Q |
How does homeopathy differ from traditional/conventional medicine? |
A | Homeopathy treats the cause of disease rather than its outcome as in conventional medicine. It treats the patient as a whole by differentiating those symptoms which are peculiar or characteristic to the individual, instead of diagnosing and prescribing on the basis of the common expression of symptoms of a particular disorder. Simply put, homeopathy treats the patient while conventional medicine treats the disease. |
Q | What are the benefits and disadvantages of traditional/conventional medicine |
A | Conventional medicine has its place in health therapy when there is irreversible structural damage or when the manifestation of the disease has compromised an individual's health to the extent that the vital force is no longer capable of stimulating a viable curative response. However, conventional medicine does not correct inherited, or acquired imbalances of the immune system, which, when functioning properly, protects an individual from chronic and acute diseases. Furthermore, the benefits of conventional medicine are often negated by the multitude of side effects it creates. Conventional medicine treats the outcome of disease (with medicines that are often suppressive) rather than its cause, which in effect, weakens the natural defense mechanism. |
Q | How does Homeopathy work? |
A | Homeopathy works on the basis of the principle, "like cures like". Thus, a substance that is capable of producing symptoms in a healthy person has the ability to cure similar symptoms in an individual whose health has been unbalanced. By matching the individualizing symptoms within a patient to those related to a particular homeopathic substance, a homeopathic remedy stimulates the immune system (vital force) to eradicate the underlying cause of the imbalance, thus restoring health and equilibrium. |
Q | Where does Homeopathy come from? |
A | Homeopathy has actually been in use for more than 2000 years. However it was not until 1796, when the German physician Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, having become disenchanted by conventional medical practices, first developed it as a systematic and scientific therapy of medical treatment. Homeopathic medicines are derived from naturally occurring animal, vegetable, and mineral byproducts, which have been put through a special "dynamizing" process whereby their potential curative powers are harnessed into actuated remedies. |
Q | How can I be comfortable that homeopathy will actually help me and not harm me? |
A | Homeopathic remedies are non-toxic and devoid of any side effects. The very nature of homeopathic remedies are integrated, working harmoniously and directly on the vital force, instead of merely on the physiological body. Consequently, they are safe, gentle and effective. Homeopathy has been designed to analyze each case individually, and suggest the most appropriate remedy and dosage on the basis of an individual's particular symptoms, instead of by the name of a disease or disorder. The recommended dosages have been clinically proven safe and effective. |
Q | Can homeopathic remedies be used at the same time as conventional medicines? |
A | Even though some conventional drugs may interfere with the curative power of the homeopathic medicines, there is no possibility of a homeopathic remedy interfering with the action of a conventional drug. The necessity for conventional medicines is sometimes reduced or even eliminated as a result of homeopathic treatment. In many instances a homeopathic remedy will be able augment or speed up the recovery process. In most situations the action of a homeopathic remedy eliminates the need of conventional drugs because the homeopathic remedies are able to work quickly and thoroughly, and without any side effects. The decision to discontinue, reduce or adjust any conventional medicine should always be discussed with your medical doctor. |
Q | If Homeopathy is so great, why aren't more people using it? |
A | Things of an unfamiliar nature are often approached very cautiously, and there is generally resistance to innovation and change. Some of the greatest discoveries in human history, i.e. the earth revolves around the sun and is not the center of the universe, or that the earth is round, were treated initially with great skepticism and disbelief. The same is the case with homeopathy, which is now beginning to revolutionize traditional and conventional beliefs regarding the relationship between health, disease and treatment. Recent studies suggest that homeopathy is much more than just an alternative system of medicine, and is now the preferred method of therapy for more than 650 million people worldwide, and is daily drawing more individuals, of all ages and from all walks of life, who are looking for the benefits homeopathy has to offer. In the United States the sale of homeopathic medicines have grown at a rate of 10-20% per year over the last ten years. |
Q | How can homeopathic medicines that are sold as specific for a particular disease, such as flu, hayfever, etc. be effective if homeopathic treatment is based on the individual and not just the disease? |
A | Combination remedies are formulated by selecting the most frequently prescribed homeopathic remedies for a particular condition, employing the assumption that they are broad enough in their scope
and action to help cure the disorder. This approach is popular because it does not require extensive homeopathic knowledge and is accessible to any one. Because homeopathic remedies are free of side
effects and are safe for people of all ages and conditions, this approach is safe and gentle on the body. Professional homeopaths prefer to find the specifically indicated remedy in order to reach the root level of the disorder. This approach is generally more effective and deeper, and is even more necessary when dealing with recurring or chronic conditions. |
Q | Is Homeopathy endorsed by any trustworthy organizations? |
A | Homeopathy has been endorsed by the World Health Organization, The Red Cross, The National Institutes of Health (NIH - USA), National Centre for Complementary & Alternative Medicine, International Medical Volunteers Association, which have setup numerous public homeopathic clinics and projects all over the world. In Britain, France, The Netherlands, Norway, and Greece, homeopathy has been incorporated into their respective national healthcare systems. In Asia, especially India, government councils for the regulation and administration of homeopathy have been in effect for the last 75 years. All over the globe, homeopathy is rapidly gaining recognition as a major force in health care. This is evidenced by the numerous societies and national fellowships for homeopathy currently flourishing (The European & International Councils for Homeopathy, European Committee for Homeopathy, Liga Medicorum Homeopathica Internationalis – LMHI, Homeopathes Sans Frontieres – France, The Asian Homeopathic Medical League, The Homeopathic Doctor Without Barriers – International, Commission Latinoamericana de Farmicias Homeopaticas, North American Society of Homeopathy - NASH), as well as a vast increase in educational institutes and colleges to meet the growing demands for homeopathic medicine. |
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