Who Benefits from Homeopathy?

Benefits of Homeopathy

Homeopathy has been used most widely in patients suffering from:

depression
allergies
asthma
migraines and tension headaches
anxiety disorders
dermatitis and other skin disorders
arthritis
chronic fatigue
thyroid or autoimmune disorders
digestive problems like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

Effectiveness of homeopathy: Does homeopathy really work?

At least 142 trials have been published in scientific journals regarding homeopathy. The School of Homeopathy has found that up to 85 percent of random-controlled trials demonstrate that homeopathy is more effective than placebo.
There have been five meta-analyses reviewing homeopathy trials to date, including one that appeared in the European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology in 2005. Four analyses showed that overall homeopathy worked better than placebos.
A six-year study released in 2005 from Bristol Homeopathic Hospital reported that 70 percent of 6,500 follow-up patients experienced improvement in their health after receiving homeopathic treatments.

Some speculate that homeopathy medicines are so diluted with water that they are incapable of having any effects. However, these remedies have been used for centuries and decades of anecdotal evidence shows that many people’s symptoms do, in fact, improve after receiving homeopathic medicines.

It is true that because homeopathic treatments address many aspects of a patient’s life (emotional health, personality, eating habits and medical history), it can be very hard to measure progress and improvements. Studies that have been done investigating homeopathy’s effects have been mixed overall: Some show effectiveness and reductions in symptoms, but others do not.

According to a report published by Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City, several challenges exist regarding studies of homeopathy. One challenge is that to date there haven’t been many long-term, well-controlled clinical trials conducted investigating the effects of homeopathic treatments. Because of this, many homeopathic doctors claim that there isn’t enough evidence to rule out these remedies’ effectiveness without more well-controlled studies.

One theory that’s presented by homeopathic doctors in response to the claim that homeopathic remedies are too diluted to even work is this: Even when a homeopathic remedy is very low in strength, it’s still possible for even a slight amount of the active ingredient to remain present and to have an effect on the patient.

Homeopathic experts point to studies showing that water molecules can take on a physical form where extremely small particles of an active chemical, gas or certain types of light can become embedded and have an effect on the patient. This theory has not been fully proven, but some studies using methods like microscopy and spectroscopy have shown that active ingredients do remain even after much dilution.

Benefits

1. All Aspects of an Individual Patient Are Considered

Homeopathy does not view an illness as just a collection of symptoms, but rather a reaction to a unique patient’s situation. Homeopathy treats all symptoms experienced by a patient including those that are “spiritual, emotional, mental and physical.”

This means homeopathic treatments take into account things like chronic stress and beliefs about one’s ability to get better, which we now know are hugely important for overall health.

2. Low Doses of Natural Products Are Used

Homeopathic remedies are not made using man-made drugs or chemicals, but rather made from things found in nature like trace minerals and herbs. They are normally used in very low doses, and are “gentle, subtle and powerful.” Compared to prescription drugs they carry a very low risk for addiction and only very rarely cause any negative side effects.

3. Helps Treat Allergies and Asthma

Homeopathic treatment are used to treat allergies and asthma in a very similar way to conventional treatments, by giving a patient a small amount of the same substances that causes their allergies to begin with.

In one study conducted by researchers at the University of Glasgow in Scotland, 80 percent of asthma patients who received customized, very small “homeopathic” doses experienced significant relief and improvements in symptoms within the first week of treatment.

Patients were given very small doses of substances that they were allergic to in order to stimulate the body’s immune system and help them heal. Compared to the homeopathic group, the control group receiving a placebo only experienced improvements about 38 percent of the time.

4. Can Help Reduce Anxiety & Depression

Homeopathy is often used along with traditional forms of psychotherapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, to help treat symptoms of mental disorders, including physical ailments. Many people with anxiety and depression experience problems like insomnia or trouble sleeping, fatigue, muscles aches, headaches and digestive upset. A homeopathic doctor addresses all symptoms associated with mental disorders, both physical and emotional, which can help a patient recover faster.

A 2006 meta-analysis done by the School of Integrated Health in London investigated homeopathy’s effectiveness for anxiety and found that “several observational studies reported positive results including high levels of patient satisfaction.” However, these studies are not well-controlled and some lack randomization and a control group, which makes it hard for researchers to draw definitive conclusions.

Overall, surveys suggest that homeopathy is quite frequently used by people suffering from anxiety and offers many patients benefits with very little risk, but more qualitative studies are still needed to confirm this finding.

5. Helps Control Pain

Certain studies have found that people suffering from chronic pain can benefit from homeopathic treatments, without the need for risky procedures or medications.

One controlled, randomized prospective study involving 43 patients suffering from chronic lower back pain assessed symptoms at the beginning and end of an 18.5 month period. During the trial period, patients received homeopathic therapy based on their unique symptoms. The results were statistically evaluated and showed that at the end of treatment, many patients experienced a significant decrease in pain.

The conclusion of the study was that further research would need to be done to confirm these findings, but that “homeopathy was well accepted by most of the patients…nothing can be said against attempting treatment of chronic low back pain by means of homeopathy.”

Homeopath vs. Naturopath

Both homeopathy and naturopathy are complementary (or alternative) health care modalities that are practiced by thousands of trained practitioners around the world. Today “naturopathy” is used mostly as a broader, umbrella term for many different types of natural or holistic therapies, including: acupuncture and other Traditional Chinese Medicine practices, herbal medicine, massage, nutrition, Ayurveda and also homeopathy.

Like homeopathy, naturopathy is based on using nature as a source of healing. Naturopaths usually give their patients dietary advice, supplement recommendations and herbal medicines to try, sometimes along with prescription medications.

Some medical doctors choose to practice both conventional medicine and homeopathy or naturopathy simultaneously. Between the two practices, naturopaths are more likely to be qualified as medical doctors and considered “General Practitioners.” Qualifications differ from state to state, but most states require that naturopaths receive a four-year degree similar to one that would be obtained through medical school. Naturopathic physicians typically work in private practices, hospitals, clinics and community health centers.

Overall, these two modalities have a lot in common and tend to overlap, but naturopaths usually use many natural treatments in their practice, while homeopaths more commonly only use homeopathic medicines.

History

The practice of homeopathy has been around for more than 200 years and is still practiced in one form or another in nearly every country on earth today. The creation of homeopathy dates back to a man named Samuel Hahnemann, who in 1796 used ideas originating from Ancient Greek medicinal practitioners to form his theory of homeopathic medicine.

His philosophy and practice were based on the idea that the body has the ability to heal itself naturally, and that symptoms are its way of showing a patient what’s wrong and going on internally. Homeopathy is, therefore, different than conventional medicine because it views symptoms of illness as normal responses from the body as it attempts to regain health.

Symptoms are viewed as “messengers” and are meant to be interpreted, in addition to being treated. At the time of his original work, Hahnemann didn’t base his theory on many scientific studies or facts, but rather on his own logic, observations of patients and reasoning. The laws of homeopathy originally devised by Hahnemann are still in use by homeopaths practicing around the world today.