Some patients and homeopaths are of the belief that all the diseases are equally curable using homeopathy. This is an extreme view and it needs to be discussed. All the diseases, obviously, cannot be cured using homeopathy..

Let us be very clear that homeopathy is a science and not a magic! Homeopathy has its own strength and limitations as well. The believers of homeopathy, at times, have over expectations from this science. Also, some of the homeopaths have wrong notions; wherein they promote the idea that if symptoms match, all diseases, from colds to cancer find a cure in homeopathy.

The curability of diseases using homeopathy depends on some of the following factors, put randomly as under:

Is your disease curable using homeopathy?

1. Nature of pathology: All disease are not the same. The diseases can be allergic (e.g.. asthma, hay fever), infective (viral, bacterial, fungal, etc), autoimmune (e.g. under active thyroid, alopecia areata), metabolic (e.g. diabetes, lactose intolerance), functional (e.g. Irritable Bowel Syndrome), structural (e.g. Ulcerative colitis), reversible (e.g. GERD, Migraine), irreversible (e.g. Hernia, Cataract, Male Pattern Baldness), benign (e.g.Chalazion, lipoma), malignant (e.g. Cancer), emotional (e.g. Anxiety neurosis, Erectile dysfunction), psychological (e.g. depression), psychosomatic (e.g. Migraine, Rheumatoid arthritis), collagen (e.g. Polymyositis, Myasthenia gravis, Muscular dystrophy), nutritional (e.g. anemia), iatrogenic (drug induced disease) (e.g. Lichen Planus, cortisone myopathy) etc. The prognosis varies based on the nature of the disease.

2. Nature of disease: My new categories of disease will be Acute, sub acute, chronic, recurring or critical; instead of only Acute and Chronic. Most of the Acute (tonsillitis), Chronic (Eczema) and Recurring (Asthmatic Bronchitis) diseases are treatable using homeopathy. However, some of the acute diseases which are critical in nature, such as severe infection (septicemia, cerebral malaria) or heart attack (myocardial infarction) etc are not curable using homeopathy.

3. Nature of infection: Most of the bacterial and viral infections find good treatment using homeopathy. However, severe infections such as Tuberculosis, HIV, Gonorrheal Meningitis, Typhoid, etc are better not treated using homeopathy as the conventional treatment is more effective for them. Cases of HIV can find supportive role in homeopathy. Homeopathy is effective for bacterial infections such as abscess, tonsillitis, otitis media, recurring boils, osteomyelitis, etc. Homeopathy is also effective for viral infections such as measles, chickenpox, hepatitis A, B and C, viral warts, herpes, molluscum contagiosa, etc. Fungal infections such as tenia versicolor and tenia corporis responds to homeopathy. However, very old standing tenia corporis is often difficult to treat with any medicine. Onychomycosis is a fungal infection of nails, difficult to treat yet treatable.

4. If or not the pathological changes of the disease are functional or structural in nature: The diseases with functional changes (Aplastic anemia, Migraine) are easy to treat by and large. The diseases with structural (Psoriatic arthritis), changes  take longer to get results. Some of them are completely curable (e.g. Ulcerative colitis, Hepatitis C) while some are partly curable (Trigeminal Neuralgia), and some are incurable (e.g. Deformities in Rheumatoid arthritis). 

3. If or not the pathological changes of the disease are irreversible or irreversible in nature: Reversible disease pathology such as Psoriasis, Urticaria, Asthma are curable. The diseases with irreversible changes such as Osteoarthritis can be palliated but not cured; while some of the irreversible diseases such as some forms of cancer cannot be cured or helped using homeopathy.

6. Extent and stage of the disease: Most diseases have different stages. The success of treatment varies according to the extent and stage of the disease. For example, Vitiligo with mild extent is curable but the same disease if extensive, cannot be cured.

7. Depth of the disease: Various diseases have varying roots in terms of the depth of the diseases. For example, some diseases such as acute urticaria is usually not deep seated; it is superficial. It can be treated quickly with success. When Urticaria becomes chronic, say five years old, and it is recurring again and again, its depth is more. This form of urticaria is still curable, but it takes time. Now, the same example of urticaria, when presents with severe form what is called as Angioedema and dermatographism, it becomes all the more difficult to treat, since its 'depth of the disease' is much more. All the diseases need to be understood in this manner.

8. Cause of the disease: Every disease needs to be scrutinized in terms of the origin and causes such as genetic, metabolic, immunological, etc. and the prognosis can be determined accordingly.

9. Maintaining factors of the disease: Some diseases have maintaining factors untreated. For example, cases of hair loss using hair dye or harsh shampoo will still have loss of hair, in spite of the best homeopathic treatment.

10. Current medications: Some of the diseases are triggered or maintained by some drugs or medicines. For example, cases of psoriases who are on beta-blockers may obstruct cure of psoriasis. Some of the strong immunosuppressive medicines such as methotraxate or cortisone may not allow the right homeopathic medicine to work in some cases such as  Nephrotic Syndrome, Atopic dermatitis, Psoriasis.

11. Past medications: Some of the strong immunosuppressive medicines such as methotraxate, cortisone, cyclophosphamide etc. may delay cure with homeopathic medicines.

12. Over all health of the patient: If the patients general health and vitality is good, the results are better and faster.

13. Associated diseases that the patient may be having: Associated diseases have impact on the treatment of other diseases. For example, if the patient of Alopecia areata also has Under active thyroid and/or diabetes, it takes relatively longer to get success.

14. Genetic factors: Strong genetic tendency in the background calls for defined line of treatment and the response time may vary accordingly.

15. Life style factors: Patients of Oral Lichen Planus continuing with smoking; or cases of IBS living erratic lifestyle  will alter the response time of the treatment.

16. Selection of homeopathic medicine and its dose: In fact the most important factor is the selection of the correct medicines for the patients, based on detailed history and understating of the totality. Also, correct medicine in right dose and correct repetition, will make the cure successful.

17. Patient's compliance: It is important to have patient's active participation and compliance  in the process of cure.

A qualified homeopath can and should be able to help you in suggesting you about the possibility of cure and an estimated timeline. A good homeopath who has adequate experience, expertise, medical training combined with proper case study can make your life easy.

Some more videos by Dr Shah on curability of various diseases: