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Study: Allergies Improve with Homeopathy
Highlights:
- Allergies have increased over the last 30 years in industrialised western countries.
- This 2012 study assessed the benefits of individualised homeopathy (classical homeopathy) in which remedies are prescribed according to the unique symptoms of each sufferer rather than the generic disease name.
- Allergies included in the study were neurodermatitis, allergic conjunctivitis, allergic rhinitis, and bronchial asthma.
- Allergy symptoms – shortness of breath, coughing, bronchial mucus, bronchitis, runny nose, itchy nose, sinusitis, sneezing attacks, itchy, watery and red eyes, and reddened skin – improved significantly during the course of the study.
- Associated symptoms of reduced physical performance, sadness and depression, irritability, and sleep disorders due to shortness of breath, coughing, stuffy nose, and increased mucous discharge also improved.
- A substantial reduction in the use of conventional allergy drugs was achieved..
- The most frequently prescribed remedies were Natrum muriaticum, Phosphorus, and Sepia officinale.
- No side effects from the homeopathic treatments were reported.
Objective
The prevalence of allergic disorders in western industrialized countries has steadily increased during the last three decades. Public acceptance of complementary treatment methods is high. The aim of this study was to assess the real-life efficacy of classical homeopathic treatment and the potential to reduce conventional medication dosage.
Methods
A prospective multicenter observational study was conducted by general practitioners specializing in homeopathy in nine Austrian test centers. Personal data and symptoms of allergic patients diagnosed with allergic conjunctivitis, allergic rhinitis, bronchial asthma and neurodermatitis before and after homeopathic treatment were assessed by means of questionnaires (classification of patients’ condition by using visual analogue scales/VAS).
Results
40 out of 44 patients originally recruited for the trial were found to meet the eligibility criteria. All clinical symptoms were shown to improve substantially, in most cases quite markedly (p < 0.001). 21 patients undergoing conventional medication therapy at baseline (62%) were able to discontinue at least one medication, while the remaining patients (38%) reported a dose reduction in at least one medication. No side effects were reported during treatment.
Conclusion
The symptoms of patients undergoing homeopathic treatment were shown to improve substantially and conventional medication dosage could be substantially reduced. While the real-life effect assessed indicates that there is a potential for enhancing therapeutic measures and reducing healthcare cost, it does not allow to draw conclusions as to the efficacy of homeopathic treatment per se.
Full Report: Real-life effect of classical homeopathy in the treatment of allergies: A multicenter prospective observational study
