Ten Most Frequently Asked Questions on Homeopathic Medicine

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Ten Most Frequently Asked Questions on Homeopathic Medicine

by Dana Ullman, MPH ©2003

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WHAT IS HOMEOPATHY ANYWAY?

Homeopathic medicine is a natural pharmaceutical science that uses various

plants, minerals or animals in very small dose to stimulate the sick person's

natural defenses. The medicines are individually chosen for their ability to

cause in overdose the similar symptoms the person is experiencing. " Homoios "

in Greek means similar and " pathos " means disease or suffering. Since one's

symptoms are actually efforts of the organism to reestablish homeostasis or

balance, it is logical to seek a substance that would, in overdose, cause the

similar symptoms the person is experiencing. The medicines, thus, go with ,

rather than against, the person's natural defenses.

In essence, homeopathy is composed of two highly systematic methods:

toxicology and casetaking. First, homeopaths find out the specific physical,

emotional, and mental symptoms that various substances cause in overdose.

Homeopathic texts have more detail on toxicology than any other source. Second,

the

homeopaths interview their patients in great detail to discover the totality of

physical, emotional and mental symptoms the person is experiencing. The

homeopath seeks to find a substance that would cause the similar symptoms the

person has and then gives it in small, specially prepared dose.

IT SEEMS ILLOGICAL TO GIVE DOSES OF SUBSTANCES THAT CAUSE SYMPTOMS TO THOSE

THE SICK PERSON HAS IN ORDER TO CURE THEM. EXPLAIN THIS.

Homeopaths, like many modern physiologists, recognize that symptoms

represent the best efforts of the organism to adapt to and defend against

various

stresses or infections. Because the body is not always successful in dealing

with every stress or infection, it is important to find a substance in nature

that has the capacity to mimic the symptoms the person is experiencing in order

to aid the body in its efforts to defend and ultimately heal itself.

The " law of similars, " the basic principle of homeopathy, is even used in

some conventional medical therapies, such as immunizations and allergy

treatments. These treatments, however, are not pure homeopathy since

homeopathic

medicines are more individually prescribed, given in smaller doses, and used to

treat sick people and to prevent disease.

HOMEOPATHS USE SUCH SMALL DOSES THAT THEY COULDN'T POSSIBLY HAVE ANY

PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECT. HOW CAN YOU RESPOND TO THIS?

Although we don't understand precisely how the homeopathic medicines work,

there is clear evidence that the medicines are active and can heal. Homeopathy

became popular in this country and in Europe during the 1800s because of its

success in treating the many infectious diseases that raged during that

time, including yellow fever, scarlet fever, cholera, and many others. The

death

rate in homeopathic hospitals was between one-half to one-eigth of those in

conventional medical hospitals. Homeopathic medicines also have been shown to

work on infants and on various animals (including dogs, cats, horses and even

cows) where it is highly unlikely that they are acting only as a placebo.

Homeo-paths also find that people who are being treated with homeopath-ic

medicine for a chronic disease sometimes experience a tempo-rary exacerabation

in

their symptoms as the body's defenses are being stimulated. Homeopaths have

found that a " healing crisis " is sometimes necessary to achieve healing. It is

highly unlikely that this temporary worsening of symptoms is the result of a

placebo response.

There has also been some good scientific research published in medical

journals and other scientific publications. The LANCET (September 20, 1997)

published a review of 89 double-blind or randomized placebo- controlled

clinical

trials. The authors conclude that the clinical effects of homeopathic medicines

are not simply the results of placebo. In fact, they found that homeopathic

medicines had a 2.45 times greater effect than placebo.

The lead author of this review of homeopathic research was the same German

professor who reviewed the research on St. Johns wort that got international

attention.

Another survey of research published in the British Medical Journal

(February 9, 1991) indicated that there have been 107 controlled clinical

trials, 81

of which showed that the homeopathic medicines had beneficial results.

For more detail about many of these studies, see my book, The Consumer's

Guide to Homeopathy, Jermey Tarcher/Putnam, 1996) or Drs. P. Bellavite and A.

Signorini's new book _The Emerging Science of Homeopathy: Complexity,

Biodynamics, and Nanopharmacology_

(http://www.homeopathic.com/store/product=1229)

(North Atlantic, 2002).

Another excellent and ongoingly updated source of information about clinical

research in homeopathy is my new e-book, called _Homeopathic Family

Medicine_ (http://www.homeopathic.com/store/hfm/ebook_hfm.jsp) . " This e-book

covers

100+ common acute and chronic ailments, their homeopathic treatment, and

reference to and description of over 150 clinical trials published.

It is important to know that the small doses used by homeopaths only have an

effect when a person has a hypersensitivity to the small doses given. If the

wrong medicine is given to a person, nothing happens. If the correct

medicine is given, the medicine acts as a catalyst to the person's defenses. In

any

case, homeopathic medicines do not have side effects.

IF THE MEDICINES ARE SO EFFECTIVE, WHY ISN'T HOMEOPATHY MORE POPULAR TODAY?

Actually, homeopathy is quite popular in many countries in the world. As for

homeopathy in the U.S., it was also very popular here. At the turn of the

century, 15% of physicians were homeopathic physicians. The A.M.A. was

seriously threatened clinically, philosophically, and economically by

homeopaths. As

distinct from other unorthodox practitioners, homeopaths graduated from

respected medical schools. The A.M.A. was so threatened by homeopathy that from

1860 to the early 1900s a conventional physician would lose their membership in

the A.M.A if they simply consulted with a homeopath. The A.M.A. also applied

pressure on various funding sources so that the homeopathic schools had

difficulty staying alive. Despite the strong pressure from A.M.A. and the drug

companies, homeopathy has survived and has flourished throughout the world.

WHERE IS HOMEOPATHY POPULAR?

Homeopathy is particularly popular in France, England, Germany, Greece,

India, Pakistan, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, and South Africa. Approximately 40%

of the French public have used homeopathic medicines, and 39% of the French

physicians have prescribed the medicines. About 20% of German physicians

occasionally utilize these natural medicines, and 45% of Dutch physicians

consider

them effective. According to a survey in the British Medical Journal (June 7,

1986), 42% of British physicians survey refer patients to homeopathic

physicians, and a New York Times article reported that visits to British

homeopaths

is growing at a rate of 39% a year.

Despite these impressive statistics, homeopathy is particularly popular in

India where there are over 120 four-year homeopathic medical schools.

Homeopathy is also growing very rapidly in the United States. Market

research shows that sales of homeopathic medicines have grown at a rate of

10-20%

per year during the past ten years.

IS HOMEOPATHY LEGAL IN THE U.S.?

Certainly! Most of its practitioners are conventionally trained medical

doctors who have furthered their training with the study of homeopathy. Some of

its practitioners are other types of health professionals, including dentists,

podiatrists, psychologists, physicians assistants, nurses, naturopaths,

chiropractors, and even veterinarians.

There are also some laypeople who have seriously studied homeopathy and are

very good practitioners (they call themselves " professional homeopaths " ),

though the legal issues surrounding their practice remains unclear. Because

homeopathic medicines are legally considered " drugs, " some authorities assume

that anyone who prescribes or recommends them needs to be a physician or have

the license to prescribe drugs. However, because the vast majority of

homeopathic medicines are considered " over-the-counter drugs " which means that

consumers do not need a prescription to purchase them, some authorities assume

that

one does not need a license to use them. Homeopathic practice by unlicensed

individuals may be legal if they practiced under the supervision of a

physician, but this physician would subsume all legal responsibilities for

patient

care.

ARE HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINES SAFE?

The small doses used in homeopathic medicines make them extremely safe. Of

course, it is important to know how to prescribe the medicines. The book I

co-authored with Dr. Stephen Cummings, _Everybody's Guide to Homeopathic

Medicines_ (http://www.homeopathic.com/store/product=1817) (J.P. Tarcher, 2004)

provides the step-by-step information on how to use the medicines and when it

is

necessary to seek medical care.

The homeopathic medicines are officially recognized by the F.D.A. as

" over-the-counter drugs " and thus any person can order them without a

prescription.

Because they are recognized as drugs, their manufacture is regulated by the

F.D.A. to assure consumers that they are getting what they ordered.

IF A PERSON IS USING HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINES, IS IT POSSIBLE FOR THEM TO USE

CONVENTIONAL DRUGS AT THE SAME TIME?

It is possible to take them together, though the homeopathic medicines often

work fast and well enough that the person does not need to take conventional

drugs. Some conventional medicines, however, are so strong that they inhibit

any action of the homeopathic medicine. In such situations the individual mus

t decide if he or she wishes to use the conventional or homeopathic

medicine.

THERE ARE HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINES SOLD IN HEALTH FOOD STORES THAT ARE

SUPPOSEDLY FOR SPECIFIC DISEASES. IF HOMEOPATHY IS BASED ON FINDING A MEDICINE

INDIVIDUALLY SUITED TO THE PERSON, ARE THESE MEDICINES REALLY HOMEOPATHIC?

These homeopathic medicines found in most health food stores are called

" combination medicines " or " formulas, " since they have between three to eight

different homeopathic medicines mixed together in them. The various

manufacturers choose the medicines most commonly prescribed for specific

symptoms and

assume that one of them will help cure the ailment that the consumer has. These

combination medicines are popular in the U.S. and in Europe because they are

so easy to prescribe and because they work. Because of this, the homeopathic

combination medicines are " user friendly. " Also, since these medicines are

much safer than conventional drugs, they are generally preferrable to a growing

number of consumers.

Combination medicines are invaluable, but most professional homeopaths have

found that the medicine individually chosen for the person tends to work more

often and more deeply. Still, if a person does not know how to choose the

individual homeopathic medicine or if it isn't readily available, the various

homeopathic combination medicines are invaluable. It is, however, gener-ally

believed that combination medicines should not be prescribed for chronic or

serious acute health problems. Such conditions require the supervision of

homeopathic or medical experts.