Homeopathic Medicine: Quackery or the Real Deal?

[rosarugosa]

Has anyone had experience with homeopathic medicine? It honestly always sounded like a crock to me, but I read an article recently, and it occurred to me that "like cures like" is kind of the same rationale behind flu shots and other vaccines, and I do get a flu shot every year. I'm wondering if it's worth a try for DH with his chronic back pain and assorted other issues.

[sweetana3]

As with many things, it depends on what you are interested in, whether you can find a practitioner you can work with, and understand its limitations. I would be somewhat concerned about back pain. But "other issues" could possibly be helped.

We always believe in starting with the simpliest measures first. Diet and exercise before costly and potentially damaging drugs. Drugs before surgery. Step by step. Really helped us with several of our health issues.

[Kestra]

You may want to look into "holistic/eastern type medicine", rather than homeopathy. Homeopathy itself, about tiny amounts of things in water, etc, is not at all proven, and probably utter nonsense, IMO. However people often confuse homeopathy with other alternative medicine techniques, such as acupuncture, chiropractic, etc, which I believe can be beneficial in some instances. (I haven't had much of a need for these things myself, so my knowledge isn't that thorough.)
Homeopathy is not at all like vaccinating, if you ask most medical professionals.

What has worked for me, even though medical professions don't always see the benefit is taking glucosamine/chondroiton, and being gluten-free. Some people will say those things are too "non-traditional" - not being drugs, and think it's all a placebo effect, but those things have been life changing for me. So you never know what may work, and it's worth a try if the chance of harm is minimal.

[IshbelRobertson]

There are a number of homeopathic hospitals here in the UK. Many GP practices also have a homeopath GP on staff.
http://www.the-hma.org/uk-homeopathic-hospitals.html

Some of The British Royal Family are 'believers', or so I have read.

Me? Nope!

[frugal-one]

I have had great success with homeopathy. I regularly use arnica and mag phos. I am not sure what or if it would work for chronic back pain. You should consult a practitioner. YLMV as with any protocol.

[awakenedsoul]

I know a lot of dancers who swear by arnica. I have used a couple of homeopathic remedies, and they helped me. Your attitude and belief system have a lot to do with it. People with a positive attitude heal much faster than those with a negative attitude.

It also depends on the severity of the injury. Surgery is usually a last resort. Like in my case, homeopathy would not have cured the osteoarthritis I had in my hips. I had to have surgery, which provided instant relief. But, arnica would probably would probably alleviate something like sore muscles.

[pony mom]

I've also used Arnica both for myself and pets. Nux Vomica is always useful for that-time-of-the-month stomach issues (TMI-loose bowels). Many years ago I took a combination remedy for seasonal allergies and they went away and still haven't returned.

I've got quite a stash of remedies on hand and will try one of them before anything else. Sometimes it's the correct rememdy and it works, sometimes it's not.

[bae]

Real homeopathy is a total crock.

[Aqua Blue]

I have gotten a lot of help from my chiropractor. I have also appreciated his conveying "we are in this together" rather than the "me against you" message I get from "traditional" medicine.

I would see homeopathic medicine rather like allergy shots. It sorta tricks the body into thinking a little bit is ok, then a little big more is ok etc.. I would give it a shot(pardon the pun) as it isn't very expensive and even if it is totally placebo effect, if it works who cares.

[Teacher Terry]

I have bad back & neck pain after a few car accidents. I get a adjustment from my Chiro once a month & I am usually pretty much pain free. If I go longer I end up in pain. I had an MD that also went to China to learn about acupuncture & homeopathic medicine. While shots never worked for my severe allergies the homeopathic meds he gave me worked great. I was sad when he died.

[freshstart]

Real homeopathy is a total crock.

I completely agree, especially when people with critical illnesses stop traditional medicine and just do homeopathy. And when they pass, traditional medicine is blamed. Do it in conjunction if it doesn't interact with other things, there is little reason why one can't follow parts of Eastern medicine and Western at the same time

[bae]

"Real homeopathy" is simply magical thinking, and relies on the placebo effect. (Note carefully, I am talking purely about homeopathy, and not TCM, herbal medicine, and other approaches to healthcare that *do* have some objective evidence for effectiveness...)

The underlying philosophy of homeopathy is absurd. There are not mystical energies absorbed by the diluting liquid and retained through some magical memory property, and they do not become *stronger* the more you dilute the solution. Typical concentrations used in homeopathic remedies very likely contain not a *single molecule* of the "active ingredient". I repeat - not a single molecule.

I will note there are very few homeopathic birth control preparations on the market, and I have been unable to sell a single unit of my homeopathic automated external defibrillator...

Comparing vaccination, in which there is a measurable quantity of an active ingredient that produces measurable changes in your antibodies, to homeopathic "like cures like" treatments is a very poor analogy.


http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/homeo.html

Stick to evidence-based approaches to healthcare.

[freshstart]

I have been unable to sell a single unit of my homeopathic automated external defibrillator...

Stick to evidence-based approaches to healthcare.

you have to grind your defibrillator into a powder, silly, too many molecules

Evidence based practice are three of my favorite words

[bae]

you have to grind your defibrillator into a powder, silly, too many molecules


My design is much higher quality, and uses top-notch ingredients, and I believe has the strongest possible dilution:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-M-Mf1XVpnK8/VEmFwwGMp8I/AAAAAAAAMRQ/9WVYqTjr2A4/s800-Ic42/Awesomized.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Dsbap4H9QS8/VEmFsSVAztI/AAAAAAAAMQ4/aDiVWPGrsNc/s800-Ic42/Awesomized.jpg

[freshstart]

that was good! hahaha

[rosarugosa]

OK, I think my original instincts were most likely correct on this one. Thanks for the input - and the laughs :)