Statistics

The proportionate share of the total global burden of disease due to neuropsychiatric disorders is projected to rise to 14.7% by 2020.

Mental and neurological disorders are responsible for about one per cent of deaths and almost 11 per cent of disease burden the world over. The Global Burden of Disease report has demonstrated that magnitude and burden of neurological disorders are huge and that they are priority health problems globally.

Neurology

Neurology is a branch of medical speciality dealing with disorders of nervous system. Specifically, it deals with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of disease involving the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems, including their coverings, blood vessels, and all effector tissue, such as muscle. These comprise epilepsy, headache, dementias (including Alzheimer's disease), multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease and other hyperkinetic disorders, stroke, pain syndromes, and brain injury.

Scope and Limitation of Homeopathy in Neurology

Homeopathy is based on demonstrated logical principles and on the clinically observed phenomena of provings and cure. It is based upon objective observation and subjective reporting of experience. Homeopathy appears to rely on intrinsic, health-restoring functions and self-regulatory responses within the patient. What homeopathy cannot do is to correct a dysfunction that has progressed beyond the healing potential of the body. It will not reverse congenital malformations or birth defects, severe pathological deteriorations, amputations, deficiency states, irreversible nerve or brain damage. The use of homeopathy in serious, life threatening conditions in place of proven conventional treatments is imprudent and should neither be practiced nor advised.

For patients with chronic conditions including chronic pain, nerve damage and myalgias who wish to be treated homeopathically, the adjunctive and supportive use of homeopathic treatments is certainly worth exploring. Most people rely on analgesics or pain killers for such complaints; but using them does not cure the disease. It just produces a false sense of comfort where you don’t realize the disease inside. However homeopathic treatment does not suppress the complaint, it helps the body’s defense mechanisms to help cope up with the trouble.

Examples of situations in which homeopathy could be explored include those in which

(a) conventional treatments for the condition being treated do not exist,

(b) conventional treatments have produced maximal benefit and

(c) when patients are unwilling to accept side effects of the conventional treatments.

It is imperative that physicians utilizing homeopathy fully explain the benefits, limitations and risks associated with it before making any recommendation concerning its use. Homeopathy must be practiced only within the framework of evidence-based medicine and with informed patient consent.

Growing Popularity of Homeopathy in Neurology

Experiments and researches are constantly helping to re-assess, re-evaluate and expand the long believd premises of limitation of homeopathy in neurology. In a recent study published in the December 14, 2010, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology reported that about 40 percent of brain tumor patients used alternative therapies including homeopathic remedies, vitamin supplements and psychological therapy. The study involved 621 people with incurable grade II to grade IV gliomas who completed questionnaires about their use of alternative therapies. Alternative therapy was defined as methods or compounds not used in routine clinical practice and not scientifically evaluated.

Younger people, women, and those with more education were more likely to use alternative treatments than older people, men and those with less education.

"The majority of people are turning to alternative treatments not because they are dissatisfied with their conventional care, but because they wish to add something beneficial to their care," Heese said.

Of those who used alternative treatments, 39 percent used homeopathy, 31 percent used vitamin supplements and 29 percent used various psychological methods.

The study was conducted by the German Glioma Network, supported by the German Cancer Aid. (For more details of the news view
http://www.homeorizon.com/breaking-news/many-brain-tumor-patients-use-homeopathy-alternative-treatments )

Moving forward and aiming towards expansion of horizons of Homeopathy we present to you the May Issue of Homeopathic Horizon on HOMEOPATHY AND NEUROLGY. In this issue we will discuss and share the scope and limitation, effectiveness of homeopathy in diseases of nervous system. Hoping that you enjoy the issue.

Happy Reading