Homeopathy : Some Reference Needed

[swami-sam-ananda]

Two years ago, when I was already an atheist, I did not know much about Homeopathy. A homeopath-doctor in our locality used to give us medicines sometimes. In most of the problems, we used to have real medicines. But in some small cases, my father used to bring homeopathic medicine. This year I turned out that it is a pseudoscience. But, there still are some questions in my mind.

1) My aunt had a pain in her elbow for a few years. When she made an X-Ray, it was found that the fluid between her bones was dried, which caused the pain. She did not trust homeopathy, but still, with someone else's advice, she took homeopathic medicine. And, her pain went away after 3 months.

Now, the question is, Is It A Psychosomatic Diesease? If not, how the pain went away? See, I'm skeptical about homeopathy and want to get some real info with reference.

2) I had acne, and I took homeopathic remedy. Two years ago. IT DID NOT GO AWAY.

3) Whenever I took Arnia, my bone-pain went away. I think it is psychosomatic. What do you guys think?

4) Mac-Fos is another homeopathic medicine which my aunt used. And, her problem in her lever was cured. Is it too psychosomatic?

[KichigaiNeko]

Do you mean Arnica?

Referrences:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnica ....... Several species, such as Arnica montana and Arnica chamissonis, contain helenalin, a sesquiterpene lactone that is a major ingredient in anti-inflammatory preparations (used mostly for bruises).

Arnica
Overview:

Arnica (Arnica montana) has been used for medicinal purposes since the 1500s and is still popular today. Applied to the skin as a cream, ointment, liniment, salve, or tincture, arnica has been used to soothe muscle aches, reduce inflammation, and heal wounds. It is commonly used for injuries such as sprains and bruises. As an herb, arnica is generally used only topically (on the skin) because it can cause serious side effects when taken by mouth. Oral homeopathic remedies do contain arnica, but they use an extremely diluted form that is not considered dangerous. If you have any question about whether you have the herbal or homeopathic form of arnica, talk to your doctor before taking it.

Source: http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/arnic...z2HeTMPhCn

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And do you mean Mag-Phos? (MgPO4)

References:

The great anti-spasmodic remedy. Cramping of muscles with radiating pains. Neuralgic pains Relieved by warmth. Especially suited to tired, languid, exhausted subjects. Indisposition for mental exertion. Goitre. http://abchomeopathy.com/r.php/Mag-p

Magnesium Phosphate wiki; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnesium_phosphate

Scientific paper on magnesium, calcium and phosphate metabolism. worth a read! http://cicm.org.au/journal/2002/december/CPMI.pdf

Magnesium Phosphate and calcium are required in trace amounts for the proper functioning of the body, they are not the only mineral elements that are needed. Being ill can and will disrupt the ratios of just what is needed for the body to function and so MgPO4 must be ingested to address say a poor diet.


All statements to say you are better off going to your medical doctor and not be surprised if he/she recommends a brief course of "vitamin" supplements.

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PS

Sam Ananda

[Kayenneh]

Homeopathic preparations (don't you dare call them medicines, because they're not) are nothing but drops of water put on sugar pills. So no, if anyone feel that they get better thanks to them they either have healed on their own or are experiencing the placebo effect. Homeopathy is quackery and a despicable way of claiming to treat people, when handing out candy would do just as well.

[KichigaiNeko]

Agreed Kayenneh.

The unfortunate part is, the active ingredients that homeopathy dilutes to atomic non-senselessness, have been found to work. And hence the confusion.

I would still say, go to your medical practitioner and get some real medicine...or visit you pharmacists for alternatives that actually work!

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Two years ago, when I was already an atheist, I did not know much about Homeopathy. A homeopath-doctor in our locality used to give us medicines sometimes. In most of the problems, we used to have real medicines. But in some small cases, my father used to bring homeopathic medicine. This year I turned out that it is a pseudoscience. But, there still are some questions in my mind.

1) My aunt had a pain in her elbow for a few years. When she made an X-Ray, it was found that the fluid between her bones was dried, which caused the pain. She did not trust homeopathy, but still, with someone else's advice, she took homeopathic medicine. And, her pain went away after 3 months.

What do I think?? I think that you Aunt may have damaged her elbow and that she was suffering from chronic dehydration. BUT there just may have been an underlying problem and that the Arnica only stopped that pain associated with it. It can take years for a ligament/ tendon or muscular injury to heal...ask any who have suffered from repetitive strain injury. No I do not think it was psychosomatic.

2) I had acne, and I took homeopathic remedy. Two years ago. IT DID NOT GO AWAY.

No surprise there

3) Whenever I took Arnia, my bone-pain went away. I think it is psychosomatic. What do you guys think?

Arnica is known as an anti-inflammatory and in some preparations is quite useful. It DOES have side effects if ingested... be-careful!

4) Mac-Fos is another homeopathic medicine which my aunt used. And, her problem in her lever was cured. Is it too psychosomatic?

Sounds like your Aunt had/ has an underlying medical condition (check out the paper I posted) Please take her to the doctors. I know it is expensive but it is more expensive purchasing homeopathic medicines that cover-up serious medical conditions.

Hope this helps. Nameste

[swami-sam-ananda]

1) Man, what I should make clear is that I am totally against Homeopathy and I left that option two years ago.

2) And, my aunt's lever was not that much damaged at all. She was just having a pain which seemed to get totally reduced. But, that was temporary. Everything was treated using original medicines (the real ones).

3) What I need right now is some solid and reference-based evidence against homeopathic remedies. So that I can oppose it. Using 3X or 6X 'medicines' (from herbs)(?) are effective. So, some people refuses to call homeopathy a pseudoscience. Instead, they prefer 'less-effective medicine'. I am really up to a serious investigation.

[Kayenneh]

First, a short documentary on the topic:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0-NalmRSl8

Then, anyone with even the slightest knowledge of mathematics and chemistry can prove that dilute, dilute, dilute does not make an ingredient more effective or reverse what it did in the first place. And lastly, I recommend trying out Google Scholar to read through articles regarding the subject (I'd rather not post a lot of abstracts here, they can be found quite easily).

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Oh, and I'm sorry if I seemed to be angry at you, that's not the case. I just find homeopathy filthy and immoral, since I'm in the health business myself and I can't stand some ignorant and uneducated fool taking advantage of sick people.

[swami-sam-ananda]

I do never resort to homeopathy and I am trying to make people know more about the impotency of this 'like cures like' crap. I am currently watching the Horizon documentary. Thanks for your addition too. I run a rationalist website and am trying to know more about the 'pathy' to make people aware of its uselessness.

[CapnAwesome]

The thing with Homeopathy and people who claimed that it cured them is two fold:
A. Many conditions, possibly your aunts, go away on their own anyway. People don't think it's a miracle when a cold goes away after a few days, but many conditions are not some lifelong ailment. The go away.
B The power of the placebo affect is amazing. People think they might get better and so they do. It's been proven so many times scientifically, and people always claim they were skeptical beforehand that something would work, but if that was completely the case then they wouldn't of taken the homeopathic medicine to start with.

Every notice that natural, 'eastern' or or whatever brand of quack medicine is only used to treat minor ailments? If you get cancer you go to a real doctor. Why does real medicine apply to major conditions? Why doesn't homeopathy work then?

[Tea Earl Grey Hot]

...
B The power of the placebo affect is amazing. People think they might get better and so they do. It's been proven so many times scientifically, and people always claim they were skeptical beforehand that something would work, but if that was completely the case then they wouldn't of taken the homeopathic medicine to start with.
...

I worked at a Christian Science church last year for about 5 months. They're all about curing illnesses by thinking good spiritual thoughts. They don't take medicine and they don't believe in the existence of germs. Every week I had to listen to an hour of testimony from these crazy people about how they cured their latest cold by thinking good things etc. It was the placebo effect on steroids. James Randi would go insane listening to these people.

But they had soap in the bathroom. Hypocrites.

[Brian37]

It is junk, and to see Dawkins split the baby on this issue is a bit disappointing. My mom's retirement home was hit up by a con artist snake oil salesman. She was dressed up in Nurse scrubs without any medical stuff on her nor a license badge.

The objects she was selling for $20 bucks a pop were these little round patches, like the ones you see on medical electrodes, but with no wires. Basically she( the fake therapist, who was merely some con off the street) was conning these old people into believing that mere pieces of paper had real medical healing properties.

I chewed the retirement home management out for allowing this con to occur there. They have not been back since.

It is a con relying on the credulity and desperation of the people they sell this flat out garbage to.

There is an episode of the 1970s cop show Hawaii 5-0. Steve, the head cop on the show had a sister sucked into one of these scams. The villain had convinced his sister that he could cure her baby, suffering from terminal illness, that she could save the baby. She had an elaborate machine that would allegedly analyze the blood sample. When put on trial, Steve had a cop switch her demonstration sample with a ketchup stain, proving that the woman had committed a hoax. So I had been aware as a young kid that people can and do con other people.

The point being anything that you assert as being valid as a medical cure needs the rigors of established method, control groups and blind tests and peer review. Otherwise you will foolishly be lead to do stupid shit, like that idiot in the mid west that sold sweat tent therapy that killed 3 people.

Homeopathy is a scam. That is the bottom line. It sells on the idea "if you want to believe something bad enough, you will".