Homeopathic Medicine

[renovation]

how do you feel about homeopathic medicine.
i have a sister inlaw thats a firm believer in homeopathic medicine. but im convinced in it . she is always trying to pass her
homepathy remedies. when she hears your not feeling well. to me i think it can be very dangerous. when you mix homepathy remedies with modern medicine.
just a exsample here i take a blood pressure med. and a acid reflex med.daily. how do you know these homepathy meds. wont interact with what my doctor has me on.

also i kind of get a kick out of her. she keeps all these homepathy pills and still runs to her MD.when she feels sick.

and she seems to always have some kind of ailment .

[Kevster]

In general, Homeopathy is unsupported by modern scientific research. The whole idea behind it - with remedies based on extremely diluted solutions of substances that in undiluted form, cause symptoms similar to the disease they aim to treat, is unscientific nonsense. The soltuions are so diluted that there is generally no detectable trace of the supposed active ingredient, essentially making it inert. The rationale for these extreme dilutions - that the water contains the "memory" or "vibration" from the diluted ingredient - goes against the laws of chemistry and physics.

Any positive results obtained from homeopathic remedies are purely due to the placebo effect, in my honest opinion. If your SiL wants to waste her money, have her buy a lottery ticket. She'd probably have the same odds for the same benefit.

[Houdini]

In general, Homeopathy is unsupported by modern scientific research. The whole idea behind it - with remedies based on extremely diluted solutions of substances that in undiluted form, cause symptoms similar to the disease they aim to treat, is unscientific nonsense. The soltuions are so diluted that there is generally no detectable trace of the supposed active ingredient, essentially making it inert. The rationale for these extreme dilutions - that the water contains the "memory" or "vibration" from the diluted ingredient - goes against the laws of chemistry and physics.

Any positive results obtained from homeopathic remedies are purely due to the placebo effect, in my honest opinion. If your SiL wants to waste her money, have her buy a lottery ticket. She'd probably have the same odds for the same benefit.

A James Randi fan, eh? ;)

True...occasionally these things are diluted to 1 drop per all the water on earth, or even more.

OTOH, many "natural" treatments also fall under a broad "homeopathy" label. Different plant extracts, etc. Do some work? Yep. Have we gotten meds from them in the past and develop meds based on them even now? Yep.

That said, being natural, are they safe?

NOPE!

Especially if you have pre-existing medical conditions or take other meds (or herbs or whatever) for other problems. Plenty have been known to die, lose function, or require long-term hospitalization.

"But it's natural! Your medicine you're prescribing me was made in a lab. My treatment I want is NATURAL!" So is cow manure and the deathcap mushroom.

Ever see the stuff on the history channel about "High Hitler" - how his doc mixed all sorts of crazy stuff into his daily injections...none of which affected his likely neurosyphilis or possibly med-induced parkinsonism, but besides amphetamines, etc., for, say, constipation, he would mix in "feces of a German peasant girl" etc. Crazy stuff.

[ShawnLee]

I have to unvote my one vote on the poll. I clicked on the first choice incorrectly and didn't realize it was multiple choice. When chose "I stick to modern medicine" I thought it would unstick the first vote.

So remove one vote from "I sometimes use homeopathic medicine"

[molecularfire]

I think there are some things in homeopathic medicine that does work, some that doesn't and some that are flat out harmful. I do think that there should be more research done on different homeopathic medicine options but that's not going to happen until there is profit to be had in figuring out whether it works or not. Sad commentary on our society.

[Houdini]

I think there are some things in homeopathic medicine that does work, some that doesn't and some that are flat out harmful. I do think that there should be more research done on different homeopathic medicine options but that's not going to happen until there is profit to be had in figuring out whether it works or not. Sad commentary on our society.

Especially when, as kevster pointed out, many are tinctures of the "disease causing agent" diluted to Avogadro's number in water as a cure due to vibrations or other BS, while it may not be harmful (as it may have one molecule, if that, based on probability, of the agent remaining,) it surely makes some snake-oil salesmen (sometimes in the literal sense) rich, and some who can't afford to lose money poor. It's a shame that basic science isn't more common knowledge.

And yeah, many studies have shown some alternative treatments to work. Black cohash, if I remember, is an estrogen precursor. St. John's wort may have a little effect on depression. But many natural things can kill you, and many can kill you or harm you if you don't tell your doctor you're taking them with modern medicine.

I'm all for research into plants, etc., for modern medicines. Taxol, for example. It's the "natural so it is safe" thing that annoys me. Scratch that, angers me.

H

[Jeffbx]

My mother is big into homeopathy, and one thing to point out ('cuz she loves to point it out to anyone else who will listen!) is that there is a distinct difference between HERBAL medicine (St. John's wort, ginger, garlic, etc) and HOMEOPATHIC medicine (which is the 'essence' of something in a sugar pill).

Homeopathic 'pills' are completly inert & pose no risk to other treatments, can't interact with other drugs, etc - assuming you get them from a safe source & they are what they say they are.

Herbal medicine is the dangerous stuff, because some of that stuff IS dangerous in improper doses, it CAN react with other medicines, etc. I agree with Houdini on this one. Whenever someone points out that, "well, it's all natural ingredients, so it must be safe, right?" I like to throw back that marijuana and opium are also completely natural and organic.

Personally, I stick with traditional medical care. I have good insurance!

[Markel]

...HOMEOPATHIC medicine (which is the 'essence' of something in a sugar pill).

Homeopathic 'pills' are completly inert & pose no risk to other treatments, can't interact with other drugs, etc - assuming you get them from a safe source & they are what they say they are.
Placebo pills for sale! :heh:

[Jeffbx]

:stupid:

It's a big industry, too!

[des1969]

I think homeopathic meds are tricky. If you have a serious medical condition, I would steer clear of them. But for small things, I have had good luck with them. I take one because I am constantly getting bruises. It works wonders.

[Mommypooh]

Well since it has been pointed out that there is a difference between herbal medicine and Homeopathic meds I will say I don't take Homeopathic meds as of now as I am not into it but who knows may try them if I am feeling up to it. As for Herbal stuff I do take some, I don't take perscription meds at all and if I go to the doc for something I will disclose what I take and not take it while I am on a perscription. I also give my kids a herbal supplement to help with keeping them from getting sick and it passed test one in my opinion.

[Napoleon54]

It's mostly crap. If it worked, drug companies would captialize on it, run the quacks out of business, and it wouldn't be "homeopathic" anymore.

I tried accupuncture once and it didn't do a damn thing for me. What a crock IMO. 'Course, consults with multiple docs and 2 months of physical therapy didn't do anything before that... so I guess, by those standards, I should conclude that all that was BS too. Meh, whatever.