What the conventional doctors should know about homeopathy
 

By Dr Rajesh Shah, M.D.

(For information of patients and conventional doctors.)

What the conventional doctors should know about homeopathy

The doctors of conventional medicine have not been trained to have a pragmatic view towards homeopathy. As a result, without their fault, many of the conventional doctors have view on homeopathy which may be far from what is being called for. This is true with the doctors in mot countries.

Why so?
The conventional medical view on homeopathy is supported by one or more of the following reasons:

a. Lack of knowledge about homeopathy
b. Lack of experience with homeopathy
c. Unwillingness to review homeopathy

The entire conventional medical training is centered on understanding more and more about smallest units of human body. There has been greater success than ever before. However, in the process, the totalistic philosophy is jeopardized. The conventional doctors are not trained to look around and incorporated wisdom of other system of medicine.

Lack of knowledge about homeopathy:
The conventional doctors (called as allopathic doctors in some countries) end up having lack of knowledge about following aspects of homeopathy and homeopathic education:

1. They are often ignorant about the fact that when the conventional medicine was unpolished and cruel (late 18th century).
2. That homeopathy took birth in Germany, introduced by the doctor of medicine that time, who was frustrated of blood letting and ill practice in medicine, which has now developed into the conventional medicine.
3. The homeopathy is taught as a medical course, almost identical to the conventional medicine, except the subject of conventional pharmacopeia (in many countries.)
4. In other words, the homeopathic education is not different than the conventional 'medical' education, except for the line of treatment.
5. That homeopathy is a different treatment modality, not different understating about the human body!
6. Homeopathy works for chronic diseases, where the conventional medicine has limitations.
7. That disease investigational parameters are same for the homeopathic science.
8. That homeopathy is a medical science! (How ironic that one stream of medical science has no introduction to the other stream.)
9. That all forms of medical systems are nothing but parts of science viewed and applied in different manners. This is true with the conventional medicine and homeopathy.
10. That surgery is also a part of homeopathy. Homeopathy is just a specialized medicinal therapeutics, whereby medicines are administered with a different philosophy while all other treatment modalities remain the same, which include investigations, diagnostic procedures (biopsy, MRI), surgical measures, medical procedures (dialysis, intravenous supplements, ventilators), and other supplementary therapies.
11. Most conventional doctors do not study the fundamentals of homeopathy hence have no knowledge whatsoever about this faculty which has survived for over 210 years. As a result, they end up criticizing homeopathy without prior comprehension.
12. That, homeopathy is as faculty with great therapeutic scope, which is not yet a fully developed science. Any way, which science is fully developed?


Lack of experience:
Medical science per se is based on empirical know-how, to start with. The conventional doctors due to many reasons fail to gain experience using homeopathy. Any criticism without personal experience is bound to be groundless.

Some of the conventional doctors who are either open-minded hence opt for having experience using homeopathic medicines, either for themselves of for their family members, end up having positive views. Those who do not manage to have first hand experience, end up missing out on the benefits for themselves, their families as well as for their patients.

One will have experience either out of knowledge or need. If you know, you will make use of it. Some of the conventional doctors, who would have opposed homeopathy all life due to closed minded attitude, might suddenly come across a situation, where someone dear and near would need for alternative medicine for a disease not treatable using the conventional treatment. And the doors open for ever. However, there are people, who keep the doors rigidly shut, and would never let open!

Unwillingness to try homeopathy:
In the age of information technology, the most pitiable state is to get information but still not try, out of prejudice. This is true with many conventional medical professionals, as the mindset is so prejudiced that they are just not willing to try new science. This is largely due to lack of exposure to homeopathy at the medical schools.

So, how does it matter?
The question is that does it really matter if the conventional doctors do not understand homeopathy? Well, it matters little if a few million doctors in this world turn their backs to homeopathy. What matters more is when:
1. They do not guide their billions patients who need help for chronic diseases, where the conventional treatment would not work well.
2. When, simply due to ignorance, they discourage those patients who have done better homework about homeopathy, and are willing to opt for it.

It is absolutely unwise to let billions suffer due to the ignorance of a million. Patients suffering from many chronic diseases all over the world remain deprived of the benefits of homeopathy, simply because homeopathy was not taught at the conventional medical schools.  Misconceptions, ignorance and bias about homeopathy can be detrimental to the patients who are treated by the conventional doctors.

What is the solution?
Openness of mind is a solution. The conventional medical schools all over the world can easily integrate short courses (introductory and advance) as a part of regular training. Those who are already in practice could be exposed to homeopathy as a part of CME, continued medical education. This will help the physician in particular and the suffering humanity in general.

Till then, let us learn to keep our senses open.

© This article is written by Dr Rajesh Shah, M.D., for the information of patients and conventional doctors.

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