All about Homeopathy

Nowadays, people take a spoonful of medicines or take medicines like a small meal after every meal, since modern doctors prescribe a list of drugs for each and every word of complaint of patients. It mostly makes the patient depend on it and also makes him/her sick mentally as if he/she has a lot of complaints. Also there is a fancy of prescribing costly drugs (and going to expensive doctors) against taking cheaper drugs (and going to a no-so-expensive doctor) which are thought to be not efficient. Due to the lack of patience among patients, even for ordinary fever and painful conditions, modern doctors are forced to prescribe steroids to cure the complaints quickly. This methodology only leads to filling up the wards of kidney failures.

 In the light of the concept of “similars”, Homeopathy stands out against all other systems of medicine with its miraculous cures which are permanent and safe. So it is the right and wise time to get rid of complaints without any painful measures like injections and surgeries and their dangerous effects. Homeopathy works with the law of similars i.e., let likes be treated by likes – a scientific phenomenon where relation is found between drug proving symptoms and disease symptoms to obtain cure. It treats patients with an infinitesimal dose of drug materials.
Homeopathic remedies make the patient more comfortable during treatment by supporting the body’s own natural healing process and stimulating the immune response. Here medicines are given in minute quantities to trigger the body’s resistance power which in turn acts against the disease force. From authenticated research and experiences, homeopathy proves its efficacy without any side-effects. But wrong ideas, wrong opinion, and wrong notions about Homeopathy lead to comments and criticism but it has stood the test with its scientific phenomena and efficiency. After unveiling the myths, the mystery of Homeopathic cure can be easily found.
Treatment goals of Homeopathy: Treatment goals include relief of symptoms and prevention of further symptoms. It can be attained with caring and medicines.
Caring equals curing. Homeopathy cares and also cures: The patient’s betterment is important and not the system of medicine or doctor. Only cure is important. Homeopathy deals more with patients (symptoms of the patients) than diseases. By acting in a natural way, Homeopathy removes tendencies and thus helps mankind live in the modern polluted world.
Homeopathy can give benefit to people of all ages, including the newborn, for all types of complaints. Pregnant women can also use Homeopathic medicines without any risk to the foetus. Children respond particularly well to these remedies because their reactive powers are often stronger than those of adults. Complaints of old age people can also be well managed with this system of medicine. Male and female complaints can be dealt well with apt medicines. In Homeopathy, even patients suffering from peptic ulcer and patients who are sensitive to painkillers or antibiotics can also get benefits without any adverse reactions.
Some common doubts of patients : There are lots of misconceptions due to pre-conceived notions about Homeopathy. Some common prejudices are:
Slow action of the drugs: Homeopathic remedies can work as quickly as other conventional medicines. But its action can differ. For example – In fever, while we take anti-pyretic drugs, the fever will come down quickly but there won’t be a comfortable feeling even after the fever subsides. While taking Homeopathy medicines, the fever won’t subside at first, but one can feel a sense of well-being even when there is fever because the process of healing by the natural defence mechanism begins. It also improves patient’s appetite, thirst, sweat, urination and stool habits to keep the body in a better condition.
In case of chronic disorders, it is necessary to provide in-depth treatment to avoid relapses and the treatment can last over several weeks or months. Instantly killing pain with painkillers is like putting off the light when you don’t want to see anything; surely the day will come when you have to see everything when you cannot switch off the pain. Likewise, shutting off cough temporarily with heavy doses of inhalers, steroids and bronchodilators will bar the natural protection and elimination of phlegm. So it will settle to the bottom of the lung and it has to be dehydrated or evaporated in the lung itself. Hence, there will also be chances of complication or re-infection which may be felt as continuous or repeated attacks of cold. The right drug can take some time to act in top gear in the right direction of cure for resolving the phlegm and to control the production of phlegm.
In the case of arthritis, you can notice people taking tablets for years together. If they had treatment with Homeopathy for 6 months to 1 year regularly, they will become free from that complaint, whereas, patients seeking immediate cure, often go for painkillers, balms, and liniments for benumbing, which further damages due to continuous usage of the part but masking the pain. Now you can see whether Homeopathy works quickly or not. It move slowly towards cure, whereas pain-suppressing treatments act fast but in the opposite direction of destination – cure.
Regarding medicines – Homeopathy medicines are proved in human beings and have been used for Homeopathic medicines boost up the immune mechanism of the body to fight the disease and expel it. So, these medicines are absolutely safe, non-addictive, non-toxic and always free from any side-effects. Also there is no known contradiction for taking Homeopathic medicines even during pregnancy, lactation and children.

more than two centuries, whereas in other systems of medicine, yesterday’s medicines become today’s poison and surely today’s medicines will be tomorrow’s poison (sometimes today itself!). You can very well verify this from a chemist’s shop about lots and lots of drugs that are banned, after confirming their adverse reactions. Allopathic medicines, especially, are tried on animals and verified clinically only in humans. Very few medicines have survived for a long time like Penicillin and paracetamol. In Homeopathy, the drugs once added to the list after being proved, are used till today in day-to-day practice without any deletion or ban. This is because it has scientific basis and is tested and proved in human beings.
Regarding sources of medicines – The medicines are derived from all means, i.e. from the vegetable kingdom (roots, stems, barks, leaves, flowers, fruits & seeds), animal kingdom (milk, egg, venoms, horns, liver and other parts of animals), chemicals (all types of liquid chemicals or chemical salts) and also from diseased parts and disease producing bacteria, etc.
For carrying medicines in a proper way to the prescribed spot alcohol and water are used in case of dilutions, sugar of milk (lactose powder) in case of trituration tablets, vaseline in case of ointments, etc. as vehicles. Mostly, medicines come in the form of dilutions i.e. in alcohol base.
Regarding preparation of medicines – The extracted medicine content (from any source) one part is first mixed with 100 parts of alcohol and filtered as mother tincture after analysing its water content. These mother tinctures are the ultimate source for the higher dilutions of medicines by diluting in succession. There are two types of preparation of medicines
1) Centesimal method
2) Decimal method
In case of centesimal (C), one part of mother tincture is diluted with 100 parts of alcohol or ground with 100 parts of sugar of milk. In case of decimal (X), one part of mother tincture is diluted with 10 parts of alcohol or ground with 10 parts of sugar of milk. So
In case of centesimal method, First potency, i.e. 1C, is prepared by mixing and diluting one part of mother tincture with 100 parts of alcohol. So, the drug strength of first potency – 1C – is 1/100 For second potency (two times diluted), i.e 2C, one part of first potency – 1C – is diluted with 100 parts of alcohol. Here the drug strength is 1/100 x 1/100 = 1/10,000
In case of decimal method, First potency, i.e. 1X, is prepared by mixing or diluting one part of mother tincture to 10 parts of alcohol, so drug strength of first potency is 1/10 For second potency, it is two times diluted, i.e. for 2X – one part of first potency – 1X – is diluted with 10 parts of alcohol. Here the drug strength is 1/10 x 1/10 = 1/100
In practice, commonly used potency is 200C. The 200 potency is diluted 200 times with 100 parts of alcohol each time, so its drug strength = 1 / 1000000……. (Four hundred zeroes) – That means very, very, minute and fractional.
You can trace the alkaloid (medicine content) of the mother tincture till the 6C or 12X in lab analysis. After that, even the sophisticated lab will give result as ‘nothing but alcohol’ or ‘nothing but sugar of milk’. But still you can very well experience the medicinal action. Since scientific development is not standardized enough to find the medicinal substance in the dilutions, Homeopathy lacks in proving its medicines in labs for testimonials, whereas its efficacy is wonderfully noticed in curing the case.
Here we can quote some theory to substantiate the presence and action of the drug in dilutions and minute doses.
1) When atom gets split, tremendous energy is released.

Rutherford was awarded with a Nobel prize for the breakup of an atomic nucleus for converting it into energy
2) Arrhenius’ theory of ionization – for example, when sodium chloride is dissolved in a large amount of water, the ions dissociate to a greater degree and conduct energy well than when the same quantity is dissolved in less water. Arrhenius was also awarded with a Noble prize for chemistry.
So Homeopathy is not merely a collection of a few medicines, but a new science with a rational philosophy as its base. We require more scientific interest and enquiry into the matter.
There is also a popular saying, Give me a drop of medicine; I (Homeopathy with its diluting phenomena) shall treat the whole world. You cannot imagine the drug material and its action in one drop of Homeopathic dilution. But the action will be superb. Drug materials are diluted to attain required minimal dosage for the required complaints. Low potency is used for structural affections and higher potencies are mainly used in functional and acute complaints. The commonly available potencies used are 6C, 30C, 200C, 1M (1,000), 10M, 50M & CM.
The healing secrets of Homeopathic medicines are

• The healing secrets of Homeopathic medicines are
• Take right medicines in right dosage, from the right doctor.
• Don’t self medicate, since even doctors will not take self-medications.
• Avoid drug cocktails, like adding a pill for each complaints or symptom.

Be alert and aware about medicines

• Don’t touch the medicines with hand for counting the tiny globules or for taking it, since it may get contaminated
• Discard contaminated medicines
• Don’t use the medicines unless otherwise prescribed by the physician for that disease
• Allow the medicine, i.e. globules, to dissolve under the tongue where there are numerous nerve endings.
• Regarding expiry of the drug – there is no such expiry period for Homeopathic medicines unless otherwise it is contaminated because it is prepared with the base of alcohol, which is a very good preservative
• All the medicines should be stored in a cool, dry place

Since the Homeopathy medicines are very minute and not in material doses, the dynamic cure is miraculous. In the safe hands of Homeopathy, you can easily and absolutely outweigh all the risks.
Some frequently asked questions about Homeopathic medicines:
1.Whether Homeopathic drugs contain metals – Homeopathic drugs are prepared also from metals like mercury, ferrous, copper, zinc, etc., which is a part of the chemical kingdom. Does using silver plates or gold rings cause any defects? If anyone read about the preparation of medicines, they can very well understand the fractional medical dose used, which is merely like taking drinks in copper or aluminium or steel tumbler and nothing more than that. Also medicines prepared from metals are used only when it is required (very rarely). For example, in the case of venereal diseases, drugs prepared from mercury are used, that too in very small doses, where you cannot identify its presence.

2. Whether homeopathic drugs contain steroids – First of all, can steroid cure all the conditions? No, it will give only a palliative relief for the time being. Also, if you take steroids for a long time, it would induce puffiness of face and body, weight increase and renal failure. You can’t find in a single patient using Homeopathic drugs any of the above symptoms of steroid drugs. We don’t use any steroidal drugs since it is against the law of Homeopathy. i.e. steroid suppresses the immune mechanism where as Homeopathy stimulates the immune mechanism for expelling the disease.
Some may ask – Homeopathy medicines, when tested, sometimes give positive reactions for steroids. Yes, it may be, but it is a false positive test. It is due to lactose powder which is often used by Homeopathic doctors as a vehicle for the medicines. In that case, the efficacy of the same drug can be proved with water dilution doses. All milk powder or cane sugar juices or plant-derived material will give false positive for steroids.
3 Regarding the efficacy of minimum dosage – Some people ask can these small pills cure my very old, big complaints where a handful of medicines, namely very powerful drugs, failed? It is not at all like that. Here the only thing required is correct medicine and not massive medicines. For example – You cannot open a door with a huge lever without tampering with the door. But you can easily open it with a small key which is appropriate and apt. You can note a miraculous cure at the end of Homeopathic treatment.
4 Regarding acute conditions – Homeopathy can easily treat acute conditions also. For example, dysmenorrhoea, renal stones, appendicitis, gallstones, fever, cough, cold, etc. Even though nobody thinks of Homeopathy in an acute condition, miraculous cure can be seen when experienced. Also we should remember, comfort living is far superior to life-saving.
Regarding action of the medicines: Unlike other systems of medicine, Homeopathy doesn’t act

through blood after digestion of the drug materials. It acts through nerve endings in the tongue. It reaches the brain and works from a higher level. So avoid taking anything in your mouth for 10 minutes before and after taking your medicine i.e. you should take medicine with a clean tongue (tasteless). For example, if you take coffee or tea, the taste of it will remain for 15-20 minutes, so you should avoid taking medicines during that period. The strength of the medicines will become low if they are not stored well. Homeopathic remedies should be stored away from strong light, strong temperature and strong smells. External application or treating externally by any means usually suppresses the condition and later it recurs with much intensity. You will understand this when you are cured easily with internal medicines.
Whether homeopathy medicines can be taken during pregnancy – Yes, since action of the medicines is not through blood, it won’t go to the womb.
Whether other system of medicines can be allowed to continue

with Homeopathic medicines – Yes, it can be, since most of the other systems of medicine act through blood, whereas Homeopathic medicines act in the tongue where there are lots of sensory nerve-endings. The Homeopathic medicines dissolve in the tongue itself and won’t go up to the stomach to react with other remedies in the stomach.

Dietary restriction – Some people say you have to cut down on coffee, tea, spicy food, pepper, onion, garlic, smoking, drinks, flowers, scents, cream, etc., while taking Homeopathy. This is not true. These are things you cannot avoid in day-to-day life. If the medicine is correct, it will work to cure the condition in any kind of situation. But you cannot take sweets if you have diabetes, cigarettes if you have respiratory complaints, alcohol in the case of liver complaints, spicy food if you suffer from ulcer, oily diet if it is hypertension, etc. So, it is unnecessary to worry about avoiding these unavoidable things in this modern world.

Can Homeopathy cure all diseases completely – Yes, but within its limitations. Each system has its own advantage and scope and Homeopathy is no exception. Within its limits, its performance is often remarkable. Irreversible or degenerative conditions where structural damages are more marked cannot be cured completely by Homeopathy. However, Homeopathy can play an important role in such cases by providing physical as well as psychological support which will aid the body in defending itself against the disease and further degeneration.
Diagnosis – Cure and comfort can be felt only by the patient and cannot be examined or diagnosed by doctor or lab findings. Homeopathy treats the patient’s symptoms in all ways, always. For selecting the right drug, it gives importance to the character of onset of symptoms, its aggravating or precipitating factors and characteristic symptoms of patient, exciting cause, thirst, sweat, shivering, appetite, sleep, stool habit, mental restlessness, relieving factors and associated symptoms.
Every patient has his/her own pattern of falling ill and will experience different sets of symptoms even for the same illness as per diagnosis. For example, some patients suffering from jaundice will have fever, vomiting, nausea, body itching, etc., but some others will have a different set of symptoms like loss of appetite, thirst, profuse sweating, weakness, constipation, etc. Here the selection of Homeopathic medicines will be different for the patients even though they suffer from jaundice. A well-selected remedy quickly supports the body mechanism and clears the complaints at the earliest.
Regarding investigations – No one can deny the importance of laboratory investigations in diagnosis and assessment of prognosis. It also helps in monitoring the betterment. Homeopathy doctors also use thermometer, stethoscope and BP apparatus, etc., which are all invention of physics and not a treasure to a particular system of medicine. Also a Homeopathy doctor will go in for ECG, EEG, ultrasound scanning, CT scan, MRI scan, and all blood and urine reports for diagnosing the complaints. Also blood values and other investigations, the elevated levels or structural changes found while scanning are only the effects of the diseases and not the disease itself. For example – An elevated level of total blood Eosinophil count and serum-Immunoglobulin, IgE, in blood are effects of the allergy conditions and they are not the cause for sneezing. Most people think that Eosinophilia is the ultimate cause of sneezing, but in real, it is not so.
Regarding prevention – Prevention is better than cure. Homeopathy has a greater advantage over other systems by treating the patient (not disease). It has the ability to prevent and control the progress of a disease. The earlier you treat, the better your chance of complete recovery. Since Homeopathy deals with improving immunity for eliminating the diseases, there won’t be any recurrences of the complaints.
Regarding side-effects – One of the most common reasons why people seek Homeopathic care, is the “cure will be permanent without side-effects” since it is very much refined. According to Newton’s universal law, every action has its own reaction. If it is true, if there is action, there should be reaction. Here in Homeopathy, since the medicines are administered in very minimal doses, we do not notice the reaction or adverse reactions which are also very minimal and unnoticeable.
For example, nowadays, in Allopathy medicines, people are often advised to use sleeping pills for sleeplessness. This sleeping pill will create artificial sleep on the drug day and produce sleeplessness the next day as its adverse action, obliging the universal law. Since people take pills at night regularly, the adverse action may not be noticed but its other adverse actions like depression and lack of concentration will be found in due course, after prolonged use. In contrast, in Homeopathy, substances which induce sleeplessness in large doses will be given to the patient in minute doses to sleep naturally, without any noticeable side-effects.
Regarding surgery – In advanced conditions, surgery is the only way. Homeopathy is not against surgery, if that is the case. But it can be avoided in many cases like piles, uterine masses, breast tumours, pleurisy, gallstones, kidneystones, etc, if it is properly diagnosed and treated before complications arise. For example, tonsillitis is not a pure surgical complaint which can be cured in 70-80 per cent of cases. Homoeopathy follows Nature’s rule, so it never admits removal as a cure. It takes healing as making healthy, not removing. Likewise piles, nasal polyp, kidney stones, etc., can be noticed to recur even after surgical manipulation. This is because surgery treats the effects of the disease rather than the disease itself.

Finally, regarding doctor & faith – Homeopaths may fail in curing the disease, but Homeopathy never fails, i.e., the cure depends upon the ability of the doctor to diagnose the case and select the right drug for the case. There is also a popular saying – Finally, it is faith that cures. Faith means faith in the doctor, medicine and cure. We have to accept this saying also, since occurrence, real causes, nature of complaints and its presentation and curing process are all still obscure and remain as unknown science.
In total, Homoeopathy is the fingerpost on the crossroads of healing which directs the way to SAFEST PERMANENT CURE

for new hope

Dr. S. Chidambaranathan, BHMS, MD (Homeo)

Laxmi Homeo Clinic

24 E. New Mahalipatti Road

Madurai, TN 625 001

India

Tel:  +91-452-233-8833 | +91-984-319-1011 (Mob)

Fax: +91-452-233-0196

E-mail:  drcheena@yahoo.com

www.drcheena.com / www.drcheena.in

(Disclaimer: The contents of this column are for informational purpose only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional healthcare advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of healthcare professional for any health problem or medical condition)