Homeopathy: Increasing Scientific Validation, Article Review Example

In this article, the author defines homoeopathy as a form of treatment in which a substance that typically causes illness is utilized in a curative manner. This is done so that the body could achieve maximal healing power; these cures are expected to support the body’s natural healing process. On the other hand, conventional medicine is defined as a process that utilizes toxins that are foreign to the illness in order to serve in a curative manner (Reilly, 2005). While these two methods are different approaches to the treatment process, the author states that they are not mutually exclusive. Research has demonstrated the efficacy of both processes and they can be used simultaneously to achieve the best results for certain disorders. However, it is necessary to consider that homeopathy is only ideal for the treatment of disorders in which the body is naturally able to overcome alone. The author specifically cites an example in which a patient has cancer. In doing so, he states that homeopathy will not be able to cure the patient of this disease, but it can make the patient’s quality of life improve if this individual is simultaneously treated with conventional medicine.

Ultimately, the author believes that homeopathy and conventional medicine are compatible treatment processes although this understanding is typically rejected by many modern medical health professionals. Practitioners of homeopathy are typically those individuals that prefer to treat the body using natural means while practitioners of conventional medicine believe that diluting the body’s natural toxins is not as effective as providing it with chemicals from external sources. Many practitioners of conventional medicine believe that homeopathy is somewhat effective, but do not trust this technique as a sole form of treatment. Despite the skepticism that exists against homeopathy, many health care professionals are becoming interested in its use. Therefore, there is an increasingly welcoming stage in medicine that will allow for its practice.

The two treatment methods are compatible when a series of circumstances are met. First, homeopathy is recommended primarily when conventional treatment methods have failed or when certain symptoms of an illness cannot be treated using conventional means. In the next scenario, it is reasonable to use homeopathy when no conventional treatment exist or whether conventional treatments are contraindicated. Last, homeopathy could be delivered on the basis of patient preference; many individuals are concerned with some of the effects of conventional treatments for health and religious reasons and may refuse it altogether. For these individuals, homeopathy offers a more natural curative process.

There are many way that practitioners feel that their practice benefits from employing homeopathy. Of main concern, this technique could be utilized to treat mental disorders in which there is no clearly effective treatment plan available in conventional medicine (Ernst, 2012). It was shown that individuals who had mental disorders in conjunction with other illnesses have been successfully using homeopathy, whereas conventional medicine is unable to specifically target the symptoms for each disease. In addition, statistics related to the use of homeopathy has revealed that this treatment method led to a significant reduction in outpatient visits. At the end of a clinical study, a 39% reduction was observed. Last, there was a 53% decrease in hospital admissions, indicating that there was no further need to treat disease symptoms in many instances.

In conclusion, homeopathy is a reasonable treatment method both in conjunction with conventional medicine and independently when no other treatment alternatives exist. In addition, certain patient population prefer this treatment method because comparatively, it is an all-natural process. It is likely that the value of homeopathy will become more highly recognized in the future, which will allow a greater degree of patients to be relieved of their medical maladies. It is possible that it will even replace the utility of conventional medicine in instances in which treatment is not commonly seen as effective.

References

Ernst E. (2012). Homeopathy: A Critique of Current Clinical Research. Skeptical Inquirer, 36(6).

Reilly D. (2005). Homeopathy: Increasing Scientific Validation. Journal Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, 11(2).