Frequently Asked Questions
Questions you always want to ask :
1. What is homeopathy ?
Homeopathy system is discovered way back in 1755, works on the principle
that ‘like cures like’ — an illness is treated with a substance which could produce
similar symptoms in a healthy person. However, homeopathic medicines are given in
highly  diluted forms and are therefore extremely safe and have no side-effects.
Homeopathy is a holistic system of treatment. It aims to treat the whole person, rather
than just the physical symptoms.
2. What is homeopathic consultation ? What it actual means ?
The homeopath will ask not only about your illness but also about how you are
affected by environmental factors such as temperature and the weather, what kinds of
food you eat or avoid, your moods and feelings as well as your medical history in order
to establish a complete picture of you, as a person. This is then related to the
description of your current symptoms in order to prescribe the correct remedy at the
right strength. Whereas in allopathic medical practice, people diagnosed with the
same condition will generally be given the same medicine. Every individual reacts and
adapts in a different way to their surroundings and this is accepted and respected in
homeopathy for remedy selection. The way people adapt to new home, family, or
work environment; their reaction to external circumstances; their past and present
  experiences; and their general state of mind are all key attributes of patient
assessment and treatment.
3. What happens in follow - ups (subsequent consultations) ?
The subsequent consultations entail discussions about what has happened to the
particular symptom(s) - are there changes in intensity or frequency, has the patient
noticed any changes in his/her general health (appetite, sleep, bowel habit etc.). To a 
homeopath, this most recent picture is again a new symptom totality that needs to be
addressed; the medicines are again prescribed taking this changing totality into
consideration.The second prescription is therefore based on the new symptom totality
which may also change from patient to patient even in cases where the diagnosis of 
the disorder might be similar. In homeopathy there are no fixed rules for describing a
particular ‘plan of treatment’ for a particular disorder - the doctor would prescribe
based on the totality of the presenting symptoms, then fine tune and adjust according
to changes reported by the patient.
4. What is constitutional treatment in homeopathy ?
According to homeopathy, mind and body are very much linked and physical problems
cannot be effectively cured without understanding and putting right the person’s
constitution and character. Constitution in homeopathy means a person’s state of
health, including their temperament and any inherited and acquired characteristics. To
determine the constitution of a person, a homeopath usually asks a great many
questions. Homeopathy believes that if your constitution is healthy, you will not
succumb to any infection, i.e. bacteriae and viruses will not affect you as your
susceptibility is low. This is the basic difference between allopathy and homeopathy.
Allopaths believe that one becomes sick due to infection, i.e. bacteriae and viruses;
hence their treatment is aimed at killing the infection using strong drugs. This however, 
further reduces the immunity of the person making it weaker and the person becomes
more susceptible and falls sick again and again. Homeopaths believe, however, that
first your constitution becomes weak and then you become susceptible to infection.
The bacteriae and viruses are the end products of disease process and not the cause
of  disease. The bacteriae and viruses are everywhere; they will not affect you till your
immunity is strong. In homeopathy treatment is aimed at raising the vitality, i.e.
immunity of the person so that he can fight out the disease himself. This is why
homeopathy is able to cure permanently while in allopathy there are frequent
remissions.
5. What is meant by individualistic nature of homeopathic prescription ?
Unlike allopathy, homeopathy is not readymade but tailor-made to suit an individual.
Therefore, in homeopathy two people are unlikely to be prescribed the same remedy.
One remedy may be prescribed constitutionally for general bodily imbalances and
another remedy may be prescribed simultaneously for specific, acute symptoms. On
the subsequent visit the remedies may be changed depending upon the progress of
the patient. Thus, we can say that in homeopathy we us designer remedies designed
especially for an individual.
6. How does homeopath chooses the potency  i.e. the strength of remedy ?
Several factors are considered while deciding the potency of the remedy prescribed
like, condition to be treated, the strength of the patient, the age of the patient,
and the circumstances. Not only must the remedy given be suitable, but the potency
chosen must also be appropriate to the individual patient.
7. What reactions should one expect after taking a homeopathic remedy ?
Usually after taking a well-indicated homeopathic medicine, the person feels better in
all aspects – physical, mental and emotional. Occasionally after taking a homeopathic
medicine your symptoms may become slightly worse. This effect will be brief and is a
good sign that the body’s natural healing energies have started to counteract the
illness. After this, the symptoms will subside as you regain your health. If symptoms
do not go away, talk to your homeopath.
8. Homeopathy first aggravates the disease and then improves ?
It is a myth. It does not happen to all cases and always, if the chosen remedy matches
the patient’s need. But if repeated more than the need, often increases the complaints,
but it would subside on its own as soon as the medicine is withdrawn. Sometimes, a
patient who is dependent on some other medicines, for example, steroids, stops
them, then he gets the original disease symptoms, and considers that the disease
has aggravated.
9. How to take homeopathic remedies ?
Avoid putting anything in your mouth for half-an-hour before or after taking your
medicine.This is because homeopathic medicines get absorbed from the inner
linings of the mouth. Substances usually leave a coating in the oral cavity and also an
odor. This may hinder the absorption of the medicine. You may, however drink water. It
is also advisable to completely avoid strong substances like coffee and mint while
taking homeopathic remedies because these may antidote the remedy prescribed.
Strong household cleaners and other such chemical products may actually have a
poisoning effect on the body. Handling medicines can inactivate them; therefore, avoid
touching homeopathic remedies. It is best to tip 4 pills into the lid of the container and
then tip the medicine into your mouth. If the pills are touched or dropped, they should
not be returned to the container. Otherwise your remedy will lose its ability to do its job.
Remedies should be stored away from strong light, strong temperature variations and
strong smells.
10. Can homeopathic medicines be taken alongwith homeopathic medicines ?
Homeopathic medicines can be safely taken along with other allopathic medicines like
high blood pressure and diabetes medicines. Your regular allopathic medicines are
not stopped for some time. Your homeopath will be able to reduce your other drugs if
you begin to improve under the influence of the homeopathic ones.
11. Someone told me homeopathy is quackery ?
NO. The founder of homeopathy, Dr. Samuel Christian Hahnemann, MD, was a
German allopathic doctor of his time. He, disillusioned with his profession, left his
career in allopathic medicine to research alternative treatments. He began treating
patients with a principle of “like cures like”. He called his new system “homeopathy”,
from the Greek word: homeo meaning “similar” and meaning “suffering.” Government
of India through Central Council of Homeopathy controls and reviews education,
research and practice of homeopathy in India. In India most of the Government run
clinics and hospitals have a homeopathic unit. Homeopathy in India is a full-fledged
Bachelor’s degree course spanning 5½ years of training with one year internship and
a post-graduate MD course. There are around 147 homeopathic medical colleges all
over India which offer undergraduate medical education; many of these are govt.
run while others are run by private educational societies. Out of these 23 offer
postgraduate education. Minimum qualification for admission into these colleges is
high school with Biology, Physics and Chemistry as majors. The students also have to
undergo an entrance exam for admission into the undergraduate homeopathy degree
course. The above process ensures that only the talented students are chosen to
become future homeopaths.There is no difference between the homeopathic medical
curricula and that of MBBS and in 4½ years the students learn Anatomy, Physiology,
Biochemistry, Microbiology, Pathology, Parasitology, Forensic Medicine, Gynecology,
Obstetrics, Ophthalmology, ENT, Surgery, Community Medicine, Practice of Medicine
along with Homeopathic Pharmacy, Repertory, Materia Medica and Homeopathic
Methodology & Philosophy.  From the second year on, they learn bedside medicine
and attend clinical classes. Exams are conducted at the end the academic year.At the
end of 4½ years after passing their final exams, they are awarded the BHMS degree
(Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery).There is a 1-year internship after that
where the prospective homeopaths are posted in the hospital and other Government-
run clinics to get some real-world experience.At the end of the internship, the
homeopaths register themselves with the State Homeopathy Boards which in effect is
a license to practice.There are postgraduate courses also. Admission to these is
through an entrance exam.