The Utility of Homeopathy in Treatment

The Utility of Homeopathy in Treatment Student name: Date: The Utility of Homeopathy in Treatment Introduction Is there any basis to justify that the practice of homeopathy is suitable as an option for treatment? The medical world contains a plethora of questions that seek to address the functionality of homeopathy as a form of medical treatment. Several groups of medical practitioners counter the use of the alternative approach for treatment as unsuitable because of the lack of scientific evidence to support the practice. Two questions are of major importance in the determination of the utility. First, is there any evidence to support the application of the practice? Second, are there precautionary measures to undertake in practice, which are worth consideration? Identification of clear supporting evidence about the use of homeopathy may shift perspectives about the applicability of the form of treatment. The paper focuses on evidence that supports the use of homeopathy as a suitable form of treatment for individuals who would like to explore alternative forms of medicine. Background Information about the Treatment Samuel Hahnemann is responsible for the establishment of homeopathy. Practice involved in the treatment has basis on three main principles, which are negligibility, individualization of cases, and similarity (Aversa, Petrescu, Apicella & Petrescu, 2016). The principles work in the following manner. The principle of negligibility dictates that substances used in treatment are not homeopathic unless each respects the law of similarity. The principle of similarity states that substances for treating patients should produce symptoms in a healthy person under experimentation, which are similar to the symptoms the patient produces. For example, the principle of individualization states that the practitioner should adapt the substances to patients. The homeopath needs to analyze all the symptoms a patient exhibits, inclusive of symptoms with no relation to the disease. On the basis of individualization of treatment, administration of the chosen substances can be in the form of safe weighted dosages. Most practitioners tend to prescribe dilutions of the substances, sometimes in low concentration and which have been subject to very frequent high vibrations. Clinical trials have established instances of positive results during tests but several systematic reviews have disqualified the possibilities on the basis of chance, biases in publication or application of debatable methods of research (Aversa, Petrescu, Apicella & Petrescu, 2016). Homeopathy is popular but lacks therapeutic efficiency, which discredits the method as a permanent general medical solution. A large portion of the medical and scientific society considers the treatment as a pseudo-science that contradicts the knowledge in biology and chemistry that are based on the main ideologies of homeopathy, which the homeopaths established. The disputers maintain that some of the diluted remedies lack chemical function, and the effects of treatment lack chemical efficiency but only produce placebo effects. Despite the negative feedback, homeopathy still serves as an effective treatment for diseases. Perception of Homeopathy as a Form of Treatment The author chose t...