. [HOM] Psychiatry
Consulting Homeopath
Member - Indian Society for Emergency Medicine
Apollo Emergency Hospital, Hyderabad.
Clinic: 2/46, Basement, West Punjabi Bagh, New Delhi-26.
Consulting: M.G.S. Hospital, Punjabi Bagh, New Delhi-26.
Resi-cum-Clinic: J-53, Rajouri Garden, New Delhi-27
E-mail:
contact@DrGPShealthcare.com Mobile: +91-9818768544
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