Combination homeopathic remedies your introduction to homeopathy
Combination Homeopathic Remedies: Your Introduction To Homeopathy.
Of all homeopathic products on the market, combination remedies are arguably the most popular. You can find them prominently displayed in the homeopathic sections of most health food stores and placed near the cash registers in Whole Foods during cold season. Bestsellers, these products offer us the hope of a simple and straightforward solution: one medication for one diagnosis of anything that ails us, conditions ranging from teething, to head colds, to premenstrual syndrome, to hemorrhoids. But do they work?Its not hard to grasp the concept involved in manufacturing combination remedies. Two or more remedies known to relieve a particular symptom are combined in the same tablet. The expectation is that either the chosen remedies will enhance each others actions, or that at least one of the remedies will be exactly what the patient needs.These remedies exist right on the border between allopathic (conventional) medicine and homeopathic medicine. On one hand, these preparations are prescribed for a particular ailment in the same way as conventional drugs. On the other hand, the components of combination remedies are homeopathically prepared substances. Their proponents argue that the combination remedies are much better then conventional drugs, as they have no side effects.PROS AND CONS OF COMBINATION REMEDIESCombination remedies sold in stores are proprietary to their manufacturers. As they are proprietary medications, I feel uncomfortable rating their efficacy. Nonetheless, I dont want to leave you guessing about them without reliable information. So let me just say that, in my experience, all the major homeopathic manufacturers produce equally good combination preparations. I never use them myself, however some of my patients report that various brands produce more or less similar results. It is also my understanding that at the beginning of the 20th century different companies sold and bought the recipes of efficacious combinations from each other.This makes the process of selection easier. Major companies on the American market that offer combination remedies are Boiron, Hyland/Standard, Washington Homeopathic Products, and 1800HOMEOPATHY. There are quite a few smaller companies out there, too, and companies change hands from time to time, which is a great benefit to the consumer. Mergers or splits of these companies mean only one thing for you: a continuous exchange of experience leading to better products. 