Answers to frequently asked questions
What is homoeopathy?
What kind of diseases can homeopathy treat?
Do Homoeopathic medicines have any side effects?
Why are homeopathic remedies slow to act?
Is Homoeopathy a cure-all medicine?
What is homoeopathy?
Homoeopathy is a medical system of treatment that uses natural remedies to arouse and strengthen the natural capacity of the body to overcome disease. Homeopathic remedies come mainly from plant, animal and mineral sources. The most important aspect, however, is not the source of the remedies but the special method of their preparation which involves a repeated process of mixing, diluting and shaking till the chemical properties of the substance to be used as remedy are totally eliminated. This systematic and calculated process of remedy preparation, introduced by a German physician, Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, about two centuries back, has dual advantage: i) it arouses the deeper therapeutic power of the remedy which remainslatent in the presence of chemical properties and ii) it renders the remedy totally safe as with the washing away of the chemical properties, there remains no chance of chemical toxicity.
The concept of health, disease and cure revolves around the presence and governance of a self-regulating force within the body. This force is responsible to maintain health and keep the body, its organs and systems in a perfect working order. In health, it functions at its optimum and ensures that all the organs and systems perform harmoniously so that the individual may work towards the fulfillment of the high purpose of his creation. In disease, it attempts to restore the normal state. Disease is seen as the central disturbance of this force caused or excited by its failure or inability to cope with external disease producing factors such as bacteria, virus, environmental or medicinal pollution, extremes of weather, etc. Disease is recognized through signs and symptoms which are termed as body’s effort at self-healing. The object of treatment is to bring this force to its former state of normal functioning through homoeopathic doses.
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What kind of diseases can homeopathy treat?
Homeopathy can treat a wide range of diseases including acute, infectious, chronic and in some cases even those diseases where surgery seems to be imminent. Some of the areas where homeopathy has helped avoid surgery are diseases of nose, throat, eyes, tonsils, spine, digestive organs, kidneys, gall-bladder, prostate gland, female reproductive organs, etc. Cases of arthritis, asthma, migraine, allergies, etc. respond well. In brief, all diseases without irreversible pathological changes can successfully be treated with homeopathy.
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Do Homoeopathic medicines have any side effects?
Single homeopathic remedies prescribed and taken appropriately are 100% safe, even if taken for a longer period. The same cannot be said about multi-ingredient medicines (loosely called mixtures, combinations, compounds and also Homoeopathy by Numbers) as there is no dependable scientific study to show their safety though claims by the manufacturing companies abound. Good homoeopaths avoid prescribing multi-ingredient medicines.
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Why are homeopathic remedies slow to act?
Homoeopathic remedies are NOT slow to act!
In cases of recent origin, homoeopathy works faster than any other mode of treatment. But the bulk of the cases coming to a homoeopath consist mostly of chronic cases; cases that have defied the skills of many specialists; cases that have been over-drugged and cases that have been declared incurable.
Most of the patients visiting a homoeopath bring files of reports and prescriptions. They say they have suffered for years. They have “tried” every doctor or specialist they have been referred to. In such cases, if homoeopathy takes a few months to effect a cure or to provide a long lasting relief, that, in all fairness, should not be misconstrued as “slowness” of homoeopathic remedies.
There is a difference between a “prompt but temporary relief” and a “cure” (permanent removal of disease). Homeopathy does not try to suppress or cover up symptoms to provide “prompt relief” rather addresses the underlying cause so that the disease is radically cured wherever it is possible.
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Is Homoeopathy a cure-all medicine?
No, it is not. Homoeopathy can cure almost all acute diseases in a shorter period than any other system of medicine. It is highly effective in a number of chronic diseases. It can safely cure several such cases where surgery seems to be imminent. But, like any other science, it has its scope and limitations. Cases with advanced tissue changes usually do not respond well to homoeopathic treatment, though, in such cases too, a temporary relief can be obtained.