Homeopathy can be extremely fast-acting
Homeopathy enjoys the distinct advantage of being free of side effects
Diseases of the skin carry a quarter of the non-fatal global burden of disease. Homeopathy has a particularly strong reputation for managing ailments of the skin. This stems partly from the temporary nature of the relief provided for many skin ailments with conventional medicines. When patients are looking for a permanent cure or for longer-lasting relief, they start looking for options in complementary and alternative medicine. Homeopathy, being the second most popular system of medicine in the world, is an obvious choice.
“Right from its inception about two hundred years ago, homoeopaths have understood the importance of diseases of the skin. In fact, the connections between skin diseases and other symptoms like those of the musculo-skeletal system (for example, what is now known as psoriatic arthropathy) and the respiratory system (for example, atopic conditions of the skin and lungs) were identified by homeopaths decades before conventional medicine made these multi-system connections,” says Dr Kushal Banerjee, M.D. (Hom.), MSc (Oxon), Dr. Kalyan Banerjee’s Clinic, New Delhi.
Many apparently incurable conditions can potentially go into long-term remission and, in some cases, may not manifest at all after prolonged homeopathic treatment.
Homeopathy enjoys the distinct advantage of being free of side effects. So even in cases of treatment spanning a long period, the patient is not adversely affected due to the consumption of homeopathic medicines. This is not the case with the prolonged use of conventional medicines, including topical agents. “A large percentage of patients turn to homeopathy due to the appearance of side effects from conventional medicines, which the doctors must discontinue. These side effects can often be far more serious than the original disease,” adds Dr Banerjee.
It is a common misunderstanding that homeopathic treatment of skin diseases is a very slow process. “This is not true. Homeopathy can be extremely fast-acting. However, when compared to only getting temporary relief for very short periods of time for an apparently incurable condition, treatment spanning several months or occasionally years is still shorter than the patient’s lifespan. Conventional treatment, while providing that temporary relief, is usually continued for the patient’s life span and, therefore, is the treatment that lasts longer,” states Dr Banerjee.
Whether it’s acne vulgaris arising from hormonal changes or eczema due to environmental allergens, homeopathy can help alleviate these symptoms. “In allergic conditions like eczema and urticaria, homeopathy can provide short-term relief during an acute episode but, more importantly, reduce the severity, frequency, and duration of these episodes. Homeopathic medicines may help in building tolerance towards allergens, addressing the cause, and providing longer-lasting relief. Conditions like psoriasis, which can involve the joints in about thirty percent of patients, can be prescribed by the homoeopath, who will look at the patient in a holistic manner. This can help identify the advent of various non-dermatological symptoms of skin diseases early on and address them before they begin causing significant discomfort to the patient,” explains Dr Banerjee.
It will be misleading to imply that all conditions of the skin are curable, and those making such claims should be the subject of some scrutiny. Patients must also understand that the practice of medicine precludes the ability to provide guarantees of cure and time to cure or improve. With experience, clinicians, while being able to provide some estimates, learn that the variation in responses to treatment is significant and this should be communicated to patients.