FAQs

  1. What kind of illnesses can Homoeopathy deal with? Can it deal with serious, life-threatening conditions?
  2. Is it true that Homoeopathic medicines have no side-effects?
  3. It is said that Homoeopathy makes the illness worse before it cures it. Is this correct?
  4. Is Homoeopathy slow?
  5. Do we have to quit drinking coffee if we want to undergo Homoeopathic treatment?
  6. What are the limitations of Homoeopathy?
  7. Homoeopathic medicines seem to be the same little white pills in every case. Are they all the same?
  8. All patients receive Homoeopathic medicines in the form of a small powder and/or tiny pills to be sucked. Is the quantity enough even for big-built people?
  9. How should we store Homoeopathic remedies?
  10. Can Homoeopathic medication be taken along with Allopathic treatment?
  11. What items of food are to be avoided during Homoeopathic treatment?
  12. Why is Homoeopathy often spelled as Homeopathy?
  1. What kind of illnesses can Homoeopathy deal with? Can it deal with serious, life-threatening conditions?

    Homoeopathy can deal with illnesses ranging from the common cold (yes, we do successfully treat the common cold in a much shorter time than the stipulated 7 days or 1 week!!) to long-term, chronic ailments like rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatism, bronchial asthma, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, ischaemic heart disease, cancer, endocrine disorders, psoriasis, eczema and so on. However, the earlier Homoeopathic treatment is sought, the better it is, because once chronic conditions have reached their final stages, Homoeopathy is of limited benefit.
    Serious life-threatening conditions like a cerebro-vascular accident (stroke), myocardial infarctions, etc., can also be dealt with, but it is essential that the Homoeopathic prescriber be well-experienced and knowledgeable. A wrongly chosen remedy would be of no help and essential time might be lost in trial and error. If a Homoeopath cannot deal with a life-threatening situation, it is the drawback of the physician and not of the system of Homoeopathy.

  2. Is it true that Homoeopathic medicines have no side-effects?

    A side-effect is an unwanted effect of a medicine that occurs after the medicine is taken in the required quantity and dosage.
    By this definition, Homoeopathic remedies have no side-effects; however if Homoeopathic remedies are taken in the wrong potency and repeated indiscriminately, unwanted effects can certainly occur. This is the reason why it is best not to self-medicate and to take Homoeopathic remedies under supervision of a professionally qualified Homoeopath.

  3. It is said that Homoeopathy makes the illness worse before it cures it. Is this correct?

    As Homoeopaths, we often see patients after they have done the rounds of doctors trained in conventional medicine. They have received different kinds of treatments, many of which are suppressive in nature and not curative. Often under suppressive treatment, the patient's symptoms appear to have reduced and/or new symptoms appear in their place.
    Homoeopathic medicine does not aim to suppress any of the patient's symptoms, but is directed towards strengthening the defense forces of the patient's own immunity, thereby helping the body to overcome the illness.
    Under correct Homoeopathic prescribing, during the process of cure, the effects of the suppressive treatment are often overcome and the symptoms 'return', usually in their original form. This is often wrongly understood as an aggravation of the illness.

    If suppressive treatments have not been used, there is little chance of the illness appearing to get worse before it gets cured.

  4. Is Homoeopathy slow?

    A lot of people are under the wrong impression that Homoeopathy is slow and takes a long time to show effects. When the correct remedy is prescribed in the correct potency and dosage, curative results are achieved rapidly, sometimes almost instantaneously in acute conditions. This is much shorter than the time taken by conventional medicine to treat an acute ailment.
    However, chronic ailments, which have been in existence for a long time, do require a longer duration of treatment to be cured. Considering the fact that most other systems of treatment which are not holistic, have no real curative answer for chronic diseases, it is worth the patient's time and money to undergo Homoeopathic treatment.

  5. Do we have to quit drinking coffee if we want to undergo Homoeopathic treatment?

    Coffee is known to antidote several Homoeopathic remedies. Some practitioners believe that even light coffee taken regularly reduces the efficacy of a Homoeopathic prescription.
    I personally do not stop a regular coffee drinker from having his coffee, but I'd prefer that a patient does not start drinking coffee whilst he's on Homoeopathic treatment. I also am less opposed to 'instant' coffee as compared to genuine conventional coffee.

  6. What are the limitations of Homoeopathy?

    Like every system of medicine, Homoeopathy too has its limitations. Emergency situations which require surgery are best left to the surgeon. However, Homoeopathic medicines can often negate the need for surgery. e.g., cases like hernia, hydrocele, ovarian cysts, fibroids, pleural effusions, kidney stones, etc. Where surgery is absolutely essential, Homoeopathic remedies help the patient pre and post-operatively; reducing anxiety, pain, nausea, etc., speeding up the recovery process.

  7. Homoeopathic medicines seem to be the same little white pills in every case. Are they all the same?

    The 'little white pills' are sucrose pills which we use as a vehicle for the Homoeopathic medicines. The actual medicine, i.e., the Homoeopathic potency, is added to the pills before dispensing.
    Ready Homoeopathic medicines commercially available in pharmacies, especially in countries outside India are pre-medicated with the Homoeopathic potency.

  8. All patients receive Homoeopathic medicines in the form of a small powder and/or tiny pills to be sucked. Is the quantity enough even for big-built people?

    Homoeopathic medicines act on the immune system of the individual by the effect of the energy of the potentised remedy on the electromagnetic energy field of the body. There is no chemical reaction involved, hence no chemical quantities are required. No 'milligrams per kg body weight' are required every few hours. The Homoeopathic 'energy effect' is a quality effect and not based on the quantity of the substance.

  9. How should we store Homoeopathic remedies?

    Homoeopathic remedies should be stored in a dry place, away from direct sunlight and any strong odours. They are not to be refrigerated.

  10. Can Homoeopathic medication be taken along with Allopathic treatment?

    There are usually no issues of compatibility, however, due to the chemical action of Allopathic drugs, the energy effect of the Homoeopathic remedy is greatly reduced and the Homoeopathic remedy will need to be repeated more frequently.
    Patients on steroids can respond to the Homoeopathic remedy with great difficulty due to the immune-suppression brought about by the steroids.

  11. What items of food are to be avoided during Homoeopathic treatment?

    The general rule is to avoid strong smelling substances just before and after taking Homoeopathic medicines. There should be no strong smell in the mouth when medicines are to be taken.
    Raw onion and garlic should be taken in moderation, strong coffee should be avoided as far as possible.

    It is not an item of food but it is essential that any person taking Homoeopathic medicines be aware that camphor in any form antidotes most Homoeopathic remedies. The stored medicine should not be exposed to camphor and the patient too should not be using any local applications which contain camphor. Many Ayurvedic products contain camphor so it is better to read the content-labels carefully before use.

    The effect of certain Homoeopathic remedies can be affected by different food items; e.g., the effect of Zincum Metallicum can be diminished by drinking wine; in such cases, while prescribing, the Homoeopathic physician will inform you about any items of food/drink which are to be avoided as they may antidote your remedy.

  12. Why is Homoeopathy often spelled as Homeopathy?

    Homeopathy is the way the Americans spell it, the same way they've simplified colour to color, centre to center and traveller to traveler.

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