FAQ - Dr. Devika Jamdar, BHMS

FAQ by patients answered by Dr. Devika Jamdar

Are Homeopaths quacks or do they have a proper medical training background?

Homeopaths are qualified doctors who go through a rigorous 5-year degree course as I have done. It involves the study of homeopathic subjects and other allied sciences like Anatomy, Physiology, Psychology, Pathology, Gynaecology, Forensic medicine, Surgery and Clinical Medicine including one year of internship at a hospital.

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Are there homeopathic specialists with a particular speciality like in conventional medicine?

In Homeopathy, the patient is viewed as a whole, as a psychoneuroendocrino-immunological unit. Homeopathic practice is never restricted to one type of illness or body system. A homeopath, while treating an illnesses whether it be a respiratory or gastric or urinary system or endocrine disorders and even diseases like cancer, considers all factors while prescribing the medicine. In the true sense, a homeopath is a multi-specialist whereas in allopathy, a dermatologist only treats skin ailments and a gastroenterologist only sees patients with problems in the digestive system.

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Do Homeopaths believe in surgery?

I believe that surgery is necessary in conditions where time is too little to stimulate the body's defence. However one can avoid surgery in some cases like septic recurrent tonsillitis, piles, some cases of appendicitis, certain cases of kidney stones, small-sized uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts, warts, corns, etc. through homeopathy.
Homeopathy has also worked well as a useful adjuvant therapy in post-operative care, or after surgical procedures like bypass surgery and for recovery from pain and inflmmation after a surgical proceedure.

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Why does a homeopath ask so many questions?

I need to get information on your illness to diagnosis and give a prognosis of your ailment.

To arrive at an appropriate course of treatment for you (constitutionally, anti-miasmatic and specific medicines) I need the patient's past medical history, family medical history, likes/dislikes in food and the mental make up. I will ask you about your nature and temperament, about any emotional distress that is disturbing you or any past event that might have been stressful for you. For a given  illness there are several medicines and in order for me to select the appropriate medicine for you, I will ask a wide range of questions.

All homeopathic medicines look the same. How can the same homeopathic pill cure a variety of ailments?

The basic ingredients of homeopathic medicines are derived from 3000 different sources, including plants and minerals. Their active principles are extracted into various solvents and the liquid homeopathic medicine is poured into small, highly porous, absorptive sugar globules for better taste. The white pills are vehicles so although homeopathic medicines may look alike, the medicine content within these white sugar pills is different.

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Do homeopathic medicines have side-effects?

No, homeopathic medicines do not cause any side-effects. Homeopathy is a natural, safe as well as effective method of healing. Homeopathic medicines are made from natural sources like plants and minerals, thus causing no side-effects, even if you take them throughout your lifetime. They are absolutely non-toxic and non-habit forming, and the cure is safe and sure.

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Do homeopathic medicines intensify symptoms initially?

With the right homeopathic remedy and dosage, symptoms rarely get aggravated before the patient is cured. However, during the healing process, the strengthening of the body’s defence mechanism may sometimes cause the symptoms to worsen temporarily. This is a good sign that indicates the homeopathic medicine is working appropriately. Usually, such symptoms last only for a few hours to a few days.Furthermore, some cases might see an aggravation of symptoms as a result of past suppressive treatments that have pushed the disease into a deeper layer of the body.

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Do homeopathic medicines have steroids?

Homeopathy believes in correcting the disorder instead of suppressing it, unlike steroid-based drugs. Therefore, using steroids is against the philosophy of homeopathy. All homoeopathic medicines use scientific methods of extracting medicinal properties from natural substances. There is no scope or need to adulterate the medicines with any other substance, as that would eliminate the curative properties of the medicine.

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Is homeopathic medicine slow in action? Is it effective in treating acute illnesses?

Several types of diseases, chronic or acute, can be treated effectively with homeopathy. Unfortunately, people tend to go to a homeopath only when the acute problem becomes chronic, that is, it becomes more severe and difficult to treat. They choose homeopathy when other systems of medicine fail to treat or completely cure their medical condition, most often in cases like arthritis, asthma, rare skin conditions, etc. These cases naturally take longer to treat, even with any other system of medicine. For acute ailments like fever, diarrhoea, acute cold, cough, etc., homeopathic remedies act as fast as conventional medicines, sometimes even faster. In certain cases, these remedies produce results even quicker than other forms of therapy

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For how long does one need to take homeopathic medicine?

The duration of homeopathic treatment depends a lot on factors like the duration of your illness, progress of the disorder and earlier treatments you may have taken for the same. Typically in an uncomplicated case , after the acute attack is treated, to avoid relapse , a constitutional  and antimiasmatic is given once a week for 3 months.

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Why don’t homeopathic doctors disclose the name of the medicines they hand out?

One of the biggest reasons behind the aggravation of diseases in patients today is self-medication. Potential risks of self-medication include incorrect dosage, severe adverse reactions, dangerous drug interactions, drug-dependency and aggravation of the condition. When patients know the name of the medicine that helped cure their symptoms once, they tend to treat their ailment with the same medicine in case of recurrence without the knowledge of the doctor. Thus, to avoid the practice of self-medication, a homeopath avoids disclosing the name of the medicine prescribed. Medicine taken without the doctor’s advice can do more harm than benefit. However, if you still insist on knowing the medicine prescribed, our homeopathic doctor will share the same with you.

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Is it safe to take homeopathic medicines during pregnancy/ breast feeding?

Nausea, anaemia, backache, cramps, morning sickness, constipation, heartburn, blood pressure, emotional distress, etc., are some common complaints during pregnancy. Homeopathy works gently and effectively to relieve such discomfort. In fact, conventional medicine can possibly have side-effects on both the mother and child, whereas homeopathy effectively addresses pregnancy related problems without any toxic side-effects.

Is it true that homeopathic medicines are only placebos (sugar pills) or psychological?

Homeopathy acts in children, animals and also on plants. It shows effective results in infants too, even in conditions like abdominal colic. This would not have been possible if homeopathic remedies were placebos.

Experiments have proved that the molecular specificity of the medicine is retained in high dilutions through the solvent molecules.

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Can my illness come back after stopping homeopathic treatment?

To avoid recurrence, the suggested dose of homeopathic remedy for the duration recommended by me must be adhered to. Also follow the post-treatment, self-help care tips that I might suggest.

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Can homeopathy treat all types of illnesses?

Homeopathic medicine can provide relief in both acute as well as chronic illnesses. It provides quick and effective relief in acute ailments like fever, diarrhoea, acute cold, cough, etc. It works well for child health problems related to memory, growth and immunity. Homeopathy offers relief to women’s health issues like PCOD, PMS, menopause, etc. It works well for hair loss, thyroid and obesity, and has proven to be effective in the treatment of chronic cases of skin disorders, arthritis, asthma, diabetes and many others. Thus, homeopathy provides a safe and effective cure for a majority of ailments, except those which need emergency care and surgery.

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Does homeopathic treatment involve a lot of restrictions on food?

Certain restrictions on food are mandatory in any system of medicine for effective treatment. For example, diabetics are not allowed to consume foods that are high in sugar, and the intake of salt should be reduced by those with high blood pressure. These restrictions are applicable irrespective of whether patients opt for allopathic or homeopathic treatment. Certain specific restrictions are imposed for homeopathic treatment; for example, it is usually recommended that patients must refrain from eating or drinking anything 15-30 minutes before or after the consumption of homeopathic medicines. This is due to the way in which homeopathic medicine works and has nothing to do with avoiding the intake of a particular food product for a lifetime.
A patient undergoing homeopathic treatment has to keep the medicine below their tongue so that it comes in contact with the nerves. Homeopathic medicine is absorbed through the tongue and inner lining of the mouth. This is the reason why some homeopaths advise patients not to eat anything at least 15 minutes before or after taking the medicine, so that nothing else interferes with the absorption of the medicine.

Can I use perfumes and deodorants while I am on homeopathic treatment?

Perfumes and deodorants, except those with extremely strong odours, will not interfere with your treatment. Anti-perspirants, while not detrimental to homeopathic remedies, are nonetheless unhealthy because they suppress the normal physiological response of your body. However, it is recommended that you take advice from your homeopathic doctor before using any perfume or deodorant.

Can I combine homeopathy with allopathic treatment?

To avoid withdrawal effects patients who have been on allopathy are not advised to stop treatment abruptly. Homeopathic treatment is introduced simultaneously to stimulate the body's immunity and metabolism. It is with the decrease in intensity and frequency that the allopathic medicine are gradually withdrawn.

Does homeopathic treatment need a diagnosis and blood tests or X-rays like conventional treatment?

Like any other system of medicine, homeopathy also needs to evaluate your condition thoroughly and make the correct diagnosis. Simply taking medication on the basis of symptoms will only mask your symptoms, and not get to the root of the problem. The symptoms can give your doctor a rough indication of what you could be suffering, but tests will help narrow down the diagnoses. Blood tests, X-rays and CT scan reports will provide the doctor with adequate information about the progress of your condition, presence of disease-causing virus or bacteria in your body, deficiency of vital minerals or nutrients, and several other medical facts that will help them suggest an appropriate remedy.
For example, hair loss can be due to iron deficiency or anaemia. Your homeopathic doctor will be able to confirm the reason behind your hair loss only after the diagnostic report confirms it. Also, advanced diagnostic technology like 3D imaging device helps you know your response to the treatment and improvement in your condition even before it is seen by the naked eye, thereby saving your money and time.

How does homeopathy work?

The philosophy of homeopathy tells us that the symptoms of a disease are the guideposts to let us know if there is something wrong deep within and in need of correction. It focuses on the whole person rather than just treating symptoms or 'disease labels'. Homeopathy aims to treat the root cause of a problem, not just mask the symptoms.
Homeopathy is based on the principle of ‘like cures like’. It treats illness or disease by the administration of minute doses of a remedy that would produce symptoms similar to those of the disease in healthy people. For example, when you chop onions, you have watery eyes and a runny nose, and you may also sneeze or cough. All of it happens due to exposure to the tuber’s active substances. The homeopathic remedy, Allium Cepa, made from red onion, can help you overcome a cold or allergy attack in which you may have similar symptoms – watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing, coughing or throat irritation.

• Homeopathic medicine works by stimulating the body's own curative powers. It strengthens the immune system. Once the immune system is strong and starts functioning effectively, many ailments get cured naturally..