HOMEOPATHY:

Q: WHAT IS HOMEOPATHY?

Homeopathy is mostly and successfully, traditionally used medicine in the world, where homeopathic medicines are provided based on individualistic approach and homeopathic principles. It reinforces the body’s own healing response to condition, with use of highly diluted homeopathic medicines.

Q: WHAT ARE PRINCIPLES OF HOMEOPATHY?

Homeopathy works on principle of “Law of Similia”. The law of similia was previously described by Hippocrates (Father of Medicine) and Paracelsus. But it was successfully and scientifically implemented by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann with use of law of dynamization and law of potentization.

Q: WHAT IS HISTORY OF ORIGIN OF HOMEOPATHY?

Samuel Hahnemann-founder of homeopathy, was physician in Germany. When Hahnemann began working on a project to translate William Cullen’s Materia Medica into German, at one point in the book Cullen described the usefulness of Peruvian bark (Cinchona- presently known as Quinine) in treating malaria due to its bitter and astringent properties. Hahnemann was not agreed with this statement. Hahnemann asserted that the efficacy of Peruvian bark must be for another factor. He noted thatthere were other substances and mixtures of substances decidedly more bitter and more astringent than Peruvian bark that were not effective in treating malaria. Hahnemann ingested the bark and discovered that his body responded to its toxic dose with fever, chills and other symptoms similar to malaria. He continued his research. Hahnemann concluded that the reason this herb was beneficial, because it caused symptoms similar to those of the disease it was treating.

After translating Cullen’s work, Hahnemann spent the next six years actively experimenting different medicines. He concluded that any substance that causes the symptoms of a disease in healthy person; would cure similar symptoms in sick person; and the concept of “like cures like” had been suggested.

Hahnemann first coined the word “homeopathy” (“homoeo” in Greek means similar, “pathos” means suffering).

Subsequent scientific work showed that cinchona cures malaria because it contains quinine, which kills the Plasmodium falciparum parasite that causes the disease; Although, Conventional medicine, Herbal medicine and Homeopathy work ondifferent mechanism. But here it clearly shows and suggests effectiveness of fundamental law of homeopathy.

Q: HOW CAN SUCH SMALL DOSES BE EFFECTIVE IN HOMEOPATHY?

Homeopathic remedies are indeed very small doses. However, they are specially prepared doses which undergo a specific process — including dilution of ingredients (called potentization), as well as a vigorous shaking (succussion). Specially formulated homeopathic remedies trigger a positive healing response. Fruitful investigations from some research for potentization and dynamization could be available.

Q: ARE THERE ANY EVIDENCE FOR THE EFFECTIVENESS OF HOMEOPATHY?

Yes. Homeopathic medicines have been traditionally used and satisfactory results were obtained.

SCOPE OF HOMEOPATHY:

Q: WHAT IS SCOPE OF HOMEOPATHY? IN WHAT CONDITIONS DOES HOMEOPATHY HELPFUL?

People mostly seek homeopathic management to get benefit in symptoms of certain chronic health conditions, alongside conventional medicine. Please contact Himanshu to discuss about to decide homeopathic management in your condition.

Q: CAN HOMEOPATH PERFORM SURGERY?

Person with symptoms of few surgical conditions alongside conventional medicine may be assisted with homeopathic formulation. But Homeopath can’t do any surgery.

HOMEOPATHY AND CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE:

Q: MEDICINES FROM GP SHOULD BE STOPPED WHEN HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINE IS STARTED?

No. When you start homeopathic medicine, no medicines should be stopped abruptly without consulting your GP. Homeopathic medicine is not a replacement of your routine medicine which is prescribed or suggested by your GP for any condition.

Q: HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINE CAN BE TAKEN ALONGSIDE OTHER CONVENTIONAL OR PRESCRIPTIVE MEDICINES?

Yes, it can be used alongside other conventional or prescriptive medication. Generally, there are no contradictions with taking homeopathic medicines, but check with your healthcare provider.

Q: SHOULD I CONSULT GP DURING HOMEOPATHIC MANAGEMENT FOR ALLERGIC OR ANY OTHER CHRONIC CONDITION?

Please must consult GP, healthcare practitioner or relevant doctor if symptoms persist, even if you are on homeopathic formulation.

HOMEOPATHY AND OTHER SYSTEM OF MEDICINE:

Q: ARE HOMEOPATHIC AND TISSUE SALTS (BIOCHEMIC MEDICINE) SAME?

Biochemic medicines are not selected on basis of homeopathic principle. It works on different principle. They are prepared in the decimal potency with use of lactose only, as per homeopathic posology and selected on basis of symptomatology due to irregularity or disturbed molecular motion in the cells.

There are 12 tissue salts used during treatment with Biochemic therapy. These medicines are also used in homeopathy with same or different conditions in different potency but following different principle.

Q: ARE MEDICINES IN NATUROPATHY/HERBAL MEDICINE AND HOMEOPATHY SAME?

Homeopathic medicine and medicine used in Naturopathy or herbal medicine are not same. They can be prepared from same substance. But preparation method, mechanism, principles are totally different. Sometime, they can be used to assist the same condition. But they are not same.

Q: ARE HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINES VACCINE?

In Isopathic approach with homeopathic posology, nosodes are generally used to prevent same condition from it’s prepared. But they are not vaccines. Vaccine is worked on different mechanism i.e., antigen-antibody reaction. These nosodes are not vaccine and are not acceptable alternative to vaccines.

In homeopathy, individualistic approach is always best to prevent and to treat any condition.

HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINE:

Q: I AM LACTOSE ITOLERANT AND ALLERGIC TO MILK, CAN I STILL TAKE THE HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINE?

Yes. Homeopathic medicine can be dispensed also without lactose base. So, anyone can take it even if they are allergic to lactose.

Q: CAN PREGNANT WOMEN TAKE HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINE?

Please consult your healthcare practitioner before starting homeopathic management during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Q: IS IT SAFE FOR CHILDREN?

Generally, homeopathic medicines are low risk. Please consult your healthcare practitioner before starting homeopathic management in infant and children.

Q: CAN DIABETEC PATIENT TAKE HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINE?

Yes.

Q: WHY DO ALL HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINE LOOK SAME?

The basic ingredients of homeopathic medicines are derived from different sources, including plants, animals, metals, minerals etc. Their active principles are extracted into various solvents and the liquid homeopathic medicine is poured into small, highly porous, absorptive sugar globules for better taste and distribution. So, it looks same, but they are different.

Q: DOES HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINE CONTAIN STEROIDS?

Fundamentally homoeopathic medicines are not steroids nor they contain steroids.

Q: DOES HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINE CONTAIN ALCOHOL IN HARMFUL QUANTITY?

Alcohol is used in preparation of homeopathic medicine according to homeopathic pharmacopoeia. So, it is not harmful to any age group and in any disease conditions.

Please note: Mother tincture in homeopathy should not be administrated as a medicine. It is crude form of medicine, from which each homeopathic medicine is prepared and potentised.

Q: DO HOMEOAPTHIC MEDICINES HAVE SIDE EFFECTS?

Homeopathic medicines are natural, low-risk and gentle.

Q: HOW TO STORE AND HANDLE HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINE?

Don’t expose homeopathic medicines to substances which have strong odours, such as camphor, menthol, peppermint or other aromatic products such etc.

Don’t expose the medicine to direct sunlight. Keep the container in a dark, dry, odour-free place while not in use.

Don’t take homeopathic preparations within few minutes of brushing teeth, or consuming food or drink.

Carefully roll the prescribed number of pellets into the cap of the bottle without actually touching the medication with your hands. Then, drop the dose under your tongue and allow the pellets to dissolve there. When using drops, squeeze the prescribed number of drops under your tongue without touching the dropper to your mouth.

HOMEOPATHIC FORMULATION:

Q: MAY I TAKE HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINE WITHOUT CONSULTING HOMEOPATH?

No. It is not advisable to take any homeopathic medicine without consulting any qualified homeopath. Because, one of the biggest reasons behind the aggravation of diseases in patients today is self-medication. Potential risks of self-medication in homeopathy include incorrect dosage, spoiled case, homeopathic drug interactions and aggravation of the condition. Homeopathy is vast and complex subject and need qualification to select homeopathic medicine.

Q: IS DIAGNOSIS OF CONDITION IMPORTANT IN HOMEOPATHY? WHY?

Yes. It is required to provide and to select homeopathic formulation and for better homeopathic management. Diagnosis must be confirmed by GP or specialist before starting homeopathic management.

Q: WHY HOMEOPATH ASK SO MANY QUESTIONS AND PERSONAL HISTORY DURING CASE- TAKING?

Homeopathy is highly individualised and based upon a holistic assessment. As well as the patient’s actual complaint and conventional diagnosis, the following factors may play an important part in medicine selection, especially in chronic condition: the patient’s constitution, emotional and mental make-up, the way the patient responds to physical, emotional and mental influences/stress in his/her life, the patient’s personality, temperament, genetic predispositions and any strong family history of particular conditions.

Homeopath requires to gather totality of symptoms in patient to differentiate characteristic individual symptoms to select correct medicine (Similimum) for patient. Remember that anything you say will be confidential.

Q: HOW PERSON CAN HELP HOMEOPATH TO SELECT CORRECT HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINE FOR THEM?

By providing correct information and details about their medical condition; without judgement and prejudice of why so many unusual questions other than disease symptoms are asked by a homeopath during case-taking. Patient should have a trust in homeopathy and need patience during the management.

Q: IS HOMEOPATHY SLOW TO ACT?

Homeopathy is fast to act, depends on nature of condition and selection of correct similimum. So, it is myth that homeopathy is slow to act.

Q: ARE SYMPTOMS GET WORSE BEFORE THEY GET BETTER DURING MANAGEMENT WITH HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINE?

This isn't always the case. Everyone is different, with their own health history and symptoms. So, each person reacts differently to their protocol.

Q: IS THERE ANY DIETARY RESTRICTION FOR TAKING HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINE?

No. homeopath advice not to take any strong-smelling substance and coffee for few minutes before and after the medication. Because, a patient undergoing homeopathic management has to keep the medicine below or on their tongue, so that it comes in contact with the nerves. Homeopathic medicine is absorbed through the tongue and inner lining of the mouth. This is the reason why some homeopaths advise patients not to eat anything at least few minutes before or after taking the medicine, so that nothing else interferes with the absorption of the medicine.

Q: HOW LONG DOES ONE NEED TO TAKE HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINE?

The duration of homeopathic management depends on factors like nature of disease, duration of your illness, progress of the disorder and earlier treatments may have taken for the same; your life-style and stress.

Q: HOW WILL YOU KNOW THAT YOUR CONDITION IS IMPROVING?

Homeopathy may assist to reduce frequency, intensity and duration of a symptom of the condition; may also assist to increase duration of ease period, with homeopathic formulation; alongside other conventional medicines.

VITAL FORCE:

Q: WHAT IS VITAL FORCE?

Homeopathy believes that the Vital Force is an energy that enables all living things to self-heal, maintain equilibrium or homeostasis, and preserve life by adapting to environmental changes.

It has been called the innate intelligence, life principle, life force, vitality, vital energy, Qi/Chi, prana.

Q: HOW DOES DERANGED VITAL FORCE AFFECT HEALTH?

Apart from injury, the symptoms of disease and ill-health can only occur when there has been a disruption to the energetic Vital Force.

The Vital Force, when disrupted, body enters a struggle to regain balance and preserve life. In the course of this struggle, it produces signs and symptoms. These symptoms are not the disturbance but only by-products of the struggle.

In the case of acute problems, the Vital Force is regained balance usually successful in short duration with help of medicine of any mode and auxiliary measures; finally, patient is recovered and symptoms subsided.

The cost of engaging in a long-term struggle to preserve life is the production of long-term symptoms and patient finally have chronic disease. The symptoms are not the true disease- just the by-product of this deeper energetic struggle. However, these give us important information on how to help the Vital Force correct and restore equilibrium so that the sufferer can be fully returned to a state of health. While the imbalance created in a chronic disease, vital force can be arranged in long term duration with use of homeopathic medicine and healthy life style.

Q: WHAT ARE OTHER FACTORS RESPONSIBLE OTHER THAN HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINE TO IMPROVE DERRANGED VITAL FORCE?

Healthy life style including with proper exercise, sound sleep, proper nutritious diet, stressless life, acupressure, massage and yoga help to improve deranged vital force.