O/T Homeopathy
 

Does anyone know if homeopathy really works? There is so much conflicting information out there yet more and more creams/ointments are homeopathic recepies today. I read the reviews on this cream on Iherb, among other sites and they are all very positive. I bought it from Iherb, but I am a little concerned about some of the ingredients such as Bella Donna which is known to be toxic. The cream is called Topricin, and is used for sore backs,muscles,arthritis, and Nerve pain. I don't know if it would be contraindicated to use with autoimmune PN. Has anyone tried it? Does anyone know if such things are truly safe?

Ingredients List
Homeopathic Medicines (HPUS) Purpose
Aesculus hippocastanum: 6X Relieves pain in the lower back, hip and spine
Arnica Montana: 6X Treats pain of impact, falling injuries and contusion to muscle and joints
Belladonna 6X: Treats muscle spasms, night leg cramps
Crotalus horridus: 8X Relief of impact injuries & deep muscle bruising
Echinacea: 6X Relieves sharp sticking pain in joints & muscles
Graphites: 6X For skin conditions
Heloderma: 8X Relief of burning pain in the hands & feet
Lachesis mutus: 8X Relief of sciatic pain, and carpal tunnel
Naja tripudians: 8X Relieves nerve injury pain
Rhus Toxicodendron: 6X Pain relief for muscle cramping, joint and post-surgical pain
Ruta graveolens: 6X Relief of injuries to the knee, shin & elbow

Inactive Ingredients: Purified water, Highly refined vegetable oils, Glycerin, Medium Chain Triglyceride

Thank you,
Aussie:)

Please consult homeopathy links which explain the concentrations used: like 6X and 8X....etc.

I've done this many times here, and won't go into it again.

Basically at the concentrations in that product... diluted to millionths concentrations, there may be one or two MOLECULES if any in the product at all. Many homeopathic products have toxins and poisons in them this way... lead, arsenic, etc. So I consider most of them bunkum. But some labels today do read "homeopathic" and have higher amounts of things squeezed in there, so Buyer Beware!

This is a quick overview of some dilutions:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathic_dilutions

It is best to be very careful therefore and understand what the dilutions mean, if you choose to explore homeopathic remedies.

Hi,

If you read my Making informed decisions thread you will see that I believe in rigorous, peer reviewed research that isn't skewed for profit or personal gain. Sadly everything I've read from the science/medical community suggests that the theory that underpins homeopathy does not adhere to those principles and is in fact hogwash.

That's not to say that there isn't anacdotal evidence that it works in some cases for some people, but if you read the link below, homeopathy has "abused it's placebo privileges".
As Mrs D says, be aware. I would go further and say don't waste your money.

http://www.1023.org.uk/what-is-homeopathy.php

Karen
PS We even have homeopathy treatments available at some hospitals alongside conventional medicine in our National Health Service in Britain! It is indeed a powerful and persuasive lobby group.

Just a quick note... for a potted history of homeopathy, you can't really beat the one below.
It also puts my previous link into some context..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy

Karen

Too late for me on this sore, as I already purchased the item. After reading the article it makes me feel a bit silly thinking this stuff would work. I just wonder why so many reviews were so positive.
Thank you!!

We've used homeopathy with success but it's not easy to figure out the correct remedy. It's a very complex system and there are different approaches. Classic homeopathics use single remedies while others use combinations and other types of energetic substances. The Germans and Swiss use homeopathic preparations for detoxing and healing which is a newer form of homeopathic medicine. Many Naturopaths are incorporating it into their protocols.

Of all the alternative medicine out there, homeopathy is probably the safest. Finding the right remedy and dosing is tricky.

There is quite a bit of support for homeopathy in the UK.

It is quite different in the U.S. however.

Your product is not likely to be dangerous, except to your pocketbook! ;)

I think just to be on the safe side I will also throw away the homeopathic tablets I bought my partner. He gets really really bad calf cramps and when he does he may even drop to the floor. I got something for him on Iherb for calf cramps but don't want him to try them anymore. Thank you for the logical advice.

Aussie

One other thing.....There is doctor who is using homeopathy to slow the growth of cancer and to improve outcomes in India. His protocol has been reviewed by the NIH and is being explored at the MD Anderson Cancer Center.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18575720


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12963976

I just don't understand how when something is diluted to the point where it's unrecognisable, it becomes stronger? I have applied that concept to everyday things I can understand. It seems like a very long bow to me. On the other hand I totally understand the power of placebo and nocebo. Last night I used the cream I bought and then I made the mistake of googling the ingredients. I started with Bella Donna. As soon as I read that it was toxic has killed people I started to panic. (nocebo)

Needless to say I have decided to chuck all this tuff out to mow morning.

I'll admit it's a huge leap to take with homeopathy. I had been focused on mechanical/chemical aspects of the body. Homeopathy works on an energetic level versus a molecular level. I became more open to its possibilities after reading quite a bit about how energy/electric signals/vibrations play a significant role the healthy functioning of our bodies. And correcting energetic blockages and restoring the proper frequencies to cells/organs is one of the many factors in healing.

So now I blend the various approaches to healing with the foundation still being nutrition, stress reduction, exercise and sleep. The herbs, supplements, homeopathy and body work to support it all.

Hi Marlene,

The 2 pubmed abstracts are from 2003 and 2007. Do you know if there is anything conclusive and up to date regarding the trials?

Karen

I think the most important factor in choosing homeopathy, is reading the labels carefully and making sure the term is not concealing other ingredients at higher doses than homeopathy really endorses. This is a trend that has been happening here in U.S. The term "homeopathy" is still used in the wrong contexts, to refer to complementary medicine.

Whether true homeopathic remedies actually work, is another
topic altogether.

There are mixtures of vitamins made by various companies we see on PN here, who mix low dose herbs, with high dose vitamins. Often they don't give the concentration of the herbs, and instead call their mixtures "proprietary" to avoid labeling accurately. (it is a loophole the FDA allows sadly).
Watch for that too. I'd avoid any huge mixtures of these types, unless you research the herbs carefully, and choose to pay the higher price for them, in the end.

I agree that the terms homeopathy, herbal remedies, alternative medicine can get lumped together and/or be misunderstood. The link below looks at the differences between the first two..

http://voices.yahoo.com/homeopathy-v...07.html?cat=68

Karen

From what I can tell, the Topricin is a true homeopathic cream. I don't think you have to be concerned with the ingredients on this one.

You really have to read the labels on everything. I have a problem when the inactive ingredients are more dangerous. Petro chemicals, paraben, etc just don't belong in a "natural" cream. Topricin is a pretty pure product on the whole.