<p>Many people often have doubts if homeopathy and allopathy medicines can be taken together. To which I say, homeopathy and allopathy are like twin sisters in healthcare. These are two ways of treating patients. They are actually complementary, and not contrary or competitive to each other. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Some diseases are treated more effectively with allopathy, while some are treated better using homeopathy. The best doctor is one who is able to suggest which system of medicine will suit the patient in a given case and how homeopathy and allopathy can be used in combination to get the best of both systems.<br /><br />Twin benefits<br /><br />There are many complex disease conditions such as cancer, HIV, diabetes, allergies, heart diseases, psychiatric diseases, low immunity and auto-immune diseases, which do not seem to find perfect cure in any single system of medicine. For example, cancer can be treated by surgery and chemotherapy, but not completely. Cancer pains may need additional therapy such as homeopathy. <br /><br />Similarly, allergic conditions such as asthma can be the managed by inhaled cortisone or bronchodilators, but the frequency of attacks can be reduced by using homeopathy. Again, acute crisis of skin diseases like psoriasis and eczema would respond to allopathy, but long-term relapses are controlled with homeopathy.<br /><br />So is there any harm in taking homeopathic medicine along with allopathic medicines? Not at all, if they are professionally coordinated. In fact, many studies are now done where both the medicines are given together for the treatment of some complex diseases. <br /><br />In one interesting study done for the treatment of tuberculosis conducted by Central Council for Research in Homeopathy (CCRH, under AYUSH, New Delhi), it was observed that difficult diseases such as MDR-TB (multidrug-resistant tuberculosis) responded better when homeopathic medicines were combined with the conventional allopathic medicines.<br /><br />Dr R K Manchanda, Director General of CCRH and his team treated 120 cases of MDR-TB - some only with the conventional anti-tuberculosis medicine, while another group received additional homeopathic medicines as well. It was observed that those who also received homeopathic medicines responded better than the patients who received only allopathic <br />medicine. This is a great example of complementing the role of homeopathy and allopathy in healthcare. <br /><br />There are many recurring and chronic diseases such as asthma, migraine, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, neuralgias, osteoarthritis, diabetic neuropathy, anxiety neurosis and eczema, which call for combination of both medicines. Although some people - including doctors of both systems - continue to believe that the medicines of different systems cannot be combined, the fact is that homeopathic and allopathic medicines are given simultaneously in some hospitals. Allopathic doctors also need to realise that both medicines can go hand in hand. Coordination by doctors from both systems is required. In fact, it is a patient’s right to ask for integration of both the medicines, if required. <br /><br />Homeopathy and allopathy are like mechanical engineering and electrical engineering, which go hand in hand in developing any gadget. The time has come that we integrate both the systems of medicine, allopathy and homeopathy, for various challenging diseases, because only monotherapy (single system) may not work in all patients. The doctors from both the systems must break their prescription routines and unite to help patients recover better. <br /><br /><em>(The author is organising secretary, Global Homeopathy Foundation & director, Life Force)</em></p>
<p>Many people often have doubts if homeopathy and allopathy medicines can be taken together. To which I say, homeopathy and allopathy are like twin sisters in healthcare. These are two ways of treating patients. They are actually complementary, and not contrary or competitive to each other. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Some diseases are treated more effectively with allopathy, while some are treated better using homeopathy. The best doctor is one who is able to suggest which system of medicine will suit the patient in a given case and how homeopathy and allopathy can be used in combination to get the best of both systems.<br /><br />Twin benefits<br /><br />There are many complex disease conditions such as cancer, HIV, diabetes, allergies, heart diseases, psychiatric diseases, low immunity and auto-immune diseases, which do not seem to find perfect cure in any single system of medicine. For example, cancer can be treated by surgery and chemotherapy, but not completely. Cancer pains may need additional therapy such as homeopathy. <br /><br />Similarly, allergic conditions such as asthma can be the managed by inhaled cortisone or bronchodilators, but the frequency of attacks can be reduced by using homeopathy. Again, acute crisis of skin diseases like psoriasis and eczema would respond to allopathy, but long-term relapses are controlled with homeopathy.<br /><br />So is there any harm in taking homeopathic medicine along with allopathic medicines? Not at all, if they are professionally coordinated. In fact, many studies are now done where both the medicines are given together for the treatment of some complex diseases. <br /><br />In one interesting study done for the treatment of tuberculosis conducted by Central Council for Research in Homeopathy (CCRH, under AYUSH, New Delhi), it was observed that difficult diseases such as MDR-TB (multidrug-resistant tuberculosis) responded better when homeopathic medicines were combined with the conventional allopathic medicines.<br /><br />Dr R K Manchanda, Director General of CCRH and his team treated 120 cases of MDR-TB - some only with the conventional anti-tuberculosis medicine, while another group received additional homeopathic medicines as well. It was observed that those who also received homeopathic medicines responded better than the patients who received only allopathic <br />medicine. This is a great example of complementing the role of homeopathy and allopathy in healthcare. <br /><br />There are many recurring and chronic diseases such as asthma, migraine, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, neuralgias, osteoarthritis, diabetic neuropathy, anxiety neurosis and eczema, which call for combination of both medicines. Although some people - including doctors of both systems - continue to believe that the medicines of different systems cannot be combined, the fact is that homeopathic and allopathic medicines are given simultaneously in some hospitals. Allopathic doctors also need to realise that both medicines can go hand in hand. Coordination by doctors from both systems is required. In fact, it is a patient’s right to ask for integration of both the medicines, if required. <br /><br />Homeopathy and allopathy are like mechanical engineering and electrical engineering, which go hand in hand in developing any gadget. The time has come that we integrate both the systems of medicine, allopathy and homeopathy, for various challenging diseases, because only monotherapy (single system) may not work in all patients. The doctors from both the systems must break their prescription routines and unite to help patients recover better. <br /><br /><em>(The author is organising secretary, Global Homeopathy Foundation & director, Life Force)</em></p>
