Dr Satish Kumar Attri, Dr Neena Verma
The 10th day of April is a Red Day in the history of medical science as on this day Homoeopathy came into existence. Dr.Samuel Hahnemann was born on 10th April 1755 in Saxony, Germany in a poor family of porcelain painter but still he achieved such a name and fame for his hard work that even today humanity is getting benefitted from his work and remembers him with high respect. World Homoeopathy day is celebrated every year across the world on occasion of his birthday and following whole week is observed as world homoeopathic awareness week.
The Theme for this year World Homoeopathy day is: Homoeopathy : People’s Choice for Wellness
World Homoeopathy Day is celebrated to build the capacity and skills of homoeopaths, teaching faculty, researchers, practitioners and students to enhance their skill and quality of homoeopathic treatment. Interactions of Homoeopaths occur on this day which helps to bridge the gaps and create an environment of learning for qualitative transformation of Homoeopaths and Homoeopathy. The discussions over the results, research, experiences and education standards so evolved would help to enhance patient care more effectively, Together we need to make Homoeopathy the first choice of treatment and wellness for suffering humanity. Practitioners get the chance to interact with senior experienced persons to discuss various issues regarding practices and other related issues and on Govt policies also.
Some practitioner/researchers showcase their work with evidence based results. Practitioners will get an opportunity to interact with researchers, educationists, other practitioners to imbibe best practices in their clinical care. Budding homoeopaths gets learning experience after interacting with educationists and practitioners to evolve as competent professionals. Scientific conventions and seminars on the occasion of the World Homoeopathy Day happens throughout the world. This year the Convention in our country is being organized jointly with the National Commission for Homoeopathy and the National Institute of Homoeopathy to promote and conduct high quality research programs/projects in fundamental and applied aspects that contributes towards the development of Homoeopathy globally, to Conduct scientific and ethical research thereby enhancing success rate of clinical practice, promotion of safe, efficient and effective treatment in health care delivery and ensuring global acceptance of Homoeopathy. All the organizations attempt to create an environment of comprehensive development of Homoeopathy in education, research, practice and governance within the country.
The history of Homoeopathy in India is linked with the name of Dr.John Martin Honigberger, a French man who brought homoeopathy to India. He arrived at Lahore in 1829 and was later invited to treat Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab in 1839. Dr. Honigberger later on went to Calcutta and started practice there. This system came to be practiced in India during the life time of Dr. Hahnemann, the father of Homoeopathy, when a German Physician and Geologist came to India round about 1810 for geological investigations and remained for some time in Bengal where he distributed homoeopathic medicine to the people. People still had many myths about homoeopathy and because of that they call it to be Desi.
Some of the popular myths and true facts are:-
Myths- Some people says that Homoeopathy is an unproved science.
Fact- Homoeopathy is based on experimental pharmacological and clinical data recorded by proving efficacy of medicines on healthy human beings only. Over the years, homeopathic medicines have been extensively studied for their efficacy in a variety of indications. Clinical studies have been conducted in India as well as other countries. All the principles of homoeopathy are based on sound logic and experimental data only.
Myth- Homoeopathy is slow acting and cannot be used in acute cases.
Fact: Homoeopathy is fast acting in acute cases and can be effectively used in treating acute infections. Unfortunately, people tend to go to a homeopath only when the acute problem becomes chronic and complex. Naturally, these cases take longer to treat. Also, most people take recourse in homoeopathy in cases of arthritis, allergic asthma, thyroid disorders, PCOD or chronic Skin conditions etc., which sometimes had become complex diseases due to suppression of some diseases and hence take a longer time to treat with homoeopathic treatment.
Myth- Homoeopathy is a ‘magic remedy’ that can treat any disorder.
Fact: Homoeopathy like any other field of medicine has its limitations. For example, it cannot treat cases where surgery is unavoidable to save life, bone fractures and many dental caries, etc.
Myth- Homoeopathy cannot be used in diabetic patients due to sweet taste of pills.
Fact: It can be used, the meagre amount of sugar in the globules (the little round sweet pills) taken daily does not matter. Sugar intake in the daily diet is significantly higher than that taken by a few globules. In very severe cases, the liquid medicine is prescribed as drops in water or over tasteless lactose powder.
Myth- The homoeopath gives the same white pills for all types of illnesses. How can they be really effective..?
Fact: Depending on the illness, homoeopaths medicate the white sugar pills with different medicines. The white sweet sugar pills serve only as a vehicle for transfer of the medicine to body. The other solid vehicles are lactose powder, pellets, cones and liquid vehicles used are Ethyl Alcohol, Glycerin, distilled water, etc.
Myth- Are there really no side effects of homoeopathy medicine….?
Fact: Generally there are no side effects of homoeopathic medicine if given single remedy in a proper principled way. But just like any other medicine, homoeopathy medicines should be used with caution and always, they should be taken after consulting a qualified homoeopath.
Homoeopathic treatment is natural and there are no chances of developing any resistance to any medicine. Moreover the need to hospitalize the patient is very less thereby it reduces the cost of treatment. Homoeopathic medicines causes Immunomodulation, it is a kind of regulatory modification in the immune system so as to bring the desired response. Many renowned personalities of world and India had supported and recommended homoeopathy. Mahatma Gandhi Ji said Homoeopathy cures a greater percentage of cases than other methods of treatment and is the latest & refined method of treating patients economically and non-violently. If taken carefully with proper individualization and under a qualified homeopath, usually homoeopathy has no side effects. The primary goals of World Homeopathy Awareness Week is to raise public awareness on homoeopathy and improve accessibility to homeopathy. Govt of J&K UT must take serious efforts to uplift Homoeopathy.
(The authors are Classical Homoeopathic Physician.)
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