Homeopathy as a science of therapeutics is very poorly understood by the general public. The common man generally relies on what he comes across in the newspapers to update his knowledge. Opinions expressed by journalists and luminaries in various fields find their way into these articles. The more vociferous and biased opinions about Homeopathy expressed by so called researchers find their way into scientific journals and later are quoted in newspapers or journals of general interest. In all this information bombardment, the layman is incapable of discerning truth from propaganda, hence succumbing to the misinformation thrown at him. It is heartening to note however that more the anti-propaganda unleashed at it, the use of Homeopathy is gathering momentum and millions of patients all over the globe have taken to this holistic, safe and inexpensive form of medicine. So what explains the popularity of Homeopathy? To understand this, it is necessary to understand what patients look for when they need medical assistance. Here-in lies the forte of Homeopathy.
The homeopath is interested in the patient as a person NOT as a disease entity. Here the patient receives the unwavering attention of the physician as he guides the patient through his sufferings which he notes down, in an attempt to trace the disease process to its roots. The patient wants to be listened to first, rather than be told to get this test or that. The patient’s anxieties are laid to rest as the physician traces his sufferings to the primary cause. When this method is followed and the disease removed from its root, the patient not only recovers from the disease but also develops a sense of well-being. As Dr.B.M.Hegde, retired dean of Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences writes in his book `WHAT STUDENTS ARE NOT TAUGHT IN MEDICAL SCHOOL'; if the doctor listens to his patient, sooner or later the patient will tell the physician the diagnosis.This empathy is what the patient seeks and which modern medicine and the followers of Rene DesCartes cannot provide. The Homeopathic concept of removing the disease process from its roots could be best explained by this case.
Case no1:
A lady aged 62yrs consulted me for chronic joint pains of 3 years duration. As we meandered through her various associated complaints and investigation reports, the indicated drug became quite clear to me. I gave her medicines and called her for a follow-up after two months. The lady came back after almost a year with a new patient in tow. I was pleasantly surprised when she thanked me profusely for having relieved her of a prolapsed uterus which had been bothering her for 15 years or more. She had never mentioned this in her case history despite my questioning her about her Gynaec history!! She told me she was embarrassed and afraid since two consultations with specialists had resulted in only one opinion – get it removed and she was petrified of going under the knife! Now she had no complaints what-so-ever.
This case buttresses the argument that our Homeopathic approach is `holistic' and our medicines act on the entire body, not only on a particular organ. It extols the virtue of the homeopathic tenets because we consider the body as a single bionic unit and not as an assembly of parts. It confirms our belief that the chosen simillimum will cover the entire gamut of problems and solve them through the body's own corrective mechanism without recourse to surgery at every instant. Today in India especially in the town where I practice, I have patients getting their Uterus removed on the advice of the surgeons at the unbelievably young and tender age of 19 years! And they have the temerity to call their system `scientific'!
The common man does not understand scientific lingo, but he does know what is best for him; especially after a battery of `specialists’ having indulged in hi-tech diagnostics fail to give him relief.
The homeopath is interested in the patient as a person NOT as a disease entity. Here the patient receives the unwavering attention of the physician as he guides the patient through his sufferings which he notes down, in an attempt to trace the disease process to its roots. The patient wants to be listened to first, rather than be told to get this test or that. The patient’s anxieties are laid to rest as the physician traces his sufferings to the primary cause. When this method is followed and the disease removed from its root, the patient not only recovers from the disease but also develops a sense of well-being. As Dr.B.M.Hegde, retired dean of Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences writes in his book `WHAT STUDENTS ARE NOT TAUGHT IN MEDICAL SCHOOL'; if the doctor listens to his patient, sooner or later the patient will tell the physician the diagnosis.This empathy is what the patient seeks and which modern medicine and the followers of Rene DesCartes cannot provide. The Homeopathic concept of removing the disease process from its roots could be best explained by this case.
Case no1:
A lady aged 62yrs consulted me for chronic joint pains of 3 years duration. As we meandered through her various associated complaints and investigation reports, the indicated drug became quite clear to me. I gave her medicines and called her for a follow-up after two months. The lady came back after almost a year with a new patient in tow. I was pleasantly surprised when she thanked me profusely for having relieved her of a prolapsed uterus which had been bothering her for 15 years or more. She had never mentioned this in her case history despite my questioning her about her Gynaec history!! She told me she was embarrassed and afraid since two consultations with specialists had resulted in only one opinion – get it removed and she was petrified of going under the knife! Now she had no complaints what-so-ever.
This case buttresses the argument that our Homeopathic approach is `holistic' and our medicines act on the entire body, not only on a particular organ. It extols the virtue of the homeopathic tenets because we consider the body as a single bionic unit and not as an assembly of parts. It confirms our belief that the chosen simillimum will cover the entire gamut of problems and solve them through the body's own corrective mechanism without recourse to surgery at every instant. Today in India especially in the town where I practice, I have patients getting their Uterus removed on the advice of the surgeons at the unbelievably young and tender age of 19 years! And they have the temerity to call their system `scientific'!
The common man does not understand scientific lingo, but he does know what is best for him; especially after a battery of `specialists’ having indulged in hi-tech diagnostics fail to give him relief.
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