By: Juan Fernando Gonzalez Garcia

First of all, we believe that it is convenient to understand what homeopathy is and in what types of diseases it can benefit us. This medicine treats patients according to the symptoms they present in accordance with the Law of Similarity, which can be considered the fundamental principle of the clinical-therapeutic method established by the famous German physician Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843).

Homeopathy, then, responds to the postulate that says “like is cured by like”, which should be interpreted as follows: any substance that is capable of producing certain symptoms in a healthy individual is also capable of curing them in a sick person.

In order for this precept to be better understood, let’s take an example: if a person splashes an arm with a drop of boiling oil, the first thing we think about is to place cold water on the damaged area to reduce the pain. Indeed, the discomfort will disappear at first, but then it will increase and generate the well-known and painful blisters.

If, on the contrary, we apply the principle of homeopathic similarity, we would have to immerse the affected region in hot water, in this case the arm. The logical thing is that, at first, the pain increases, but a few seconds later the discomfort and blisters will decrease.

Can homeopathy intoxicate us?

The active principles of many of the homeopathic medicines have a toxic capacity, but this risk is canceled at the moment in which the raw materials that compose them are diluted and shaken on numerous occasions. In this way, the concentration used to manufacture a drug is extremely small (infinitesimal doses) and it is not possible to poison the patient.

And the side effects?

It is common for it to be said that homeopathy does not cause undesirable effects. In reality, it is possible that the patient feels some discomfort, or even the appearance of a new symptom, if there is an excess in the dose or in the frequency in which we ingest the medicine. Sometimes, however, quite naturally, the patient will experience what is known as aggravation of the symptom (s), which will actually be the preamble to healing.

A clear example is the following: a person with a respiratory infection may take a homeopathic medicine and feel, after a few minutes, that he has a fever or that the watery or runny nose that he suffered increases. In a short time, this “aggravation” will disappear to give way to the tranquility and well-being of the sick person.

Homeopathy is slow

Many people believe that homeopathy can balance our body in a few hours, without making the distinction between an acute and a chronic disease. If we talk about a flu, a headache, an upset stomach or a specific pain ─ product of a trauma or accident ─ it is very common that the discomforts subside shortly after ingesting homeopathic medication.

However, if the person who resorts to homeopathy suffers from one or more chronic diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia or joint problems, to name a few, it will be impossible for this condition to transform in a few days. In these cases, and depending largely on the discipline of the patient to follow the treatment prescribed by the homeopathic doctor, the improvement will be effective and noticeable after a few weeks.

Open your mouth and say wow

For a long time, perhaps simultaneously with the application in humans, Homeopathy has been used in animals – especially in companion pets – with very good results. There are few homeopathic veterinarians in the world, but they are increasingly involved in livestock farming and in the field of thoroughbred horses, for example. It goes without saying that homeopathic medicines are very effective and generate a state of integral well-being in these beings, which, many times, are part of our family.

References

Mestre, A. 101 questions and answers about homeopathy. Editorial ALREVÉS.
BOIRON Decalogue on the ’10 Truths and Lies about Homeopathy ‘. https://www.boiron.es/listado-noticias/noticias/1000408015101/decalogo-boiron-10-verdades-mentiras-homeopatia.1.html

Homeopathy in Mexico. Directorate General for Health Planning and Development (DGPLADES). Ministry of Health (Mexico). https://www.gob.mx/salud/acciones-y-programas/homeopatia-en-mexico.