Homeopathy or homeopathic medicine is a medical system that is based on two unconventional theories “Like cures like” and “Law of minimum dose”.
Homeopathic medicines are made from plants and minerals and available over the counter in drug stores or homeopathic pharmacies.
They are affordable and are completely safe for people of all age groups.
They are consumed in small doses and usually don’t cause side effects.
How is Homeopathy different?
Homeopathic medicine obeys the rule of nature called the “Like cures like” states that a medicine can cure a sick person if it can cause a similar sickness in a healthy person.
A homeopath will always choose a remedy that supports the symptoms rather than suppressing them like conventional medicine.
Conventional medicine often comes with side effects like sleepiness and constipation, but homeopathic remedies have no side effects and the person’s health is restored naturally.
Homeopathy also considers the fact that each person exhibits his or her disease in a unique way.
That is why two people with the same disease might get a different homeopathic remedy.
A homeopath can choose a remedy that matches the unique symptom of an individual.
In the case of conventional medicine, if the medicine is withdrawn, the symptoms return.
The Process
Homeopathic medicines are made by homeopathic pharmacies in accordance with the standards provided by the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States (HPUS).
Homeopathic medicines are regulated by the FDA.
Homeopathic medicines are made from plants like Wolf’s Bane, Deadly Nightshade, dandelion, or plantain and minerals like iron phosphate, arsenic oxide, or sodium chloride.
Some animal products like the venom of poisonous snakes or the ink of the cuttlefish are also used in very low quantity.
Homeopathic medicine is made with the repeated dilution of a specific substance.
The first step involves cleaning and preparing the medicinal plant with alcohol and water to make a tincture.
This tincture is diluted and strongly shaken, which is known as succession.
The entire process is repeated to prepare increasing potencies of the medicine.
A substance that has been diluted 1:10 and succussed five times will be labeled 5X.
This will contain 1 part of the original substance in 1 million parts of the diluent.
So, homeopathic medicines are available in various dosage forms. These dosages are available in the form of pellets and tablets, which are composed of sugar and lactose.
The most common types of potencies available are X (1:10 ratio), C (1:100 ratio), and LM (1:50,000 ratio).
Examples
Homeopathic remedies are used for the treatment of different health problems, including Diarrhea, Travel ailments, Migraines, Emotional trauma, Motion sickness, and the flu.
Effects
Homeopathic medicines are often considered as not useful, but that is not the truth.
Homeopathic treatments are highly individualized and hence there is no uniform prescribing standard.
There are different types of homeopathic remedies, which can be prescribed in different dosage for various symptoms.
All homeopathic products are not highly diluted and some products may contain substantial amounts of active ingredients.
These medicines should be consumed as per instruction or it may cause serious side effects.
Some medical case reports have also concluded that using certain homeopathic products or replacing an effective conventional medicine with a homeopathic can cause serious health issues.
Liquid homeopathic products may also contain alcohol and the FDA allows higher levels of alcohol in homeopathic medicine than conventional drugs.
It is always advisable to consult a health care provider before using a homeopathic medicinal product so that there is no risk of side effects or drug interactions.
Homeopathic medicines should never be considered as an alternative to conventional immunization for children and adults.
Pregnant or nursing women who are thinking of using homeopathic medicine to treat a child should consult health care providers beforehand.