11 Myths of Homeopathy Drugs

Homeopathy or homoeopathy is a pseudoscientific system of alternative medicine. It was conceived in 1796 by the German physician 'Samuel Hahnemann'. Its practitioners, called homeopaths, believe that a substance that causes symptoms of a disease in healthy people can cure similar symptoms in sick people, this doctrine is called 'similia similibus curentur', or 'like cures like'.

Myth 1: Homeopathy is slow to act #

Fact #

• Homeopathic treatments are fast acting in cases of acute conditions such as fever, infections, diarrhea, etc.

• Homeopathy has been labeled as ‘slow to act’ or a slow acting treatment because old and chronic diseases (for instance, psoriasis) take an extended amount of time for their treatment which if treated through other ways would also take a long time.

• It can be argued that homeopathic treatments for curing inflammatory conditions and pains are slower than other faster means and medications.

• True as that may be the fact that homeopathy is a quicker treatment for conditions such as eczema, migraine, arthritis, asthma, and allergies totally balance out its unrushed effect in cases of inflammations and pains.

Myth 2: Homeopathy is beneficial only for patients with chronic conditions. It plays no part in the treatment of acute ailments #

Fact #

• Homeopathic treatments provide great alternative medicines in cases of acute diseases.

• In fact, if homeopathic medicines are given to patients on time it can instantly bring you (the patient) relief from the ailment.

• It effectively treats a wide range of acute ailments, from cold, cough & fevers to tonsillitis, hepatitis, sinusitis, as well as otitis media and pneumonia.

Myth 3: Homeopathy? Oh, it’s more like a placebo effect and faith healing #

Fact #

• A number of scientific double blind studies (experimental procedures in which neither the subjects of the experiment nor the people administering the experiment are aware of the critical aspects of the experiment) have proven that homeopathy is no placebo effect.

• The effects of homeopathic medicines have been observed a lot of times and can by no means be labeled as a placebo effect.

• Homeopathic treatments show healing effects on fragile newborn babies as well as animals! (lions and dogs for instance) This completely throws the ‘placebo effect’ argument in the dustbin.

• Considering homeopathy as a placebo would not just be misbelieving but also a prejudice.

Myth 4: Practitioners of homeopathy or homeopathic doctors are mere charlatans and have no scientific background whatsoever #

Fact #

• Let me start by foregrounding the fact that homeopathy is recognized by the World Health Organization as the Second Largest therapeutic system used in the world.

• It is practiced by qualified and conventional doctors all over the world, the doctors (practitioners) of the modern medicine also suggest homeopathic treatments as alternative or/and assistive treatments.

• The father of homeopathy, Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, MD was not a charlatan but a German scientist! And most of the homeopathic masters and the pioneers in the past were educated, conventional doctors.

• In fact, homeopathy treats every person (or patient) as a unique individual focusing on the aim of stimulating their own healing ability.

• A homeopath chooses the most appropriate medicine based on the individual patient’s specific set of symptoms and personal level of health.

Myth 5: Homeopathy is a miracle medicine! It can cure every disease under the sun #

Fact #

• Don’t we love to put our faith in extremes? Where some feel like homeopathy is nothing more than placebo and is practiced by quacks at the same time, others believe that it’s a heal-all miracle.

• Homeopathy is no panacea.

• If it were, people would be able to survive the deadliest of diseases (not that it wouldn’t be pleasing).

• Like all medicine systems, it too has its own set of limitations.

• Homeopathy does fail in certain cases.

• Now that doesn’t mean that it’s a hoax.

Myth 6: Homeopathy worsens the symptoms initially and then brings about the improvement #

Trying homeopathic treatments are risky because your symptoms would only get worse than what you are suffering through at the moment.

Fact #

• All speculation, none of it is true.

• Homeopathy would not lead to an initial aggravation of your complaints.

• After decades of sincere and dedicated practice by multitudes of doctors of homeopathy claim that they haven’t seen or treated patients who complain of aggravated symptoms of their ailments or diseases.

• The aggravation which you (or the patient) might experience at times subsequently after taking the medicines is usually coincidental and is caused by the progress of the disease due to which it worsens in its natural course.

• This means that the homeopathic remedies or treatments are not risky at all and should not be feared.

Myth 7: Homeopathy? Oh, that simply means herbal medicine #

Fact #

• No, not really.

• Homeopathy is much more than herbal medicine, just limiting it to herbal medicine would be a huge understatement.

• Yes, it has medicines sourced from certain herbs but its medicines are also sourced from chemicals, animal products, minerals, organisms, etc.

• And, most importantly, it is backed by a highly sophisticated method of medicine preparation techniques, sound scientific principles, and a deep philosophy.

• To put it simply, in homeopathy, herbs, and other (herb-like) natural substances are processed through serial dilution and vigorous shaking between each dilution.

• While this process takes place, the toxicity of the herb vanishes and the therapeutic benefits are enhanced.

• Most of the herbs used are for their medicinal purposes (obviously!) and are dry extracts of different parts of the herb or extracted oils distilled from plants or herbs.

• So in a way, whichever herbs are used in the preparation of homeopathic medicines, are by no means bad or won’t cause you harm.

Myth 8: You cannot take homeopathic medicines along with the conventional (or allopathic) medicines #

Fact #

• Yet another misguided belief.

• Homeopathic medicines and allopathic drugs (or conventional medicines) both can be taken at the same time as they are derived from different sources.

• Homeopathic medicines are usually derived from natural resources like minerals, plants, and animal products whereas allopathic medicines are essentially chemical based.

• Both treatments can be taken together and are safe, you can reap the benefits of both the medicines without any harmful risks.

Myth 9: You cannot consume coffee and onion if you’re undergoing homeopathic treatment #

Fact #

• Recent research studies show that if you follow the basic half-hour rule then you can eat whatever you like.

• What is the half-hour rule? If you have ever had homeopathic medicines you’d be familiar with this rule, if you haven’t then the rule basically states that you must not eat or drink anything half an hour before and after having the medicines.

• So if you abide by this rule then you can have coffee, onions, garlic, ginger or any other strong smelling foods.

• It is only for certain homeopathic medicines to which coffee might act as an antidote (it is because such medicines are prepared by using coffee in roasted as well as crude forms) you need not worry, if you will be prescribed any such medicine your doctor would definitely let you know beforehand.

Myth 10: The homeopathic doctor gives the same white pills for anything and everything. How can they be considered really effective if the same pill is provided for all illnesses? #

Fact #

• Seriously, how can anyone in their right mind nod their heads to this myth? Well, first and foremost, the homeopaths medicate with different medicines, not just one.

• That’s an insane speculation.

• Secondly, the little round sugar pills only serve as an instrument of transferring the medicine.

• The medicine is selected out of the wide range of more than three thousand different dilutions and is targeted to individual problems or ailments.

• Moreover, as I’ve mentioned above a homeopath chooses the most appropriate medicine based on the individual patient’s specific set of symptoms and personal level of health.

• With this personalized and minute attention to the patient, how can anyone feel like everyone receives the same treatment no matter what the illness or ailment?

Myth 11 : There are no side effects of homeopathic medicine at all #

Fact #

• Generally, there really are no side effects of homeopathic medicine (if and when prescribed in 3CH and above potency).

• However, some tinctures and triturates in pretty low potencies, for instance, Ix and 2x do have some side effects but of minor nature.

• At times, homeopathic medicines in higher or stronger dilutions may also illicit drug-proving in sensitive individuals.

• Homeopathic medicines are just like any other medicine, homeopathic treatments should be used mindfully and in cases of chronic ailments, they must not be taken without any consultation with a qualified homeopathic doctor.

• If taken carefully with apt individualization and under the watchful eye of a qualified homeopath, then this myth may hold a certain amount of truth.