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Last Updated: Sep 07, 2020
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Know How Safe Is Homeopathy As Compared To Other Treatments!

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Dr. Amit JainHomeopathy Doctor • 8 Years Exp.BHMS, CCPH, CGO
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Homeopathy literally translates to same/similar and study. The philosophy of homeopathy is like cures like. The medications that are usually prescribed by homeopathy doctors contain the same ingredients which would cause the disease. For example, if gout is due to excessive uric acid, the treatment also would include uric acid, but at highly diluted doses.

There is constant controversy as to whether this actually works. While there are numerous patients who have benefitted from using these products, there is another segment which claims that they just have a placebo effect and actually are not of any medicinal value. The following are some points raised by clinicians and patients all over which question homeopathy.

  1. Arriving at the right prescription: No two individuals are given the same treatment in homeopathy, even though they may have the exact clinical presentation. The doctor needs to spend a lot of time to discuss other symptoms and then come to a conclusion as to what to use. This is extremely complex and even tricky sometimes. Arriving at a wrong conclusion and giving the wrong medication is quite possible if a proper diagnosis and case study is not done. This is one big risk that is raised against homeopathy.
  2. Limited trial periods: Another argument against homeopathy is that none of these products have gone through clinical trials and therefore their safety is a big question. There are also reports of people having had adverse reactions to some homeopathy medicines.
  3. Uncertain responses: Just as the diagnosis, even the response to treatment is unique and specific to individuals. While some medicine might work for a person, it may not work for another. Also, the duration of treatment can widely vary. Some might respond in days, others might take weeks or sometimes even months. In the meantime, there could be other symptoms arising as a result of the medicine per se.
  4. Homeopathic aggravation: Going by its basic philosophy, homeopathy uses the same medicine to treat the symptoms which would induce it in the first place. Therefore, there is a high chance of initial aggravation of symptoms at the beginning of therapy. Patients who choose homeopathy are often warned of this and advised not to worry about this, as this is a typical observation.
  5. Drug interactions and side effects: Many homeopathy products have significant side effects. What can affect one body system in a positive way can have a negative effect on another body system. However, the argument is that the medicine is used in highly diluted forms and are not capable of causing any adverse effects.

 

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