Homeopathy, often referred to as homeopathic medicine, is defined as a medical system that follows the belief that the body can cure itself. It’s often said to be an alternative medicine - a treatment that falls outside of mainstream healthcare.1It is a 200-year-old form of alternative medication, that apparently stimulates a healing response. Homeopathic medicines make use of highly diluted substances, following a principle known as succussion. It’s believed that if a substance is more diluted, the greater its power to treat symptoms, hence increasing the popularity of homeopathic medicines around the world. The most common conditions that people seek homoeopathic treatment for include asthma, hay fever, ear infections, food allergies, dermatitis, arthritis, high blood pressure and mental health conditions.It’s been used to treat a range of diseases and conditions, whether they be physical or mental. Despite plenty of research going into homeopathy, there is no proper evidence that suggests that homeopathy is effective in treating various conditions. This has led to the assumption that homeopathic medicines produce a ‘placebo effect’.
The effectiveness of homoeopathy medicine is yet to be proven by scientists, and no sort of homoeopathic vaccination has been implemented. It’s not safe to say that homeopathic medicines can replace conventional medicines either. The placebo effect is a psychological effect that makes your brain believe that a fake treatment produces a positive result. An example is your mental health improving after taking an inert pill or ‘placebo’.4It’s triggered by a person’s expectation of a normal medicine; they will be treated with the placebo and become better. In 2005, Matthias Egger, director of the department of social and preventive medicine (ISPM) at the University of Berne, Switzerland, conducted a study on homeopathic medicines. He inferred that small studies of medicinal drugs as well as homeopathic medicines are often biased, due to positive results being favoured. However, he also noted that when large studies occur, this bias doesn’t play much of a part anymore. Egger states that when looking at larger studies and trials, the effect of homeopathic medicines disappears, whereas the normal medicines still remain, hinting that placebos and homeopathic medicines are more or less similar. Based on this study, as well as further research, it can be said that such medicines work by triggering the brain to release hormones and chemicals, that reduce sensations of pain.
One of the reasons why homeopathy is still used is due to the fact that it ensures safety, as it’s comprised of natural products. There are many conventional medicines that often produce side effects when taken. Such an example is diphenhydramine, commonly known as Benadryl, which is used to treat allergy symptoms. However, it can also cause drowsiness, and in some cases, a dry mouth. Fortunately, homeopathic medicines do not produce any such side effects, making them a reliable form of medication for children and pregnant women. Homeopathic medicines are also easy to consume, with most of them coming in form of sugar pellets, creams or liquid drops, something which kids tend to enjoy.6 With some conventional medicines causing even minor forms of addiction, homoeopathic medicines have been designed to counter that, with their main task to eliminate the root cause of the disease, rather than just the symptoms. Hence, homoeopathic medicines make it easy to withdraw treatment when the illness is cured. Along with that, it’s been revealed that homoeopathic medicines can help counter weight-related issues. They do this by burning calories fast by speeding up their metabolic rate. Finally, the lasting relief that is produced by homeopathy is one of the main reasons why this form of medication has risen in popularity. The relief provided by these medicines for the treatment of chronic illnesses lasts for months, and sometimes even years. This relates back to the point that homeopathic medicines focus on treating the root cause of the disease. It addresses the patient’s physical, emotional and genetic totality, treating the disease’s actual traits rather than just its symptoms.
However, as mentioned before, extensive research is still unable to prove that it can be implemented all over the world, due to its puzzling placebo-like effect. A 2015 assessment of the effectiveness of these medicines by the Australian Government’s National Health and Medical Research Council concluded that there's no suitable evidence to prove that homoeopathic medicine is suitable for any specific health condition.Practitioners are working countless hours to crack this code, and finally, give a solid answer as to whether these medicines are truly effective to be considered ‘medicines’. With more homoeopathic medicines being developed in the coming years, it’s safe to say that the assumption of whether this treatment is ineffective or not will still be in the air, but rest assured, they have proved to be advantageous in some way or other.
Bibliography:
1. Homeopathy: Topics by WorldWideScience.org,
https://worldwidescience.org/topicpages/h/homeopathy.html.
2. “Homeopathy: What You Need to Know.” WebMD, WebMD,
https://www.webmd.com/balance/what-is-homeopathy#:~:text=Homeopathy%20is%20a%20 medical%20system,the%20late%201700s%20in%20Germany.
3. NHS Choices, NHS,
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/homeopathy/#:~:text=Homeopathy%20is%20a%20%22treatm ent%22%20based,than%20placebos%20(dummy%20treatments).
4. Department of Health & Human Services. “Homeopathy.” Better Health Channel, Department of Health & Human Services, 2 Oct. 2014,
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/homeopathy.
5. “Study: Homeopathy Drugs Don't Work.” WebMD, WebMD, 25 Aug. 2005, https://www.webmd.com/balance/news/20050825/study-homeopathy-drugs-dont-work#:~:tex t=%22The%20effect%20of%20homeopathy%20disappears,between%20placebo%20and%2 0homeopathic%20remedies.%22.
6. Www.myayan.com. “Advantages and Disadvantages of Homeopathy - Medicine.” Myayanblog, https://www.myayan.com/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-homeopathy.
7. “Homeopathy Can Help Tackle Weight Issues.” Medindia, 11 Sept. 2007, https://www.medindia.net/news/homeopathy-can-help-tackle-weight-issues-26228-1.htm?ut m_source=medindia&utm_medium=footerwidget&utm_content=&utm_campaign=relatedtopi cs.
8. Benefits of Homeopathic Medicines & Treatment. “Benefits of Homeopathic Medicines.” Benefits of Homeopathic Medicine I Effective and Lasting Results,
https://www.lifeforce.in/homeopathy-medicine-benefits.aspx.
9. “Homeopathy.” National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/homeopathy.
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