Risks of Homeopathy
Homeopathic remedies are extremely safe and have no harmful side effects. There is a risk of homeopathy medicine when needed therapies and/or diagnostic tests are excluded. In this case, a Homeopathy remedy and conventional medicine may be used hand in hand.
Two barriers that raise the risks of homeopathy:
• Time and patience are needed to find the right homeopathic remedy for your symptoms. This process may take longer than using conventional medicine. Unfortunately, there is no standard remedy to cure every symptom.
• The remedy must be matched to your particular symptom, where it occurs, what brings it on, what aggravates it and other symptoms you experience.
• If the remedy is not one of 30 or so commonly used and readily available, it may be difficult to obtain.
After starting a homeopathic remedy, some patients feel worse for a brief period of time. This is interpreted as the body temporarily stimulating symptoms while it makes an effort to restore health. A treatment should stop when a symptom clears up. Otherwise the treatment may produce a recurrence of the symptom.
Risks of homeopathy can include liquid remedies that contain alcohol and are permitted to have higher levels of alcohol than conventional drugs for adults. Some consumers may be concerned. However, no adverse effects from the alcohol levels have been reported in Homeopathy literature or to the Food and Drug Administration.
If you are considering using a homeopathic remedy and currently take a conventional drug, consult with your healthcare provider. Though Homeopathic remedies are not known to interfere with conventional drugs, each case should be handled on an individual basis. If you have more than one provider, discuss with each one.
Other risks of homeopathy include:
• Reports of the sale of over the counter homeopathic drugs
• Lack of tamper-resistant packaging
• Improper labeling
• Products that contain vitamins or plants not listed in homeopathic references but are promoted as homeopathic
• Labeling is too vague. For example: “treats gastrointestinal disorders” is too general. This could include a wide variety of conditions
• Though homeopathic remedies often contain only water and/or alcohol, in rare cases the original ingredients is present at detectable levels causing a risk of homeopathy treatment. One report showed an unusually undiluted solution allegedly caused a small percentage of users to lose their sense of smell. There were 340 cases settled out of court.
• In 1938 the U.S. Congress passed a law declaring homeopathic remedies be regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the same manner as over the counter drugs (non prescriptions). Although new over the counter and conventional drugs must under go through testing and review for safety by the FDA, this requirement does not apply to homeopathic remedies.
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The Natural Center for Homeopathy
Located in Alexandria, Virginia, the National Center for Homeopathy’s (NCH) was formed in 1974. The National Center for Homeopathy promotes health through homeopathy. It makes homeopathy available throughout the United States by providing general education to the public and specific education to homeopaths. The principal function of the National Center for Homeopathy is to put accurate, quality, realistic information into the hands of anyone interested in an alternative to chemical drug treatments. People can then make an informed decision about the available alternatives in medical care. The National Center for Homeopathy also provides assistance in the development of local chapters of lay persons interested in homeopathy.
This open-membership organization has provided instruction for over 70 years. Each summer the NCH conducts the National Center for Instruction in Homeopathy and Homeotherapeutic, highly specialized classes for health care practitioners and consumers. In 2006 the National Center for Homeopathy began offering weekend seminars around the country. It helps its practitioners continue treating patients who prefer not to be involved in modern medicine.
Members receive six issues per year of Homeopathy Today, an informative and educational publication. Filled with helpful hints, book reviews, a calendar of events and short articles, it alternates with the popular e-Newsletter. Members also have access to many online amenities such as Homeopathy Today Online, the NCH Chat Room, the Remedies & Symptoms materia medica database and discounts from green and organic vendors.
Members also receive the Homeopathic Resource Guide, invaluable information which provides information to practitioners, pharmacies, and study groups. Members may also use the National Center reference library, which houses one of the largest collections of texts, journals, and monographs on homeopathy in the United States. This library is open only to NCH members.
Through The Natural Center for Homeopathy website, the work with the media and the open to the public annual meeting, the National Center for Homeopathy provides accurate, up-to-date information. A press package is available once a year and the staff answers more than 10,000 inquiries a year.
The NCH store is supplied with homeopathic books and products that have provided thousand of people with their first glimpse of self care through homeopathy. These resources are available at a special member discount by phone or online.
While the Natural Center for Homeopathy cannot endorse the credentials of a homeopathic practitioner, a database is available on the NCH website to assist patients in finding the perfect equation for their health care needs.
Inner Health Through Homeopathy, a new web radio show, made its debut on Voice America on April 11, 2007. It airs at 1 p.m. on Wednesdays on Homeopathy Radio.
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