Homeopathic Medicine
Homeopathic Medicine—Miracle or Fraud? In his article, we will convey our profession, regardless of the criticism against homeopathic medicine. A remarkable feature of it is that this wondrous alternative medicine has survived for centuries and is flourishing. Thanks to its safety, which even the harshest critics of Homeopathic Medicine agree upon, it has generated much interest. As a result of the advancement in orthodox medicine, there have been claims that alternative medicine is diminishing, but this is not true.
It’s challenging to know how many people use regular medicine over homeopathic medicine and vice versa. Even today, it’s still not known. However, one thing is for sure: there has been widespread interest in alternative medicine. This is mainly due to its effectiveness and safety.
This remarkable Homeopathic Medicine has a spectacular history.
What is homeopathic medicine?
Homeopathy is often considered an alternative medicine that treats many illnesses using minimal natural substances. It’s based on the ‘like cures like’ principle, which states that if you take a substance in a generous amount, it’ll cure the same conditions it causes if taken in massive amounts.
Unlike regular medicine, homeopathic medicine believes in a holistic approach where each person is considered unique, and their emotions, spirit, mind, and body are essential in preventing and managing illnesses. After an in-depth patient examination, a homeopath will consider every factor before recommending medicines or treatments.
Homeopathic medicines are predominantly safe and rarely cause any side effects. When prescribed by a qualified homeopath, they can even be administered to children and babies. They’re effective enough for adults and safe enough for children.
How did it all begin? Samuel Hahnemann, the Father of Homeopathic Medicine
Dr. Samuel Hahnemann is the pioneer of Homeopathic Medicine. His findings, research, and writings contributed to the development of Homeopathy. After completing his medical studies in 1779, Hahnemann began his therapeutic practice. Hahnemann was disillusioned and disturbed by the medical practices that existed during his time, like bloodletting, purging, and applying dangerous chemicals. He wanted to find an alternative approach that was not just safe but effective as well.
After some time, he left his daily practice and began working as a chemist while translating medical texts. While working on translating William Cullen’s Materia Medica into German, Hahnemann was inspired to develop his healthcare based on the principles of ‘similars.’ He became intrigued with cinchona, a tree bark found in South America, which was being used to treat fever induced by malaria.
Hahnemann ate the bark and discovered that it caused malaria-like symptoms. He became curious, researched the concepts of ‘similar suffering’ and ‘cures,’ and began compiling his findings. Eventually, the notion of ‘like cures like’ became the primary principle of homeopathic medicine.
Testing Remedies for Homeopathic Medicine
Hahnemann experimented on some of his family members, followers, and himself using various natural substances for several years. He is widely known as the ‘father’ of experimental pharmacology. With the help of his colleagues, Hahnemann has cataloged more than two hundred medicines, mostly of mineral, plant, and animal origin.
Healthy volunteers took the substances, and their effects on their mental, physical, and emotional states were recorded. The manifestations of these tests were compiled in Materia Medica. He laid out the basic principles of homeopathy with these kinds of highly detailed experiments.
Micro-doses in Homeopathy
Hahnemann desired a secure alternative due to the brutality and danger of conventional medicine. Hahnemann diluted each drug to prevent the dangerous effects of average doses until he achieved the most significant dilution, which would still cause a reaction. He called these experiments ‘proving.’ Through these experiments, Hahnemann discovered that the more stages of dilution the drug experienced, the more the chances of a safe and quick cure increased simultaneously.
States of Illnesses in Homeopathic Medicine
Initially, Hahnemann believed that specific remedies could be found for particular diseases, but eventually, his ideas became more polished. For example, he discovered that people inflicted with diseases other than cholera could also be treated with arsenic because they displayed similar ‘arsenic characteristics.’
He also discovered that not all patients with cholera could be treated with arsenic but required different medications based on their characteristic symptoms. This evolved his thinking to a concept of the individual state of illnesses and not just in terms of diseases.
Hahnemann’s humanity inspired him to find a safer approach to medicine, eventually leading to the introduction of homeopathy, which is increasingly being used by people worldwide.
First U.S. Homeopathic School
In the late 1800s, students of Hahnemann founded the first medical school of Homeopathy in the US. This school garnered tremendous recognition because it successfully combated the various diseases of the time, such as yellow fever, cholera, typhoid, and scarlet fever.
Around the early 1900s, the schools’ approach became infamous. During that time, there were 100 homeopathic hospitals, twenty-two homeopathic medical schools, and 1000 homeopathic pharmacies. Premier institutions like New York Medical College, Stanford University, and Boston University were some of the universities that taught homeopathic practices.
A Resurgence of Homeopathic Medicine
As highlighted above, the claims that Homeopathy is declining are false. With the increasing number of people becoming aware of regular medicine’s adverse and long-term effects, Homeopathy has garnered a considerable following.
Other than the United States, which experienced a decline in interest around the 20th century, many nations, particularly across Asia and Europe, experienced a rise in homeopathic teachings and interest.
Currently, almost all pharmacies in France sell Homeopathic medicines and remedies. It has also amassed a massive following in India, England, Italy, Germany, Netherlands, Russia, Switzerland, and South America.
Even in the US, homeopathy is undergoing a resurgence. In the United States, 6 million Americans use homeopathy, of which around 1 million are children, and the numbers are increasing daily.
The public’s enthusiasm, researchers, homeopathy doctors, scientists, and corporations are all contributing to the increased visibility of homeopathy’s effectiveness.
How do homeopaths determine suitable remedies?
For more than two hundred years, thousands and thousands of homeopaths across the globe have cataloged the mental, physical, and emotional symptoms that substance use causes. Homeopaths have successfully created the most exhaustive catalog of toxicological information currently available. These data concentrate on the symptoms of these substances. Homeopaths have discovered and verified that whatever a substance causes, it can also be cured in expertly prepared homeopathic doses.
Countless substances have been tried in toxicological studies, which homeopaths label as ‘drug proving. The results are even more significant because homeopathic experiments are conducted on humans, not animals. Homeopaths contend that the symptoms and affinity of these substances to the human body can be accurately determined through these experiments.
When homeopaths examine their patients, they explore their unique and detailed symptomatologic history and accurately narrow down the substance that would cause similar symptoms the sick person is experiencing. At this age, homeopaths also use highly systematic software to aid them in assigning individuals personalized medicines.
After a match has been discovered between the individual’s particular symptom pattern and the substance’s toxicology, the homeopath administers an intricately prepared microdose of the medical substance.
Homeopathic Treatments: An Effective Remedy
Often, homeopathic drugs are the first go-to treatments. Thousands of homeopaths and patients regard Homeopathic treatments as an effective alternative practice for treating several diseases, especially acute and chronic illnesses.
It treats a symptom at the root level, offering a permanent cure. Moreover, there is a lot of clinical evidence to prove its effectiveness. Several research studies revealed that patients with chronic illnesses responded very well to such treatments, improving their overall health.
Additionally, some clinical trials prove its superiority to a placebo, while some other research revealed that Homeopathic treatments had similar effects as conventional treatments.
Homeopathy aims to improve a patient’s health by invigorating their self-regulatory mechanisms. This means that it reduces the process of illness and susceptibility to disease.
As such, Homeopathy isn’t limited to just certain illnesses but is widely applicable to many other diseases. It is often the first choice in specific medical conditions while keeping potentially toxic and costly treatments as the second option.
Additionally, it can provide therapeutic options when conventional drugs have failed or aren’t available for the condition. Also, a homeopathic remedy can greatly benefit accidents or injuries. It can help even if surgery is needed.
Homeopathic treatments can be provided pre-operative and post-operative to accelerate the healing process and prevent any effects of anesthetics, shock, and anxiety. In general, patients who receive homeopathic treatments make a much faster post-operative recovery than those who don’t.
Homeopathic medicines are also an effective option over antibiotics for treating infectious diseases. They don’t cause any dangerous side effects, but they speed up recovery. They are also beneficial for healing viral infections.
In addition to these, homeopathic treatments are also widely used for their adequate solution when treating many illnesses in youngsters, including behavioral problems. They can also treat skin diseases like warts, psoriasis, eczema, boils, and acne.
Homeopathic Medicine Is Safe
Since homeopathic treatments are made using a minimal amount of the original active ingredient, they’re completely safe. More than a hundred years of trials, research, and practice have made it evident that it is a safe treatment. As such, it is used for both mankind and animals.
Unlike conventional remedies, homeopathic medicines are quite gentle, non-addictive, and don’t have any harmful side effects. They’re suitable for children, babies, and even pregnant or breastfeeding women. However, it’s recommended that a homeopath prescribe you an appropriate dosage.
Most childhood illnesses can also be cured quickly and effectively with homeopathic medicines without dangerous side effects. In numerous cases, patients opt for homeopathy remedies over conventional treatments, as the latter hinder digestion and even reduce one’s immune system.
A great benefit of homeopathic medicine is that it doesn’t cause damage or allergies, so it can be taken for a longer period of time.
Homeopathy is a regulated practice. The law requires homeopathic doctors and other healthcare professionals who are members of the faculty of homeopathy to conduct themselves following their level of training and homeopathic expertise. Consequently, they cannot prescribe homeopathic medicine when a conventional remedy suits the patient.
Homeopathic Medicine: A Complementary treatment
While Homeopathy can’t replace other forms of healthcare, it can always be regarded as a first option in treating some ailments. Homeopathic medicines also work tremendously as supplementary treatments in cases where a patient needs a quicker recovery after an operation.
The best thing about homeopathy remedies is that they don’t interfere with conventional medicines. In fact, rather than being an alternative, it merely acts as a complementary drug to ensure a good recovery.
Even though conventional and homeopathic treatments are two different approaches, they can work quite well when used together.
Compelling Truths…
- Over 500 million patients and tens of thousands of doctors worldwide accept homeopathy as a medical philosophy.
- While the World Health Organization appraises France’s care system as one of the best in the world, 95% of physicians in France, including pulmonologists, gastroenterologists, urologists, OBGYN, ENT specialists, dermatologists, and pediatricians, and 75% of all midwives, apply homeopathic treatment for their patients.
- In 2011, the Swiss government and a panel of European researchers directed an official, wide-ranging study of homeopathic medicine. The study concluded that “ homeopathy is effective, safe (under Swiss conditions), and, as far as could be judged from the trial situation, also affordable.”
Then, on Tuesday, March 29, 2016 – the Swiss government formally recognized homeopathic medicine as having equal standing with traditional, conventional medical sciences. - Scientists of twelve distinct test centers in the USA, Ukraine, France, Great Britain, Italy, and India have confirmed that homeopathic treatment may be the first type of currently developing nanomedicine (albeit natural) ever revealed.
- Additionally, to 200 years of encouraging clinical conclusions and the widespread confident indication for homeopathy institutes in reliable public health chronicles, there are factually hundreds of primary discipline, pre-clinical, and scientific studies (including significant observational studies) that show homeopathic philosophy, diagnostics, and treatment to be an efficient curing intervention. See the research bibliography for more information.
Conclusion:
Homeopathy certainly has a colorful and inspiring history. It began as an attempt to search for a humane and practical approach to medicine, eventually becoming a global phenomenon. Throughout history, it has worked to treat various illnesses, and it continues to do so. Scientific data, experiments, and reports back up its safety and effectiveness. The allegations against homeopathy as being quackery are unfounded.
Pumping chemicals and medicines can only aggravate illnesses and lead to other diseases. Homeopathy is available for people who want safe but powerful remedies for their ailments.
Homeopathic Doctor Near Me
If you are a fan of homeopathic medicine, live in the City of Brotherly Love, and are looking for homeopathic doctors in Philadelphia, our clinic would be your best choice. The Philadelphia Homeopathic Clinic was founded and developed by one of the most famous homeopathic doctors, Victor Tsan, MD. Dr. Tsan has over 40 years of academic and clinical experience treating patients with homeopathic remedies. ”I don’t have simple medical cases,” Dr. Tsan says; “my patients usually underwent all possible traditional treatments with no success before visiting our clinic.” Each patient in my clinic is different, and the approach to treatment must be individualized and customized for every patient.
For more details about our clinic and to book an appointment with Victor Tsan, MD, contact us at (267) 403-3085.